Hold me close, all through the night

The diagnosis was a harsh case of the swine flu. She'd been in the hospital for two days, pumped full of medication to keep her fever under control. A day after she'd been admitted, her lungs had been compromised to the point where the doctors had to place her on a respirator. She was currently alone, her parents had gone home for the night, but she was terribly lonely anyway, despite the fact that her body was screaming for her to sleep and recuperate. What she wanted the most was for her twinny, her soul mate, to come be with her for a while. However, she was down in North Carolina, 500 miles away, and for all Becky knew, she was still there.

Oh baby....she thought weakly, trying hard to stay awake Please come....I need you so bad....

"Shouldn't you be sleeping?" the brunette asked softly as she walked into the room. "You didn't really think I'd leave you here alone did you?"

The blonde's eyes widened and tears began to pour from her bleary hazel eyes as her beloved angel came closer.

"Hey, hey, don't cry now," she whispered, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "I'm here now and I'm not going anywhere."

Becky's bright eyes were full of love as she continued to fight the urge to sleep. Part of her was afraid that this was all a delusion inspired by her sickened mind...

"You need rest Darlin'" Samantha whispered, she southern drawl see denied having growing thicker with worry.

Becky looked down and weakly curled her fingers around Samantha's, the silent plea almost ringing out Are you real?

"I'm here darlin, I'm really here," Samantha whispered. "Now get some sleep for me, please?"

Becky's nod was barely visible as she drifted off into a medicated slumber, one hand still wrapped around Samantha's. Though she was resting now, she had a long ways to go before she could be removed from the respirator...

Though incredibly tired after the long drive, the brunette refused to sleep as she kept a bedside vigil next to her angel through the night.

Becky was having a nightmare. She was leaving the hospital, but just as she went out, someone else was rushed into the ER, a team of doctors working frantically on the tiny body. With a heart-stopping thump she realized it was her angel and she began to scream when she saw the heart monitor flat line...

"Hey, hey," Samantha shook her gently. "Baby, baby wake up."

Becky awoke with a muffled whimper, her screams partially blocked by the breathing tube that went down her throat. Her eyes roamed wildly, it was obvious she was having a panic attack.

"Hey, baby, baby look at me, look at me darlin, it's okay," Samantha said softly.

It took a few minutes for Becky to lock eyes with Samantha, but once she did she immediately began to relax.

"There you go that's it, everything's okay," Samantha murmured gently.

Becky's breath still game in short gasps, but eventually, she grew still again and even more slowly went back to sleep.

Samantha smiled and drifted off.