Chapter Twenty-one

"Mommy, when is she going to wake up?"

I struggle to collect my thoughts, recognizing the voice of my little brother Joey.

What's he doing here, in my room? In a failing effort to open my eyes, I focus on the sounds around me. A continuous, annoying beep. Shuffling feet. Hushed voices. 

Where am I? Why can't I open my eyes and move?

"I don't know honey," another voice says. Its Mom. "Soon. Can I have a minute alone, please?"

She sounds so sad, so heart broken.

"Of course mom," a hoarse voice says. I'm unsure of whose it is. There's more shuffling.

"I don't want to leave," Joey whines, sniffling. "Please, don't make me leave. I want to stay by Emmie's side."

"It's okay, little man," someone says, one of my brothers. "We'll come back later."

Shoes squeak against the floor, and then the sound of a door closing. Then silence.

There is a scrapping sound.

"Oh baby girl," Mom says. I feel her warm hand curl around my own, squeezing. "Come back, please. We need you to come back to us."

Silence.

I grow frustrated.

Why can't I wake up? 

"The doctors say you can hear us," she says, pausing. "You got hit by a car. Your dad found you. The neurologists have no idea if you'll wake up." She begins to cry, her words muffled. I want to tell her its okay, to not cry, that I'm here and that I'm okay. But, I can't. 

"Please, I can't lose you too Emma. Wake up, I'm begging you. I can't lose another child."

I want to do something. Squeeze her hand, let her know I'm here.

Nothing works.

Everything turns to darkness, again.

***

"Emma?"

I struggle to focus on the voice.

"Emma, its me, Austin."

Austin.

Its quiet for a few moments, and I begin to think maybe he left.

"I miss you. I need to see your beautiful smile, hear your laugh. Please wake up," he says, his voice close, as if he is only inches from my ear. "Its so painful to see you just laying in this damn bed."

"I'm going to call you sleeping beauty until you wake, you know," he says, offering a small chuckle. "Maybe a kiss will do the trick."

There is pressure and warmth on my lips as Austin kisses me.

"I love you Emma."

His words are jumble together, and everything fades to darkness once again.

***

The next time I come to, there is a loud thump, and my eyes pop open.

Surprised at the sudden amount of brightness, I squint. Adjusting to the light, I glance around the room, trying to shut out the splitting pain in my head and recall what happened.

Sitting in the chair at the side of my bed is Mom. She's curled to one side, her eyes shut. Around the room, Jude, Logan, and Aiden sit in uncomfortable looking chairs. I want to say something, anything, but my throat is too dry. Jude glances up, meets my eyes and looks back at the magazine in his hands before doing a double take.

"Emma?" He says, throwing the magazine to the ground and bolting up. "Mom, she opened her eyes! She's awake"

Mom lifts her head, her eyes opening. "What?" She follows my brother's eyes to me, and seeing me, her eyes widen. "Emma, baby, you're awake! You're finally awake!" She leaps up, rushing to my side.

"Go get the doctor, Aiden," Mom says, without looking away from me. "Logan, go get your father and tell him, hurry!"

Mom wraps her fingers around my hand, squeezing it tightly. 

"Oh, baby girl. You have no idea how happy I am to see you."

I smile. "I...heard you...talking," I say, my words slurring a bit.

Tears run down my mom's cheek and she pushes back a strand of hair out of my eyes.

Behind her, I see a man in a white coat follow Logan back into the room. He smiles when he sees me, coming to stand at the foot of the bed. Two nurses follow him, and begin checking the monitors.

"Emma, I am Dr. Graham. How are you feeling?"

Everyone waits for my response.

"I've been better," I say, wincing. "My head...hurts. A lot."

Dr. Graham nods his head, his blue eyes glancing down at the chart in his hand. "Yes, that is normal. You have experienced major trauma to the brain. We'll going to do tests to see how much damage has been done."

A nurse stands beside the bed, hovering over me.

"What's your full name and birthday?"

"Emma Lee Jane Taylor," I say, wincing in pain as I speak each word. "April 3rd, 1996"

"Can you squeeze my hand for me?"

She wraps her hand under mine.

Without trouble, I squeeze it. She asks me to do the same with my left and everything is fine. My mom smiles.

"Alright," The nurse moves down to my legs. "Did you feel that?"

