Shadows In Durango

Chapter 119

***** Vincent's POV*****

At first, I thought I was fully imagining it...

That my mind, desperate for any slight sign of life, was playing tricks on me...

But no- the faintest twitch of his fingers in mine was real!

My gasp caught up in my throat, and I held still, afraid to move, afraid to break whatever fragile connection had just been sparked.

"Daryl?!" My voice barely escaped as a whisper, my heart thudding loudly in my ears.

For a moment, there was nothing. The machines kept their steady rhythm, the silence closing in on me again. I gripped his hand tighter, willing him to give me another sign, anything to show me that he was still in there, fighting to come back. Then, just as I was about to lose hope, his eyelids fluttered. It was so small, so quick, that I almost missed it, but it was definitely there.

A flicker of life!

My heart sprung up into my throat next, and I stood up so fast that the chair tipped over behind me with a loud clatter.

"Daryl? Daryl, can you hear me? Whatever you're doing, keep doing it! It's working!" I leaned over the bed, my face inches from his, my hand still gripping his tightly.

"C'mon, man, give me something else..." I plead, not wanting the momentous moment to die out.

His brow furrowed ever so slightly, and I watched, holding my breath as his chest hitched, a faint groan escaping his lips next.

He's responding! He's finally waking up!

The machines around him beeped a little faster, reacting to his movements and sudden change in demeanour, and I felt a surge of hope crash through me like a tidal wave.

I reached for the call button beside the bed, smashing it with more force than necessary as I called for a nurse - pressing it again and again as if that would make them move faster outside.

Dropping it, I rush to the room door, opening it and seeing a half asleep Amelia looking up at me - suddenly startled.

"What's going on Vincent?!" Amelia stammers, leaning forward and dreading to hear any more bad news.

The rush of nurses come speeding down the hallway, as I motion for them all to hurry up...

"He's waking up!" I shouted, my voice shaking with a mix of relief and disbelief all at the same time. "He's waking up, come quick!"

Within moments, the room was a flurry of activity. Nurses rushed in, checking his vitals, adjusting the machines before a doctor arrived shortly after.

reassuring nod, though

said, her tone professional but warm. "His vitals are improving

to catch a breath, letting

trying so hard - fighting with everything he has left - just to come back to us, and for the first time since this nightmare began, I felt the crushing

me, breathless, her eyes wide with hope as we both stood back to watch the scene

the doctor inject something up

breaking out across my face. "He's fighting hard, Amelia. He's coming back to us."

clasped her hands over her mouth, tears welling up in her eyes as

with his progress in the moment, as they offered us gentle smiles on their passing leaving just one more nurse

could take minutes or even hours... but just press the button again and the nurses will be with him when he's awake and needs anything. When he wakes up, he will feel exhausted and will probably fall back over so don't be alarmed." The doctor turns to face

heads for the door with the last nurse going

the silent room, but it no longer felt as

the

though we were both glued to the spot and scared to move

to pull him

my head, my throat tightening with emotion. "Nah he didn't need me. He did this himself. Daryl's always been stronger than me. I just..." I swallowed, struggling to find the words. "I just didn't

firm yet trembling with emotion. "He needed you here, Vincent. You're family to him more than you even

her, but the guilt gnawed at me. Daryl was fighting for his life because of decisions I had made - decisions that led him straight into a

machines

sound meant he was still

It wasn't over.

Not yet.

maybe more, as the silence settled between Amelia and me as

tense, like we were holding our collective breath, waiting for Daryl to make his next

groan, sent my heart

little nauseous in here, maybe you can try to talk him round again?" she said, her voice thick with exhaustion. She gave me a gentle pat

slipped out of the room, leaving me alone

from my spot. I stayed by Daryl's side, watching him, silently urging him to fight just

still limp in

instantly quickened. "C'mon, man," I whispered, leaning closer. "You can do

once more, his fingers flexing against mine. "That's it! Keep doing what you're doing!"

he slowly, very painfully, cracked open his

was unfocused, hazy, but it was enough for me. He was in there, coming

My voice was barely above a whisper now, my emotions swirling as I felt in that

focus on me as he groaned this time, trying to adjust

escaping them, but it was incoherent words