Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and Abbey.
a/n Thank you to everyone who reviewed my last chapter. It seems like my choice to end it as a cliffhanger paid off *evil laugh* but I won't keep you in the dark any longer so here is the next chapter.
This chapter will have a slightly different format than what I usually write so it will be Matt's POV entertwined with Abbey's coma world so she will be written in italics.
After the Darden's had left, I turned around and went to sit in my office, away from prying eyes. I was never one to show my emotions in front of everyone else and this wasn't going to be the exception. I sat down the edge of my bed and put my head in my hands, letting the sobs escape me. I needed to get the initial pressure in my chest out, we were still on shift after all and my head had to be clear. I'm not really sure how many minutes passed before the overhead paging system called us to another road accident. I quickly walked to the truck when Abbey's words left her mouth.
"Stay safe out there." I smiled at her before answering.
"You too." I put my gear on and hoped in the front of the truck. When we got there, Ambo 61 already had everything under control and 44 was packing their things to leave. Brett and Mitchell were in front of us, stopped at the red light. No doubt the topic of their conversation being Brett's date with Otis on the next evening. The light turned green and 44 started driving when something caught my eye coming from the left side but before Cruz could blow the horn to warn them, that's when it happened. A eighteen wheeler slammed into the left side of ambulance 44, Abbey's side. It swerved and landed on it's side, trapping Abbey and Sylvie. Cruz hadn't completely come to a stop when I hopped out and ran towards ambo.
"Truck 81 to main." I called frantically into my radio.
"Go for main."
"We need an ambo STAT at the corner of Wood and Preston. There's been a collision between Ambulance 44 and an eighteen wheeler, paramedics trapped." Squad 3 arrived and they worked quickly to free both girls as two new ambo's arrived on scene. Cruz and Herrmann were trying their hardest to stop me from going in there while Mouch was working on Otis. The guys didn't manage to stop me for very long because I went to help the guys from Squad. Our best way in was from the back of the rig so Severide and Capp were already working on that.
"Abbey." I ran to the front of the rig and kneeled down in front of it. She had a huge gash on her forehead and was unconscience. Brett, who was sitting beside her had a few visible scratches and seemed to be coming to. I jumped on the rig from her side, where the window was slightly opened. "Brett, Brett can you hear me?" She was moaning as she opened her eye before they landed on Abbey.
"Abbey, Oh my god Abbey." She was frantic.
"Sylvie, look at me Sylvie." I tried to get her to calm down. She finally looked my way. "I need you to stay calm Brett, can you look in there for a pulse?" Her medic side suddenly re-emerged and she looked over Abbey's injuries.
"It's really weak. The gash in her head is deep, we need to get her out of there Casey."
"Severide and Capp are working on that, hang tight." I jumped off the rig and made my way to the back of it where Kelly and Capp were still working on the door. "Come on guys, we need to get them out of there. Brett is ok on the surface and Abbey is unconscience."
"Almost there Casey." Capp finally managed to open it and the new medics jumped in and got Abbey C-collared and on a gurney. Kelly pulled me away from the rig against my protest.
"Let them do their jobs Casey." I looked, helpless as they wheeled her into the ambo.
"Where are you taking her?" I finally managed to ask.
"Lakeshore." the medic said before closing the door. The next events went by like a blur. All of 51 gathered in the ER waiting room to have an update on the girls. Otis was sitting on a chair, hands on his head, nervously running his hands through his hair and I did the only thing I could do, I paced. Minutes turned into hours and still there was no news. Kelly handed me a coffee that I absentmindedly took and finally, my mind to much in a jumble to notice what time it was and how long it passed until someone came out with news. The doctor had blood on his scrubs and a somber expression.
"Family of Abbey Mitchell?"
"That's us." I walked in front of the group, Severide still at my side. "Is she ok?" I asked almost desperate.
