~ Zoie's POV ~
"Zoie? What's wrong?"
Zoie couldn't help but stare at the door. She was standing in front of the church altar with Asher when she felt like something was pulling her in the direction of the door. There was this warm bright light and it was so inviting.
"I think I have to go there..." she said. "But I'm... scared,"
"Do you wanna go there together?"
Zoie looked up to see Asher's warm hazel eyes. Looking at him made all her fears falter. She nodded her head and Asher lent out his hand. With their hands clasped together, she walked into the light with him. The bright light enveloped all of her senses until there was nothing but brightness in front of her. And all of a sudden, the brightness turned into a light. It was a light fixture on the ceiling. And just underneath that was a familiar face.
"...Ash...?" her voice came out in a whisper.
Asher was looking right at her. His eyes were filled with tears. And for a moment, he was frozen like he couldn't believe what he was seeing.
"You're awake...?" he said. "You're awake! Nurse! Doctor! Somebody!"
Asher started yelling rather furiously, looking around the room. Meanwhile, Zoie's hand slowly reached up and she held onto his arm.
"Ash..."
"It's gonna be okay, everything's gonna be okay," Asher said as he turned back to her. He gripped her hand tightly, afraid that he was gonna lose her again.
"Oh, sweetheart!" Zoie then heard her mother's voice. Violet came rushing in. Damon and a group of doctors and nurses were behind her. The doctor was quick to check on her vitals while Violet went to hug her daughter. Asher had to take a step back because so many people were coming in.
"Mom... Dad... What's going on...?"
"She's alright and she's stable," The doctor replied instead. "Welcome back Miss Van Zandt, your family has been waiting for you,"
The doctor smiled and the nurses clapped their hands. Zoie looked around the room and she understood. She was in a hospital room. The doctor then shook Damon's hand, he looked so relieved. Soon after, the nurses and doctors left the room. Damon went with them as they were talking about something.
Back in the room, Violet was still hugging her daughter, crying tears of joy.
"Mom... I'm fine..." she croaked.
"I know you are," Violet replied, refusing to un-hug her daughter.
"Where's Ash?" Zoie almost couldn't see Ash as her mother was covering her view.
"I'm here," Asher said. He was in the corner of the room, sitting in a wheelchair.
"I thought you left," Zoie said. Her words held a hint of bitterness.
"Never," He said. His answer held a lot of meaning.
Zoie and Asher stared at each other longingly. There were so many emotions running through her, she didn't know where to begin.
"I'll give you two some space," Violet said, breaking the silence in the room. Even her mom knew there was unresolved tension there.
With Violet out of the room, the tension in the air got even thicker. Asher was quiet for a moment. He sat in his place, shuffling uncomfortably. Meanwhile, Zoie didn't say anything purposefully. She was waiting for Asher to make the first move.
"Hey..." Asher said finally, rolling his wheelchair a step closer to the bed.
"Hey..." Zoie replied, still waiting for more.
"How are you feeling?" Asher asked. It was a dumb question, and he knew it too.
"How do you think I'm feeling?" she asked back.
Asher couldn't respond. He glanced down and Zoie kept her eyes on him
"Why don't you stop the bullshit and talk to me for real?" Zoie shot point blankly. "I don't understand this. Why'd you come for me? You didn't have to come. You didn't have to do any of this..."
Not that Zoie was ungrateful that he came for her, but it came out of nowhere. The last time they spoke, he said he never wanted to talk to her again. But then, he came and he almost gave up his life to save her. Zoie saw all that. It was a painful sight, seeing him get beat up and now in a wheelchair like this.
Asher swallowed hard. Using all his strength, he pulled himself up from the wheelchair. He then took another step closer to the bed. He was now right next to her. His hand brushed gently against her arm.
"Why do you think I came?" he asked back.
At this distance, Zoie could see that his eyes were wet.
Was he... crying?
"Then why'd you leave in the first place?" she asked, holding back her own tears. "Things were getting too serious and you got scared?"
"No," he shook his head. "It's... it's a little more complicated than that,"
"Well, what is it?" she pressed. "Because I wanna believe you, Ash, but sometimes you make it hard for me to do that,"
"I know. I shouldn't have left you. That was my fault-"
"No," Suddenly, a voice was heard. Damon was standing at the doorway. "That wasn't Asher's fault. That was my fault,"
"Dad?" Zoie croaked.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop, I was just down the hall," Damon said as he walked into the room. Asher immediately took a step back from the bed. Damon glanced at him and glanced back at Zoie. "It was me. I was the one who made Asher go away because I found out about you and him,"
"What...?"
