DISCLAIMER-I DON'T OWN THE TITANS-as usual Ryan Hurst is a god and I wish I
owned him but you know how that goes. Ashley, her dad and random friends
are mine too.
"Ashley! Oh my god!" I slowly came to with my head in Matt's lap and Melanie lightly tapping my face. Matt helped me to my feet. "Tell me.tell me that I didn't just see what I think I saw." I said slowly. Mel's tearstained face told me that my worst fears had come true. "He just pulled out into the intersection.the ambulance took him to the ER."
I took a deep breath. "I need to go to the hospital." Matt and Mel looked at me. "You've had a rough enough night-you should just go home-" "No! You don't understand.you don't have to drive me I can find someone-" "I'll take her." A voice behind us said. I spun around and Ronnie was standing right behind me. I looked up at him, tears rolling down my cheeks, overcome with emotion. Matt cut in to my overwhelming moment. "Ahh Bass thanks a lot man. Make sure she gets home ok-she's had a rough night-Budds was a real ass to her-I'm sure she'll fill you in." Mel turned to me. "Hang in there kid. Call me if you need anything." She gave me a hug, then she grabbed Matt's hand and they walked to their car.
I stood there; my eyes welled over with tears, my back to Ronnie. He put his hand on my shoulder. "Are you sure you want to do this?" He asked me. I nodded. He guided me to his car, his hand on the small of my back. I got into his car and leaned against the window. "What happened with Ray?" He asked, a slight hint of malice in his voice.
"He was drunk and he made a scene and I wouldn't go upstairs with him at this stupid party so I got fed up and dumped him in front of the entire place. Then Mel and Matt were coming in and I knew they were probably my only shot of a sober ride out of there so I got them to take me home and on the way we saw the party in the parking lot and they wanted to stop by so we did.and we were there for a while when Gerry-" I couldn't finish. My eyes had overflowed with tears again and I had started weeping. What if he wasn't ok? What if I didn't get to tell him how sorry I was? What if.the questions ran through my mind and it made me feel even worse.
By that time, we had pulled into the parking lot at the Alexandria Memorial Hospital. Ronnie parked the car and he turned to face me. I looked up at him, then collapsed into his arms crying. "What have I done to myself?" I whispered through sobs. I could feel his grip tighten on me. "Ash.don't think about any of that right now. You have enough on your plate, there will be time for all of that later."
I looked into his eyes. "How can you put up with me? After the bitch I've been-" He cut me off. "You haven't been a bitch.you just haven't been you, and I might not have loved that, but I'm not gonna ostracize you for it."
I dried my tears and climbed out of Ronnie's car. We walked in silence towards the hospital doors and into a crowded room. The Titans sat around the room in silence, many with their heads in their hands either crying or praying, I couldn't tell which. When they became aware of my presence, I was the target of many sharp looks, looks that said "What are you doing here little miss sellout?" I think Ronnie could tell that I was uncomfortable, so he put his arm around me and led me over to the guys.
"How bad is it?" He asked the group.
The guys looked back and forth at one another, as if debating who would be the one to break it to him. Alan spoke up. "Paralyzed. From the waist down."
My heart nearly stopped beating in my chest. I closed my eyes together tight, thinking maybe if I prayed enough I could wish it all away, but when I opened my eyes again, the stern looks on the team's faces made it clear that my wish hadn't come true. A few minutes later, Julius emerged from Gerry's room with tears running down his face. Coach Yoast met him and gave him a comforting hug.
The dizziness came back as I watched the heartrending scene. I could feel the color drain from my face as the room began to become fuzzy. "Ashley? You ok?" Alan asked, but I only half heard him. The room had started to spin, and I only heard bits and pieces of what everyone around me was saying.
"She's gonna.she looks sick.what's wrong with her.she's really pale.Ashley are you alright.can you hear me.I think she's gonna.pass out.throw up.what's wrong." Then I lost hearing altogether and for the second time that night, everything went black and my body went limp. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "Ashley! Can you hear me? Ashley its Ronnie." Ronnie's voice slowly started to become clear as my vision came back. I was lying on the floor, my head in Ronnie's lap with a crowd of people around me. My head was pounding and I could barely remember where I was. "Ronnie? What happened?" I asked.
"You fainted. After we told you what happened to Gerry and Julius came out you started looking like you might throw up but you just collapsed." Another voice, Rev's I think said.
