Thank you for beta'ing, xxdare2dreamxx1! Happy Haleb day, 11/05!
She's been there for years-thirteen, to be exact.
That's what they told Dr. Rivers on his first day. She looks no more than twenty-five, but she's near thirty.
"Her name is Hanna Marin," Dr. Kingston explains. "She was in a car accident. Hot, isn't she?"
Dr. Rivers narrows his eyes and looks down at the girl again. She is...hot...but she's also beautiful. He wants to know the color of her eyes since they're swollen shut. Someone had done her makeup the day before, but he doesn't know why. She wouldn't even know, since she's in a coma. Her hair is long and blonde. It covers some of her face, which has some scarring. "I don't wish to comment on her appearance. She's my first patient, and I'd rather try to get her better than degrade her by calling her such names."
"Whatever you say, but you're missing a great opportunity. The chick's knocked out and everything."
"I wouldn't dare," Dr. Rivers growled.
"How's she doing?" a woman asks as she comes into the room. She's tall with reddish-brown hair. Dr. Rivers assumes she's the young woman's mother, since she and the girl have the same last name. Her nametag reads Ms. Marin.
"Same as yesterday, ma'am," Dr. Kingston reports. He salutes Dr. Rivers. "All yours, man."
"Hi, you're Hanna's new doctor?" She goes to shake his hand.
"Yes, I am. Please sit down."
The older woman sits in one of the chairs and scoots it towards her daughter. "Her friends will arrive during visiting hours, which start now." She bends over Hanna and kisses her forehead. "My poor baby."
The young doctor nods. "I see."
Three women in their late twenties, early thirties, enter the hospital room. They're surprised to see him. The short girl with brown hair and brown eyes is named Aria. She calls her taller friends Spencer and Emily.
"Hey, I'm new here...you guys mind telling me a little bit about how she became in this condition?"
They look sad, and then Emily speaks up. "This girl...she ran over Hanna with her car when we were all in high school. She's been in a vegetative state since she was sixteen."
"It's terrible. Mona was Hanna's best friend," Hanna's mother adds.
"Where is she now?" Dr. Rivers can't help but ask.
"She's in Radley," Spencer answers.
"She regrets what she did to Hanna, but we can't forgive her," Aria says.
"I can understand why!" Dr. Rivers responds. "Luckily, she has loyal friends there for her, and a loving mother." The steady beeping next to Hanna goes on and on. She's so still, laying there. The women in the room smile at him. "I've been in a car-related accident myself...car crash. There were five of us...in high school...and one of our friends died. The rest of us were fine, but I can't forget the look of that girl...her eyes were frozen open, and haunted, almost."
"I'm so sorry for your loss," Ms. Marin murmurs. "I also apologize if taking care of Hanna is making you think of your deceased friend."
"It's definitely bringing back memories," Dr. Rivers admits. "Thank you for your condolences. I just...I feel like I need to be with this particular patient. I have to save her from this. I don't want to bring anyone bad news. I remember how devastated we were when we lost Miranda."
"I understand," Emily says and then the others nod.
Over the next couple of months, they get to know each other a little more. They're soon comfortable with calling him by his first name, Caleb, and he meets their significant others. Ashley and her boyfriend, Ted, want to get married, but they're waiting until Hanna wakes up. Caleb met Toby when Spencer was having their baby. Emily and her girlfriend, Paige, had just adopted a set of twins, a boy and a girl. Aria's ex boyfriend is in jail, and now, she's dating a martial arts instructor named Jake. Caleb used to be homeless and lonely, but now that he has friends, things are much better. He did have friends in Ravenswood, but he didn't feel all that close with them.
He learns so much about Hanna's family and friends. Aria's parents are divorced because her dad cheated on her mom, and then when her mom found someone else, the dude turned out to be sleazy. Aria's ex boyfriend got into jail because he was dating a minor. Caleb just couldn't believe that a teacher would jump into bed with a student. Hanna had found out the two were going out, when she saw them kissing in the guy's car just before she got run over. She would never be able to tell anyone, but Aria told the vice principal when she discovered that the man who she thought loved her, turned out to be using her for information on the infamous Alison DiLaurentis. Spencer has been in Radley before, because she thought Toby was dead, and it drove her to insanity. Her parents treat her sister better than they treat her. Emily is a lesbian, and her mom hated it at first, but her dad got his wife to come around. Both Aria and Emily have killed someone out of self-defense, but they have never gotten caught. Hanna's mom has been divorced since Hanna was thirteen. When Ashley met Ted, Hanna would have been seventeen and very happy for her mom. Hanna's dad had come to visit her a few times before, but lately, he's basically given up hope. He lives in Australia with his wife and their daughter. Caleb is just nodding while listening to every word they're saying. It's pretty intense, and hard to believe that it all only happened in two years' time. They comment that Hanna is lucky to have missed out on all of that, and Caleb agrees.
