Chapter Ten: Recovery and Betrayal

The annoying beeping sound of my alarm wakes me and I reach to shut it off as a searing pain shoots through my chest. My eyes spring open in panic as I remember the events of the day. I take in my surroundings realizing that I am in a hospital bed and the beeping sound is coming from a monitor sitting next to me. I finally notice my brother sleeping awkwardly in a chair. I decide not to disturb him as I examine the damage that was done. I look at my chest and find a thick gauze bandage with a hint of blood seeping through. I start to feel queasy as the thought of India pointing a gun at me runs across my mind. I start to move around a little to try to measure the amount of pain I'm going to be in. I hiss my breath in through my teeth as a burning ache courses from my back to my chest and my noise snaps Ben from his slumber.

"Jane, of thank God you're awake," he says rushing to my side.

"Hi," is all I can get out.

"How are you feeling," he asks with concern.

"Really…sore," I answer. "So…you look awful," I say trying to lighten the mood.

A slight smile touches his lips as he replies, "Hey ease up it's been a long few days."

"Few days," I exclaim. "How long have I been out," I ask worried.

"I think we should page the doctor she'll be able to good over everything with you. Plus I told her I would as soon as you woke up," he answers as he pushes the call button.

Within less than five minutes two nurses and my doctor come walking in. The nurses begin tending to my monitors and everything else that's attached to me as my doctor stands at the end of my bed. She looks up from her papers and smiles warmly at me. "It's nice to finally meet you Jane. So tell me how are you feeling," she asks me.

"Really sore and a little freaked out," I answer honestly.

She nods and replies, "Well that's to be expected after what you've been through. We will get you someone to talk to about the emotional aspect and help you cope. The soreness will fade with time, but for now we'll administer some pain medication. Let me tell you one thing, you are an extremely lucky girl. By some miracle the bullet missed all your vital organs and the shot went clean through. We patched you up and we should be able to get you home within the next couple of days. So do you have any questions for me?"

"Um…just one, why was I asleep for you long," I ask.

"Well, sometimes its how that brain deal with physical trauma like this, but rest assures you will make a full recovery. If you need anything just press the call button, okay? I'll stop by again soon to check on you," she tells me as her and the nurses exit my room.

"Thank you," I say feeling exhausted.

"You should get some rest," I hear Ben suggest.

"Aww…Ben I just woke up," I make a feeble argument as my eyes slide shut.

As I sleep I dream of my own funeral. All of my loved ones and friends have shown up. I watch from the back as everyone pays their last respects to me. Billy walks up and practically throws himself in my casket as he wails, "You can't leave me Janie… I can't do this without you!" Ben and two other people grab him and escort him out whispering soothing words to calm him. The crowd slowly dissipates until there are only two people left. I can't make out who they are so I follow them as they make their way to my coffin. When I reach them I realize that it's Jeremy and India. They are both smiling down at my lifeless body and India says, "See Jeremy I told you our plan would work. Now she'll never bother us again."

"Well thank goodness for that," Jeremy replies as he takes her in his arms and kisses her passionately.

I practically jump out of my hospital bed with shock. I hear Ben's groggy voice coming from beside me, "Jane, what is it are you alright. Are you in pain, because I can page the nurse?" He reaches for the call button, but I grab his hand before he pushes it.

"No I'm not in that much pain I was just having a horrible dream," I answer.

"Oh…well do you want to talk about it," he asks with worry on his face.

"No it's fine, but can you tell me what happened to India," I ask him nervously.

I see anger and anxiety spread across his face as he answers, "Other than a few of her fingerprints the police weren't able to find any trace of her, but they're still looking for her. They're telling me that it's like she vanished into thin air, but they refuse to give up."

As he explained this to me I start to become extremely uneasy. "What about Jeremy, where is he," I ask with a sick feeling rising in my stomach.

Ben clears his throat uncomfortably and answers, "He's the one that found you and brought you to the hospital. After he called me and told me what happened, nobody can seem to reach him and he hasn't been into work either."

As Ben's words sink in I think to myself. Could he really have planned this whole thing with India? If he did why would he tell me that he was falling for me? If that is the case shouldn't he be here with me? What if India did something to him? Oh God I hope he's alright. "Ben where's my cell phone," I ask in a panic.

"Its right here," he answers quizzically as he hands me my phone.

I frantically dial Jeremy's number it rings a few time and then goes to voice mail. I decide to send him a text as well.

