Author's Note: Okay.. I'm just going to say it. I'm an ex-Roswell fan(though moanda is trying to suck me back in). Anyway, I used to write lots and lots of Roswell fic last season and yesterday, while cleaning up my room, I came across this story. And since I'm on the fence about Roswell at the moment, I just had the urge to post it. So, here it is.
--
Someday
"Hey, baby. How you holdin' up?" He asked, as he entered her bedroom. She didn't answer him. She'd never answered him once in the past three years. Of course, a coma will do that to you.
He ran his fingers through his jet black hair and sat down in the chair next to her bed. Then, he reached out and placed her tiny hand in his. He did this about fifty times a day. Just whenever he got the chance, he'd go to her room, talk to her, hold her hand, and watch her sleep amidst respirators, heart monitors, IVs, and the various other medical equipment that was needed to keep her alive.
He could still hear the doctor's words in his ears every time he closed his eyes.
* * *
Max had been sitting with his head in his hands. He'd been that way for at least 30 minutes. Maria sat beside him, and Michael beside her.
It was Michael who saw the doctor first. When he noticed Michael standing up, Max lifted his head.
"Doctor O'Reilly, how is she?" Max asked, rising to his feet.
The doctor was silent a bit too long for Maria's liking and she took this as a bad sign. "She's not... dead, is she?" She swayed unsteadily and Michael wrapped an arm around her shoulders to keep her from falling.
The doctor sighed heavily. The day was beginning to get to him. "Not quite."
"Not quite. What.. what does that mean, Dr. O'Reilly?" Max asked, trying very hard to get through this.
"Liz has had a massive brain hemorrhage. The good news--we've stopped the bleeding and stabilized the hemorrhage." The doctor paused. "The bad news-- some unrepairable damage was done to Liz's brain. Right now, she's in a coma. And she may never wake up."
Max felt the earth shake beneath his feet. It was all unreal. And it was all happening so fast. He closed his eyes and swallowed hard.
"But that doesn't mean that she won't wake up someday, does it?" Max heard Michael ask the question that both he and Maria couldn't.
"There is a possibility, yes. Someday. But Liz won't be the person she once was. And if she doesn't wake up within a week.. the more severe the brain damage will get." The doctor sighed wearily. He hated to bring this up, but.. it had to be said. "You have a choice, Mr. Evans. You can choose to keep her alive, despite the risks, or you can choose to take her.. off the respirator."
Max took in a sharp breath, and never really let it back out. He couldn't believe his ears. A tear slipped slowly down his cheek. "You're.. you're asking me to.. kill my wife?"
"Mr. Evans, it's different than that. It's--"
"No." Max cut him off, shaking his head. "No!" Without another word, Max took off down the corridor, the tears spilling down his cheeks like hot rivulets from a showerhead.
* * *
He smiled softly at her, bringing her hand to his face. "I love you, Liz. I love you with all my heart."
She didn't answer back. But he was used to it. After all, it'd been 3 years. 3 years since the day he nearly lost her forever. 3 years since the day he lost her to time.
But it was okay. Because he remembered what the doctor had said. And Max clung dearly to the hope that his beloved Liz would wake up again.
Someday.
--
Someday
"Hey, baby. How you holdin' up?" He asked, as he entered her bedroom. She didn't answer him. She'd never answered him once in the past three years. Of course, a coma will do that to you.
He ran his fingers through his jet black hair and sat down in the chair next to her bed. Then, he reached out and placed her tiny hand in his. He did this about fifty times a day. Just whenever he got the chance, he'd go to her room, talk to her, hold her hand, and watch her sleep amidst respirators, heart monitors, IVs, and the various other medical equipment that was needed to keep her alive.
He could still hear the doctor's words in his ears every time he closed his eyes.
* * *
Max had been sitting with his head in his hands. He'd been that way for at least 30 minutes. Maria sat beside him, and Michael beside her.
It was Michael who saw the doctor first. When he noticed Michael standing up, Max lifted his head.
"Doctor O'Reilly, how is she?" Max asked, rising to his feet.
The doctor was silent a bit too long for Maria's liking and she took this as a bad sign. "She's not... dead, is she?" She swayed unsteadily and Michael wrapped an arm around her shoulders to keep her from falling.
The doctor sighed heavily. The day was beginning to get to him. "Not quite."
"Not quite. What.. what does that mean, Dr. O'Reilly?" Max asked, trying very hard to get through this.
"Liz has had a massive brain hemorrhage. The good news--we've stopped the bleeding and stabilized the hemorrhage." The doctor paused. "The bad news-- some unrepairable damage was done to Liz's brain. Right now, she's in a coma. And she may never wake up."
Max felt the earth shake beneath his feet. It was all unreal. And it was all happening so fast. He closed his eyes and swallowed hard.
"But that doesn't mean that she won't wake up someday, does it?" Max heard Michael ask the question that both he and Maria couldn't.
"There is a possibility, yes. Someday. But Liz won't be the person she once was. And if she doesn't wake up within a week.. the more severe the brain damage will get." The doctor sighed wearily. He hated to bring this up, but.. it had to be said. "You have a choice, Mr. Evans. You can choose to keep her alive, despite the risks, or you can choose to take her.. off the respirator."
Max took in a sharp breath, and never really let it back out. He couldn't believe his ears. A tear slipped slowly down his cheek. "You're.. you're asking me to.. kill my wife?"
"Mr. Evans, it's different than that. It's--"
"No." Max cut him off, shaking his head. "No!" Without another word, Max took off down the corridor, the tears spilling down his cheeks like hot rivulets from a showerhead.
* * *
He smiled softly at her, bringing her hand to his face. "I love you, Liz. I love you with all my heart."
She didn't answer back. But he was used to it. After all, it'd been 3 years. 3 years since the day he nearly lost her forever. 3 years since the day he lost her to time.
But it was okay. Because he remembered what the doctor had said. And Max clung dearly to the hope that his beloved Liz would wake up again.
Someday.