Chapter 94: Stay With Me
(Jay Jay's POV)
The room was finally quiet.
Not the empty, suffocating silence from before.
Not the kind that breaks you.
This silence…
Was softer.
Fragile.
Because he was here.
Alive.
Keifer lay on the hospital bed, motionless except for the slow rise and fall of his chest.
His arm was bandaged.
Carefully wrapped.
The machines beside him beeped steadily.
A rhythm.
A reminder.
He was still here.
Jay (whisper):
"…you scared me."
I sat beside him.
Close.
Closer than I had ever been without touching him.
Because I was afraid.
Afraid that if I touched him too suddenly—
He'd disappear.
My fingers hovered…
Then slowly—
Carefully—
I took his hand.
Warm.
Still warm.
Jay (voice trembling):
"I hate you… for doing that to me…"
A tear slipped down my cheek.
Jay:
"…don't ever do that again."
My grip tightened slightly.
Jay (soft, breaking):
"I'm not strong enough to lose you."
The words barely left my lips.
Because saying them out loud—
Made them real.
(Keifer's POV — Half Conscious)
Darkness.
But not cold.
Not empty.
There was warmth.
Familiar.
Comforting.
Her.
Jay.
I couldn't open my eyes fully.
Couldn't move properly.
But I felt her.
Her hand in mine.
Trembling.
Keifer (thinking, faint):
She's crying…
That thought alone—
Pulled me closer to consciousness.
Because she shouldn't be crying.
Not because of me.
(Jay Jay's POV)
I leaned forward slightly.
Rested my forehead against his hand.
Jay (whispering):
"You promised… no leaving…"
Silence.
Jay:
"And I promised too…"
My voice cracked.
Jay:
"…and I broke it first."
I closed my eyes.
Jay:
"I should've told you…"
Tears fell again.
Jay:
"I thought I was protecting you…"
A shaky breath.
Jay:
"But I was hurting you too…"
Silence.
Heavy.
Honest.
Jay (soft):
"I'm sorry, Keifer…"
(Keifer's POV — Slowly Waking)
Her voice.
Clearer now.
Closer.
Every word—
Pulling me back.
Sorry?
Why was she sorry?
I forced my eyes open slightly.
Blurry at first.
Then—
There she was.
Head lowered.
Shoulders trembling.
Holding my hand like it was the only thing keeping her together.
Keifer (weak whisper):
"…Jay…"
(Jay Jay's POV)
I froze.
My head snapped up instantly.
Jay (breathless):
"Keifer…?"
His eyes—
Half open.
Looking at me.
Alive.
Jay (voice breaking):
"You're awake—oh my god—you're awake—"
I moved closer instantly.
Careful.
But desperate.
Jay:
"Don't move—just stay—just stay right there—"
He let out a weak breath.
Almost a laugh.
Keifer:
"…bossy…"
A broken laugh escaped me.
Jay:
"Shut up…"
Tears fell again.
But this time—
Different.
Relief.
Keifer looked at me.
Really looked.
And his expression softened.
Keifer (quiet):
"…you stayed."
My chest tightened.
Jay:
"I wasn't going anywhere."
Keifer:
"You were in the guest room…"
I winced.
Jay (soft):
"…I'm not doing that again."
Silence.
Then—
His fingers moved slightly.
Tightening around mine.
Keifer:
"…good."
(Emotional Shift)
I leaned closer.
Carefully brushing his hair back.
Jay (soft, honest):
"I'm sorry… for everything."
He didn't answer immediately.
Just watched me.
Keifer:
"…I was scared."
That surprised me.
Jay:
"You?"
Keifer:
"Yeah."
His voice was weak.
But real.
Keifer:
"Not of him…"
Pause.
Keifer:
"Of losing you."
My breath caught.
Jay:
"…you won't."
Keifer:
"You almost did tonight."
Silence.
Jay (shaking her head):
"But I didn't."
Keifer:
"No… you didn't."
He looked at me again.
Keifer (soft):
"You saved me."
Jay:
"I should've told you."
Keifer:
"…we both messed up."
That simple sentence—
Healed something.
Not everything.
But something important.
(Soft Moment)
I leaned forward slightly.
Careful.
Gentle.
And pressed a soft kiss to his forehead.
Jay (whisper):
"Don't scare me like that again."
Keifer (barely smiling):
"…you jumped on a man with a gun."
Jay:
"For you."
Keifer:
"…I noticed."
A small silence followed.
Comfortable this time.
Real.
Keifer's eyes slowly started to close again.
Jay (soft panic):
"Hey—no—stay awake—"
Keifer (weak):
"…just sleeping…"
His grip on my hand tightened slightly.
Keifer:
"Don't go…"
My heart melted completely.
Jay (soft, steady):
"I'm right here."
And this time—
When he drifted back to sleep—
It wasn't fear.
It wasn't loss.
It was peace.
Because I was there.
And I wasn't leaving.
End of Chapter
Chapter Moral ✦
Love isn't about never making mistakes—it's about choosing to stay after them.
Apologies don't erase the past,
but they build a future stronger than before.
Because in the end…
the greatest promise isn't "I'll never hurt you"…
it's
"I'll never leave you."