The sight that greeted Anna the minute she saw him on the bed nearly took her breath away.
Rodriguez lay in the hospital bed, his body covered in bandages, a machine beeping steadily beside him. His usually strong and commanding presence was diminished, replaced by a fragile, vulnerable version of the man she loved. His face was bruised, and his chest rose and fell slowly beneath the white hospital gown.
"Rodriguez," she whispered, stepping closer to the bed.
His eyes fluttered open at the sound of her voice, and for a moment, they locked onto hers with a mix of relief and exhaustion. "Anna," he croaked, his voice weak but filled with emotion.
Tears welled up in her eyes as she reached for his hand, gently squeezing it. "I came as soon as I heard. What happened?"
