Chapter Ten

Kirstin lay there on the bed, eyes closed as if they were sewn shut. Her cheeks were pale, contrary to the usual rosy color. Kirstin's eyelids were a light shade of blue, as were her lips. Her hands were weak, the skin tight revealing the purple and blue veins that carried blood to different areas in her body. The hospital outfit she wore which was a shade of white, was loose on her frail body. She looked so weak and defenseless, the cover pulled up to her chin, the ivy attached to her wrist. Seth was sitting in the chair beside her when Summer knocked on the door and entered the room. "Hey, baby," she said, walking over to Seth and wrapping her arms around him, hugging him tightly. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," he said, leaning his head on her shoulder while she sat in his lap.

"I'm hungry. Do you want to get something to eat? I think that the cafeteria just opened downstairs." Summer ran a hand through Seth's head of dark curls.

"I better stay here with mom."

"C'mon, Seth." Summer took his hand and pulled him to his feet. "Your mom will be okay while you go with me to get a bite to eat. Besides, you haven't eaten in days. You need food."

Seth sighed. "Okay, but we can't stay down there long. Something might happen…"

"Don't think about that right now, Seth." She kissed him gently. "Everything will be okay. I promise."

Seth nodded, but didn't really believe her. From what the doctor had been saying, there was little chance of her waking up. She had nothing to live for, and so she wasn't fighting for her life. She was giving up on them. Seth had cried often for the past few nights while he stayed with his mother. She had been in the hospital nearly a week, and he was beginning to lose hope. But then, two days before, he swore he had seen her move her hand. Just a slight little twitch, and he was overjoyed. But the doctors said that it was just his imagination. They said that he had wanted it so bad that it had come true, or in his mind it had, that is. Seth still believed that Kirstin had moved. It was a sign. He knew that she would wake up! He knew. But then hour after hour passed by, and her health decreased, and he didn't know what to do. Would she die? Would his mother die within two weeks of his father? This couldn't be happening. He couldn't lose his mother within the same month of his father. It just couldn't happen.

Seth followed Summer out to the hall, and she led him towards the elevators. She pressed the DOWN button, and waited a few moments. Then, they heard the soft DING! and the elevator doors opened, and Seth stepped into the elevator, followed by Summer.

They pressed the FIRST FLOOR button, and the doors closed before them.

Meanwhile

Carter crept down the hall towards Kirstin's room. He had been waiting all week for Seth to leave so that he could have some time alone with her. He snuck into the room silently, closing the door behind him and walking over to the woman who, for so many years, he had lusted endlessly over. Sitting in the recliner beside her, he began to talk softly to the patient. "Hey, Kirstin." Nothing happened. "It's Carter, Kirstin. You remember me. I used to work with you on the magazine…well, I just wanted to tell you what's been happening in my life lately. I haven't gotten over you since that day I left. You remember? Five years ago?" Then, suddenly, out of nowhere, she groaned. A sign of life, a sign of fighting. This encouraged Carter, and so he continued. "Kirstin, I love you. I have loved you since the first day I saw you. Do you believe in love at first sight?" Kirstin groaned again. "Is that a yes? I'm going to take that as a yes. Kirstin, if you have feelings for me too, if you want to try and work this out, please wake up. Kirstin, I love you. If not for me, wake up for your family. They want you here so badly. Don't give up just because your husband died. If I know you, and I think that I do, you won't give up that easily. Come on, Kirstin. Fight it. Don't go towards the light. Turn around, come towards me. Fight it, Kirstin. Fight it for all of us." Kirstin's head began to roll from side to side. Carter was shocked, and nearly couldn't speak, but he knew that he had to continue, for Kirstin's sake. "Kirstin, if you want to live, and I believe that you do, you have to wake up. Don't give in. Don't let death take you. Fight it. Come back. Come back to Earth, to me, to Seth, to Ryan, to those who love you. I know that you miss Sandy, and I believe that everyone does, but that is no reason to kill yourself. Come back. Come back. Come back." That was when her eyes began to flutter open. Carter heard footsteps coming down the hall, and he knew that he had to leave. He rushed out of the room and ran down the hallway as fast as possible. He couldn't be seen with Kirstin, not after her husband's death. But he wanted to see if he could help her, because he loved her so very much. He wanted to see if he could bring her back to life.

Downstairs

The Cafeteria

Seth bit into the hamburger. It was so juicy and delicious. He took another bite, then grabbed the slice of pizza, and began to eat it too. Next, he grabbed a handful of fries and shoved them into his mouth, followed by a large gulp of coke.

"Damn," said Summer. "You were starving.

"Yeah," said Seth.

"Paging Seth Cohen. Paging Seth Cohen. Please come to room 525 in the Intensive Care Unit. Paging Seth Cohen."

Seth gasped. "No…fuck no!" Seth threw the seat to the side and darted towards the exit of the cafeteria. Summer ran after him. "I knew this would happen if I left! I knew that she would…I knew it!" He pressed the UP button, then saw the emergency exit staircase and, shoving the door open, began to climb the stairs. The alarm went off, but he didn't care. He darted up the stairs, taking them two at a time, and shoved the door to the fifth floor open, finding a rush of nurses and doctors in a panic. Seth charged down the hall towards the intensive care unit, turned the corner, and found his mother's room. He ran inside, and received the biggest shock of his life.

"Carter? Where's Carter?" Kirstin said over and over.

"Mom!" cried Seth, running towards her. He embraced his mother with his full strength, nearly squeezing her to death.

"Seth," she said, out of breath. "You can let go now."

Seth fell into the recliner beside the chair. "I am so glad you're all right, Mom!"

Summer ran into the room a few seconds later. "Oh my God! Mrs. Cohen? You're awake!" She hugged her gently, then Seth and Summer kissed passionately. "Thank God."

"I think dad was watching over us," said Seth. "I think he sent you back because he knew it wasn't your time."

Kirstin didn't say one thing. She knew it wasn't Sandy who had brought her back. He had almost killed her, although, probably, it had just been the alcohol talking at the time. But the person who had brought her back was Carter…but where was he?