AN: Another chapter for you guys. I hope you like this. PLZ R&R!
Disclaimer: See first chapter.
Chapter 27
Chandler sat on the bench in the locker room lacing up his soccer cleats. It was his last soccer game of the season as well as his high school career. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself down. He was nervous as could be because the college scouts would be watching his performance during the game. Coach told him that he was pretty much a lock for a full scholarship. Every little bit of help was for his advantage now that he had a family to think of.
It had been several days since it was announced that not only did he and Monica get married, but that they also had a baby on the way. To say that everyone was completely shocked was an understatement. Students and teachers alike started treating them differently with only a handful of them still treating them how they used to. It was only going to get worse too as soon as the semester was over and Monica would have to fend for herself because his high school career would be done.
"Come on Bing!" he looked up as he saw his coach come into him. "It's time."
"Coming," Chandler stood up and started out of the locker room. "Are the scouts here yet?"
"I'm not sure. Just play how you normally do and you'll be fine."
"Right," Chandler ran out onto the field to warm up with his team as he heard a loud cheer.
He looked towards the stands and saw his dads, Monica, Phoebe, Joey, Ross and Carol cheering for him. His Uncle Max was also there; he had come into town with his Aunt Sherrie and cousins James and Jenna to see his final soccer game of his high school career.
The whistle blew and the game began; Chandler blocked out everything around him and concentrated on the game. He didn't even hear his cheering section, too focused on outscoring the opposing team's high scorer. They both got more intense as the game went on.
It happened as the third quarter was ending. One of his teammates sent the ball flying in the air across the field. Chandler, near the goal, went in to head bump it into the goal. Not knowing that one of his teammates was nearby ready to send it into the goal with his knee. Chandler's forehead collided with his teammate's knee and the next thing he felt was pain and then he gave in to the darkness.
Everyone was starting to gather in the stands for Chandler's last soccer game of his high school career. Joey and Phoebe were walking on either side of Monica as they all went to find their seats. Ever since the announcement about the pregnancy, the senior class had made it their mission to verbally target Monica and Chandler. They all took it upon themselves to protect her in case it escalated into physical interactions.
"Hey Gorgeous," Monica smiled as she saw Chandler's Uncle Max, Aunt Sherrie, and cousins James and Jenna. "You are glowing."
"Chandler said you would be coming," Monica sat next to James and Jenna.
"If nothing else, I always make sure to come to his final game of the season." Max told her. "So how goes it?"
"Look around," Joey told him.
"I see," Max nodded as he saw all the kids around them pointing in their direction.
"Ignore them," Sherrie told Monica. "You're happy right?"
"Yes,"
"Then that's all that matters,"
"Where's Chandler?" James asked as he saw the rest of his team run out onto the field to warm up.
"He's probably psyching himself out," Max muttered. "Since he knows there are going to be scouts tonight he's most likely worrying himself sick."
"Have you guys talked about college yet?" Phoebe looked at Monica.
"Not officially," she told them. "We talked briefly about things the day the coach told him that the scouts were coming, but we haven't really talked seriously about anything yet."
"So you don't know what each other plans to do at all?" Sherrie asked her.
"He's known since we got together that I want to go to culinary school. He's never really had any desire to go to college, but his dad tells him that he's going. And the other night I walked into our bedroom and found his laptop opened to the NYU website."
"Hey," Ross and Carol came up to them with some food that they had gotten at the concession stand.
"How's it going at home?" Monica looked at her brother.
"I'm barely there anymore," he shrugged. "I pretty much just sleep there so that I don't have to be around them."
"Hey," Max spotted his brother coming up to join them, followed by Terry. "Have you talked to your son yet?"
"I would if he could stand to be alone in a room with me," Charles told him. "He finds an excuse to leave as soon as I enter."
"Like father, like son."
"It should be starting soon," Charles said quickly. "Any sign?"
"Of the scout or Chandler?"
"Chandler," Terry told him. "He was worrying himself like I have never seen this morning."
"There he is," Charles saw him rushing out onto the field to join his team.
