Chapter 29: In Which They Hear News

The next time Ashton was pulled out of the darkness, the first thing he heard was the annoying beeping of the heart monitor and the back of his head throbbed in pain.
He felt awful.
He felt disoriented.
He felt agitated.
These feelings were partially forgotten when he squinted his eyes open and shut to get rid of the black dots clouding his vision and the first sight he was met with was ethereal.
His girl was sleeping with her head on his right arm, her plump red lips partially agape giving her a babyish look as her cheek squicked against his arm with her long hair sprawled half on the hospital bed and half down.
She looked beautiful but she had clear dried tear steaks that could be seen on her soft skin and she looked like she was having a troubled sleep considering the way her brows knitted.
He felt bad being the reason for her tears so many times now.
He looked down to his left side and sure enough, it was bandaged up and an IV ran through his left arm.
His side hurt now that he was up and he wouldn't mind some increased morphine and a glass of water so very discreetly he pushed the nurse button.
Soon enough, the door open, allowing the nurse inside.
Before she had the chance to utter out a word, Ashton put a finger on his mouth gesturing towards Sora who was still asleep and he'd like to keep it that way.
The nurse understood and made her way closer to him.
He gestured her to get him some water and she poured him some, holding the glass for him as he took hearty gulps.
"How long have I been out?" he asked, whispering.
"Two days" she told him and he nodded with a sigh.
However, as much as he'd tried not to disturb her, the slight movements as the nurse checked his IV and bullet wound had stirred awake.
She was instantly up from her chair and towards him, cupping his face with both hands.
"Y...you're a...awake thank god" her voice wavered as she peppered his face with kisses all over.
He chuckled even though it hurt doing so but she was being way too adorable.
"And I am glad, or else I would've been missing out on all this love I am getting from my sweet girl" he said making her blush.
"I have to get the doctor so he can check up on you" the nurse said before leaving the two alone.
An hour later, the doctor was done with his checkups and any post-op procedures. Ashton was famished and had eaten the bland hospital food with the promise from Sora that she'd make him lasagna once he is discharged and they get home.
He was also told that he was lucky that the bullet hadn't hit any vital organs but they had to perform surgery to get it out since there was no exit wound.
He could only imagine what his girl went through during those two days because if the roles were reversed he would go insane so he was glad that wasn't the case.
Another thing he was informed of was that the arrest of Richard Takahashi had been made and today was the day that the FBI would hear from the judge regarding clean sweep through the Takahashi assets and documents as well as a search warrant for the estate.
They had their fingers crossed on that.
At the moment, he was sitting with Sora by his side catching up on further events that went down while he was unconscious when the door to his room opened, and in walked Detective Seo Jin in his signature trench coat.
"Glad to see you up and cheery, this one had been worried sick about you and she is very annoying when she is worried" he said making Sora blush at his complaint.
It was true, she kept pestering the detective to get an update from the surgeons when the nurses had stopped answering all the while that Ashton was in surgery.
"If the roles were reversed detective, I would've been worse" Ashton said, placing a kiss to the side of her head.
"I have no doubt" the detective chuckled.
"Any news on that court order?" Ashton asked.
"Yes actually, we took the whole case and appeal to court and the judge passed all the warrants we asked for. Soon enough we'll have all data connecting that Takahashi crime family to all the murdered people we had found in that lake and possibly more"
A grin made its way on the couple's face.
"That's great news!" Sora squealed, standing up and hugging the detective in glee.
She pulled away when Ashton cleared his throat and gave her a look making the detective roll his eyes.
"Another big news that you won't find to be so good is that Ashton, you have a court hearing scheduled as well, which would soon lead to a trial. Now when the day of the trial comes, you plead guilty and the sentence will be in your best interest otherwise you'd be facing twelve years prison if you plead not guilty and lose the case" the detective suggested and Sora's mood went sour while Ashton was very understanding.
He was ready to sacrifice and year of his life for a lifetime of happiness with her.
"I understand"