NINETY THREE

James and Monica stood still in shock , as they saw Olivia standing in the doorway, her face pale. Olivia slowly made her way into the room, ignoring her body ache.

“Olivia?” Monica exclaimed, stepping toward her, “You’re supposed to be resting. What are you doing here?”

“I couldn't just lie there,” she admitted, her voice soft but steady, “Vincent, you’re awake!” Her voice cracked with emotions as she reached his bedside.

Vincent turned his head slowly to look at her, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, “Olivia…..thank God. You’re safe.”

Tears welled up in Olivia's eyes as she nodded, “Yes, Vincent, I'm safe, thanks to you.”

Vincent's eyes softened,but the worry never left them. “But Lucas….what happened to him? I need to know.”

James cleared his throat, stepping forward. “Vincent, You’ve been in coma for months. We’ve been waiting for you to wake up.”

Vincent tried to sit up, but the pain in his chest and the weakness in his limbs held him back. His mind was still foggy, but one thought burned through the haze, one name. “Lucas…. where’s Lucas? He asked again, his voice weak, but the urgency in his tone was unmistakable.

“Vincent…We don't know where Lucas is. He’s…….missing.” James said carefully.

Vincent's heart skipped a beat, his breath hitching. “Missing? What do you mean?” His voice grew stronger as he forced himself to stay focused, “I was there…..when he fell into the water. I tried to find him… but then….then I was shot.”

Vincent struggled to sit up, but Monica gently pushed him back. “Easy, Vincent.” She said softly, “you’ve been through a lot. We’re trying to find out more about what happened it Lucas. But right now, you need to focus on getting better.”

Vincent’s expression was a mix of frustration and fear, “I can't just lie here..Lucas needs me. He ….”

“Vincent, please,” Olivia interrupted, her voice pleading, “It’s been over a month, no one have heard or seen him.”

Vincent nodded weakly, his expression a mix of gratitude and frustration. He wanted to be out there, searching for his boss, but his body was still fragile, and he knew he had to trust Olivia, James, and Monica to continue to fight.

Just then, the door to the hospital room swung open, and the doctor walked in, his eyes widening in surprise as he saw Olivia standing Vincent's bedside. “Miss Carter! You’re supposed to be resting,” he scolded gently concern lacing his voice. “You’re suppose be resting. You shouldn't be up and about like this.”

Olivia offered a small smile, “I know, doctor, but I couldn't just stay in my room, when I heard Vincent was awake.”

The doctor sighed, shaking his head, though a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips, “It's okay Miss Carter, but you really need to rest well.” He turned his attention to Vincent, and his expression shifted to one of professional assessment. “Vincent, it's good to see you awake. You gave us all quite a scare,”

Vincent attempted to sit up a little straighter, but the effort made him since in pain, “How long….was I out?”

“Several weeks,” The doctor replied, moving closer to check the machines monitoring Vincent's signs. “You were deep in coma, but it seems your body has finally begun to heal. You’re a lucky man, Vincent. It's a miracle you’re awake and coherent.”

Monica, who had been standing quietly near the foot of the bed, spoke up. “Dors this mean Vincent is going to make a full recovery?”

The doctor nodded, though he tempered his optimism with caution, “He’s made significant progress, but it's still early. We'll need to monitor him closely in the coming days to ensure, there are no signs of complications. But, yes. If things continue as they are, I'm hopeful that Vincent would make a full recovery.”

James, who had been leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, finally spoke. “That’s good to hear, Doc. Vincent’s been through hell. We all have. But knowing he’s on the mend, it gives us hope.”

The doctor smiled warmly, “I’m glad to see that you all have each other, it's important for the healing process both physically and emotionally.” He glanced at Olivia, his expression softening. “But you, Olivia needs to take care of yourself as well. Stress isn't good for your condition.”

Olivia nodded, though her thoughts were clearly focused on Vincent and the thought of Lucas might be alive.

Olivia was about resoonding, when the doctor gave her a serious look, reminding her that she needed to rest. “Let’s not stress him with too much,” the doctor interjected, trying to steer the conversation back to Vincent’s health. “Right now, Vincent needs to focus on getting stronger. We’ll take it one step at a time.”

Vincent wanted to press for more information, but he could see the exhaustion in Olivia's eyes. He sighed and nodded, “Alright.”

The doctor shifted his checks, and then turned to others, “I’ll leave you all for now. But Vincent needs to rest. Try not to stay long.”

As the doctor left the room, the atmosphere lightened slightly. Monica moved closer to Olivia, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

“Come on, Liv. Let's get you back to your room. You need to rest too.” Monica said gently.

Olivia hesitated, but finally relented, nodding as she allowed Monica to guide her out of the room. Before leaving, she glanced back at Vincent, giving him a small wave. “We’ll be back okay?”

Vincent smiled faintly, “I’ll be here. Just…take care of yourself.”

As Olivia and Monica walked out, James lingered behind for a moment, giving Vincent a reassuring nod. “We how Lucas is alive. And if he is. We’ll find him. I promise.”

Vincent watched as James followed the others out, his mind spinning with thoughts of Lucas, Olivia and everything that had happened.