Page 137 of Together We Reign

A few seconds later, they’ve injected a sedative into one of the tubes still in Evan’s arm, and he begins to settle, before eventually falling asleep. I rest my hand on his cheek, my tears dripping onto his chest as I press a soft kiss to his lips.

The nurse turns to me, but now she has a kind look on her face, one filled with understanding. “He’s going to be asleep for a while, if you want to go and check on his family.”

“Thank you,” I say, as I head back out into the waiting room.

I know as soon as the door opens, and a sea of hopeful eyes hits me, they’re still waiting for news about Liam. I don’t miss the way their faces fall, disappointed that it’s just me.

I explain briefly about how Evan flipped out when he found out about Liam and he had to be sedated. Von asks if she can go and sit with him, and I agree. She hands Hallie over to Freya, before heading out of the door.

I walk over to the empty seat beside Bree, and without saying a word, I sit beside her, taking her hand in mine. “I’m glad he’s okay,” Bree whispers, and I squeeze her hand in return.

We sit like this for what feels like ages, the silence of the room making time tick by agonisingly slowly again. Every little noise we hear from the corridor has our ears perking up, but nobody comes our way.

When the door finally opens, and a doctor in green scrubs comes rushing in, we all stand up. He confirms we’re all Liam’s family, and that Bree doesn’t want to leave the room to get an update herself. But before he’s able to say anything more, the door opens again and Kellan rushes in.

His face is bright red, like he’s run the entire length of the hospital. He’s about to say something when he spots the doctor. He quickly rushes to Bree’s side. “Liam?” he asks, his bright blue eyes flicking between Bree and the doctor.

“He was just about to update us,” Bree mutters, as she laces her fingers through Kellan’s when he pulls her into his side for support.

We all seem to be holding our breath, waiting for the doctor to speak. “Liam suffered some very severe injuries. His lung collapsed, and there was bleeding around his heart. We managed to repair the damage, but we had to stop his heart for a while in order to give us time to work. We’ve managed to restart it successfully, but the next couple of days will still be critical. We will keep him in an induced coma for now, but we will wake him up when he’s strong enough.”

Bree lifts her chin to address the doctor. “What does all that mean?” There’s a desperation in her voice that guts me.

“Honestly, it’s amazing that he’s made it this far. Your husband is a fighter, Mrs Doughty. Although he will have a long road ahead of him, and he’s not completely out of the woods yet, I suspect he’s going to fight to wake up.”

“Too fucking right he is,” Kellan says, which makes Bree chuckle.

“My husband is definitely a fighter. If you think he can’t do something, he will do it just to prove you wrong,” she says with a sad smile.

“I look forward to him waking up and telling me I was wrong. When I saw his injuries, I was sure they were too extensive, but as I said, he’s fought the whole time to claw his way back.”

“He will enjoy telling you he was right and you were wrong,” Bree jokes.

Desmond steps forward, reaching out a hand to the doctor, the same way he did with Evan’s surgeon. “Thank you, doctor, for saving my son.”

He takes Desmond’s hand, looking just a little apprehensive as he takes in the stern glare that Desmond can’t seem to get rid of, no matter how nice he’s being. “Glad I could help.”

“When can we see him?” Bree asks.

“When he’s settled in the ICU. It will only be one visitor at a time, and no children, I’m afraid,” he replies, casting his eyes over Nate and Hallie.

Bree nods. “Please let me know as soon as I can see him.”

“I will,” he replies, as he closes the door on his way out.

We all breathe a collective sigh of relief, and I can’t help the tears that fall, now I know I can tell Evan that there’s a good chance Liam is going to be alright.

Bree pulls Kellan into her arms, but before he wraps his arms around her, a massive grin spreads across his lips.

“I need him to wake up, so I can tell him he has a new nephew. Mia gave birth to a beautiful baby boy about forty minutes ago,” he says with pride.

The room erupts into cheers as our tears fall freely. We’re briefly interrupted in our joy by Hallie stomping when Kellan tells her that she won’t be allowed to name the baby. She stormsoff to sit with Shane and baby Nate, while the rest of the room congratulates both Kellan and Bree.

The room that, for the vast proportion of the day, has felt so incredibly bleak, now, all of a sudden, feels full of hope and happiness. As I look around the room at the people who have very quickly become my family, I’ve never felt more loved and accepted.

Yes, they’re crazy and loud, not to mention a little homicidal at times, but they would go to the ends of the earth for each other. They may argue like they hate each other, but they’re here when they need to be.

I’m lucky that I don’t just have a man that loves me unconditionally, and would take a bullet for me, I have a family now too. A family that has included me, gone to war for me, and who has stood by my side through my darkest times. That’s what it means to be a Doughty.

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