Hello everyone! Lately people have been having questions about why I name the chapters the way that I do and all I will say is that there is a reason in some way shape or form why I name all of them the way that I do. Also, I just wanted to address this other question about April. Even though I am basing this series most off of the 2012 interpretation of the characters, in my story April is not a Human-alien hybrid. In my story April is just a normal human being. I hope that clears things up. Well, I won't hold you guys up anymore and I hope you enjoy the chapter. :)
(Kaito's POV)
"I'm so sorry, father. I should have told you what's been going on a long time ago, but… I don't know. Everything just fell apart last night and I don't know what I'm supposed to do. Zach got injured, Molly flew off the handle… I just don't know? I'm a failure." I say, still not believing how quickly everything went wrong last night.
I just told my father everything that's been happening and… I felt ashamed. I felt like I wanted to be punished, like I wanted to go out of my way to ask my parents to punish me. Molly, Zach, and I are a team… and I feel like everything about our team was shattered like vase against concrete after last night.
I should have known we weren't going to bust three of our most dangerous targets that easily and not even thinking they had back up. Last night was a setup from the start, but did I see that? No… and look where that got us.
I kept internally beating myself up until I felt a hand on my shoulder as I heard father say, "Kaito, you are not a failure and you're not the first leader to feel like this, trust me."
I gave him the most shocked expression I had at what he said.
"Leader? Father you know that we have no leader in our team. Also, what would make me qualified after this complete disaster? I don't deserve to be thought of like that." I say, still hating myself for what happened and not knowing why father said I was the leader.
"Kaito, let me tell you something. When I was 15 and I took up the leadership position in the team with my brothers, I quickly realized that leadership wasn't everything it was cracked up to be. It's not this valued and glorious thing like they show on Space Heroes. Being a leader is more than just the honor of actually leading and giving direction to your team, it's a burden that I've had my whole life, even before me and my brothers were vigilantes. As kids, when my brothers would get completely out of control because Splinter wasn't around, I was the one that took up the responsibility of making everyone get along. Sure being leader has it's perks and moments of glory, but it's a position of pressure and stress that constantly tests you and tries to crack you under it." Father explains, trying to make me see some point that I still wasn't getting.
"But, again, father… I'm not a leader. I've never been a leader. You're a leader. I'm not. After this, I don't think it's in me to be one. I feel like I'm not even able to handle myself at this point much less be completely responsible over a team." I say, hanging my head as the guilt and shame continued to consume me.
I felt father's hand squeeze my shoulder to get my attention as he started, "Look Kaito, what I'm really trying to tell you is that being a leader has more than one meaning. It's not something that's purely given or obtained or any one thing. I remember when I was in a similar position as you when I was around your age. I made an extremely stupid decision and jumped into a fight that ended in your Uncle Don getting seriously hurt… and I hated myself and thought I wasn't good enough anymore to call myself a leader… and I was close to losing hope in my ability as a leader, and trust me I was close… until your grandfather talked some sense into me later on. Basically he told me that leadership is an ever changing responsibility that you need to be prepared for and learn from if you fail. This was the first real failure you all had to face on your own. But, doing nothing and not learning from it is your real enemy."
"Yes, but why do you keep calling me a leader? I'm not!" I say, still frustrated and feeling like he wasn't listening to me.
But then I felt his other hand grab onto my other shoulder as he said, "Kaito, ever since I've known you, I could sense so much about you and what you were like, even back then. You're strong, you're loyal, you're determined, and you would do anything in your power to maintain both you and your Clan's honor. You're a lot like both myself and your mother in that way. Also, I know I'm not out there with you and Molly a lot anymore, but I can sense that you are a leader in your team without even knowing you are. When I look at you, Molly, and Zach running your classes; I see something that you have completely become oblivious to. You are always the one giving direction, the one Molly or Zach look to when they have a problem… you are more of a leader than you know. And I understand the pressure that comes with everyone turning to you for a plan when they have no idea what to do, even if you also have no idea what to do. Trust me, I get it. But, the real question is, as a leader, what are you going to do with the situation now?"
I just kept looking at father, my face blank with confusion as I processed everything he said.
(Molly's POV)
I was sitting in the chair next to Walt, since there were no other chairs we could get to since the nurses working on Zach were all over the place.
I really didn't know why I was still here. Zach has no idea I'm even here and right now. That and I'm now just stuck in awkward silence between me and Walt. Other than the nurses making side comments about what they were doing at the moment and the ominous beeping of Zach's heart monitor and whatever that machine is that I can only assume is helping him breathe, it was pretty much painful and awkward silence.
