135 Endings Beginnings - I

The heartache that Regan felt was like an insatiable fire that was burning his insides and tearing his heart. It threatened to tear him up with an endless pain that had already made its way in his heart crumpling it with every passing moment. The melancholy surrounding him over the mere thought of losing her forever made him feel empty and dead. His gaze rested at his shirt that was soaked in her blood. He felt a wound on his soul looking at her bruised state. He cursed himself repeatedly for ignoring her, for letting himself think about getting her love all for himself. 'How could I? How could I be so selfish?', he thought. The pain that was ripping him apart was the one that she had felt several times, especially after losing Ashton. If this all happened to make him realize the depth of her wounds, then he was regretting every second to be selfish, although it was for a single day. He didn't want to go through the turmoil where he was feeling that he would lose her at any moment.

Regan was pacing along the corridor while repeatedly brushing his hair. Emily, Jack and Drake along with Nathan and Grace were constantly pacifying him to calm down but there was nothing other than her who could calm his anxiety then. Soon after Anna lost consciousness, the ambulance had arrived with the paramedics. She was instantly rushed to the hospital owing to her critical state. It had been more than 24 hours since then and she was still unconscious. She was kept under intensive observation for her deteriorating state but it seemed as if nothing was helping her at that moment.

When her number was traced, Regan had rushed to get her along with Drake and the cops. He had broken all the speed limits when he had come to know about her being kept at an isolated place on the countryside. As soon as he had reached the location, he went inside the tattered building that looked unused since a long time. The foul-rotten smell from the insides of the building and it's ruined condition had instantly made him cringe on the thought of Anna's presence at that place for such long hours. He was not much surprised to see the place vacant with no guards as he already knew that Kent was an egoistic brute who had taken it as a challenge to take her away from him single handedly. After he was sent to the asylum three years back, his wealth was seized by the government for he too was involved with some kind of illegal business and underhand methods that made him bankrupt. He didn't have enough money or resources to challenge him, but his hatred towards the Watson's, especially Anna after his downfall was something that encouraged him to come so far. Regan had taken no time to follow the source of yelling that reached his ears from one of the rooms in the corner of that place, but when his eyes landed on Kent manhandling Anna with his hands wrapped around her throat, he had lost it immediately pulling him away from her and beathing the shit out of him. He had eventually stopped when he heard her mumbling his name from the distance. He had pushed him hard to brutally collide with the wall before handing him to Drake to take care of him with the cops. He had rushed to her only to realize about her critical state. He had intended to take her to the hospital but was stopped by an officer to be cautious owing to the severity of her injuries that could have gone worse if not taken care of. He had impatiently waited for the paramedics with her lifeless body in his arms losing his soul with her shallow breathing with every passing moment doing nothing.

It had been more than twenty-four hours since then. The doctors had tried everything but she was still unconscious lying lifelessly on the hospital bed with different machines attached to her body. When he couldn't take it anymore, he had gone inside and had not come outside since then waiting for her to open her ocean blue orbs that always intrigued him with the beauty and innocence they held. He held her hand and didn't leave it for a second.

"Open your eyes heart. Don't do this to me. I agree that I was selfish and stupid to think about losing you over the sight of you sitting in your room with Ashton's photo in your hand. Only if I had understood or talked or….. I am sorry for everything Anna, but you can't punish me for my mistakes in such a way. I will lose myself if anything will happen to you baby. Imagining a life without you is impossible. It hurts to breath heart, because every breath I take reminds me that I can't live without you. Come back, please. Please."

A single drop of grief welled up from the corner of his eye and fell on her hand that was clasped in his hands while constantly urging her to come back to him soon.

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Anna's eyes were closed and mind fuzzy. She felt a pounding headache that kept her grounded and her eyes felt too heavy to respond to the voice that was constantly pleading her to come back. It was hoarse choked with emotions and in spite of her disorientation and receded senses, she could identify the owner of that voice that was capable to bring the immeasurable warmth to her heart even in such a state. She wanted to open her eyes to look into his grey orbs that were windows to his soul, filled with love for her. She wanted to peek into them to feel her heart smile with the connection that she always felt with his soul that gave her a piece of him...his heart…..that lived for her. She wanted to complete the unsaid words that she had begin before slipping into darkness. She wanted him to assure that she was not going to give up and was constantly fighting for him to keep her promise to not leave him. Ever. Her every effort to fight back for him was wearing out her remaining mightiness and she felt his words sounding distant in spite of her unwillingness.

