Thank you to you readers who have stuck by me thus far even with my neglectful habits!

i like this chapter, it took me, oh, four hours to write. i stocked it full of information, so it is a little much, but oh well.

Disclaimer: i own nothing but The Wilsons, the reptiles, and my ingenious (sp?) plot to own this movie... anywhooo

ON WITH THE SHOW!


Nothing.

That's all I can see in every direction. Nothing. It's not light nor dark nor quiet nor loud. There's just, nothing.

I look around worriedly. Where am I? I think.

I get this nagging feeling to run, and run. So I do.

After what felt like forever, I could hear sounds. Muddled voices and garbled words, as if I was listening to a radio station that has horrible reception.

Sirens. Yelling. Beeping.

"What's wrong with her!" one voice yells in perfect clarity. I know the voice, but I can't put a name to it.

"She's going into cardiac arrest!" an unfamiliar voice says loudly. "Get out of the way! Only one family member in the ambulance!"

"I'll go!" a feminine voice almost screams. "Alex! Call mom and then get to the hospital, Tyler call your dad right away!"

That was the last I heard before I fell back into the abyss of nothing.

Alex's POV

The smell of disinfectant stung my nose as I walked through the hallways of the hospital. The only things that could be heard was the beeping of heart monitors from the rooms, the quiet talking between patients and family members, the occasional sob from a few rooms, and the soft sound of my shoes hitting the floor. The sounds all came together into an odd sort of song.

When I got to room 318, I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what I would see when I opened the door.

I slowly pushed the door open with my foot, and saw what I knew I would: Casey hooked up to all kinds of different machines, with Tyler asleep in the uncomfortable plastic chair beside her bed, holding her hand in his.

I let out a frustrated sigh. This picture hasn't changed in over two weeks, with only slight changes being that sometimes Tyler was awake, or walking around the room to stretch his legs, and going to freshen up in the bathroom.

Two weeks.

It's been two weeks since the winter masquerade ball.

Two weeks since Tyler finally told Casey that he loved her.

Two weeks since her heart stopped.

When everybody got to the hospital from the various places in Ipswich, Casey and Dr Simms were already in surgery. Apparently there had been a heart that had become available not two hours before the dance, and they went right in and did the transplant.

Fortunately, her new heart started up again without a hitch.

Unfortunately, they were not able to find a healthy enough lung for her, so they had to remove her left lung. Although that isn't too bad, as a person can live with only one lung.

The doctors and nurses involved with the surgery were all so sure that she would pull through, and the large group that cluttered up the waiting room (Mom, Dad, Britt, Tyler, Pogue, Reid, Caleb, Sarah, Kate, Sierra, and myself) decided to disperse, and go home to wait for good news.

But there was only more bad news.

Although the new heart was working perfectly fine, and she was breathing without to many problems, she wasn't waking up.

After a few days being comatose, Dr Simms took her in to perform a CT Scan, and an MRI. Both were clean.

They told us that there was no scientific reason as to why she wasn't waking up.

Tyler's aunt is a brain surgeon, and came in to talk to everyone in the group about four days after the scans came up clean, and talked to us about some possibilities as to why she wasn't waking up. Among the few she talked to us about included that there was no longer any signals being sent around to the body that would help her body move, or bring her to consciousness, meaning that she is, pretty much, brain dead. Another thing she mentioned, which all of us are hoping to be right, is that it is possible that because of the trauma set to her body and mind when her heart stopped beating, that she is staying buried in her subconscious self, so as to heal mentally.

So, regardless of he stability, Tyler hasn't left the hospital since Casey has been admitted.

I walked over and shook Tyler lightly to wake him up.

He rubbed at his eyes and let out a tired breath, accepting the coffee I offered him with a tired grimace.

I sat on the chair on the opposite side of the bed, and let out a long sigh. "How's she doing' man?"

Tyler ran a hand over his haggard looking face. "Same as yesterday." His voice sounded gruff and tired.

I shook my head. "Look man, I get that you want to be here when she wakes up, but you need to take care of yourself." He looked ready to protest but I started talking again before he could, " I know that you love her Tyler. I know that, and trust me, I like you a hell of a lot better that I liked some of her other boyfriends, but you are too worried about her. The only things that could happen to her right now, is that she could wake up, or not wake up. And frankly, you staying here twenty-four-seven, it's nice and all, but do you think that she will be happy when she wakes up to know that you stayed here night and day, and neglected your own health?

"I've known Samantha all my life, and she is the kind of person that likes to put others comfort above her own. I know that sometimes she is completely selfish, and she can be a bitch, but she loves people too much to be like that all the time. She wont like the face that you aren't taking care of yourself."

"I know, Alex. Trust me, I know all that." he pushed his hand back through his hair. "But what if I lose her? I- I don't think that I could handle that."

I gave him a weak smile. "I don't know how you would handle losing her. You would have to spend a lot of time with me and Britt, considering that her and I would be pretty lost as well if Casey was gone. If we lose her, it wont be for lack of trying Tyler. It'll just mean that she wasn't meant to stay here any longer than she already has."

