They make it to the hospital in record time.
Though unnecessary, Grace practically verbally abuses the administrator when she asks what they were there for. Nick is rubbing her back in silent support.
The administrator directs them to the sixth floor, and gives them detailed directions to get to the ICU.
She's silent in the elevator, and on the walk to the family waiting room next to the ICU.
Sol spots her, first. He immediately stands up and hugs her.
Grace looks stricken when she pulls back. "Have the doctors said anything?"
Bud stands up and rubs Grace's back. "No. Nothing. They are moving her into a permanent ICU room and then we can sit with her, two at a time."
Grace nods. "Okay. I called the girls and they will be here soon."
Grace sits down on the vacant sofa, and Nick sits beside her. He sighs awkwardly. It had not been lost on him that Grace had barely acknowledged him since they left the penthouse. "I'm going to head to the cafeteria. Does anyone want anything?"
Grace shakes her head, as does Coyote, Bud and Sol. Robert stands up. "I'll join you. A walk will do me good. Besides, these four are going to need some nourishment eventually."
Grace can't help but sigh in relief when they leave. She looks around and realizes that there are probably no four people on earth who love Frankie more than them.
Coyote gets up from his chair and moves to sit beside Grace. She squeezes his hand. "I wish the doctor would hurry it up already. I uhhhh..." She swallows as she chokes on a sob. "I really need to...see her..."
Bud gets up and sits on her other side. "Shhh...Grace...it's okay..."
Grace shakes her head and hides her face in her hands, doubling over as her elbows brace her knees. "No. It's not. I should have been there with her, Bud. I should have been there and then maybe this wouldn't be so serious...I should've taken care of her..."
Sol finally speaks up. "Grace... this wasn't your fault. No one blames you. You fell in love. You got married. Frankie was happy that you were happy. She said so!"
But she wasn't happy. She takes a deep breath. "I should have put more effort into spending time with her. Newly married or not. Frankie is my best friend."
Knowing that no one would be able to convince her otherwise, the four of them sat in silence until Nick and Robert returned with coffee and some fruit and pastries from the cafeteria.
"Believe it or not, the coffee is palatable." Nick grinned and handed Grace a cup. She mumbled a thank you and sipped on the coffee, continuing to stare straight ahead, lost in her own thoughts.
Nick put his arm around her, and paused when she practically flinched away from him. "Grace...look, I know you're upset...but you know Kooky, she's tough..."
Grace's head snapped to look at him. "Stop calling her that!"
Nick sighed. "Grace, why are you snapping at me?"
"This isn't about you, Nick. It's about Frankie! I am not going to fight with you right now. I just want to sit here and wait for the doctor with my family to see what he has to say. She's going to need me and I just need to focus on her. If you can't handle that then get the hell out here!"
Nick puts his hands up in defeat. "Okay, Grace. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to come off as insensitive. I know how much Frankie means to you..."
She looks up at him and sighs. "I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm just scared..."
He nods and opens his arms up for her. She rests her head on his chest and he wraps her up in his arms. She allows herself to stay there for a minute longer, until she hears the unmistakable sound of her offspring bickering down the hall, their voices getting louder as they got closer.
She pulls back from her husband's arms and stands up to greet them. She's surprised when Brianna wraps her arms around her so tightly that she almost falls over. "It's okay, honey...it's okay..."
Brianna is still holding onto her when Mallory speaks. "Have the doctors said anything?"
Grace pulls back and wipes the tears off of her eldest child's cheeks. She whispers words of comfort, something she hasn't had to do for her incredibly bright and sarcastic, beautiful girl since she WAS a little girl. She registers the conversation going on between her youngest and the boys, about Frankie's condition, but she is more concerned about Brianna. She knows how close she and Frankie are.
Brianna finally calms down enough to talk. "Mom...is she really in a coma?"
Grace nods. "Yea, honey. We are waiting for the doctor to come out...and then we can all go see her, two at a time...okay?"
Brianna nods, and leans into her father who by now had moved to stand behind her.
They all sit in relative uneasy silence for what seems like another eternity. It's Bud who spots Frankie's doctor walking towards them, first. He stands up which prompts the rest of them to follow suit.
Bud swallows hard. "Dr. Peterson, how is our mother?"
Coyote moves to stand next to his brother as the doctor explains that this is a critical time for Frankie, that they should all talk to her when they go sit with her as there is a good chance she can hear them. He tells them they have no idea what her side effects may be from the stroke, and will only be able to tell once she wakes up. He tells them that there is a chance she may never come out of the coma, but that he remains hopeful.
Grace's heart is pounding in her ears. She feels like she is suffocating. She sits down on the sofa and hugs her arms around her chest, watching as the doctor finishes talking to the boys and as he walks away. She wishes she could comfort them, wishes she could say something that would make all of this better, but she knows she can't.
Mallory sits beside her. "Mom, are you okay?"
Grace nods, swallowing hard. "Can we see Frankie now?"
It's decided that Bud and Coyote will sit with her first. Sol and Robert follow, and then Brianna and Mallory take their turn. The wait is unbearable for Grace, but at the same time, she's terrified of seeing her as any less than the bright, colorful woman she knew.
She stands up as Mallory and Brianna walk towards her. They look stricken. She holds her arms out for them, and for the first time in many years, they both fall into her arms, and she holds them the way she always wanted to, but never knew how.
After a few minutes, she pulls back from them. "You two should go home and get some rest."
Mallory shakes her head. "No, Mom. We're gonna stay a little longer..." Brianna nods in the affirmative.
"Okay..." she clears her throat. "I guess it's my turn..."
She sees Nick walking to her out of the corner of her eye. "Ready?"
She shakes her head. "No I...I want to go alone."
Brianna narrows her eyes. "Are you sure, Mom? Do you think that's a good idea?"
Grace nods. "For four years Frankie and I have conquered every challenge thrown at us together...just the two of us. This is just something else we need to face together."
Nick sighs, disappointed. "Are you sure?"
Grace nods again. "Listen, Nick...you don't have to stay. Go home. Get some rest. I know you rescheduled your meeting for tomorrow and to be honest I don't see myself being able to leave here tonight. Go. I'll be fine."
He reaches over and kisses her softly. "Okay...but you call me if you need me or if you need a ride home."
She nods again. "I will."
She watches him walk away, takes a deep breath and with an encouraging hand squeeze from her girls, heads down the hall to the room that held the biggest part of her heart in it.
She opens the door to room 324, and slowly lets the door close behind her.
She's unprepared for what she sees.
Frankie, her beautiful, vibrant Frankie, looked so small, and helpless, and so pale.
Grace gasps and covers her mouth with her hand. "Oh, God...Frankie..."
Her feet were moving towards the bed before she could register them moving. She sits on the chair beside the bed, and reaches for Frankie's hand.
She takes a deep breath. "Hey, Frances...you have to wake up for me, hmmm? I'm here. I'm right here. All you have to do is open your beautiful eyes and look at me, and from there we will get through this, okay? Do you need me to promise?"
She leans forward and kisses her forehead. "I promise, hmm? What can't the two of us do when we're together? Nothing. We're formidable and I know I haven't been there for you lately and...I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Frankie. It seems all I ever do is hurt you, and you're the last person in the world I want to hurt."
She sits there for what seems like forever. She plays with her fingers, and pushes her hair away from her face. She tries to remember the last time she and Frankie had a day together, and it's hard for her to recall.
Tears are falling down her cheeks, and she rests her head next to Frankie's. "I love you...I love you more than anything...you can't leave me, okay? We aren't done with our adventures, you and me. Just open your eyes...please..."
