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After: Dogface. Ashley. Please.


Nick

I pushed between the doctors. They gave easily now that they were in a frenzy. I got to the bed and I grabbed hold of her hand. Gideon was backing away, a frustrated expression on his face. "No!" I yelled, "No, wake her up! WAKE HER UP!"

Gideon looked at me, "I can't, man."

Everything felt heavy around me. I pulled Ashley's hand up to my face. It was cool, but she was always cooler than I was. I held her hand on my cheek, I reached up and turned her face toward me. "Ashley," I begged, "Ashley wake up baby. Please." I stared at her eyes, closed, her thick lashes, her narrow nose, her freckles... "Please. Please. Please," I whispered. My breath sounded ridiculously loud, echoing off the palm of her hand. Tears were pouring down my face.

"The story can't end like this," I begged. I turned my eyes up at the ceiling without moving my head. "You said the story wasn't over," I said. "You said it wasn't over yet. This can't be how it ends. This can't be it."

The monitor hummed a steady monotone.

I looked down at her, at her slightly parted lips. "What did she say?" I begged, looking around. "What did she say?" I looked at the doctors, my hand still clasping Ashley's.

They looked at one another, like they weren't sure how to answer. Finally one stepped forward. Her name tag said her name was Lorraine. "She... she said I love you."

I turned back to Ashley, "You can't steal my line," I whispered, my eyes flooding with tears. "That was my move.... you can't go steal my moves..."

Gideon was standing beside me, his hand on her wrist.

"Come back," I whispered. "If you're lookin' through that viewfinder at me... if you can hear me somehow right now... please come back. Do whatever you have to. Do anything. Please. Ashley... we deserve a chance." Then, out of desperation I whispered, "Hey, up and at'em Dogface, you can't go out like this one me, you know? You gotta win this battle cos we got a whole war raging on... We got a baby over there who needs their mommy," I could barely breathe. I thought my heart might burst. "Dogface. Ashley. Please."

I closed my eyes.

I heard crying behind me, and I looked up and there was Chris, tears pouring down his face, his hands covering his eyes. He looked down at me, "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry."

Then several things happened at once:

The door burst open and there was a guy in a big vest with a gun aimed directly at Chris. "Hands where we can see them." And Chris tossed his hands in the air.

And I felt Ashley's chest rise suddenly, as a great gasp of air filled her lungs.

And the doctors came forward again, pushing me out of the way, and I stumbled backwards.