Normally, hospital results took forever, but this time, everything was moving in fast–forward.


    The doctor’s face brightened. “This is good. We need to start the transfusion right away. He’s going


    to need at least 40, maybe even 60 of blood. Can you handle that?”


    “Yes, even more if needed,” I answered, no hesitation. I had to save Jace. Even if his injury wasn’t


    my fault, I couldn’t let him bleed out.


    They got me into sterile scrubs and rushed me into the emergency room.


    Seeing Jace lying there, pale and still, hit me hard. The doctor’s words–critical condition–kept


    ying in my head.


    My chest tightened as I walked to him, hooking my pinky around his like he had done earlier. “Jace,


    hang in there,” I whispered.


    He had to fight. And I had to give him what he needed.


    Iid down on the bed next to his, feeling the prick of the needle as my blood started flowing


    through the tube, straight into Jace.


    I lost track of how much they took. All I could see was my blood leaving me, until my vision started


    to blur and exhaustion crept in.


    I knew I was losing too much blood.


    But I couldn’t stop. Jace needed me. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    “We’ve already taken 60,” the assistant doctor said, checking the numbers.


    “But his blood pressure and oxygen levels aren’t stable yet. We need more,” the head doctor said,


    ncing at me.


    Before he could ask, I cut him off. “Keep going. I’m fine.”


    “If we take more, you could pass out,” the assistant warned.


    “I won’t. I’m fine,” I insisted, forcing a smile. “Just do it.


    The assistant doctor nced at the head doctor. “How much more do we need?”


    “At least 20.”


    He turned back to me, voice low. “You’re sure you can handle it?”


    “I can,” I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt.


    With a reluctant nod, he added, “If you feel dizzy or have trouble breathing, you have to tell us.”


    “I will,” I promised.


    They exchanged another look before continuing the transfusion. I felt the blood drain out of me, and


    with every minute, my eyelids got heavier. Staying awake was getting harder–I was so tired, so out


    of it.


    But I couldn’t sleep. If I did, they’d stop, and Jace wouldn’t get enough blood. I couldn’t let that


    happen.


    I bit down on my lip, using the pain to keep my eyes open, though I wasn’t sure how much longer I


    could hang on.


    Finally, I heard the doctor’s voice. “His vitals have stabilized. We can stop now.”


    The second I heard that, I couldn’t hold on anymore. My eyes closed, and I slipped into


    unconsciousness.


    Even in the haze, I could hear them talking nearby.


    “They must be a couple. Why else would someone risk their life like that?”


    “Yeah. And having the same rare blood type? It’s unreal. One gets hurt, the other saves them.”


    “If they didn’t n this, maybe it’s fate.”


    …Fate?


    I’d lived with Jace for ten years and never knew we had the same blood type.


    But if it was fate, then why had we been torn apart?