Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of its characters.
Can't Waste Away
Chapter 2
Sam Uley was eighteen when the Seawell's asked him to be an emergency contact and guardian for Brelynn in case anything ever happened to them.
Sam had, of course, given his permission even though at the time he could hardly take care of himself let alone a fourteen year old girl if they need ever came up. At that time he had just gone through his first phase as a wolf and no matter how hard he tried to stay and push the little family away, it only made them more determined not to lose him.
But Sam had never in his life thought that he'd actually ever have to be contacted.
Not for an emergency, let alone step in as the teens legal guardian now.
When he got the call his heart had stopped. He hadn't wanted to believe it but now sitting beside woman he'd grown up with hit him hard.
For the life of him, Sam could not fathom why someone would want to hurt such a sweet and innocent person. Well as innocent as Brelynn could be after growing up knowing the hard hurtful reality of people.
Sam wasn't an idiot, nor was he blind not even as a child. He'd seen firsthand the hardships his best friend had faced. He knew he was Brelynn's only friend. The only person relatively close to her age to accept her for what she was, someone special and gifted.
He didn't think the people of the Makah tribe would go as far as to kill her. And they almost had if what the doctors were say was to be believed. He really didn't want to believe.
Had Brelynn been left any longer in the burning house, she wouldn't just be permanently scared and disabled like she was now but dead.
Dead
It echoed through Sam's head, bouncing around and repeating but not quite sinking in.
Shock was a blessed and hateful thing.
Looking at her even now, lying in the hospital bed of Neah Bay Hospital, in town surrounding the Makah reservation, Sam could not, would not let it sink and settle.
The tubes and IVs took up the expansion of her arms feeding her fluids and medication. But that wasn't what Sam hated the most. No that was reserved specifically for the breathing tube shoved down his unconscious best friend's throat to keep her breathing.
"Why does she have a breathing tube stuck down her throat?" Sam questioned the nurse in the room when he'd first arrived once the first wave of shock had faded some.
The nurse looked up from her clipboard to Brelynn lying unmoving on the white standard hospital bed before meeting his gaze.
"Without it Miss. Seawell wouldn't be able to breathe. At this point in time, she has sustained too much damage to her nose, throat and lungs to breathe on her own."
Dread slammed into Sam tensing at all the images and thoughts her words conjured. "Will she ever be able to breathe on her own again?"
The nurse turned to him giving him her full attention now. "Yes but it will be difficult. She will probably need to keep an oxygen tank at hand at all times. But right now it is too early to tell. When she is awake and coherent we'll run tests to see the extent of damage done and what actions will need to be taken."
Having finished her exam and check up, the nurse left quickly.
"She looks really small all hooked up like that." Catching him off guard, the words shook Sam out of his thoughts.
Paul Lahote stood, fully dressed for once, just inside the room closing the door silently behind him. Sighing, Sam motioned his pack brother further in before returning his gaze back to his new charge.
"No she doesn't." was his only response, not really feeling like talking.
"She's going to be okay Sam." Paul spoke lowly not will to speak any louder to his emotionally overrun alpha. But what he got was tenser shoulders and a shrug.
Shaking his head, Paul kept going. "Sam, take a deep breath."
The order was not something Sam expected and his expression told Paul as much but all his third did was make a jester for him to do it. Suspicion and caution wrinkled Sam's face as he complied.
Closing his eyes, Sam took a deep breath. His canine senses immediately cataloging all the smells.
Bleach
Disinfectant
Medication
Smoke
Ash
Brow furrowing Sam processed the scents but it wasn't anything he hadn't when he'd first arrived in the room hours ago. "Paul what are you talking about."
Paul started forward again with a shake of his head til' he was at Brelynn's bedside. "Not the hospital smell, Sam. Her body and emotions."
Sam watched him wearily, quite acquainted with Paul's temper and not wanting in anywhere near his fragile friend.
Same repeated the action once more now understanding what he should be looking for slightly.
Pain
Lethargy
Somber
Peaceful
Calm
Eyes open Sam looked Brelynn over carefully. He'd expected the first couple emotions but not really the last two. Those were actually confusing.
How could she be calm and peaceful will still in pain.
"Smell it now don't you." Paul met his alphas confused gaze for a minute for returning it the occupied bed. "Its weird but I can take a guess."
Sam's, 'Please do' was whispery. As if he wasn't sure he really wanted to know or not.
"From being stuck in your head almost 24/7, I know that you are all she has, now more than ever, but I think she knows you're here."
His companion's explanation puzzled him. Brelynn's unconscious. Has been for two days now how would she know I here.
As if sensing the older man's thoughts Paul continued, exasperation weaving through his words and tone. "You two are close. Closer than you are with Emily even and she's your imprint. Plus if what you say is true and she's 'gifted' then that probably let her know too."
Thinking about it, turning it over in his head, Sam could see Paul's reasoning. It was true that even though Emily was his imprint-his other half, Brelynn knew him a lot better and longer.
It wasn't uncommon for Brelynn when she was little to be asleep, Sam come over and not wake her and she wake up calling for him.
Noise from the bed had both men's heads snapping so fast that it wouldn't have been a surprise had gotten whiplash.
Another noise, this time sounding frustrated and distressed at the same time, mixing into a whimper-groan.
Shock crashed through them, not quite believing that the last Seawell girl may actually be waking up from her almost comatose sleep. That was until the chocking sounds registered and Paul dashed out of the room to pull the nearest nurse into the room.
Calmly but swiftly, the nurse pulled out the tube from her patients throat before just as swiftly placing and oxygen mask over her face.
A moan of displeasure made its self know as the action was completed, signifying Brelynn's aversion to the new devise on her face.
Amusement caked its self on top of Sam's bone shaking relief. The little sounds and noise coming from the back of his long time friend's throat relaxed him because it all meant that she was indeed going to be okay and that she was finally awake.
"I'll be right back with the doctor. Do not let her take that mask off. She still needs it to breathe." The nurse left quickly in search of the doctor, leaving a relieved Sam and a edgy Paul with the now awake woman.
Sam approached slowly and as calmly as he could with such relief and happiness buzzing through him but somehow succeeded and sank down into his vacant chair next to her head.
"Bre?"
Thank you for reading.
I hope you enjoyed it.
