Isabelle and Arabella Cordelli^

The clock ticking on the wall, patients complaining, sneakers against the tiles and papers from magazines ruffling was all you could hear in the halls of Boston Medical Center. It's been over two weeks since the shooting and nothing has changed. Andrew, Casey and Matt haven't visited once since the incident and it hurt to know that they hated Riley so much that they didn't give a fuck if he made it or not. Ryder, and my parents were the only people who visited, my friends on the other hand have been staying with me, alternating between each other, keeping me company as I didn't know anyone aside from Isa and Bella.

"Any news?" Ryder asked as he walked over and sat beside me handing me a cup of hot cocoa as I shook my head

"Nothing. The doctors said that they're doing everything they can to save him but he's gone into cardiac arrest a good five times since he was brought in" I murmured looking down at the cup in my hands as my chest ached at the mere thought of losing him. Even if we weren't dating or anything of the sort, Riley has become one of the most important people in my life and one of my best friends. He's always there for me whenever I needed someone to talk to, someone to make me laugh whenever I was feeling down or just to keep me company.

The thought of him dying pierced me in the chest like a knife. I don't want to think about a life without him in it. The sound of a loud ringing filled the silent room making me look up as Isa and Bella both stood up seeing their mother rush down the hall looking fear stricken

"Mama" they called out in unison but their calls were ignored as Dr. Cordelli went into Riley's room. Fear enveloped me in a tight grip making my heart shatter. What if it was happening again? The speaker over head kept repeating the same thing over and over again that it only made me fear the worst all over again.

"What if it happens again?" I heard Isa whisper to her sister, well tried to whisper considering they were only a few feet away and it was hard not to hear what they were talking about.

"Mama will bring him back like she did before." Bella murmured back. We sat in the waiting area for god knows how long before Dr. Cordelli was coming back out with a relieved smile and tears rolling down her face making us look at her

"Mama?" Bella asked as she and Isa walked towards their mother with questioning gazes

"Is he okay?" Bella asked and their mother nodded making relieve wash through me and Ryder was tight their beside me to catch me if I fell. He's been the only sibling who's been at my side through this whole thing.

"He's awake," Dr. Cordelli said making my head snap up to Ryder who had a giant smile on his face and he looked down at me with a look that said 'told you so' I felt my lip quiver as tears stung the back of my eyes. He's awake. After 14 days in a coma he finally woke up.

"He made it Rye." I whispered looking up at him and he nodded

"He did,kiddo" he murmured kissing the top of my head as I cried against his chest.

"How is he doing?" Ryder asked Riley's mother who smiled at us

"He's doing good. Sore but he'll be okay. Would you like to see him?" She asked looking at me and I swallowed the lump in my throat as I looked at her with wide eyes,"Riley has been asking about you."

I blinked and looked at the girls and Ryder who nodded with warm smiles

"Go on, Alex. We'll see him later" Isa said and Bella nodded while Ryder pushed me gently towards the doctor who smiled warmly. It reminded so much of Riley's that it had my heart beating in my chest

"Right this way sweetie," she said and led me down the hall towards Riley's room.

~~~~~

I could hear him talking to one of the nurses in the room. I thanked doctor Cordelli for showing me the room and she nodded before waking away saying she needed to check on another patient.

"So would you like to go have a drink when you get out?" The nurse, I assume, asked and I wanted to knock on the door to alert them that I was here but instead I stood and waited for his reply

"Sorry but, I'm already interested in someone else." Riley replied and I sighed knew it would be to good to be true. He's a good looking guy that can get any girl he wants and how can I be stupid to think that maybe, just maybe he'd be interested in me.

"Well whoever this person is, is a very lucky girl." The nurse

"Guy actually." Riley corrected

"Well in that case, I wish you good luck with him." I knocked on the door before I had the chance to stop myself and Riley's voice called me. Taking a deep breath I opened the door and there he was, sitting on the bed with a cart sitting beside him with food. The tv was on showcasing the game from a few days ago. The nurse was beautiful red head with soft green eyes. She smiled and excused herself once she was done checking his vitals.

"Hey," he greeted with a grin making my heart thump in my chest

"Hey." I replied walking further into the room before sitting on the chair beside him. He turned his head towards me and smiled

"How you feeling?" I asked and he shrugged

"Good, a bit sore though but nothing I can't handle" was his reply and I nodded

"I'm sorry you got hurt," I murmured and he furrowed his brows in confusion

"What do you mean?" He asked cocking his head to the side making him look like an adorable puppy

"It was my fault you got shot, Riley. Had I not fallen you wouldn't be here." I said and he stared at me for a few seconds before he shook his head

"You tripped and hurt yourself in the process making it impossible for you to get up. He was gaining on us either way. I wasn't going to let you get hurt so I did what I had to do and that was jump on top of you as he fired the shot" he said but I shook my head

"I'm a slow runner and a klutz. Reasons why we were left behind by our siblings and my friends. Had I been a bit faster we would've caught up to them" I said as tears burned my eyes. I swallowed the knot that had formed in my throat as I thought back to the day this whole thing happened. Had I not been a slow runner I would've kept up with Riley and the others but instead, it was my fault he was here. My fault that he nearly died few times before being out in a coma by his mother.

"Listen to me Alex, what happened that night is not your fault, so you hear me?" He asked, his hand on top of mine and I looked up at him to see his eyes glowing with determination to make me understand but I know I will always feel guillotina no matter what he or anyone said,"The only person to blame is the shooter. You being a slow runner or a klutz has nothing to do with us being left behind either. I should've stayed closer to you and made sure you were with me. I didn't feel you fall until I turned around and saw you on the ground with the shooter getting closer to you"

"But you wouldn't be here if I hadn't fallen though," I retaliated and he chuckled

"I would have ended up here one way or the other. It would have been during the shooting or during a game or even driving. We never know when we're going to end up in a place like this, Alex." He said and I sniffled as tears rolled down my face and he smiled leaning over and wiping them away,"None of what happened that night is your fault, okay?"

I nodded my head as words couldn't be found and nodded back with a smile

"Come lay with me" he said moving to the side and lifting up the blankets making me frown

"I'll only hurt you more." I said and he rolled his eyes

"Come lay with me, Alex Gallagher for I'll get off this bed and put you in it myself," he threatened and for some reason I didn't doubt him, so with a sigh, I stood up and took my shoes off before climbing in beside him. We laid side by side, facing each other.

"I don't even know why you want me laying beside you," I said and he raised a brow

"And why is that?" He questioned making me look away from his piercing eyes

"Wouldn't you want the person you like to lay with you?" I asked and he hummed moving a bit to get comfortable

"What if I told you that I'm already laying with the person I like?" He asked causing me to snap my head up so I was eye to eye with him and he gave me that breathtaking smile I've grown to love over the last few weeks of knowing him.

"Yeah?" I asked and he nodded and without a word from him, he leaned down, as he was still taller than me despite laying on the bed, and placed a gentle kiss on my lips making my heart hammer away in my chest.

"I like you Alex, I've liked you since the first day I saw you." He murmured and felt my breath leave my lungs at the raw look in his eyes

"I like you too, Riley, a lot." I murmured making him beam

"Good, because you're the reason I'm back."