Curious and concerned, Rei gently pushed the door open.
Inside, the monitor by Eleanor's bed flared—her heart rate had spiked violently, then dropped. The ECG lines danced erratically for a second... then stopped. A flat tone filled the room like a scream.
Rei's breath hitched in his throat.
"Mother?"
Nothing.
His panic erupted. "NURSE! SOMEONE!"
A nurse rounded the corner, eyes wide. She rushed in and froze for a second in shock before slamming the emergency button on the wall. The alarm blared. Within moments, doctors and nurses flooded the room. Olivia was among them.
Rei stood just outside, trembling, clutching the edge of the doorframe. The nurse came over, kneeling beside him, gently keeping him from entering.
Ethan heard the commotion from his lab. He stepped out, confused—then saw Rei's face.
His stomach dropped.
He ran to him immediately, kneeling to meet his son's eyes. "Rei? What's wrong?"
Rei's small body shook as he tried to speak, lips trembling. "T-the machine was making a noise... I think... I think Mother's heart stopped, Father."
Ethan froze. The nurse behind Rei looked stricken, her silence confirming what Rei had just said. Ethan's face went pale.
"What is he talking about?" he asked, his voice tight, already halfway to the door.
The nurse stammered. "I—I heard Rei scream. I came in, saw the flatline, and hit the alarm. The others rushed in—"
But Ethan was already moving. He strode toward the door, but the nurse stepped in front of him.
"Sir—no, I'm sorry. You're not allowed in right now."
"But that's my wife—"
"I know. I know you're a professional, but right now you need to let the doctors handle it," she said quickly, her voice shaking with both urgency and empathy.
Ethan stood there, fists clenched, watching helplessly through the frosted glass. Blurred shapes moved quickly inside the room. Monitors flickered. Voices barked orders.
His heart thundered.
He turned away, his mind spiraling. He hadn't even heard Rei scream. He'd been too wrapped up in his work—again. He felt guilt chew at the edges of his soul. He pressed his back against the wall, breathing hard, trying to stay upright.
Rei sat on one of the nearby chairs, his face pale, legs curled up to his chest.
The nurse stood nearby, just as tense.
After a few minutes, a voice from inside the room called for her. She stepped in quickly, and for a second, the door cracked open.
Ethan caught a glimpse.
Doctors surrounded Eleanor's bed. Monitors beeped frantically. A long flat tone echoed beneath their shouted commands. Her body lay motionless under the harsh white lights.
Then the door closed again, and the sound was gone.
Ethan squeezed his eyes shut. He tried to calm himself, but panic clawed at his throat. He paced, then stopped, then paced again. Every second felt like a blade. He looked over at Rei and forced himself to breathe.
He sat beside his son and pulled him close. "Rei... It's okay," he said softly, wrapping an arm around him. "It's okay."
But his hands trembled.
Rei leaned into him quietly, staring ahead. A single tear rolled down his cheek.
An Hour Passed.
Then Two.
Then Three.
Ethan sat hunched forward, elbows on his knees, head in his hands. His eyes were closed, trying to shut out every nightmare crawling into his mind. Beside him, Rei sat silently, strong in his own small way, holding himself together.
Every hour that passed made the silence louder.
At last, a doctor stepped out of the room. Ethan stood immediately.
"Doctor—?"
"We don't have enough progress to report," the doctor said quickly. "I'm sorry." He turned, grabbed a stretcher from the wall, and rushed back into the room, slamming the door behind him.
Ethan said nothing. He bit his tongue so hard it hurt. He didn't want to shout. He didn't want to panic. Not in front of Rei.
He sat back down, eyes locked on the floor, fists clenched against his knees.
Four hours.
Five.
Six.
Finally, the door opened again.
Nurses emerged, wheeling out equipment, trays, and stained linens. Their faces were drawn and silent. Ethan sat up, his pulse spiking.
Then came the doctors—four of them. Ethan stood immediately. Rei followed, gripping his father's coat.
"Doctor," Ethan said, breath held. "Please. What happened?"
The lead doctor turned to him. The others walked on, leaving the hallway quiet.
The doctor smiled. But something about it didn't feel quite real.
"Your wife and the baby are stable. They're both alive."
Ethan gasped softly, overwhelmed by a sudden flood of relief. He closed his eyes, looked up at the ceiling, and let out a breath that felt like it had been held for years.
"Can I see her?"
The doctor nodded. "Yes. She's unconscious, but she made it."
Ethan didn't wait. He whispered a grateful thank-you and pushed open the door.
Eleanor lay still, pale beneath the sheets, but her chest rose and fell gently. The heart monitor pulsed steadily now. Life, thin and fragile, but still burning.
Ethan stepped toward her and sat by her side. His hands trembled as he reached out and took hers, cold but warm enough to give him hope.
"You're alive... still fighting," he whispered, pressing her hand to his cheek. A tear slipped down his face. He smiled through it.
A small figure stood beside him.
Rei walked up, watching his mother closely. He didn't say a word. But as he saw her chest rise and fall, something inside him settled.
He stood by the bed, inches from her, staring at her closed eyes with silent love. For now, she was still with them. And that was everything.
The Next Day
Eleanor's hospital room was quiet. Rei sat on the desk beside her bed, leaning back against the wall. In his hand, he held a small piece of folded paper. He stared at it, lost in thought.
A soft, broken whisper pulled him back to reality.
"R–Rei... is that you?"
Rei froze. His heart skipped.