CILLIAN MURPHY

I sat down in the chair closest to the bed after Christopher and Emma had left. Even though I did not want to leave, that sleep did me good. Emma took care of me and fed me as well. She let me sleep in Diana's bed, the bed we shared a couple of days ago. It carried her scent, to which I tricked my mind into thinking that I was lying next to her. I do not deny that I didn't cry.
     I reach for her hand, entangling our fingers once again. "The moment I saw your monitor flatline ... That image will forever haunt my mind as long as my feelings for you develop," I speak softly. "I do not know if you can hear me, I hope you can't because I will make myself a fool. I would be a fool for not wanting a relationship with you. I know what you have told me about the Olympics being on the calendar, but ever since I was physically close to you ... I couldn't keep my hands off you. If I'm close to you, I can't get my hands off you. That is why I am holding your hand. I just want to be near you, as if I cannot seem to breathe without you near — I scoff at my own words — It sounds so fucking pathetic and desperate."
My gaze lingers on her face, needing to see those eyes again. My eyes then roam around the room, glancing at the monitor, the balloons, the get-well cards. "If you did hear me," I pause. "Do not let me know. I will be too embarrassed to know that you have heard me. Anyhow, I won't give up on us. I won't give up on you. I'll be here patiently waiting."

I caress her knuckles with my thumb. I do not know how much time has passed, but time has passed into the evening. My stomach growls of hunger, however, I do not want to leave her alone. "Diana," I speak softly. "You will not hear me beg often, but please wake up." I stare at hee face, nothing.
"Please, my lady," I plead, tears welling up in the corners of my eyes. I sniff, trying to keep it together. I close my eyes as I lay my forehead on the bed. "Please, Diana," I mutter. I hear the smallest murmur and I lift my head to see Diana. I scowl as if I am hallucinating.
"Diana?" I question with hope. There I hear it again, a murmur. I notice her eyelids twitching, causing my heart to beat faster. Both hands hold her hand, encouraging her to wake up. I gasp as I see her eyes slightly opening. Relief flows through my veins, followed by intense joy. Her eyes roam across the room until they meet mine. I am blessed to her blue eyes once again. Tears well up in my eyes, happy tears this time.
"Cillian?" Her voice is raw and raspy. She tries to sit up, but I hold her from it. "Easy, my lady," I imply, letting go of her hand to push her down. I notice fear in her eyes. "What happened?" she questions. "I will inform you with the information, but I need to let the doctors know you are awake," I say, gesturing with my hands that she should stay in her place. She nods, the expression in her eyes not fading.
I rush to the nearest doctor, telling her that a coma patient has awoken from their coma. She rushes with me to the room where she comes across Diana, fiddling with her fingers. She glances at her papers, probably seeing she has been asleep for a week. "Miss Nolan, how are you feeling?" she questions gently. Diana's eyes find mine for a moment before focusing on the doctor.
"Good, I think," she answers softly. Her voice cracked with each word. "Can I get some water?" she questions. I take a glance at the doctor, silently questioning if she can. The doctor nods and I reach for a glass of water. She reaches for the glass and she gulps down the water. The doctor tells us to get the doctor who treated her before taking her leave.

Diana looks at me and tilts her head. I watched her as I was dialing her father's number. "Cillian?" "Diana is awake." "I'm coming right away." He ends the call as I put the phone away. "Your father is making his way to us," I inform, sitting down in the chair. I extend my hand, requesting her hand in mind.
     "What happened, Cillian?" she questions, laying her hand in mine. "The surgery went well, right?" She scoffs a chuckle, but the smile fades from her mouth as she sees that I do not smile. How am I going to tell her that she has been in a coma for a week?
"The surgery went well," I say. "The nurse told us you had lost more blood than an average knee surgery ... You were brought back into your room and your dad and I waited for you to wake up." Diana nods, following the story. I feel a lump in my throat as I need to repeat horrifying words.
"That is great," she replies. "I lost a little blood, okay. It's evening, so everything is alright. Right?" I watch her with a tearful expression. "Diana, it's almost Christmas," I whisper. "It's December 23rd. Your surgery was December 16th." The creases in her forehead disappear as she realizes she has missed a whole week. "How?" Her hand slips from mine as she tilts her head.
"You had a heart attack," I continue, rising to my feet. "Your heart stopped due to blood loss and ... everything went so fast — I started pacing around the room — We were rushed out of the room when they readied the defibrillators to save you." Diana's eyes widen while she clasps her hand to her mouth.
"I was dying?" she questions, scoffing a laugh. I quit pacing and arch an eyebrow at her. Does she find this funny? "Do you find this amusing?" I question, my voice is harsher than intended. The smile disappears from her mouth while removing her hand.
"No, but it felt ironic that even my body did not want to continue after failing in the Olympics," she reasons. I roll my eyes at her before telling her how I felt through that moment. This woman, fucking hell.
     "I felt horrified to see your monitor flatline," I state. "Your heartbeat stopped and mine went through the roof. Those minutes were the longest minutes of my entire life so far." She continues to fiddle with her fingers, not looking me in the eyes. I take it as a sign of guilt or embarrassment, causing me to take a deep breath. "I was afraid to lose you," I admit in a calm voice. She lifts her head and her eyes meet mine.
     "I'm sorry," she mutters an apology. I squeeze her hand and say: "It isn't your fault. Let's keep it to I am relieved to see you awake." She opens her arms, wanting me in her arms. As weak as I am, I walk up to her and dive into her arms. I sit on the bed as Diana wraps her arms around me. I gently inhale her scent and not shortly after, she speaks: "I smell disgusting, Cillian." I let out a low chuckle and replied: ''you smell like you, my lady.'' ''Hmm,'' she hums. ''Just inhale my scent once I have showered please.'' I nod my head against her chest. The fact that I have my face buried between her breasts is ... slightly provocative.
     ''Normally,'' I say. ''When I'm between a woman's breasts, we are doing different kinds of activities.'' As she remains silent I add, ''Too soon?'' I turn my head to look at her, only to see some weirdish smile on her face. As if she doesn't want to laugh, but she miserably fails to suppress that laugh. It makes my heart flutter in an odd way. ''Thank god, you are handsome," she snickers. I am handsome. She finds me handsome. She thinks I'm handsome. The corners of my mouth curve into a smile. She leans in a presses a kiss on my forehead.

