Beyond Recollection ~ A Sonny & Skye FanFiction
Chapter Five ~ Questions & Explanations
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"Skye!" Jason's concerned voice echoed through the hospital hall. "Where have you been?" he asked pulling her into a quick hug before moving to an unpopulated area of the hall.
"I'm sorry if you were worried Jason. I just needed to be alone. Can you understand that?" Skye asked looking down at the blue sweater she had put on the day before. Yesterday morning, after she found the ring, she fled. Escaping to her car, she driven off to seclusion.
"Yeah, I understand," he spoke softly taking her hand in his own. "We were just scared. I mean Courtney and I hadn't seen you since we gave you a ride home two days ago."
"I stopped by yesterday," Skye admitted.
"I know, Sonny told us," his name causing Skye to look down at her feet. "He also said you rushed out of here upset. What happened?"
"Jason, don't."
"Skye, were did you go? Why didn't you call or take a guard? You know it's not safe."
"I needed to get away for awhile. I stopped home and got Sonny's things," she motioned to the leather bag she held.
"You haven't been there this hole time." Jason stated rather than asked.
"No, I wasn't," she admitted letting him take the bag from her grasp. "I just wanted to go somewhere to be alone and to do some thinking. Look, I'm back and that's what matters. Can we just drop it?"
"You went 'there' didn't you?" Jason asked softly.
"Yes."
"Why would you put yourself through that Skye?"
"Surprisingly it helped. That place holds wonderful memories of the past year and it was comforting to remember the good. It's going to help me get through the rest of this."
Jason looked at his sister with admiration. Even before they became close he watched her over come some of the hardest obstacles a person could withstand, each time turning to alcohol to get her through it. This time though, her strength had taken her to the next level. She made it through one of the hardest weeks of her life - without one drink.
"I'm proud of you, you know," he declared softly.
"Dear G-d, why?" she laughed. "I haven't done anything."
"This hasn't been easy for you. Being an alcoholic can't make it any easier."
"Yeah, not to mention self-destructive," she added sarcastically.
"I'm serious Skye," Jason's tone holding no doubt of his words. "When we couldn't find you, I was so scared you would end up in some bar. I'm glad you proved my fears wrong."
"Don't give me so much credit. You don't know how close I really was to it," Skye acknowledged lowering her gaze from his intense one. "I found this in the bag of his things from the hospital." Slowly, with Jason's curious expression following her movements, she pulled a chain from underneath her sweater.
As she let it rest now on the outside of her clothes, Jason could see the diamond ring hanging from the gold chain. He was speechless and could only pull her into a comforting embrace. Neither sibling could tell how long they stayed together, both of their thoughts focussed on the ring captured between them. Pulling back slowly, Jason open his mouth to end the silence but stopped once Skye held up her hand.
"You don't have to say any thing. I've already thought about it more than I should have. Please, I don't want your pity," she asked with a saddened expression.
"I wasn't going to give you pity, Skye," he answered truthfully watching as an uncomfortable expression fell over Skye's face. "Ok, how about a change in subject."
"Yes, please."
"They ran some tests on Sonny yesterday," Jason spoke as they slowly walked towards Sonny's room.
"Are the results back?"
"I was going to look for Tony, when I ran into you. They should be back today." As they turned the corner they spotted Tony and Courtney talking outside Sonny's room. Nearing the pair, Skye took a deep breath and hoped good news was on her way.
"Skye!" Courtney exclaimed pulling her into her arms. "We were so scared - owe!" she exclaimed pulling back.
"What?" Skye asked looking confused.
"Your necklace stabbed me," she replied rubbing her chest. Looking down at the ring hanging from Skye's neck, her eyes widening. "Your necklace - is that -."
"Later," Skye replied slipping the ring underneath her sweater before turning to Tony. "How's Sonny?"
"The test results came back great. He is recovering better than I had hoped for. Sonny's injured leg and wrist are healing beautifully."
"That's great," Courtney exclaimed.
"At the earliest I'd say you can take him home Sunday," Tony stated with a smile.
"But what about his memory? Is it permanent?" Skye asked with concern and a fearful expression.
"Well, from the talk I had with him yesterday he is already beginning to remember," Tony replied looking to Skye.
"What?" Courtney and Jason exclaimed.
"The conversation with you, Skye, triggered something and he was almost able to remember. That's a good sign that this is not a permanent case."
"What triggered it?" Jason asked Skye.
"Um, he saw one of my scars," she replied looking away, her voice cracking emotionally. "He - he didn't remember though." Skye focussed her eyes on the closed blinds on the window to Sonny's room instead of the three pairs of eyes that were burning her skin.
