jack's pov

i jolted as i woke up from my sleep, noticing that i was still sat in the same, old, hospital chair.

i looked over at savannah, who was still lying completely still with a ventilator continuing to help her breathe correctly.

seeing her just cast my mind back to the two dreams that i had - one was where she woke up and everything was perfect, then the other was where she, well, didn't.

"i'm sorry, did i wake you?" the female nurse in the room spoke.

she was altering a few wires and appliances that were connected to savannah. i shook my head and cleared my throat to remove my groggy voice.

"how is she doing?" i asked.

"there still hasn't been any major changes since we bought her in here" she informed.

it's been three days since the accident, three days of sleeping in this damn chair and three days of watching savannah in this frustrating coma.

"but her heart rate is slowly progressing back to normal, which is good" the nurse added, repeating what i've already been told countless times.

i pulled my hands through my messy hair and yawned at how i haven't had a decent sleep in more than 72 hours.

"you seem awfully tired" she stated. "you should go home and rest".

"no" i shook my head, then stood to go by savannah's side. "she needs me here, so i'm staying".

the door soon opened and johnson walked in with two coffees, then handed me one. the nurse left us alone and i happened to yawn again, before taking a sip of my cup.

"bro, you've been here for three days. you should really get some real sleep" he advised.

i huffed, "johnson, i'm fine. i've been drinking plenty of coffees, the food here isn't all bad, there's a tv".

"jack, seriously. savannah won't hate you if you leave for a few hours" he assured, but again, i shook my head to deny.

"no, i promised myself that i'd be here when she wakes up" i firmly told him.

"but we have no idea when that will be. for all we know, it could be days or weeks".

"and i'll be here, regardless of not sleeping or—".

i was suddenly cut off by a few light mumbles. i glanced over at savannah to see her eyes gradually opening and her lips trying to move beneath her oxygen mask.

"savs?" i said, setting down my coffee and rushing closer to her.

johnson hurried out to get a doctor as savannah's eyes fell on me for the first time and she lazily pulled down her mask.

she opened and closed her mouth, trying to get a few words out.

"hey, hey, it's okay" i stroked her cheek, as johnson came back with the doctor. "i'm here".

she weakly coughed, "w-what...what happened?".

"miss brooks, i'm dr. nicholson. you were in a pretty bad car accident, three days ago" he explained to her.

"three days ago?" she repeated with a frown.

"but don't worry, your family and friends have been by your side the entire time" the doctor added.

savannah tried her best to get more comfortable in her bed, but as soon as she moved, she winced in pain.

"everything...everything hurts" she managed to say.

"i'm afraid that's expected. the accident gave you a few serious injuries, but we're going to do everything we can to get you back on your feet" he replied. "i'm going to go and check on your previous tests, then we'll run some more".

savannah nodded and i turned to the doctor.

"thank you" i said to him and he smiled at my kindness, before leaving the room.

i sat myself down on the edge of the bed as johnson came and stood beside it.

"savannah, i'm so happy that you're awake" johnson spoke. "it felt weird not having someone to annoy me 24/7".

savannah lightly chuckled at his joke, although i watched her wince at little from the instant pain. suddenly, her eyes fell on me and i stared back at her - wondering what she was thinking.

"okay, i feel like a third wheel right now. so i should give you two a minute" johnson stood up. "i'll go and call the others to tell them the good news".

once he left the room, i held onto savannah's hand, watching my thumb gently stroke against her skin as i thought back to the day of the accident.

"what's wrong?" she questioned, her voice almost in a whisper.

i quickly wiped my eye, "i thought i was going to lose you, savs. watching you in that chair day and night was torture—".

"day and night?" she interrupted.

"i haven't left this room since the day you were brought in here. i just couldn't do it, i couldn't leave you here alone".

her eyes started to cloud up with tears.

"i'm sorry" she started to cry. "i should have listened to you, i shouldn't have gotten in that car".

i shook my head at her words, then used my thumb to wipe away her tears.

"don't be sorry, you were upset. the only thing that matters now is that you're okay" i spoke and she gripped onto my hand a little tighter, briefly smiling up at me.

+

savannah's pov

a few days later, i was finally allowed to be discharged from the hospital. the accident unfortunately left me with a broken leg and a sore lower back and ribs, so the doctor said i would need crutches to get around for a while.

jack carried my belongings as i walked beside him out of the automatic doors.

"so, are you excited to leave this place?" he asked.

i let out a sigh of relief, "couldn't be happier - the hospital smell was driving me crazy".

"well, everyone's really excited for you to come back".

"does everyone include you?" i raised my brow at him.

"do you even have to ask that?" he responded and i rest my case, whilst we walked through the car park and finally reached our car.

jack unlocked the trunk and started putting my things in there, before i suddenly froze in my spot.

i was quickly reminded of the accident - how angry and upset i was, the loud horn of the oncoming car, how fast it was coming towards me and how i didn't have anytime to react.

"savs?" jack's voice spoke over my anxiety.

my heart started to beat faster as my palms grew sweaty. i dropped one of my crutches, causing jack to hurry by my side as i held onto my tightening chest.

"what's happening? are you okay?" he held onto me. "should i go and get a doctor?".

i shook my head, "i can't...i-i can't get in the car".

"hey, look at me" jack placed his hands on my face to gently direct my attention to him. "just follow my breathing, okay?".

he started performing slow, deep breaths and i looked up at him to try my best to copy.

it wasn't long before i felt my chest start to relax and my breathing return to its normal pace.

"how do you feel now?" he inquired.

"a little better" i said, still taking a few deep breaths.

