Hai
So if anyone has read my story 'Walk Again', you know it was kinda short and...weird.
This is the ORIGINAL story I wrote...then hated...then rewrote and posted
Warning: This was 25 pages on Open Office...BEWARE lol its broken up into small chapters tho so yup
Please review and compare the two stories together and tell me which one is better :)
I don't own Regular Show BTW if I did...muahahaha
Chapter 1 – The Accident
Rigby and Mordecai worked hard all week. Well, as hard as the two would ever work. The two bros went to a horror movie, and at 11 p.m. they returned to their golf cart.
"Dude that was so cool!" Rigby exclaimed, laughing loudly.
Mordecai laughed. "Dude I know!"
Rigby and Mordecai got into their golf cart, Rigby in the passenger seat, Mordecai driving as usual.
Mordecai began to drive back to the park, talking to Rigby on the way.
"How is it going with you and C.J?" Rigby asked, smiling.
"Haha, well it's going pretty chill. We're going to Wing Kingdom tomorrow." Mordecai replied with a huge grin.
The two remained chatting about the movie. All of a sudden, another car slammed into the golf cart, causing it to flip over multiple times.
Rigby lifted his head slightly, his vision was blurry at first, but cleared. He looked to his left, looking for his friend.
"Mordecai..." Rigby stuttered. His friend had been thrown out of the cart, his lower half under the other car, which was actually a truck. Mordecai wasn't moving. Rigby wanted to rush over to help his still friend, but his eyes got heavy and he fell unconscious.
Chapter 2 – The Hospital – 7 a.m.
"Hello?"
"Is this Benson?"
"Yes. Who is this?"
"This is the Alpine Hospital, we have two of your workers here, Mordecai and Rigby."
"What!? Why?"
"They were in an accident. I'm going to have to ask you to come down here."
"I'll be right over."
Benson hung up the phone. His gut twisted and churned. As much as he hated how much the two slacked off, he had to admit that they were his friends. Benson took a deep breath and called all of the other park workers for a quick meeting, then a trip to the hospital.
Benson, Skips, Pops, Muscle Man, High Five ghost, and Thomas all rushed into a room, where their two friends lay.
"Oh my god." Benson gasped, looking at his two injured workers.
Rigby was nearest to the door, he had a burn on his left side, which was bandaged. He was laying down, looking miserable.
Mordecai was laying in the bed next to him, unconscious. Both of his legs wrapped in heavy gauze up to his upper thigh. He had bandages on his chest, wrapping a large burn. He had stitches up the side of his left forearm.
"What happened!?" Pops asked, a tear in his eye.
Rigby looked up. "We were driving back home from a movie, and a drunk driver merged into our lane without looking, and they hit us."
"Are you two okay?" Thomas asked, looking worried.
"The car hit us on the driver's side. I just got a sucky burn on my left side." Rigby said, grimacing.
"What about Mordecai?" High Five ghost questioned. Everyone shifted there gaze onto Mordecai, who was in much worse condition.
Rigby looked like he was going to cry. "He got a glass cut on his left arm, burns on his chest. And...the other car crushed his legs."
Rigby's words hung in the air for a few minutes, until Mordecai began to move. He groaned, trying to get up. Skips and Muscle Man ran to him, holding him down.
"Ughnnnnn..." He moaned, his eyes half open.
"Mordecai stop! Just lay down." Skips yelled.
Muscle Man tried to push him back down, accidentally touching his chest, touching his burn bandages.
"AHHHHHHHH!" Mordecai yelled in pain, falling back on his bed, recoiling from the pain.
"Woah bro, sorry." Muscle Man said, taking a step back.
Mordecai was in great pain. He didn't remember much, just driving home. He remember seeing a bright light, suddenly and quickly, and that was it. Now where was he? The hospital?
"Mordecai! Can you hear me?" Benson said, looking at his bandaged friend.
Mordecai groaned. "Uhnnnnn... B-B-Benson?" He stuttered, trying to open his eyes.
"Yeah it's me. Your at the hospital because you were in a car accident." Benson said.
"Wh-where's... Ruh...Rig...Rigby!?" Mordecai stumbled across his words.
"I'm okay man." Rigby said, getting up. Thomas helped him stand. His burn was small enough that he could walk.
A sudden knock on the door made everyone but Mordecai jump, as he still seemed a little slower than usual.
"Come in." Benson said, clearing his throat.
A doctor came in. He wore teal pants and a teal shirt, plus white sneakers. He had dark brown hair and hazel eyes. His name tag read: James L. Reed.
"Hello. I'm Doctor Reed, Rigby and Mordecai's doctor." He said, holding a clip board. High Five ghost closed the door behind him.
The doctor walked to Rigby. "Please have a seat, sir."
Rigby sighed and sat back on his bed. The doctor slowly and carefully took off his left side's bandage. He revealed a small black burn the size of a dollar bill. He carefully applied anti-burn cream and slowly stuck a new bandage to him.
"Better?" He questioned.
"Yeah." Rigby said, not showing any concern for his health at all. "What about Mordecai?"
The doctor walked to Mordecai's hospital bed. Mordecai's eyes were half open, not really understanding the blurriness in front of him.
The doctor shined a light in Mordecai's eyes, getting little response.
"Hmmmm..." He said.
"What does Hmmmm mean?" Benson questioned impatiently.
Doctor Reed looked up. "We numbed him while we worked. He doesn't even feel half of the pain right now. When the medication wears off, it will be so much more painful."
Everyone looked sympathetically at the groggy and broken man.
"What else?" Pops questioned, wiping a tear from his cheek.
The doctor slowly began to peel off the burn bandages. With every slight or small tug, Mordecai winced or cried out. Everyone stared. His chest was a huge burn, black charred skin, blood, and bruises were around it.
The doctor sighed. "This is going to really hurt. Can two or three of you hold him down? Don't touch his stitches." Benson, Skips and High Five ghost held down Mordecai.
"What are you going to do?" Thomas asked.
"I'm going to apply a anti-bacterial anti-burn aloe. But it will hurt." The doctor said, sighing. As soon as he touched the burn, Mordecai's eyes widened. He yelled, trying to get loose. The doctor quickly bandaged him.
Mordecai coughed, his cough was faint and wispy, like he had no more energy. The doctor examined the left arm stitches, nodding with approval.
"What about... his... legs?" Rigby asked, shaking. He hated seeing his best friend in pain.
"When the truck hit you, it hit your golf cart from the driver's side. Glass from it's wind shield sliced his arm open. Your cart rolled, and Mordecai fell out, landing on his chest, and he was burnt by hot pavement, then he rolled. The truck landed on his legs. He did not break his legs amazingly. His legs although, did get paralyzed. The chances of him walking or running on his own is slim, but he might get well enough strength to use crutches in the future. The other driver's name is Maxwell Potter. He was very drunk at the time. His large truck was no match for your golf cart. He got away with only a few scrapes and bruises." Doctor Reed said, staring at the bandages.
Everyone was silent for a minute.
"How long is the recovery?" Skips asked, breaking the silence.
"It's hard to say. The numbing medicine will wear off any minute now. He will need at least 5 weeks for his burn and cut to heel. I am not sure about him legs though." Doctor Reed began to examine the bandages. He muttered something to himself and wrote something on his clipboard. "I need you to help him stand."
"What!?" Everyone gasped.
"I need to understand the full damage. First I need to take off his bandages." He slowly pulled off each leg's bandages.
"But...his legs look normal." Pops said.
"Yes, but this is a very rare case. I need to see what happens with pressure." The doctor said, putting the bandages away.
Mordecai had began to cough more frequently, and he looked like he was in a lot of pain. His face was pale, and his eyes sunken. He was twitching too. His whole body shaking and sweating from fever and pain.
Skips and Benson helped him to the floor, his legs dangling. The touched his feet to the floor, but he did not begin to walk.
"Mordecai! We need you to walk!" Benson shouted, getting a full response from Mordecai, who had woken up from his numbing medicine.
"I...I can't!" His voice quivering and panicking.
"Come on bro, you can do it!" Muscle Man encouraged.
"I can't! I can't feel my legs!" Mordecai said, in a full on panic.
"Let him stand on his own." The doctor ordered.
Benson and Skips leaned him against the bed, and left his side. Everyone watched while Mordecai tried to get balance.
He concentrated for his legs to go forward, to do something, but they did not obey. He picked up his right leg, trying to move it forward. Unfortunately, his body was balancing on dead weight. As soon as he had moved his leg forward, he fell, like a unbalanced tower. No one could catch him before he fell. He hit the floor, coughing and screaming out in pain. Muscle Man, Skips and Benson helped him up and back into bed. Mordecai groaned, his chest and arm already hurt a lot, not to mention falling on them.
Benson was horrorstruck by his injuries, he knew that he had insured his workers 15 weeks off paid incase of a medical emergency. After that, he knew he would have to fire Mordecai.
The doctor wrought something on his clipboard. He turned toward Benson.
