Chapter 9

We waited for hours outside the OR.

They'd wheeled you out of the room amdist all the chaos.

You were still limp, blood still covered your blankets, hands, and lips.

You looked... dead.

Your husband, worthless bastard that he was, left after a few minutes of waiting.

The rest of us waited... and waited...
 

12:33 am, February 15, 2013.

There was still no news from the OR.

Sungjong had fallen asleep, head on my lap.

The others were either dozing (Hoya and Dongwoo) or pacing (Sungyeol and Woohyun).

Sunggyu had made a dinner run for all of us around 7.

Now, he sat motionless, his eyes glued to the door.

Me? I'd been pacing, ranting, praying, ANYthing to have you back with us.

The pacing got old after the first hour.

Ranting after the second, and only because it was visibly upsetting everyone.

Praying... even as our maknae used my lap as a pillow, I was still sending up fervent prayers.

Sure, they might not get any further than the ceiling, but there was no harm in trying.

SOMEone out there had to be listening.

A nurse emerged from the ER doors, and the three who were awake and mobile jumped up.

Sungyeol wrung his hands. "How is she? Better? Awake?"

Woohyun said nothing, but his eyes were pleading.

Sunggyu sighed. "Just tell us the truth, nurse, please. We can handle it."

The poor woman looked overwhelmed.

Little wonder... she'd been in there for a while.

After a few moments, she spoke in low tones. 

"The excitement caused some of her internal stitches to burst, which made her cough up blood. Not only that, but she suffered a pretty bad heart attack, and lost a lot of blood coughing it up like that."

She shook her head.

"By rights, she should be dead by now, but she's not giving up. That girl's a fighter, she is."

Sunggyu took a deep breath and slowly released it.

"How long before she'll be out of the OR?"

The nurse bit her lip.

"I really don't know, Kim-sshi. It's still touch and go at this point. We're suturing up the internal lacerations, and her heart is stable for now. She's getting a blood transfusion as we speak." 

"Right now, it all depends on how much she fights to stay alive. If she gives up now, then it's over."

A commotion broke out in the OR, and the nurse wheeled around.

"I'm sorry, but I really have to get back."

She sprinted back to the OR, hair flying behind her.

I watched helplessly as the doors swung open, then shut.
 

We took our seats and resumed our vigil.

Sunggyu was pretty much the only one who stayed awake the whole time.

I admit, I dozed off a few times, but I snapped awake every time someone moved.

Sungjong was still sleeping like a baby, but this time, he was curled up on the bench, my coat under his head.

I could only take so many hours of numb legs, older brother or no.

Finally, at 4:23 am, a different nurse staggered out of the OR.

She looked positively exhausted.

All of us sat upright, rubbing our eyes.

Sungkyu got to his feet, stretching his limbs out, walking over to the nurse so's not to alarm the others.

Even Sungjong sat up, although his eyes were still squeezed shut.

"Is noona okay now? Can we go see her?" he murmured, voice thick with sleep.

I patted his back. "Go back to sleep, Jongie. I'll tell you when she comes out."

He nodded obediently and lay back down.

It didn't take long before his breathing was deep and even again.

Standing up, I made my way over to my eldest brother's side.

"How is she? Is she stable now?"

She shot a glance at Sungkyu, who nodded encouragingly.

I knew the answer even before she opened .

Something about the look in her eyes, or her posture.

Maybe it was just my intuition.

"Kim-sshi... I'm so, so sorry. Ms. _______'s heart stopped beating five minutes ago. We tried everything we could, b-but she's gone..."

AN: I apologize now if I made anyone cry over the course of this story.