She had slept the majority of the past two days, only able to stay awake for few periods at a time. This time when she woke up, Susan, Kerry, Luka and Dubenko were all gathered in her room, checking her SATS.

She waved at them to get someone's attention. Dubenko was the first to notice. 'going on?' she signed, wondering, knowing something was about to happen.

Dubenko looked to Kerry and Susan, quite confused by the gestures.

"She wants to know what' s going on." Abby nodded a thank you then focused her attention back towards the surgeon.

"We were discussing the possibility of more surgery so you can breathe on your own."

'now?'

"You seem stable enough. If you want it now..."

Abby looked to Kerry and Susan, didn't know what she wanted right then. Well, she wanted their opinions.

"You can come off the vent, get out the tube," Susan offered enthusiastically.

But that would mean they would have to crack her again, there was a chance that she could go back into the coma, but not wake up this time. Then again, she would have an even better chance of returning to her life..or something that somewhat resembled it. She laughed to herself, she would never take breathing for granted again.

"Well, Dr. Lockhart?" Dubenko pressed, "should I get the consent forms for you?"

She looked at Kerry, 'what damage?' they had yet to tell her what they need to repair.

"Left bronchial tube, some damage to both lungs, as well as the left ventricle and aortic root."

'Bad?' even though she would never admit it, she was scared about having the surgery.

"Well, it's not good."

She nodded and thought about it, 'if..no' she tried to sign, knowing she had left out a few key gestures, but hoping someone would get the message. What would happen if she didn't consent?

"If you don't have the surgery, you'll need to stay on the vent."

'how long' there had to be the possibility that it could repair itself…right?

"Indefinitely."

She thought about it, a possibility of life on a vent, or risk her life to have a life again. Abby knew immediately which choice to pick. She slowly nodded, consenting to the surgery.

"I'll go get the paperwork and book the OR," Dubenko left.

"It will be okay Abby," Susan reassured her best friend, seeing how nervous she was. Abby nodded again, trying to fight back the tears that were threatening to spill over, she had awoken from a coma, apparently, after being attacked, stabbed, raped and left for dead in the snow over a month ago..apparently. She didn't remember any of it, and that was more frustrating then the surgery she was about to face. "Hey Abby, it's okay, you'll be better soon," Susan wasn't all that convincing.

'don't lie' Abby, the drugs finally starting to wear off, had a feeling that they were hiding something from her, but she couldn't figure out what it was.

"What makes you think I'm lying?" Susan asked, shocked that she had been so transparent.

'best friend' she paused trying to figure out how to sign the next words, but gave in and just wrote 'you're my best friend I know.'

"You'll get past this Abby," Susan took her hand and tried to play brave.

'chart,' she signed to Kerry, she knew if they were hiding something, it would be in her chart.

"Once you've gotten some rest we'll go over it, okay?"

'all of it?' she glared at them.

"Yes," Kerry just hoped the bit with Stenton wouldn't freak her out too badly.

'okay' she signed, knowing Kerry would keep her word, as Dubenko and two nurses entered the room.

"Here," he handed her a clipboard and pen.

She looked it over a bit, something in the back of her mind telling her not to sign, but she did. Left handed signature..if that's what they could call it, it looked more like a preschoolers hand writing, writing her name for the first time.

"Thanks, we'll start in half an hour, if that's amicable."

Another nod, half an hour, that was soon, way to soon. She turned to Kerry again, 'how long' wanting to know how long the surgery would take.

It was hard to say for certain, but a safe estimate, erring on the side of caution, was something to the effect of "four to six hours, barring complications."

'last one?' she didn't want another one, didn't want this one, but really had no choice.

"There's still the issue of your kidney, but this will probably be the last one for a while. Let you recover for a bit," Susan chimed.

And there it was. One thing Abby knew they had been hiding, 'kidney?' not plural she noticed.

"I told you earlier, Abby. You've needed to be on dialysis, kidney failure. Once you've recovered from this operation, you have the option of a transplant."

Knowing she could look at the chart in a few hours, Abby just closed her eyes, to tired to write or sign anything complicated right then. She had way to much to think through, and now another surgery just added to that ever growing list.