A soft drizzle tapped against the hospital window as twilight painted the sky in muted shades of grey and gold. Inside Room 709, the steady rhythm of the heart monitor was the only sound, a quiet reminder of life holding on.
It had been a week since the crash.
JC remained unconscious, lying still beneath the pristine white sheets of his private hospital bed. A private nurse watched over him around the clock, ensuring his vitals stayed stable and his needs were met. Yet, it was Keira who stayed closest.
Since the day of the accident, Keira made it a point to visit him during every break and after every shift. She would quietly sit at his bedside, whispering soft stories, cleaning his face with gentle strokes, brushing his hair back when it grew messy. She brought fresh flowers once, changed his pillow herself, even hummed the song he liked—the one that played in his car when he drop him off the hospital last week. The staff began calling her “his angel in scrubs.”
Today was her day off, and she had no intention of spending it anywhere else.
Jessie had just left a few hours ago, leaving Keira alone in the quiet room. She was curled up in the chair beside JC’s bed, his hand cradled gently in hers, her head resting against the edge of the mattress. The warm light above them glowed softly, casting a golden hue over the room.
Keira was fast asleep, exhaustion finally catching up with her after another sleepless night.
Suddenly, something shifted.
JC’s fingers twitched. Just a little.
It might’ve gone unnoticed—if not for Keira, who stirred from her light sleep at the faint movement. Her brows furrowed. Was she dreaming?
She sat up slowly, cautiously pressing his hand again. This time, it moved. A clear, intentional squeeze.
Her heart skipped.
“JC?” she whispered, her voice trembling. “JC, can you hear me?”
No response.
She reached for the emergency call button and paged Dr. James. But before the doctor could arrive, JC’s eyes began to flutter. Then… they opened.
“JC!” she gasped, leaning over him. “You’re awake!”
His eyes, slightly unfocused, looked around the room. “Where… am I?” he murmured, voice hoarse, barely audible.
Keira placed a hand over his chest, blinking back tears. “You’re in the hospital. You were in a car accident.”
Just then, Dr. James entered, rushing in with two nurses. He paused as soon as he saw JC’s open eyes.
“Mr. Queen,” he said with a relieved smile, “Welcome back. You’ve been unconscious for a week, but we managed to stop the internal bleeding. Can we do a quick check on you?”
JC gave a weak nod.
The nurses moved efficiently, checking his IV, adjusting the monitors, while Dr. James shone a light in his eyes and asked him simple questions. JC answered slowly, but his responses were clear and coherent.
Dr. James finally stood upright, smiling proudly. “All good signs. You’re lucky, Mr. Queen. Really lucky. We’ll continue observation, but for now… it looks like you’ve made it through.”
Keira’s eyes followed them as they left the room, her fingers still wrapped gently around JC’s.
When the door finally closed, she turned back to him. He looked at her with more focus now, his brows slightly furrowed.
“Keira?” he said softly.
“Yes,” she whispered, brushing his hair back from his forehead. “I’m here.”
His lips curled into a faint smile. “I thought… I wasn’t going to make it.”
“I thought so too,” she said, tears escaping her eyes. “You scared me, JC. You really scared me.”
“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I didn’t mean to worry you.”
She leaned down, wrapping her arms around him gently, mindful of the wires and tubes. “No… thank you for fighting back.”
He closed his eyes, taking in the comfort of her embrace. “I heard your voice… even when I couldn’t move. It kept me grounded.”
Keira pulled back slightly, tears falling freely now. “You’re not allowed to do this again. No more life-threatening missions. No more near-death experiences.”
“No more,” he agreed, his voice stronger now. “Everything goes back to normal. I promise.”
The door swung open again as Jessie and Casper entered, both breathless from rushing through the hospital.
Jessie was the first to reach him. “Bro!” she gasped, eyes lighting up. “You’re awake! This is your third life already.”
JC smiled faintly. “Third time’s the charm?”
“Seriously,” she said, leaning in to kiss his forehead. “Don’t you dare pull this stunt again. We almost lost it.”
Casper came next, nodding with a relieved smile. “JC… good to have you back, man.”
JC nodded. “It’s good to be back alive.”
The room buzzed softly with emotion, quiet laughter, and shared relief. Even the tension that had gripped them for days began to melt away.
Keira returned to his side, brushing her fingers through his hair. “Just rest now, okay? We’ll handle the rest.”
JC looked at her, then at his brother and sister. “Thank you… all of you.”
He took Keira’s hand again, holding it tight. “I’m not going anywhere this time.”
And this time, they believed him.