Page 97 of Her Marine
“But he had you there to support him,” Journee smiled.
“The same way we all have each other now,” Gena countered.
She was right. They’d had so much support over the past couple of weeks. Matteo and Maximus had both made a trip to check on things and stayed a couple of days, but there was nothing any of them could do, and Journee didn’t need them sitting around the room trying to make her feel better because she knew that she wouldn’t. Not until Killian opened his eyes.
Her grandmother, sisters, and Kaydence all wanted to come to check on her that first weekend, but she’d told them there was no need. All they would do was sit around the hospital room all day because Journee had no intention of leaving his side. Her grandmother had conceded. Kaydence hadn’t liked it but gave in when Journee pointed out Axel was there to tattle on her if she wasn’t properly taking care of herself or something happened. Her sisters had not listened.
They’d shown up two days before Axel was due to leave, and they spent the entire day in the hospital room with her both days and slept in the hotel room they’d gotten at night. Their days there were spent with Aariah showing Journee the things she was ordering for her business and how she wanted a grand opening when the time came. Journee helped her look for buildings, and they found some nice ones.
Aryah brought small craft supplies with her, and she and Journee made beaded bracelets for their friends, grandmother, Axel’s mother, and Courtney. Gena and Ziggy also made bracelets with them when they visited. After two days, they left, flying out with Axel.
Gena came every morning and spent hours with her and Killian. She would tell Journee stories of him growing up and embarrassing things he did, which never failed to put a smile on her face. Gena would ask her about her childhood, likes, and dislikes, and they’d grown closer over the past couple of weeks. There was something about a shared tragedy that did that to people.
Thomas came daily on his lunch break, and his approach to keeping Journee’s spirits up differed from his wife’s. He wouldn’t tell her stories about Killian. Instead, he would always bring some puzzles or games with him, and the two would play together while he told her about his favorite desserts to make. He worked remotely while he and Gena were staying at Ziggy’s to be closer.
Ziggy showed up every evening when she got off, and she’d bring dinner with her. Whether she’d ordered it from a restaurant, cooked it, or Gena had cooked it and sent it. They’d eat together, and Ziggy enjoyed telling Journee about how she’d dated her first and last serviceman because of Killian. Or how she used to sneak things out of his room that she liked when she was younger and put them back when she was finished. She thought she was being stealthy but was sure her brother knew.
Gena was right. They were surrounded by support through a difficult time.
Three and a half weeks had gone by. Which meant it’d been three and a half weeks of Journee staying in the hospital with Killian. Axel left the first week to return to work and spend time with Kaydence. Journee couldn’t blame him. They were still newlyweds, after all, and she didn’t mind. Slate had left after the first week and a half but was due back that evening, and Ace hadn’t left since he’d arrived. He popped in a couple of times a day, mainly to check on her.
Journee was shaping Killian’s goatee, cleaning it up a bit. When she’d asked Ace to bring her a shaving kit when he came one day, he’d looked at her crazy but, nonetheless, brought one to her the previous night. She had just finished cleaning the shaving cream off his face when Slate walked in.
“Remind me the next time I need a shave to have you do it.”
“I’m going to charge you,” Journee responded jokingly, throwing the baby wipes she was using away.
“And here I thought you’d give me the free family discount.” He sat in one of the chairs. “How is he?”
Journee sighed as she packed away the razor and aftershave she’d just put on him. “The same. His bruises are just about healed. A lot of the smaller cuts as well. The larger ones on his chest and side are healing fine, and his wrist and shoulder too.” She paused for a moment. “Everything is healing with no complications, and yet…” she trailed off. Journee knew she didn’t have to finish the sentence for Slate to understand where she was going with it. “What if he didn’t get treatment in time and—”
“He did,” Slate stated, cutting her off, and she was sure neither of them wanted to see where that train of thought was going. “I can’t tell you what he was doing because I don’t know. But I can tell you that the combat medic who cared for him until they got him to the hospital, there isn’t a better one out there. Well, except for me, but I retired a few years ago,” he finished with a playful smirk, and Journee couldn’t help but laugh a little.
At some point, she’d resigned herself to not knowing what happened until he woke up, but that he had to be in some hostile situation, not only because of his injuries but because no one could tell her anything. Journee also overheard one of the nurses talking about another marine that was transferred with severe injuries. So, she wasn’t surprised to hear Slate say something about a combat medic. It proved her assumption somewhat correct because why else would one be needed?
“He’s going to wake up,” Slate told her.
“You don’t know that.”
“I do.”
“How?” Journee questioned. “Because whatever certainty you have, I need you to give me some.”
Slate was quiet for a moment as he looked at her as if he expected her to know already or have the answer to the question she’d posed.
“My certainty is you, Journee. I see the way my cousin looks at you. I know the way he treats you. Killian is stubborn when it comes to something he wants, and he wants you. He won’t let anything stand in the way of him continuing to be with you. It may take him a little while, but I don’t doubt for a minute that he will wake up.” Slate stood. “And when he does, I want to be able to tell him you didn’t neglect yourself. So, I’m going to go grab you some food.”
He didn’t give Journee time to protest as he left the room. She knew it wouldn’t have helped even if he had because he would still return with snacks or food and expect her to eat it.
Journee took the seat closest to Killian’s bed and took his hand into both of hers. “He better be right. You better wake up.” She paused momentarily as she felt tears come to her eyes for the first time in the past week. “You have to wake up.” She lifted their joined hands, placing her forehead against them. “Please,” she whispered. That one word choked out as tears ran down her cheeks. “Ineedyou to wake up.”
She stood, wiping her tears with one of her hands as she leaned over and pressed her lips softly to his. She placed her forehead against the side of his, her lips by his ear.
“Wake up. I’m not asking anymore.” Journee gritted her teeth together briefly to stop the sob that wanted to escape. “Do you hear me, Killian?” Her voice quivered, emotions wavering it. “I’m not asking. That’s an order, Marine.”
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The darkness slowly lifted, and Killian opened his eyes to an overly bright room, causing him to close them again before blinking them open slowly. He tried to move and shift slightly, but his body felt sluggish. He went to lift his left hand, but there was a weight on it. Looking down, he found Journee asleep, his hand held captive by hers, with her cheek on them.
