Chapter Eight- Slow progress and a miracle
A week had passed by since the incidents had happened. Gloria was the only one who had made progress. Erin had yet to recover. She had not woken up from her deep sleep. Minako and Asai stayed at the hospital as much as they could, but did go home to spend some time with Gloria.
Queen Serenity talked the family into going to counseling to work through their problems. Asai and Minako quickly agreed. Gloria complained, but nonetheless went. Gloria spent many nights sleeping with her parents, because she was afraid they'd split again and she was upset about Erin still being in the hospital.
Hotaru and Ami were getting stressed out that they couldn't bring Erin out of the distressed sleep she was in. They were still afraid that something would be wrong when she had awoken.
There had luckily been no signs of enemies. This had been good for them, considering the stress they had all been under. Even those that weren't close to Erin were someway affected by all this.
And then it happened, two months later. Madelyn and Ariel were talking about how they were hoping everyday that Erin would come out of her sleep. And she did. The girls were in her mother's office when they heard joys of laughter and squealing being heard. Ariel looked at Madelyn hopefully, and the two girls dashed off to go and see their mothers.
When it was final that Erin had indeed woken up, Madelyn and Ariel spun around happily. Ami then had to run other multiple tests on Erin to make sure everything else was fine. Hotaru was on the phone with an ecstatic Minako. Minako, Asai, and Gloria quickly rushed over to see their daughter.
Erin looked at her family with a confused expression. Ami walked in with a down expression, she had just received the results. She took Minako and Asai into a different room. Ariel, Madelyn, and Gloria all followed.
"Erin has suffered from some memory damage, it's not permanent, but it will take some time for her to regain her memory. And she can't walk well either. Her legs are weak. She suffers from mild fainting spells." Ami explained, in a sadden voice.
Minako started to cry, Asai held her close; rubbing the back of her head.
"Everything will be okay Minako. You just have to believe, trust me." Asai promised.
Minako nodded, still sobbing.
Gloria, Ariel, and Madelyn all walked back into the room where Erin was. Gloria walked over to Erin. She had fallen back asleep.
Gloria placed her hand on Erin, "It will be okay, we will make it through."
Ariel and Madelyn looked at each other, both with sad expressions. Gloria had been through so much, and Erin waking up was just what Gloria needed to hear, but the children had hoped that Erin would come out without any problems. Ariel and Madelyn could see that Gloria was hurt by this fact. The two girls went over to Gloria and hugged her.
A week later and Erin was able to come home, under strict rules. She had to be pushed around in a wheel chair most of the time. She went to therapy four times a week for her problems with her legs. A Knight had to always be with her, just incase of an attack.
Erin only understood the names of everyone around her, but did not know anything about her past. She spent most of her time observing rather then interacting.
One late night, Gloria had decided to sneak into her sisters room and cuddle up next to her. At first Erin didn't do anything, but she finally turned and put her arm around Gloria.
"Didn't we have a cat?" Erin questioned her sister.
Gloria was shocked that Erin had remembered that. "Yes, and we still do, just he's with his lover right now. He hasn't been home much."
"What's his name?" Erin asked.
"Artemis." Gloria responded.
"Aww. That's cute." Erin replied. Gloria giggled.
"Why is that girl Annika always here?" Erin asked.
"Oh, she's my best friend." Gloria replied.
Erin was silent for some time. "Do I have a best friend?"
Gloria felt tears come to her eyes, she wished her sister could remember everything again. "Yes, her name is Chloe. She's Daisy's younger sister."
Erin was once again silent, probably trying to think. Erin giggled. "She's the Jupiter kid, right?"
"Yes," Gloria replied slowly. Maybe Erin's memory was coming back to her slowly. Considering, no one had mentioned anything about the sailor senshi's in a long while. Simply because there had been no attacks.
"Okay," Erin replied, as she fell asleep.
The next morning Asai came and got Erin out of bed and helped her to her wheel chair.
"Do I have to be in this thing forever?" She questioned.
