Chapter 14: Chapter 14

Jake's POV -

I stare at her body slumped against the wall, her hand resting on her stomach, almost as if she's trying to protect our baby. Flashback images of her lying on the floor in a puddle of her own blood flash through my mind and I feel my own body shut down, becoming completely unresponsive. The back of my legs meet with the bed and I drop down on it emotionless, my eyes fixated on Emily.

This can't be happening again...

Haven't we been through enough?

"Jake! Snap out of it!" Aunty Myra yells at me, shaking both of my shoulders. Her face is inches away from mine however I remain trapped in my own little world, gunshots filling my head once again. The gun going off, Emily falling to the floor, pools of blood, Emily in a coma, Emily almost dying.

It's simply too much.

I cry out in pain, standing up and lunging for the wall, my fist connecting with it hard. I barely feel the impact on my hand yet the plaster on the wall crumbles around me, falling to the floor. I don't want to do this, Emily needs me right now but I can't stop myself. The overwhelming emotions building up inside of me need to be released and this is the only way I know how.

Anger is my only escape. The outlet helps spin me back down to reality.

Strong hands push down on my shoulders and I feel myself being restrained from behind. Tobias yells down my ear but I can't make out what he's saying. The ringing in my head completely invades all of my senses and all I hear is a high pitched ring.

"Jake, calm down!" Tobias yells, flipping me around so I'm facing him. His chest falls up and down as he appears out of breath from restraining me.

"Get off me!" I yell, desperately trying to get rid of the images inside my mind. Wet droplets stain my cheeks and it takes me a few moments to realise the tears are coming from me.

"Not again! Not again, I can't do this," I cried. I struggled against Tobias' grip, desperate to get free and lash out but his arms tighten around me, restricting me from escaping.

"It's going to be okay," he says firmly, searching my eyes as he tries his best to comfort me. I stop struggling and fall to the floor feeling completely broken.

"Not again T, please not again," I whisper, shaking my head in anger. My vision blurs and I cry out in pain. Tobias pulls me into his chest, holding me as I break down.

"I'm here Jake, you're both going to be fine."

*****

Beep... Beep... Beep...

The same daunting noise I'd heard a few months previous.

The same disinfectant scent.

The same room.

The same doctor's and nurses.

I don't remember how I ended up in hospital beside Emily's bed. Everything from the night blurs together and I can barely think straight. I stare at the wall completely emotionless, listening to the hustle and bustle of the doctors around me. They fuss around with wires, whisking Emily off for several different tests. They'd attempted to ask me questions but I stared back at them blankly so they gave up and asked Tobias and Myra instead.

"How far along is she into the pregnancy?" A doctor asks.

"We don't know for certain, her first scan is tomorrow," Myra responds, holding back her own sobs. Her voice is thick with emotion as she answers the doctors questions as best as she can. I watch the doctor nod as he writes something down in his clipboard.

"What's wrong with her?" Tobias asks.

"We don't know yet, we'll let you know as soon as we do," the doctor explains before he leaves the room. An uncomfortable silence falls over us and I swallow the lump lodged in my throat. My face is emotionless and my eyes are red raw from the stinging of my tears.

"That poor girl." I heard Aunty Myra whisper, reaching up to wipe at her eyes. I stand to my feet, automatically rubbing a hand over my face before I walk over to her, feeling like a zombie. This all feels like a nightmare, something I'd wake up from soon. I slide my arm over her shoulder, pulling her silently into my chest. She grips tightly onto me, her head resting against my chest.

"Oh, what a mess Jake. It should be me or your mother comforting you, not the other way around."

"I'll always look after you," I murmur in response, my eyes glazed over, unblinking. My legs are shaking underneath me but my body feels numb.

"Sit down sweetheart," she whispers, leading me towards one of the chairs. I nod slowly, letting Aunty Myra gently push my shoulders down until I'm sat securely in one of the chairs.

"Tobias, go get him some water please, I think he's in shock." Myra instructs Tobias firmly and I hear him stand up before heading out the room. I waited until I hear the door close softly behind him before I let a tear fall from my eye and down my cheek. It's followed by another and another and I can't control it. Even when Aunty Myra comforts me, holding me like a child, I'm unable to stop.

"My baby," I whisper, feeling my heart shatter and break into pieces. The pain of it causes me to clutch at my chest, my head bowed down in heartache.

I'm talking about both Emily and my child.