Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or plot.

A/N: Damon Salvatore is a character from Vampire Diaries. Gonzalez and Silvio are OC

Chapter 21

Patrick's POV

I checked my watch again, seeing that I took Elena off her sedatives two hours ago. Just when I was about to check on her again, her Nurse Gonzalez, Elena's nurse for the day, approached me.

"Dr. Drake, Ms. Gilbert is awake now." Nurse Gonzalez notified me. I nodded my head as I followed behind to Elena's room. I peeked my head in first, seeing Elena looking around. Her bed was adjusted upright in comfortable position.

We had to strap her hands down to keep her from removing the breathing tube. "Ms. Gilbert, it is a relief to see you awake." I said, stepping over by her bed. I looked back to Nurse Gonzalez. "Did you do her routine check-up?" I inquired.

"Yes, Dr. Drake. All of her vitals is stable. She did some little moving actions to indicate that her motor actions is intact, but I left the memory exercises for you to conduct." Nurse Gonzalez hand over Elena's chart for me to look at.

I flipped it opened, giving a quick look over. Everything seems to be in order. "Thank you, Nurse Gonzalez. You can continue your rounds and page you when needed." I dismiss, seeing her nod before leaving. I turned my attention back to Elena, her brown eyes staring at me.

"Ms. Gilbert, I will be asking a series of 'yes or no' questions. I'm going to hold your hand, so I want you squeeze it for me." I said, slipping my hand into hers. I nodded for her to squeeze, in response I got a firm grip.

"If the answer to my question is a yes, squeeze my hand. If it is no, no reaction at all. Okay?" She squeeze my hand.

"Obviously, you heard my name from Nurse Gonzalez, but do you actually know who I am?" I questioned. Elena squeeze.

"You know you are in a hospital, but do you know where specifically?" A squeeze.

"Are you in Virginia?" No squeeze.

"Are you in New York?" A squeeze.

"Do you remember your name, besides from when I mentioned it earlier?" A squeeze.

"Is it Elena Gilbert?"A squeeze. Elena groaned as she adjusted her body against the bed the best she could, looking annoyed at the restraints. "If removed them, you can't mess with your breathing tube. Your lungs are not functioning to their capacity." I explained as I untied her hands.

"I know it is a little too much to bombard you with as soon as you wake up, but it helps me assess if you have brain damage." I sat back down on my chair, flipping open her chart, doting down notes on the sidelines. My concentration was broken when I heard the heart monitor started to increase in sound.

I looked up to see Elena, looking off behind me. I looked over my shoulder to see no one there. I looked backed, her eyes had glassy appeal to her eyes. "Elena, are you okay?" I grasped her hand to get her attention, but immediately regretted when I saw her flinched, her right hand smacking into metal rail of the bed.

She clutched her hand to her chest as she looked to me. "Just keep calm." I stood from my chair. "I'm sure you want to see your parents." I stopped my pursuit as Elena gently grabbed my wrist. I looked to her hand up to her face. She shook her head at my action. Confused, I sat back down. She used her hands to act out writing. Getting her thought, I handed over a pen with notepad that I keep with me.

Her trembling fingers wrote across the pad. After a few moments, she handed the pad back to me. I looked to her for a moment, before looking down. I felt conflicted as to what I read 'No parents. Just stay here with me.'

My eyes lingered on the paper, feeling torn as to what to do. I looked up and froze when I saw Emma, looking back at me with glassy puppy eyes. I blinked a couple of times, Elena coming back in view. I sat the notepad down as I leaned forward with a warming smile. "Sure, Elena. Only if you try to get a little more rest."I said as adjusted her bed back to an comfortable angle.

Jason's POV

I just got off the phone with Elizabeth. She told me that Elena was awoken today, but she doesn't want any visitors for the moment. I looked up at Sonny as he walked by with Joss in hand. "Your mama is going to kill me when she see the mess that is your dress." Sonny leaned down, wiping Joss' face and hands from the ice cream.

Joss threw up her hands, surprising Sonny with the action. "I told Michael I needed a bowl, daddy!" Joss frowned. Sonny chuckled, standing up straight.

