Chapter 28
"Please come in all of you" Leo said, as Piper, Phoebe and Andy appeared at the door to Prue's room. "Take a seat".
Piper and Phoebe took the seats nearest to Leo and Andy sat on the other side, near to Prue. All three were apprehensive to hear the news. They each looked at Prue lying in the bed and then turned their attention back to the doctor.
"Well I have concluded all the tests and I have discussed the results with Dr Jessup already" he said, indicating Bane with his head.
"There is both good news and bad news. Any preference as to which one first?" Leo asked.
They looked at each other and as if by silent agreement, Piper answered for them. "Good news first I think Doctor. It's about time we had some of that" she said, looking him straight in the eye.
"Please call me Leo," he said, offering Piper a reassuring smile.
"Well, the tests I carried out can tell us a few things about your sisters' condition. Firstly, I can tell you that the swelling on her brain and spine are reducing by themselves and this is an excellent sign. The swelling on the spine has reduced to an extent that we can see enough of the spinal chord to tell that there is no damage beyond bruising. This will ultimately disappear as any bruise would once recovery begins."
"So Prue won't be paralysed?" Phoebe asked, smiling properly for the first time since this nightmare began.
"No I don't believe she will. Her spinal chord looks to be in good shape despite the traumas it has suffered."
Piper and Phoebe exchanged relieved smiles whilst Andy simply let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding and silently offered up a prayer of thanks.
"As for the swelling of the brain, this has reduced although it has slowed down a little. At the moment this is nothing to be worried about and is very common. Healing too quickly can cause problems so a gradual improvement is good. I estimate that Prue should wake within the next 48 to 72 hours if things carry on as they are now. The swelling will be almost gone and there should be no reason for her to be unconscious at that point."
"That's excellent news" Andy exclaimed, relieved that soon Prue would be awake and they could finally get some answers.
"Yes it is Inspector Trudeau. However, I did say there was some bad news as well. I'm sorry to have to report this but my tests have shown that when Prue wakes up, there is only a 25 chance that she will have any memories. It is very possible that she will suffer from amnesia."
Silence spread throughout the room as the diagnosis sank in.
'Amnesia!' Piper couldn't believe it. 'To go through all of this and at the end not have any answers, for Prue not to know what she has been through. Ok so maybe that would be a good thing for Prue' Piper thought to herself.
Phoebe's smile disappeared and her eyes filled with tears. 'This can't be happening' she thought to herself. ' I need for Prue to remember. I need for her to tell us that Grams didn't put her through hell because of us. I need her to tell me everything is going to be ok' she thought desperately to herself.
Across the room, Andy's thoughts were following a similar route. 'Please God no. We need answers and she is the only one who can give them to us. Her sisters need to know how she could let things get this far. Hell, I need to know too. But I also need to know that this isn't somehow my fault.'
Leo and Bane exchanged a glance and immediately agreed that now was not the best time to let these people know about Bane's history with Prue. They had enough to deal with and this would only complicate matters and draw their focus away from what was really important right now – the woman lying in the bed, whose future no-one could guess at.
Standing up at the same time as his colleague Dr Wyatt looked at each of them in turn and then turned to walk out of the door. "I realise this is a lot for you to take in right now. Dr Jessup and I will be in his office when you have questions. Take your time, talk amongst yourselves and talk to Prue too. She can still hear you I assure you." With that said, both Doctors walked out the door and made their way to Bane's office. They would have a drink, a personal catch up conversation to relieve the tension and then they would discuss the best course of treatment for Prue.
Once the door had closed behind the retreating Doctors nobody moved a muscle. Rooted to their seats they were each stunned to the point where original thoughts had ceased creeping into their brains. The same things were on constant repeat for each of them.
'This can't be happening.' 'They must be wrong.' 'How can this be happening?' 'What if she doesn't remember me?' 'What if she can't tell us what happened?' 'What if she isn't the same person when she wakes up?'
Their thoughts mirrored each others but none of them realised this. They were each feeling the same emotions in equal measures. They sat there for nearly 30 minutes in stunned silence, each lost in their own world of pain. None of them wanting to voice what they were all thinking, yet knowing someone would have to say it first.
One by one, they each left their own thoughts and turned to look at Prue, lying silently in the bed in exactly the same position she had since she had arrived there. Looking at her lying there, each of them had their own feelings of resentment towards her. None of them wanted to voice them aloud, but they each felt them, and they each felt ashamed.
Desperate to break the silence, Phoebe moved closer to her sleeping sister. "Prue, honey? Come on now. You have been sleeping long enough. We need for you to wake up, remember everything and help us put that scum bag behind bars. I need you to wake up and tell me the truth. You're my big sister Prue. You are the one who was supposed to look after me – but you should have looked after yourself too. How could you think that by keeping all this to yourself, and allowing him to hurt you in this way would be for our best? How could you think that you being hurt would not hurt us? And what about the secrets Prue? I know I shouldn't be angry with you, but damn it I am. How could you not tell us? How could you keep such huge things from us? And I don't just mean Roger. I mean Grams too. Damnit Prue, you should have told me. You should have told us." Phoebe finished, breaking down into gut wrenching sobs as she let her anger pour out.
Piper moved next to her crying sister and put her arms around her. She had tears in her eyes and could feel her emotions boiling to the surface. With one arm around Phoebe she took Prue's hand in the other. "She's right Prue. What the hell gives you the right to keep secrets from your sisters? You and Grams both brought us up to not keep secrets from your family. Did you forget that lesson yourself? For God's sake Prue, this is hurting us 100 times more than if you had come to us at the beginning. We would never have thought any less of you – you practically raised us – we look up to you more than anyone. Did you never notice how we both tried to be like you? Everything you did and said influenced the way we lived our lives – we could never be disappointed in you, and we could never think bad of you. We love you Prue, but God knows you make it so bloody difficult sometimes." Piper finished, feeling as if a weight had been lifted from her.
The two conscious sisters hugged each other and waited for the tears to stop. When they did they both turned to look at Andy. He looked so lost, standing with his hands in his pockets, tears in his eyes and a hurt look across his features. They knew that this was hurting him almost as much as it was hurting them. And they also knew that he had some things to say which he would feel better for getting off his chest.
Piper let go of Phoebe and made her way over to him. "Andy. I know this is hard but trust me, you will feel much better if you just say it. Say whatever is hurting you and then you can focus on helping Prue. Until you do it is just going to eat away at you. We'll leave the room if you'd prefer. Or we can stay and give you support – your choice. But please Andy, let go of it now because once she wakes up, she is going to need you whether she realises it or not, and if you are carrying bottled up feelings and resentment you will not be able to help her the way you want to" Piper said, hoping he would let them help him.
"She's right Andy. Say whatever you want, no-one here is going to judge you after our little sermons. We know how much you still love her. Do what's best for you and for Prue. You know it's the only way Andy" Phoebe said, taking his hand and looking him straight in the eye.
"You're right. I need to do this for both our sakes. Please, stay. I need you guys to hear this too." Andy said, as he moved towards the bed, and took hold of Prue's hand.