Ronnie spoke again. "Ash, I think we better get a doctor, I mean this is the second time tonight you've fainted..."
I cut him off. "Well, that's not really surprising considering what's happened."
He sighed. "Still, just humor me. We'll get you a doctor and just double check that you're ok."
I knew protesting was useless so I nodded. Next thing I knew, Ronnie was carrying me in his arms and for the first time in what seemed like years, I felt safe and happy again. He didn't hate me.thank god after all I had put him through Ronnie Bass did not hate me.
The next hour or so passed in a blur. I was admitted to the hospital, had to take a blood test and some strange medication, all the while I thought about Gerry, wishing I could talk to him. As I lied in the strange hospital bed, a knock at my door interrupted my thoughts. Ronnie poked his head in the door. "Can I come in?"
I nodded as he opened the door. "How you holdin up?"
I shrugged. "Ok, I guess, I wish I could talk to Gerry instead of lying here like some terminally ill person." "You want me to bust you out? Say we have to call your dad or something and see if I can get you in to see him?" I looked up at him, his blue eyes looking intensely at me. "Can we?" I asked. No sooner had I spoken than Ronnie had found a wheelchair in the corner of the room. He picked me up and put me in it. "Ronnie, I can walk you know." I said, embarrassed.
He shrugged. "I know, but first of all you're sick and the test results wont be back for a little while and I don't want to take any chances and second of all, it will help us fool the doctors a little bit."
Ronnie pushed me down the hallway, past several nurses and doctors who didn't ask questions as to why I wasn't resting. The waiting room outside of Gerry's room was far less crowded than before, only Mrs. Bertier, Coach Yoast, Coach Boone and Julius remained. When they saw me approach in the wheelchair, looks of concern etched their faces. "She's fine.just a little spaced out after she fainted." Ronnie spoke before I had to face any questions from the crowd. I looked up and into the room where Gerry was lying. I could only see a lump lying beneath the covers. "Would you like to see him?" Mrs. Bertier's voice interrupted my thoughts. "Is it alright? I mean." I trailed off. She tried to smile. "I'm sure he would want to see you, go on in."
I pushed myself up from the wheelchair and slowly walked into Gerry's room. I was slightly shaking as I entered the room. Gerry was awake, but facing the opposite wall. "I'm sick and tired of all you doctors for one night. Can't you just leave me alone?" Gerry turned his head and stopped when he saw me. He said nothing, only stared. I took a deep breath. "Gerry." But I couldn't speak. My lip began to tremble and the tears began to flow. I turned to leave but his voice stopped me. "Don't go."
Slowly, I turned back to him. "Sit down, I guess I could use some company right now." I walked over to a chair next to his bed. He looked up at me. "Why are you all decked out in these fine designer hospital gowns? You trying to look as stylish as me?" I couldn't tell if it was rude sarcasm or an attempt to break the ice. "Its nothing.I fainted and people overreacted."
"You fainted? Why?" He wasn't even making eye contact with me.just staring at the ceiling.
"Two guesses." I said.
"I have that effect on people I guess." He looked at me. "Gerry, I." I started. "No. Me first. I shouldn't have-" "NO! I shouldn't have shut you out.Ray was a mistake.I should have just listened to you but I didn't. And all I've wanted these past few weeks is to be friends again and now." I couldn't finish. Fresh tears formed in my eyes and I knew it was no use in trying to restrain them.
"Stop crying! My god! If one more person cries for me today I swear to god I'll throw up!" He snapped. I bit my lip and hastily wiped my eyes. "I'm sorry.I just.how the hell do you want me to react? My life has been falling apart and then this happens! What the hell do you want from me Bertier? All I want is to have you back, have you be my friend again but now this happens and." I stopped. I couldn't say anything else.
Gerry was looking up at the ceiling. "Why didn't you just come back?"
I rolled my eyes. "You make it sound so simple.I screwed up so bad.I couldn't face you again."
He reached out his hand and put it on mine. "Ash.I don't know why you think that.I was mad sure.but I never thought that fight would let us all lose you. I wish things could go back to how they were.but now they never ever can because of.this." He closed his eyes tight, trying to hold back tears.
I leaned over and held him. "Its ok.you can cry to me. You don't have to be superman all the time you know. Its ok to have feelings." The tears he had desperately been trying to restrain finally came loose and he held my hand tightly. I knew I had him back. I knew that my friends were better people than I was, I knew that somehow, things would work out and get back to normal.
