The hospital room was quiet, the only sound the steady beep of the machines monitoring Lucy's vital signs.
Wayne sat beside her bed, his head bowed, his hands clasped together. She had been unconscious for three days, ever since the bullet had found its mark. The doctors said she was stable, but they couldn't guarantee she would wake up.
"She's strong," Jude said, entering the room quietly. "She'll pull through."
Wayne didn't look up. "I should have been faster. I should have seen it coming."
"You can't blame yourself for—"
"Stop. Just stop. I don't want to hear it."
Jude was silent, his eyes filled with sorrow. "I'm sorry. I just wanted to help."
Wayne was silent for a long moment. Then he said, "I know. I'm sorry too. I just... I don't know how to process this."
"Neither do I. Bu
