Hey everyone, I have finally finished a new chapter! Yay! I read through all the old reviews last night and was inspired to write, so I did. It's not as long as I would have liked given how long it's been and I could add more to it, but I think I'll add the more to the next chapter. I really just want to get a new chapter up and I have finally done that, and it was all the amazing reviews I've gotten through the years the helped me do it, so I hope anyone who does see this enjoys this chapter.
Christine's Pov
I start across from the hospital psychologist as I played with the band on my left arm, watching as she wrote in her book. It was weird seeing her use a book instead of a I-Pad or laptop, but some still liked pen and paper. I knew I liked it at times.
It had been a long and confusing three weeks since I had woken up from the coma. My mind was slowly coming back to reality and I now knew that I had had a vivid dream whilst asleep. I knew what was real and what was fake now, but I still couldn't remember why I was in a coma in the first place and no one seemed willing to tell me anything about it other than the fact that I was in an accident.
"You've made very good process in the last few weeks Christine." Dr. Mayfield said as she looked up at me again, shutting her books. "How is your memory?"
"I still can't remember the few days leading up to whatever happened to me." I admitted as I really couldn't remember anything.
The last day I could remember was the Monday that we got the assignment, and according to my parents, that was a few days before I had actually been hurt.
"What's the last thing you remember?" She asked me and I sighed.
"Walking out of history on Monday with Michael after getting our assignment." I admitted and she nodded, opening her book back up and writing something. "Is there something interesting about that?"
She looked up at me in surprise. "No, but I want to note everything. Short term memory loss is common with head injuries so it's not a surprise that you can't remember what happened to you or the events of a few days prior to it."
I raised an eyebrow at that. "I might still be recovering and I… I might still struggle with some words, but I have an Uncle who does your job so I know that's not why you wrote it down." I said bluntly and she seemed surprised by that, however she smiled after a few moments.
"Well, I guess you really are recovering well. I was told you were observant but until now I haven't seen it myself. It's good to see that your mental capabilities are getting better." She said and I nodded, but then I reached down and started to play with the band on my left wrist again. "How is your arm?"
I shrugged. "I'm doing physical the… physio to gain my strength back, but I was told it might be a while." I admitted, as I didn't like it, but I had to accept it.
She crossed her legs. "And how do you feel about that?" She asked me.
"It is what it is." I said, because it was. "I wish people would tell me how I got hurt, but I know they want me to focus on getting better."
She nodded, shutting her book as she did. "Well, while I can understand why you're a little frustrated, but you have a good attitude about it and are focusing on your recovery. You've also come to grips with your reality and your mental capacity has improved, and you're no longer confused, so I don't think you need to see me now. I think you can easily talk to your uncle about things that concern you and your parents."
That finally made me smile. "Does that mean I can go home now?" I asked and she smiled.
"As long as your doctors agree, which I know they do considering you can walk unaided now and all your scans are good, the answer is yes. I'll talk to the staff and get your discharge papers sorted as quickly as possible. I'll also contact your parents." She said and I could have easily jumped for joy hearing that.
"That is the best news I've heard in three weeks." I admitted.
She smiled. "Tired of the hospital?" She asked.
I nodded. "Despite all the… advances in technology, hospital food still sucks and so do the beds. I want to sleep in my own bed where it's comfy and not hear constant beeping." I freely admitted and she nodded as she stood up, which I did too.
"I can't blame you; I don't like being a patient in a hospital either." She said, smiling. "I'll go talk to the doctors now, but you should go to the cafeteria and eat, even if the food sucks."
"Kate's actually supposed to be bringing food, so I don't have to eat sucky food today." I said, as Kate had told me to meet her in the cafeteria once I was done.
"Then you should go and eat." She said and I just nodded, leaving the room.
I was happy that I could finally go home, but I still wanted to know what happened to me. Everyone had avoided the subject, but I still wanted to know.
I made my way to the cafeteria, feeling a little tired like always, and saw Kate sitting at one of the many tables. I made my way over to the table and smiled at her as I sat down across from her.
"Hey, how did it go?" Kate asked, pushing the bag of food she brought towards me, and I smiled.
"Well, I should be able to go home today, which I hope means soon." I said as I grabbed the bag and looked inside it. There was a salad, some sandwiches, a container with chocolate chip cookies in it and a bottle of water.
"That's good. I know you're not a fan of hospitals." Kate said and I looked up at her as I took the salad out of the bag. I'd come to hate hospitals a bit after being in them so many times in the last year.
