57

CH 57.
Lucas slowly stirred and his eyelids fluttered open. He blinked a few times, trying to adjust to the bright light in the hospital room. He turned his head to the side and saw Andrianne asleep in the chair next to his bed, her head resting on the edge of the bed.
He smiled softly, feeling a rush of warmth in his chest at the sight of her. Despite everything that had happened, he was grateful to have her by his side. He tried to move his arm to reach out to her, but a sharp pain shot through his body, reminding him of his injuries.
He winced and closed his eyes for a moment, taking deep breaths to calm himself down. He opened his eyes again and looked back at Andrianne. She looked peaceful in her sleep, her breathing slow and steady.
He cleared his throat, trying to get her attention without startling her. “Hey,” he said in a low voice.
Andrianne’s eyes slowly opened, and she looked at him with a mix of surprise and relief. “Hey, you’re awake,” she said softly, sitting up straighter in her chair.
Lucas nodded slightly, feeling a bit weak but determined to talk to her. “How long have I been out?” he asked, his voice hoarse.
Andrianne checked her watch. “Almost two days,” she replied. “You were in surgery for a while, and then they had to monitor you closely because of the anesthesia.”
Lucas nodded again, taking in the information. He looked around the room and saw the various machines and wires connected to him. He felt like a prisoner, but he knew it was all for his own good.
“I’m sorry,” he said, looking back at Andrianne. “I never wanted to involve you in all this.”
Andrianne shook her head. “Don’t apologize,” she said firmly. “I caused this so it’s just right I’m the one by your side, and I’ll always be here for you, no matter what.”
Lucas felt his heart swell with love for her. He reached out and took her hand, grateful for her unwavering support. “Thank you,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
They sat in silence for a few minutes, just holding hands and looking at each other. Lucas felt a sense of peace wash over him, knowing that Andrianne was with him.
“I don’t know what I would do without you,” he said finally.
Andrianne squeezed his hand gently. “You don’t have to worry about that,” she said, a small smile on her lips. “I’m not going anywhere.”
They talked about everything that had happened, from Steve’s kidnapping to Andrianne’s father’s involvement. Andrianne held nothing back, telling Lucas everything she knew. Lucas listened intently, not interrupting once. He could see the pain in Andrianne’s eyes as she spoke about her father’s betrayal and her mother’s death.
“I’m sorry, Andrianne,” he said softly, reaching out to take her hand.
She squeezed his hand back, “It’s okay, Lucas. I just don’t want you to get hurt because of me.”
“I won’t let anything happen to you,” he vowed.
They talked for hours, about everything and nothing at the same time. They laughed, they cried, and they bonded over their shared experiences. Lucas couldn’t help but feel that he was falling for Andrianne, but he didn’t want to scare her off by confessing his feelings too soon.
Andrianne also felt something stirring inside her, but she was hesitant to act on it. She had been hurt before, and she didn’t want to risk getting hurt again. They both knew they were growing closer, but neither of them said anything about it.
As the sun began to set, Andrianne stood up to leave. “I should probably go home and get some rest,” she said, looking down at Lucas.
Lucas nodded, “Thank you again for everything, Andrianne. I don’t know what I would do without you.”
Andrianne smiled, “You won’t have to find out. I’ll be back first thing in the morning.”
Lucas watched her leave, feeling a sense of loss as the door closed behind her. He knew he needed to tell her how he felt, but he didn’t want to scare her away. He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep, hoping that things would work out between them.
Andrianne had just returned home from the hospital, feeling exhausted and drained from the events of the past few days. She had spent countless hours by Lucas’s side, watching over him as he slept and praying that he would recover quickly.
As she entered her empty apartment, she collapsed onto the couch and closed her eyes. The silence was overwhelming, and she couldn’t help but feel a sense of emptiness without Lucas by her side…
After resting for a while, Andrianne mustered up the energy to get back up and head back to the hospital. She changed into a fresh set of clothes and made her way back to Lucas’s room.
When she arrived, Lucas was awake and sitting up in bed. He looked over at her and smiled weakly. “Hey, you’re back,” he said softly.
Andrianne walked over to his bed and took his hand in hers. “Of course, I wouldn’t leave you all alone,” she replied, smiling back at him.
They sat in silence for a few moments, just holding hands and looking at each other. Andrianne couldn’t help but feel a deep connection with Lucas, one that she couldn’t quite explain.
After a few minutes, Lucas spoke up. “I don’t know how to thank you for everything you’ve done for me,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Andrianne squeezed his hand gently. “You don’t have to thank me, Lucas. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”
Lucas looked down at their intertwined hands and then back up at Andrianne. “I feel like I owe you so much more than that,” he said, his eyes locking with hers.
Andrianne felt her heart skip a beat. She knew what he was trying to say, but she wasn’t sure if she was ready to hear it. “You don’t owe me anything, Lucas,” she said softly.
Lucas took a deep breath and leaned back against his pillows. “I know we’ve only known each other for a short time, but I feel like we’ve been through so much together,” he said, looking up at the ceiling.
Andrianne nodded slowly, unsure of what to say. She knew that she had started to develop feelings for Lucas, but she wasn’t sure if he felt the same way.