Baby, Mother Firefly and Rufus sat nervously in the waiting room waiting for the nurses and doctors to finish examining him to find out the full extent of his injuries from the fall. Mother Firefly cried hysterically sobbing hard into Rufus's strong muscular broad shoulders. Rufus's face looked glum he ran a hand through his long wavy black hair with frustration, he felt awful he felt like he had caused his brother to get hurt. Rufus was certain that he wouldn't have got as injured if he had gone up the ladder instead of Otis.

Baby sat quietly struggling not to cry, someone in the family had to be strong, she had to be strong for her mother and for Rufus she had a feeling that Rufus blamed himself.
"Quit thinkin' like that R.J" Baby said scolding but sympathetic as she saw him rub the bristles on his face and sighing. Rufus looked at her eyebrow raised surprised that she knew what was going on in his head. "Don't you go blamin' yourself" Baby said verifying that she knew what he was thinking.
"I, I should have gone up that ladder" Rufus sighed frustrated with himself he had looked out for number one; he had known that ladder was dangerous and had let Otis go up it.
"You didn't know he would fall, accidents happen" Baby said softly.
"That ladders a death trap and you know it! I never should have let him go up it" Rufus growled angry at himself, Baby sighed she had tried to make him feel better but he still blamed himself.
"He'll be OK Rufus" Baby said comfortingly putting a hand on his knee.
"How do you know? He could be dead in there for all you know and it's all my fault!" Rufus said raised voiced, causing Mother Firefly to wail louder at his comment.
"Shhhh you're upsetting momma"
"WE'RE ALL UPSET!" Rufus shouted frustrated standing up abruptly pacing round the room agitated.

His outburst made both Eve and Baby jump and it was just as the doctor walked in looking very uncomfortable and awkward at interrupting an argument.
"Mr. Driftwood is stable" The doctor announced.
"Oh thank God" Eve sobbed with relief, Rufus rolled his eyes with irritability at the noise, her reaction was understandable but the noise was grating against his nerves.
"Mr. Driftwood sustained some spinal and nerve damage from the fall..." The doctor explained, Eve looked blankly at the doctor with red puffy eyes wondering what meant for her adaptive son.
"There's a big possibility that he'll wake up paralysed, if that's the case then we can get him into surgery and hopefully repair damage" Eve let out a very loud shrill wail and crumpled into Rufus sobbing loudly like a hysterical woman.
"We'll give him some pain relief but even though he's suffering from paralysis he might be in a lot of pain and when he comes too he'll probably be very distressed at the lack of movement" Baby and Rufus nodded taking in the information, Rufus rubbing his mothers back trying to comfort her.
"S...So my baby won't be able to move?" Eve sniffed; the doctor shook his head sadly.
"Hopefully we will be able to fix this in theatre if the damage isn't too severe" The doctor said trying to sound positive.
"C...Can we see him?" Baby asked, the doctor nodded and smiled leading them to him.

They walked into Otis's hospital room to be welcomed by a symphony of beeps, noisy machines, leads, pipes and lights. Otis was covered in various monitors and had many IV's inserted into his veins.
"Oh my poor baby!" Eve shrilled rushing to his side, stroking his dark blonde hair out of his face as he lay unconscious in the hospital bed.
"He'll be OK momma Otis is a fighter" Baby said comfortingly, it was true Otis had fought to survive his whole life, he would never have survived his parents let alone anything else unless he had been a fighter so she knew he wouldn't give up without a fight.
"Come on Otis you can fight this" Eve cooed stroking his head, a minute later Otis groaned in pain as his eyes fluttered open.

Baby jumped up and down excitedly and tugged Rufus's shirt like a little child that was allowed sweets.
"He's awake, he's awake look momma he's awake" He giggled excitedly that thankfully he had managed to regain consciousness.
"M...momma...Baby...R.J?" Otis groaned with confusion wondering why they were at his bedside looking down at him and why Eve was red and puffy from crying.
"It's alright baby you just fell off the ladder is all" Mother Firefly said trying to prevent Otis from panicking. Otis tried to move but shouted and swore loudly in pain, suddenly the realisation can to him that he couldn't move and apart from the shooting pain he felt when he tried to move he couldn't feel anything.
"What the fuck! Momma I can't move, fuck momma why can't I move, Momma what the fucks going on?" Otis panicked sweat appearing on his face because of fear.
"You, you hurt your back in the fall, doctor says you'll be having surgery to reverse the damage" Mother Firefly explained, Otis looked back at her wide eyed and terrified at the news.
"Fuck you mean, you mean I'm stuck like this till the surgery?" Otis said frightened, Eve nodded sadly. "W... What if the surgery's not a success?" Otis was afraid to ask, the whole families expressions looked grim at the question.
"If not... then... then this may be permanent" Baby said trying not to cry for her brother.

Otis was speechless he didn't know what to say, it was too much to take in. He really could be paralysed like this for the rest of his life?
"The doctor seems positive though" Eve said trying to be positive.
"I...I'm sorry man I should have gone up the ladder" Rufus finally said sadly, being silent all that time, the guilt still buzzed in his brain like a swarm of bees.
"You didn't know this would happen I'm just glad it was me and not you Rufus" Otis said trying to comfort his brother but honestly meaning what he said. A lump appeared in Rufus's throat at Otis being glad that it wasn't him that had got hurt.
"I promise you Otis when you recover I'll let you push me off the same damn ladder" Rufus said chucking trying to dislodge the lump in his throat.
"I might take you up on that Rufus" Otis said jokingly smiling.

Suddenly he realised, there was only members of his family there, there was someone missing.
"W...Where's Lily?" Otis asked frowning.
"She left remember" Baby said softly.
"WHAT! Where, where'd she go? I need my girl" Otis ranted "Oh my god she's gone hasn't she, she knew I was going to be a fucking cripple and left me" Otis sobbed he had tried so hard to look brave in front of his family until that moment. "I...I need to go find her, I need to get her back"
"Otis you can't go anywhere like that, she's just on a business trip she'll be back soon you see" Baby comforted.
"Baby I NEED my girl!" Otis growled his cheeks turning red, she was always there when he was sick or injured he needed her there with him.
"I know you do baby but she's not here she'll be back soon I promise" Eve soothed stroking Otis's IV covered hand, Otis sighed irritably he was scared, more than scared he wanted Lily she always made him feel better, he needed her smiling face telling him it would be Ok.