A/N So I'm starting on Chapter 8 now. I'm a little behind and 9 might take a little longer. Okay here is 8. Sorry to leave you all hanging on chapter 7…
Disclaimer: There still not mine…
" I need you to get a hold of Dr Paige Miller" Michael McBain yelled to an attending nurse in the hall way as he and the residents quickly moved Natalie's hospital bed into a near by room. She had just come out of the OR. The surgery was high risk. Natalie was unconscious and they were unable to stabilize her blood pressure and heart rate but the surgery was needed or she would have surely bled to death. She still was unresponsive and that was worrying Michael. He knew that the longer a patient was asleep, the harder it was for them to wake up. He was pulled back to reality by one of the nurses.
"Her heart rate is dropping." One of the workers said holding up the bag with the IV connected to her arm.
They quickly moved her into the closest room and Michael began to work to stabilize her. Jessica and John were not far behind him. They had remained through out the operation sitting on the side lines waiting. They peered nervously into the window as Michael ordered the nurses around and hurriedly worked on her. The pressure was obviously too much for Jessica to take. Her eyes were red; from the crying she had done in the ambulance ride over with Natalie and then again from the last hour Natalie had been in surgery. She still held the blood soaked scarf in her right hand, twisting it around her left inadvertently. As she did so the blood began to stain her porcelain white skin.
"Why-" Her voice was shaky. "Why would he do that to her?" She asked looking up at John. Her tears began to spill once more out of her pale blue eyes.
That's what John had been trying to figure out on the entire car ride to the hospital. Why did he do it? It wasn't clear to him at first but then it hit him…It wasn't Natalie it was intended for…it was him. Right as the ambulance has arrived so did the police, Bo included. When they went to take Cristian away he put up no fight, no struggle but remained in almost a trance continuing to insist that he never meant to hurt Natalie, but not denying it none the less.
Antonio came around the corner of the ER and saw John and Jessica standing there. He traced Jessica's body with his eyes and noticed the bloody scarf in her hand.
"Antonio!" She ran to him and collapsed in his arms. He tightly held her as she sobbed uncontrollably into his chest. A moment later she looked up from his chest and looked him in the eyes.
"Jess what happened?"
She hesitated to speak for a moment "He shot her." She pulled away from him wrapping her arms around her chest. The scarf still clenched in her hand.
"Who?" He was growing confused.
Jessica looked back at John almost as if she was pleading with him to say it. She couldn't find it in her to say the words herself, not out loud.
"Cris." John finished…"He…he shot Natalie." He trailed off.
"What? That doesn't make any sense."
"Well sense or not Antonio he did." Jessica's sadness was now beginning to turn to fury. "Natalie is lying in that hospital bed right now fighting for her life because of him!"
"It…It just doesn't make any sense, he loves Natalie why would he do something like that?"
"Love? Love?" She asked enraged "You call what he did to my sister love? If shooting the person you 'love' is how he shows his devotion for her than I certainly don't want to make his enemy list!"
"Jess-" he reached out for her
"Don't" She stuck up her hands in defense and stormed off into the hospital. Antonio hurried after her.
John stayed where he was, looking back into the window once more. Things had calmed down a bit in Natalie's room. He could see Michael standing over the bed but couldn't see clearly what he was doing. He saw several nurses pass by and enter Natalie's room. Through the door as it closed he could see her lying there. She looked so pale, so weak, Almost seemed like a different person from the vibrant fiery woman John had been with earlier. The woman who he kissed with such intense burning passion, passion so hot he was sure it had left a scorch mark on the ground beneath them. It was only mere hours ago he had ran his hands through her auburn strands of fire, that he had caressed her creamy ivory skin with his hands, that he had tasted her lips and… "John?" a familiar voice called from behind. He slowly turned to see Mrs. Davidson staring his way. His heart fell. How was he supposed to tell her what happened? That it wasn't Natalie, but him who should be lying in that bed. That this was all his fault. How was he supposed to explain that to anyone for that matter?
"Jessie…Jessie called me. She sounded distressed and told me to meet her here." She could tell by the somber look on his face that something was wrong…something was terribly wrong.
