Fifty three

Rick's POV

My eyes opened slowly and I was staring at a bright white light. "is he alive?" I heard Jody ask. Mike laughed.

"Yes Jody. Look I think he is coming around," Mike replied. I blinked and saw that at the bottom of my bed was most of Elm Tree House. And then I realised I wasn't in Elm Tree. I was in hospital. I sat up slowly. "careful Rick, don't pull the wires out," he told me. I looked down at my hand and saw a wire was attached to my hand. I nodded and finally came to a position where I was looking directly at everyone rather than having to crane my neck forwards. I noticed Charlie, Blake and Jessie weren't there and neither was Josh.

"Where are the other?" I asked. Everyone's eyes flickered either left or right of my bed. I glanced to my left and there was Charlie and Blake. Charlie was like me sat up in bed but was being attended to by a doctor or nurse. Blake was still laying down and his eyes were closed. He was also wearing an oxygen mask. I then diverted my eyes to the right where I could see Jessie laying in her hospital bed. As expected, Josh was sat in the chair next to her. He was crying. I looked at her unmoving body and then turned back to Mike. "Please tell me she isn't dead. Tell me I got there in time to save her," I pleaded with him. Mike glanced over at Josh and Jessie.

"She isn't dead Rick. She's in a coma. She might never wake and if she does she might be paralysed. She inhaled a lot of smoke and she hit her head really hard. They are going to do a CT scan to check for brain damage. Rick I can't promise anything, except tell you saved Blake's life. He's just asleep at the moment. The drugs knocked him out," Mike told me slowly and carefully. I felt my heart tighten. No wonder Josh was crying. He didn't know if he would ever get to talk to his sister again.

I swung my feet out the bed and walked towards my unmoving girlfriend. I felt a tugging in my hand as I pulled the bag of fluids behind me. I sat on the edge of her bed with Josh. He looked pale. "if only I had come in with you two. Then maybe she wouldn't be like this," Josh told me. I shook my head.

"it wouldn't have made any difference mate," I told him honestly. "Jessie wasn't in a good state when we got there," I explained. We both held one of her hands. I saw one of Josh's tear fall onto her pale skin. She didn't react. At this moment a nurse bustled over.

"Rick Barber get back in your bed now. You'll make yourself ill," the nurse told me. I glared but did as instructed. She took my wires out and she also checked me over medically. "Mr Milligan. Charlie and Rick here are fine to go home. Both have recovered well. As for Miss Thomas and Mr Stuart however need to stay in, at least overnight in Mr Stuart's case. As for Miss Thomas, well we will keep you updated on her progress," she told Mike. Mike nodded and Charlie and I hopped out of bed, ready to leave. Josh stood up slowly, not wanting to leave Jessie. We led him out the hospital.

It's been a week since the fire. Josh, Charlie and I have all popped in to see Jessie. Blake got let out two days ago. He's fine too. Jessie is still in a coma. She looks so peaceful whenever we come and see her. I'm worried she might die and nobody would realise. Today we have brought new flowers for her bedside table. Charlie put them in the vase. Josh held one of her hands and I held the other. Josh was crying again and I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes too. "Where's the fighter that is my sister? Where's your fight against this Jessie?" Josh asked her quietly. I felt a bit of pressure against my hand but shrugged it off. Jessie was in a coma.

"Come on Jessie. Wake up. Say something to us," I whispered. This time I felt her finger tighten round mine and I couldn't just pass it off as my imagination because from the looks of it, Josh could feel it to. "Josh, did you just...?" I trailed off and he nodded. "Jessie. If you can hear us squeeze our hands," I told her. She squeezed them hard and dug her nails in. "Charlie go get someone and quickly," I told him. He nodded and ran out, down the corridor towards the nurses' station. He came back with one of the nurses. She looked at the monitors and then checked Jessie over.

"I think you are right boys. I think she is coming out," she said. "Call me once she's awake." She said kindly, leaving us alone with Jessie. We all exchanged a glance, how do you bring a teenager out of a coma.

"Jessie. We know you can hear us just open your eyes. Please sweetie?" I begged.

"Come on Honey, you can do it," Josh told her.

Charlie just nodded in agreement. Her eyes flickered. "Sweetie? Honey?" she muttered. "I don't think I've ever been called that before." She looked up at us. "Hi Rick, Josh, Charlie." She added. All three of us surged round her and gave her a massive hug.

"Oh Jessie. You're alright," Josh told her happily. He was crying again but this time it was with happiness.

"I think so. I'm curious though, why am I in hospital?" she asked us. We all exchanged a panicked glance. I got up and went to get the nurse. She came back in.

"Afternoon Jessie. Now listen. We think you may have short-term memory loss. Can you tell us what the last thing you remember was?" she asked her gently. Jessie thought for a moment.

"I remember going to school, finding out about Jade, crying on Charlie, going to rehearsal and being picked up. After that I can't remember anything else," she said calmly. The nurse nodded.

"That's as expected Jessie. You may never get the memories of those few hours back but hopefully you will," she said. "the doctors will need to take a few tests but you should be able to go home soon." The nurse left again.

Jessie looked at us scared. "What happened? And how long have I been in here?" We all exchanged a glance.

"Well we were practising and you and Blake were in the basement practising and then there was fire and you got trapped. And you collapsed. Too much smoke inhalation. And you've been in a coma a little over a week," Charlie said quickly, hoping that would soften the blow. Jessie blinked several times.

"right," she said and looked panicked. "I don't remember any of this." We all looked at her sympathetically and we hugged her again.

A/N: Aw, cute and sad chapter all in one. Jessie really isn't having a good time of it is she? Indigo :)