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“She’s not dead,” I correct Ezra “And she’s not dying either She’s still alive She’s going to pull through”

“Yeah,” he says quietly “As I said, I really fucking hope so”

Ezra stays for a bit longer, then Lenore appears, handingback to the house for a bit and for es, or if I need a break, since I’ to be by Amethyst’s side and won’t want to leave her alone

Finally the doors swing open and Amethyst steps out Her eyes are bloodshot, puffy, face pale, nose red She’s holding a spent tissue in her hand and she looks close to collapsing, as if she’s finally letting herself be weak

It breaks my heart But I re here, for her

“Hey,” I say to her, pulling her towardher in ives me a weak squeeze in response, a quiet sob

“They’re taking her to do another brain scan,” she whi room”

“Okay, co her to the small room around the corner There’s a couch and two chairs and some art prints of Paris on the walls There’s no one in here so we go inside and shut the door

She i down I don’t kno close she wantsher hand

“How is she?” I ask in a gentle voice

Her lower lip treether Fuck, this is breaking me apart to see her like this Her sorrow, her sadness, it’s floodingwith my own

“She’s okay She’s…not responsive but the nurse says that’s nored since she first got here”

“Did they tell you anything about brain activity?”

She nods, a tear spilling down her cheek sideways and onto the couch cushion “They said there is none but that could change I asked if I had reason to stay hopeful and they said they’re always hope But, god, it’s so hard to get stuff out of them, you know? Like they keep their own opinion to themselves”

“Nurses and doctors have to stay guarded,” I tell her “They never want to say the wrong thing”

“I know, but I just need theive me hope”

“You do have hope And I have hope That’s enough, believesqueeze

Silence falls over us I can hear her heart beating in her chest, it almost sounds tired, heavy Her breath is shallow, and her adrenaline is still through the roof, flooding the air with its distinctive scent She’ll be crashing soon, and I think that’s for the best She needs some sleep