He had a look on his face that was so heartbroken that I didn't know what to do, so we just lapsed into silence.

After what seemed like hours of silence, Tyler stood slowly from his chair and stretched. He walked slowly towards the door, and before walking out, he stopped completely.

"Call me if there's any change Alex. I think I'll take dad up on that hotel room that he's been telling me about."

I smiled slightly at the tone in his voice. He obviously didn't want to go, but he would because he knew I was right about Casey not being impressed about his neglect towards his health.

Casey's POV

I groaned as I sat up, my body was completely sore from...wait. Why was my body sore?

I looked around, and frowned at what I saw.

It looked like I was in the middle of a clearing, with a really high wall made out of stone with a small wooden door in front of me, and a small dirt path leading into a forest.

I stood slowly, as the soreness in my body seemed to melt off of me. As I looked around more, it looked as if the clearing I was in went on forever on either side of me, and that the wall that stood in front of me went on for that long too. I couldn't see the end of it at all. I looked to the path and, beyond that, the forest, which went just as far as the clearing, that looked as if it were full of shadows, and unspeakable evils.

As I looked between the two walls, one of rocks and one of trees, I noticed that there were no sounds where I stood. I could hear the birds singing and the chipmunks and predators jumping from tree to tree from the woods, and I could hear the quiet gurgle from a stream and a light breeze going through what I would guess to be poplar trees from beyond the rock wall.

One side loud, and full of life.

Another side quiet and calming, with just the whispers of nature.

But as one side life could be heard, not a single animal strayed farther than the edge of the forest, and as another side water and wind could be heard, not a single blade of grass moved from a slight breeze and there was not a single split in the earth showing water.

My life had always been loud, full of fears and things that could and did go wrong. I lost my baby sister, I was told I would die before I turn twenty, I lied to my family, and I didn't find true love until it was too late. If I could never go back to it I wouldn't.

Deep down I had always craved a quiet life, one full of nothing but love and friendship. One that was so incredibly cliched that it was easy to see where it would go. Find love, get married, be successful, have kids, grow old, die as a grandmother to five.

I started to walk slowly towards the small wooden door in the middle of the long rock wall, the peaceful sound growing louder as I came closer. When I got to the door, I reached out and ran my hands across it delicately. The wood was black walnut, with a carving of a tree on it. My fingers traced the names that were written among the many branches.

I found the names of my parents, and brother and sister. They were carved elegantly, and looked brand new. My fingers traced over a name that hadn't been spoken in my household in nearly five years, and had the word Deceased scrawled under it: Ruby Anne Wilson.

My little sister.

Ruby had been born almost eight years after our family moved from England to Canada. She had been unexpected and a pleasant surprise to everyone, well except for Alex who had been hoping for a brother. By the time she was two, we realized that Ruby did not have an affinity with animals like the rest of us. She was normal, and we were all kind of happy about that.

She was loved by all of us. She was our rock. If we were having a bad day, she was the one that kept us happy, or sane, because we had a baby sister to look after, and a new daughter.

Unfortunately, after Ruby turned five, she was in an accident.

We were all playing outside during the summer. Brittany and Alex were playing with their Hot Wheels in the sandbox, and me and Ruby were helping mom in the garden. Mom had to go into the house for a minute to get the flower seeds, and she told me to watch Ruby. While she was inside, I made the mistake of going over to stop Britt and Alex from fighting over one of the toys, and when I turned around, Ruby was gone.

I started yelling for her, and soon my siblings joined in. My mom came out a minute later to see me bawling my eyes out because I lost our baby sister. The next minute we heard the screech of car tires, and a thump.

Ruby died on the spot.

Our family was totally torn apart. I blamed myself, and as the rest of my family learned to live around not having Ruby, I was stuck in depression.

It was two years before I was able to break free of the depression, but I still kept the thought of Ruby at the forefront of my mind.

My fingers found my name, and I noticed that there was only my name. No Deceased underneath it.

But, if I wasn't dead, then how could I be here?

Suddenly I heard a noise. Not from over the wall, or even from the forest, but from my right.

I spun to face whatever it was, and froze.

Long, curly black hair, framed a heart shaped face that had a button nose, smiling lips, and pretty violet coloured eyes. I was looking at the one person I thought I would never see again. Ruby.

My legs buckled, and I was on my knees, tears streaming down my face as I looked at the little girl that had turned into my Guardian Angel.

The small golden wings that sprouted from her shoulder blades were enough to tell me that she had stayed to watch over not only me, but my family as well.

She smiled as she walked towards me, and when she hugged me, it felt like I was being engulfed in golden sunshine. "Hello Sam." she said, in her tinkering voice.

She still had the lisp and five year old voice now as she did then, so it came out more, 'Hewow Tham', but it was the best thing I have ever heard.

"Ruby. I- I a-am s-s-s-so-o-o s-s-sor-r-ry a-ab-b-bout wh-what ha-ha-happen-ned." I couldn't control the sobs that were wracking my body, so I could barely speak.