"She crashed in the trauma room and we had to get her heart started again. The CT showed swelling in the brain so she was taken to emergency surgery." The only part my brain really registered was that her heart had stopped and then the coffee slipped from my hands and crashed to the floor but before my frame would do what it wanted to, Kelly had his arms under mine, supporting my weight. He sat me on a chair and gave me some water.
"She's going to pull through Casey, you have to believe that."
"I can't lose her too Kelly." A violent sob escaped me and I put my head in my hands. Kelly got up and Mills took his place as Kelly went back to talk to the doctor. Shortly after, Brett re-emerged from the trauma bay, all patched up. She had cuts on her face and her leg was in a boot, probably because it had been stuck a little during the crash.
"Is there any news on Abbey?" I didn't have it in me to answer so Kelly did that for me.
"She crashed in the trauma room and now she's in surgery to reduce swelling in the brain. Doc said it could be a few hours before we hear anything from the OR so we have to hang tight."
"I have to call her mom." I suddenly said.
"Stay there Casey, I'll do it." Mills offered. Boden ordered everyone to go home and get some rest because Abbey would need us to be in top shape when she was recovering so some members of both Squad and Truck slowly went home with a promise to be back later when they were showered and rested.
"Michelle and my mom are on they're way back from a culinary seminar, they said they'd be here in a few hours."
"Thanks." Tears were yet again threatening to fall and I didn't stop them this time. The only ones left were Kelly, Otis who was sitting with Brett, Gabby with Mills and Chief was there with Herrmann and Shay. More hours slipped away until a surgeon came out with bloody scrubs. I got up as quickly as my legs would allow and met him half way.
"Please tell me you have some good news." My voice held a quiver that I didn't try to hide.
"We stitched up the gash in her forehead and managed to reduce the swelling but the full body x-ray we did before starting the surgery revealed a broken leg, probably from the point of impact, so we had to call an orthopedic surgeon to fix that too."
"So she's going to be ok?" Kelly asked.
"Unfortunately, she slipped into a coma so we had to tube her so her body would get some proper healing."
"Can I see her?"
"She's in the ICU so only one person at a time and you have to keep it short."
"Can I stay with her?" My voice sounded so foreign to me, almost childish but I couldn't let her be alone.
"Who are you to her?"
"I'm her boyfriend, please?" I begged.
"Ok but only you. She's in room 168, I'll show you where it is." Everyone followed him until we arrived to a room with glass doors. I stood on the other side while everyone went in, one at a time for five minutes before they came out.
"She's going to need you Matt." Mills put a comforting hand on my shoulder.
"I can't lose her." Peter just pulled me to him in a hug and I let the sobs out. "I don't know what I would do if I lost her.
"She's a fighter, I'm not worried."
"I'll get you some things from your place and bring them back here."
"Thanks Sev." I pulled back from Mills and hesitantly went into Abbey's room. I pulled the curtain of the door to give a little bit of privacy. She looked so small in the big hospital bed. Her left leg was in a cast that stopped right under her knee and an iv was in her left arm. A tube was breathing for her and her head was wrapped in a white bandage, hiding the gash as well as the result from the surgery. My shakind hand took her small one and I pressed a kiss to her knuckles.
"Hey baby, it's me. I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere. Please, you have to come back to me." My tears were freely falling on my cheeks and right now it didn't matter. My girl was hurt and I sent a silent prayer to God to bring her back to us. I wrapped my second hand around hers and leaned my forehead to it, hoping for a miracle. Day slowly sturned into evening when Kelly got some of my things for me and Michelle finally arrived.
"Matt." She rested a hand on my shoulder and my head shot up and our eyes met.
"I'm sorry I couldn't protect her."
"This isn't your fault Matt. It was a freak accident, that's it." I simply nodded my head. "Can I have a few minutes?"
"Sure." I kissed Abbey's hand again before I got up. "I'll be right back baby, I love you." Michelle took me in her arms in a reassuring embrace.