"These young men are very lucky to be alive. Give Rigby 3 weeks off for his burn and trauma. Mordecai needs at least 4 weeks for him burn and stitches. I don't know if he will regain the walking ability again. Give him until your maximum medical leave, and if he can't walk by then, he will attend our Health Facility."
"Health Facility?" Rigby asked frowning.
The doctor said, "It's a facility where nurses and doctors help care for younger people with disabilities. Ages 18-39."
Rigby didn't look pleased. He liked sharing a room with his best friend, and he didn't want it any other way.
The doctor began to leave, halfway out the door and he looked back at Rigby.
"If you had been driving you would have died. You are much smaller, and your lungs and heart would have been crushed." He stared as Rigby for a moment, then back to Mordecai. He left, shutting the door.
Rigby eyes widened. He would have...died? Benson put his hand on his shoulder, offering to console him. Rigby pushed him away. Rigby walked out of the room without saying a word.
Chapter 3 – Recovering.
After a million phone calls from family and friends, Rigby finally sat down in the hospital's gym. It had been a week after the accident, and his small burn had healed well. Mordecai's chest was still wrapped in gauze. His arm's stitches had been taken out, and it was wrapped as well. Everyday Mordecai tried to walk, but nothing had changed.
Mordecai was lifting small weights, increasing his arm strength for crutches. If his legs remained paralyzed, then Mordecai would either have to remain in a wheelchair or start to use crutches. Mordecai was working his arm muscles to use crutches on a regular basis.
Rigby tore his eyes away from his best friend. He took a drink of water. He looked at the other people in the gym. A woman about 70 was trying to jump rope. A older group of people did yoga. A 4o year old woman with a broken nose was running on a treadmill.
Mordecai didn't deserve to be here. He wasn't old. He was only 23! He still had so much life left...
"Rigby?" Rigby turned around to see Eileen and C.J standing behind him.
"Hey guys..." Rigby said, smiling.
Eileen tackled him, hugging him tightly.
"Rigby! I was so worried!" She said, squeezing him.
"Ow ow ow..." Rigby said. Eileen let him go, she looked at his left side. He no longer had a bandage, but it was still red and irritated flesh.
"Oh my gosh! Sorry sorry sorry!" Eileen said, feeling bad about hugging him.
Rigby laughed, "No no, i'm fine."
"Where's Mordecai?" C.J questioned.
"Follow me." Rigby said. C.J and Eileen followed him, to where they found Mordecai sitting in a wheelchair, lifting 15 pound weights.
"Mordecai?" C.J spoke, staring at her boyfriend.
Mordecai looked up. He put down his weights and stared at C.J.
"C.J!" He exclaimed, smiling with joy. C.J ran to Mordecai. Mordecai leaned forward, hugging C.J. As soon as C.J touched his chest burn, he cried out in pain, pulling back.
"Mordecai! I'm so sorry!" C.J gasped, stepping away.
Rigby ran to his side, putting a arm on his shoulder.
"It's okay, really...it's fine." Mordecai said, his voice strained.
"What happened! The news and hospital only told us so much!" Eileen said impatiently.
Rigby explained. His voice soft and low. While he explained the accident, Mordecai looked away, staring out a window into the sky. After Rigby finished, all four people were quiet.
Rigby looked up at the girls. "How did you guys get here? We can't have any friends over!"
"Oh well..." C.J laughed, smiling like she had a secret.
"What did you guys do?" Mordecai asked, smiling.
Eileen giggled. "We snuck in wearing doctor's clothes. Unfortunately, we were forced to help out in removing a wart from a old dude's nose!"
All 4 friends laughed, and for a second, everything was like regular again.
"I brought coffee and donuts!" Eileen said, holding up a white paper sack and thermos.
"Ahhhhh yeeee-ahhhh!" Rigby said digging into the sack.
Rigby began scarfing down donuts and chugging coffee. "I've had to eat this hospital trash for a week!"
"Don't you want some, Mordecai?" C.J asked.
Mordecai was looking out the window again. He turned toward C.J and sighed. "The doctors have me on a low sugar diet. Only water, soup, bread and diabetic jell-o."
"Dude that sucks." Eileen said.
"Tell me about it." Mordecai said, looking at Rigby who was laying of the floor. He had eaten 6 donuts and 4 cups of coffee in less than five minutes.
"Why would they have you on a diet?" C.J asked.
Mordecai took a deep breath. "It's so I don't gain weight while i'm immobile."
Everyone was silent for a few seconds.
"When can you guys leave?" Eileen asked, throwing away the donut bag.
"I can probably leave next week." Rigby said. "Mordecai has to stay another 3 weeks here."
"Thats okay, I guess. At least you guys are okay." C.J said sympathetically.
The four friends continued to talk until two security guards chased C.J and Eileen out.
Chapter 4 – Released.
Rigby had been released from the hospital. He said goodbye to Mordecai, then he had to leave. His burn was all healed, leaving only a small light pink mark. Truthfully, he was afraid to get into a car. He denied a ride from friends, and walked. Rigby plopped down on his trampoline, covering himself with blankets and old clothes. He buried his face into a band shirt. Mordecai and the Rigbys. He inhaled it's scent, finding it smelled like dirt and sweat.
"Rigby?" A quiet voice asked his name. Rigby sat up, seeing Benson in his doorway.
"Rigby, this is suckish of me to say, but, you have to start working again." Benson said, looking down.
Rigby groaned, sinking back into his pile.
"I have you cleaning out the fridge, dusting the book shelves and vacuuming tomorrow."
"Same time?"
"Same time."
Rigby sank deeper into his pile.
"You know," Benson started, "If you finish work fast enough, you should finish at 3, which gives you plenty of time to see Mordecai..."
Rigby sat up nodding.
"Good. I'll see you at 10 tomorrow morning." Benson said, walking away.
Rigby sank deep into his pile, covering himself in junk.
The next morning, Rigby woke up at 7 am. He got up and stretched, and looked to the bed to his right.
"Hey Mordec-." Rigby said, stopping himself, remembering the events before.
Rigby didn't feel like eating anything. All he wanted was things to go back to normal.
Mordecai sat in his bed. He hadn't been sleeping very well lately. He didn't know whether it was that he missed his friend, or whether it was every 5 minutes when a new person came into the hospital. He had already counted 17 screaming pregnant women in the last hour. Mordecai sighed. His arm still hurt every time he touched it, it ran down to his wrist to his elbow. His chest hurt terribly. While Rigby's burn was small and had healed quickly, his was large, from his shoulder to the bottom of his rib cage, right to each of his arms. Every 3 hours the doctors took off the bandage, and applied for ointment. Mordecai looked at the clock. 7:00 am. The doctors should come any minute. Last time they had pulled off his bandage, it hadn't looked any better than it had the first day. If anything, it only looked more irritated.
A sudden knock interrupted his thoughts.
Mordecai groaned. The doctor was here.
Chapter 5 – Crutches
Rigby's burn had basically healed. He waited impatiently at Mordecai's side. Mordecai's cut had healed enough, only leaving a raised scar. His chest hadn't seemed to be getting any better, which worried the doctors. Mordecai still had no movement in his legs.
It had been 4 weeks. Mordecai had worked incredibly hard, and now he got his reward. Crutches.
Doctor Reed came into the room, holding a pair of silver crutches.
5 weeks since accident – 1 week since getting crutches
Mordecai had been doing remarkably well on crutches. With his intensive work outs everyday for his arms, he had enough upper body strength to use crutches on a regular basis. He had gone from just being able to go across a small room, to being able to use crutches down and up the stairs, and even going remarkably fast. Mordecai hoped this was a sign that he was able to go back to work soon. He wanted his old happy life. He missed working at the park, sleeping in his own bed, being with his best friend everyday. For some reason, the hospital had denied friends and family to see Mordecai often. Rigby use to be able to come everyday. Now he only saw Rigby once a week. The hospital had even taken his phone away, which sucked. Mordecai missed his life terribly.
He was sitting in his hospital bed, thinking, when Doctor Reed came in.
"Hey Dr., what's up?" Mordecai said, smiling at his doctor.
Doctor Reed had entered, and shut the door, his back toward his patient, and he was standing just a inch from the door. He turned around slowly, looking at his patient. Doctor Reed had thought that Mordecai was getting better. He had discovered that he was horribly mistaken.
"Mordecai..." Dr. Reed said, turning toward his patient. He gritted his teeth, not wanting to say what he had to say.
"Dr. Reed? Are you okay, man?" Mordecai said, sitting up straight.
Doctor Reed cleared his throat. "Mordecai. You have made a incredible recovery. Your arm is healed, and you are doing very well with crutches. But i'm afraid your burn is not recovering well."
Mordecai frowned. "What do you mean?"
Dr. Reed sighed, taking in a deep breath. "Your burn was so severe, that is burned most of your skin, all the way down to your rib cage. We have to begin...removing the dead flesh for your health's sake."
Mordecai's eyes widened. Just as he thought he was getting better, he found out the bitter truth.
The doctor explained the rest quietly, and handed him a phone to call family and friends. Mordecai dialed Rigby's phone number without even thinking.
"Hello?"