I couldn't have been more wrong.
"Ashley! Oh my god!" I slowly came to with my head in Matt's lap and Melanie lightly tapping my face. Matt helped me to my feet. "Tell me.tell me that I didn't just see what I think I saw." I said slowly. Mel's tearstained face told me that my worst fears had come true. "He just pulled out into the intersection.the ambulance took him to the ER."
I took a deep breath. "I need to go to the hospital." Matt and Mel looked at me. "You've had a rough enough night-you should just go home-" "No! You don't understand.you don't have to drive me I can find someone-" "I'll take her." A voice behind us said. I spun around and Ronnie was standing right behind me. I looked up at him, tears rolling down my cheeks, overcome with emotion. Matt cut in to my overwhelming moment. "Ahh Bass thanks a lot man. Make sure she gets home ok-she's had a rough night-Budds was a real ass to her-I'm sure she'll fill you in." Mel turned to me. "Hang in there kid. Call me if you need anything." She gave me a hug, then she grabbed Matt's hand and they walked to their car.
I stood there; my eyes welled over with tears, my back to Ronnie. He put his hand on my shoulder. "Are you sure you want to do this?" He asked me. I nodded. He guided me to his car, his hand on the small of my back. I got into his car and leaned against the window. "What happened with Ray?" He asked, a slight hint of malice in his voice.
"He was drunk and he made a scene and I wouldn't go upstairs with him at this stupid party so I got fed up and dumped him in front of the entire place. Then Mel and Matt were coming in and I knew they were probably my only shot of a sober ride out of there so I got them to take me home and on the way we saw the party in the parking lot and they wanted to stop by so we did.and we were there for a while when Gerry-" I couldn't finish. My eyes had overflowed with tears again and I had started weeping. What if he wasn't ok? What if I didn't get to tell him how sorry I was? What if.the questions ran through my mind and it made me feel even worse.
By that time, we had pulled into the parking lot at the Alexandria Memorial Hospital. Ronnie parked the car and he turned to face me. I looked up at him, then collapsed into his arms crying. "What have I done to myself?" I whispered through sobs. I could feel his grip tighten on me. "Ash.don't think about any of that right now. You have enough on your plate, there will be time for all of that later."
I looked into his eyes. "How can you put up with me? After the bitch I've been-" He cut me off. "You haven't been a bitch.you just haven't been you, and I might not have loved that, but I'm not gonna ostracize you for it."
I dried my tears and climbed out of Ronnie's car. We walked in silence towards the hospital doors and into a crowded room. The Titans sat around the room in silence, many with their heads in their hands either crying or praying, I couldn't tell which. When they became aware of my presence, I was the target of many sharp looks, looks that said "What are you doing here little miss sellout?" I think Ronnie could tell that I was uncomfortable, so he put his arm around me and led me over to the guys.
"How bad is it?" He asked the group.
The guys looked back and forth at one another, as if debating who would be the one to break it to him. Alan spoke up. "Paralyzed. From the waist down."
My heart nearly stopped beating in my chest. I closed my eyes together tight, thinking maybe if I prayed enough I could wish it all away, but when I opened my eyes again, the stern looks on the team's faces made it clear that my wish hadn't come true. A few minutes later, Julius emerged from Gerry's room with tears running down his face. Coach Yoast met him and gave him a comforting hug.
The dizziness came back as I watched the heartrending scene. I could feel the color drain from my face as the room began to become fuzzy. "Ashley? You ok?" Alan asked, but I only half heard him. The room had started to spin, and I only heard bits and pieces of what everyone around me was saying.
"She's gonna.she looks sick.what's wrong with her.she's really pale.Ashley are you alright.can you hear me.I think she's gonna.pass out.throw up.what's wrong." Then I lost hearing altogether and for the second time that night, everything went black and my body went limp. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "Ashley! Can you hear me? Ashley its Ronnie." Ronnie's voice slowly started to become clear as my vision came back. I was lying on the floor, my head in Ronnie's lap with a crowd of people around me. My head was pounding and I could barely remember where I was. "Ronnie? What happened?" I asked.
"You fainted. After we told you what happened to Gerry and Julius came out you started looking like you might throw up but you just collapsed." Another voice, Rev's I think said.
Ronnie spoke again. "Ash, I think we better get a doctor, I mean this is the second time tonight you've fainted..."
