Disclaimer: The characters in this story all belong to NBC, Warner Bros. and John Wells Productions. I don't make any profit out of this.

Finally awake

Continues right after "To hope beyond hope"

One last time he wanted to see her. He turned around again and looked straight into her opened eyes…the most beautiful eyes in the world, that were searching for him. Carol was awake and she gave him the sign he needed.

Doug was standing there, looking into her eyes for about two whole minutes. She was awake and he watched a single tear rolling down her eye. He started to tremble and he opened his mouth just to shout but no tone came out of it. "Carol…" was everything he could whisper right now, still looking into her eyes.

"Carol…" he said again, now louder than the wanted. "My god, you're awake!" He ran out of the room and Carol followed him with her eyes. Although she couldn't remember anything, she was so happy to see Doug right now. He was here. But what happened? Why was he running out? Why did every inch of her body hurt that much? Where were her daughters?
She was scared. Scared like hell. She looked around in her room and suddenly Doug appeared again with another doctor.

Doug went to her bed and sat down on the edge of it. He took her hand. "Carol, do you think you can breathe without help?" he asked and she nodded her head. Doug nodded too, hiding his happiness. He was so happy to see her awake, to have her back to life. From now on everything would become better. From now on he would stay forever. He hoped.

The doctor removed the tube and Carol took a deep breath. The first breath of her new life. "God…please give me something for the pain…" she said with a hoarse voice and she closed her eyes again. "Where does it hurt?" Doug asked concerned. "Everywhere!" she answered crying. She noted her casted leg. "What happened? What about the babies?" she asked confused. It was horrible right now, lying there in pain, not knowing what happened, afraid of everything. Doug closed his eyes. He didn't want to see her in pain. It was killing him seeing her like that.

Finally he started to speak. "Our daughters are wonderful Carol! They're great! They were here the minute before…we were here every second day…you…you three had a car accident…you were in a coma!" Carol couldn't believe what he was telling her. Why didn't she remember a car accident?

"What about the girls?" she managed to asked. "They're okay. Kate only had some bruises and a little concussion. Tess needed a surgery. She had some internal bleeding, but she's totally fine now! Except of the cast on her arm." Doug answered. Carol smiled a little but her pain stopped her. She couldn't believe that she did that do her daughters. "Oh my god!" she covered her mouth with her hand and started to cry again. "Hey...don't cry, everything is fine. Everything will be fine!" Doug said and he wiped her tears away. Carol nodded and slowly her tears stopped.

"Thank you for…everything!" she whispered as she looked into his eyes again. It had been so long since she saw him. If she could she would get up and kiss him in that moment, but she was too weak. She was just happy to see him, to have him there, to smell his scent, to touch his hand.

But…it had been four years. Four years…what a long time, she thought. Maybe he went on with his life. Maybe he found someone new. Maybe he had a wife and children in Seattle. She remembered the picture of his big house on the lake. He must have been very lonely there without anyone. Carol was sure that her only love found someone else. Doug was still good looking. Even after all those years Carol's heart started to pound quicker when she looked at him. She didn't see a ring on his finger…but that meant nothing. God…how would things go on now? Why was he here? She realized now that she never stopped loving him.

Doug smiled. He loved being there for her. For his daughters. And even Carol had still some bruises in her face he thought that she was more beautiful than ever. He was still so much in love with her and he wished that everything would turn out okay again. He wished that she was still in love with him. He knew from his girls that Carol wasn't dating anyone at the moment. Kate once told that she didn't like the men that were coming to their house, but she would be happy to have her daddy there. He so hoped that he could stay with them.

"Oh my god, it's true! You're awake again!" Elizabeth stormed into the room and she smiled at Carol and Doug.