To Jeremy:

Hey it's Jane, are you okay?

After a few minutes I realize that he's not going to reply so I hand my phone back to Ben defeated and worn out. I close my eyes and drift off to sleep and this time I dream of Billy.

I wake up the next morning to the sound of my doctor's voice, "Jane, it's time to wake up. It's time for your therapy session." Ben helps me out of bed and into a wheelchair as the doctor moves my IV bag to a portable rack. "Mr. Quimby I'll take her from here. Why don't you pop out and grab you two some breakfast? Her session should only last for about an hour," she says as she steps behind me taking my brother's place.

He opens his mouth to protest, but closes it when I shake my head and say, "Go on I'll be fine." With that the doctor wheels me out of the room. We take the elevator down to the second floor and come to a stop outside a door with the name Dr. Nutter on it. What are the odds of that? I think to myself with a smile as I imagine Billy dressed in a white lab coat. My doctor knocks on the door and I hear a man's voice reply, "Come in."

We enter into a well light office with books lining every wall. The man stands and greets me like we're old friends, "Jane, welcome I'm Doctor Nutter. I'll be your therapist while you are here."

I smile and nod at him as my doctor says, "I'll be back to get you in an hour." She turns and leaves the room closing the door behind her.

"So Jane…tell me…how are you feeling today," he asks with a smile as he takes a seat.

"Well honestly I'm still shook up about all of this. I've been having nightmares about India sometimes," I answer.

"That's perfectly normal. You said you only have these dreams sometimes…what else do you dream about," he inquires.

I feel my face heat up as I blush crimson and answer, "Mostly I dream about my best friend Billy."

"I see…it says here in your file that you are dating this Jeremy fellow, correct," he says looking down at my file.

"Yes it is," I answer sourly.

"Is he ever in you dreams," he asks looking back up at me.

"Actually yes, I had a nightmare about him and India last night," I reply.

"Why don't you tell me about it," he says.

I start by telling how we all know each other. Then I continue on about everything that happened in my dream. When I finish he says, "So subconsciously you think that Jeremy had something to do with this, why is that?"

"I really don't know what to think. All I do know is that he's not here, no one can find him or India and he won't answer my calls or my texts," I answer getting frustrated about the situation.

"I understand… did you ever consider that maybe finding you the way he did was too much for him to handle," he asks.

With his words I get angrier and reply, "It shouldn't matter…if he cares about me like he says he does then he should be here. Just like Billy should, but he isn't either." Tears start to roll down my face as the realization that Billy's not here hits me and the fact that I don't really care that Jeremy isn't.

Doctor Nutter clears his throat bringing me back to the present. "It sounds to me that your best friend is a big part of you. Maybe you should call him that might put you at ease a little" he suggests. With that there is a knock on his door. "Come in…well, it looks like our time is up for today. I've scheduled you another session for tomorrow. I'll see you then, okay," he says bidding me farewell.

As my doctor takes me back to my room I think about Billy and how much I need to talk to him. The walk back seemed to take twice as long as I itch to get to my phone. We finally arrive and the first words out of my mouth are, "Where is my phone?"

Ben looks at me with confusion and hands me my phone as he asks, "Who are you calling?"

"I need to talk to Billy," I reply as I hastily open my phone.

Before I have a chance to dial his number Ben snatches my phone away. "That's not a good idea right now," he says to my anxiously.

"What the hell, Ben? Why not," I ask getting irritated.

He sighs and looks down as he answers, "Look Jane there's something I need to tell you. I didn't want to bring this up after all you've been through, but you're giving me no other option."

Panic rises in my heart and I ask, "What is it Ben…you know why he isn't here. What have you been keeping from me?"

"Well…he was on his way to meet me at the airport. It was raining and I'm sure he was flying on his motorcycle to get there. Apparently a Jeep lost control and hit him head on. Jane, Billy's in a coma and they don't know if he'll ever wake up," he tells me with tears forming in his eyes.

With his words it feels like the world is crumbling around me. I start to struggle for breath as the images of Billy's broken body flash through my mind. No! Not like this, I can't lose him now. I have to tell him how I fell. He has to know how much I love him. I can't believe Ben kept this from me. I can't believe he would betray me like this knowing I'm in love with him. A million thought are running through my mind and something in me snaps. For the next few days I don't say a word to anyone. All my thoughts are on Billy and my need to be there with him. Not even Doctor Nutter can manage a peep out of me.