Then again, what else are we supposed to say right now?
No one will tell us anything until Mr. and Mrs. Riley get here and… "Where is he?!" I glanced over to where the familiar male voice was coming from outside the room.
"Where's my son?!" I heard the voice call out again, sounding even more panicked, it had to be Mr. Riley. Before I could even say anything Mr. and Mrs. Riley were in the doorway leading into the room, both of them looking completely out of their minds.
They didn't even look in Walt and I's direction as they immediately got a glimpse of Zach's current condition, both of their expressions dropping.
I didn't notice before, but Mrs. Riley looked like she'd already been crying, not that I can blame her or judge her, I did the exact same thing… that and Zach's her son. I'm sure my parents would go insane if I was in Zach's position, but I wish it was me at this point.
Actually, I wish I was the one unconscious and having no idea what's going on around me instead of having a constant series of emotional train wrecks attacking my brain and feeling sick to my stomach that there's absolutely nothing I can do to help him.
As much as it pains me beyond my limits to admit it, I felt helpless… almost stranded.
Mrs. Riley's hand flew over her mouth as both her and Mr. Riley looked at Zach in the same state of shock that I was in when I saw him 45 minutes ago.
"My baby... I can't believe this happened to him. What's going on?!" Zach's mom exasperated, looking completely out of her mind seeing the condition Zach was in.
She tried to step closer to him, but a nurse held out a hand to keep her from getting closer and explained, "Ma'am, I'm going to have to ask you to stay away for a little bit longer until we're finished with stabilizing the patient, okay?"
"But, I'm his mother. What's going on?" Mrs. Riley said, still looking on the verge of bursting into tears and hysterics.
"The doctor will tell you when he gets here." The other nurse explains offhandedly as they continued working on Zach.
Mrs. Riley hesitantly backed away and as much as I felt fed up and wanted to just stand up and go off on the nurse to just let Mrs. Riley get as close as she damn well wants because that's her son lying there… I just had to sit there and bite my tongue.
But, finally Mrs. Riley looked over to see Walt and I sitting at the opposite end of the room as Mr. Riley was still locked up where he was standing, still in shock.
She came right over and hugged Walt almost immediately and I just sat there looking, not knowing what else to do.
But, surprisingly then she looked over to me and my eyes went wide when she stopped hugging Walt and then gave me a hug too. Sure Mrs. Riley usually hugs me when she sees me, because that's just how she is. Before I could return the hug though, she backed away from me slightly and my eyes went wide for a second when her hands flew to the sides of my face to cradle my head and she was giving me the most beyond happy yet saddest smile I have probably ever seen in my life.
"Molly, Walt told us everything about Zach walking home with you and your cousin when you were randomly attacked? Are you okay? Are you hurt too?" She asks, looking completely concerned about me.
"No, Mrs. Riley, I'm okay and…" "Yeah, she came over and told me so I could call you and dad." Walt says interrupting my explanation, but also sounding like he was backing me up.
I tried to hold back my shock that Walt was still actually being… nice?
Whatever? At least he didn't rat out Zach for patrolling and used the same BS cover story that we've all been using to cover up what actually happened.
So once Mrs. Riley looked back at me, I just nodded in agreement since I felt like I couldn't speak whatsoever anymore.
That sad smile came back on her face at me as she brushed one of her thumbs in a comforting way over my cheek and said, sounding almost on the verge of tears again, "It's just so nice to see you here, sweetie."
Then she just pulled me in for another hug and I slowly returned it, not knowing what else to do.
I still have no idea why, but Zach's parents have always really liked me.
Even though I don't think I've done anything more than smiling, saying hi, and being polite like any normal, decent human being was raised to do when they're at someone's house.
But, I guess the fact that Walt's crappy behavior in the past never scared me off or made me think less of them made them really like me. Which I don't know why they'd think that though? Just because their oldest son acts like a complete ass doesn't mean I'd think less of them.
Walt and Zach's parents are actually very nice, normal, welcoming, and decent people.
Mrs. Riley kept hugging me until some guy who looked like he was somewhere in his sixties in dark blue scrubs walked in with a hair net on his head and holding a large yellow envelope in hand, dismissing the nurses from the room.
He looked to Mr. Riley first, since he was the one closest to the door, and held out his hand as he said, "Hello sir, I'm Dr. Johanson, I'm an ER trauma surgeon here and Zachary was my patient earlier today. Are you Zachary's guardian?"
