Hello everybody! I wanted to post this before going to bed (almost 12PM here) because as I said in the author's note, I finished the translation. I hope it's understandable because it's just written with my own words (no translation with internet or a book, nothing!), so I'm proud of it. I know I made some mistakes and I'm trying to make them less than before.

I really hope you will appreciate this chapter. And I'm translating the next one (still in french, so maybe you can read it next WE).

Have a nice WE guys and girls!


CHAPTER 7: Finally reunited

"Kelly!"

When the doctor opened the door, Shay rushed to Kelly, hugged him with all her strengh. She had closed her eyes, tears ready to flow. She could feel Kelly shiver, sobbing on her shoulder. She had never seen her best friend and roomate in such a shape, even after the death of Andy.

"Why him?" Kelly whispered in her ear.

She sighed, eyes still closed, and let herself be overwhelmed by emotion. She began to cry, shivering with Kelly, in armony.

"I don't know Kelly. I don't know..."

Seeing his legs ready to drop, doctor Riley helped him to sit with difficulties, because he wanted to see his little brother in this OR, inert and lifeless, with no brain activity. The doctor reassured him, pointing a camera in the observating room, so he could see him, indirectly, but he could keep an eye on him. Shay was a paramedic, she learnt how to read an EEG. But she didn't want to face the adversity, she didn't want to read it, she didn't want to know that his friend was dead. And this didn't escape the doctor.

"It remains around two and a half hours. He's still under the effects of the drugs and the anesthesia. We stopped all the treatments, because it can affect the diagnosis. These effects should dissipate in about an hour. I hope his brain activity will restart".

"And if it's not the case?" Kelly asked the doctor, tears in his eyes and streaming down his cheeks.

The doctor took a deep breath and replied as calmly as possible.

"As I said, the treatments received can alter his brain activity. If we stop them and if the effects go away, then he will have a clear head, sort of. If his brain acitivity doesn't restart after this..."

He paused, not wanting to aggravate the situation. But his last sentence had hit them: tears flowed even harder, cries intensified.

"But I trust him, I have faith in your friend. He got trough a lot these past few months, he can do this again. The bleeding is under control, the swelling is drained, his heart is beating, stay positive".

It didn't reassure Kelly and Shay, but Dr. Riley had positive thoughts on him, and this made them not sink, and believe in Matt, think he could do it. Kelly and Shay exchanged a look, sadness and hope in them.

"You... You called Antonio?" Kelly asked.

Shay shook her head. She followed the advice, and wanted to call him when they would be sure of the diagnosis.

"I didn't have the strengh and the courage to tell him. And I uh... I want to wait, to be sure about Matt before calling and telling him what's wrong with him".

Kelly understood perfectly. Antonio had enough problems with Gabby, they didn't have the right to worry him more.

"You did the right thing. But uh... You think we can call him to have news on Gabby?"

Shay took her phone with a trembling hand. She wanted to call, but she didn't feel strong enough to do it. Seconds passed, she dialed his number and pressed 'call'.

At Lakeshore, a nurse came to bring a plate of food for Antonio. She took the opportunity to take her vitals and noted them on the file to the end of her bed.

"Your sister is a fighter. Her vitals are stable and strong, it's a good thing. She need to regain more strengh, and she will remain sedated for a day or two but she should make it".

The nurse smiled, finished writing on the file and left the room. Antonio regained hope, he was still bad, but he was hoping that Matt and Gabby will be fine. He started eating, hunger tugging his stomach, but he didn't want to admit it. He heard someone knock at the door, and told this someone to enter. It was a man he didn't know. He had a c-collar, he was hooked to an IV and he had a bump on his forehead. Antonio frowned, thinking that this man in a hospital gown had entered the wrong room.

"Can I help you?"

"Uh... Some nurses told me that... That I could find uh... This woman here. I... I didn't want to bother".

Antonio could read the confusion and shock in his eyes. This made his own confusion grew.

"I am Nolan, I'm the man who... Who almost hit... Gabby, right?"

Antonio let himself nod, asthonished to know that he knew her sister's name. He frowned.

