Hey! Guys, thank you so much for 500+ reads! It means a lot to me that you're reading it. Well, you'll probably hate me for the next chapter and probably the chapters to come, so... Yeah. Leave me a vote if you like the story and comment with any confusions if you have any. Thank you! ❤️

Leah's POV

The next morning, I woke up pretty late. Something was wrong though. As I went to open my eyes, they wouldn't lift open. My body completely resisted everything I tried to do. I couldn't move and I couldn't talk, something I really wanted to do today.

I realized what had happened...

The scuffing of shoes got closer and closer. The only thing I wanted to do was see who it was, and I couldn't even do that. My body was numb, but I felt faint fingers tapping on my shoulder. It's Patrick. There's so much I need to tell him.

"Leah?" his soft voice echoed in my brain, trying to wake me up. After a while, he tried again, and a third time, and then a fourth. By now he knew what had happened. I could hear Patrick guttural screams, repeating my name over and over to wake up. I tried so hard to, but I couldn't.

For the first time, I was glad that I couldn't see him. There's no way I'd be able to see his cute little face with tears streaming from his eyes. His breathing hitched and he tried shaking me. More footsteps; Andy, Pete, and Joe were standing around me.

I hear Pete's voice, comforting Patrick, "Hey, hey it's okay. It's okay."

I don't know how I could face him again. I was just an ass to him for no reason at all, and now I'll pay for it. I told him I hated him and that he should get out of my life. That might've been the last thing I'll say to him.

I felt myself drifting away and held onto the little life that I had. No, I can't do this to him. It's not fair! I can't leave him like that! I need to tell him I'm okay and I love him! He doesn't know!

Patrick's cries were lengthened echoes, bouncing off through my head. They haunted me until I'd had enough. It slowly faded and so did my consciousness.

Patrick's POV

All I felt was my heart broken and Pete's arms around me. I knew this would happen, I just knew it.

Once again, I couldn't will words to come from my mouth. I sounded like a jumbled mess, crying, mumbling, and shouting to try to take the pain away.

"Patrick," Pete tried to tell my with his misty brown eyes, "We're almost to the road, aren't we? We can get her to a hospital if we go now."

I tried my best to wipe the tears that now stained my cheeks and got up, but the tears wouldn't stop. My legs felt like jelly and I shook like a dog. There was no way I could look at Leah without crying.

Andy and Joe grabbed our stuff and Pete glanced at me before going to pick Leah up.

"N-No..." I managed to say, "I-I-I'll take her."

"Are you sure?" he asked. I nodded and sniffled a bit.

As soon as I laid my hand on her skin, I found her freezing cold. I put my jacket around her shoulders and picked her lifeless body up with her blanket. I've never had this much pain in my life.

Knowing you can't save someone is the worst feeling in the world. I should just be able to tap her and wake her up, but I can't. She's just sleeping, heavily sleeping, I kept repeating to myself. She'd wake up soon. It was no use. Why would I give myself false hope that she'd actually be okay?

A little while into the walk, Pete put a hand on my shoulder and walked alongside me. I still couldn't stop myself from the sobs coming from my throat, searching for some sort of sign on her face. Her beautiful face...

"I-I love you," I stammered between sharp and short breaths.

I wish that this would've drove me to walk further and faster, determined to save her. It did the opposite. All of my hope and faith was drained at the slightest thought. I wanted to break down and lay with her for the rest of our lives, staying at her side. I can't do that. Someone can help her better than I can, plus, I have the boys that need to be guided home. I can't give up on any of them.

I fought through what felt like 15 miles of walking. We'd started at high noon and the sun was now starting to set. Pete, Andy, and Joe dragged their feet behind me. They wanted to stop, but didn't want to ask me. I don't want to stop, but suddenly it's me that's starting to feel dizzy.

I can't walk straight and remember how Leah looked the day I saw her like that. That can't stop me though, not now. I pushed on through another 4-5 miles or so.

The sun had set by now and I could barely see a thing. My vision was not only blocked by the darkness, but clouded and tear filled.

I set Leah down as quickly and gently as I could and nearly fell face-first to the ground. Pete caught my fall and lifted me back up, "Whoa... Okay we need to stop. Now."

I shook my head and bent down to pick her up again, "No," my weak and faltered voice squeaked, "we have to keep moving."

"No you are not. You look horrible, you need some rest," he said.

Didn't he understand? The love of my life is stuck between the stages of consciousness and he wants me to sleep? How will that ever happen? How will I ever destroy that image in my mind?

"No! We need to get her help!" I shouted to Pete and turned back around. I felt drunk on fear and pain.

Pete grabbed my shirt and pulled me to him, face-to-face, "Patrick Stump, you will go to sleep or I'll have to do it for you! Lay down!"

He released me and I obeyed him. I didn't have the strength to fight it anymore. I laid under a tree stump and found nothing but tears and nightmares ahead. I'd lost track of time and pulled myself to the dreaded reality.

Pete got up and looked down at me, "You still can't sleep? You've been at it for hours, bud."

I sat up and propped myself up against the tree, exhaling short and skimpy breaths.

"Will it help you any better if I stay up and watch her for you?" he offered. I glanced down at her body and nodded to him.

"Thank you," I told him shakily. He handed me his blanket and nodded back.

He sighed and laid next to Leah. I closed my eyes and thought about going home, going home with Leah, conscious and healthy again. We'd live together, get married, have kids, live a good life until the end. It hurt me to think that it might not happen, but it sort of helped keep the nightmares away.