"It is a good sign though," Tony restated breaking the silence. "Sonny needs, like the incident with you," he motioned to Skye. "To experience some of the events he can no longer remember. Maybe using photographs, stories, or even visiting some memorable locations - any of these could spark something in his memory."
"How long do you think it will take?" Courtney spoke up.
"I can't say. That truly depends on you all and Sonny himself. Just be there for him and try to get him to experience the familiar routines he can no longer remember."
"Thank you Tony," Skye said finally taking her eyes from the window. A new spark of hope was glittering there and on her expression as she moved to the door of Sonny's room.
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Quickly as possible, Sonny hobbled away from the door, slumping painfully onto the bed just as Skye made her way inside. Putting the small leather bag on the chair she'd been accustomed to sitting in the past week, a playful smile crossed her face.
"Enjoy your eavesdropping?" She asked standing in front of him. "You could have hurt yourself - did you hurt yourself?" she corrected looking to the leg dangling over the bed.
"I'm fine," he answered gruffly. "Maybe if I wasn't treated like a child, then I wouldn't have to eavesdrop to find out how 'I' am doing."
"Maybe if you weren't so stubborn you could have waited for us to tell you," she stated taking a seat next to him on the bed.
"I needed to use the bathroom any way," he added looking slightly guilty.
"So did you like what you overheard?" she teased pushing a strand of hair behind her ears and noticing how Sonny was mesmerized by her movements. She smiled softly at this and the memory that rushed into her thoughts.
Nightmares were a reoccurring thing with Skye - especially after what she survived. Every time she woke he would be at her side, running his hands through her hair comforting her and lulling her to sleep. It always worked too. There was just something about his hands she loved. It amazed her what strength he had and how he had always been so gentle with her.
"I'm looking foreword to getting outta here. I really hate hospitals," he admitted.
"I know," she said before breaking into giggles at the expression he gave her.
"Don't start that again," he groaned but the playfulness in his eyes was not lost to Skye. Also not lost was the way he itched at the hospital gown he was forced to wear.
"Here," Skye said standing from the bed. "I brought you some clothes." Reaching into the bag she pulled out a pair of black cotton pants and a matching T-shirt.
"Thank you," he replied after she tossed the pants into his lap, glaring jokingly as his shirt landed on his head. "You wanna help me to the bathroom, so I can change?" he asked looking to her and receiving a small laugh.
"Its nothing I haven't seen before," she teased moving to his side.
"Skye!" he grimaced, suppressing his laughter.
~ TBC ~
Chapter Five ~ Questions & Explanations
**
*****
***********
*****
**
"Skye!" Jason's concerned voice echoed through the hospital hall. "Where have you been?" he asked pulling her into a quick hug before moving to an unpopulated area of the hall.
"I'm sorry if you were worried Jason. I just needed to be alone. Can you understand that?" Skye asked looking down at the blue sweater she had put on the day before. Yesterday morning, after she found the ring, she fled. Escaping to her car, she driven off to seclusion.
"Yeah, I understand," he spoke softly taking her hand in his own. "We were just scared. I mean Courtney and I hadn't seen you since we gave you a ride home two days ago."
"I stopped by yesterday," Skye admitted.
"I know, Sonny told us," his name causing Skye to look down at her feet. "He also said you rushed out of here upset. What happened?"
"Jason, don't."
"Skye, were did you go? Why didn't you call or take a guard? You know it's not safe."
"I needed to get away for awhile. I stopped home and got Sonny's things," she motioned to the leather bag she held.
"You haven't been there this hole time." Jason stated rather than asked.
"No, I wasn't," she admitted letting him take the bag from her grasp. "I just wanted to go somewhere to be alone and to do some thinking. Look, I'm back and that's what matters. Can we just drop it?"
"You went 'there' didn't you?" Jason asked softly.
"Yes."
"Why would you put yourself through that Skye?"
"Surprisingly it helped. That place holds wonderful memories of the past year and it was comforting to remember the good. It's going to help me get through the rest of this."
Jason looked at his sister with admiration. Even before they became close he watched her over come some of the hardest obstacles a person could withstand, each time turning to alcohol to get her through it. This time though, her strength had taken her to the next level. She made it through one of the hardest weeks of her life - without one drink.
"I'm proud of you, you know," he declared softly.
"Dear G-d, why?" she laughed. "I haven't done anything."
"This hasn't been easy for you. Being an alcoholic can't make it any easier."
"Yeah, not to mention self-destructive," she added sarcastically.
"I'm serious Skye," Jason's tone holding no doubt of his words. "When we couldn't find you, I was so scared you would end up in some bar. I'm glad you proved my fears wrong."
"Don't give me so much credit. You don't know how close I really was to it," Skye acknowledged lowering her gaze from his intense one. "I found this in the bag of his things from the hospital." Slowly, with Jason's curious expression following her movements, she pulled a chain from underneath her sweater.
