Echoes of a Forsaken Heart (Natalia and Hamilton)

Natalia woke up, again, finding herself in the sterile white of a hospital room.

Scarlett, seeing her awake, rushed to her side with concern. "Are you feeling okay? The doc said you got a mild concussion. Headache, nausea, anything?"

Natalia took a moment to assess herself. "No, I'm fine. But, what about Hamilton? And my mom?"

Scarlett hesitated, her face shadowed with worry before she finally spoke. "Your mom's in ICU, and Hamilton... he's hurt pretty bad. Lost a lot of blood and hasn't woken up yet." Natalia's heart skipped a beat. "Where's he hurt? Where is he?"

As she attempted to rise from her bed, Scarlett gently but firmly pushed her back down. "Stay put for now. He's still unconscious, and rushing over won't help. Let me get a doctor to check on you first." After a brief check-up that confirmed Natalia was alright, Scarlett allowed her to get up.

"Go see Hamilton first. Visiting hours for your mom in the ICU aren't until later, and the docs are changing shifts. You can check on her after."

Natalia nodded, a mix of gratitude and urgency in her gaze.

Scarlett couldn't help but smile, "You were planning to see him first anyway, weren't you?"

Natalia's cheeks flushed, a silent acknowledgment.

"Either way, he's the hero this time. Heard if it wasn't for the ambulance right there, he might not have made it," Scarlett added, her tone somber.

A chill ran down Natalia's spine, her heart aching with a blend of fear and tenderness.

"I need to see him."

Scarlett nodded, "I'll grab some food for you guys."

Approaching Hamilton's room, Natalia's pace quickened, her heart pounding. Yet, standing at the door, she hesitated, unsure of what awaited her inside.

Upon entering, the sight of Hamilton's pale, lifeless face washed away all her fears, leaving a deep, searing pain in its place.

Alden, who was in the room, stood up as she entered. "Natalia, you okay?"

"I'm fine. How's Hamilton?"

"Spleen rupture, lost a lot of blood. But he's stable now, just hasn't woken up yet. Stay with him; I need to make some calls."

Left alone with Hamilton, Natalia's emotions swirled into a storm. She couldn't believe he'd risked his life for hers, especially when survival instincts should have kicked in.

Holding his cold hand, she whispered through tears, "You think you're some kind of hero? That I'd be touched by this? Do you want me to owe you my life? How could you be so reckless?"

As she prepared to stand, Hamilton's grip tightened. He was awake.

"Couldn't help it. Heard someone was worried about me," he said, a weak smile on his lips.

Natalia, torn between relief and frustration, called in a doctor to check on him. Once assured of his stability, she relaxed, only for Hamilton to feign pain, pulling her into a tight embrace to avoid any real discomfort.

"Stay with me, Natalia. It helps more than any doctor could," Hamilton murmured, his voice a mix of pain and affection.

Natalia, her heart racing, was caught in a moment of vulnerability and connection. As they locked eyes, the tension was palpable, their emotions raw and unguarded.

Then, Hamilton kissed her, a kiss that sparked a fire, a yearning that couldn't be quenched. His hands wandered, crossing lines, as Natalia found herself lost in the moment, willing yet hesitant, until reality snapped back, reminding them of the boundaries not yet crossed. The oversized hospital gown did little to conceal his mischievous actions.

Natalia wriggled a bit, and Hamilton just grunted in response.

That left Natalia flushed with indignation.

"Hamilton, we're in a hospital. Someone could walk in any minute."

"Can we continue this when we get back home?"

In response, Natalia smacked his arm sharply.

Hamilton grunted again as if she had touched a sore spot.

That made Natalia hesitate to resist any further.

Hamilton chuckled, then planted a quick kiss on her lips.

Just as Natalia was about to say something, the door to the room suddenly swung open.

She quickly pulled away from him, heading for the bathroom.

Hamilton glanced towards the door, his face devoid of any panic.

In contrast, Alden seemed to feel as though he had been caught doing something wrong. "Don't you know to knock before entering?" Hamilton asked, his voice deep and steady. Alden felt a bit wronged. How could he have anticipated walking into such a scene? After all, this was still a hospital room.

However, he didn't argue, instead, he seemed a bit anxious as he spoke.

"Bro, Grandpa somehow found out you were injured, and he's on his way here."

Just as Natalia emerged from the bathroom, having straightened her clothes, she caught that piece of news.

Hamilton's gaze turned serious, but he didn't say anything, just looked towards her.

In an instant, Natalia understood the message in his eyes.

With a smile, she tugged at the corner of her lip.

"I haven't seen my mom since I woke up. I'll go check on her."