Danny sat by Sandy's bedside. It was Friday. On Saturday, the doctor had told him if Sandy didn't wake up in a week, she wouldn't wake up at all. It was Friday, and she still wasn't awake. In nearly twenty four hours, the doctor was to pull the plug that was keeping her alive.
Every day that week, Danny had tried to urge her awake. He tried to get her finger to move like it had that one time, but this time, nothing was working. The situation seemed pretty hopeless. His head knew that she was dead, that she really wasn't going to wake up, but something else was telling him that there was still a chance for her. He chose not to listen to his head. He needed some sanity, and clinging to hope was all he had.
He stayed with her that night, for that might have been the last time he ever lay with her. His dreams were full of nightmares about losing her.
The next morning, he woke up and glanced at Sandy, she still wasn't awake. He looked at the clock. If she didn't wake up in four hours, the plug would be pulled. Once again, Danny tried urging her awake, but nothing was working. Soon, Molly had arrived.
"Is she awake?" she asked.
"Not yet," Danny said, trying not to sound too miserable in front of the girl. "Should be any minute now though,"
"Good," Molly said. "I've got so much to tell her!"
Danny looked at the hope in the little girl's eyes and wanted to cry. She was so sure that her sister would wake up…what would happen when she didn't?
"Come one Sandy," Molly said, shaking her sister's arm. "Ya gotta wake up soon. I really miss you!"
Danny had to turn away so that Molly wouldn't see the tears.
An hour went by. Then two. Then three.
Sandy was still not awake.
By that time, the gang had arrived, and they were all making their way to Sandy's room, like usual. They all stopped when they saw Danny holding Molly as she cried.
Danny was sitting outside with Molly while her parents said their goodbyes.
"Danny, what's happening?" Molly asked innocently.
"Molly…" Danny began. "Something…something happened…in Sandy's brain…she…she isn't gonna wake up Molly…"
"What do you mean?" Molly said, fear clouding her young face. "You said she would wake up any minute now,"
"It's not what I thought," Danny said, a lump forming in his throat and tears clouding his vision.
"But…she is gonna wake up right?" Molly asked. "Just not today?"
"No Molly," Danny said. "Sandy isn't gonna wake up…ever…"
"But…but…you said…" Molly said, tears building up. "You said it would all be ok…you said she would wake up…"
"I'm sorry Molly…"
"No!" Molly shouted. "You said! You said it would be ok! You said! Mommy said! Daddy said! Rizzo said! They promised me! She has to wake up!"
"Molly listen," Danny said firmly. "Sometimes, things happen, and we don't know why. We thought Sandy would wake up, and she didn't. How were we supposed to know?"
"But…you said…" Molly said, and the tears became uncontrollable. Danny pulled the sobbing girl into a tight embrace.
"I'm sorry Molly…" he said. "I'm so sorry…"
"What's goin' on?" Jan asked worriedly.
"I don't know…" Roger answered. He looked at the scene that was happening down the hall. "It sure don't look good…"
"I ain't ever seen Danny like that…" Marty said. "Ya don't think…"
"No…it can't be…" Sonny said, although he too was beginning to fear the worst.
Rizzo's stomach churned. It can't be true…
Kenickie grabbed Rizzo's hand and she squeezed his. They all began walking towards Danny and Molly and Rizzo pushed Kenickie's chair, starting to feel light in the head.
"Is…Is everything alright?" Sonny asked.
Danny looked up at all his friends around him. Molly continued sobbing into his shoulder. His eyes were red.
"Oh God…" Jan said nervously. "Sandy ain't…"
Danny picked up Molly and stood up. He glanced at the clock on the wall. "If she don't wake up in fifteen minutes…that's it…"
"So she could still wake up?" Rizzo said, her heart pounding. Everything around her was spinning.
"It ain't gonna happen," Danny spat. "She's…she's dead,"
Jan buried her face in Roger. Marty slapped her hand over mouth and Sonny quickly put his arm around her. Rizzo couldn't remember the last time she had felt so much pain…She killed her…she was a murderer…again…her chest was tightening…it was getting harder and harder to breathe…everything was starting to get black…
Rizzo dropped to the floor in a dead faint. Everyone gasped, and Sonny dropped to his knees and tried to shake her awake.
"Can we get some help over here?" Sonny called. A doctor rushed over and they lifted Rizzo away on a stretcher. Everyone was about to follow them, but just then, Sandy's parents came out of the room, their eyes red and puffy. Sandy's mother took the now asleep Molly in her arms. She whispered something to Danny and pulled him into a tight embrace. Her husband then did the same. She then became hysterical again and her husband wrapped his arms around her and rushed her down the hall. Danny entered Sandy's room, and everyone followed, Doody pushing Kenickie's chair.
Ten minutes. Ten minutes until Sandy was officially pronounced dead. Danny sat down by her bedside. Jan and Marty had become hysterical at this point, and all the boys had silent tears streaming down their faces. Danny was just sitting there with his eyes closed, holding Sandy's hand to his face.
With five minutes to go, the doctor and the nurse arrived, prepared to pull the plug. The five minutes passed by like five seconds, and Danny's body had begun to shake. The doctor bent down to unplug the machine.
But then something incredible happened.
"Wait!" Danny cried, causing the doctor to freeze.
"What's wrong?" the doctor said.
"She…she…" Danny stared at Sandy's hand. "She dug her nails into my face,"
"Does that mean she's wakin' up?" Roger asked.
"Well let's see," the doctor said.
"Sandy, do that again. Move your hand," Danny urged her. Her hand squeezed Danny's. "She squeezed my hand!" Danny beamed. "She's gonna wake up!"
Everyone held their breath and waited for her eyes to open.
"Come on Sandy," Danny urged. "Think as hard as ya can. Come on. You can do it. Squeeze my hand again. Over and over," She kept squeezing his hand.
"Look!" Jan said. "Her other hand is movin'!"
"Come on Sandy!" Danny said. "You can do it!"
Then it stopped. Both of her hands stopped moving. "Sandy?" Danny's voice cracked "What happened?" he demanded.
"Well, her brain could have stopped again…" the doctor said.
"No…Come on Sandy…" he said, tears forming in his eyes. "Come on Sandy, please…"
Just then, she squeezed his hand again and her eyes popped open. Everyone's breath stopped again.
"Sandy?" Danny said, his heart pounding nearly out of his chest.
"Danny?" a cracked voice whispered.
"Sandy!" Danny cried. He lied down next to her and held her, tears of absolute joy streaming down his face.
"Thank God!" Jan sighed. They all joined the embrace on her bed, all besides Kenickie. The doctor ran out of the room to find the girl's family.
Sandy's parents came running, and everyone moved out of the way. Both of them were hysterical.
"Mom, Dad!" Sandy said embracing her parents.
"I knew it!" Molly said. "I knew you'd wake up! They said you wouldn't, but I knew all along!"
"Molly!" Sandy pulled her little sister into a tight embrace.
"I missed you!" Molly said.
"I missed you too," Sandy said, kissing Molly's head.