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.

me a reassuring nod, though her

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

a breath, letting them work, but

back to us, and for the first time since this nightmare began, I felt the crushing weight of anxiety lift just

to my side, lacing her arm around mine as she held on to me, breathless, her eyes wide with hope as we both stood

She trails off, seeing the doctor inject something up in to his arm

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

up in her eyes as she

nurses began to leave, seeming satisfied with his progress in the moment, as they offered us gentle smiles on their passing leaving just one more

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

nods and heads for the door with the last nurse going out at

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

was life in the sound now - pure

we were both glued to the

softly. "You're the one who managed to pull him back." She tells me, as I glance down

tightening with emotion. "Nah he didn't need me. He did this himself. Daryl's always been stronger than me. I just..." I swallowed,

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

for his

breaths, the beeping of the machines now

meant he was still

It wasn't over.

Not yet.

passed, maybe more, as the silence settled between Amelia and me as we just took the

we were holding our collective

eyelids, every groan, sent my heart racing with

talk him round again?" she said, her voice thick with exhaustion. She gave me a gentle pat on the arm. "You stay here. He'll want to see your face when he

quietly slipped out of the room,

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

be still limp in

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

mine. "That's it! Keep doing what

as if I was stuck dreaming, he slowly, very

for me. He was

now, my emotions swirling as I

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

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