"Kari! Kari, are you there?" Silence for a moment then there is the sound of a key in the lock and the door opens to admit Matt.
A quick search reveals Kari unconscious on the living room floor.
"Kari, Kari wake up," Matt tried almost everything in the book to wake Kari to no avail.
He had just left to get a glass of water when Kari stirred and opened her eyes.
"Oh, you decided to wake yourself up, did you?" he smiled sympathetically as he saw the pain in her eyes.
"What's wrong with him, Matt?"
"You know?" the astonishment is visible on Matt's face, although knowing Kari for as long as he had, it shouldn't have so much of a surprise.
"Is he OK? Please Matt."
"Kari..." Matt is unsure how to break the news but his grief clearly shows on his face. "He's not awake yet."
The drive to the hospital was conducted in silence. Kari spent the trip trying to use her abilities to find Takeru's mind, crying in frustration when her search bring no results.
"Dry your eyes Kari. If I know my brother, he wouldn't want this much of a fuss made over him."
"Oh Matt, what if..."
"No 'what if' s Kari. He's going to make it and we're going to help him. Let's go."
As they entered the hospital, it hit her. She understood now. The dream had been her warning of what it would have been like without him. The uncertain fear after his leaving had caused so much pain and she knew that the pain would have increased had the dream been real.
The realization of what had almost happened hit Kari hard and she needed time to regain her composure.
With a barely coherent explanation Kari headed to the hospital gift shop, leaving Matt to the vigil over Takeru.
The doctor arrived at Takeru's room at the same time as Kari did and his prognosis was not good.
Kari ignores the doctor, going instead to Takeru's side.
Matt escorts the doctor back into the hall to discuss his brother's condition.
"Well Doc, what's wrong with him?"
"Considering the possibilities, he's doing quite well, although his unconscious state is a cause for worry. The scrapes, bruises, and broken bones are the least of his problems right now. His fever is understandable for someone who's lost as much blood as he has. The really baffling part is the he is demonstrating symptoms of acute upper abdominal post ordem dysentia." *
"He will recover, right?"
"As long as he wakes up soon. That concussion he's sporting is complicating his condition."
"Matt?" unnoticed by anyone Kari had been listening through the open door.
"It's not that bad Kari. Now, you keep watch while I get us something to eat. We'll do him no good of we're sick ourselves."
"I know Matt, and I understand. Don't take too long."
"Relax Kari. What could happen?"
Before she could answer Matt had disappeared down the hallway. Kari smiled softly. Trust Matt to ask a rhetorical question at a time like this.
The smiles slowly faded from Kari's face and she turned back into the room.
Kari silently thanked some thoughtful nurse who had brought more comfortable chairs into the room before they had arrived.
At first Kari simply sat there stating at Takeru, counting the seconds going by. Then she reached out and took his hand in her own, closed her eyes, and started to hope.
A quick search reveals Kari unconscious on the living room floor.
"Kari, Kari wake up," Matt tried almost everything in the book to wake Kari to no avail.
He had just left to get a glass of water when Kari stirred and opened her eyes.
"Oh, you decided to wake yourself up, did you?" he smiled sympathetically as he saw the pain in her eyes.
"What's wrong with him, Matt?"
"You know?" the astonishment is visible on Matt's face, although knowing Kari for as long as he had, it shouldn't have so much of a surprise.
"Is he OK? Please Matt."
"Kari..." Matt is unsure how to break the news but his grief clearly shows on his face. "He's not awake yet."
The drive to the hospital was conducted in silence. Kari spent the trip trying to use her abilities to find Takeru's mind, crying in frustration when her search bring no results.
"Dry your eyes Kari. If I know my brother, he wouldn't want this much of a fuss made over him."
"Oh Matt, what if..."
"No 'what if' s Kari. He's going to make it and we're going to help him. Let's go."
As they entered the hospital, it hit her. She understood now. The dream had been her warning of what it would have been like without him. The uncertain fear after his leaving had caused so much pain and she knew that the pain would have increased had the dream been real.
The realization of what had almost happened hit Kari hard and she needed time to regain her composure.
With a barely coherent explanation Kari headed to the hospital gift shop, leaving Matt to the vigil over Takeru.
The doctor arrived at Takeru's room at the same time as Kari did and his prognosis was not good.
Kari ignores the doctor, going instead to Takeru's side.
Matt escorts the doctor back into the hall to discuss his brother's condition.
"Well Doc, what's wrong with him?"
"Considering the possibilities, he's doing quite well, although his unconscious state is a cause for worry. The scrapes, bruises, and broken bones are the least of his problems right now. His fever is understandable for someone who's lost as much blood as he has. The really baffling part is the he is demonstrating symptoms of acute upper abdominal post ordem dysentia." *
"He will recover, right?"
"As long as he wakes up soon. That concussion he's sporting is complicating his condition."
"Matt?" unnoticed by anyone Kari had been listening through the open door.
"It's not that bad Kari. Now, you keep watch while I get us something to eat. We'll do him no good of we're sick ourselves."
"I know Matt, and I understand. Don't take too long."
"Relax Kari. What could happen?"
Before she could answer Matt had disappeared down the hallway. Kari smiled softly. Trust Matt to ask a rhetorical question at a time like this.
The smiles slowly faded from Kari's face and she turned back into the room.
Kari silently thanked some thoughtful nurse who had brought more comfortable chairs into the room before they had arrived.
At first Kari simply sat there stating at Takeru, counting the seconds going by. Then she reached out and took his hand in her own, closed her eyes, and started to hope.