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 expression remained

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

to catch a breath,

us, and for the first time since this nightmare began,

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 back to us." I state firmly, believing

her hands over her mouth, tears welling up in her eyes as she looked down at Daryl. "Oh, Thank God," she whispered. "Thank

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

Amelia breathes out, as he nods and heads for

up the silent room, but it no

was life in the

the

Vincent," she said softly. "You're the one who managed to pull

head, my throat tightening with emotion. "Nah he didn't need me. He did this himself. Daryl's always been stronger than me.

squeezed my arm, her grip firm yet trembling with emotion. "He needed you here, Vincent. You're family to him more

guilt gnawed at me. Daryl was fighting for his life because of decisions I had made - decisions that led him

shallow breaths, the beeping of the machines now a strange sort of comfort knowing that they

was still

It wasn't over.

Not yet.

Amelia and me as we just took the

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

twitch of his eyelids, every groan, sent my heart

voice 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

my voice as she quietly slipped out

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

eventually reached down for his hand, finding it to be still limp in mine, before it twitched again more deliberate this

closer. "You can

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

he slowly, very painfully,

was enough for me. He was in there, coming

my emotions swirling as I felt in that moment

eyes shifted, trying to focus on me as he groaned

but it was incoherent words that I couldn't begin to