***
Aiden slept on a chair by Bella's side the entire night, waking up at least a dozen times in the night when she stirred. His eyes would snap open immediately, and he would reach over and try to sooth her as she slept. He would notice her trembling lips, and the way she kept flinching every now and then.
Twice, he caught her crying silently, and he wiped the tears from her eyes and kissed her forehead before he pulled up the duvet over her.
And then she whispered his name, and his heart soared at the sound. It was so soft that he almost didn't hear it at first, but when he did, it brought a smile to his face. Her hand found his, and she somehow interlaced their fingers even though she was asleep. She kept on mumbling some words he didn't know, and she remained like that for about h
