The room was silent, save for the rhythmic beeping of the machines monitoring Aurora’s vitals. Damian sat beside her bed, his eyes fixed on her pale face. Luna stood quietly by the door, her hands clasped in front of her, watching with a mixture of hope and worry.
Suddenly, Aurora stirred. Her fingers twitched slightly, and her eyelids fluttered. Damian straightened up in his chair, his heart pounding.
“Aurora?” he said softly, leaning closer.
Her eyes slowly opened, the light of the room making her blink. She turned her head slightly, her gaze landing on Damian. There was a moment of silence as their eyes met.
“Damian,” she whispered, her voice weak but clear.
“Aurora!” Damian exclaimed, his voice filled with relief. He moved closer, his hand gently brushing her hair back.
Aurora tried to sit up, her body trembling from the effort. “Don’t,” Damian said quickly, placing his hands on her shoulders to hold her still. “You need to rest. Don’t push yourself.”
Aurora’s eyes filled with tears, and they spilled over, streaming down her cheeks. Damian’s heart ached at the sight. He leaned in, gently pressing his lips to her wet cheeks, kissing the tears away.
“Don’t cry,” he said softly, his voice trembling. “Please, Aurora. I’m here now.”
Aurora’s voice was shaky as she spoke. “Why… why didn’t you come sooner?”
Damian’s throat tightened. “I’m so sorry,” he said, his voice breaking. “I should have come for you earlier. I should have protected you better. I failed you, Aurora.”
Her hand trembled as she lifted it, placing it gently on his cheek. “Damian,” she whispered, her touch soft against his skin.
“I’m so sorry for everything,” Damian continued, his voice full of guilt. “For hurting you, for not saving you when I should have. I don’t deserve your forgiveness, but I promise you, I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you.”
Aurora’s tears continued to flow, but her eyes softened as she looked at him. “You’re here now,” she said quietly. “That’s what matters.”
Damian leaned into her hand, closing his eyes for a moment. “I’ll never let anything happen to you again,” he promised. “I swear it.”
Aurora nodded weakly, her gaze shifting to Luna, who stood frozen by the door, unsure if she should interrupt the moment.
“Luna,” Aurora said softly, her voice weak but steady. “Come here.”
Luna blinked, her hands clenching nervously. “Aurora,” she said, her voice trembling. “You’re awake…”
“Yes,” Aurora replied, managing a faint smile. “Come closer, Luna.”
Luna hesitated for a moment before stepping forward, her movements tentative. She reached the bedside, her eyes brimming with tears. “I was so worried about you,” she said, her voice breaking. “I prayed for you every day.”
Aurora gave her a small nod. “I know,” she whispered. “Thank you, Luna. For everything.”
Luna reached out, taking Aurora’s free hand in hers. “You’re like a sister to me,” Luna said, her tears spilling over. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
Damian watched the interaction, his heart softening at the bond between the two women. He reached out, placing his hand over theirs. “We’re all here now,” he said quietly. “And we’ll get through this together.”
Aurora looked at Luna, her expression gentle. “Luna,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “I need you to be strong for me. For the baby.”
Luna nodded quickly, her grip tightening on Aurora’s hand. “I will,” she promised. “I’ll do everything I can to help you.”
Aurora’s gaze shifted back to Damian. “You’ll be a good father,” she said softly.
Damian’s eyes widened slightly, his throat tightening. “I’ll try,” he said, his voice filled with emotion. “I’ll do everything I can to be the man you and our child deserve.”
Aurora’s fingers gently squeezed his hand. “That’s all I want,” she said.
The room fell silent again, the air heavy with unspoken emotions. The three of them sat together, their hands intertwined, a silent promise of strength and unity passing between them.
Aurora’s eyelids began to droop, her body still weak from the long ordeal. Damian noticed and leaned in. “Rest now,” he said softly. “We’ll be here when you wake up.”
Aurora nodded faintly, her eyes closing as exhaustion overtook her. Luna carefully placed Aurora’s hand back on the bed, wiping her own tears away.
Damian stood, his gaze lingering on Aurora’s sleeping face. He turned to Luna, his expression a mixture of relief and determination. “She’s going to be okay,” he said firmly. “We’ll make sure of it.”
Luna nodded, her eyes still glistening. “She’s stronger than anyone I’ve ever known,” she said. “She’ll pull through.”
Damian placed a hand on Luna’s shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Thank you for being here,” he said. “For her. For me.”
Luna looked up at him, her expression sincere. “I’ll always be here for her,” she said. “And for you.”
Damian gave her a small nod, his lips curving into a faint smile. “I know,” he said quietly.
The two of them stepped away from the bed, giving Aurora the peace she needed to rest. As they left the room, Damian couldn’t help but feel a flicker of hope. For the first time in a long while, it felt like things might finally be looking up.