Carol smiled at her. "You scared the hell out of us all Lady!" Lizzy said while she took a seat on Carol's bed too. "I'm sorry!" Carol answered silently and she looked down to her blanket. "I'm glad you're back with us! How are you feeling?" Elizabeth asked. "Like a truck hit me! Everything hurts so much…my head is exploding I think!" Carol answered sleepily. "But I see you get some good drugs here! The pain will go away after this night. Just take things slowly and you can get home quicker you think! Are you able to move everything? Your hands, your feet?" Elizabeth asked and Carol nodded. Even with the pain she put up her hands and her foot that wasn't in a cast, just to show that everything wasn't that bad. She wanted to jump up and dance to celebrate that she was still alive. "How long did I sleep?" she finally asked, looking back to Doug. "Over a month!" he answered silently. "More than a month? I missed a month in my daughter's life?" she asked hesitating. She couldn't believe it. Doug nodded. "You didn't miss that much…we were here as often as we could. So, you were all the time with us!" Doug answered. "You remember voices?" Elizabeth asked. "I don't know…I can't remember anything…" Carol answered frustrated.

Elizabeth got up of the bed. "That will come. Tell me if you need anything okay?" she said. "Thank you Elizabeth!" Carol answered and she smiled a little bit. Elizabeth nodded and she left the room.

"I can't believe that all this happened!" Carol said and a single tear fell down her eye. "I know…me neither…but I'm glad you're awake now and getting better!" he smiled. Carol looked at him again, but this even hurt more. This really was Doug, the man she loved since she was 23 years old. The man she had two daughters with. The man she wanted to marry. She felt dizzy and she closed her eyes. "I think I need to sleep again…my eyes are burning…it hurts so much!" she whispered without opening her eyes again.

Doug nodded. "Okay…get some rest. I'll come by later…if you want!"

"Sure!" she answered quickly, looking at him again and smiling a little bit. Doug smiled back, nodding his head. It was good to see her smiling again.

It didn't even last two minutes and she fell back into a deep sleep again. But now it was different. She started to dream…

***

Carol was sitting at the backyard, watching her daughters play in the grass. "Mommy, when can we jump into the lake again?" Tess asked, putting her doll down. "It's still too cold…but maybe in some weeks, when the weather is better, okay?" Carol answered smiling. "I don't like that cold weather!" Kate answered wrinkling her nose. Carol smiled again and she looked out to the lake. She loved it there and she didn't even mind the bad weather. It was clear that day; the sun was shining lightly through the clouds.

Then she heard his car pulling into the garage. Some moments later he appeared in the backyard. "Hey my girls!" he smiled and kissed Carol. "Hey babe!" she answered, smiling. "Hello daddy! Mommy said we can jump into the lake when it gets warmer! When will it get warmer?" Kate shouted happily. "I think in some weeks! But we can drive out with the boat anytime you want!" Doug answered, taking a seat beside Carol. "You know I don't like that!" Carol said, looking to him. "But why? You were out there with us too! You know that they are safe!" Doug answered. "Yeah…I know, but it's dangerous!" Doug smiled at her. "You really are a coward!" "Haha, yeah I know!" Carol answered, kissing him again. "How was work?"

Doug sighed. "Exhausting! Every time you aren't there the ER flows over! By the way…it totally is true that Drew and Sabrina are together!" Doug told her. "What? No way!" Carol answered laughing. "Totally! I caught them today in the supplies room!" "Oh wow…reminds me of us…" Carol remembered their secret room back in Chicago. Doug nodded his head. "We still have our places!" he answered.

***

Carol suddenly woke up. She was sweating and breathing very hard. She remembered everything of her dream. So…that's how it could be, she thought.

Since she opened her eyes and saw Doug standing there, everything seemed to be more complicated.

She missed him every single day in her the past four years. She knew she could've visited him in Seattle. And now she knew she should have. She should have been going with him the day he left. She had to find out if she could be together with him again.

In the meantime Doug was going back to the ER. To get his girls. A huge smile was on his face. "I guess you have some good news!?" Mark said as he found Doug. "I have! I really have good news! Carol just woke up and…she's fine, she's doing fine. Still a lot of pain, but she will be okay!" Doug answered. He ran his hand through his hair and took a deep breath. "That's great! That's really great! So, what now?" Mark asked. Doug sighed. "I don't know. I'll be there for them. I'll stay in Chicago, get a room somewhere. For now!" Doug smiled again. "What about your job?" Mark asked then. "Mark, I quit my job a month ago. I saved enough money to live without a job for a while. I guess I have to look for a job now here in Chicago again. I don't want to go back to my lonely house all by myself!" "I understand you. Well, it's been a long time. Maybe the doors are open for you here again!" Mark said and Doug looked at him. "You don't mean that, do you?" Doug asked. "I never lied to you, remember?" Mark just said and they both went to the lounge, where Tess and Kate were watching TV.