My heart drops. "Feel what?"

The nurse glances at Dr. Graham.

"Let's try your left foot," she moves her hand and I feel a tiny prick in my skin. "Did you feel that?" she asks.

I nod. "Yes, I felt it."

"Is something wrong?" Mom asks, sitting up straight.

Dr. Graham sighs, looking distraught. "Emma, unfortunately, it looks as if there is nerve damage to your right leg."

My mom gasps, and my brothers stare at my leg.

"What can you do to fix the damage?"

"Physical therapy, and if that does not help, possibly surgery," Dr. Graham says. "There also may be chance that it will be permanent."

"Sweetheart-" I glance up, my dad standing in behind the doctor, his eyes watering. He rushes forward, enveloping me in a tight embrace.

I creak in pain. "Dad, your smothering me," I say, and he jumps back.

"Sorry, I'm just so happy to see you awake," he says, smiling.

I fear it's the first times he's smiled in a while.

"Mr. and Mrs. Taylor, can I speak to you outside?" Dr. Graham says, gesturing with his hand for my parents to follow him.

Mom kisses me on the forehead, Dad doing the same before they both leave. Jude, Logan, and Aiden circle around me.

"If you weren't already in such bad shape," Jude says, sitting down in the chair, "I'd probably kill you, just so you know."

I snort. "Love you too, big brother."

"You scared us Em," Aiden says, touching my hand. "We thought-"

"Where is Joey?" I ask, changing the subject.

"Ben, Owen, and Quinn took him out to eat. They should be back soon," Jude says.

"How's Quinn?"

The last time I seen him, we got into a big fight.

Aiden shrugs. "He feels miserable."

"Its not his fault," I say, staring at each of my brothers.

Jude grunts. "We know," he says quietly. "Its that drunken bastards fault."

The door opens and I wince at the bang it makes as it hits the wall, but can't help but smile when I see who thrashes his way in.  "Emma!" My littlest brothers screeches, running into the hospital bed. He runs up to the side of the bed, climbing up beside me, his eyes dancing with happiness. He clutches a balloon in his hand. "You're awake!"

Ben and Owen walk in behind him, their eyes dancing with happiness.

I smile. "What's that?"

Joey hands me the balloon. "Its for you, as a get well gift," he says.

"Thanks, you're the best brother in the whole world," I say.

Joey grins, sticking his tongue out at our older brothers. "See, I told you she liked me better."

Ben and Owen hug me, kissing my forehead. "You have no idea how happy we are you're awake," Owen says, voice catching. 

"Where's Quinn?" I ask as they step back.

"He's outside with Mom and Dad," Ben says, nodding his head to the door. "Give him some time."

"Emma, do you want to play cards?" Joey asks, bringing out a deck of playing cards from his hoodie pocket.

"Of course," I say, smiling. "You deal."

***

A few hours later, a nurse kicks everyone out of my hospital room, leaving me to rest. I stare up at the ceiling, tired but too afraid to sleep. The pain in my head has vanished, but that's likely because of the pain medication. There is numbness in my leg all the way to my foot to just above my knee. My face has a few cuts, but my leg has the most damage.

It's scary.

What if I can never walk properly again?

Why did that guy have to drink and drive?

Why me?

A small knock on the room door sweeps me from my thoughts. I glance up and smile, locking eyes with Austin. 

"Sleeping Beauty has awoken," he says, walking forward. He sits on the edge of the hospital bed. "Hi."

I grin. "Hi."

"You scared me," he says, inches away from my lips. He kisses me.

We kiss for a few more seconds before he pulls back. "How are you feeling?"

I shrug a shoulder, wincing as I do so. Its hard to do anything without feeling pain.

"I could be worse, I guess," I say, smiling. "What if I ever walk again?"

Austin's eyes burrow into mine. "You will, it'll take time to recover," her says. "And I'll be with you every step."

I chuckle. "Are you sure you want a gimp as a girlfriend? The doctor says it might take months for my leg to heal and the numbness to go."

"Being with you is the surest thing I have ever known," Austin says, kissing my forehead. "And that will never change."

"Its really nice to see you again," I whisper.

Austin and I lie together in my hospital bed, talking. 

I realize then how lucky I am.

I could have been lying next to Tyler in the cemetery.

***

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Does anyone have a ship name for Austin and Emma?