BROKEN

Chapter 7: Doubts

As the days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months, Emma found herself settling into her new life with Alex. They had their routines and their inside jokes, and she couldn't imagine her life without him. However, as time passed, Emma started to feel a nagging sense of doubt.

One evening, as they were lying in bed, Emma turned to Alex and said, "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course," Alex replied, looking up from the book he was reading.

"Have you ever doubted us? Like, wondered if we're doing the right thing?" Emma asked, her voice hesitant.

Alex put down his book and turned to face her. "Honestly, no. I mean, I know we've had our share of challenges, but I never once doubted that we belong together. Why, have you?"

Emma hesitated for a moment before answering. "I don't know. I mean, there are times when I feel like we're just too different, you know? Like maybe we're not as compatible as we thought."

Alex's brow furrowed in concern. "What do you mean? We've been together for almost a year now, and we're still going strong."

"I know, but it's just that sometimes I feel like we're not on the same page. Like we want different things out of life," Emma explained.

Alex took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "Hey, we might be different in some ways, but that's what makes us work. We complement each other. And as for what we want out of life, we'll figure it out together. We're a team, remember?"

Emma smiled at him, feeling comforted by his words. "Yeah, you're right. I'm probably just overthinking things."

As they settled back into bed, Emma couldn't shake the feeling of doubt that had crept into her mind. Was she really just overthinking things, or was there something deeper at play? Only time would tell, but for now, she decided to push her doubts aside and focus on the love she shared with Alex.

But little did she know, an unexpected challenge was about to come their way, one that would test their relationship in ways they never thought possible.

The next day, Emma woke up to find that Alex had already left for work. As she got ready for the day, she couldn't shake the feeling of unease that had settled in her chest. She tried to distract herself by focusing on work, but her mind kept drifting back to her doubts about her relationship with Alex.

Later that day, Emma received a call from Alex's sister, Sarah. "Emma, I need to talk to you about something," Sarah said, her voice sounding serious.

"What's wrong?" Emma asked, her heart starting to race.

"It's Alex. He got into a car accident on his way to work this morning," Sarah explained.

"Oh my god, is he okay?" Emma asked, feeling a wave of panic wash over her.

"He's in the hospital now. They say he's in stable condition, but he's pretty banged up. I'm on my way there now, but I wanted to let you know," Sarah said.

Emma felt like the world had stopped turning. She couldn't believe that Alex had been hurt, and she didn't know what to do. She rushed to the hospital, her mind racing with thoughts of what could have happened.

When she arrived, Sarah was waiting for her outside of Alex's room. "How is he?" Emma asked, her voice shaking.

"He's awake, but he's in a lot of pain. The doctors say he'll need surgery to repair his leg, but otherwise, he should be okay," Sarah explained.

Emma nodded, feeling overwhelmed by the situation. She went into Alex's room, and as soon as she saw him lying there, her heart broke. He was hooked up to various machines, and he looked so vulnerable and small.

"Emma," Alex whispered as she approached his bed.

"Oh my god, Alex. I can't believe this happened," Emma said, tears streaming down her face.

Alex reached out and took her hand. "I'm okay, baby. I'm going to be okay."

Emma sat by Alex's side for the next few hours, holding his hand and trying to keep him calm. But as she looked at him lying there, she couldn't help but wonder if their relationship would survive this latest challenge. They had been through so much already, and now this? It seemed like too much to bear.

As the night wore on and Alex drifted in and out of sleep, Emma sat by his side, thinking about all of the doubts she had been feeling lately. She wondered if she was strong enough to handle everything that was happening, or if she would crumble under the weight of it all.

The next few days would be some of the toughest Emma had ever faced, and she didn't know if their love would be enough to get them through it.