Mr. Riley eventually collected himself after looking like he was completely shattered from shock and trying to pick up his own pieces as he shook the doctor's hand and replied, sounding a little strained to keep his voice even, "Yes, I'm his father, John Riley. What's going on? Just tell me, is he…" "Just calm down, Mr. Riley. Just have a seat and I'll explain everything." Dr. Johanson explains, sounding reassuring.
Eventually he was able to get Mr. and Mrs. Riley to sit down and introduced himself to the rest of us.
But, he looked surprised when he asked what my connection to Zach was and I said that I was his girlfriend. But then again, it's not like I said that and Zach and I were adults.
I mean, come on, I'm still 16 and Zach literally just turned 17 last week, so what adult would take a teenage couple seriously, right? But, I got it, and I really didn't care what he was thinking right now.
I just wanted to finally know what the hell was going on.
Finally he looked to all of us and clapped his hands together like a freaking coach addressing a football team, before saying, "Okay, Zachary arrived here several hours ago and immediately saw me and my operating team upon arrival for emergency body trunk surgery. In simple terms it means I was doing surgery on his chest and… well, in my 30 years as a surgeon, and I can tell you that I have seen quite a few cases such as your son's that didn't end well, but Zachary's was something that I can safely say that I have never seen in all my years of performing chest trauma surgeries."
"Why? What was wrong? Was it worse?" Mrs. Riley said, still looking entirely on edge as she was clutching Mr. Riley's hand to ground herself almost.
"No, no… there was nothing wrong in your son's situation. Actually… here just let me show you." He said, pulling out what looked like a thin sheet of plastic out of the large envelope he was holding and placed it on this light board on the wall, making me realize it was an x-ray film.
"This is Zachary's pre-limb chest x-ray before surgery, so as you can see, the six white circular objects are the firearm projectiles, or bullets to use layman's terms, that entered his chest. Usually in my past cases that I've faced with patients whose gunshot wounds were in the same centralized area around the sternum like Zachary's usually include heart trauma and is usually a hint to show the patient has little to no likelihood of survival. But just look at your son's wounds here. This white mass in the center that you see here is Zachary's heart… and every one of those 6 shots, by some miracle, missed the heart entirely. Almost outlining the heart perfectly and every shot missing the heart by a fraction of a centimeter. That was the good news and the surgery went amazingly well, but… here's the bad news. Your son lost an incredible amount of blood that nearly killed him and the shots did puncture through the superior lobes of both his lungs, causing his lungs to fill up with blood and make him almost go into total respiratory failure. Which is why I advised that Zachary be put on an endotracheal tube ventilator system to assist with his breathing and help his lungs heal faster, but he should be off this system in a week and put on normal oxygen. Luckily though, as you can see now, we got your son into a stable condition to make a full recovery." He explains, but it only earned him a confused look from me.
"So, what's the problem then?" I decide to get out, still not understanding since all of that news sounded like great news to me that Zach was going to be more than okay eventually.
The doctor rubbed the back of his neck nervously, pursing his lips and looking hesitant before explaining, "Well, here's the thing that all of you need to understand. Zachary's body suffered an unimaginable amount of trauma and shock to the point of almost… here, I'll put it this way. The human body in a situation like this is like a computer when it encounters a virus. And what does a computer do when it needs to be fixed or recover? It shuts down and resets itself, right?"
I felt like almost strangling him right now into just telling us what the hell was wrong?!
Well, that and he's comparing Zach's situation to a freaking computer like he's explaining this to a bunch of children, which I didn't appreciate whatsoever right now. But, even though it was harder than you can believe for me, I bit my tongue and kept listening, "So, Zachary is an unconscious state at the moment while his body recovers in these early stages."
"Are you trying to say… he's in a coma?" Mr. Riley questions, and me just not believing the doctor didn't just say Zach's in a coma instead of doing that long stupid explanation.
I mean come on?! Any idiot knows what a freaking coma is?!
The doctor looked taken aback before nodding and recomposing himself before responding, "Yes, to put it in simple black and white terms, Zachary is in a comatose state."
"Okay, he's… in a coma, but when is he going to come out of it?" Mrs. Riley asks, still looking pretty shaken up by everything and just wanting to know what we all did.
When was Zach going to wake up?
