Status: for a contest.

A New Heart

In sickness and in health

Ashton walked into Charlee’s room and found her lying on her bed staring at her plate of food that was on the cart next to her bed. He didn’t say anything as he walked across the tiled floor towards her bed. She looked up at him with her big blue eyes, and he could see the sadness in them. “I do want to get better,” she whispered as he got into the bed next to her.

“You have to start eating then,” he said with his Australian accent that could always make her melt, as h pulled her into his chest so he was spooning her. “You can only get better if you put the effort in.”

She didn’t say anything she was just silent as he held and slowly rubbed circles on her hands with his callused thumb. “What did your doctor say?” she asked attempting to change the subject.

“I got good news,” he said as she turned around so she was facing him. “It looks like my body as fully accepted my new heart,” he said giving her a smile.

She was left completely speechless by what he had just said to her. She didn’t bother saying anything as she reached over and unzipped his black hoodie knowing that he wouldn’t have anything underneath. She slowly unzipped it and looked down his chest to see where his scar lied. She slowly ran her pale fingers down his fresh scar that still stuck out. “I’m so happy,” she whispered finally speaking.

“I would be happy too, if you were getting better with me,” he said staring into her big blues eyes. “If I can get better, I think you can too.”

She just stared at him for a moment before saying, “I’m going to be fine.”

He truly wanted to believe her, but he knew she wasn’t going to be fine if she didn’t try to get better. “If you don’t try to get better you are going to end up needed a new heart yourself,” he said before pressing his lips to her forehead. “As soon as you get better we can finally move out of his hospital and maybe start a real life together.”

She placed her hand on this cheek that had quite a bit of scruff on it, she just gave him a small smile. “Are you want to start a life with somebody you are always scared that isn’t going eat?” she asked.

Ashton sat up in the bed and moved Charlee so she sat up with him, and he slowly leaned her against him. “I’m completely positive I want to start life you, in sickness and in health I want to be with you. I mean you stuck by me while I was on the transplant list for a year. Look at us we fell in love with during your first stay in the hospital a year in a half ago, when the doctors realized I was going to need a new heart and was living in the hospital as well. I know such a large chunk of our relationship has been spent in this hospital, but I don’t care.” He looked into her eyes and just smiled as he watched a tear slide down her cheek. “I know you can get better, because I’m getting better.”

“Ashton I want to get better, but I’m scared too,” she said looking down at the red bracelet that both her and Ashton had on their wrist. She knew she would wearing one until she truly got better.

“You need to try harder to get better for me,” he said softly.

She looked up at him before resting her head on his shoulder, “how long tell you can leave the hospital?” she asked.

“I’m here for another week before they said I can head home,” he said resting his head on the top of her blonde covered head. “Do you think you should maybe try to eat,” he said softly as she looked over at the tray of food that was next to her bed.

She just stared at it for a minute before saying, “I guess that’s one of the steps to getting better.” She slowly sat up and put her pajama covered legs off the side of the bed. “I mean it’s a salad so that’s healthy,” she said trying to convince her warped mine it was okay to eat it.

“Yeah it’s healthy,” Ashton said sitting on the edge of the bed next to her.

Charlee took a few bites of the salad feeling completely disgusted with herself, she looked over at Ashton and saw how proud he looked that she was trying to eat. “Look who’s eating,” the both looked at the door to see Nurse Louis with a smile on her face.

“How are you feeling Ashton?” she asked as Charlee took another bite of her salad.

“I’m feeling good about the fact that my body accepted my new heart,” he said smiling.

“How are you feeling Charlee?” Nurse Lois knew that that was a loaded question.

“I feel great that Ashton has a new working heart,” she said not bothering to respond about how she felt about eating.

Nurse Lois took a deep breath walking closer to Charlee’s bed. “How do you feel about eat?” she asked standing in front of her tray of food.

“I want to get better for Ashton,” she said looking over at him as he gave her a smile. “I’m tired of living in this hospital again. I’m nineteen I should be out having a normal life, and once again I ended up here. I guess I need to actually try to get better for not only myself but for Ashton, and my parents,” she said as she looked down at her salad.

“That’s the first step in getting better,” Nurse Lois said with a smile.

“I want to finally get better,” she said as Ashton laced to his fingers with hers.

“That’s amazing to hear,” Lois smiled. “I was supposed to come in here to tell Ashton he needs to head back to his room, but I’m going to let him stay in here with you tonight,” she smiled as she walked out of Charlee’s room.

“I love you Ashton,” she said as she took another bite of her food.

“I love you too Charlee Jane Callaghan,” he said before pressing his chapped lips to her pale cheek.
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This is my first 5sos story. I really enjoyed writing this writing this. It's based off the show Red Band Society.

Word Count: 1,104