Chapter 272 - 272: Painful Cries

*** At South Carolina's Hospital ***

Last night, the doctor successfully removed the bullet at the back part of Erick's shoulder. Because of the anesthesia and medicine injected to Erick, he slept all night.

Bryan and Erick's parents stayed with him in the hospital. Bryan felt horrible since last night. He didn't recover yet from the shock of everything that happened last night. 

He couldn't sleep and felt restless. He was also thinking about Elle. If he was feeling miserable right now then how much more Erick would feel once he woke up and found out that Elle was gone.

Bryan couldn't imagine the hurt and pain Erick would feel. If he was blaming himself then how much more Erick? This was the first time Bryan felt this kind of fear. 

Fear of losing his best friend.

Fear of seeing his best friend heartbroken. 

Fear of his best friend hating him.

Bryan was looking so stressed. The dark circles underneath his eyes were visible. His eyes were red because of a lack of sleep and crying for several hours. Although he had tried hard, still, he couldn't hold the tears from flowing since last night.

Sarah saw Bryan sitting on the bench outside Erick's ward. She decided to approach him.

"Dear, you should go home first. Erick is now fine. His wound is not that serious so don't worry about him. You should rest first. You are not looking good, dear. You might get sick." Sarah softly said to Bryan as she sat down beside him.

Bryan gazed up to look at her. He was having complicated feelings.

'Aunt. I couldn't leave. I must stay here and accompany him. I don't know if he can handle the truth about Elle's death.' Bryan thought to himself. He wanted to tell Sarah but he couldn't.

Erick's parents had no idea about Elle's identity as Catseye. They didn't even know that the woman Erick was trying to rescue in that Ship was Elle. 

How would they react if they knew the truth? Will they hate Elle since she is a wanted criminal or they will feel sad after knowing that Elle died?

They were unaware of how Erick would feel after waking up without Elle by his side. Only Bryan would know how painful it would be for him, that's why he should stay with Erick and comfort him.

However, he didn't know how he would be able to comfort him.

"Aunt Sarah… I am fine. I want to stay here. I will wait for Erick to wake up."

"Alright. Thank you for saving us. I am very grateful to your team."

"Don't thank us. It is our job. Besides, you are also important to us. We are willing to help each other as a team in a situation like that."

Sarah smiled at him. Then suddenly Sarah remembered someone.

"Oh… how about my daughter-in-law, Elle. Does she know what happened to us and Erick? She might be waiting for us at home. I should call her."

A mere mention of Elle's name was enough to make Bryan's eyes misty. He felt the lump in his throat and the tightness inside his chest. He couldn't respond to Sarah. Bryan clenched his jaw while suppressing the urge to cry in front of Sarah.

Sarah didn't notice the complicated expression of Bryan. She stood up. In her mind, she wanted to find a payphone near the hospital so that she could call Elle whom she thought was staying at home waiting for them.

"Your daughter-in-law is an extraordinary woman. She is a brave one. She was the one who did a lot of work during this mission in order to save you, Aunt Sara." Bryan mumbled in a low voice as he watched Sarah's retreating back.

After that Bryan buried his face using his both hands. The guilt he felt for not able to save Elle was torturing him.

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It was already 3:00 o'clock in the afternoon when Erick finally woke up. Raymond and Sarah went out to buy some food and other things that they needed while they were still in the hospital.

The husband and wife also decided to drop by at Erick's place to see Elle and inform her personally of what happened. It was Bryan who remained in the hospital, watching over Erick.

When Erick opened his eyes, he noticed an unfamiliar environment. That moment he knew he was no longer inside the M.V Athena instead he was in the hospital.

Then he felt alarmed when he remembered the last scene before he lost his consciousness. He was rushing to save Elle but Captain Jason stopped him.

Erick immediately sat up. That sudden forceful movement caused him to feel the pain in his body especially on the part of his injury.

"Argh!" He groaned.

That's when Bryan noticed that Erick already regained consciousness.

"Erick! Be careful! Are you hurt? Wait… I will call the doctor." Bryan exclaimed with his worried voice. He panicked when he saw Erick in pain.

When he was about to leave Bryan felt a large arm grabbing his elbow. He stopped as his attention moved back to Erick. Bryan saw Erick's questioning gaze. With just one look from him, Bryan's heart sank as fast as a penny in a pond.

The air was filled with overbearing tension the moment Erick spoke up.

"Where is Elle? Is she safe? Is she also here in the hospital? Bring me to her!" Bryan could hear the helplessness and worry in Erick's voice. And his eyes, he couldn't look straight at his eyes which were giving him a hopeful look.

Bryan was tongue-tied at that moment. He didn't know what to respond to him. Erick was hoping… hoping that Elle was also there in the hospital receiving treatment just like him.

"Bryan!" Erick called his name firmly, waiting for his reply.

"Erick… I'm sorry." Bryan finally burst out. 

"Bryan… that's not the words I am expecting to hear from you. I am asking where is Elle. That's not the answer to my question." Erick flatly said to Bryan.

Bryan could no longer hold his tears as they rolled down from the corner of his eyes one drop after another. He clenched his fists and looked down.

"Elle is gone," Bryan said in a low voice which was almost a whisper.

The remaining hope that Erick had was killed in an instant by Bryan's last three words. Erick's grip on Bryan's elbow loosened as if he let go of the rope that could only save his life.

The light in Erick's eyes disappeared. It was replaced by dullness and emptiness. It seemed like his world just stopped revolving and it was slowly falling into pieces.

His expression was blank but deep inside there was a storm of feelings swirling around. He felt utterly devastated. No words could express nor describe the pain he was feeling right now.

Nothing hurt more than having one's hope crushed, not even death.

Why? Why is this happening?

Elle's beautiful face crossed his mind. Erick felt like he was dying right now and his heart was being stabbed by billions of knives. He wished he could just die for him not to feel this pain.

"Leave…" Erick mumbled in a low voice.

But Bryan remained standing beside his sickbed.

"I said Leave!" This time his voice was a little bit louder.

Bryan didn't move an inch. He was reluctant to leave Erick. What if Erick would do something to himself?

"No. I will stay here beside you. Your parents asked me to watch over you." Bryan said stubbornly.

"I SAID GET OUT! LEAVE ME ALONE!" Erick shouted at him.

Bryan jolted in fright. He was surprised by Erick's sudden burst out of anger.

"I-I… " Bryan stuttered. He wanted to say he won't leave but he stopped midway when he saw Erick closing his eyes as he lay down to his sickbed.

Bryan felt hurt and defeated. He had no choice but to leave. This was the first time in his whole life that he heard Erick shouted at him like that. He knew that Erick wanted to have time and space alone.

He mustered his remaining strength to take a step as he slowly left his ward. After a few seconds, the sound of the door closing was heard. The moment Erick heard that the feelings he was trying to suppress and hide a while ago just came out uncontrollably.

Unknown to Erick, Bryan was just there, leaning behind the closed door. He was crying along with him. Bryan could hear his whimpers and his painful cries as Erick called out Elle's name over and over again.