Chapter 48.

                                    

                                          

Ariella 
                          
My eyes opened to the mellow light from outside shining through the window. As I looked up to the corner of the room I could see the TV playing cartoons.
                          
Of course they thought I was a kid.
                          
My lips puckered as I watched spongebob try to avoid playing on the fishing hook.
                          
Actually, this isn't that bad.
                          
Suddenly, I heard a sound similar to that of a wounded bear and I immediately looked to my left.
                          
Sitting in the beige chair next to my bed was a snoring Dante, his head leaned against the back of the chair and his lips slightly parted. A smile spread across my face.
                          
The creases on his forehead resembled lines of stress and I wondered how long I had been out for. 
                          
I noticed the dark brown, superman-like curl on his head and I found myself wanting to swipe it away. He wasn't too far away from me in his leaned back position as his arms rested on the arms of the couch.
                          
His black suit still looked prestine and with each breath he took his black button up tightened around his chest muscles. 
                          
How could I have been so lucky?
                          
Although, my body felt weary, I raised up slowly and reached towards him. Finally, able to move the brown lock from his forehead, I went to lie back down much too quickly.
                          
Big fucking mistake that was. 
                          
I felt a sharp pain below my chest and I quickly placed a hand over the bandaged area as I winced in pain. 
                          
Ow. Ow. Ow. 
                          
At the sound, Dante's eyes opened and he swiftly sat up, grabbing the side of the bed.
                          
"What's wrong?" He said, worry coating his features and sleep feathered in his voice, evidently. 
                          
"I'm fine, I'm fine," I assured him, taking a deep breath as the pain eased. 
                          
Dante calmed with me as he rubbed his eyes in an attempt to be fully awake. His sleepy eyes met with mine as he placed his forearms onto the railing of the bed. "You have no idea how happy I am to see those blue eyes again."
                          
I smiled, inwardly. "How long was I out for?" 
                          
He sighed deeply and a sudden look of sadness spread on his face before he brought his eyes up to me again. "Approximately, three years." 
                          
There's no fucking way.
                          
My eyes gradually widended in panic, trying to figure out how I had slept through...
                          
Wait, three years and I'm still in pain?
                          
Naturally, in the words of Donatello, I called bullshit.
                          
Then, Dante lips curved into a smile as he laughed. A wave of relief washed over me and I would have hit him had my body allowed me to. "It's been roughly a day.. Do you remember what happened?"
                          
I sighed as I stared up at the ceiling.  I felt Dante's hand curl tightly into mine as I attempted to remember how I ended up here. Well, not here. That would be all thanks to Maddie and Donatello.
                          
But there.
                          
At the bottom of his steps. 
                          
"I-I don't know. I think.. I heard the doorbell. And I got up to get it, then.." My mind drew a blank and I wasn't sure if that was what really happened. You'd think whoever was at the door would have heard something or atleast would have still made the effort to knock.