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.

a reassuring nod, though her expression

professional but warm. "His vitals are improving rapidly. This is a really

back, allowing myself to catch a breath, letting them work, but my eyes never left

with everything he has left - just to come back to us, and

mine as she held on to me, breathless, her

off, seeing the doctor inject something

face. "He's fighting hard, Amelia. He's coming back to us."

up in her eyes as she looked down at Daryl. "Oh, Thank God,"

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

with him when he's awake and needs anything. When he wakes up, he will feel exhausted and will probably fall back over so

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

the silent room, but it no longer felt as ominous as it had

the sound

we were both glued to the spot and scared to move an inch incase we disrupted

managed to pull him back." She tells me, as I glance

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

needed you here, Vincent. You're family to

fighting for his

fall in shallow breaths, the beeping of the machines now a strange sort of comfort

sound meant he was

It wasn't over.

Not yet.

Amelia and me

air in the room felt thick and tense, like we were holding our collective breath, waiting for Daryl to

of his eyelids, every groan, sent my heart

maybe you can try to talk him round again?" she

as she quietly slipped out of the room, leaving

emptier without her, but I didn't move from my spot. I stayed by Daryl's side, watching him, silently urging him to

to be still limp in mine, before it twitched again more deliberate this

leaning closer. "You can do this."

"That's it! Keep doing what you're doing!" I state, longing for

he slowly, very painfully, cracked open his eyelids just

gaze was unfocused, hazy, but it was enough for

voice was barely above a whisper now, my emotions swirling as I felt in that moment like I could cry

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

parted, the faintest sound escaping them, but it was incoherent words