As she let it rest now on the outside of her clothes, Jason could see the diamond ring hanging from the gold chain. He was speechless and could only pull her into a comforting embrace. Neither sibling could tell how long they stayed together, both of their thoughts focussed on the ring captured between them. Pulling back slowly, Jason open his mouth to end the silence but stopped once Skye held up her hand.
"You don't have to say any thing. I've already thought about it more than I should have. Please, I don't want your pity," she asked with a saddened expression.
"I wasn't going to give you pity, Skye," he answered truthfully watching as an uncomfortable expression fell over Skye's face. "Ok, how about a change in subject."
"Yes, please."
"They ran some tests on Sonny yesterday," Jason spoke as they slowly walked towards Sonny's room.
"Are the results back?"
"I was going to look for Tony, when I ran into you. They should be back today." As they turned the corner they spotted Tony and Courtney talking outside Sonny's room. Nearing the pair, Skye took a deep breath and hoped good news was on her way.
"Skye!" Courtney exclaimed pulling her into her arms. "We were so scared - owe!" she exclaimed pulling back.
"What?" Skye asked looking confused.
"Your necklace stabbed me," she replied rubbing her chest. Looking down at the ring hanging from Skye's neck, her eyes widening. "Your necklace - is that -."
"Later," Skye replied slipping the ring underneath her sweater before turning to Tony. "How's Sonny?"
"The test results came back great. He is recovering better than I had hoped for. Sonny's injured leg and wrist are healing beautifully."
"That's great," Courtney exclaimed.
"At the earliest I'd say you can take him home Sunday," Tony stated with a smile.
"But what about his memory? Is it permanent?" Skye asked with concern and a fearful expression.
"Well, from the talk I had with him yesterday he is already beginning to remember," Tony replied looking to Skye.
"What?" Courtney and Jason exclaimed.
"The conversation with you, Skye, triggered something and he was almost able to remember. That's a good sign that this is not a permanent case."
"What triggered it?" Jason asked Skye.
"Um, he saw one of my scars," she replied looking away, her voice cracking emotionally. "He - he didn't remember though." Skye focussed her eyes on the closed blinds on the window to Sonny's room instead of the three pairs of eyes that were burning her skin.
"It is a good sign though," Tony restated breaking the silence. "Sonny needs, like the incident with you," he motioned to Skye. "To experience some of the events he can no longer remember. Maybe using photographs, stories, or even visiting some memorable locations - any of these could spark something in his memory."
"How long do you think it will take?" Courtney spoke up.
"I can't say. That truly depends on you all and Sonny himself. Just be there for him and try to get him to experience the familiar routines he can no longer remember."
"Thank you Tony," Skye said finally taking her eyes from the window. A new spark of hope was glittering there and on her expression as she moved to the door of Sonny's room.
**
*****
***********
*****
**
Quickly as possible, Sonny hobbled away from the door, slumping painfully onto the bed just as Skye made her way inside. Putting the small leather bag on the chair she'd been accustomed to sitting in the past week, a playful smile crossed her face.
"Enjoy your eavesdropping?" She asked standing in front of him. "You could have hurt yourself - did you hurt yourself?" she corrected looking to the leg dangling over the bed.
"I'm fine," he answered gruffly. "Maybe if I wasn't treated like a child, then I wouldn't have to eavesdrop to find out how 'I' am doing."
"Maybe if you weren't so stubborn you could have waited for us to tell you," she stated taking a seat next to him on the bed.
"I needed to use the bathroom any way," he added looking slightly guilty.
"So did you like what you overheard?" she teased pushing a strand of hair behind her ears and noticing how Sonny was mesmerized by her movements. She smiled softly at this and the memory that rushed into her thoughts.
Nightmares were a reoccurring thing with Skye - especially after what she survived. Every time she woke he would be at her side, running his hands through her hair comforting her and lulling her to sleep. It always worked too. There was just something about his hands she loved. It amazed her what strength he had and how he had always been so gentle with her.
"I'm looking foreword to getting outta here. I really hate hospitals," he admitted.
"I know," she said before breaking into giggles at the expression he gave her.
"Don't start that again," he groaned but the playfulness in his eyes was not lost to Skye. Also not lost was the way he itched at the hospital gown he was forced to wear.
"Here," Skye said standing from the bed. "I brought you some clothes." Reaching into the bag she pulled out a pair of black cotton pants and a matching T-shirt.
"Thank you," he replied after she tossed the pants into his lap, glaring jokingly as his shirt landed on his head. "You wanna help me to the bathroom, so I can change?" he asked looking to her and receiving a small laugh.
"Its nothing I haven't seen before," she teased moving to his side.
"Skye!" he grimaced, suppressing his laughter.
~ TBC ~