"Would you like to see a picture of Hanna in my wallet?" Ashley asks.
"Sure," Caleb says. Ashley takes the photo out of its pocket and hands it to him.
"This is her. It was taken in her junior year."
He can't stop staring in awe. Her eyes are blue, like the ocean, and her hair cascades down her shoulders and chest. Her bright smile is so contagious. She is gorgeous, and he wants to know about her. He just wishes he could talk to her. "She's lovely," he murmurs and looks up at the group. "Could you tell me some stuff about her, if it's okay?"
"We became friends with her in seventh grade," Spencer lets him know. "She's spunky...fun to be around. She makes people laugh...it's hard to think about her without wanting to tear up."
"I know, but we should talk about all the good times we had with her. It might make us feel better," Aria says. "We had many a sleepover...and we would go to all these fun parties. She was the kind of friend who would let you cry on her shoulder."
"She was the kind of person you could vent to if you had a bad day...or if you liked someone, she would keep your secret." Emily chimes in. "She was the first person who I came out to."
"She was always there for you. She was the ultimate party girl...she wanted to have a good time, even in school. It was a rare moment to see her cry. If Hanna was upset, you knew there was something wrong. She tried to let nothing bother her," Spencer recalls.
"In addition to being the greatest friend you ever could have, she was the best daughter in the world. When I was all heartbroken over my ex leaving me, she stayed up all night with me, fed me, covered me in blankets...she was just the sweetest girl ever. I may be a little biased, because Aria did that for her mom, too. Hanna was just a good girl all around," Ashley tells Caleb.
He takes in all this knowledge, and he's very intrigued by Hanna. They tell him about her visit after visit, and finally, her condition starts to improve. She twitches her fingers every few days, and he sleeps in her room, just to make sure she's okay. He's hesitant to touch her. He knows some things about her now, and he desperately wants to meet her. He kneels down beside her one night and places his hand near hers.
"Hi, I don't know if you can hear me...but my name is Dr. Rivers. You can call me Caleb. Even though I'm a stranger to you, you're not one to me. I hope you will wake up soon, because I need to ask you out on a date...a friendly date. We can talk back and forth instead of me hearing about you from those who are close to you. You're the girl of my dreams." There was dead silence, but he kept speaking to her. "Your friends and your mom miss you so much...and you know, they've all found true love...but there's a piece of each of their lives missing...and it's you. They...we...need you back. That's right, I said we. I included myself, because I feel empty without you. I've fallen for you, Hanna Marin."
They're all alone in the room because it's past visiting hours, even for family. Suddenly, her hand grabs his. He jumps and his breath catches. A split second later, his heart drops because her hand goes limp.
"Squeeze my hand if you're alive, Hanna. Please, fight for us."
She does, and then her eyes slowly flutter open. "Wha...what happened?" she whispers.
He can't believe this; it's a miracle. "You just woke up from your coma. It's eleven at night."
"Where is everyone?"
"They all went home."
She lets out a few quick gasps of air. "I'm alone...in a hospital..."
"Do you remember your name?"
"Yeah, people have been calling me Hanna..."
"Yes! Yes, they have."
"I have to find out who A is...I think I know..."
Caleb remembered this person as the girls' tormentor back in high school. "It's Mona."
"That makes no sense! We were..."
"Best friends," Caleb finished for her. "I'm so very sorry about all of this."
"Where is she?" Her eyes are brimming with tears.
"She's in Radley. You're safe from her."
"How did you find out so quickly? How can I believe you?"
"Hanna, you've been out for quite a while...you're gonna be thirty in a few days."
"Oh my god! Where's Sean, shouldn't he be here with me?"
"Who is he?" Caleb asks. "Your friends and your mom never mentioned a Sean."
"He's my boyfriend. He's never come in?"
Caleb shakes his head. "I guess you should find someone else who's worth your time."
"Um...did you mean all that...what you said?"
"Every word."
"When'll that date be?" Hanna blushes.
"As soon as they let me release you."
The next day, everyone is overjoyed when Caleb tells them the news. They're cheering and hugging Hanna tightly while crying happily. After the initial shock of Mona betraying Hanna and Sean completely giving up on her, wore off, she tries to enjoy her new life. Caleb is always caring for her and she's lucky to have found a wonderful guy like him. Hanna and Caleb have their first kiss a little after her huge thirtieth birthday bash, and they are ready to embark on a blissful journey.