A/N: I have the outlines for chapters 27 (this one) through 32. I just need to type them now. Lol. I have them set up in a specific way, so if the chapters from here until then are a little short, I apologize! But it's being done with good reason.

svata2004, Glad you like it!

CuteLittleBritt, Well . . . not exactly. Lol. Read on to find out!

So sorry for the delay. Writers block, other fanfics, and homework have been stealing my time and I apologize. I hope everyone is enjoying the fic; and I hope you all enjoy this chapter and please review!

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"Phoenix!" Payton and Pandora cried, running down the hall to their cousin's room.

Phoenix looked at them, tears in her eyes. "She's burning up. I can't get her to wake up!"

"Pandora, call 911," Payton instructed, running to Phoenix's side and placing her hands on Patience's cheek and forehead; she was burning up!

"It's okay, Phoenix, she'll be okay," Payton said gently, praying she was right.

Pandora came back almost ten minutes later. "They're on their way. I'll wait for them outside." She left them.

Phoenix sobbed. "No, no, oh Patience! Wake up, please wake up!"

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The ride to the hospital had been unbearable. Phoenix had gone in the ambulance with Patience; Payton and Pandora had stayed behind to get Paisley up. Then they had promised to come to the hospital after dropping Paisley off with the young women down the street who baby sat for them once in awhile.

Phoenix wished they'd hurry up. Waiting there, alone, was not easing her restless mind. She was nervous and scared and -

"Phoenix!"

Phoenix looked up. Payton and Pandora were rushing down the hallway to her. She stood and, when they got nearer, ran and hugged them.

"No one's told me anything! I don't know what's going on!" Phoenix cried.

Payton and Pandora held tightly, only letting go when someone from behind said, "Ms. Halliwell?"

All three girls turned to look at the speaker. "Yes?" they said in unison.

"Phoenix Halliwell," the doctor clarified.

Phoenix stepped forward. "How's my daughter? Is Patience okay?"

"We don't know yet," the doctor said gently. "She has a severely high fever. We're trying to bring it down now. She seems to be in a coma, but we can't figure out why or how it happened."

Phoenix's lip quivered. She felt her legs weaken and almost fell, but her sister's held her up.

"Can we go see her?" Payton asked, stroking Phoenix's hair gently.

The Doctor nodded. "She won't respond to you, as I mentioned before. She's in a coma. I'm waiting for more test results to come back. Maybe they can tell us what's wrong. She's in Room 214."

The doctor walked away and the girls nearly ran to Patience's room. They walked slowly up to the bed and stared down at her. She was so tiny and innocent looking. She was able to breathe on her own, but she had an IV sticking out of her arm and things stuck to her chest, hooked up to a machine that was checking her heart rate, breathing, and other vitals.

Phoenix sobbed, turning away. She couldn't stand to look. What was wrong with her baby?

Payton shook her head, tears in her eyes. Pandora's eyes closed for a second, then opened. Her vision was blurred with tears.

"What's wrong with her?" Phoenix asked, her voice quivering. "She was perfectly healthy."

"Don't worry, she'll be-" Pandora began, but stopped when the doctor entered, looking grim faced and upset.

"What is it?" Phoenix asked immediately, gripping her sisters' hands tightly.

"The rest of your daughter's tests came back. And according to this, there's absolutely no reason for her to be sick, especially this severely," the doctor explain.

Phoenix paled. She felt as if she had swallowed an ice cube. How could this be happening? Why was this happening?

"So why is she in a coma?" she demanded to know.

The doctor shook his head sadly. "I don't know. There's no reason for it, and people don't just suddenly fall into a coma. I'm so sorry. But all we can do is sit and wait."

He left, leaving the sisters to silently grieve. No one spoke; no one knew what to say. What could they say?

Phoenix sat beside her daughter's bed, stroking her hair and murmuring gently to her, things only she could hear.

Payton and Pandora exchanged grievous looks, then turned back to Phoenix. She was holding Patience's limp, tiny hand.

"Mom?"

Everyone jumped. However, it had come from – not Patience – but Presley, behind them.

Presley had her back pack on still. She had tears in her eyes and she looked disheveled and tired, as if she had run there.

"I came as soon as the office told me what happened," Presley announced, seeing Phoenix's confused expression.

"I called them from the car on the way here," Payton explained to Phoenix.

"Is she going to be okay?" Payton asked worriedly.

Phoenix looked back at Patience with sad eyes. "I hope so."