Feeling bile rise in her throat, Fin swallowed it down, but it wasn’t going anywhere. Leaning over, she coughed and blood filled her mouth. “Oh no,” she moaned, wiping at her face.
“Oh fuck,” Kyle breathed, his eyes going wide as they fell on the blood she couldn’t keep down. “Fin!” He turned to the men behind him. “Call a goddamn ambulance!”
“Finlay. Can you hear me? Miss Tanner?”
Fin tried responding to the urgent voice she could barely hear, but agony was crushing her. She was drowning in it, feeling it take her under, holding her there until she feared it would break her apart.
“Fin!”
Fin blinked her eyes open for a brief second. She was being wheeled inside an ambulance. Kyle had hold of her hand. His grip was firm and soothing. It kept her from being pulled beneath the surface.
“Are you the baby’s father?” she heard someone ask.
Kyle met her eyes for a brief flash.
“Don’t let go,” she whispered weakly.
He nodded at her as she was wheeled swiftly inside the open back doors.
“I am,” she heard him say.
“Get in,” he was told.
Relief swept through her until he let go of her hand. Unable to stay afloat without it, Fin gave in to the pull and began slipping under.
“Priority one!” someone yelled.
The loud wail of sirens filled her ears.
She didn’t want to live without Ryan by her side, but she couldn’t bear the thought of her baby dying too. Fighting oblivion, Fin reached out blindly for Kyle’s hand again and he took hold, his grip tight as he leaned in. “Don’t let my baby die.”
Kyle cupped the side of her face, his thumb stroking her cheek. “You’re both going to be fine,” he reassured her, but the fear in his eyes was obvious enough to tell her she wasn’t fine. Not at all.
“Kyle.” Fin licked her lips. “You …” She moaned and drew a sharp breath into her lungs. “You and Rachael … Godparents. Please, take care of our baby for us.”
Kyle choked down a sob. “Ryan—”
“Promise me,” she demanded furiously, cutting him off. Her trembling body felt ice cold, like being back in Antarctica, only a thousand times worse.
“Fin. You’re going to …” His voice trailed off as her vision greyed. Something was placed over her mouth and then blackness took her.
What felt like only moments later, Fin was blinking her eyes open. Ryan was standing in her field of vision. She turned her head, unable to see anything else but him. He was so beautiful it made her ache.
“Ryan.”
“I’m here, baby,” he said softly.
She ran her eyes over him. The bright light was hitting his dark eyes, turning them the colour of liquid scotch. He smiled. “I missed you. So much.”
Why was he standing so far away? “Come closer. Please.”
Ryan took a step towards her.
“I love you,” she told him.
His gaze on her softened. “I want to say I love you too, but it doesn’t seem enough.”
“Say it anyway,” she whispered.
Ryan took another step towards her, and her brows drew together. Something wasn’t right. “Ryan?”
“I love you, Fin. I won’t ever stop. I’ll love you longer than the stars that live in the sky.”
Light’s flickered above and she blinked. “Ryan. Why aren’t you—” She broke off at the crushing weight on her chest.
Ryan frowned, tilting his head as he watched her. “Are you okay, baby?”
“No!” she gasped, fighting desperately for air. He was walking towards her, but it was like he wasn’t moving at all. “Why aren’t you getting any closer?”
Confusion clouded his eyes and he looked down, watching the ground move beneath his feet. “Fin, I … I don’t understand.”
“You’re not real,” she whispered, cold chills snaking down her spine.
His head whipped up, hurt shadowing his eyes. “How could you say that?”
“You’re dead. You died!” she cried out. “You left me. You weren’t supposed to die, Ryan. I can’t live without you. I don’t want to. Please take me with you. Please,” she begged, tears spilling over and slipping down her cheeks.
Ryan held his hand out towards her and smiled. “I’m here, baby. I didn’t leave you. I’ll always be here. I won’t ever leave you.”
Fin reached for his hand, but no matter how far she stretched her arm towards him, he remained out of reach. “Ryan,” she gasped.
Ryan paused after taking another step and frowned. “Fin? Why can’t I …” He took another step, and another, but he wasn’t getting any closer.
She tried to stand but something inside was ripping her apart. Fear had her pulse racing when he started disappearing before her very eyes. “No!” she yelled.
Ryan looked around frantically as though he couldn’t see her anymore and suddenly he was gone.
“Don’t go!”
A warm hand circled hers, rough and calloused. It squeezed tight, soothing her fear. “I won’t go,” the voice said.
The bright light burned her eyes as she blinked them open and focused on the man hovering above her. “Kyle? Where did Ryan go? Please tell me he didn’t die. I can’t … I can’t …” Fin moaned.
“We’re losing her!” someone shouted.
You can’t lose me. I’m right here, she tried to say, but the words wouldn’t come out.