December 2018

My whole body hurt. I don't think I'd ever felt a more intense pain in my life, it was as if someone was repeatedly stabbing me in the side. I tried to move, worst mistake of my life. If my throat wasn't so dry, I'm sure the scream that would've left my lips could've shattered windows. Instead, only a ragged wheeze left my lips. As I opened my eyes, I realised where I was, I wish I hadn't.

I wish I'd just kept my eyes closed and stayed blissfully unaware of the situation I was in just so I could pretend for a moment that none of this had actually happened and that this was all just a bad dream.

However, it wasn't, this was my reality. A solitary tear slid down my cheek. I didn't know why I was crying, maybe it was because of the pain or perhaps because I was currently in a hospital, alone and scared. Suddenly the door opened, and I watched as an exhausting looking Ricky walked through it.

I'd never been so grateful to see a familiar face in all my life, if I wasn't in excruciating pain, I'm more than sure I'd have jumped out of bed and hugged him.

"Rick?" I croaked "what's going on?" My voice must have startled him. His whole body spun, he just stood there and stared at me.

"Jesus, Luce. How long have you been awake?" He asked

"5 minutes, maybe 10. What's going on Rick?"

I wanted to know everything. I had a vague memory of what had happened. I don't think the sound of crunching metal would ever leave my mind, but I had no idea of what had happened after I'd apparently passed out.

"I got a call from Hayden after you'd both been taken to the hospital. He was fine, but you were unconscious and bleeding heavily. It wasn't until they'd gotten you here that they noticed that the bleeding was also internal. You'd broken 5 of your ribs, and another 3 were fractured, you'd also suffered a really bad nock to the head that fractured the back of your skull. They put you into a medically induced coma, they didn't know how your body would react to the trauma. The doctors were worried that your brain would start to swell and cause some degree of brain damage. After they were sure your brain was okay, they brought you out, and you've been kept sedated ever since."

Ricky's words shocked me. My whole body started to shake, I had no idea it was that bad. I had put the pain down to some serious bruising, but god was I wrong. "How long have I been here?" I asked.

"Just under a week. It's the 20th of December."

"Fucking hell." I breathed.

I really wanted to ask him how and where Hayden was. But I guessed due to the fact he hadn't already mentioned him, he was probably plotting his demise as we speak. "What happened, Luce?" He asked as he sat down on the chair by the bed. "Everything was going so well, I can't understand why all of this happened."

"He broke his promise. It's as simple as that, he couldn't even last the month. I should've never given him that chance, I wouldn't be here if I hadn't." This was the first time I'd felt anything but love for Hayden. I wasn't even angry at him, I was just so fucking disappointed in him, and that hurt me most more than anything.

"I could've killed him when I saw him in the waiting room." Ricky said after a while. "I was so close to telling him to leave and never contact you again, but as soon as he saw me, he just broke down. He thought he'd killed you, the doctors hadn't been to see him since they'd taken you into surgery to stop the bleeding. He was just sobbing and wouldn't stop shaking and saying how he'd killed you and that it was all his fault."

"Well, he's not wrong." I murmured "he shouldn't have been driving. I had no idea he had coke on him, let alone that he'd use it and then drive the both of us home."

"You have every right to be angry at him. What are you going to do now?"

"Are you asking if I'm going to stay with him?" I laughed humorously at his question "no Rick, I'm not. This was the last straw, I know that, and I'm guessing that he knows that too. The most painful that's come out of this was that we were good together. We fit together perfectly, but he's ruined that now."

"I understand sweetie. You need to put yourself first. You can't save everyone, especially if they don't want to be saved."

Just as I was about to reply, what can only be described as one hell of an argument broke outside of the hospital room. Ricky and I just looked at each other, completely stunned. "Someone's not happy." I chuckled, but It didn't last long, the pain in my ribs made sure of that.

Suddenly the door burst open, and a dishevelled looking Hayden fell through it, followed by an extremely pissed off doctor.

"Mr Williams. I have told you multiple times that you're not allowed in here. I will call security if you refuse to leave. I've been more than patient with you."

"I've told you, I'm not leaving until I've seen her and know she's okay." The whole exchange was just uncomfortable to watch, the poor man had better things to do than babysit Hayden.

"It's okay, doctor. Let him stay, I need to speak to him, and then he'll leave." The poor man just walked out of the room, probably too exhausted to even care about the situation further.

"Rick, would you give us some time alone?" I ask I knew he'd be reluctant to leave me alone, but he rose from the chair and left the room without a word.

"Luce, sweetheart. I'm so sorry I ..." I held my hand up and cut him off, I didn't want to hear any of the excuses he had lined up. I was done with it all, it was time for him to listen to me. "No, I don't want to hear it. Sit down, you're going to listen to me for once." Surprisingly he listened and lowered himself into the chair next to me. "I don't think I have to say it because you know you've fucked up. We had something special, Hayden. We finally had our chance together, but it's not going to happen again. you've lost me now, and I think you know that." I took a moment to collect my thoughts and began speaking again.

"I was your curse, Hayden. You were my disease. I was saving you, but you were killing me. It's time for me to do what's best for my own life now and I think it's best for me to do that without you in it. I don't think I'll ever stop loving you, you were my whole world, but I just can't do it anymore."

"Please, Luce." He whispered "don't do this, I need you. I can't do this without you."

"No, Hayden. I need to do what's best for me. I know you're more than capable of beating this. You've got to do this for yourself now, you couldn't do it for me. I won't ever stop being your friend, but I need to distance myself from you for a while, okay? I just hope you can do the right thing.

The room was deathly silent, it was a horrible realisation knowing that someone that meant the whole world to you was now a complete stranger. However, it was for the best. Hayden rose from his seat and lent over me, placing a feather light kiss on my forehead he turned and walked towards the door.

"I'll get you back, Luce. I promise, you know we're meant to be together, I'll show you I can get better. I won't ever stop loving you, please don't give up on me just yet."

After he left, I allowed the tears to fall. In the space of one day, my whole world had been completely flipped upside-down. I cried for the relationship I'd just lost, and I cried for the loss of everything that could've been.

A/N

This is the final part of the three chapter update this week. I'll be taking a one week break from updating His Saviour to concentrate on starting the final edit for my other book, Day and Night.

I'd like to thank you all so much for your continued support on both of my books it means the world to me ❤️

Don't forget to vote and add His Saviour to your library so you don't miss an update❤️