"Rigby?"
Benson took a sharp breath in. He hadn't talked to Mordecai for 3 weeks. Benson had found Rigby's cellphone on the ground in the kitchen ringing.
"Hey Mordecai, sorry it's Benson."
"Oh, hey."
Benson gulped down a lump of pity and sadness. "I don't know where Rigby is right now. But i'll gladly say you called and take a message.
Mordecai didn't want to tell his boss of more medical stuff. But he continued to tell him anyway.
"My burn isn't healing because all of my tissue and blood vessels burned down to my rib cage. Everyday they will take off a thin layer of dead skin to allow the burn to heal. And apparently with dead skin rubbing against healthy tissue for 5 weeks is bad, and now it is infected."
Benson closed his eyes. He wanted to scream. He didn't know what to say.
"Look, Benson, I got to go. They are going to start the first process in a hour. If you see Rigby, please tell him to come down."
"Do you want me to come over?"
"Only if you can and want to..."
"I'll drive over."
"Thanks Benson." Mordecai hung up, burying his face into his hands.
17 minutes later Benson came, rushing to Mordecai's room. Mordecai was lying in a hospital bed, crutches leaned against a night stand. He had a oxygen mask on. Benson looked at Mordecai, wincing. Last time he saw his worker, he was in pain. Now just as he had gotten better, he was about to go through a completely new experience. A excruciatingly painful experience.
Benson walked to the right side of the bed, sitting in a chair.
"Hey Mordecai." Benson said, almost painfully.
Mordecai turned his head toward Benson, his face paler than before, his eyes with dark circles around them. He was even burning up like he had a fever.
Mordecai raised his hand waving. He couldn't really talk with a mask on.
Benson was silent as 7 doctors and nurses entered the room. Benson watched, horrified, as Mordecai screamed, while doctors peeled away a small layer of skin, thick like a scab, burned and bruised. There was blood everywhere, but it was soon stopped by medical help. Benson stayed with Mordecai for the next few hours, watching him suffer. Benson had told Muscle Man to tell Rigby to come down quickly when he got the chance. Rigby was raking leaves in the front yard when Muscle Man ran up to him.
"Dude why were you running like that?" Rigby asked, frowning.
Muscle Man panted, breathing in and out. "Mor-Mordecai...said to come as q-quick as you could..."
Rigby's eyes widened. He dropped his rake, running.
"I can give you a ride!" Muscle Man shouted as Rigby ran away. Rigby was still scared to get into a car, and he ran as fast as he could, dodging people on he streets, until he got to the hospital. He quickly checked in, and rushed to Mordecai's room.
Benson was reading a magazine in a chair by the window. Mordecai's bed was empty, sheets and floor covered in blood.
"What..." Rigby panted. He hadn't run that far in a long time.
Benson looked up from his book. He had a look of grimace and sadness mixed on his face. "Rigby..."
"What happened? What's going on?" Rigby felt like crying, his head felt hot and his heart felt like it had stopped.
Benson sighed, putting his book down. "Mordecai's burn wasn't healing. Usually blood vessels and arteries fix and heal burns, but Mordecai was burned so deeply, his blood vessels and neurons were beginning to die. They thought they would just have to remove a thin layer of skin. But..."
"But what!?" Rigby breathed.
Benson gulped. "They had to remove all of the burned flesh, down to his rib cage."
Rigby let it sink in for a good 15 seconds, before he started freaking out.
"What!?" Rigby started frantically pacing.
Benson went to him, comforting him. Doctor Reed said he will heal, eventually. Mordecai is in major pain, more than ever. He needs his best friend by his side."
"Where is he?"
"Room 27-B, Urgent Burn and Skin Treatment."
Rigby ran to the room Benson had told him, flinging the door open to find Mordecai in a horrible condition. Mordecai was unconscious, a heart monitor showed a steady heart beat. He had a oxygen mask over his face, helping him breath. He breathed slowly and quietly, as every breath hurt.
Mordecai's chest was wrapped in heavy gauze.
A tear slid down Rigby's cheek. Normally when Rigby cried, he would hide it or run away. But he went to his friend's side, leaning on his right arm, crying. Benson came in, putting a hand on Rigby's shoulder.
Chapter 6 – Recovering – again. 6 weeks since accident.
"M..rd..cai..."
"Can you...er...me?"
"It's me, Rigby."
Mordecai woke slowly. He didn't remember much. His vision was a bit blurry, just out of focus. His hearing was coming back. At first he heard someone speaking to him, not making any sense, then he realized it was Rigby, and he started understanding what he was saying. His vision went from colorful blobs, to people and things.
Rigby was leaning over him, talking.
"Mordecai! Are you back yet?" Rigby yelled clearly.
Mordecai groaned, not being able to say a complete word yet. "Uhnnnn..."
"You can hear me!" Rigby said, shocked.
Mordecai's chest burned, every time he inhaled or exhaled it hurt excruciatingly, which sucked since he sorta had to breath. "Riggg...bbehhh..." He stuttered, concentrating on saying his friend's name.
Rigby's face lit up, he tackled his friend, hugging him.
Mordecai may have not been able to say much, but he was able to yell. And yell he did the moment Rigby touched his bandages.
Rigby quickly stopped hugging, and backed away, giving Mordecai some room.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Rigby cried out.
Most of Mordecai's flesh on his chest had been removed, and the flesh that remained was irritated and stung. "It's fine..."
Mordecai felt horrible. Not only did his arm just began to heal and feel much better, and he had gotten the hang of crutches, his chest skin was removed, and now he would have another major setback from recovering to his old life.
Chapter 7 – 10 weeks since accident - Awarded
"Nurse Amy?"
"Yes Dr. Reed?"
"Please get me a release form."
"Certainly."
Mordecai's chest was healing, yet he wasn't capable of using crutches again. All he could really do was lay in his hospital bed and read or watch t.v. He was pretty sure he had read every book in the world and seen every television show. The hospital only had 12 channels, 11 of those not in English. The only English channel was a nature program that replayed the same animal documentaries every day. He sighed with boredom. He was now restricted to even a tighter diet, since he could no longer go to the gym. He was only allowed one meal a day, which was water, apple sauce with no added sugar or cinnamon, half of a whole wheat grain bagel with no spreads, and celery or carrot sticks. He was also restricted to talk, as every time he took a deep breath, it stung like crazy. His bitter thoughts were interrupted as Rigby and Benson came into his room, pushing a empty wheelchair and holding a form.
The last thing Mordecai wanted to do was get into a wheelchair and go to court, where he and Rigby would be suing the drunk driver, Maxwell Potter, for drunk driving, careless driving, endangering the community, drinking over the legal limit, and unintended injuries.
He was however, excited about going outside. He hadn't been outside in ten weeks, and he missed it.
Rigby and Benson carefully lowered his bed, helping him into a wheelchair. Mordecai winced with every move, his chest burning.
"You okay?" Rigby said, gently.
"I'm fine." Mordecai said, gritting his teeth.
Benson pushed his wheelchair while Rigby walked by his side.
Benson slowly and carefully rolled Mordecai into the court room. Every bump the wheelchair hit, made Mordecai wince or cry out in pain.
Mordecai couldn't help but feel awkward as everyone stared at him. Benson wheeled him to the his side of the court. Muscle Man, High Five ghost, Skips, Thomas, Pops, Eileen, C.J, and many more familiar faces were on his side, while on the defendants side, only a few family or friends sat quietly. Benson was presenting the case for Rigby and Mordecai.
"All rise." The judge said. The judge was a large man, bald and strict. He was one of the harsher judges of the courthouse. His name was Timothy J. Wellington. Judge Wellington could see through every lie.
"Maxwell Potter, you are being tried for reckless driving, endangerment, drinking while driving, and injuries. You plea?"
Maxwell's Lawyer, Louise Young, cleared her throat. "Not guilty."
Judge Wellington raised his eyebrows, seeing right through the lies.
"Mr. Potter, please present your story." The judge said, once Maxwell was on the stand.
Maxwell pulled at his collar, sweat dripping from his forehead. "Your honor, i'm a good person. I never drink or anything, and I certainly never drive after I drink."
"Your story."
He gulped, getting no sympathy or emotion from the honor. "I was simply driving on the freeway in my truck, and I tried merging to my right, and I collided with a golf cart. I did not see the cart because the head lights were out."
Rigby scowled. That was a lie.
"Objection. Once the cart had been hit, medics found the cart's headlights on. Plus traffic camera's show the cart with the lights on."
The judge nodded, looking fiercely at Potter.
"May I remind that you are under oath."
"I understand."
Within seconds Maxwell was sitting back in his seat, and a tall woman sat in the stand.
"Tracey Jones, I understand you are in a relationship with the respondent." The judge asked.
"I was! I dumped his sorry rump a while ago." She replied.
The judge furrowed his brow. "When did you 'dump' him?"
She replied without thinking. "3 hours before he got into the car crash."
2 hours of questioning, and a complete story had been puzzled together.
