Authors Note: This takes place one month after Loving You. Carol has started working at the hospital. The song used in this story is Kiss the Rain by Billie Myers. Also, ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ indicates time lapse.
Hello
Can you hear me?
Am I gettin' through to you?
Hello
Is it late there?
There's a laughter on the line
Are you sure you're there alone?
Cause I'm tryin' to explain
2:59am
Carol stared at the flashing numbers on the alarm clock.
3:00am
The phone rang. Carol grabbed it before it woke one of the girls who had only gone to sleep a few hours ago. "Hello?" she asked into the phone.
"Hey Carol, it's me." Tag said into the phone.
"Hi Tag. Do you know, is Doug still there? His shift ended at midnight and he's still not home…"
"Carol."
The tone of his voice stopped her. He sounded tired but stressed. "Tag, what is it?"
"Carol, there's been an accident."
"Tag… Is, was it Doug?" she stumbled nervously, afraid to hear the answer.
"Carol, I am so sorry."
"Is he okay?"
"Carol, you need to get down here."
"But the girls…"
"Bring them with. Ally said she'd watch them."
"I'll be there in 15 minuets."
Somethin's wrong
Ya just don't sound the same
Why don't you, why don't you
Go outside, go outside
Kiss the rain
Whenever you need me
Carol rushed into the ER, one girl in each arm. Ally, a pediatric resident and good friend of Carol's met her at the door to take the twins. She offered Carol a small smile, but her eyes were red.
Carol rushed to the desk and found Tag standing there, waiting for her.
"Tag! Is Doug okay?"
"Carol, after he left work, he started to head home. About half way there, he stopped at a red light. When the light turned green, he started through the intersection. He never even saw the other car."
"What other car?"
"Four teenagers were coming home from a party. The driver's BAL was four times the legal limit. They drove straight in to the drivers side of Doug's Jeep."
"What about Doug?" Carol asked, tears streaming down her face.
"I was down here when he came in. I worked on him, along with Matt and Jenna. It didn't look good."
"Is he…" she couldn't finish the question, terrified of the answer.
"No. No. When he came in, oh god Carol, there was so much blood. His left leg was very badly broken, and a lung had collapsed, causing a rib to apply pressure to his heart. As soon as he was stabilized, we sent him up to surgery. They were able to repair his leg, lung, and move the rib back to it's proper place. But Carol, he is in very critical condition. He's in the SICU. I don't know if he's gonna make it through the night." Tag ended sadly.
"But he has to live Tag. There's still so much he has to do. And I can't raise those girls alone." Carol broke down into sobs, sinking to the floor. Ally came out from her office and wrapped her arms around Carol, rocking her like one would a small child. She whispered comforting words to Carol, while tears ran down her face as well. She had arrived only a few weeks after Doug had, him having hired her. They had become great friends, and she sometimes thought of him as another big brother.
When Carol was slightly calmer several minutes later, Tag told her, "You can go see him if you want. He's still sedated from the surgery, but I know you'll want to be there when he wakes up."
Nodding, Carol, with Ally's help, made her way to the elevator.
Kiss the rain
Whenever I'm gone, too long.
If your lips
Feel lonely and thirsty
Kiss the rain
And wait for the dawn.
Keep in mind
We're under the same skies
And the nights
As empty for me, as for you
If ya feel
You can't wait till mornin'
Kiss the rain
Kiss the rain
Kiss the rain
She had taken hundreds of people to SICU in her career, and for the first time she knew what they were feeling. Her husband was in this room, so close to death, yet still clinging on to life. She somehow missed him already. His support, his quiet strength. It was almost like he was already gone.
She had called Mark from downstairs, and he was catching a Redeye to Seattle. Over the phone, his voice had sounded strained, worried. He had tried to comfort, but he was too worried to do much good. Carol understood though. He had just learned that his best friend may be dying, and he might not get to even say goodbye.
Hello
Do you miss me?
I hear you say you do
But not the way I'm missin' you
What's new?
How's the weather?
Is it stormy where you are?
Cause I'm so close but it feels like you're so far
Oh would it mean anything
If you knew what I'm left imagining
In my mind, in my mind
Would you go, would you go
Kiss the rain
What seemed a moment later, Mark was shaking Carol awake. She had fallen asleep at Doug's bedside, still clasping one of his hands between both of hers. Looking at Mark she saw that his eyes looked tired and were red rimmed.
"Hey," he whispered.
"Hey."
