Page 57 of Starfallen
She’s the only person in the world who brings color into my life. And look at what I’ve done.
In defeat, I lay a cheek on her chest and close my eyelids. “You’re all I have, Red. I can’t let you go.”
The doctor steps inside the room and steps to the end of the bed. As his eyes sweep over Tilly, then to me, he gives a curt nod. “Your Majesty.” He swipes through the screens but doesn’t meet my stare.
“What are you doing to heal her?” I ask, my voice firm and strained, no sign of my internal turmoil.
“Everything we can, sir.” He zooms to her abdomen and peers at the readouts.
Red hot anger washes over me. Needing to release my rage and frustration onto someone, I throw myself off the bed and stalk toward him. “Try. Harder.”
With his eyes wide open, he backs away from my prowling body until his spine hits the wall. “We-we are doing our best. It’s out of our hands now.”
“Well”—I fist the collar of his shirt into my fingers and lift him off the floor, needing to release the pent-up helplessness building in my body—“your best isn’t good enough.” I push my face to his, my nose only a hair’s breadth away. “If she dies, I will—”
“J-Jareth...?” Tilly’s hoarse whisper slides through the room, jerking my attention from the petrified man to her.
Without another thought, I drop him to the floor and race to her side.
“Red?” Afraid my mind is playing tricks on me, I blink several times to reassure myself she’s awake.
Not dreaming.
A slight flush colors her cheeks. “What...what were you doing to that man? And where the fuck am I?”
My heart and mind burst with joy.
“You’re in the hospital.”
Alarm replaces the confusion in her gaze. “The baby?” Her hands grasp at her belly.
I place my fingers over hers. “He’s okay.” Pressing grateful kisses over her forehead, I shiver with relief.
“What happened? The last thing I remember is you coming into the bedroom and saving me.”
Clenching my jaw, I fight the sudden welling of moisture in my eyes.I will not cry like a baby in front of her. I won’t.
“The gravity differences caused the placenta to pull away from the uterus, but they stabilized it. Plus, they think all the stress I put you under...” I can’t finish the sentence and hang my head. “I’m sorry.”
She raises a hand to my face, stroking my beard, then lifting my chin. Her emerald eyes search mine. “Jareth, it’s not your fault.”
I shake my head. “It is. If I’d never brought you here, if I’d not yelled at you, if I’d taken better care of you—”
“You didn’t cause me stress.” She smiles softly. “Well, no more than usual.”
A curl slides across my forehead and I absently wipe it away. “I’ve been a total asshole.”
“Well, I can’t argue with that,” she teases.
A deep chuckle sneaks out, surprising me. “I love you.”
“I know. Does this mean you’ll take me home—toourhome, on Earth?” Her face is filled with hope.
“I’ll take you anywhere in the universe, Red, as soon as the doctors clear you to travel.”
“Well, thank fuck. If I never see this planet again, it’ll be too soon.”
Behind me, someone clears his throat.The doctor.I’d completely forgotten about him in the joy of seeing my wife, awake and vibrant.
