( DISCLAIMER: for full ambience of this chapter, i would advise that you listen to the music track i've provided at the top, "Strodes at the Hospital" from Halloween Kills. enjoy! )

Thirty Minutes Later
10:04 P.M.
Christina's POV

By the time Christina made it to the hospital, her face had become ghostly white and her eyes could hardly keep themselves open. Even sitting in the back of the ambulance with Mary Jane and John proved to be immensely difficult. This was especially because the pain had come back in full force and it was more unbearable now, and she knew that her life was draining rather quickly. She had ordered for the driver of the ambulance to slam down on the gas pedal and she was obeyed.

She couldn't die.

Not tonight.

Not now.

And certainly not anytime soon.

She wanted to live.

But her body seemed to say otherwise as she slowly began shutting down; it all started when she fainted again and collapsed into Mary Jane's lap, and the redhead had to hold her with the remaining strength she had. This only led to her friend panicking, but John successfully kept her calm by assuring her that Christina would be just fine.

But, in reality, John Jameson was scared shitless for his friend's life.

Mere minutes later, Christina was floating in and out of consciousness as she felt herself being carried out of the ambulance and placed on a nearby stretcher. Her vision was blurrier than it ever had been, as the human figures surrounding her were nothing but misshapen apparitions to her and their voices echoed so badly to the point that she couldn't make out a word they were saying to her.

"...gonna... all right..." was all she could hear due to Mary Jane's muffled voice.

But she was unable to respond.

The fingernails on her remaining arm were turning blue....

Each breath she inhaled was a wheeze instead of a normal intake of oxygen....

Her heartbeat began to slow....

No, hold on, damn it! the last sentence that resembled anything close to a cohesive and sane thought flared throughout her brain, and she tried clutching onto it desperately.

In order to comfort herself, she tried to think of her favorite memory, something that would keep her chained to reality. Sidney's face swam through her mind and she couldn't help but smile as she remembered her sister's twelfth birthday.

"Miss... tell... name..." a slightly older female said but she didn't know all of the words either.

But she was able to see something very clearly...

As she was wheeled into the emergency room, Christina just barely made out a figure in the corner of the room; it was the only person she could actually see. She recognized the woman's long, faded brown hair and caring smile that she knew she had inherited. Instead of feeling fear and being horrified that she was in another nightmare of losing her, the young woman felt at peace as she reached out her hand.

"Mom..." she whispered faintly.

But just as she was about to feel Margaret's warm and comforting hand in hers, she was put under for emergency surgery...

_____

Mary Jane's POV

"The patient is semi-conscious with a fatal wound to her left arm. All of her skin from just below her left elbow to her fingertips has been melted off, and we might have to perform an amputation. Multiple contusions, she's going white and her eyes are glassy..."

That's what one of the male nurses had said to the female nurse that had asked Christina for her name, but Mary Jane knew that the brunette was too far gone to even answer her at this point. She could feel John's hand rubbing her back to keep her at ease and, when one of the female receptionists walked up to them to ask for the patient's name, the redhead's voice was now more stable.

"That's my friend," she replied to her. "Her name is Christina Johnson." When the receptionist showed no sign of recognition, Mary Jane repeated the last name with more emphasis. "Johnson. Her left arm was melted down to the bone... she needs help, ma'am!"

The woman's emotional state was beginning to crack.

"They're taking her to the E.R, Miss," the receptionist replied. "We'll make sure she's just fine. She'll make it."

God, I fucking hope so, the redhead thought humorlessly.

"Don't you want to have a nurse look at you, Miss?" the lady asked kindly, gently taking a hold of Mary Jane's arm, but she shook her head.

"I'm fine..." she whispered. "Just go focus on her."

_____

Christina's POV

She feels as though she's being swept through a hazy mist that is clouding her vision, and she's utterly confused as to where she's at. She is completely aware that she is asleep and drugged, and that doctors and nurses are working on her but, for a moment, she feels as though she won't make it.

Is she in the afterlife?

Is she dead?

No. She would know that, for sure. She can still feel her heart ricocheting against her chest.

Her body feels feathery-light and she feels like her feet aren't even touching the ground of where she is.

She is, however, unaware that she's standing just on the line marked between life and death....

Just as she's about to unwillingly step onto the side of death and welcome her fate like an old friend, a presence fills her heart and she instinctively turns around. Unlike all of her past nightmares, she actually grins at the sight that she sees.

Her mother is standing five feet away from her with her arms open on the side of life. Without hesitation, Christina sprints to her and embraces her tightly, unable to pry herself away from her.

So, she doesn't. She holds on, refusing to give up her fate too soon.

"My strong, beautiful daughter..." Margaret murmurs consolingly with a gentle and warm smile. "I'm so proud of you, honey..."

"Me too..." Christina replies quietly.

And she keeps holding on, just wondering what the near future will bring as her heart begins to truly heal....

_____

Forty-Five Minutes Later
10:49 P.M.
Mary Jane's POV

The double doors burst open and in came Michael, Sidney, Allyson, and Aidan into the waiting room. The moment Michael caught a glimpse of a tired Mary Jane, he rushed over to the young woman, frantic to know what had happened to his daughter.

"Mary Jane!" he called out. "Is my daughter alright?!"

He had gotten a call from the redhead not too long before through one of the payphones in the hallway and, once he heard the horrific news, he had taken his wife and kids and made their way to Queens General Hospital as quickly as they could. But he still felt as though he weren't fast enough, since he had a gnawing feeling in his gut that his oldest child wouldn't make it.

"Chris is fine..." Mary Jane replied with an exhausted smile as she stood up, greeting the Johnson family. "She made it through surgery... despite the amputation of her arm."

That word made the adults shudder at what sort of agony Christina had to endure to cause an... amputation.

But, Michael nodded after he gulped at the semi-terrible news and asked if she was awake.

"She's not, but the doctors will let you see her," the younger woman assured him and Michael didn't hesitate to sprint towards where his daughter's room was located, Allyson following in pursuit with Aidan still in her arms.

Sidney, however, stayed behind for a moment and threw her arms around Mary Jane, tears streaming down the young girl's face out of pure relief.

"Hey, it's okay, kiddo..." the redhead murmured to keep her relaxed, hugging the shorter girl back tightly as tears rolled down her own face.

"Thank you for keeping her alive..." Sidney stammered, her voice thick with emotion.

"Of course..." Mary Jane replied. "Your sister's strong as hell."

She didn't know why exactly she had said this; both her and Sidney knew that Christina was one tough woman that always fought to keep going in life, especially recently.

But she ignored that for the time being as the two of them continued hugging and crying from the comfort that Christina Johnson would be okay.

A/N: i know that was a shorter chapter than usual and i'm sorry. i just didn't know how to expand this into thousands upon thousands of words. i hope that's okay with you guys!

ANYWAYS, thoughts on this chapter, despite its short length?

did you like how i wrote christina being on the brink of death? let me know!

did you like the moment where she saw her mother in the emergency room? i'm sad she didn't get to hold margaret's hand☹️

mary jane is such a selfless and wonderful friend, isn't she?🥹

what did you think of the dream sequence of christina's mother? did you like how it was written in present tense? margaret truly was and still is the sweetest mother😭

did you like the moment between sidney and mary jane? be prepared for part three, since they have a close bond by then!😁

predictions for the next chapter? two more chapters until the end of part two!

be looking forward to the next chapter! it'll be longer, i promise!

-denbroughswife