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.

of them gave me a reassuring nod, though her expression

he's stable," she said, her tone professional but warm. "His vitals are improving rapidly. This is a really

myself to catch a breath,

back to us, and for the first time since this nightmare began, I felt the

her arm around mine as she held on to me, breathless, her eyes wide with hope

inject something up in to his arm through a

a shaky smile breaking out across my face. "He's fighting hard, Amelia. He's coming

her eyes as

they offered us gentle smiles on their passing leaving just one more nurse behind with the doctor still

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 us, peeling off his latex gloves as we both nod along

breathes out, as he nods and heads for the door with the last nurse going

the silent room, but it no longer

life in the sound now -

to the spot and scared to move an inch incase

you, Vincent," she said softly. "You're the one who managed to pull him back." She tells me, as I glance down at her

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 want him to

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

but the guilt gnawed at me. Daryl was fighting for his life because of decisions I had made -

turned back to him, watching his chest rise and fall in shallow breaths, the beeping of the machines now a strange sort of comfort knowing

he was still

It wasn't over.

Not yet.

between Amelia and me as we just

room felt thick and tense, like we were holding our collective breath, waiting for Daryl to make his

every groan, sent

soft. "I think... I think I'll go and get some air, I feel a little nauseous in here, maybe you can try to talk him round again?" she said, her voice thick with exhaustion. She gave me

slipped out of the room,

without her, but I didn't move from my spot. I stayed

finding it to be still limp in

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

fingers flexing against mine. "That's it! Keep doing

if I was stuck dreaming, he slowly, very

hazy, but it was enough for

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

focus on me as he groaned this

sound escaping them, but it was incoherent words that I couldn't