The waiting room was filled with friends and family as the great Dr. Brown struggled in the operating room to save the poster child of the Everwood community Colin was the kid that surpassed the numbers when it came to survival. His courageous battle to beat the odds and conform back to normality seemed to be holding the community together. How can one town rely so much on one person to bring them hope and joy? The question is a hard one to answer but that's the way the backward town of Everwood worked.

To the great Dr. Brown this was not like the many other surgeries that he performed back in New York. He was always told by his teachers and mentors to never get too close to the patient involved. He knew when he went in there that the odds were against him and was told by his old mentor that he should not take on this task. Andy Brown is headstrong and didn't heed the warnings. He let his personal feelings and his arrogance cloud his judgement. After the fist sign of complications he began to have doubts but as the complications kept coming one after another he began to panic.

The surgical staff that was assisting Dr. Brown noticed the panic in him. "Dr. Brown, you need to relax for a minute. We have him stabilized right now. Take a deep breath so you can continue." His assisting nurse reached over to swab the perspiration off of his brow. "You did the best you could. Colin is alive and you have relieved the pressure that was causing the blockage. That's all you could have hoped for."

With a sigh in his voice, Andy let out a long breath of air that he didn't know that he was holding. "Yes he's alive but he'll never be the same again. There was some nerve damage that his not repairable. I don't know if I can honor a promise that I made to him before the surgery. He asked me not to bring him back if he is not going to be whole. He even put it in writing and I told him that I would never open the envelope."

The surgical staff looked at him in surprise. "Dr. Brown. He is alive right now. He is under age and this is not a decision for you or him to make."

Andy nodded his head in agreement. "I just didn't think it would have come down to this. This is a decision that his parents will have to make. Can you close and put the dressing on. The next step is going to be harder than the surgery itself. I need to go talk to the Hart's"

Andy pulled off his surgical gloves and proceeded into the prep room to disrobe. This was going to be the hardest thing he'd ever have to face in his life. He kept telling himself that he has done this before in the past but he knew that deep down that the out come was not going to be the same. He couldn't just drop a bomb like this and walk away. This was going to affect many lives and the community as a whole.

He walked into the waiting room with a strained look on his face. All eyes looked up at once as the Harts stood up. Amy's eyes were filled with worry and anticipation. Andy scanned the anxious faces and set his eyes on his son. He held a gaze with Ephram for a second before turning to the Hart's. Ephrams's heart sank as he could almost read his father's mind. He backed into the corner of the room in a way of trying to disappear.

Andy looked at the Hart's and said, "Colin is alive but I need to see you privately." A sigh rang out in the room as Andy ushered the Hart's away from the waiting area. Amy stood speechless at first until she got her momentum back. She turned to Ephram and started jumping up and down with excitement. "Did you hear that? He made it, he's going to be ok." Ephram stood back not saying anything watching Amy display her joy.

Amy started rambling as she usually does when she is excited about something. She quickly pulled out her cell phone and with shaky hands tried to dial a number. "Oh my gosh I can't believe this. I'm so excited that I've forgotten my home phone number." She turned to Ephram to ask for assistance when she noticed the look on his face.

She put her phone down to confront him. "What's the matter? I thought you were here to support me and you look like you are totally disappointed that he made it through surgery."

Ephram looked at her in confusion. "It's not like that Amy."

"You're jealous. I can't believe you Ephram. You could at least be happy for me."

"What are you blind? Didn't you see the look on my father's face? Yes Colin may be alive but something tells me that there is more to the story. He didn't come out and say the surgery was a success and that we could go see him soon. He took the Hart's away in a hurry because something is not right."

Amy came back on the defense. "Oh and like you're a real pro to these matters. You've said so before that you never used to hang out in the hospital waiting for your father before. Now you claim to be an expert? You just don't want to see me and Colin together again."

Ephram stood shocked with his mouth open. It was like being punched in the stomach. He threw his hands up in the air. "Whatever Amy. Fine, Colin has made you blind again. Hope you two have a nice life together." He turned and walked away.

Amy stood there fuming. She was so mad with him but she was also scared because she worried that what he said may have truth to it. She dropped down into a nearby chair, put her hand into her hands and cried. She cried because she really didn't know the whole story and cried because she may have lost Ephram again.