"Hey girls!" Doug whispered and he took a seat on the floor beside them. "Hi daddy!" Kate said and she saw him smiling, like she never saw him before. "You are happy!" she said and he nodded. "Yeah. I have to tell you something. Tess, you listening?" he asked his daughter and she finally turned the TV off. Both were looking at him now, excited for the news.

"Your mommy is awake!" Doug told them and they made big eyes. "Really?" Tess asked then and Doug nodded his head. "Can we go see her then?" Kate now asked. Doug stroke her hair. "Of course. I think she'll be happy to see you both!" Doug answered and the three got up.

When they came back to Carol's room she was still asleep. Tess and Kate made a sad face. "She isn't awake!" Tess almost started to cry. "But soon she will be. Your mommy still has a lot of pain and now she's sleeping to make the pain better. She will be awake soon!" he answered and they entered the room.

All three were chit-chatting a while and finally Carol woke up. She stirred in her bed and opened her eyes. "Oh god…hey babies! Hey my sweeties!" she whispered in tears, when she saw her daughters. "Good morning mommy!" they both said when they heard Carol's voice und almost jumped on her bed. Carol winced when she felt the pain and her kids stepped back down. "Mommy?" Kate asked a little bit afraid. "It's okay sweetie. I just feel a little pain. I'll be okay. C'mere!" Carol answered and her daughters climbed up Carol's bed, a little bit more carefully. "How are you two? I'm so sorry for what happened!" Carol said and kissed both on their heads. "I'm fine!" Tess answered smiling. "I'm fine too!" Kate told her too. "We missed you mommy!" Tess said then. "Yeah, but daddy was with us all the time!" Kate finished. "I'm glad that daddy was with you!" Carol answered, looking at Doug smiling. He smiled back to her…just everything seemed so peaceful right now.

"Will you come home now? We could use a wheelchair!" Tess asked. Carol sighed. "Not yet baby. I'll have to stay longer!" Carol answered. "But why? You are awake now!" Kate said, not understanding. "See my casted leg? It has to be better! It won't take long and soon I will be home with you again, okay?" Carol answered and Tess and Kate nodded. "Can daddy stay with us?" Tess asked. Carol smiled again. ~ He can stay forever~ "Yes, of course daddy can stay!" she answered again. Doug smiled at the thought. "I even cleaned the house!" he said and Carol laughed. "Thanks Doug! Thank you for everything!" "Hey…no problem. I loved to do everything!" he answered.

~I love you~

Carol smiled back to him. She'd love to go home with them now. And she hated that it wasn't possible right now. She didn't know how things would go on. The only thing she knew was that she wanted to be together with Doug again.

"Okay, I guess it's time to go now little Ladies!" Doug then said as he looked at his watch. "Noooo daddy!" Tess and Kate complained. "I'm sorry girls…but your mommy needs her rest too!" Doug answered smiling. The twins sighed. "Okay…but can we come back tomorrow?" Kate asked. "Of course baby. I love you, you know that?" Carol answered. "I love you too mommy!" Kate smiled and kissed Carol's cheek. "I love you too mommy!" Tess said and kissed her mother too. "Oh baby, I love you too! See you guys tomorrow!" Carol answered smiling.

"Do you need anything?" Doug asked. Carol shook her head. "No…thanks!" she answered. "Okay…if you need anything, just call. See you tomorrow okay?" Doug said and kissed her cheek. "Looking forward too!" she answered again. Doug smiled.

When they left the room Carol closed her eyes again. She was so happy. Now she just had to get better and she had to remember what happened.

Doug was on his way home with his kids. "I'm happy that mommy is awake again!" Kate said and she jumped around in front of him. Doug smiled. "I'm happy too, Katie!" he answered. "When can she come home to us?" Tess asked, taking his hand in hers. "Soon baby. Soon!" he answered and then they went on.

~tbc~