The doctor clicked his tongue on the roof of his mouth and shrugged before answering, "Well, a coma's a tricky thing to put time constraints on since everyone's situation that got themselves into a coma is different. He could be awake as early as tomorrow or as late as… well, I don't know… The only thing you need to look to now is let him rebuild his health, which shouldn't be too hard for a young and healthy individual like your son. Well, I have to go back downstairs and finish my scheduled surgeries for today. Just call my office if you folks need anything."
Zach's parents thanked him before he left, but I wasn't even paying attention anymore as my eyes kept looking back and forth between the x-ray and Zach, followed by my stomach twisting tighter and tighter until I felt like I was almost going to be sick.
Again, I just feel… powerless. But, what can I do?
There's nothing I can do now.
A little later that day
(Caitlyn's POV)
After another awkward encounter with Kaito's mom staring daggers into me, for reasons I still don't know, when I asked her where I could find Kaito, I finally was able find him in his usual side of the dojo, but there was a problem… I couldn't see him anywhere.
But then I saw the supply closet door opened and the light on and looked in to see him slowly reorganizing one of the shelves. Sure I could have just messaged him somehow to ask how he was doing after last night, but I just really wanted to see how he was really doing in person.
I slowly approached him and I hesitantly put a hand on his shoulder and I was shocked to see him whip his whole body around to face me, looking at me genuinely surprised.
Wow, he must have really been spaced out.
But, he gave me a forced smile, even though I could see the stress practically oozing out of every outer-surface of his body.
"Hey, what's going on? I didn't know you were coming." He said, putting his hands on my waist as my hands followed suit and went to his shoulders like usual.
This actually felt so nice right now, especially after the day we both had.
I didn't have time to respond since he leaned in and kissed me before I had the chance. It was short though, but it still felt nice.
Once we were back to looking at each other, I said, "I just wanted to see you and see how you were holding up… and don't lie either." I was trying to sound playful to try and lighten up the situation, and it made us both crack a small smile at each other, but nothing more.
But after everything that's happened in the past 12 hours, can you blame us?
Kaito just shrugged at me before he responded, "I'm doing as well as I can, I guess. It's been a long day. Have you heard anything about Zach? How's he doing?"
I bit my lip for a second to collect myself before I replied, "Well, according to what Zach's mom told my mom, Zach's alive but he's not doing too well right now… I'm kind of surprised Molly didn't tell you. Have you heard anything from her? How's she doing?" Kaito just sighed, still looking incredibly tense, as he shrugged at me again and replied, "Honestly, I don't know. I haven't heard anything from her all day."
Seriously… this is probably the worst day ever. I'm even stressed about it and I was barely a part of the situation, but it's just been non-stop worrying for me all day today.
I kept thinking about what to say, just to say anything to possibly lighten things up a little.
Then I remembered a conversation I had with my mom a couple days ago when she gave me an idea that I originally shot down out of possible embarrassment, but… then again at this point, why not?
"Hey Kaito, are you doing anything tomorrow?" He quirked up an eyebrow at me and tilted his head before saying, "Other than watching my sister for a little bit in the morning, nothing really. Why?"
"Well, my mom asked a couple days ago if you wanted to come over for dinner since my brother Jake finally came home from college today. But, before you say anything, both of my brothers together are an embarrassment waiting to happen, mainly for us." I offer, trying to be upfront with Kaito about how Jake and Bret can be together and embarrass me beyond my limits, which is the main reason why I try not to bring friends over from school when they're both at home.
But, to my surprise at this moment, I saw a ghost of that familiar sly yet confident smirk on his face as he replied, "I think can handle it and I am definitely looking forward to it."
I smirked at him saying that last line, remembering him saying that to me all the time after hanging out, or more recently on dates, with me.
But hey, I guess I owe him an embarrassing dinner with my family since I had one with his that one time. Sure I'm already dreading everything my brothers will probably have lined up since Kaito is coming over and then add him being my boyfriend on top of that… yeah, it's freaking me out.
But, guess it's time to get even, right?
Well, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and I also understand if some of you will need to look up some of the 'medical jargon' that I used in Zach's health status portion. But, I just wanted to use my medical knowledge that I've learned from school to describe Zach's exact condition as accurately as I possibly could. Also, just keep in mind that this story takes place almost 18 years into the future, so I'd like to think that medicine will continue to improve and evolve by that time. And next chapter you can look forward to finally getting a taste of Caitlyn's life growing up in her family now that both her brothers are going to be present, and you all will finally get to meet her oldest brother Jake. Anyway, thanks for reading and reviews are always appreciated. Have a wonderful day everyone!
-Dexter1995
