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.

them gave me a reassuring nod, though her

her tone professional but warm. "His vitals are

myself to catch a breath, letting them work, but my eyes

and for the first time since this

around mine as she held on to me, breathless, her eyes wide with hope as we both stood back

off, seeing the doctor inject something up in to his arm through a

out across my face. "He's fighting hard,

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

leave, seeming satisfied with his progress in the moment, as they offered us

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

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

of the machines filled up the silent room, but it no longer felt as ominous as it

in the sound

remained beside me, as though we were both glued to the spot and scared to move an inch incase

who managed to pull him

tightening with emotion. "Nah he didn't need me. He did this himself. Daryl's always been

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

was fighting for his life because of decisions I had made - decisions that led him straight

the machines now a strange sort of

he was still here,

It wasn't over.

Not yet.

silence settled between Amelia and me as we just took the time to watch

we were holding our collective breath, waiting for Daryl to make

his eyelids, every groan,

"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 a

voice as she quietly slipped out of the room,

from my spot. I stayed by Daryl's

reached down for his hand, finding it to be still

whispered, leaning closer. "You can do this." I encourage, assuming he could hear

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

I was stuck dreaming, he slowly, very painfully,

was enough for me. He was in there, coming

above a whisper now, my emotions swirling as I felt

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

it was incoherent words that