"She'll be alright." I nodded my head. I had to believe that she would come out of it intact. I walked out of the room in search of Severide and Boden. I suddenly had another emotion running through me: Anger. I needed to know who had caused this to my girl, who was that idiot that couldn't even stop at a red light. They were waiting in a bigger waiting room, both a coffee in hand.
"Where's the driver?" I demanded, my voice no longer holding a tremor in it.
"He's still in the Trauma Bay." Boden got up and stood in front of me, sensing i was in a different state of mind.
"What's his story? What's his excuse?"
"PD is with him right now, trying to see what happened."
"What happened is that he plowed right through the red light and into 44. It happened right in front of me."
"Casey, don't do anything stupid before PD is done interrogating him, do you understand me?" Boden's voice left no place for an argument.
"Yes sir."
"Right now, she needs your full attention and nothing else, am I making myself clear lieutenant?"
"Yes sir."
"Now you should go home and get some rest while Michelle is here."
"I can't chief. The nurse said I could use the staff showers and Kelly brought me some changes of clothes, I'm not going anywhere."
"I thought you'd say that. Take as long as you need."
"Thanks." I shook his hand and went back to Abbey's room. I waited outside of it while Michelle was spending some time with her daughter. She came out as I was lost in thought, thinking about our first evening together after the celebration at Molly's.
"I have to head home to grab a few things for her. You should get some sleep Matt."
"I'm fine Mrs Mitchell, I'm not going anywhere."
"Matt." She said a bit sternly. "Abbey would want you to take care of yourself."
"I'll be fine. I can't leave her alone and I can't lose her." Tears were once again pooling in my eyes.
"You're a good man Matthew." She smiled at me. "But I will be back with food for you."
"Thank you." She patted my arm and left so I went back in to sit by Abbey's bed. I held her hand in mine again and played with her fingers. She came back a few hours later with a bag full of food and sat with me until she was satisfied I had eaten enough for her liking. Just as she was done picking up what we had used, a PD officer knocked on the door to Abbey's room.
"Can I have a word with you?" We exchanged a glance and followed him out and closed the door behind us.
"Is it about the driver?"
"As a matter of fact it is. How is miss Mitchell?"
"In a coma thanks to him." I growled.
"Matthew." Michelle put her hand on my arm to calm me down. "She doesn't need this right now. What about the driver?" I had no idea how she could keep this calm knowing her daughter was in a coma before an idiot had run a red light.
"His alcohol levels came back and he was sober at the time of the accident. He fell asleep at the wheel of his truck and that's why he ran the red light. He was at the end of a lengthy shift and was almost done. I hope she wakes up soon."
"Thank you officer." Michelle said and I just nodded. It would have been easier to be mad at the man if he had been drunk or was doing something illegal but he had just been tired and it was just a really bad timing. Michelle left as night evening was dying down. The hospital was suddenly quieter, visiting hours being over so she hugged me and promised to be back in the morning with breakfast. I stayed awake for a few hours, talking to her about anything until I fell asleep. Besides being asleep on an uncomfortable chair, my night was plagues with nightmares of losing her and waking up in a cold sweat before falling back asleep when my breathing came back to normal and that I made sure the monitors read normal vitals. Morning came quickly and I woke up groggy, feeling I hadn't slept at all. The nurse came to check Abbey's vitals and made sure everything was ok.
"Can I get you some breakfast sir?"
"No, I'm good thank you." She smiled at me and left the room. The truth was that my stomach didn't feel hungry and a coffee would do just fine later.
"Don't think you can get rid of me that easily." I turned to see Michelle walk into the room.
"Good morning." I managed a smile and turned back to look at Abbey.
"Did you sleep at all?" The mother side of her taking over immediately.
"Yeah but it was a rough night." I mumble.
"You should go sleep in your own bed."
"No, no, I'm not going anywhere." Nothing and no one was going to make leave this hospital unless Abbey was awake.
"Than at least eat something." She held up a bag from the diner.