She smiled, and I noticed then that she had tears going down her face too. "It'th otay Tham. Yoo didn't meen too. And I wath the one who wan out into the woad. It wathn't youw fawlt Thammy." she wiped the tears from my cheeks, as I did the same for her. " I wanted yoo to keep wiving happiwy wivout me, but yoo coodn't, tho I thayed." ('It's okay Sam. You didn't mean too. And I was the one who ran out into the road, it wasn't your fault Sammy. I wanted you to keep living happily without me, but you couldn't, so I stayed')

"I'm so sorry Ruby. I should have been watching you better."

"It'th otay. I've bween wathing yoo. I know yoo awe happy wiv Tywer. And evewyone ewth ith happy wiv thewe woved oneth. Tho I no wonger ave to wath yoo, becwath I know yoo awe happy." ('It's okay. I've been watching you. I know you are happy with Tyler. And everyone else is happy with their loved ones. So I no longer have to watch you, because I know you are happy.')

She kissed me on the cheek, and turned towards the door. As she put her hand on the door handle, her wings started to shimmer. As she opened the door a crack, her wings disappeared completely. Before going beyond the wall she turned and faced me one last time.

'Tham. It'th youw toithe wever to come in hewe to be wiv me and gwandma and gwandpa, but yoo ave to wemembew wat yoo ave back on Ewth. Wat yoo ave wiv Mommy and Daddy and Awex and Bwittny. I wov yoo Thammy, down't fowdet tat." ('Sam. It's your choice whether to come in here to be with me and grandma and grandpa, but you have to remember what you have back on Earth. What you have with Mommy and Daddy and Alex and Brittany. I love you Sammy, don't forget that.')

I watched as she opened the door and slipped inside the door, and into the place where she would be with the grandparents I never knew, and I knew that she would be happy. I also knew that if I went through that door, that I would never see anybody I loved down on Earth again, until it was their time to leave.

All the bad things that happened throughout my life flashed through my mind: death, disease, lies, depression.

But along with those things, came the good: understanding, friends, life, love, happiness.

Normally I would go to the quiet side, my life has been to loud and noisy and full of darkness, but if I cant make it past those, then how can I be happy beyond the rock wall?

I smiled, and traced the names of the people on the door again, before turning and walking towards the path, not looking back, and knowing that I would be back here again someday.

And when that day comes, I will be able to walk through the door without hesitation.

Tyler's POV

It had been three days since Alex convinced me to take a break. I still went into the hospital everyday for the duration of visiting hours, but I have been staying overnight at the hotel room that my dad owns, and have been eating more than junk food.

My mind still races when I think about how it happened.

One minute we were swaying back and forth to a song, not doing anything fancy at all, and then next, Casey goes all ridged and she falls down.

What happened between then and when my dad walked out of the OR is a blur, I was to busy panicking to notice anything.

And then, when she didn't wake up, I thought for sure that something went wrong. Even after dad took her in to scan her brain, and they came up clean, I thought that he must have missed something.

Soon, I started to give up hope, even after my Auntie Karen told us it was possible that Casey just retreated into her subconsciousness.

But I still couldn't leave her side.

I nodded at the nurse behind the desk as I walked towards Casey's room.

I sat down on the familiar plastic chair, and gently picked up her hand in mine.

As had become custom, I began talking to her. About how I felt about her when I first saw her. What was going through my mind the first time we kissed. How beautiful she looked at the Masquerade. How hard my heart was pounding when I told her I loved her.

"I was just looking at your face, and I just knew that it was right to say it." I said quietly. I smiled at the memory. "My heart was going so fast. I was so afraid that you would say that you didn't feel the same way. And when you took so long to respond, I was terrified that you would reject me." I chuckled at myself. "Then you said it. You said you loved me. And I knew that I wanted to be with you for as long as I possibly could.

"And I knew that I would go through hell and high waters for you if you ever needed my–" I broke off and stayed still.

I swear I felt her finger twitch as I was talking. I waited a few minutes, before shaking it off as wishful thinking.

"Anyways, I knew that I love–"

There was definitely movement that time. I know this time because her face twitched.

"Casey?" I asked quietly. "Casey, sweety? Can you hear me?"

I felt her finger twitch against my hand again.

"Case?" I was at a lose to what I could do to bring her around. "Sam? Sammy?"

There was a definite twitch there.

"You know, now that I think about it, you always did hate being called Samantha." I stopped to think about that, because she never told me why she hates being called it.

"Ty?"

My head snapped down to see Casey's ice blue eyes opened a crack, her lips open the tiniest bit. "Casey? Oh my god your okay!"

I did the only thing I could at the moment: I hugged her, and cried.


OOOOOOOOKAYYYYYYYYYYYY! Reviews? please?

constructive criticism is good!

I was terrified when i was writing this!

i was almost done my 7th page, and i JUST saved it when my computer went all wacko and shut off on me!

i thought for sure that i lost everything that i had just worked on ( i tell you one thing, that if i did, i would cry SOOOO HARDD)

luckily, it saved and i just had to retype about two paragraphs!

okay, School will be starting back up in a month, so im going to try and get at least two more chapters in before then!

again, Review?