Note: Sorry for the delay, just haven't had the time to give to my stories, this chapter even feels a little rushed but I hope it isn't too bad. Thanks for following this story and for the reviews. Please let me know what you think of this chapter and feel free to give suggestions.
The nurse walks nervously into the doctor's office. Clutching a file to her chest as she takes the seat in front of his desk. He barely acknowledges her, continuing to diligently read the patient file opened before him. She waits with grace, feeling no disappointment over his indifference. As a nurse you get use to being ignored by doctors.
He continues to read the file, turning page after page until the folder is closed. Then he looks up at her, surprised that she is still there. He was so caught up in the case he forgot about her walking in and him indicating for her o take a seat. He clears his throat but doesn't bother to apologize.
"I have the file on the patient in room E14." She hands the file to him. "I could not find a next-of-kin. There aren't any contacts in his file."
"What's the patient's name?" He opens the file and leafs through it.
"Nick Fallon, sir. He's been in a coma for almost two years." She sits patiently while he looks through the file. The information there had surprised her. It's like Nick Fallon barely existed. There is no history, medical or otherwise. No family members. Nothing to tie him to anyone or anything.
"If this guy has no one then who pays for his care?" The hospital is private and provides top care for patients like Mr. Fallon. Their services do not come cheap.
"I checked into that. The source is anonymous. A deposit is made into the account twice per year, on Mr. Fallon's behalf but we have no idea where the money is coming from." She bites on her lower lip, a habit developed from middle school. "What should we do doctor?"
He sighs then looks right at her. "There is nothing we can do. We will continue to give the best of care until someone shows up to claim him or he wakes up and tells us who he is."
"Hello this is Sonny." He looks suspiciously at the people sitting across the table. He'd been reluctant to come out tonight but he is glad he did.
"Sonny, it's Sami. Do you mind coming over to my apartment?" The smile leaves his face instantly. He should have called early. Why did he his stupid brain talk him out of it?
"Is everything ok? Is Ari ok?" He is already out of the booth and heading towards the door, no longer aware of his surroundings.
"Yes, everything is fine. Ari is good. I just need you to come by." He assures her he is on his way. He doesn't remember his companions until Chad touches him on the shoulder.
"Sonny, is everything ok man?" He tells Chad that everything is fine. He figures Sami wants to talk to him and he is worried that it's not about anything good. He gives his apologies and heads towards the parking lot. Glad that he didn't have more than one beer tonight.
Sami wanting to see him is never a good thing. He shouldn't have allowed Ari to spend the night with her. Now she probably wants his little girl to stay there forever. Well that's not going to happen. Why can't she figure that by now?
After Will's memorial and the mystery of the ordered cremation Sami had calmed down and believed Sonny when he said he had nothing to do without. Then things were good for a while but they changed when she officially became Mrs. Dimera (again) and Stefano was presumably out of the picture.
With all the weight of the Dimera name behind her she went for full custody of Arianna. It was the most stressful and nerve-wracking time since losing Will. How would he cope with losing Will's daughter? Thank god for his dad and his mom and Will's grandparents. They kept him together. Kept him from going completely insane over Sami's ridiculous sense of entitlement.
Sonny would sit with Arianna on his lap, tickling her tummy and sending laughter echoing through the walls of their home, and he would think - how can he not wake up every morning and see those beautiful eyes or have her reach for him as soon he gets close to the crib.
Sami would always say it was for Arianna sake, that it was best for her to be with Will's family, but how would Sami feel to know that Will is by her side whenever he needs to be? That night when she had the really high fever, it was Will who woke him up. He had been so drained from the long day of walking around the apartment with a fussy baby, unable to put her down for even a second. When Arianna finally fell asleep shortly after 9 pm Sonny crashed right beside her.
"Sonny." He brushed at his ear to get rid of the offending sound. "Sonny, wake up."
"I still have a couple more hours before work." Will laughed but he knew he needed to get him up.
Will ran his hand along Sonny's cheek then glided it through his hair. "Babe, I know you're tired but you need to get up. Arianna needs you."
He feared that if Arianna went away then there would be no reason for Will to stick around.
Sonny pulls up to Sami's apartment building and climbs out of the car. He shouldn't be nervous. Everything is over; Sami's campaign for custody of Arianna had come and gone as quickly as EJ's control over the Dimera Empire. Not that she would have won anyway – Justin Kirakis was prepared to make sure she didn't. But they never made it to court.
Stefano had just toyed with Sami and EJ. Played into their game until he got bored and brushed them off like lint on his six thousand dollar suit. Their fall was just as swift and messy as their rise. Nothing gained by deceit lasts for very long. A few months after becoming the queen, Sami was no longer in a mansion and no longer had the support of millions of dollars. Sonny didn't hear from her for a while.
He climbs the elevator and presses the button for the third floor. He is trying not to worry but he can't help it, worry has become one of his closest friends. His mom makes fun of him now; she likes to point out all the times Sonny told her she worries too much. It's funny how life moves in circles. He gets off the elevator, heads straight for apartment 302, and then knocks on the door.
"Sonny, come on in." EJ says after pulling the door open and stepping aside so Sonny can enter. Sonny can't remember ever seeing EJ in anything besides a suit – now he was wearing slacks and a t-shirt.