I woke up in my bed, at home. The last thing that I remember was the truck slamming into the side of 44. I expected Matt to be in bed with me but his side of it was cold. I figured it was because he was already downstairs, making breakfast. I ventured outside the heat of the bed and shuffled down the hall. It looked almost the same but looking at the walls, there was something different. It wasn't a big difference but it was there. I walked down the stairs and made my way towards the kitchen. The smell that hit my nostrils wasn't Matt's cooking so I cautiously made my way farther in the house. When I made it to the kitchen doorway, my breath suddenly caught in my throat.
"Daddy?"
I ate a few bites of the muffin I was given but I mostly drank the coffee. Michelle had gone in search of a nurse to have an update on Abbey
"Has there been any change in her condition?" Kelly's frame was leaning against the door of her room.
"No. The nurse came in this morning to take her vitals but they've pretty much stayed the same all night."
"You look like hell man." Kelly was always one to speak his mind.
"I've had a very long night, these chairs are a nightmare." I looked away.
"Just the chair? Or were those in your head too?"
"Everytime I fell asleep." I admitted.
"Maybe you need to take a breather from this place."
"I'm fine thanks."
"Come on Matt. Abbey would want you to take care of yourself."
"I'm eating Kelly, her mom is making sure of it. I don't need to take a breather unless she's taking one with me." I took her slender fingers in mine and ran my thumb against her knuckles.
"You're a very stubborn man Casey."
"I love her Kelly. There's nowhere I would be other than by her side."
"Daddy?" I repeated but he kept doing what he already was. Then he turned around and put some food in a plate. I hadn't noticed her until he did this action. He was putting food in a plate for a younger version of myself. I digged through my memory to remember this was the first day of school. I turned around and went through the rest of the main floor, trying to figure out where I really was. The rest of it looked exactly the way it did, twenty years ago. Was I dead? Was it why I was here? No, it couldn't be. I walked to the front door and opened it, getting blinded by the harsh brightness of outside but I was soon flooded with a new memory. My father was running behind me at the wheel of my bike, laughing. I must have been around seven when my dad had told me that it was time to get the training wheels out.
As I looked back at Abbey, something in her had changed. I could see her eyes moving quickly under her eyelids and the monitor showed a slight increase in her heart rate. I quickly took the call remote and pressed on the red button to call the nurse.
"Is there something wrong sir?" She asked as Kelly moved aside to let her in.
"Her heart rate has increased and her eyes are moving." She looked at the monitor and pressed on a button to stop it from making sounds before she checked her vitals with her stethoscope.
"Everything is alright. It's possible that she's dreaming or seeing things while in the coma. Maybe talking to her will help keep her calmer."
I hadn't even realized I had been holding a breath in until I exhaled. "Thank you." I kissed her hand as the nurse left and pressed my lips to her hand. "Hey baby, I'm right here. Open those beautiful eyes, please. I need to know that you're ok and that we'll be ok.
One Week later - Lakeshore
It had been seven days since Abbey slipped into a coma after she was in the accident, while going back to the house after her last call that day. I had stayed by her side every minute of the day, talking to her, hoping she could hear me in there. Her vitals hadn't changed except when she seemed to be seeing something in her mind, temporarily making her heart beat elevate each time. Peter had managed to pry me out of the chair I had been glued in after the fifth day, claiming I looked like death and that Abbey would want me to get some sleep and some food in my system. Michelle had been here every day too, pressing me to eat and to take care of myself, something she claimed Abbey would want but all I could manage to keep down was a few bites of breakfast every day and coffee. I had reluctantly agreed to it but Kelly had been there to make sure I was going home to sleep in my own bed and have a decent meal.
**Flashback**
"You know she'd kick your ass if she saw you like this right?" Kelly had argued on the way to my place.
"I know but I can't Kelly. She's the only thing that makes real sense in my life right now and the thought of losing her is killing me."