"I heard the man said her name before... Uh..."

"Before hitting him?"

Nolan closed his eyes and shook his head up and down.

"I'm really sorry... I tried to avoid them but... I don't understand why the breakes didn't work".

He was scared, sad and shocked. As a cop, Antonio deduced he was sincere. Fortunately, Nolan didn't know he was a cop.

"If this makes you feel better, it's not you. Who put my little sister in this bed".

Nola reopened his eyes, searching in Antonio's eyes the truth.

"A... Another car passed behind yours and... And when she stood up, this car hit her and this... Piece of shit left".

"Another car?"

Nolan frowned. Seeing his half-surprised look, Antonio faced Nolan.

"You know something?"

"Well... I was... In shock and woozy, but I heard screeching tires and I saw a car suddenly left the scene a few seconds after the accident".

"You saw the plate? You can describe the vehicle?"

"I will talk to a cop, not a civilian, no offense".

"I'm a cop. Intelligence Unit, 21st district".

Nolan opened his mouth, but closed it soon after and nodded.

"This changes everything. As I said I was... Well, I can describe the vehicle, but I can't give you the plate. My vision was too cloudy to see it".

"It's already a great thing to describe the vehicle".

Antonio signed to Nolan to sit next to him.

"It was a red peony seat ibiza dated from 2008, fourth generation, 1.2L l3, 7-speed DSG automatic. I recognize a model when I'm crossing one just by the sound".

Antonio was asthonished by the precision. Just one question was burning his lips now: how he could be sure about this despite his shape in this precise moment? Nolan laughed slightly.

"I'm working for car companies. I'm testing new models, and every car I test, I recognize the car by the sound it makes when I recrosses it. I'm lucky because I had the chance to test this car. That's why I could recognize it".

"I see".

This made Antonio smile. It could help to find the guy who did this to his little sister. And if this guy went to a garage or if his unit found the car, they knew the guy wouldn't be far. He was a huge help.

"How is she?"

Antonio jumped, surprised by the sudden question. Nolan was really concerned about her shape.

"She's hanging in there. The car hit her on her side, she had a pneumothorax, her spleen exploded, her head hit the ground very hard, so uh... Her right vestibular system is destroyed and she has a swelling in her inner ear".

"I don't want to... To seem rude but... What is it? Vestibular system?"

He frowned, he didn't know what Antonio was talking about.

"I don't know. I think it's what keeps the body balance in space. Something like that. She has to relearn how to walk with a single vestibular system".

He nodded, not knowing what to say.

"And uh... The man... The man I hit?"

Antonio glared at him insistently, trying to understand what he wanted. Then he saw that the man in front of him was riddled with guilt. He was blaming himself.

"I don't know what was your speed, and I don't want to know. But what I know is you were fast enough to let him have permanent damage. Aortic rupture, hemothroax, collapsed right lung, important bleeding in his brain and a big swelling with it. Doctors don't know if there will be damage or not, but they think about visual defficiencies, difficulties controlling his feelings. They don't know".

The more he explained, the more Nolan became pale. He passed his hand through his mouth, his lips. He knew what was going on. At least for Matt. He was very lucky to be alive. His phone rang and this startled him. He grabbed it and looked at the screen. Shay. He picked up and put the phone at his ear.

"Shay?"

"Antonio uh... Kelly and I we... We wanted news".

Antonio opened his mouth, but frowned. Her voice was really weird.

"Everything is okay Shay? Your voice is... Weird..."

"Oh! Uh... Lets say... Kelly and I are a little drunk".

Antonio wasn't convinced at all by her explanation. But he wanted to reassure her.

"Uh... According to the nurses and doctors, Gabby is stable. No change since you left. You're sure everything is okay?"

"Yeah, yeah... Everything is okay Antonio".

"Okay... What about Matt? You have news?"

"Uh... Doctor Riley called. He is stable too. They will keep him in a coma for two or three days to help him recover from his aortic rupture and diaphragmatic rupture. But he should be fine".

"It's good to hear".

