How to Save a Life

Jack is smiling. Why is he smiling? I will never smile again.

“Alex, y/n woke up.”

I stare at him in disbelief. “What?! When?”

“We got the call just before the show started. We were gonna tell you, but we knew you would insist on canceling the set and dashing back to her. So we were gonna wait till after the show, but clearly, it can’t wait that long,” he says.

My head is spinning. She’s alive! She’s awake!

“We have to go! I have to see her!” I tell him, surging to my feet.

Jack stands up too. “We gotta finish this show. It’s just the encore, bro, just two songs. That’s it. Just two songs, and then I promise we’ll break a land speed record to get to her.”

I want to argue, but I know I can’t. So I sigh. “Alright. Let’s make this quick.”

The last two songs seem agonizingly long, but at last, they are over. The guys pack up faster than they ever have before, and then we are piling onto the bus and speeding down the highway.

It took us fourteen hours to get to Baltimore, but only ten to get back. The next morning finds me sprinting through the maze of the hospital and finally, finally, reaching the door to y/n’s room. I stop for a moment, catch my breathe, and open the door cautiously.

There she is, smiling up at me. Alive. Awake.

I cross over to her and sit down on the edge of the bed, folding her hand into both of mine.

“Hey,” I say. “How are you feeling?”

“Better,” she replies with a weak smile. “The doctor says I have to stay here for a few days, but I should make a full recovery.”

I almost cry in relief. She’s here to stay. She’ll by fine.

“Y/n, there’s something I need to tell you,” I say, the words tumbling out in a rush. The guys are waiting outside, giving us some privacy but they’ll be getting impatient soon. “I’ve been meaning to say this for a while, but I was always too scared, and then this happened and I thought I’d lost my chance forever.”

“I love you.”

There is a pause.

“Well, you took the words right out of my mouth,” I say, laughing. “Y/n, I love you, too.” And I am just leaning down to kiss her when Jack bursts through the door.

“FINALLY!” He says with a huge smile. “Took you guys long enough!” He runs over to y/n and enfolds her in a hug. The other guys file in behind him, laughing their asses off, and soon everybody is crowded around y/n’s bed, talking and joking like we are anywhere but a hospital.

Finally, I notice y/n’s eyes begin to close for longer and longer periods of time and I usher everyone out of the room. Closing the door behind them, I return to her bed.

“I’ll be here when you wake up, babe,” I tell her.

“I’ll see you in my dreams,” she whispers in response, and then is fast asleep.