"You are not going to lose her, she's a fighter." He argued. "You remember that shift on her first week when she jumped in the water after that guy that hit the bike messenger?"
"Boden had been so mad at her." I chuckled in spite of me.
"She never backed down from that fight and she won't back down from this one but she needs you to take care of yourself too."
"Fine, I'm going in the shower."
"I'll make lunch."
**End Flashback**
I went to the cafeteria to get myself a new coffee and when I got back to Abbey's room, Brett was sitting in the chair I was previously occupying.
"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be resting that leg?"
"I had a check-up this morning, I'm still stuck with this thing for an extra week." She knocked on her boot.
"I'm glad you're ok."
"I'd trade places with her in a heartbeat if it meant that the two of you could be together."
"You know she wouldn't want you in that bed either."
"But I'm her PIC, I should have taken better care of her." She argued.
"There's nothing you, or anyone else for that matter, that could have stopped this from happening. She wouldn't want you to beat yourself up over this. All she'd want is for you to get better."
"I'll keep her in my thoughts." She got up clumsily from the chair and stood by Abbey's bed. "I'll see you soon mermaid." She kissed her forehead before turning towards me to leave.
"Mermaid?" I rose an eyebrow and smirked.
"Yeah, it's a little something between me and her." She shrugged. "I'll see you later Casey."
"Later." I hugged her and she left. "So mermaid huh?" I took Abbey's hand in mine again. "You'll have to tell me that story when you wake up." I smiled. I had taken to talking to her a lot, hoping it would help her come back to us. "She misses you you know. God I miss you, so much. Plus just wake up. I promise everything will be ok."
I watched my dad run after me a little while longer but then, I was no longer looking at the street, eighteen years ago. I was now looking at the street, it looked like it does now except Matt's truck was parked next to mine. I ran my fingers across his company logo...M. Casey Construction. I never thought in a million years that I would find real love like this and yet it had happened. I opened my heart completely to him and it was great, we were great together. I walked back into the house and it seemed almost the same as it was now except I could hear a child's giggles from the kitchen. I followed the laugh and voices and the sight before me was heart stopping. Matt was mixing what looked like a chocolate cake and a little boy was standing next to him on a stool, fingers full of batter.
"Do you think mom will like it?" Matt looked down at the boy next to him.
"I think momma will love it." He smirked. It was the same smirk that graced Matt's face, they were an exact replica.
"Alright, let's get that in the oven and get you cleaned up before mom comes home from shift."
"What do we have here?" The voice startled the little boy.
"Momma." He screamed getting down from the stool and running in the direction of what sounded like my voice.
"Andrew James Casey." My voice was firm but teasing at the same time. "Don't you dare put those sticky fingers anywhere near my walls."
I was suddenly back in my room, lying in bed. I could hear a man's voice talking but it was very far away. Matt, I assumed. I had heard his voice a few times while walking through the house, wondering what was really going on. I tried moving but nothing happened this time. I had my blanket tucked under my arms and all four of my limbs were frozen. And then it dawned on me, I was in a coma.
Two weeks later - Lakeshore
The week following Brett's visit was more of the same. I had stayed at Abbey's bedside most of the time, only going home when I was forced to by either Herrmann, Kelly or Michelle. I had some furlogh saved up so Chief Boden told me to take all the time that I needed and that Abbey was in their prayers. The doctors had come and checked on her, saying that the timeline to her waking up would be up to her. Her body was healing just the way they wanted and there was no physical reason preventing her from waking up.