After that it was silence. Both retreated into their own minds and memories, trying to escape this horrible nightmare. Both remembered times with Doug that no one else knew about. Both remembered the way he laughed, and how the sound was always oddly comforting. Both remembered the way his eyes twinkled, as if knowing some private joke. Both remembered the wedding. Mark, of how nervous Doug had been, how his vows had come out, how he had laughed the entire night, Carol by his side. Carol, of how he had caught her eye coming up the aisle and had smiled reassuringly, how he had held her hands securely as they made their vows. How they had made love that night with a new, sweeter sense of passion.
Both to upset to comfort the other, the silence continued.
And you'd fall over me
Think of me, think of me, think of me, only me
Kiss the rain
Whenever you need me
Kiss the rain
Whenever I'm gone too long
If your lips
Feel hungry and tempted
Kiss the rain and wait for the dawn
The rain felt good. After several hours by Doug's bedside, Carol had come down to see the girls and get a bit of fresh air. She wasn't sure when the rain had started. It somehow felt right that it rain today. That the sun hide itself. It was as if, maybe God was crying along with her. Miraculously, despite Tag's prediction, Doug had made it through the night, but still hadn't woken up.
Checking her watch, Carol saw that it was half past midnight. Had it been this time yesterday that her world had come crashing down, only to lie in little, unidentifiable pieces at her feet? Sensing someone behind her, she turned to see Mark standing there, looking up at the sky.
"He'll make it Carol. He's strong." He tried to reassure her.
She shook her head and smiled sadly, "He's not that strong Mark. He's just a good fighter."
"And he has so much to fight for. He's the happiest I've ever known him to be. You're his wife, and he has two beautiful daughters. He's not going to just give that up without a fight."
"I miss him, Mark."
"So do I."
He looked as though he was going to say something when the SICU nurse through the door and said, almost excitedly, "Mrs. Ross, come quick!"
A little afraid, Carol asked, "What is it Cassie?"
"It's your husband…"
Not even waiting for her to finish, Carol rushed past her, up the stairs and in to the room she had spent the last day in. Rushing to his bed, she was shocked to see that the tube had been removed from his mouth and he was breathing on his own. Grabbing his hand between hers and whispered to him, "Come on Doug, you've got to wake up. There is still so much you have to do. You have to watch our girls grow up, and help me raise them. I can't do it alone." Resting her head on the edge of the bed she started to sob. "I can't do this without you Doug. I don't think I want to. Every word of my vows was true. I'm gonna love you forever. There's no one for me but you. Don't make me live the rest of my life alone." She pleaded.
Suddenly she felt a hand run through her hair, and a familiar, gravely, voice whisper, "I wouldn't dream of it."
Looking up quickly, she saw him smiling weakly at her. She immediately started to sob again, this time tears of happiness, and buried her face in his chest, with him running one hand through her curls, the other rubbing her back soothingly.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~
SEVERAL HOURS LATER
After awhile of being alone, Carol had gone and told Mark, though as soon as he saw the smile on her lips, he knew everything would be okay. They had brought in the girls to see Doug and he held them both for a long time, realizing what he had almost lost.
The doctor had released him to go home later that day, as long as he stayed off his feet and didn't come back to work for at least two weeks. Doug had heartily agreed, as Carol had taken this time off to be with him. Him and Mark had a long talk before Mark had to catch a plane back to Chicago, promising to return as soon as possible. Doug and Carol spent the rest of the time in the SICU talking quietly, coming to terms with the past few days and making plans for the future.
Finally, the doctor okayed Doug's release and they made their way out to the mini van, each carrying a baby. Getting there, they put the girls into the car seats, and climbed into the front. Carol sat there a moment, not starting the van.
"Carol, are you okay?" Doug asked gently.
Kissing him softly, Carol smiled and said, "I am now, but I'm warning you Doug, if you ever do that again…"
Doug laughed a little. "I promise I'll give you warning next time I plan to get hit by four drunk teenagers."
Despite trying not to, Carol laughed a little too. "God Doug, you are going to be the death of me yet."
"Man, I was working on being the life of you. " he said, suddenly serious.
Kissing him again, Carol started the van and said, "You already are."
Kiss the rain
Kiss the rain
Kiss the rain
Kiss the rain Kiss the rain Kiss the rain Kiss the rain
Hello Can ya hear me? Can ya hear me? Can ya hear me?
Well, that's it. I hope to have the next story up by 8/14, cause then school will start and I'll have less time. However, I fully plan to continue with my stories. As always, please send feedback!!!
COMING SOON: Doug recovers, but is everything what it seems?