Louis held his breath as he entered the hospital room. It had been about two hours since the doctor had broke the news, two hours of pure hell in his mind. Despite no one saying anything to him about it being his fault, he knew different. He had prayed that they wouldn't die yet now both of them were probably going to have to spend months in the hospital doing rehab and now Ren was paralyzed. He ruined his sisters life, she was on the track and field team, had a huge chance in making team MVP this season and now he ruined it all for her. Her boyfriend Tommy would probably blame him as well as everyone else, it was all his fault. The sound of dual beeps coming from the medical equipment rang in his ears as he looked around the room. It was a semi private room, and Ren and Tawny's bed had been pushed closely together, probably by the nurses so when they came out of their coma's they would see each other. He could make out the shape of the casts on Tawny's legs underneath the blankets of her bed. He could see some of the stiched up cuts on the face, neck and arms from where he stood, even the bruises looked horrible. They had a breathing tube on her as well an IV and several other cords.
Looking over at Ren who was on Tawny's right, his heart dropped. Her face had three cuts on it, the largest one being right above her right eye, the stiches standing out more than anything. Her face also had some severe bruises as well as her neck. Louis was glad they had taken the neck brace off, the one that he remembered them putting on when they loaded her into the helicoptor. She had a breathing tube, IV and many other cords as well. He could see the lumps under the blanket where her legs were laying lifelessly. He hoped she wouldn't hate him when she woke up, he wouldn't be able to stand it if she or Tawny did. Both Ren and Tawny looked like goddesses laying on their beds, the only reminders that they were still mortal was their visible injuries.
Mr and Mrs Stevens walked over between the two beds and held both of the girls hands. Mrs. Stevens gently and carefully brushed a stand of hair away from Ren's face, some of her tears dropping down onto Ren's face.
"Hi honey, we're here beside you." she spoke quietly, rubbing her hand.
"We're right beside you too Tawny." she spoke, sitting down on the chair Mr. Stevens put behind her. Louis sat down by the door and watched silently, he would go closer when his parents left.
His parents had left again for the night. It had been two weeks since the accident and tonight was the first night he had gathered the courage to go closer to Ren and Tawny's beds. Twitty had gone home for the night as well, he couldn't take spending another night in the hospital. His parents had tried to get a hold of Tawny's parents, but it was no use. They were over in the Amazon somewhere doing research for the University that they worked at, and had only left a month or so ago and wouldn't be home for another two years. This was the downside that Tawny always talked about when people asked about what her parents did for a job. Every three years they would leave for two years to the different rainforests in the world to do extensive research. There was no way to contact them at all and they never came home till the two years was up. Now that she and Louis were going out, she spent the two years at the Stevens house since her parents had to pretty much lock up the house for the entire time so their insurence would stay active. It was far better than her having to have to spend that time at another local family members house.
He walked slowly over between the two beds where Ren and Tawny still layed unconsious. The doctors still did not know how long they would be in their coma's but as each day passed that they did not wake, he felt even worse than before. His mother had called Ren's boyfriend the day after the accident but his mother had been the one to answer. She had told Mrs. Stevens that he was away for a hockey tournament and wouldn't be home till this week sometime. Mrs. Stevens had told his mother what had happened and they both agreed that they had best wait till he got home to tell him as to not ruin his concentration while away at the hockey tournament. That day Tommy, her boyfriend, had come rushing into the hospital. He had just got home that morning when his mother had told him, and he had raced over to the hospital. Louis still remembered Tommy's expression as he saw Ren. He had almost collapsed to the floor only to be caught by Donnie who hauled him over to a chair beside Ren's bedside.
Tommy held her hand and kissed her cheek lightly. His eyes filled with tears as he looked at both Tawny and Ren. The closest they had come to thinking Ren might wake up soon came after as Tommy held her hand. She had stirred slightly and whispered Tommy's name so low it was barely audible.
"Yes I'm here Ren. Don't worry about anything, I'll be right here when you wake up." He whispered in reply. He had said nothing more but just sat and held her hand the entire remainder of the day. He only moved after Mr. and Mrs Stevens finally had managed to persuade him to come with them to get something to eat and to go home to get some sleep.
Louis stood, rather than sitting, next to Tawny. He took her hand in his and kissed her lips gently.
"Hey beautiful." he whispered, guilt washing over him once again. The stiches were still in, the doctors had said to them that it might be another week or two due to the matter of how deep the cuts were. The dual beeps of the the medical equipment had become just background noise to him now after all this time in the hospital. He barely left the room to eat, sleep, or do much of anything else. He only went home every second or third night and that was after much nagging from his parents. His parents had told him that they weren't angry with him, but just dissapointed. Ren had trusted him enough to let him drive that afternoon and he had just wanted to show off and that had got Ren and Tawny hurt badly. His parents had told him his punishment served him right when a cop had come by the hospital a few days after the accident and told him his lisence would be from then on for the next ten years, void. The cop had told him that the judge that had come to the decision to make his lisence void, had been easy on him, saying that he didn't need any more of a punishment, because he said that he would from then on be reminded daily of his actions.
Turning, Louis took Ren's hand in his. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he looked at her. Ren's spirit was huge, she would get through this all, but as for himself, no matter how many times Ren smiled he would still see what he had done to her. He had remembered hearing in school that people in coma's could still hear people talking to them, that was probably why his parents and Tommy had been talking to them the entire time. He had just thought it was to get the load off their minds, but maybe there was something to all that scientific research.
"Hey, Ren." he started. What could he say to her? Surely he had to say something more to her at least. Ren had always been there for him, despite how annoying he was and now he was going to be there for her.
"I know I haven't really been around much, but I've been sitting far back for the last two weeks just watching everything take place. But I'm here now." he continued. He had to say more to her than he said to Tawny. He ruined her life, he could at least have a one sided conversation with her.
"I just want to let you know that I am so sorry Ren. I never meant to hurt you like this, I've ruined your life. There isn't really any way I can make it up to you, but I promise that I will spend the rest of my life trying to." He slightly tightened his grip on her hand as he thought of more to say. He didn't care if he looked stupid talking to someone in a coma, it didn't matter anymore.
"Please don't hate me Ren, I should have listened to you and Tawny and slowed down, if I had of all of us would be home doing homework. Mom and Dad called the school and the principal told the school what happened. The doctors and nurses said for no one from school to come visit until you guys wake up, although they let Tommy in, he sat by your side all day today. You said his name, that made everyone quite happy." Louis said, wiping tears from his eyes. He could hear the sound of a nurse coming down the hallway and looked at his watch; it was almost midnight. The nurse looked in the door to their room and met Louis' eyes. She gave him a knowing nod and went on to the next room.
"Hey you two I got to go for now, the nurse is going to come in soon to check on you so I'll see you guys tomorrow." Louis said giving them both a kiss on the forehead before turning and leaving the room.