Maxwell Potter, a man with a severe drinking problem, was dumped by his girlfriend for being too loud and annoying. He got in his car and drove to a local bar, where several people and a bartender saw him drinking. He then stumbled out of the bar, got in his truck, and began to drive to a casino down the freeway at 11 pm. His vision was blurred from alcohol, and he merged into the lane next to him, without looking. The paramedics took a alcohol test on all 3 people in the crash. Mordecai and Rigby had no alcohol levels, while Maxwell had drank 7 times the legal limit. The judge showed no mercy. Maxwell was found guilty. He had to pay 8,000 dollars for repairs to the cart, 3,000 for drinking while driving, 2,000 for reckless driving, 12,000 for the services of a clean up crew and paramedics, Rigby's medical bill, which was 40,000 dollars, emotional pain, for 6,000 dollars, and Mordecai's previous, present, and future medical bills, coming to 175,000 dollars, since Mordecai could no longer work as usual, he was also awarded 100,000 dollars. The grand total came to: 346,000 dollars.
He was sentenced to 5 years in jail, and he was never to drive again.
The judge slammed his gavel.
Rigby and Mordecai high-fived, everyone on their side happy.
Maxwell was escorted and hand cuffed. The few people on Maxwell's side left quickly and quietly.
Every stood around Mordecai and Rigby, congratulating them.
"Whoooooo! Party at my place!" Muscle Man yelled, whipping his shirt around. Everyone cheered and ran after him to the park.
"Can you go?" Rigby asked, looking at Mordecai.
Mordecai sighed. "I'm still on a very small and strict diet, remember? Plus i'm not suppose to even be out, as my chest could get infected."
Rigby took a breath. "Sorry man. I'll take you back."
"No. Go to the party. Doctor Reed is still here, plus the hospital is just across the street." Mordecai said quickly.
"The truth is, well, I don't really want to party. I want to stand by my best friend." Rigby said.
Mordecai smiled and nodded.
Rigby pushed the wheelchair back to the hospital.
Chapter 8 – 14 weeks since accident
Mordecai's chest had healed for the most part, leaving him with thick pink skin across his chest. His arm was now just a pink scar.
Mordecai was sitting in his hospital bed, doing sudoku puzzles Skips had brought him. He had gotten back on crutches a week ago, and was doing better. He even got to go to the gym every few days.
A sudden knock on the door startled Mordecai.
"Come in."
Benson slinked in quietly.
"Hey Benson!" Mordecai smiled. Mordecai hadn't really seen Benson a lot lately.
"Hi Mordecai." Benson pulled up a chair, sitting at the end of his bed.
He cleared his throat. "As you know, I guarantee all of my worked 15 weeks off paid for a medical emergency. It has been 14 weeks since the accident."
Mordecai's face paled a bit. "I'm really good on crutches, really, I-"
Benson cut him off. "Mordecai. I'm not allowed to have someone injured working at the park."
"But i'm not injured." Mordecai replied. "I'm...disabled."
Benson grimaced at the word, disabled. "I don't know if you remember, but the first day in the hospital, the doctor told me about the Youth's Health Facility."
Mordecai burrowed his eyebrows. "What?"
"The Youth's Health Facility supplies care and treatment to people ages 18-39. It helps people who are disabled, and can't work anymore." Benson said.
"But I can work!" Mordecai argued.
"Mordecai, please don't make this harder than it already is. Unless you can walk in a week, I'm going to half to let you go."
"I'll learn to walk again. By the end of next week, I will be able to walk again." Mordecai argued.
Benson sighed, standing and leaving.
"I can do it." Mordecai said, with a determined look in his eye.
He pulled out his cellphone, which he had stolen back. He quickly called Rigby.
Rigby was sleeping on his trampoline, with a pizza box as his blanket. Mordecai usually tidied up their room, but with him absent, the room had become a trash pit.
He blindly looked for his ringing phone, finding it under a can of half eaten tuna from a month ago.
"Smello?" Rigby answered drowsily.
"Rigby I need your help." Mordecai said.
Rigby sat up, several weeks of trash fell off of him. "With what?"
"I need to walk again."
"...But-"
"But nothing. If I don't walk by the end of next week, i'm fired."
"...What do I have to do?"
Mordecai smiled. "Bring whatever you think will help, and meet me in the hospital's gym as soon as possible."
Rigby nodded. "Sure."
He grabbed a backpack, dumped it's contents onto the floor, and began sorting through his mess, looking for helpful items.
"Yo Mordo! What you got planned?" Rigby said, sitting in a chair next to Mordecai, who was balanced leaning against a treadmill.
Mordecai looked frustrated. He was working up a sweat, he was trying to move the muscles in his leg. But it was useless, it was like trying to command your hair to move by itself.
"Hey Rigby. Walking is hard." Mordecai groaned, stopping the treadmill from moving. He leaned against the side. "What did you bring?"
Rigby grinned like a Cheshire cat. He emptied out his pack, showing Mordecai his ideas.
"I brought a shock pen, to maybe, I don't know, zap your legs back? I have a bottle of Arctic ice, so the cold might shock you?" I brought The Russian, to give your legs some muscle. Then I brought a bottle of Rig-Juice and Brain Juice. Maybe once we're super smart we'll find out the problem and cure it!"
Mordecai shrugged. "Okay, well 1: A shock pen is too small, 2: Cold won't help... 3: I am NOT using the Russian. Remember what happened to you? It just made you look super buff. 4: Remember? We didn't remember any of the smart stuff we were saying after we got back to normal."
"Psssh whatever. What do you have planned then?" Rigby said.
"The doctors have been talking to me about it, and I asked Benson and he agreed to give me 2 more weeks off, adding up to 3 weeks off so I can make a full recovery from..." Mordecai sighed.
"From what?" Rigby asked, crossing his arms.
Mordecai took a deep breath. "I'm going to have them amputate my legs."
"What?!" Are you crazy?" Rigby yelled.
"Look I know it sounds big, and it is, but, my only chance of walking again is to remove my legs and replace them with prosthetic legs." Mordecai said.
Rigby scowled in thoughts. "When are you getting it done?"
"Today at 5." Mordecai said quickly.
Rigby rubbed his arms. "I'll be there."
Mordecai nodded. He was sad to be losing his legs, but the idea of walking again overpowered him.
Chapter 9 – Waiting - At 9 p.m – 14 weeks since accident
Rigby had talked to Mordecai, then was quickly ushered out by nurses. He was sitting in the hospitals waiting room, drinking his 7th cup of coffee since 5 o'clock. It had been four hours since Mordecai went into surgery, and Rigby was completely panicking. He had tried reading magazines in the waiting room, only to find he was too jittery to read and his eyes couldn't focus for very long.
Benson, Thomas, Skips, Muscle Man, High Five ghost, Pops, C.J and Eileen were all waiting in the waiting room as well. Pops was reading a magazine on fine dining, Thomas was texting his mom, Muscle Man and High Five ghost were playing Jenga with C.J and Eileen, Skips was staring at a wall meditating, and Benson was sharpening all of the waiting room's pencils.
Rigby threw away his coffee cup and began pacing.
He was pacing for about a hour when Muscle Man said, "Jeez bro. Calm down."
Rigby stopped and stared at Muscle Man. "I can't calm down! Mordecai has been in there for 5 hours and we haven't heard anything and what if-"
Eileen interrupted him. "Rigby. He's going to be fine." She put a hand on his shoulder.
As soon as she touched him, he twitched, pulling away.
C.J smiled faintly at Rigby's worried face. Suddenly the Jenga block fell over, spilling onto the floor.
"Awww what." Muscle Man complained. He had pulled a bottom piece out, causing the structure to fall over.
C.J and Eileen high-fived, cheering. High Fives laughed.
Rigby twitched. He began to pace again.
Another hour passed.
Rigby had drank 11 cups of coffee in 6 hours, and he was pacing quickly, now muttering to himself. Every 10 minutes his phone beeped, either Mordecai's family calling for information, or his own family calling, or friends who couldn't come. It broke his heart every time he had to tell Mordecai's weeping parents that there was still no news at all. Rigby was pacing when a nurse came in. Rigby recognized her as one of the front desk nurses, Nurse Amy Waters. Rigby ran up to her, basically tackling her.
He immediately began questioning her. "How is he? Is he ok? Did everything go ok? Did anything-"
He was interrupted by her pushing him away. "Would you like to see him?"
All of the people waiting for Mordecai stood up.
"All of you are here for Mordecai?" Amy asked with a eyebrow raised.
Everyone nodded.
Nurse Amy crossed her arms. "Only 3 people at a time."
Everyone argued and complained, but it was then decided that Rigby would defiantly go, as well as Benson, and C.J.
The trio followed the nurse, leaving everyone else in the waiting room. The three followed Amy into Mordecai's room.
Mordecai was lying in a hospital bed. He was unconscious, with a oxygen mask on. A IV was hooked into his arm, applying a slow drip. He didn't have a blanket over him, so his friends could see where his legs use to be. About half way where his thigh use to be, there was two leg stumps.
Rigby ran to his friends side, shaking him. "Mordecai?!"