"Diana!" A male voice makes me pull away from Diana's embrace. I glance over my shoulder to see Christopher, Emma, and Flora in the doorway. He lets out a great sigh of relief and runs up to Diana. I rise to my feet and step away to let them have their moment.
     "Papa," Diana exclaims, opening her arms to embrace her father. Her voice cracked. I watch her wrap her arms around him and she tightly hugs him. He pulls away and cups her face in his hands. "I am more than blessed to see you awake," he speaks.
     "Diana!" Flora screeches, reaching for Diana. Emma and Flora walk up to the bed as Christopher steps away. He walks up to me and pats me on the shoulder.
     "You held honor to your promise," he says. The corner of my mouth twitches into a smile. "I am happy to see her awake," I admit. "As you all do." He nods and adds, "I am sure she is relieved to see you here as well. She appreciates it for sure." I glance at Diana, who then looks at me. She sends me a warm smile.

She has large bandages around her knee. Luckily, she is allowed to go home with us. She sits down in the wheelchair because walking isn't an option. I push the wheelchair to the car.
     "Mama, am I allowed to shower?" she questions. Emma puts a hand on her shoulder and nods. "Of course, dearest," she smiles. "We do need to keep that bandage above the water."
    I drink tea with Christopher while Emma assists Diana in a bath. "Are you staying for Christmas as well?" Christopher questions. "If you don't have any objections, then I will gladly stay," I answer. He sends me a warm smile and nods. "You are infiltrating our family to become one of us and if you do start dating, I am glad to have you around." I smile as I don't know what to say.
"I'll head upstairs to see if everything is alright," I say, placing my cup on the table. Christopher nods and starts reading the newspaper. I head up the stairs and enter Diana's room where she is already lying in bed. She has a cushion underneath her knee, forcing her to lay on her back.
"I'm more of a sideways sleeper," she mutters as I enter. A chuckle ripples from my throat as I start changing my clothes for the night. I pull my shirt over my head and I simply feel her eyes on me. My heartbeat accelerates as a heat creeps up my neck. I lie down on the mattress, facing the ceiling. It is silent in the room and I guess both of us didn't know what to do.
"Cillian?" Her voice is soft and gentle. "Diana?" I question. "Will you come and lie down next to me?" she requests. "Is that what you want?" I question, to be sure. "Yes," she whispers and again, as weak as I am I grab my pillow and cover to switch beds. She snuggles closer as close as possible once I lie down. I have my arm around her shoulder and press her closer to me. She has her head on my shoulder.
     I hide my face in her hair, gently inhaling her scent. "I smell better now," she mentions. I huff a chuckle in her hair. "It does not matter, my lady." Her scent has me in a trance. A trance I cannot escape.

"I cannot comprehend the fact that I have missed a week of my life," she mentions. "What did I do? Nap?" I close my eyes as I suppress a chuckle. "You were healing from a near-death experience, my lady," I reply. She turns her head to look at me and I look her in the eyes.
     "All we are relieved the know that you are awake. The media does too," I add. Fear flashes in her eyes and she questions: "I have reached the news?" I nod. "I guess the media interviewed your teammates and they investigated the rest of the situation. Besides ... I am also quite uhm famous and photos of me showed up." "Ohh," she hums. "Right, I forgot you were famous." That genuinely makes me smile. She doesn't see me as some kind of star actor but as Cillian Murphy. She sees me as me. She turns her head away, staring at the ceiling.
     "Has the media already spread rumors? Starring actor in the newest Batman movie seen with gymnast Diana Nolan." She phrases with her hands. I try to memorize the headline before agreeing it is something like that. She chuckles and a comfortable silence follows. I lean in to press a kiss on her forehead, but what I do not notice ... is that she turns her head. My eyes widen as my lips touch hers. I pull away, apologizing in full panic mode. Fear flashes in my eyes, afraid that I have blown my chances. My heartbeat goes through the roof.
     "I am so sorry, I wanted to give you a kiss on your forehead. I did not mean-" She cuts me off by grabbing my chin and presses her lips on mine. As if my heart couldn't beat any faster, it did. I froze in the kiss but I soon melted in her touch. Her fingers gripping my chin and her lips on mine, simply made me weak. I already was a weak man for her, but now ... She has me walking like a dog. She pulls away and looks me in the eyes. Her eyes twinkle in the dim light, making me smile.
     "Kissing before the first date huh?" I question, chuckling. It makes her chuckle as well. "Everything is out of order," she reasons. "Because meeting family before the first date?" She arches an eyebrow. I scrunch my nose before resting my forehead against hers.
     "I have heard your sweet, confessing words, Cillian."