Shadows In Durango

Chapter 138

*****Vincent's POV*****

I was halfway down the hallway, my head spinning with the weight of everything my father had just laid out, when my phone buzzed in my pocket.

I pulled it out, noting Reid's name flashing up across the screen. His timing couldn't have been better- or maybe worse? "Reid," I answered, keeping my voice low as I stepped into the nearest empty room.

"Vincent." Reid's tone was steady, but there was an edge of exhaustion to it. "Just checking in. I'm back at the hospital with Daryl. He's still stable, still hanging on. The doctors say they're optimistic, but..." He trailed off, and I could hear the frustration in his voice. Reid wasn't one to deal well with waiting or uncertainty.

"But what?" I pressed, gripping the phone tightly with sudden worry for my friend's state...

"It's just touch and go, you know? It's not like he's up and moving around yet. He's tough as nails, but he's been through hell. The fact that he's still breathing is a damn miracle..." he begins, as I become frustrated.

"Reid what is it? What's worrying them?!" I demand, cutting him off as he breathes out heavily down the line.

"Well... they worry that he's lost feeling in his left hip and that it might affect his leg and his walking... but they said it's too early to tell if he'll get it back or not." Reid informs me, as I close my eyes over and pinch my nose.

How much more bad news can I take at this point?! My blood pressure was above boiling point with all of this...

I exhaled slowly, "It's too early to tell?" I repeat, attempting to find light of the situation.

"Yeah, that's what they said." He tells me, as I nod to myself a couple of times.

"Ok, so there's still hope that he will be fully back to his usual self? We can't think the worst..." I instruct him, knowing that Daryl was tough enough to pull through one way or another.

Daryl had taken a hit for Sofia - both literally and figuratively when Sofia's very life was in danger at the hands of that little freak of an ex-boyfriend of hers, if you could even still give him such a title!

"Well, I appreciate the update," I said, leaning back against the cold wall. "Tell him to keep fighting and that I owe him more than I can ever repay... I don't think I'll make it back today or tomorrow for a visit but I will as soon as I can - as soon as

I get all of this shit handled." I huff, knowing that I still had a major mountain to climb before things could even get remotely close to feeling 'normal' again.

Reid grunted in acknowledgment, but his voice softened. "How are you holding up with all of it anyway? And Sofia? Now that they are in town things might get... messy." He tests, as I scowl at the word choice. Messy.

one way to

I couldn't quite place but it was horrific to watch nonetheless. "We're as good as we can be right now," I said after a moment, keeping my voice even. "We've got a

of your 'I'll fill you in later'

better if you don't know all the details yet, it's a lot to explain right now but yeah, I'll tell you when it's over I guess?" I admitted. "But we've got a meeting with Sofia's brothers and her father tomorrow. My father is helping us so we have things under control so far..." I give him

"Alright. Just... be careful

I appreciated his

Daryl. And Vincent... if you need backup tomorrow, don't hesitate to call, I'll be on standby. Whatever you're planning, you don't have to

mind," I said, ending the call with him with

phone in my hand for a moment, my grip tightening around it as

kitchen in search of Sofia. We needed to talk, and there wasn't a

decide everything, and I had to make sure

kitchen, Sofia was standing by the counter, her back to me. She

over her small back, a stark contrast to the rigid posture she

called softly, not

was a mix of exhaustion and determination. "You were

nodded, walking further into the room. "Reid just called too. He's with Daryl,

worry clouding her features. "Oh! How

going to take time. Reid's worried about some nerve damage, but it's too early to tell." I summarised it gently for her own sanity. She exhaled softly, her shoulders dropping a fraction. "Daryl didn't deserve any of this,"

fault either. He wanted to protect you, and

looked down at her hands, her fingers curling into her palms. "It feels like everything I touch ends up broken. My

We have a lot to face tomorrow and you don't need to pile any more guilt on top of yourself. The people

she lost control of herself. I dropped my hand and leaned against the counter beside her. "He

lips tightened. "Do you think we'll need

"It depends on how well we sell this. If your father and brothers even suspect that this is all a performance, they won't hesitate to try

if that happens?" she pressed, her

do whatever it takes to keep

for a long moment before she nodded slowly and shifted to

second, before my arms instinctively