Benson pulled him back. Rigby fell to the floor sobbing. C.J just stood in the doorway. She had her hands over her mouth, silencing her cries. Tears dripping from her eyes.
Benson just stood staring at his employee, wondering how this happened so quickly.
Mordecai's main doctor, Dr. Reed came in.
"Good evening Rigby, Benson." He said nodding toward them.
He shook hands with C.J. "Hi i'm Doctor Reed."
C.J cleared her throat. "I'm C.J, Mordecai's girlfriend."
He nodded, turning toward Mordecai's bed. "The surgery went well enough. Not too much blood loss. He'll wake up tomorrow afternoon-ish. Would you like to spend the night?"
Rigby stood up slowly, wiping tears away from his face. He nodded, not trusting himself to speak clearly without crying.
It was soon settled that Rigby would stay overnight, but everyone else would come back the next day.
Rigby settled in a chair next to Mordecai's bedside, trying to fall asleep. His eyes and mind refused to relax, so he just stayed up all night and morning, sitting in his chair, leaning on Mordecai's arm.
At around 7 am, Benson came in, leaning on a wall next to the bed.
"Rigby, why don't you get something to eat? He won't wake up until around noon." Benson said.
Rigby shook his head. "No. I have to stay here."
Benson sighed. "Mordecai would want you to eat and rest, not sit by his side and mope."
Rigby's face tightened.
"When he wakes up he will need you. You can help him by being well rested." Benson said.
"I'm not tired or hungry." Rigby responded.
Benson sighed, knowing he wasn't going to win this battle.
"Mordecai?" A voice said, sounding shocked.
Rigby and Benson turned toward the door, seeing Mordecai's parents standing.
Rigby stood up, his mouth open, not knowing what to say.
Benson had only met Mordecai's parents, William and Elanor, once on Thanksgiving.
William adjusted his glasses. He was wearing a suit and a tie. Elanor's mascara was running from tears.
Elanor ran forward, hugging her son's limp body. "M-M-Mordecai!" She sobbed, screaming and crying.
Benson stood up and handed her a box a tissues.
"Rigby. Tell us in person what happened from the start." William demanded.
Rigby nodded. "We were driving home from a movie at 11 pm when Maxwell Potter, some drunk dude, crashed into the driver's side. I got a small burn on my left side, but glass cut Mordecai's arm, his chest got burned badly, and the guy's truck landed on his legs. His arm healed later. And the flesh on his chest was so damaged that the doctors had to remove it all. It's now healed though. The doctors all agreed that he would never walk with his paralyzed legs, so they decided to remove them and replace them with prosthetic legs so he could have a chance."
Elanor put her hand on Mordecai's chest, which was only thick pink scar tissue. She began sobbing again, hugging her unconscious son.
William scowled looking at Mordecai's limp form. "When will he wake up?"
"Today around noon." Rigby said.
Benson slinked out of the room, trying to stay out of the family problem.
Mordecai's parents sat in two chairs. They sat in extremely awkward silence, except for Elanor's sobbing.
C.J, Eileen, Muscle Man, Skips, High Fives, Thomas, Pops and Benson all sat in the waiting room, impatiently. Everyone took the day off so they could be there for Mordecai.
At 10:47 am, Mordecai's eyes flickered open. He clenched his hands, getting back feeling. He raised his head slightly.
"Mordecai!" Rigby yelled.
William and Elanor stood up, going to their son's side.
"Honey can you hear me?!" Elanor shrieked through her tears.
Mordecai squinted. Everything was a bit blurry, and the people around him speaking to him were hard to hear. Mordecai coughed and groaned. He had a sharp pain in his right abdomen and he had a pounding headache and he felt sorta dizzy. He raised his right arm, where a IV was hooked into his vein. He was confused as to where he was at first, but as his sight and hearing began to be clearer, he remembered the operation.
He blinked a few times until his vision came to focus.
"Mom? Dad?" He questioned.
Elanor let out another sob and threw herself onto her husband weeping onto his shoulder.
Mordecai looked to his left and saw Rigby.
"Rigby?" He whispered faintly.
Rigby nodded. "Right here."
Mordecai had dark circles under his eyes, a pale face, he was shivering, yet sweating. He was energy drained from losing blood and fighting infection. He looked as though he had a fever.
Doctor Reed knocked and came in. He looked at Mordecai with surprise.
"Hes already awake?" Dr. Reed wrote something on his clipboard. "I have pain medication, antibiotics, and sedative drugs to help him."
Dr. Reed took 2 medical syringes and injected them into Mordecai's arteries. Elanor sobbed loudly into her husband's shoulder. Rigby wondered how one person could cry so much.
Dr. Reed attached another bag labeled, Antibiotics, on the IV rack, where it began slowly dripping.
"Everyone is the waiting room can come in now that he'll be awake for the next hour or so." Dr. Reed said. He opened the door and all eight people rushed in.
Everyone looked pretty shocked and horror filled to see their once healthy and young friend without legs.
Mordecai lifted his head up. Everything around him was still blurry, and his head hurt. "Hey guys." He said faintly.
Suddenly, his head fell back, as if he fell unconscious again.
Dr. Reed furrowed his eyebrows. "Mordecai?"
Mordecai began to uncontrollably cough, spitting out blood. He gasped for air, as if something was blocking his throat.
"What happening?!" William yelled.
Dr. Reed didn't respond. He began unhooking a nose tube, to help him breath.
Mordecai stopped gasping for air and coughing. And for a few seconds, everyone was still and quiet.
Suddenly, Mordecai's eyes rolled back, only showing the whites of his eyes. He began to uncontrollably shake, his arms flailing, his chest shaking, his head violently moved back and forth while he screamed in pain.
"Nurse!" Dr. Reed yelled. Two nurses ran in strapped Mordecai's limbs to the bed, restraining his violent movements. Dr. Reed pushed a needle into Mordecai's throat. As soon as the needle came out, Mordecai gasped for air, breathing hard. The shaking stopped and his eyes returned to normal before closing to unconsciousness. Dr. Reed led a breathing tube into Mordecai's nose, helping him breath.
"What was that!?" Rigby yelled.
"A convulsion. He must have been allergic to one of the medicines we gave him. We gave him a EpiPen that stopped the reaction. But for now, everyone who isn't family please leave." Dr. Reed said.
Everyone complained as they were pushed out, except for Mordecai's parents.
All nine people watched with horror from the rooms window as the nurses and doctor injected Mordecai with more needles and syringes.
"What are they doing?" Rigby cried.
Skips face hardened. "There giving him medication to empty his system of whatever he's allergic to and what's infected by that."
Rigby pressed his face against the window. Although you couldn't hear anything through the wall or glass, you could certainly tell by the expressions on everyones face that it was painful.
Rigby's eyes didn't blink once as he watched his friend fall into another convulsion, this time shaking then throwing up. Everyone grimaced as they watched. Mordecai wasn't throwing up just medicine, he was throwing up blood. Maybe 2 liters of blood thrown up later, Mordecai was strapped tightly to the bed. Nurses and doctors rolled him out quickly, taking him to the Emergency room.
Mordecai's mother wailed so loudly, everyone outside could hear.
Chapter 10 – The discovery - 14 weeks since accident
Rigby was waiting even more impatiently in the waiting room than ever. He was basically running now, instead of pacing. Everyone knew not to interfere with him, so everyone sat quietly in the waiting room. It had been about a 3 hours since Mordecai had been wheeled away.
Doctor Reed walked up to the waiting friends and family of Mordecai, with a grim look upon his face.
Elanor rushed up to him. "My-my son! Is he okay?" She sobbed.
Doctor Reed cleared his throat. Everyone waiting for his patient was now huddled around him, looking for answers.
"Mordecai had a bad reaction to the antibiotics given to him. The liver is the organ that usually handles drugs in the body. Since most of the drug was in the liver at the time of the reaction, all of the white blood cells and fighting agents of the body attacked his liver. His stomach filled with blood, and he began to choke on his own blood. His brain wasn't receiving enough blood or oxygen, so it began shutting down other parts of his body. This reaction is commonly called Acute Liver Failure. He is being treated right now." Doctor Reed explained.
"Can we see him?" William asked.
"Family only in the room, of course. But friends may come in if family allows it." He said looking toward William and Elanor.
William squinted but nodded slowly. Everyone quickly followed Dr. Reed to the emergency room, and into a room.
Mordecai lay in a hospital bed, unconscious. He had a breathing tube in, two bags dripping medicine through a IV, and a heart beat monitor attached to his finger.
"Will he be alright?" Pops asked through his tears.
"Certainly. The medication given to him now is helping the liver heal. He should be awake by tomorrow morning." Doctor Reed said, straightening his coat.
"Thank you Doctor." William said, shaking his hand.
Skips, Pops, Muscle Man, High Fives, Thomas, C.J, Benson and Eileen all went home for the rest of day to eat and rest. Rigby and Mordecai's parents stayed in the hospital room.
Elanor sobbed and wailed onto her husband's shoulder. William sat in his chair, with a stern and tight face.