"It's even worse when Michael won't visit." I said and her eyes widened a little. "Kate, what's going on?"
She sighed. "He's just being an idiot. It's hard for him to see you in here."
"Bullshit." I said bluntly, surprising her. "My brain might have been… scrambled and I might have had a weird dream, but I know Michael." I said stubbornly. "I also know you and I know you're lying."
"Christine, it's not…"
"Don't lie again." I interrupted. "I know something bad happened to me and I want to know what. If you won't tell me that, which I know you won't at least tell me why Michael is avoiding me or get him here so I can ask him myself."
"He blames himself for what happened to you, that's why he's not here. He didn't come at first because you couldn't remember what was reality, but now it's because he feels guilty." Kate admitted after a moment and I just blinked. Maybe I had lost my mind a little.
"Can I have your phone?" I asked and she sighed, taking it out of her bag, unlocking it and then handing it to me willingly.
I would have used mine but I didn't have it.
"Hey Kate, what's up?" Michael asked casually as he answered.
"It's Christine actually, and what's up is that I want you to come to the hospital." I said simply as we needed to talk.
"Why, is something wrong?" He asked and I could hear how concerned he was.
"No, I'm okay. I'm actually getting discharged sooner or later. It'll be sometime today." I explained, hoping it was sooner.
I heard his sigh of relief. "That's good to hear Christine, but I'm actually a little…"
"Don't make me threaten to break up with… with you, which I'll do if you refuse to come." I said firmly as I knew it would likely get him hear.
"I'll be there in thirty minutes." He promised and the line went dead.
I pulled the phone away from my ear and handed it back to Kate who was looking at me in surprise.
"That was a little mean." She said and I shrugged.
"He was being an idiot, and after how dumb he was in my dream, I figured it was better to be blunt." I said and she smiled.
"What was your dream like? Was it a good dream?" She asked me. Other than the psychologist, no one had really asked me about my dream.
"Sort of. I had a younger brother who I loved and who was a pain when he wanted to be, and Darius was alive. You two were happy and he was there for me a lot, and he kicked Michael's ass." I admitted and I knew it made her sad. "On the other hand, Michael and I weren't together like I… like I told you and had barely talked in six months, but we got together before it was over."
"It's sounds like a good and bad dream, but I'd prefer a reality where Darius is alive. I've dreamt about it a few times." She admitted and I smiled.
"He asked you to marry him right before I woke up." I admitted and her eyes widened as she looked at me, small tears already forming in her eyes. "I think I imagined what would have happened if he hadn't died. You were still pregnant and you were both happy… minus the fact that Michael was… was hurting me."
She smiled through her tears, her hand resting on her stomach. "He would have made an amazing dad."
"I know." I said, as I'd know that from the start and I was sad that it would never happen. Seeing Darius alive in my dream had been amazing, but now it hurt more knowing he was gone.
"I'm just glad you're still here to be a great godmother." She said and I smiled.
"I'm sorry I scared you, though I still don't know what happened." I said and she looked to the side, avoiding my gaze. "I'm not gonna' make you tell me, but someone's going to have to eventually."
She sighed. "I know that, I just still wish it hadn't happened." She admitted, but then she looked at the table. "You know I brought you food to eat."
I nodded as I took a bite of my sandwich, trying to avoid rolling my eyes. I had to agree that food sounded really good though.
- Line Breaker -
"It's about time you showed up." I said when Michael finally arrived, his timing being excellent as I'd just gotten back to my room.
Kate had eaten lunch with me and then headed home, knowing I wanted to talk to Michael alone. I was hoping my parents didn't come to get me until our conversation was over.
"You know I said I'd be thirty minutes." He said as he came in, though he wasn't his cheerful self.
I rolled my eyes. "That's not what I meant and you know it."
"Christine…" He started.
I interrupted. "Don't Christine me Michael. I had to threaten that I'd threaten to break up with you to get you hear. My brain might have been… scrambled, but I'm not dumb and I know you're avoiding me."
"Chris, I was told not to come here originally because you were confused." He said, trying to make up excuses that I wasn't falling for.
"I stopped being confused a while ago." I said because, even if I still stubbled over words and stuttered a bit, I knew what was real and what wasn't. "Kate says you blame yourself for what happened to me."
He looked at me then, surprised, but then he looked away with a guilty expression. "That's because it was my fault."
"I don't believe that." I said softly as I didn't.
He looked back at me. "You don't remember what happened."