The apartment looks a mess with toys, popcorn and juice boxes everywhere. They kids must have had a fun night. Arianna was probably tuckered out. Would it be ok if he goes to check on her? Arianna is his but he wants to respect her relationship with Will's mother. Sami deserves to be in her life, but the extent of her involvement is completely up to Sonny. When she started communicating again Sonny made that very clear. It was so hard to say yes to this sleepover; letting go of Arianna is never easy. Sonny is so grateful that she wasn't with Sami when all the drama with Stefano was going on. He wonders about Johnny, Sydney and Ally, how did it affect them?
"Is everything ok? Are you sure Arianna is fine? Because I can't see any other reason for Sami to call me here." Sonny walks in and stands in the middle of the room.
"There is … ahh here comes Samantha." Sami enters the room with Arianna on her hip.
Sonny's heart speeds up and he is elated to see his little girl. Not even caring that it's way past her bedtime. "Hey Sonny." Arianna's head whip around at the sound of his name and then he sees the tear stained cheeks and red puffy eyes. The lips puff out as soon as she sees him and he knows she is about to cry.
He doesn't wait for permission from Sami. He walks over and removes his little girl from her arms. Sami assured him on the phone that all was fine, but obviously it wasn't. "Hey baby bird." Arianna wraps her arms and legs tightly around him. A soft cry escapes her lips but it's gone as soon as her head meets his shoulder. His heart breaks as he rubs her back gently then kisses her cheek. "It's okay." He continues to sooth her until he feels her relax.
"Wana go home daddy." Sonny is fighting to stay calm. He knows if he tenses up then she will too. So he focuses on her for a while and when she is completely calm he lifts his face to Sami's guilty one.
"It was good to see you Sonny." EJ says before leaving the room.
"Before you get mad, she is fine. Well she was fine. She had a great time today but…" He continues to look at her, making it very clear that he was not pleased. "Sonny, I promise you, everything was great then she woke up an hour ago and started crying. I think it was being in a strange place."
Sonny doesn't say anything. He leans his head against his daughter's, closes his eyes and inhales the familiar scent. They haven't spent a night apart since she was three days old. If it hadn't been for Chad he would have been at home sulking, missing the tweets from his baby bird. His love for her overwhelms him and he can't believe how much he missed her.
"Sonny I promise you that's all it was and I didn't want to scare you on the phone." He opens his eyes to look at Sami. He registers her worry and apprehension and he understands. He can't be mad because Arianna is uncomfortable sleeping in a strange place. She is use to the yellow walls of her bedroom with bird stickers all over it and snuggling under her favorite blanket while watching the stars dance above her head.
"Daddy, home pease." She must be tired from the long day.
"Thanks for letting her come today, it means a lot Sonny." They still have a long way to go in mending their relationship. He's not sure he'll ever feel secure with Sami but he nods his head then turns towards the door. "Let me get her bag."
Sami leaves the room and returns with Arianna bag. "You want to say goodbye to Grandma Sami?" Sonny's relationship with Sami is iffy but that doesn't mean it has to be the same way with Arianna – he will fight the battles so she can dance in the fields.
For the first time since taking her in his arms she raises her head off his shoulder. "Bye Grammah." The head stays up just long enough to say those words then she once again snuggles against his neck.
"Bye, baby." Sami smiles and kisses the top of her head. She loves her granddaughter; there is no doubt in that. Sonny takes the bag and hooks it on his free shoulder. "Thanks again, Sonny."
"Ok, baby bird. Lets go home."
It's hard to describe the feeling of being new. For eternity you are floating, stuck in a place between dreams and reality, never really being able to touch either one. When you reach out with your fingers they glide through air, unable to grab a hold. Even though each time you come up empty, you still keep trying and trying until suddenly you feel something and that something turns into everything.
Sensations start small and spread through his body, joining the rhythm of his heart beat and the rise and fall of his chest as he breathes in and out. You begin to feel every strand of hair on your body. Every brush of the wind on your skin. Light filters through your skin and it burns but you are happy to feel the pain.
The first attempt at sight is blinding. You're seeing the world for the first time and it all comes rushing at you. Sounds slowly become voices and voices start to express words. The brain manages to interpret the messages from your eyes and ears and you register that you are in a room, a very bright room, and there are people around you. Talking about you or maybe talking to you.
You are scared to speak. In your eternity speech was never a problem but now you are unsure of yourself and worried that pieces of you got left behind.
"His eyes are open." The nurse states; causing the others to move closer to the patient. They witness his struggle into consciousness. "Mr. Fallon can you hear me?" He looks confused; but that's to be expected. He blinks rapidly as his eyes adjust to the harsh lighting.
The doctor leans over the patient. "Mr. Fallon I'm going to check your vitals." He too is amazed by the recovery. He checks the vitals and everything is normal. He chuckles, more to himself than anyone else, and shakes his head as he looks down at the patient. "Welcome back to this world."
There are smiles all around the room. Victories like this are few and far between.
"Mr. Fallon can you tell us anything? Is there anyone we could call?" He recognizes their excitement but he can't understand it. Maybe he is still trapped between dreams and memories, but he's never played this scene before.
He needs to say something. Nothing about this is familiar. Who are the people standing around him? "Wee…ll…" The words struggle to form in his mouth and it frustrates him.
"He's trying to say something." They come closer, eyes wide with excitement and anticipation.
"Wee…Will…Will…my name is Will. Can I go home now?