Rigby sat in a chair to his friend's side, listening to the steady and slow heart beat monitor beep.
At 7 pm, Elanor left the room to make phone calls to family and friends.
A few minutes after she left, William stood up. He looked at Rigby and scowled.
"If you had been driving, this would have never happened and my son could have a perfectly normal life." William said. He looked at Rigby's shocked and hurt face for a few seconds, then he left the room.
"Hes right though. If I had been driving Mordecai would still have legs, and he wouldn't even be in the hospital right now." Rigby thought to himself. Then he remembered that the doctor told him he would have died if he was driving. "So in a way," Rigby thought, "Mordecai sorta saved my life."
Rigby buried his face in his hands.
Chapter 11 – New legs – 15 weeks since accident
It had been a week since Mordecai had his legs amputated, and gave everyone a scare with his Acute Liver Failure. He could now sit up and talk and hear clearly.
He was waiting in his hospital room for his new prosthetic legs to be attached so he would hopefully walk again.
"I can't believe I might actually get to walk again!" Mordecai smiled. He was the happiest he had been in weeks.
"Yeah it will be cool." Rigby replied. He couldn't help but feel guilty whenever he talked to, or even saw Mordecai.
17 minutes later...
"Help him stand." Dr. Reed said.
Mordecai's new prosthetic metal legs hung off the bed edge. They were attached to his leg stumps, and were about as long as his old legs.
Benson and Skips stood on both of his sides and helped him up. They helped him balance, then let go. Mordecai concentrated all of his power into his upper leg to move.
And it did.
He stepped forward, and forward, and forward. He was slowly walking.
Everyone cheered him on. He struggled with every step, and eventually he got to sit back down. He was breathing hard from effort and exhaustion, but he had a huge smile on his face.
Everyone smiled at him and congratulated him.
"So does this mean I'm not fired?" Mordecai asked Benson with a grin.
Benson smirked and laughed. "Of course your not fired, just never slack off though."
Everyone laughed.
William stepped forward with a frown upon his face. "Could everyone please give me and Elanor a moment alone with Mordecai?"
Everyone murmmerd in agreement and left the room.
"What is it?" Mordecai asked.
William straightened his back. "Son, would you consider moving back home to Vermont with us?"
"What?! No!" Mordecai scowled.
Elanor started,"Honey please reconsider. You can barely walk and you can't afford so many medical bills and-"
"We sued that dude, remember? I got paid 175,000 dollars for medical expenses!" Mordecai interrupted.
"We know, but just think about recovering in your hometown, with family and friends and-" Elanor began again.
"My friends are here!" Mordecai interrupted again.
"Mordecai, as your legal guardians, I demand you move back." William argued.
"I'm 23 years old! I'm an adult now. You can't tell me what to do!" Mordecai yelled back.
"I knew you would say that! But according to the law, former legal guardians can command their children even when the child is over 18, if the child is disabled in anyway." William said, crossing his arms.
"But i'm not disabled! You saw! I can walk now! My life is just getting back together and I can go back to work soon, and you want me to leave that all behind?!" Mordecai yelled.
"You work as a park groundskeeper and you barely get paid! Why don't you follow in your father's footsteps and become a architect?" Elanor said.
"I don't want to be a architect! If anything, I'll finish art school in the future!" Mordecai yelled.
"Don't yell at your mother! And enough with this art school nonsense!" William shouted.
"If you just came here to criticize me, then you can leave!" Mordecai roared back.
"If we are leaving, then you are coming back with us! We will get custody of you, and when we do, you will come back to Vermont!" William shouted, taking his wife's hand and heading toward the door.
"That will NEVER happen!" Mordecai screamed back, as his parents slammed the door behind them.
Mordecai buried his face in is hands, groaning with frustration.
Everyone was sitting in the waiting room when they saw Mordecai's parents come out, angrily yelling at each other, and walking to their car.
Everyone looked at one another with a similar grimace.
Rigby silently stood up and walked to Mordecai's room.
He opened the door slightly, seeing his friend laying in bed with his face in his hands.
He quickly slipped in. "Are you okay dude?"
Mordecai looked up. "Ugh my parents want me to move back to Vermont with them."
"What!? But your not a kid anymore, they can't tell you what to do." Rigby said.
Mordecai sighed. "Yeah, but apparently if someone is disabled, the former legal guardians can get custody again."
Rigby blinked. "What?! No! You can't leave!"
"It's not like I want to dude." Mordecai said.
"Obviously. We moved to California to work together as bros, but if you leave it will all be for nothing." Rigby complained.
"If I do have to leave, I want you to stay at the park and keep working there. You shouldn't leave a cool job." Mordecai said.
"Ugggghhhh" Rigby complained collapsing on the floor from laziness.
"Come on dude." Mordecai sighed.
Rigby got up dusting himself off. "Whatever man. I'm sure they won't get custody."
"Yeah. Your probably right." Mordecai agreed.
"Aren't I always?" Rigby laughed.
"Pssh." Mordecai said smirking.
Chapter 12 – Home - 17 weeks since accident
Mordecai stood up, brushing himself off. He had worked harder than he had ever worked before, training to walk again, doing sit ups, push ups, walking miles, lifting weights, and even running. It had been 2 weeks since his parents threatened to take him back to Vermont, but he hadn't seen them since they left him room. Mordecai was sad to fight with his parents, but still angry at them for threatening him.
Walking was still a bit awkward for him. It felt kinda weird to have two metal poles attached to him, but it was getting better every day. He couldn't walk long distances, not more than a few miles per day, otherwise he got overworked easier. He could run very short distances, maybe a mile a day if spaced out.
Mordecai took a deep breath. Today was his last day in the hospital. He still had to take medication daily, but otherwise he was fine to leave and work. After he personally thanked Dr. Reed and all of the nurses and other doctors who helped him, he headed down to the private parking lot. It had been many weeks since he was outside, in fact, the last time he was outside was when he had to go to court. He leaned against the hospital's side wall, waiting to be picked up. He had a small duffel bag with him, containing his phone, bedside photos, wallet, park keys and medications. He still had his crutches, which were used as a aid. He also had a folded up wheel chair, in case his leg stumps hurt or something. Within a few minutes of waiting, Benson pulled up with Rigby in the gold cart. As soon as the cart parked, Rigby jumped out yelling.
"Dude! Whats going on?" Mordecai said, going to his friend.
Rigby panted and fell as if he was out of breath. "Sq-squirrel. Almost. Almost me."
"What?" Mordecai asked, confused.
Benson turned to face Mordecai and Rigby the cart, looking just as confused as Mordecai.
"We were driving and there was a dead squirrel in the road, and he just started screaming and yelling." Benson said, crossing his arms.
Mordecai helped his friend up. "Come on man. Talk to me."
Rigby looked up, his face clearly distressed. "Remember? The doctor told us that if I was driving I would have died? Then what your dad said and-"
"What did my dad say?" Mordecai interrupted.
"Oh. Right. You didn't know that part..." Rigby said, suddenly feeling guiltier.
"What. Did. He. Say." Mordecai said grinding his teeth.
"He sorta said that if I was driving, then you could still have a normal life." Rigby said, looking down.
Mordecai's face tightened. "My life wouldn't be normal without you."
"But you lost your legs and..." Rigby sighed.
"Hey." Mordecai said, "I would rather lose my legs than you."
Rigby nodded quietly. He hesitantly got into the cart, along with Mordecai.
Mordecai played it cool. He was distraught that Rigby had been thinking of dieing so Mordecai could live regularly. He was also super nervous about getting back into a car, and he knew he wouldn't and couldn't drive soon. He was also furious his dad had said something so cruel to Rigby.
The drive from the park was only 5 minutes. Mordecai clenched his jaw, his hands in a tight fist. At every curve he held his breath.
Your being stupid. Mordecai thought to himself. Benson can drive, and the chance of ever getting in a accident is slim, but getting in a accident twice is very small. Unless your stupid of course.
As soon as the cart parked, Rigby quickly got out. Mordecai followed him, slinging his bag over his shoulder. He grabbed his crutches and folded wheel chair and got out of the car.
Benson was staring at the house, wondering how he forgot.
"Can you get up the stairs?" He asked Mordecai.
Mordecai shrugged in reply. He handed Rigby his bag and crutches and scrunched up chair. Using the rail as a support and balance, he eventually got up the stairs.
He groaned when he opened the door, facing the even bigger set of stairs up to his room.
After he got up the long stairs, he headed toward their room, holding his bag, crutches and chair.
"Wow dude. I'm surprised you kept it this clean." Mordecai said, looking at their room.
The floors were clean, the windows open, Rigby's trampoline straightened with two neat pillows and blanket on top folded, Mordecai's bed sheets had been washed and his night stand wiped clean, their closet full of clothes neatly on hangers, along with a few boxes.
"Uhm... I didn't..." Rigby said, just as shocked as his friend.
Pops came laughing down the hallway, licking a ice cream cone.
"Oh Mordecai and Rigby! I tidied up your room a bit! I hope your not upset." Pops said.
