Chapter 7

I got home and took a shower. A hot one. I wasn't supposed to be working in the ER, but I never felt so alive before. There was so much going on and everyone yelled at each other.

I called my mom. It was only 2 in the afternoon in Los Angeles and it was already ten over here in London.

"How was your day?" She asked.

"Great, delivering babies." I lied to her.

"That's good, that's good." She said.

I spent the next hour talking to all of my family. I went to sleep, funny how fast I fell asleep, usually I would be awake, but I guess the long day had to do with it.

I went to sleep soundly.

I woke up the next morning around seven. I got to work at eight. I went to check on the baby from yesterday. It seemed the father named him Hugh Stark. I picked up the baby and smiled.

He looked at me with those brown eyes and actually smiled.

"Hey there, Hugh. You have no idea how lucky you are." I said as I rocked him back and forth. "Your mom held on to ever second of life so you could be born."

Then I felt someone watching me. I looked and saw the father of Hugh. I put the baby down and walked to the door.

"Would you like to hold your son, Mr. Stark?" I asked.

He nods. I took him over to get cleaned and scrubbed.

In five minutes he was holding his son.

"Thank you so much... I don't even know your name."

"Melinda Gomez."

"You are Hispanic?"

"Yes." I said.

"Thank you once more." The husband said.

"You're welcome. Marcela over there will take over for me now. I have to go do my rounds." I smiled at the man. He nods.

"See you at lunch, Melinda." Marcela smiled.

"Yes." I said giving her a small nod.

I walked out of the nursery and headed towards the doctor that I helped. Dr. Albright. She's a bright gynecologists.

"Morning, Melinda." Dr. Albright greeted me.

"Morning." I said through a yawn.

"Someone still not used to the time change?" She asked.

I chuckled. "Guess not, it was a long day yesterday though."

"Indeed." Dr. Albright agreed. "You know what? You've been working hard these past few days, more so than anyone. Take the rest of the day off."

"What? No, I just started working I shouldn't do that."

"I need you on your sharpest and you're yawning, dear, go home and get some sleep and come back tomorrow refreshed." She said with a sweet smile.

I couldn't deny it. I was still sleepy.

"Thank you, I'll be sure to make up the hours."

"Yes, oh and please be a dear and give this to Susan from the Balance Clinic it's her invitation to the Doctors Gala."

"All right, no problem."

"Thank you dear." She said.

I took my stuff from the lockers and headed towards the Balance Clinic. I said hello to familiar faces as I walked by. I got to the Clinic and said hello the nurse.

"Hi, I'm looking for Susan, Dr. Albright told me to give this to her." I said showing the invitation.

"She's right over there." She pointed behind me.

I looked over and saw she was working with someone. It looked like a young person. I walked over to her. They were on a mat and she was helping with stretching.

"Hello, sorry to interrupt." I said. I looked down and saw the young boy who was at least fifteen. Something serious must've happened for him to be here at so young.

"It's all right, what is it hun?" She asked.

"Dr. Albright told me to bring this to you." I said handing over the invitation.

"Oh right, the Doctor Gala. I almost forgot." She said taking the invitation and placed it inside of her pocket.

"Have a good day." I smiled.

"You too dear." She said.

I walked out of the Clinic and towards the exit.

"Melinda?" I heard a familiar voice. I looked up and saw John.

I furrowed my eyebrows but then smiled.

"John!" I said happily and hugged him. "Oh my goodness... what are you doing here?"

After getting over the shock I actually looked at his face. He looked concerned like he was caught doing something bad.

"What's going on?" I asked slowly, he was scaring me.

"Dad?!"

This voice made my entire body system freeze. Time seemed to slow down as John moved to the side and allowed me to look at the owner of the voice that made freeze.

Sure he was older, taller and different, but his eyes were still the same. They were still those ocean-like eyes. He looked at me and he didn't recognize me but then his eyes widen.

"Melinda." His voice sent chills all over my body.

My vision was blurry, I guess it's the tears.

"Na-Nathan?" I choked out.

I walked slowly towards him. I smiled and then laughed.

I touched his cheek to make sure he's real. I felt his warm skin under mine. I let our a laughed like I was crazy or something. He closed his eyes at my touch. He leans into my hand.

"B-but how?" I was so happy.

He sighed.

"I've been awake for a while now."

"What?" I asked taking my hand back. He opened his eyes. They held guilt and regret.

He took in a very deep breathe. "I've been awake for... three years, Melinda." He talked slowly and I noticed he stuttered in some areas.

I looked over to John who looked as guilty as Nathan. There was a pain in my chest. My heart literally hurt, every breath was a sharp pain in my chest.

"Th-three years?" I questioned.

He nods.

"This is a dream. I'm back at my apartment still asleep!" I told myself as I closed my eyes and laughed bitterly. "This is a bad dream." I tried to convince myself. I opened an eye and Nathan was still there. This time I got angry. So angry I couldn't hold it in. "HOW COULD YOU?! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME NATHAN?! YOU'VE BEEN AWAKE FOR THREE FUCKING YEARS? AND YOU DIDN'T HAVE THE FUCKING DECENCY TO TELL ME?!" I roared knowing half of the clinic had heard but I didn't care.

This man has hurt me so deeply.

He lied to me... not technically, but why didn't he tell me the truth? Why did he let me drown in misery? Why didn't he call?

[Nathan's Point of View]

"HOW COULD YOU?! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME NATHAN?! YOU'VE BEEN AWAKE FOR THREE FUCKING YEARS? AND YOU DIDN'T HAVE THE FUCKING DECENCY TO TELL ME?" She ended her rant and all I wanted to do was kiss her, but it was foolish of me to think that Melinda would find out and just forget about it so easily.

Here's what has been happening for the last three years.

I woke up a month before Melinda's nineteenth birthday. I was barely able to speak and didn't have control over my body, not completely. I would stutter so much I didn't make sense.

I was useless. I wasn't the same Nathan and when my dad told me I should let Melinda know I begged him to keep this quiet. I told him I didn't want her to know. I didn't want anyone to know about this.

He kept his promise. I wanted to get fully recovered before I would let Melinda know I was awake. I didn't want to drag her down. If she knew I was awake I knew she would leave everything and come here but I didn't want her to do that.

I'm not selfish.

I wanted her to go on for a while. I wanted her to continue her education. And seeing her in those scrubs told me that she made it, but I'm not fully recovered. I still stutter and I'm going to physical therapy to get my leg better. It's the only one that I have trouble with and I've been improving.

I remembered the first time Melinda called. I almost cracked, I wanted to take the phone away from my father and tell her that I was all right. What was worse was that she continued to call. She called almost every week.

Through those calls I knew she had been going to school and dedicating herself to it. If she knew I woken up she wouldn't be a nurse.

But I also expected the consequences of this.

The consequences being getting punched by Melinda on the face and have her run away. My father asked me if I was all right.

All I wanted to do was go after Melinda but with my leg I couldn't.

"You knew this day was coming, son." My dad said.

"I didn't want her to find out this bluntly. She deserved a better way to find out." I said as I saw her run into the rainy day of London. I saw her get into a cab. "I fucked up."