While laying in my hospital bed I over hear Doctor Nutter and my brother. "I just don't understand, the first time I talked to her she seemed like an easy case. Now she won't talk at all. Did something happen after our first session," he asks Ben.

"Well I did tell her about Billy's accident. Come to think of it that's when she stopped talking. Do you think that's what did it," Ben questions.

"I've seen this before, after everything that has happened to you sister I believe the unfortunate news has pushed her over the edge making her retreat into herself," he answers.

"Will she get better," Ben asks desperately.

Doctor Nutter clears his throat and replies, "Really it's hard to say, but I think the best medicine for her now is to get her back home and let her be with her friend."

A few days later my doctor tells us that it's okay for me to leave. Ben and I catch a taxi to my apartment. When we reach my floor Ben opens my apartment door as I lag behind glancing at Jeremy's door. I decide to knock and see if he's home. Without any luck I return to my apartment where Ben is packing all my things. After a few hours we are finished. We take everything that can't be taken on the plane to the post office and ship it back home. We arrive at the airport and board our flight all the while I still can't find my voice.

Our pilot comes over the intercom and announces that we will be landing in ten minutes. Ben sighs with relief and says, "Man it's going to be nice to get you home and get some rest."

I look at him sternly and shake my head no letting him know that I am not going home.

"Come on Jane you can't go see Billy now, you need to get some rest," he tries to argue.

I cross my arms over my chest and shake my head vigorously. As we land Ben lets out a grunt of defeat and says, "Fine I'll drop you off at the hospital, but I need to go home and get some sleep."

When we pull up to the hospital I practically leap out of the car and race up to Billy's room. I barge in ignoring the nurse's protest. I stop dead in my tracks as I see Billy lying in the bed with all kinds of tubes and wires running from him to machines. His handsome face is unrecognizable with all the bruises and cuts. The sight is too much for me to handle and I collapse to the floor. I feel hands helping me to my feet and escorting me to a chair at Billy's side.

Eventually I become aware of my surroundings when I hear a nurse say, "Miss visiting hours are over for today. So if you're not immediate family you'll have to come back tomorrow."

I look up at her from my chair and with a cracky voice I tell her, "I hate to break this to you sweetie, but the only way you're going to get me to leave is if you call security and have them drag me out. This is my best friend and I'm the closest thing he's got to family." I look down at him and take his limp warm hand in mine ignoring the nurse as she leave in a huff.

When I'm sure the nurse is gone I let out a sigh and say, "Hi Billy it's me, Jane. I don't know if you can hear me, but if you can I need you to know that I can't lose you. I can't imagine my life without you in it. You're my best friend and…and I need you to wake up so I can tell you how in love with you I am. So I need you to fight and come back to me." Of course there's no response from him so I decide to curl up in the chair next to him and get some sleep.

Over the next five months I stay by his side, only leaving to take a shower. I spend those days talking to him about everything and reading to him. Everything that happened to me in London has been pushed out of my mind as I take care of Billy. I've been at the hospital for so long the nurses were nice enough to bring in a second bed for me to sleep in.

One night while I'm laying down trying to get some sleep my text alert goes off. I open my phone shocked to see a message from Jeremy.

To: Jane

Hello Jane, how are you?

To Jeremy:

Really?

After all this time you decide to contact me now and that's all you have to say to me?

To Jane:

Look I'm sorry about leaving you like I did, but after finding you like that…all bloody and pale…I just had to get away

The thought of loosing you was too much for me to handle.

To Jeremy:

That's the worst explanation ever.

If you really cared about me like you said you did you would never have left me there like that?

What's worse is that nobody could get in touch with you…which made me worry that India did something to you.

That was extremely inconsiderate of you to put everyone through that.

To: Jane

I know and I'm sorry love.

I just hope we will be able to work things out between us.

To: Jeremy

You must be joking!?

I mean one day I might be able to forgive you and be your friend, but all romantic feelings for you are gone.

They've been replaced with feelings of betrayal.

Besides I'm in love with someone else and he needs me.

So I think we're done, I'll let you know if I ever forgive you.

Goodbye Jeremy.

Without even caring about his response I shut my phone. I look over at Billy who is lying in the bed next to me. I sadly think to myself with tears forming in my eyes. Come on Billy I need you to get better for me, please. With that I close my eyes and fall asleep.

Authors Note: Sorry it took so long to post this chapter I had a slight writers block problem, but your reviews pushed me on so THANK YOU!