"No we're not upset at all Pops. This is really awesome actually." Rigby exclaimed.
Pops laughed with happiness, heading outside for a stroll.
Mordecai went to his bed, collapsing. "It feels nice to be back in my own bed."
Rigby started rummaging through the boxes in the closet, looking where all his junk was organized.
Mordecai leaned his crutches against the wall at the end of his bed, placing his folded wheelchair on the floor. He rummaged through his bag, connecting his phone and phone charger to the wall. He put his wallet on the night stand. He dumped out his medications onto his bed, looking through the many pill bottles and containers.
Rigby looked up. "Dude why do you have so much medication?"
"I don't have that many. I have pills for pain if my legs starts to hurt, uhhh, I have dissolving things that are still helping my liver back to normal, ummmm, oh, I have pills that are suppose to help fix the nerves that were damaged from burns, I have pills to get the excess fluid drained out slowly from my skull from my seizures, uhhhh... I got needles for migraines, hmmm I think thats it." Mordecai said, reading label after label.
"Pfft." Rigby spit, going back to digging in his boxes.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Rigby looked up from his boxes again. "What was that?"
Mordecai clicked a button on his watch, silencing the beeps. "It's just my watch telling me when to take something."
"How do you know what one to take?" Rigby raised a eyebrow.
Well, some of these are in case something hurts, like the pain and migraine med. I take all of the others every time the watch beeps." Mordecai explained.
Mordecai rummaged through the bottles, picking out the few he needed. He took out a plastic water bottle from his bag, putting in two white tablets. He shook the bottle until the tablets turned to powder dissolving. He took 2 pills for 2 jars, giving him 4 large pills. He swallowed them all, drinking all of the water which the tablets dissolved. He put all of his medication pills and such on his night stand. He collapsed on his bed from exhaustion.
Chapter 13 – 20 weeks since accident
Benson yelled in anger. He picked up his office chair, throwing in at the wall, with one swift motion of his arm, his desk was cleared.
He took a deep breath, calming himself down. He opened his blinds a crack, looking at the large mass of people at the base of the house. It had been 20 weeks, or 5 months since the accident, and 3 weeks, or almost 1 month since Mordecai's return from amputation at hospital.
While Benson was more than proud and happy for his worker's return, he couldn't help himself from being pissed. Benson knew one of the reasons Mordecai couldn't leave the hospital before was to heal, but Mordecai recently shared that it was also because the press had completely swarmed the hospital. Now all of the magazines and television shows and everything wanted pictures and interviews with The Man that Lived, as they were calling Mordecai. All of the park's workers were sitting in the house living room, trying to zone out the loud shouts and sounds from outside.
Benson had already tried filing restraining orders, but he couldn't, as the park was a public place. Plus, in order to file a restraining order, it would mean going outside. With Mordecai. Which was not exactly an option.
"Got any threes?" Thomas asked.
"Go fish." Skips replied.
The seven workers had been playing Go Fish for 2 hours.
"Bro I can't take anymore of this!" Muscle man said, throwing down his cards.
"Well what do you suggest we do then?" Rigby answered, crossing his arms.
"Why can't we just give them interviews and stuff?" Muscle man argued.
Rigby glared at him. "Remember what happened last time Thomas went outside?"
Thomas opened his mouth, showing everyone the tooth he had to get replaced.
"If a intern got trampled and blinded by lights, what do you think would happen to us?" Skips replied.
"Yeah I know, but I can't take any more Go Fish!" Muscle man complained.
"Look guys. Maybe if I just answer their questions and let them take pictures, maybe they'll go away." Mordecai said.
"No man. Your not going out there!" Rigby argued.
Mordecai put an arm on the couch and an arm on the coffee table, helping him stand slowly. "It's not fair for you guys to suffer because of me."
Mordecai grabbed his crutches, heading toward the door. He took a deep breath and set his crutches to the side of the door. He opened the door quickly and shut it. Everyone inside the house heard screaming of the crowd, loud shouting and screaming. Within twenty seconds of leaving, Mordecai rushed back in the house, slamming the door behind him.
He panted heavily and sank down to the bottom of the door.
He had several scratches and scrapes on his face. "I'm not going back out there."
"See I told you!" Rigby yelled, throwing up his arms.
"Ugh they stole my watch." Mordecai complained standing up. "Now I actually have to keep track of my medicine by myself."
Mordecai went up the stairs to his room. Everyone settled back into their card games.
"Got any sevens?" High fives asked Pops.
Before Pops could reply, everyone heard a huge crash.
Suddenly Mordecai rolled down the stairs, slamming into the front door.
"Dude what the h?" Rigby said, standing.
Two reporters came running down the stairs, taking photos and holding a microphone.
"Mordecai! Mordecai! Were you happy when you sent Maxwell to jail? How much money did you get? How long did the recovery take?" The reporters began questioning.
Mordecai groaned at the bottom of the stairs, trying to get rid of the dizziness from his eyes.
As soon as the reporters reached the stair's bottom, Skips punched them both in the face, then opening the door and throwing them back into the crowd outside. Benson came out of his office.
"What is going on here!?" He shouted, not really a question.
Thomas and Pops helped Mordecai up. "Dude." He groaned. "Those reporters are getting serious."
"What do you mean?" Benson said, crossing his arms.
"First they steal my watch, it probably went off and they figured I went to take my medication and two of them broke through our window and just freaking attacked me." Mordecai explained. Pops and Thomas helped him to the couch and High Fives handed him a ice pack for his black eye.
"That's it! Swarming our house and keeping us hostage in here was not okay, but now they break in and beat up my employee?! I've had enough of this!" Benson raged. He picked up the house phone dialing the police number.
"This is the police what's your situation?" A blank woman's voice asked.
"Can you guys come get rid of the press at the park house? They won't let us leave and now they are starting to break and enter!" Benson yelled into the phone.
"I'm sorry sir. The park is a public place. Theres nothing we can do." The woman hung up the phone.
Benson screamed with rage, slamming the phone down, then marching up to his office where his workers could then here him throwing and breaking things.
"Uhh guys? Your gonna wanna see this." Thomas said. He held up his phone showing a news article.
Skips took the phone and began reading. "Park worker Mordecai, 23, recently almost lost his life in a automobile accident. With recovery time, he soon returned to his park job. But, is there tension inside the park house? Some say manager Benson is angry he lost a worker for long, and when Mordecai came back, he began beating his worker until he gave him his rewarded medical money!"
"What the?!" Mordecai said.
Rigby grabbed the phone from Skips. "Are the other park workers getting jealous of Benson's money from his worker? You can bet so. Not only is Benson stealing money from his worker, the other employees are beating him until their fellow co-worker gives them cash as well!"
"Look at the pictures and captions bro!" Muscle Man said, scrolling.
There were two pictures. The first one was of Skips yelling at the camera with hist fists raised. The caption read: Worker Skip's photo is taken as he yells at Mordecai for money.
"What?!" Skips exclaimed.
The second photo was of Mordecai falling down the stairs. The caption read: Picture taken of Mordecai being pushed down stairs for money.
"No freaking way." Mordecai said. "Yes I was being pushed, but I was pushed by the reporter dude!"
"We're so screwed." Mordecai sighed.
"Maybe if you go out there and say this is all a hoax, maybe it will go away?" Thomas suggested, putting his phone in his pocket.
"No dude. If I go out there, they will defiantly rip me to shreds." Mordecai said.
"He's right." Skips sided with Mordecai.
Thomas shrugged.
Chapter 14 – 25 weeks since accident.
Life was just starting to go back to normal, well, as normal as it would ever be.
The press had slowly begun to drift away, only the rare camera man snapping pictures in the bushes.
Mordecai had gotten good with his new legs, and rarely needed his crutches or wheelchair anymore. His chest only hurt if pressed on hardly. While Mordecai still couldn't do the harder jobs around the park like raking the rock garden, pulling out stumps or going near water as he could easily slip. But, he could mow the lawns, dust, paint, clean and more.
After 25 agonizing weeks of hell, everything was really going back to normal.
The red headed woman stepped out of her car, slinging a purse over her shoulder. She quickly headed into a diner right outside the city of Alpine. It was heavily raining, but she wore clothes as if expecting a sunny day. She wore a yellow shirt and blue jeans, but her casual look didn't down play her charm.
"What can I get you miss?" A waiter said, heading toward the lady.
The girl thought for a second then smiled. "One coffee and a blueberry muffin would be great."
The waiter scribbled her order down and headed into the kitchen, quickly coming out a minute later with her order.
She sipped her cup of caffeine foam. She ate as fast as she could, quickly heading out of the cold rain storm to her car. She should have to come back to her hometown weeks ago, but with her busy schedule she only now got a nice chunk of free time.
Just as she opened her car door, the waiter who served her came rushing out into the rain.
"Wait! Miss! Your purse!" The waiter yelled out.
The girl smiled, gratefully taking her bag from the man.
"Thank you...Richard." She said, reading his name tag.
The waiter straightened under his small umbrella. "No problem Miss-er..."
The woman smiled, ducking in her car. "Margaret Smith."
