So I have a good start on my contracted story and honestly, I just can't stay away. I love writing about the boys. My plan is to update this story on a once a week basis while I continue to work on my contracted writing. It's going to require some patience from everyone involved...especially me as I try to stay focused.

I also want you all to know I heard you, which is another reason why this story will take a bit longer to write as it's going to require me to do some extensive research in order to properly write the story. This will be another stretching beyond my comfort zone as again it will be a departure from what I'm used to writing. I hope you all enjoy it.


Chapter 1

Dean hobbled into the third floor intensive care unit and checked in at the nurse's station. "Morning, Mary."

The pretty little brunette looked up from where she sat filling out paperwork and smiled. "Good morning, Mr. Ambrose."

"It's Dean," he corrected. "Mr. Ambrose makes me feel old." He glanced down the hall. "So how's our girl today?" he asked, already knowing the answer. Specific orders were written into Zoe's chart that stated he should be called with any change in her condition, no matter how insignificant. Since he'd received no call, it meant nothing had changed. That thought was a double edged sword as it meant she hadn't improved any, but also hadn't lost ground.

Mary shook her head. "Nothing really to report. Though-" She paused and tapped the end of her pen against her temple. "When Doctor Morgan checked on her earlier he did mention that he believes Miss Lynn is starting to fight the respirator."

Dean arched a brow. He had no idea what exactly that meant, but he prayed it was good news. "Which means?"

Mary smiled again. "It means she's getting better."

Dean sighed out a breath of relief even as Mary went on to explain. "It basically means the involuntary trigger that makes you breathe is starting to kick back in and she's showing signs of trying to breathe on her own. If these signs get stronger he'll try taking her off the respirator to see what happens."

"So that's good," Dean replied as he glanced down the hall toward Zoe's private room. After three weeks of basically nothing he could really use some good news. "Right?"

"It's very good." She nodded. "Why don't you go on back?"

Dean gave her a nod then angling his crutches, he headed down the hall. With the accident solidly behind him, and Zoe now moved back to a hospital near her hometown he'd finally been able to settle in to this new routine...as depressing as it was. As the days immediately following the accident slowly passed, he'd had to not only face the truth about his own injuries, but Zoe's too.

He'd tried to withdraw from the team, but Amber, Seth and the others refused to let him wallow in his pity. Still, it was hard not to do just that when the doctor's and counselors continually warned him not to get his hopes up with regard to Zoe's prognosis and recovery.

So he'd leaned on them those first couple of weeks, but last week Roman, Lexi, Seth and Amber had returned to the road and he'd returned with Zoe to North Carolina . Stuck on the sidelines nursing both his leg as it recovered from a compound fracture and Zoe as she fought for her life, he struggled with the new normal that was now his life. In a strange way he was thankful that his recovery time would be long. It would give him more time to help Zoe when she finally woke up.

If she wakes up.

Dean growled as his negative thoughts as he slowly made his way down the hall. Damn it, he'd been doing his best to put the negativity and depression away, but it wasn't easy. Three weeks was a long time for someone to be in a coma. Combined with her continued low rank on the Glasgow Coma Scale and his hope was slowly waning.

Zoe's brain injury is severe and you need to understand that the person you knew before the accident is gone forever. The doctor's warning once again played through his head as he entered the room to the familiar sounds of the heart monitor and respirator hard at work. At first he'd found the sounds comforting as they were tangible indications that Zoe was indeed alive. Now, he simply found them annoying as they now served as continual reminders of how the life he loved was gone forever.

She looked exactly the same, he noted as he settled into the recliner and lifted his cast leg to place on a nearby chair. You're going to need lots of patience and understanding, Mr. Ambrose. Those words had come from the hospital therapist after he'd blown up about the doctors keeping her condition from him. We'll get this situation resolved for you. However, even once the legalities are settled this process isn't going to be easy for you, Zoe, or anyone who loves her. You're going to need just as much support as she will and you're going to have to try and remain calm and understanding.

Because they weren't married and he wasn't her next of kin, initially the doctor's at the new hospital had refused to tell him much because of the damn Hipaa laws. After he'd gotten angry and called Hunter, who immediately threatened the hospital administrator with lawyers and some ugly press for the facility, they'd put Dean in touch with the right people to have paperwork signed, granting him partial guardianship of Zoe that he now shared with her brother Zane.

Dean set the crutches aside and turned to her then slid a hand beneath hers. "Good morning, beautiful." He paused for a moment as he struggled to push away the sudden and random feeling of helplessness that popped up from time to time. "I don't know if you can hear me yet, but it's Dean. Mary, the pretty little brunette nurse I told you about before mentioned that you might be finally making some progress. That's good." He nodded, though he knew she couldn't see him. "That's real good, because I miss you, baby. I miss seeing those expressive green eyes and that amazing smile of yours."