"Go Chandler!" Jenna clapped as they all cheered him on.
The whistle blew and the game started. They all watched in amazement as Chandler weaved and zig zagged across the field with an intensity. He bobbed across the field as he and his teammates passed the ball back and forth to each other. He seemed to lag as the first half was ending, but he came out for the second half with even more intensity.
They all saw him and his teammates work as a unit to score goal after goal. The ball sailed across the field and Chandler got to it as another teammate did. It seemed to happen in slow motion as Chandler went to bump it with his head at the same time that his teammate went in for it with his knee. They all watched as Chandler fell to the ground from the impact.
"That's gonna hurt him," Max stated as the whistle blew.
"Dad?" Jenna looked at him. "Why isn't Chandler moving?"
"What-" they all looked back to the field as the referee motioned across the field and Chandler's coach rushed over.
"Everyone, stay here," Terry told them as he followed Charles, who had already taken off for the field.
Charles pushed his way through the small crowd of players and coaches to get to his son. He saw the team trainer attending to one of Chandler's teammates as the school nurse accessed Chandler's condition.
"Is he ok?" Charles asked as he knelt beside his son.
"He lost consciousness when he and his teammate collided," the nurse told him as Terry joined them. "Don't move him."
"The ambulance is on the way," the coach came over to them.
"Try talking to him," the nurse suggested. "Maybe he'll respond to your voices."
"Chandler," Charles took his hand. "Can you hear me?"
"If you can hear us, squeeze our hands." Terry placed his hand next to Charles'.
Suddenly, Chandler shot up from where he was before any of them could stop him. He looked around in confusion until Charles made him lay back down.
"You hit your head," he told him. "You can't get up yet."
"The ambulance is here," Terry said as he saw the coach rushing over to open the gate for the EMTs who were pushing the gurney.
Everyone was gathered by the fence and tried to see what was happening. They breathed a sigh of relief when they saw Chandler sit up. They looked on in concern when they saw Charles lay him back down.
"It's bad, isn't it?" Ross asked as they saw the ambulance pull up to the fence.
"It's not too good," Max stated as he saw the coach unlatch the gate and they rushed the gurney over to Chandler.
Charles and Terry stood out of the way as the EMTs loaded Chandler onto the gurney. They watched as they fastened a neck brace around him and strapped him down to the gurney.
"How much room is there in the back?" Charles asked.
"Room enough for two people to ride with him."
"I'll go get Monica," Terry told Charles. "She's his wife. Maybe it will calm her down. I can see Max trying to calm her down."
The others stood by the fence with bated breath as they watched Chandler being loaded onto the gurney.
"Why did they just put a neck brace on him?" Joey asked. "Did he hurt his neck?"
"It's probably just a precaution because he fell," Max told them all as he held Monica to him.
The entire crowd applauded as the gurney was lifted and Chandler was pushed off the field toward the ambulance. Terry ran over to the group as Charles followed Chandler.
"How is he?" Sherry asked him as she tried to keep James and Jenna calm.
"They think it's just a concussion, but they're going to run some tests at the hospital to make sure there's nothing else wrong."
"Good," Max sighed.
"Monica, hurry and catch up to them so you can ride with him." Terry looked at her. "You guys are married. You have the right now."
"OK," she took off and climbed into the back of the ambulance, sliding in next to Charles as she looked at Chandler.
"Hey," Chandler said softly.
"Hey," she smiled at him. "Are you in pain?"
"My head hurts," he told her.
"We just need to keep him awake," Charles told her.
"Tired," Chandler mumbled as his eyes started to close.
"Hey, none of that now," Charles lightly tapped him.
"Hey," Monica shook him softly. "I have a question for you that I would like an answer to right now."
"What?" He mumbled.
"Why did I see a website for NYU displayed on your laptop when I walked into our bedroom a couple days ago?"
"Doing research," he said softly.
"And what did you find out from your research?"
"Culinary program….family housing….daycare….benefits for married…."
"Stay awake kid," Charles squeezed his arm to get his attention.