"Okay, sweetie. How about you go get changed and Marla can take you to the park for the day?" Joss' blue eyes lighten as she darted out the kitchen to head to her room. "I'm soo glad she is not stubborn like Carly!" Sonny commented, before sitting at his island. He looked at me briefly, asking "Why are you looking so glum?"

I sighed as I leaned forward. "Elena is awake." I said simply, rubbing at my stubble.

Sonny froze. "And why am I not seeing scuff marks on the floor from you running out of here to the hospital?" He asked. He stepped over to fridge, pulling out the orange juice.

"Elena doesn't want any visitors at the moment. Patrick has reported her memories has been intact far as he inquired." I tapped my fingers against the marble countertop. I prided myself as a problem solver, but in this particular moment, I felt… lost. I cringed inwardly at the way Sonny was looking at me.

"So, she more than likely remembers that you and Elizabeth is her biological parents. I'm sure she will come around soon, but until then…" Sonny started to smile and it wasn't the one that says 'I'm in a happy mood' but the one that says 'I'm up to something'.

I squinted my eyes at him. "Sonny… whatever you up to, don't do it." I warned, not liking that look. He just sips his orange juice, a smug smirk on his face.

He sat his cup, a small 'clink' rang out. "Onto more serious business, I need to ask you a favor." Sonny asks, his brief jovial mood dropping. I sat up in attention, knowing it was serious. "As you know, Stefan and I been butting heads about him joining the business." I nodded, already knowing how much Sonny hated the idea. "Well, I finally caved." Sonny sighed, massaging the bridge of the nose.

"How in the hell did he make you do that?" I questioned, not believing that he was relenting on this particular decision. We finally got Michael to grow out of that mindset.

Sonny gave me look. "He threaten to have Silvio Salvatore train him as a enforcer and we both know I don't trust rotten man as far as I could throw him, even that is too much trust." Sonny said, angrily. "And I sure as hell do not want him under the influence of his psychotic brother, Damon." I grimaced at the mention of Damon Salvatore. The boy was walking liability for the families and the only reason he was alive was because of his last name.

"So, you want me to train him, teach him the ropes?" I asked to clarify what was being asked of me.

Sonny remained silent, looking off before dragging his attention back to him. I could his choice was really weighing on him. He sighed. "If he is going to have a chance at survival, he has to be trained by the best in the game and that is you. I want him under the Corinthos Organization. I don't put it past his brother to try and off Stefan if Lily name him as the successor." Sonny sighed deeply.

"Don't worry Sonny, I got him." I said in reassurance. Though that Sonny doesn't know, It definitely get my mind off everything is going on. "Put him on warehouse. If he want in this business, he needs to earn his stripes like everyone else." I ordered, a plan formulating already.

"Okay, now that is settled, I have to initiate my plan of my own to help Elena." Sonny smiled at me, picking up his cup. I glared at him, but he remained unfazed as he left the kitchen.

Unknown POV

I sat at my desk, my fingers tracing the rim of short glass, smelling the warm bourbon in the air. My eyes stared at the old photo that sat on my desk that haunted me, never letting me forget the anguish and my grief.

Her haunting ocean blue eyes antagonized my waiting, but I needed this moment to be perfect. I slammed the photo on the desk, then downing the bourbon that sat in my hand. I winced the burning fuel, causing my eyes to water.

My eyes wandered to the ringing phone on cherry wood desk. I stared at for a few moments before snatching the phone up. "Hello, Nurse Gonzalez. What do you have for me?" I said smoothly, hoping for good news to lighten my day.

"Ms. Gilbert has gain consciousness. The doctor has concluded that she is on her road to recovery." Nurse Gonzalez said.

My fingers stilled as I thought what that meant. "That is… unfortunate." I said simply. Tom was supposed to take care of the little bitch!

"Do you want me to take care of it, sir? I promise I won't fail." Nurse Gonzalez said, coldly. I heard the slight eagerness in her tone.

I was tempted to let her take the reign, but stopped that trail of thought. I didn't wait this long to tear down Corinthos and Morgan to make a silly mistake now. I wanted them suffer how they made me suffer and that takes patience. "No, Gonzalez. Continue your post and keep me updated." I ordered, before hanging up.

In due time...