Asai's eyes fell on Erin, how was he supposed to tell her there was no hope for her right now? She hadn't made any progress. Ami was beginning to think that some of her nerves had been permanently damaged. "No, not forever."
Gloria had gone to school, with the other children. With Erin's status as it was now, Ami did not want her going to school, and Minako had agreed that it was bad idea as well to send the child to school.
Asai pushed Erin out of the house, and eased her down the steps. Today he was going to spend some one on one time with his daughter, exploring the palace. Erin was confused as to why they lived in such a fancy place. She knew outside of the palace was a normal like city, but she didn't understand why she didn't live out there.
A white cat appeared out of no where, while Asai and his daughter were going or a walk. Erin looked down and giggled at the cat.
"You're Artemis, right?" Erin inquired.
Artemis nodded. He was afraid to talk in front of the girl, afraid she'd get freaked out.
Asai watched as Erin examined Artemis. He wanted to know what she was thinking.
"Don't you talk?" Erin asked, confused.
Artemis looked up at Asai. Asai nodded.
"Why yes I do." Artemis replied.
"YAY!" Erin squealed. She hugged Artemis. "I remember you." Erin smiled.
Asai's felt this warm feeling inside of him; Erin was starting to remember things. Slowly, very slowly. But he was still glad.
"Will you stay here?" Erin questioned her cat.
"If that's what you wish, Princess." Artemis replied.
"YAY!" Erin squealed again. "This day couldn't get any better."
Asai started pushing Erin again. Artemis sat in her lap. Asai bought Erin some ice cream. When the day had ended and Erin was in bed sleeping, Asai told Minako that he had a wonderful time with Erin today, and that she was making progress in remembering things. Artemis was sleeping next to her in her bed, as she didn't want Artemis to go anywhere's, and Artemis was glad to do as his little princess asked him to do.
Within a couple more weeks, Erin's memory had come back to her fully. The only thing that hadn't changed about her was the fact that she was still in a wheel chair. Today the whole clan was going to watch Jordan's soccer game. Isabella was sitting next to Erin out on the grass, because Erin's wheel chair couldn't go on the stands. Some of the children were playing tag behind the bleachers.
"Why are you in a wheel chair?" Isabella questioned Erin. She hadn't seen much of Erin since she had gotten out of the hospital.
Erin shrugged. "I can't walk very good."
"You have to keep trying." Isabella stood up and took Erin's hands. "It's not hard."
"Isabella I'm not sure if this is a good idea." Erin insisted, as Isabella tugged on Erin's arms. Erin managed to step onto the green grass, without falling. Which had surpised her, consindering in therapy she could barely keep herself standing.
"Now we walk." Isabella explained, stepping backwards, with Erin's hands holding on to hers tightly. Erin looked back at her wheel chair, she was pretty far away from it.
"Are you ready to do it by yourself?" Isabella asked.
"I don't know." Erin replied.
"Please." Isabella begged.
Erin hesitated and loosened her grip on Isabella's hands. Isabella slid her hands out from Erin's, Erin stood there for a couple of seconds. Isabella backed up a few steps. "Come on it's not hard."
Erin picked her right foot up and stepped down. She did the same with her left until she got all the way to Isabella.
Hotaru glanced over at Erin's wheel chair. She was missing. She quickly scanned the area looking for Erin. She finally spotted her with Isabella. Isabella had once again backed away from Erin and Erin walked slowly over to her.
"Ami, Minako, everybody look." Hotaru gasped.
Everyone's focus on the bleachers went toward Isabella's and Erin's. The game on the soccer field had came to a halt, as the too watch Erin walk to Isabella. Everyone begin to cheer. It was exciting to see Erin on her own two feet. Erin smiled at Isabella.
"Thanks." Erin replied.
"No problem." Isabella said.
Within no time Erin was able to walk on her own without any problems. She joined the kids at school, and went back to her normal life style in no time.
Authors Note: I really do hope you enjoyed the story. Now I'm going to be posting my Neptune story soon. I hope you enjoy that one as well.