It had been days since Alessia's cardiac arrest, and the doctors assured Giovanni that she was stable, but every waking moment felt like a battle. The constant beeping of the machines around her, the sterile smell of the hospital room, and the quiet murmur of the staff—nothing felt real. Everything felt suspended in time.

Giovanni had thought that when Alessia woke and her eyes fluttered open after her coma, everything would be okay. But even though she was no longer unconscious, something had changed. She was here physically, but mentally, she seemed so distant. There was a haunting look in her eyes that Giovanni couldn't quite place. It was like a part of her had been lost in the trauma.

He stayed by her side every day, hoping his presence might bring her back, but the silence between them grew louder with each passing hour. She would stare out the window, lost in thought, and sometimes, she wouldn't even acknowledge him when he spoke. It was a silence that felt cold and suffocating, and it made Giovanni ache in a way he had never felt before.

One afternoon, as he sat beside her, the room was suddenly broken by the loud, erratic beeping of the heart monitor. Giovanni shot to his feet, his heart racing in his chest. He turned to Alessia, and his pulse spiked when he saw her body stiffen. Her arms and legs began to tremble, her hands clenched into tight fists. Her breathing became quick and shallow. Her face contorted in pain.

"Alessia!" Giovanni shouted, panic rising in his throat. He moved toward her, his hands reaching out to hold her steady, but she jerked away violently. The muscles in her body tightened, and her limbs flailed uncontrollably. Her eyes rolled back, and Giovanni's worst fear bloomed in his chest.

"Someone help!" he screamed, voice breaking as he watched her seizure escalate.

The door to the room flew open, and several nurses rushed in, their faces grim. One of them immediately pushed Giovanni aside, her hands quickly pressing a button on the wall to alert the medical team.

"Clear the space!" the nurse commanded, and two more doctors entered the room, working swiftly. Giovanni's knees weakened, and he nearly collapsed against the wall, helpless, watching as his sister fought against her own body.

The minutes stretched into an eternity as the medical team worked, administering medication and carefully repositioning Alessia to prevent injury. Giovanni could only stand there, his hands trembling, unable to do anything but watch. Every second felt like an eternity, and every part of him screamed for her to stop.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, Alessia's body slowly began to relax. Her breaths came shallow and ragged, and her hands unclenched. The seizure had subsided, but she was still unresponsive, her eyes still unfocused, staring vacantly at the ceiling. Giovanni rushed back to her side, his hands gently cupping her face as he whispered her name.

"Alessia, please... please come back to me," he said, his voice rough with emotion.

But there was no answer. Alessia remained silent, her body still, her heart rate slowly recovering.

The doctors and nurses exchanged concerned glances before turning to Giovanni.

"She's had a seizure," one of the doctors said quietly. "It's a side effect from her cardiac arrest. The lack of oxygen in her brain can cause episodes like this. We'll need to keep her on a regular regimen of anti-seizure medication, and she'll need constant monitoring."

Giovanni nodded numbly, his mind racing. Seizures? More complications?

"She's been through so much already. How much more can she handle?" Giovanni thought, his chest tight as the weight of the reality set in.