Much to his surprise her fingers slowly curled around his hand. The movement appeared purposeful, but he'd learned over the last few weeks that movements in the extremities didn't necessarily mean progress. Still, this felt different. It wasn't a twitch of a muscle or the random jerk of an arm or leg. It wasn't just one finger either, but all of them. He leaned over and pressed the call button.

"Yes, Mr. Ambrose," Mary's soft voice filtered through the speaker.

"I don't mean to bother you, but I think I might have just witnessed some purposeful movements from Zoe." He didn't want to sound too excited despite the nervousness bubbling in the pit of his stomach. "Can you come in when you get a chance?"

"I'll be right there."

Less than a minute later Mary hurried into the room. "What kind of movements are we talking?" she asked even as her attention landed on Dean and Zoe's joined hands. She grinned. "Well that's new."

"It is," he replied as he dared a small smile. "Does it mean what I hope it means?"

"Maybe," she replied, then moved to the cabinet to grab the needle point probe they'd been using to test Zoe's response to pain. She flipped up the covers hiding Zoe's feet, then carefully pricked Zoe's foot. In previous tests, she'd exhibited absolutely no response to pain, not even a muscle twitch. This time however, Dean watched with excitement and a new found hope as Zoe's foot jerked in response. It was a small movement, but it signaled something so much bigger.

His grin widened as his gaze shifted from her foot to Mary's face. "That's good."

Mary nodded. "That's very good." She held up a finger. "I'll be right back. I want to call Doctor Morgan."

Half an hour later, with a crutch under one arm, Dean leaned against the wall just outside the door to Zoe's room and waited. Nervous excitement zipped through him as his mind churned with possibilities. Maybe it was still possible to have his Zoe back.

"Mr. Ambrose?"

Dean turned to find Doctor Morgan standing in the doorway.

"Doc? What's the good word?" Dean asked and cringed just a little at the pathetic sound of hopefulness in his voice. He'd been warned enough by everyone involved not to get too hopeful.

Doctor Morgan grinned. "Well, we've taken her off the ventilator and she's doing well breathing on her own and you were right, she is showing signs of emerging from the coma."

Dean couldn't hide his grin and was treated to a warning look from the doctor. "However, I want you to understand, this isn't going to be anything like what you see in the movies. It could take several hours or even a few days until she emerges completely."

Dean's smile faltered a little. "Is that a result of her brain damage?"

The doctor nodded. "She's going to open her eyes from time to time and move her extremities. She might even start making incoherent noises. It doesn't mean she's awake yet and it's not necessarily an accurate representation of the severity of her injury." He placed a hand on Dean's shoulder. "You need to prepare yourself because this process isn't going to be easy. She's going act very much like an infant. She's not going to be able to speak and she probably won't know who you are at first."

Dean nodded as a fresh wave of grief rushed through him. "I understand."

"I hope you do," Doctor Morgan said. "I also want you to understand that this isn't necessarily indicative of the severity of her injury. Rather, it's simply a process that everyone goes through when they come out of a coma." He let go of Dean's shoulder, stepped out of the doorway, then held up a hand to stop Dean from entering. "One last thing." The somber tone of his voice had Dean stopping in his tracks. "We believe she may have suffered a stroke."

Dean could feel his eyes widen at Doctor Morgan's revelation. "What makes you think that?"

"Her reflexes and movements in both her left arm and left leg are significantly diminished." He shook his head. "I know you're getting sick of hearing this, but we're not going to know for sure until she wakes up completely. I just wanted you to be prepared." He moved his arm and motioned for Dean to enter. "Now, go talk to her like you have been. It's possible that she can hear you now. So it's important for you to work on rebuilding your bond and helping her stimulate memories. Just remember to be patient."

Be patient! Dean had come to hate those two little words. Since the accident, everything in his life had become a waiting game. Dean took a deep breath and preparing himself he hobbled his way back into the room. Gone was the sound of the ventilator and in it's place was a soft hiss of oxygen being delivered to her though a full mask. He had to admit, it was nice to finally be able to see her face without the damn tubes in the way.

He eased down into the chair next to her bed, set his crutches aside and resumed his position from before. Automatically, her fingers curled around his again and he grinned just a little. It was a small sign, but one he would cling to with fervent hope as he waited for her to heal enough to awake.

With his free hand, Dean slipped his cell from his pocket, opened up his text messages and found the group text chain he'd been using. After the first week of Zoe's coma he'd discovered it was easier to keep Roman, Lexi, Seth, Amber, Hunter, Stephanie, and several others informed by sending one text to all instead of retyping again and again. Taking his time he typed.

Finally some good news. Zoe's coming out of the coma. Still going to be awhile before she's fully awake, but she's headed in the right direction. Keep praying for her.

He hit send and waited for the message to clear, then copied and pasted it to his twitter account.

It was only a matter of time before they'd really know what they were facing with regard to her recovery. It was only a matter of time, he realized, until he'd learned just how much of the Zoe he loved was gone forever.