"Did you hear that baby? Your body is getting better but we still need you to open your eyes. Your mom has been here everyday for the past two weeks, so has Peter and Gabby. Sylvie came a few times but I know it's really hard on her and she blames herself for what happened. The whole Herrmann clan was here yesterday." I smiled just thinking of the comotion they had created and how Herrmann had taken his threatening voice to calm everyone down. "The kids made you drawings and get well cards. Shay says that as soon as you get out of here, she is having you and the others over for girls night and everyone else sends their love." I chuckled. "And I need you to open your eyes. I miss you and I miss us. I never thought that I would feel this way after Hallie and somehow, you allowed my heart to love more than it has in a very long time. I've been trying to take care of myself but it doesn't seem worth it if you're not there with me. I'm just lost so please baby, open your eyes or squeeze my hand to tell me that we'll be ok." I leaned my forehead against her hand and prayed that she ould wake up soon, for everyone's sake.
Now that I was lying in my bed, unable to move, Matt's voice was stronger than it was before. I could hear him telling me about all the visitors that had come in the last two weeks. I had been in the coma two weeks so far and it seemed like my body didn't want to wake. I had tried more than once to wake up but nothing was happening. All I wanted was to wake up and be with Matt. The things I had seen made me hopeful for the future and I wanted to be able to live that future with him, on the other side.
"And I need you to open your eyes. I miss you and I miss us. I never thought that I would feel this way after Hallie and somehow, you allowed my heart to love more than it has in a very long time. I've been trying to take care of myself but it doesn't seem worth it if you're not there with me. I'm just lost so please baby, open your eyes or squeeze my hand to tell me that we'll be ok."
I held onto his words, willing my body to move, only a finger, so he knew I was still in there.
The nurse came again to remove the bandage around her head because the CT scan had shown that everything was ok and the wound was healed enough for them to take it off. I moved a strand of hair that fell in her eyes and placed it behind her ear. It would need a good wash but she looked more like herself this way. I touched her cheek with the back of my hand, trying not to touch the tube that was breathing for her too much. The IV kept dripping, hydrating her because her frame had lost a little bit of mass since she was admitted.
"Your head looks better now so please open your eyes." I'm not even sure if I was dreaming or not but I looked down to where our fingers were intertwined and saw her fingers twitch. "Come on baby, do that again." I was trying not to get my hopes up but I couldn't stop the smile that appeared on my face. Then it happened again, her fingers twitched in mine for a second time. I got up and stretched my body out of the doorframe. "I need a nurse." I called loudly and she quickly came in.
"What is it sir?"
"She moved her fingers, I think she's waking up." She took her vitals again and Abbey moved her fingers again, this time, the nurse had seen it.
"Let's just let her open her eyes by herself so she doesn't get too scared." She lowered the intensity of the lights so her eyes would slowly adjust to her surroundings once she was fully awake.
"Come on baby, I'm right here. Open those beautiful eyes for me." I was waiting impatiently until her eyes slowly started to flutter open. "That's it Abbey, I'm right here, it's ok." Her eyes locked on mine and a tear fell down my cheek as a smile formed on my lips. It took all but a few seconds for her to fully understand what was going on because she started being agitated.
"I need you to calm down for me Miss Mitchell." She was probably panicing due to the lack of air going in her lungs because of the tubes. "Take nice slow breaths, while I go get the doctor." She moved her eyes from the nurse back to mine.
"It's going to be ok, you're going to be ok." I pressed a kiss to her forehead.
"Glad to see you awake Abbey." The doctor came in. He explained to her what they were going to do in the next couple of minutes to remove the tubing from her throat. It only took a few seconds once she had calmed herself to remove the tube.
"Matt." She croacked. I gave her a glass of water with a straw and she took two small sips to rehydrate her mouth.
"Welcome back baby." I smiled at her and pressed a sweet kiss on her lips. Silent tears were falling down her cheeks, clearly happy to finally be awake again.
a/n So Abbey spent two weeks in a coma and saw bits of her past when her father was still alive and she was happy. She also saw in glimps into a possible future with Matt and their son, maybe being a turning point in her desire to come back to the other side.
Up Next: Matt and Abbey go through her healing process and deal with the fact that they almost lost each other.
I really hope you enjoyed this chapter and you'll take a few minutes to leave a review with how you felt about it, I would really love the feedback.