The waiter nodded. "No problem Margaret Smith."
Margaret shut her door, driving back to the city she grew up in, the city where her family lived in, and, the city where her friends lived.
"Dude quit messing around and help me mow the stupid lawn." Mordecai said to Rigby.
Rigby groaned, slowly getting off the grass. The lawn was covered in a thick layer of rain water, making it muddy and slippery. Rigby grabbed him lawn mower and began moving one part of the slick grass slowly. Mordecai glared at his lazy friend and continued cutting.
All of a sudden, a voice called out, "Mordecai!?"
Mordecai froze for a second.
"Dude no way." Rigby said, also sounding astonished.
Mordecai turned around. Standing about 15 feet away was Margaret.
"Margaret?" Mordecai stuttered.
Margaret smiled and ran toward him.
"No no no wait wait!" Rigby cried out.
Margaret ran and hugged Mordecai, tackling him. Most people would have stumbled back a few steps, but Mordecai didn't have much balance with just his new legs. As soon as Margaret impacted with him, he fell to the ground, slamming into the muddy grass. Margaret quickly got off of Mordecai.
She put her hands over her mouth. "Oh my god! I'm so sorry!"
She reached down to help him up, but Rigby rudely pushed her away.
Mordecai groaned, slowly getting up. Rigby helped him stand and he found his balance, leaning on the tall handle of the mower. He was covered in a layer of mud, water and grass.
"A-are you okay?" Margaret asked.
Mordecai nodded.
Margaret dug her sneaker into a a mud hole. "I'm sorry I couldn't come earlier..."
"It's fine." Rigby answered for Mordecai.
"Let's just go back to the house and get cleaned up." Rigby said to Mordecai.
Mordecai nodded. "Margaret you come too."
Margaret looked down at herself. Her yellow shirt had a grass stain on the side along with her jeans, which were mud soaked. Her feet also needed a sock change.
Margaret smiled but shook her head. "No I just came by now to saw hi. I'm gonna head home but i'll catch you guys later." With that, she waved and quickly ran to her car.
Once inside she slapped herself on the face. Tears soaked the side of her face.
Mordecai tried to take a step, but as soon as he stepped he slipped again. His prosthetic legs were too coated in mud and wet grass to balance.
"Aww dude. Imma get the wheelchair." Rigby said.
"No! I er-mean I can walk." Mordecai said.
"No you can't. Your just going to slip and hurt yourself." Rigby argued.
"Fine. Get the crutches though." Mordecai decided.
"Those won't help..." Rigby crossed his arms.
"Fine! Get the stupid chair." Mordecai said, gritting his teeth.
Rigby ran on all fours to the house. He quickly opened the house door and ran inside, nearly trampling Benson.
"Rigby! What did I tell you about tracking mud all over the house!" Benson raged.
Rigby ran across the living room, where Mordecai's folded up wheelchair sat.
He picked up the folded up chair and began heading out again.
Benson watched with rage filled curiosity as Rigby rushed across the soaked field.
"Hey man." Rigby said. He quickly unfolded the chair and helped Mordecai stand then collapse into the chair.
"Thanks Rigby." Mordecai said.
Rigby nodded and pushed his friend back to the house where Benson stood.
"What happened?" Benson asked, crossing his arms.
"Margaret came and tackled Mordecai and he fell." Rigby answered.
"Wait... The coffee girl he got all depressed about?" Benson commented.
"That's her." Rigby muttered.
Benson and Rigby stood on both sides of Mordecai, helping him up the porch stairs.
Mordecai sat on the porch edge, unscrewing his legs.
"Dude that's seriously creepy but cool." Rigby admitted looking at the detached legs. Benson handed Mordecai the house hose and went inside, cleaning up Rigby's mud tracks.
Mordecai rolled his eyes. He grabbed the hose and washed off his legs and himself.
"Dude how do you think Margaret will react when she learns you have a gf?" Rigby asked.
"I dunno dude. But she's just going to have to deal with it." Mordecai settled.
That night 8 p.m.
"There's no way you can do the splits!" Mordecai laughed.
"Stop talking!" Rigby yelled.
Rigby, Eileen, C.J and Mordecai were all sitting in the house living room playing a dare game, you get dared by someone and if you don't do the dare, your eliminated.
Rigby collapsed, his thighs burning. "Ughhh my hammies!"
C.J laughed. "Haha Rigby is eliminated!"
"Okay okay. Mordecai. I dare you to pick up everyone in this room." Eileen smiled.
"Challenge accepted!" Mordecai shouted.
Mordecai picked C.J up bridal style in his arms.
"Woah!" C.J screamed.
He then knelt to the couch and Eileen jumped on his back so he was give her a piggy back ride.
"Don't you dare drop me!" Rigby complained. He jumped on Mordecai's right arm, hanging from the limb like a monkey bar.
"Accomplished!" Mordecai yelled.
"Boo." C.J remarked.
"Boo yourself." Mordecai laughed, putting his friends down.
Ding Dong sounded the door.
"I'll get it!" Eileen exclaimed, running to the door. She turned before opening the door. "I invited Margaret over to reunite with our friend group."
"Who's Margaret?" C.J asked.
Before anyone could answer her, Eileen opened the door, letting Margaret in.
Margaret gave awkward little hugs to Eileen, then Rigby, then Mordecai. She saw C.J and squinted.
"Mordecai, who's this?" She asked, gesturing toward C.J.
"Oh uh, C.J this is Margaret, my friend who is on a break from college, and Margaret this is C.J, my girlfriend." Mordecai introduced.
"Oh yeah I remember C.J. Yeah, isn't she that storm girl who made that hurricane in the coffee shop?" Margaret asked, crossing her arms.
Mordecai gulped. "Well uh, that really wasn't her fault uh-"
He was interrupted by C.J. "I remember you too. Arn't you that coffee girl who broke his heart?"
Everyone sat in a bit of a awkward silence as Margaret and C.J glared at each other.
It was Eileen who broke the silence. "So...does anyone want to play a round of donut land?"
"Yeah I do!" Rigby shouted. He looked through the boxes finding the donut land board game.
He dug through the game pieces until his found his favorite game piece, a bear claw.
Eileen chose her usual chocolate éclair. Mordecai picked the old fashion cruller, and C.J picked the pink frosted jelly donut.
Margaret squinted through the bag. Before she left, she always picked the jelly donut. Had her friends replaced her?
She quickly picked a cinnamon bun.
After 17 rounds of donut land, Rigby hadn't won once.
"Aw come on! You guys have to be cheating!" Rigby yelled, crossing his arms.
"Dude you lose again!" C.J mocked.
"Nuh uh!" Rigby whined.
"Look. You landed in in the fat kid's mouth. You lose." Eileen explained.
"Stop talking!" Rigby yelled, throwing the game across the room.
"Ah come on man. Don't be a sore loser." Mordecai said.
"Shut up!" Rigby yelled.
"Pssh whatever. You have your little tantrum. I'm gonna make some popcorn." With that, Mordecai used the coffee table to stand, then going to the kitchen.
Margaret had been watching Mordecai and C.J the whole night. They really were together? No. He loved me first. He had a crush on me for a good three years. Nothing can change that. He still wants me, right? He just wants a little push. He can't act like a jerk and dump C.J in front of everyone. No. He would do it later in private. But here's my chance to tell him that we can be together again.
"I'm going to get some more sodas." Margaret said, smiling.
Margaret quickly went into the kitchen, where Mordecai stood waiting with a bowl for the group's snack.
"Hey Margaret." He said calmly.
Maybe he really is over me. No, that can't be it, Margaret thought to herself.
Margaret leaned against the kitchen's fridge. "Mordecai i'm sorry I left all of a sudden. It really wasn't fair to you."
Mordecai shrugged. "It okay. I was sad to see you go, but happy you got into such a amazing school."
"Well." Margaret began. "Now that i'm back for a month..."
Mordecai straightened. "Margaret. I'm with C.J sorry." He turned back to the microwave.
Margaret narrowed her eyes. "But don't you remember how happy we were? How happy you were?"
"Yes, but i'm with someone else now." Mordecai explained. He opened the microwave, dumping the bag's contents into the bowl.
"But we were so happy together..." Margaret continued.
"We were. Margaret please just let 'us' go." Mordecai said.
"But...I mean, you had a crush on me for so long, and now i'm back for a few weeks and I actually want to be with you and-" Margaret started.
Mordecai interrupted, "Margaret I can't just sit around and wait for you to visit. I want you to be happy, but I just can't be with you."
Mordecai walked back toward the living room.
Margaret clenched her fists. She zipped her coat, walking out the back kitchen door.
"Hey where did Margaret go?" Eileen asked.
Mordecai set the bowl on the table. "She had to leave I guess..." Mordecai shrugged.
"Lame." Rigby said, clicking on the t.v.
Yup. Pretty lame.
Mordecai thought to himself. He put his arm around C.J.
Well. That was a doozy, was it not?
Sorry if I got all of the medical and money stuff off...yup.
"Haters BACK OFF" -Miranda Sings
-MW