"Landon was asking for my blessing because he wants to marry you and I said yes to him. Meanwhile, Asher was supposed to be your bodyguard. I felt betrayed that he was doing this behind my back. And at the time, I thought that Landon was a better match. So I told Asher to go away and never come back..." Damon then turned to Asher. Asher had his head down. "But, as it turns out... even though he left, he was still watching over you. If it wasn't for him and his team, I wouldn't be able to get you back..."
Zoie took a moment to process everything. Her dad had a sorry look on his face as he looked at Asher. And Asher only kept his head down.
So... Asher never really wanted to leave... He only left because daddy made him... And he never actually left... He was still watching over me...?
"I guess I owe both of you an apology," Damon said, walking over to Asher. "Ash, I'm sorry I was so hard on you. I should've seen your intention was pure. I was blinded by my anger,"
Asher looked up at Damon. It was one of those rare moments where Damon actually looked vulnerable.
"It's... okay..." Asher replied.
"No, it's not okay," Damon shook his head. "It was my mistake and you paid for it. You were gonna give up your life for my daughter. I can never thank you enough for that,"
Asher shuffled uncomfortably. He looked up at Damon again and let out a nervous smile.
"Luckily, I didn't have to do that," he laughed. "Thanks for coming back to save me,"
Damon smiled back and put a hand on Asher's shoulder. The two men shared a look. A knowing look. After a moment, Damon then turned to Zoie.
"And you too," he said with a long sigh. He walked to the other side of the bed, holding Zoie's hand. "I'm so sorry, baby. For everything they put you through, for failing to protect you, and for failing to listen to you. I should've trusted that you know what's best for you. I shouldn't have sent Asher away. All of this... this was my fault..."
Damon's voice was cracking. He glanced at her body. She looked so weak and frail and it broke his heart. There were cuts and bruises everywhere. And those were just the wounds that were visible. Never mind the ones that weren't.
"Dad, it's not you..." she said. "It was them. It's their fault, not yours-"
"I swear to God, I'll fúcking kill them all!" Damon interjected. His eyes were full of rage like nothing Zoie'd ever seen. "Every last one of them, I'll make sure they'll rot in hell, I promise!"
"Dad..."
"Me too," Asher interjected. "I'll make those motherfúckers pay for what they did,"
Asher and Damon shared a look again. It was a look of pure killer instinct. Zoie would hate for anyone to be on the receiving end of that.
"How many more of them are there?" Asher asked, looking ready to fight.
"He was the last one. We got rid of them all. He was the only one that got away," Damon said reassuringly. Zoie let out a breath of relief.
"I should've known sooner though, that we missed one of them," Damon said again. "If your dad was still alive, he would've known. He was sharp. He wouldn't have missed it,"
Damon had tears in his eyes. Zoie never saw her dad like this before. He turned away, putting his hand to cover his eyes.
"Could've, should've, would've, we all have a lot of those," Asher said after a beat of silence. Damon looked up instinctively. "That's what he says, right?"
Damon let out a bitter smile, holding back his tears.
"Right," he said.
"Life goes on. Just because things don't go the way we want them to-"
"It doesn't mean that it's over," Damon and Asher said altogether. They were looking at each other knowingly again. Zoie could only glance at them back and forth.
"Dad..." she said finally, breaking the silence. "Can I have a moment alone with Asher?"
Damon turned to Ash and back to her.
"Sure," he said. "I'll be right outside if you need me,"
Damon made his way out the door. Zoie waited until he was completely out of sight. Once he was gone, Asher let out a deep breath and walked back closer to the bed.
"Well, I think your dad likes me now," he joked to ease the tension.
Zoie would have laughed, but she was feeling kind of serious right now.
"So, it's true? You weren't trying to leave?"
"Never," Asher said as he pulled out a necklace from under his hospital gown. It had the matching pendant, the letter "Z".
Zoie couldn't hold back her emotions. The dam burst and tears were streaming down her face. Damon leaned closer and his hand went to touch her face. He waited to see her reaction. Once he saw that she wasn't turning away, he leaned even closer and pressed his forehead on top of hers.
"I meant what I said," he whispered to her ear. "I love you, Zoie Van Zandt. Always have and always will,"
And just like in her dream, Zoie felt a wave of peacefulness hitting her. She never felt more safe. More secure. And more happy. Despite being in this hospital bed with her body aching, bruised, and battered. Despite everything she just went through the past seventy-two hours. Despite every single thing, she felt nothing but pure, euphoric bliss.
"I love you, Ash..." she whispered before he claimed her lips. "Always..."
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- - - - - - To Be Continued - - - - - -