"are you sure?" jack soothed my hair and i nodded my head to respond.

after convincing him countless times that i was fine now, jack finally put the rest of my things in the car then helped me into the passenger seat before we made our way back to the cabin.

we opened the front door to our friends standing with huge smiles, a mini chocolate cake and sammy holding a small, piece of paper that read: welcome home!

"we only had this sheet of paper, so we tried our best" nate explained to me.

i laughed and came closer on my crutches to hug them all.

"i love it, you guys. thank you" i said as we embraced in one giant, group hug.

over their shoulders, i was surprised at who i saw walking downstairs — tristan.

whenever i had a visitor in hospital, no one ever spoke about him and no one ever mentioned him.

he never visited me, so i just assumed that he went back home to london and that even after our relationship, he just didn't care enough to stay.

he paused on one of the steps and stared directly at me, so i looked away and pulled back from the hug.

"so, how long did the doctor say you'll be on crutches for?" sammy inquired.

"a few weeks, but i'll need to attend some physiotherapy sessions just to get me back on track a lot sooner" i told, still managing to glance at tristan behind them.

"come on, let's cut this cake now because my mouth is beginning to water by just staring at it" lauren suggested.

everyone stared following in her direction to the kitchen just as tristan approached me, preventing me from moving any further.

"savannah, look. i'm sorry for—".

"tristan, not now" i told as i suddenly felt the rush of pain i was in before the crash. "please".

jack waited for me whilst everyone else was already digging into the cake. tristan finally let me pass and jack held onto my lower back as we left him in the hallway.

we all have flights for la tonight, so everyone was already packed and prepared. whereas i was nowhere near finished, so lauren was helping me gather all of my things back into my suitcases.

stopping us mid-conversation, there was knock on my bedroom door and before we could answer, tristan cautiously opened it further.

"oh. hey" lauren bluntly greeted as she folded one of my shirts and i did another.

tristan's attention turned to me, so i settled my clothing down.

"can we talk, savannah?" he asked, causing lauren to give me a quick glance.

"it's okay lo, can you give us a sec?" i said and she let out a sigh, before leaving us alone.

he came and joined me on the bed, sitting at a decent distance.

"why are you still in nevada, tristan?" i began. "i mean, you never came to see me and—".

"what? i did. well when you were in that coma, i did. i swear" he corrected. "i could only come when your friends weren't around because jack didn't want me near you, but i never stopped caring. i was terrified for you, savannah".

i shook my head and focused my eyes on him.

"y'know, i still remember so clearly how i felt just before the accident. how hurt and humiliated i was after you lied to me for so long" i mentioned.

"i know and i apologise. i should have told you about alexa and the baby".

"yeah, you should have and i just think that i should tell you that that's not the life that i'm prepared to be involved in. this alexa is clearly still attached to you and you both have a baby on the way, so i think it's best that you just focus on that".

it took a second or two for tristan to comprehend my words, but when he did, he creased his brows.

"but, i want to be with y—".

"yes, i know you want to be with me and that you're sorry...but i am too" i cut him off to confess.

"sorry for what?" he wondered.

i licked my lips, "just before i found out about everything, jack and i kissed. i don't know what that meant for him and i, but i know for a fact that it'll be selfish of me to put you in the middle of that".

"so you're breaking up with me" tristan stated, before pulling his hands down his face.

"this relationship is a complete mess now and we've both got so many other priorities, that it would be pointless to fix it".

tristan stared down at the carpet for a few seconds until he finally gave me eye contact. he held my hand then slowly bought us closer together, so that he could hug his arms around me.

"you mean so much to me, savannah" he whispered over my shoulder. "i'm sorry for fucking this up".

i nodded my head as i hugged him back, "me too".

he finally pulled away, but placed a soft kiss on my head before he did. i watched him rise from the bed and wipe his hands across his pants, then hesitantly leave through the door.

as soon as it was shut behind him, i lay back on my bed and sighed a loud until the door reopened. jack came in this time, so i sat back up.

"what was that about?" he asked, nodding behind him.

"tristan and i just broke up - officially" i announced.

his eyes briefly widened as he sat next to me, "you did?".

i frowned at his reaction and smirked at him slightly.

"you're happy about that, aren't you?" i inquired.

"no way" jack brushed off. "...i'm ecstatic".

i immediately laughed at how he copied my words from the other night, when we were talking about nadine's departure. but i soon relaxed into a more serious tone as i hated what i had to say next.

"i also told him about how you and i kissed before the accident" i mentioned.

jack scratched his neck, "so, what does that mean for us?".

i could easily see the hope in his eyes. i could tell that he wanted me to respond in the way that he would like, but the accident has changed everything.

"if things were different, in terms of this" i began, pointing to my leg. "then i wouldn't hesitate, but they're not. so, i just feel like until i'm in the right headspace, i can't be involved with anyone right now".

my heart practically shattered at the disappointment on jack's face. he looked at his lap, then quickly tried to reassure me by glancing up with a smile.

"yeah, sure" he nodded his head. "i get it".

"i'm sorry" i spoke near to inaudibly.

"no, don't be, please" he rushed. "you just need to focus on getting better and there isn't a doubt that i'll be right by your side helping you through all of this".

i showed him a warm smile, before reaching out to stroke his cheek.

"i don't deserve you" i told him and he helplessly chuckled.

"i'm pretty sure that it's the other way around, savs".

i leant my forehead against his, whilst he stared into my eyes and soon dropped his attention onto my lips.

i noticed him hesitate and move suddenly to try and place his lips onto mine, but that would just make what i said much harder than it already is.

so, he let out a small breath and moved to give a kiss to my heated cheek instead.

-

this story is due to end by at least chapter fifty-five, but that excludes the epilogue

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