"No, I don't, but since you're not in this hospital with me and I don't see any bullet holes, I know this is not your fault." I said, as I was sure he would not be walking if he hurt me, not that he'd ever hurt me. "Do you have bullet holes I can't see?" I asked.
"No, but what's that got to do with…"
"If this was your fault, or if you hurt me, I'm pretty sure my dad would have tried to kill you, or at the very least have you looked up for… attempted murder or assault. You're not in prison, injured and there's no armed guard at the door so I know it's not your fault." I said bluntly as it was true; my dad would never let anyone get away with hurting me. "Did you physically hurt me?" I asked even though I knew he hadn't.
His eyes widened. "No, of course not. I'd never lay a hand on you." He said honestly.
I smiled. "Then you're not the reason I'm here, are you." I said.
He still didn't seem happy. "I'm part of the reason."
I sighed. "Not a willing part obviously." I said as I could read the expression on his face. I walked over to him and stood in front of him. "Michael, I can't remember jack shit about what happened, so I can't say anything about it, but I know this wasn't you. You wouldn't be avoiding me out of guilt if… if it was, but you would be in prison."
"You've been spending too much time with the Psychologist." He said, but at least now there was a faint hint of a smile playing at his lips.
"Yep." I smiled and his faint one widened a little. "So, can you please stop feeling guilty and just hug me 'cause I've missed my boyfriend." I opened my arms, though it was a bit of a struggle since my left arm was still weak and would be for a while, meaning I could only fully raise my right one.
He shook his head, but he closed the rest of the distance between us and pulled me into his arms, hugging me tightly as I wrapped my right arm around him. I had wanted him to hug me for a while, so I was glad he'd stopped being an idiot and come.
"I'm glad you finally came and stopped being a dummy like the Michael in my dream was." I said after a minute and Michael pulled away from me, raising an eyebrow as he did.
"I was a dummy in your dream huh?" He asked and I nodded.
"Yep. You were dating a girl who wanted you to change and took all your time, you barely spent time with me in six months and you couldn't tell I was in love with you." I said with a faint smile and his eyebrow rose higher. "Darius… constantly wanted to hit you for being an idiot and did once."
He smiled. "You're going to have to tell me about that dream of yours at some point."
"I will, but only when someone tells me what happened to me." I said back as I wanted to me.
"Well, that's not going to be me. You're going to have to ask your parents as they're the ones who told us to be quiet." He said, which honestly didn't surprise me as I figured that's what was going on.
"Figures." I muttered and he smile. "Promise you're not going to avoid me anymore."
He smiled. "I promise. I shouldn't have avoided you to begin with. Mom's been on my case for days about it."
"No, you shouldn't have, and Angela's a smart woman." I said as I wasn't surprised Angela had done that.
"Smart and scary." Michael said and I laughed at that.
"Hey honey." Dad said as he arrived and I looked away from Michael as Dad came in the room. "Michael, good to see you here."
"I threatened that I'd break up with him if he didn't stop feeling guilty and come see me." I said and I saw a certain look in Dad's eyes that I knew well. "Don't worry, no one told me what happened to me since you told them not to."
"I'm not going to apologize for putting your recovery first." Dad said and I just rolled my eyes. "Bones is doing all the paperwork now, the perks of having parents like us, so are you ready to go?"
I smiled. "I've been ready to go home for days." I said honestly and he chuckled as he walked over to where my bag was resting. I'd kept it packed in case I could go home soon.
"Well then, lets get you home. You'll feel better sleeping in your own bed." Dad said and I couldn't agree more. "Michael, you're welcome to come around."
I looked at Michael expectantly and he smiled down at me. "I'll take you up on that Booth, especially since I think Christine would be mad at me if I didn't spend some time with her."
"You think?" I asked with a smile, as there was no doubt about that, and he smiled back.
"I think you're right Michael." Dad said with a smile, and I could tell that he was happy I was smiling. "So, let's get out of here. I'm getting sick of hospitals and seeing you in a hospital."
"I agree, and I want to avoid being in a hospital again for at least five years." I said as I was tired of being in hospitals, and I was also tired of getting hurt.
"I think we all want you to stay out of hospitals, at least when it comes to being a patient, not that any of the times you were hurt were your fault." Michael said and I knew he was right. I'd been scaring people a lot lately.
I nodded and Michael took my hand in his, pulling me with him as he started to walk out of the room. I was happy to go with him as I wanted to go home. I missed my room and my comfortable bed, and I missed the comforts that being at home gave.
I was still confused as it had been a confusing few weeks, but I was just happy that I was finally leaving the hospital.
