Melody's P.O.V

As the police car drove away, I turned my attention back to Richie. His hand were in mine, and I was not letting go for anything or anyone. The medics went to work stabilizing him and trying their best to stop the bleeding. I just sat there watching, feeling numb inside. If he died, I don't know what I would do. 

My eyes were heavy, I was trying my best to stay awake. Exhaustion and fatigue were setting in, but I couldn't let it. I wouldn't let it! He needed me, I had to make sure that he was alright. Then and only then will I succumb to the darkness that was threatening to take hold. 

"Is he going to be alright?"

My voice sounded heavy and far away. Blinking a few times, I tried to clear my vision. I looked up at the medic and saw two of her. She gave me a concerned look and asked if I was alright. I brushed her off, telling her I was fine, but she didn't look too convinced. 

"I'm fine!" I shouted, "I just want to know if he's ok."

She wanted to help me, I knew that she didn't believe me, but she couldn't do anything about it because I wasn't cooperating. Finally giving up of me, she turned her attention back to Richie. 

"He's stable for now, but we wouldn't know for sure until we get him to the hospital."

I nodded my head, my tears starting to fall anew. 

"I need to ask you a few questions if you're up for it?"

The concern and pity in her voice were clear. I didn't want her to pity me, I wanted her to tell me that my boyfriend was going to be ok. 

Nodding my head, I gave her confirmation to ask her questions. 

"What's his name and date of birth?"

"Oswaldo Richards, his name is Oswaldo Richards."

My voice broke when I spoke, it didn't feel right talking about him like he was already dead. The medic waited patiently for me to continue, but I couldn't. Shaking my head, I started crying again.

"I'm sorry, but I can't. I just can't do this."

She put her arms around and I rested my head on her shoulders. My sobs were loud and hard. I couldn't control them. I was furious with myself. Richie needed me to be strong and I was crying a baby. It wasn't stopping, no matter how hard I try, I couldn't get my tears to stop falling. 

We pulled up to the hospital, just as I started to get some form of control over my tears. Everything started happening all at once. The doors were open and Richie was being wheeled out. We entered the hospital and doctors and nurses came rushing over to him. 

The medic started to relay information about Richie's condition to the doctors. All the while I never let go of his hands. We got to a room and they told me that I needed to let go, but I shook my head.

"I can't, he needs me."

Two nurses came over to me and started prying me away from him. I started panicking, I couldn't let them take him away from me. 

"You need to let us do our jobs."

I wasn't listening to them, my mind was just on Richie. They finally got me to let go of his hand and I felt like a connection to my heart had been broken. I couldn't breathe, I started fighting for air as much as I was fighting to be with Richie.       

"Please! He needs me, don't take him away from me! Please!!"

They wheeled him into the room and lock the door. I stood there crying my heart out. Someone put their arms around me and I started fighting again. 

"It's ok, Deedee, it's only me."

Harmony? I turned and threw myself into her arms. She held me as I cried. 

"They wouldn't let me go with him. Why wouldn't they let me go with him!?"

She helped me over to a group of chairs in what looked like the waiting area, and we sat down. I don't know how long I sat there crying, but when I finally stopped, I looked up and saw Connor, Big Ray, Ginger, Max, Richie's parents and his cousins. 

Victoria Richards was looking at me with barely contained hatred and disdain. Actually all of Richie's family was looking at me like I was the one who stabbed him. And I felt like I had. It was because of me that he was in a hospital fighting for his life again. I wasn't good for him, I should never have started a relationship with him. 

The doctor came out of the room about an hour later. I jumped from my seat and rushed to him. 

"Is he ok? Please tell me that he's ok."

Everyone else was behind me waiting to hear what the doctor would say. 

"He's stable at the moment, the surgery went well. He lost a lot of blood so he's having a transfusion. He's in ICU at the moment, so it should be another hour or so before you're allowed to see him."

I felt so relief, I took a deep breath and started crying again. Someone put their arms around me and I instantly knew that it was Max. It felt good having him there, I needed all the support I could get. 

The doctor talked to Mr. and Mrs. Richards for a while, then he left and went back into the room. We all sat there quietly waiting, not knowing what to say to each other. Victoria was casting wary glances at Big Ray and Harmony was looking strangely at me and Max. I could understand why she was looking at us that way because I was practically in his lap.

I needed the support and comfort, so I was taking it anyway I could get it. And to top it off, the room was still spinning at 50 miles per hour. I was surprised that no one asked me what happened, I knew that they all saw the marks on my face. But still no one asked anything. 

It was close to two hours before the doctor came out again and told us that he was awake. It wasn't a question as to if we wanted to see him, we all got up and made our way to his room. Connor and Big Ray went in first, followed by his parents and his cousins. 

Max, Harmony and I stayed in the back. They were all fussing over him, asking him if he is was alright and how he felt. I stood off to the back feeling like I didn't belong. I wanted to run, but I also wanted to make sure that he was ok.

I know y'all must be saying, 'what the hell! The dude just got stabbed for you, and your dumbass is thinking about running?' But I just couldn't help the way I was feeling. Maybe if I was out of his life, he'd be better off.  

"You gave us quite a scare there, son. I didn't know if my old heart could have taken it."

We all heard the raw emotion in Big Ray's voice. Mr. and Mrs. Richards were standing off to one side of the room just watching. I still didn't move from my spot at the back. 

"Where is she?" Richie asked, and I knew he was talking about me.

When no one answered, he asked again, but with panic in his voice.

"Melody, where is she!?"

"Calm down son, she right here," Big Ray said. 

Everyone parted like the red sea, revealing me standing at the back of the room next to Harmony and Max. 

"Come here," Richie called, but I shook my head.

"I don't want to hurt you."

Even as I said the words I took a step forward. 

"You being so far away from me is the only thing that's hurting me."

I nodded my head and moved closer to the bed. I took a seat in the chair that was by the bed and held his hand.

"Hi," I said.

"Hi." He replied. 

He raised his hand and caressed the spot where Ryder slapped me. 

"You're hurt." 

I leaned into his touch. "It's nothing."

We just stared at each other, not saying anything. He was ok, alive. I was happy, but I still felt the need to run, and I knew that Richie saw it too. 

"No!" he shouted, shocking everyone in the room but me. 

"You're not running! You don't get to run, I won't let you, do you hear me? I won't let you!"

But I wasn't listening to him, the need to run out of there was so strong, I couldn't breathe from the force of it. I jumped from my seat as the room started spinning. I was finding it hard to keep my eyes open, and Richie's voice sounded so far away. 

"I need to... I can't."

I didn't get to finish what I was saying because the next thing I knew was that I was falling. My head hit something hard as I was going down and I heard screaming. 

A beep, beep sound filled my head and the faint sound of someone yelling at Richie to get back in the bed. I wanted to shout at him myself, but I wanted the freedom that the darkness offered more. 

The last thing I heard before I willing gave myself over to the dark was Richie saying,

"What's wrong with her!? What the hell is wrong with her!?"