"We're here," the EMT informed them as the ambulance came to a stop and the doors flew open.
Monica and Charles watched as the EMTs pulled the gurney carrying Chandler out and they both followed behind as he was rushed into the hospital.
The rest of the group followed each other in their cars to the hospital. They all found parking spots and rushed into the emergency room, scanning the area for any sign of Monica or Charles. Terry went to the front desk to ask for information, and the nurse was less than helpful.
"Look, my partner just arrived here with my son, who has been injured, and my daughter-in-law. I would like to know my son's condition."
"Settle down," Max stepped in. "Call Chandler's doctor. See if he's on duty or on call. I'll try to find out what's going on."
"I'll call Charles," Sherrie took her phone out. "Maybe he still has his phone on."
"Does that happen a lot?" Joey looked at Sherrie.
"What?" she looked at him.
"The look the nurse just gave him, and-"
"It's a normal occurrence for them," Max came back. "She wouldn't tell me anything since I'm not immediate family."
"I guess I never really noticed it," Phoebe stated.
"Well most people in this town are accepting," Carol told them. "But there are a few close-minded people."
"Terry," a man in a white coat came out to them. "Charles just called me too. I was about ready to head back there. You can come with me."
"Thank you," Terry started to follow him through the double doors.
"Sorry about the nurse at the desk. She's new, and I am not entirely sure that she will last very long here."
"I hope not," Terry said loudly, causing the nurse to glare after him.
"Unbelievable," Ross grumbled as his phone went off.
"Is that them again?" Carol asked him.
"Yes," he sighed.
"Who is it?" Joey asked.
"My parents," he sighed. "They kept calling me during the game."
"Just turn it off," Carol told him. "Your curfew is still hours away."
"Right," Ross put his phone away.
Monica watched as the attending doctor examined Chandler. She stood out of the way with Charles as he talked on his phone. He hung up his phone and watched as the doctor tested Chandler's reflexes.
"How is he?" the door burst open and Terry rushed in with another doctor.
"He's incoherent," Charles told him. "He was fading in and out on the way here."
"He keeps trying to fight the attending doctor," Monica added.
"That's because he's used to Dr. Martin," Terry gestured to the doctor that he had come in with.
"I'll take over," Dr. Martin told the attending as he walked over to Chandler. "I have been his doctor since he was ten."
The attending stopped examining Chandler and walked out of the room as Chandler seemed to relax. Charles, Terry, and Monica moved closer to the bed as Dr. Martin started to shine his penlight in each of his eyes and Chandler jerked away from it.
"I need to check your pupils Chandler,"
"Too bright," he mumbled.
"Is your head hurting at all?"
"Kind of,"
"Chandler, I know you like to hide information from everyone, but you need to be completely honest with me." Dr. Martin started to lecture him. "I need to determine if you have a concussion or not."
"My head hurts a little," Chandler said softly.
"Is it a dull ache or like when you used to get those migraines?"
"Maybe in between,"
"What's your pain scale right now?"
"Four,"
"I am going to bump that up to six," Dr. Martin started to examine him for other injuries. "So what happened? You were playing a soccer game?"
"He-" Charles started.
"I want Chandler to tell me,"
"It was the end of the third quarter," Chandler started. "I went in for the ball with my head. A teammate went in for it with his knee. We collided."
"What happened next?"
"The next thing I remember is riding in the ambulance and talking to Monica and my dad."
"Do you think he has a concussion?" Charles asked.
"I can't be sure yet. He'll need to get an MRI."
"Monica can't come," Chandler tried to look over at her. "She's pregnant."
"He's right," Terry looked at her. "You can't be around all that radiation. It's not good for the baby."
"I'll give everyone an update when they take you down to get it," Monica looked at Chandler and he nodded as he turned back to the doctor.
AN: Cliffhanger...So what did you all think? A situation similar to this happened to a couple of guys on the soccer team when I was in high school. The event popped into my head as I was writing this so I just decided to go with it. Tell me what you all thought of this climactic chapter. PLZ R&R!
