Don't Fall Recklessly, Headlessly in Love With Me

“I’m going to go see if there is any updates,” Serena stands, strutting out of the room on her ridiculously long legs, her silver dress shimmering under the florescent lights. Blair quietly sobs to herself, thinking of Chuck. For the first time in his life, Aaron is speechless. He doesn’t know what to say that will make it alright; to make his only daughter stop hurting. But nothing comes to mind, he just stands there.

I’m not quite sure how to breathe without you here.

Minutes pass before Serena returns, this time accompanied by a dark-haired boy with big, worried eyes. “B. I’m so sorry,” Serena says as she returns to her best friend’s side. “Wh-what?... Sorry for what?” Serena looks to Aaron and the other boy, her blue eyes are deep and sorrow-filled. “Chuck…. He didn’t make it through the surgery. He lost so much blood, and they didn’t have any donations that matched his type. There was nothing else they could do, B.” She grabs Blair’s hand, and holds it tight. Blair breaks down, sobbing uncontrollably. She leans in to Serena, who embraces her in a hug and beings to cry herself, realizing her stepbrother is dead.
Aaron steps out of the room, realizing he has nothing to offer her, at least, not right now. He hasn’t felt this helpless since his second wife died. Hailey was shot, execution style, by a brutal serial killer that was taunting Aaron for years. Now, his daughter is feeling a similar loss, her love was taken away from her because of something that was out of her hands.
I’m not quite sure if I’m ready to say goodbye to all we were.

Time passes at a painfully slow rate. Aaron is now in the ER waiting room, talking to his superior on his phone. “Chief Strauss, I know this is last minute, but it’s not like I planned this.” Chief Strauss has an unnatural hatred from Aaron, mainly because she is jealous. “I’m going to have to stay here for a couple of days, my daughter needs me. If you have a problem with this, then we can discuss this when I return to Quantico.” And with that statement, he pushes the “end” button on his cell. He doesn’t think his presence will do any good; Blair is not worried about seeing her distant father. She needs people she knows around her.

Be with me, stay with me, just for now. Let the time decide when I won’t need you.

Aaron awakens to a tap on his shoulder. He is still in the waiting room, and has been for hours. “I need to be around someone who isn’t staring at me like I have a terminal illness.” Blair graciously sits down in the seat next to him. Her eggplant purple robe brings out the dark circles under her eyes. He can tell she’s been crying; her eyes are swollen, her nose is red and stuffy, but she is calm right now. “You’ve been gone for a long time, I thought you left.” She sniffs and lets out a long sigh. “I just… didn’t know if you wanted me around.” Blair shakes her head, “No, I do. It’s just… I don’t know. But, I’m glad you’re here now.” A small smile forms along her tear-stained face as Aaron reaches his arm around her and pulls her in for a hug.