The white washed walls of the hospital made Maya feel dizzy. The bleakness of the waiting room, filled with the large crowd of sick people didn't help her completely crushed heart either. She glanced at the simple black clock hanging on the opposite wall and hugged Hoot closer to her when she noticed that barely a half an hour had passed. The moment when official help arrived at the greenhouse was pure chaos, but she could clearly remember the frightened look embedded in Cam's brown eyes as he was forcefully strapped to the gurney with his arms completely bound to his sides, preventing another attempt to hurt himself. After all, he was on official suicide watch. Tears continuing to flow down her face, Maya had begged Mr. Simpson to be allowed to ride with Cam in the ambulance. With a lot of convincing, Mr. Simpson agreed, but he made sure to call Cam's parents—both real and host—once Cam was whisked away to the hospital. To Maya's relief, her sister had rushed to the greenhouse as soon as she received her text, making sure to pick up the abandoned stuffed animal sitting on the steps before she arrived at the horrific scene. Maya now clutched onto the owl for comfort, luck…anything that would help her survive this agonizing day.
She scanned the room to look at the familiar faces scattered throughout—Mike Dallas pacing back and forth, his eyes red from crying; Tori and Tristan sitting in the corner clutching each other for dear life; a worried Mr. Simpson speaking quietly to a nurse at the front desk; and Katie who sat beside her, absentmindedly patting Maya's arm while her blank gaze focused on the dull, white hospital floor. The only people missing were Cam's parents. Her heart ached as she thought of Cam's mother, the sweetest woman alive, who had made Maya feel so comfortable and welcome when she met her during one of Cam's weekly Skype sessions with her. The older beautiful, brunette woman smiled the entire time she talked with Maya, asking her tons of questions and listening intently as Maya shyly talked about her family and the cello.
The image of Mrs. Saunders finding out the news disturbed her deeply, causing a wave of nausea to hit her. She bolted out of her seat, ignoring Katie calling her name, and ran into the nearest bathroom. Quickly locking the door behind her, Maya collapsed on the ground before a tumult of dry sobs escaped her quivering lips. She placed her hands on top of her chest, struggling to regain her breathe through the sobbing, but it was pointless—she couldn't stop. That's what Katie heard once she entered the bathroom. The short, desperate breaths of her sister from behind a closed stall.
"Maya," called Katie worriedly. She knocked on the door, "Please Maya, let me in!" She stifled her own cries so Maya couldn't hear her; she wanted to remain strong for her little sister. "Maya," she begged. A minute passed before Katie heard the clicking of a shifting lock. Her sister, head bowed solemnly, shuffled out. Katie immediately enveloped Maya into a hug, feeling her sister cry even harder into her shoulder. "Katie…I can't…it hurts…"she wailed louder unable to form any more words. Stroking her back, Katie whispered comforting words into her ear.
"It's okay, I'm here. Breathe Maya, please." She hugged tighter, feeling an overwhelming sense of relief when she felt Maya's tremors slow down. Allowing Maya some time to calm down, Katie waited patiently for her. She pulled away slightly to look into her distressed eyes. "Keep breathing for me, okay?" Reaching out in front of her, she ripped a piece of paper towel from a dispenser and began to dap her sister's eyes gently.
"Let's go out there, okay? The doctor should be coming out anytime now." When she noticed a faint nod from her little sister, Katie wrapped her arm around her waist and led her out of the bathroom.
Once the girls entered the waiting room, they saw all of the Degrassi visitors huddling around a doctor. Maya took off her glasses to wipe her eyes. She felt the grasp on her waist disappear for a second. Katie quickly returned to Maya's side, placing Hoot in her hands. Maya hugged him gratefully as she allowed Katie to lead her to the group, everyone parting to allow Maya inside. Maya briefly met Tristan and Tori's eyes, feeling relieved when she saw her two best friends smile gently at her. She really needed them right now.
The tall, female doctor peered at her over her own glasses. She smiled at her, "Maya, I presume?"
Maya nodded in response, preparing herself for whatever the doctor will say.
The friendly doctor spoke, "Cam is currently under an emergency 24 hour suicide watch. During this time, we assume the patient is an extreme danger to him or herself, so we provide around the clock observation." She scanned the nervous crowd, "Cam has been put into an induced state of rest. This means that we gave him a dose of a very strong medication that can act as a sleep aid." Upon seeing the panicked expressions of the crowd, she explained further. "Cam was hysterical once he was brought into the psych ward. Unfortunately, when patients are in such a distressed state we must calm them down with medication. This will only be within the first 24 hours of his stay until he is examined by a psychiatrist." Her eyes fell on the distraught blonde holding a small stuffed owl in her trembling hands. "He is not allowed visitors for this period of time, but family is allowed to visit during regular visiting hours after he is checked by the doctor."
Maya surprised the doctor by speaking softly, "I'm not family." She lowered her eyes in disappointment. It would be a long time before she could see him.
The doctor replied to the sad girl, "Our hospital policy is very catered to the needs of our patients, and we recognize that any loved one is beneficial for providing healing and comfort during the stressful stay at the hospital." She paused for a moment to gesture toward Mr. Simpson, "Your principal provided me with the contact information of Cam's family, and I have received special permission from his mother. She confirmed that you can see him before she arrives." She looked at the other teenagers in the crowd, "All friends of Cam can see him if he gives the okay." This comment was met with a sigh of relief from Dallas.
"So, " Katie clarified, "After the precautionary 24 hour period, visits are alright?"
The doctor affirmed Katie's question, "Yes, as long as visits are made sparingly within a reasonable time frame. We don't want to overwhelm him during this fragile period." The doctor finished, offering a comforting smile to the relieved faces surrounding her. "Any more questions?"
An idea popped into Maya's head, prompting her to speak. "Can someone put this in his room?" She stretched her arms, displaying Hoot, "I want this to be there when he wakes up." She finished timidly, hoping that the doctor says yes.
"Of course," replied the doctor. "It will be good for him to see something familiar when he wakes up." She stretched out her hand, "May I?"
Maya nodded, giving Hoot a quick squeeze before she placed him in the doctor's hands.
"Thank you," said the doctor. She waved her arm, signaling a friendly nurse over. "Patty, can you please place this on the bedside table in Campbell Saunders' room?" She placed the owl in the nurse's hands and turned her attention to the group once again. "We will take it from here, but visiting hours are listed at the front desk if you want to check before you leave. Take care." She smiled in farewell and left the group to focus on the next patient on her list.
Maya stood there, feeling almost calm after the doctor's words. She just needed to see him.
A/N: Trust me, it is not normal for me to update this quickly, but I have spring break so I have some time to spend on it. I am definitely continuing, and I will try my hardest to make sure it's a fairly long one! Thank you to everyone who reviewed and subscribed to the story! :D