"She should be back in a minute. She and Antonio, they should be right back." He hoped like hell that they would come back soon. He didn't want to have to explain any of this to her. It wasn't his place.
"There's something wrong isn't there?" Her voice was firm yet it was obvious that her worry was growing.
"Mrs. Davidson-"
"Mom!" Jessica yelled from behind them; Antonio standing off to the side a bit. Vicki turned to see Jessica; her shirt seemed to be slightly stained along with her hands. She looked up to meet her eyes and noticed the distinct puffiness of her eyes which could only be caused by crying a great deal.
"Jessie. Sweet heart what happened?"
"Mom you should really sit down." She began moving Vicki to the near by seating area and Vicki stopped her.
"Sweet heart I'm fine. I'm well enough to hear what ever it is that's going on. I'm okay."
Jessica gave her a some what worried look
"Please Jessie I need to know!" She was almost shouting at this point, something she didn't do quite often.
"It's…It's Natalie." She looked away for a second and then back at her mother. "She's been shot."
Before Jessica had a chance to say another word Michael McBain came out of the room they had all gathered in front of. He noticed Vicki's horrified expression and made note that she must have been informed of what was going on.
"How is she?" John asked; waiting anxiously to hear word on her condition.
"Natalie received a deep bullet wound incision to the chest. Luckily it missed her heart and major arteries."
They let out a sigh of relief
"Unfortunately there were some complications…" He staled for a moment and then continued. "The surgery was a success, but Natalie was unconscious for a long time." He could see they were all holding there breath and continued…god this was hard " We had no choice but to perform the surgery weather she was conscious or not, if we didn't she would have bleed to death. But the fact she still isn't awake could be damaging in the long run."
"What are you saying?" Jessica asked
Michael took one more deep breath and continued. "Natalie…she's slipped into a coma."
At the new revelation they almost cracked. Tears began to spill out of Jessica's eyes again as she buried her head into Vicki's chest. Vicki lightly stroked the hair out of her face trying to control her sobs. Michael continued once more.
"There is a good chance she could wake up, but the longer she stays under…"
"…The worse her chance of coming out of it is." Vicki continued, recalling this all too well, having gone through it with Ben not long ago.
"Yeah…" He looked down for a second "I'm also worried about her brain functions. In order for her to recover fully and not loose any brain activity she needs to come out of this sooner rather then later."
"I understand." Vicki said trying to put on a brave face. "Excuse us for a moment please." She took Jessica away from the waiting area towards the rest rooms.
Michael looked at John, who had remained quiet through out most of the conversation. His expression was one he hadn't seen on his brother since…since Caitlyn's death. "You okay?" He asked
John looked at him blankly. "This is all my fault."
"This is no one's fault Johnny, don't go blaming yourself again. This couldn't have been stopped." His brother still stared blankly at him "It's gonna be okay Johnny."
"It has to be." He looked him in the eyes. "It has to be…"
Natalie opened her eyes to be surrounded by an almost blinding white light. It hurt her eyes to look directly into it. She slowly began to sit up and took in her surroundings. It was unfamiliar. Where was she? She began to stand up off the couch she was lying on. Her first instinct was telling her to run, find a way out, but for some reason she didn't feel any danger. Yes she had no clue where she was but she felt peaceful. Was this a dream? Maybe she had eaten some of Roxy's tuna casserole again and this was the result of food poisoning. She looked around…nothing but light. No ending, no beginning…it just…was.
"Hello?" she called out "Is anyone here?"
"Where the hell am I?" She asked herself.
"Hello Natalie…I've been waiting for you." She heard the voice behind her say…she was afraid to turn around at first but she finally did. She looked at the person who had addressed her earlier and shock and fear were her primary reactions.
"How…how is this possible?" She asked staring at him "Oh God; am I dead?"
Okay there is 8…it was mostly family stuff I know, not much Jolie sorry for that…I'll try to get 9 started this weekend. So you're all left wondering…who is it Natalie sees…I'll try to start on 9 soon.