She was on the verge of losing her consciousness to meet the darkness that had always terrified her. It surrounded her once again when she felt a beam of brightness coming in her direction with the presence of an unknown hand pulling her towards it. She didn't know who it belonged to, still she wanted to hold it. She tried to move and reach it but was too weak to take a step further. Her struggle was evident but nothing helped her as if she was clasped in knots that kept her stagnant at the spot.

"Annie!"

The familiar voice ceased her attempts and when she lifted her heavy eyelids to see the owner of the helping hand, she was bemused and taken aback for a moment.

"Ashton!" She mumbled in a daze.

"Take my hand Annie." He encouraged her softly.

She tried to lift it again but failed making her look into his eyes with utter helplessness and tears of agony.

"I can't." She whispered as her voice cracked and she looked down.

"Don't you want to keep your promise?" She looked up with teary eyes as he continued. "Don't you want to go back to him Annie? Your Regan!"

"Ashton!"

"No one better than you can understand the pain of separation. You don't want him to go through the same pain that you suffered from years, do you?"

She shook her head in denial and he smiled.

"Why are you helping me? Do you still love me Ashton? But I don't deserve you. I broke my promise to keep loving you. I am sorry for everything. I don't know since when I started falling for him and betrayed you. I….."

He shushed her by placing his finger on her lips and cupping her face.

"I love you Annie. I always have and will. Forever. And you are sorry for what? You have not betrayed anyone sweetheart. You are too good to do that." Her eyes flooded with tears as he consoled her. "It was me who broke my promise to be by your side forever. You deserve the world and I am happy to finally see you taking a step forward in your life. I am always going to be an important part of your life as a piece of your heart will always belong to me, but let the rest of it be cherished by someone who deserve it more than me."

"Ashton….. I….."

"You love him and so does he. Then what is holding you back? Hold my hand sweetheart. For one last time. Let me take you to him so that I can be rest assured about your wellbeing and happiness."

"Aren't you upset with me?"

"For what? For loving someone else other than me? What if I say that I am jealous rather than being upset?"

"What? Why?" She asked in bewilderment which was merely above a whisper.

"Because you love him…..more than me Annie." Her eyes widened on what he said while he caressed her face with the back of his hand. "Haven't you realized it yet?" He smiled as she shook her head again.

"No, Ashton. I don't….." He cut her off.

"Yes, you do. You love him more than you have loved me. Do you know why Annie?" He kissed her forehead with a painful smile. "My love shattered you but his love restored you. My love perished you but his love wants to make you live and fight. I am connected to your heart. I may be a part of it, but he is connected to your soul, an inevitable part of it. There is nothing better on this earth than a soul that can connect with you on every level, and you are fortunate to find yours. Trust me when I say, I am happy for you."

She hid her face in her hands as she apologized repeatedly.

"Don't Annie. I have spent these years in pain to see you so vulnerable and broken. You have ultimately found your happiness in Regan. Now let me find mine. Let me stay happy and contented forever in your heart and let him be a part of your world for the rest of your life. Will you do it for me?" He extended his hand as he asked her.

Her eyes kept pouring out her soul as she tried to hold him.

"You can do it." He encouraged.

Her hand trembled as she held his…..may be for the last time for she knew he was going away from her…..Forever. She realized what he said was true as she could feel how deeply she was connected to Regan. She wanted to go back to him and hence held Ashton's hand in a firm grip who took her into a beaming surrounding that didn't had an ounce of gloom. For a moment, she felt herself blinded by the dazzle as she shut her eyes closed, but the next moment when she opened them, she found herself looking into the soft grey orbs that were brimming with unshed tears desperately calling out for her.