I cut him off. "Well, that's not really surprising considering what's happened."
He sighed. "Still, just humor me. We'll get you a doctor and just double check that you're ok."
I knew protesting was useless so I nodded. Next thing I knew, Ronnie was carrying me in his arms and for the first time in what seemed like years, I felt safe and happy again. He didn't hate me.thank god after all I had put him through Ronnie Bass did not hate me.
The next hour or so passed in a blur. I was admitted to the hospital, had to take a blood test and some strange medication, all the while I thought about Gerry, wishing I could talk to him. As I lied in the strange hospital bed, a knock at my door interrupted my thoughts. Ronnie poked his head in the door. "Can I come in?"
I nodded as he opened the door. "How you holdin up?"
I shrugged. "Ok, I guess, I wish I could talk to Gerry instead of lying here like some terminally ill person." "You want me to bust you out? Say we have to call your dad or something and see if I can get you in to see him?" I looked up at him, his blue eyes looking intensely at me. "Can we?" I asked. No sooner had I spoken than Ronnie had found a wheelchair in the corner of the room. He picked me up and put me in it. "Ronnie, I can walk you know." I said, embarrassed.
He shrugged. "I know, but first of all you're sick and the test results wont be back for a little while and I don't want to take any chances and second of all, it will help us fool the doctors a little bit."
Ronnie pushed me down the hallway, past several nurses and doctors who didn't ask questions as to why I wasn't resting. The waiting room outside of Gerry's room was far less crowded than before, only Mrs. Bertier, Coach Yoast, Coach Boone and Julius remained. When they saw me approach in the wheelchair, looks of concern etched their faces. "She's fine.just a little spaced out after she fainted." Ronnie spoke before I had to face any questions from the crowd. I looked up and into the room where Gerry was lying. I could only see a lump lying beneath the covers. "Would you like to see him?" Mrs. Bertier's voice interrupted my thoughts. "Is it alright? I mean." I trailed off. She tried to smile. "I'm sure he would want to see you, go on in."
I pushed myself up from the wheelchair and slowly walked into Gerry's room. I was slightly shaking as I entered the room. Gerry was awake, but facing the opposite wall. "I'm sick and tired of all you doctors for one night. Can't you just leave me alone?" Gerry turned his head and stopped when he saw me. He said nothing, only stared. I took a deep breath. "Gerry." But I couldn't speak. My lip began to tremble and the tears began to flow. I turned to leave but his voice stopped me. "Don't go."
Slowly, I turned back to him. "Sit down, I guess I could use some company right now." I walked over to a chair next to his bed. He looked up at me. "Why are you all decked out in these fine designer hospital gowns? You trying to look as stylish as me?" I couldn't tell if it was rude sarcasm or an attempt to break the ice. "Its nothing.I fainted and people overreacted."
"You fainted? Why?" He wasn't even making eye contact with me.just staring at the ceiling.
"Two guesses." I said.
"I have that effect on people I guess." He looked at me. "Gerry, I." I started. "No. Me first. I shouldn't have-" "NO! I shouldn't have shut you out.Ray was a mistake.I should have just listened to you but I didn't. And all I've wanted these past few weeks is to be friends again and now." I couldn't finish. Fresh tears formed in my eyes and I knew it was no use in trying to restrain them.
"Stop crying! My god! If one more person cries for me today I swear to god I'll throw up!" He snapped. I bit my lip and hastily wiped my eyes. "I'm sorry.I just.how the hell do you want me to react? My life has been falling apart and then this happens! What the hell do you want from me Bertier? All I want is to have you back, have you be my friend again but now this happens and." I stopped. I couldn't say anything else.
Gerry was looking up at the ceiling. "Why didn't you just come back?"
I rolled my eyes. "You make it sound so simple.I screwed up so bad.I couldn't face you again."
He reached out his hand and put it on mine. "Ash.I don't know why you think that.I was mad sure.but I never thought that fight would let us all lose you. I wish things could go back to how they were.but now they never ever can because of.this." He closed his eyes tight, trying to hold back tears.
I leaned over and held him. "Its ok.you can cry to me. You don't have to be superman all the time you know. Its ok to have feelings." The tears he had desperately been trying to restrain finally came loose and he held my hand tightly. I knew I had him back. I knew that my friends were better people than I was, I knew that somehow, things would work out and get back to normal.
I couldn't have been more wrong.