"Kelly and I, we'regoing to bed, to get the alcohol out of our system. And... We'll come back tomorrow okay?"

"No problem. Call me if anything happens to Matt".

"I will. Do the same for Gabby".

"Yeah. Sleep well".

Shay hung up and burst into tears. This wasn't her type to lie. But she had no choice. Antonio had enough problems with his sister.

"Hey Shay. He will understand when he will know okay?"

Kelly hugged her and let her cry on his chest for a dozen of minutes. She was ready to mentally burst. Kelly looked up at Riley, trying to ask him what were the news without saying a word. Dr. Riley seemed to understand this forbidden question, and shook his head from side to side. News weren't good: Matt was still dead on this table, and two hours passed. Dr. Hermit, on the other side of the glass, was impatient.

"Riley? Do you think we can try now?"

Kelly jumped: it was the first time he was hearing his voice. He had a deep voice, a little hoarse. But he didn't know what Dr. Hermit meant.

"Doc? What is it?"

Dr. Riley turned to Kelly and sighed.

"Normally, brain activity should have restarted. But this isn't the case. We are going to stimulate his brain to restart it. Weel, we hope to do it. We use it only in rare case, and we never used it on a brain damaged like this".

"What? What are you talking about?"

"It's experimental, that's why we're using it in rare case, and with the approval of the family. So your approval".

Kelly opened his mouth, but no sound came out. Shay talked for him.

"What are the risks?"

"Death, if we do nothing. We have tested this method on about forty people, and twenty-seven are alive".

"Alive?"

The neurosurgeon knew what she wanted to know.

"Three are vegetables, five are still in a coma. But the other nineteen left the hospital and are alive".

"And if the operation is a success? There are risks, right?"

"Yes. As I said, some remained in a coma, others are vegetables, and those who woke up have had to relearn major things they had learnt. Walking, speaking, reading, writing, eating... But these patients relearnt quickly because they knew how to do it. In fact, this operation is like a 'reset' of the brain. But what is weird is that they kept a great part of their memories, their feelings, but they didn't have word to explain them, or to put words on something".

Shay and Kelly seemed worried.

"If it makes you feel better, people on who we're doing this operation don't have huge sequelae now. At the beginning, it wasn't good at all, but since two years, we have a 100% success rate, and less problems. In each operation, we improve this technology. So your friend has a great probability to get out of there alive, and also have the least possible damage".

Kelly and Leslie looked each other, ready to give their approval. But they were afraid to not see the Matt they had known.

"There is a huge probability to get him through this then..."

"To keep him alive yes, but without problems, I don't think so. But every patient is reacting differently, so we can't be 100% sure before his awakening".

"If he wakes up", Kelly said.

Shay gave him the look, but knew he had a point.

"But despite this, we can try right? If Gabby wakes up and... And she learns about Matt... I think she will never be the same. And if we do nothing, we'll be destroyed by guilt, to have done nothing but also to see Gabby affected by his death".

Kelly took some seconds to think about it.

"I think you're right. Once again".

He turned to Riley and nodded lightly.

"Go ahead. Do everything you can to bring my brother back".

Riley smiled and gave the green light to Hermit.

"How long?"

"Well, it depends in which intensity his brain will react, but in general no more than a dozen of minutes. But the higher the intensity, the greater the damage. We never went this far to restart a brain".

"And where did you get this idea?"

"Restart a brain? There were some studies not a long time ago, proving that people with no brain activity, can still have a weak residual brain activity. The purpose of this trial is to capture this signal and implify it to restart the machine. It works as a cardiac defibrillator, but for the brain, to simplify. The results weren't good at first, but there're improving. As I said, the last people tested lives an almost normal life now".

An almost normal life. This sentence turned in his head. Ten minutes passed, without a noise, Kelly and Leslie waiting for an answer from Riley.

"We're ready", Hermit assured.

"Alright, we slow slow and in the lowest intensity to see his reaction".

Kelly didn't understand well, and he didn't want to know. He just wanted Matt alive, with a brain acitivity.

At Lakeshore, Antonio was worried. Shay called him earlier to give him some news, but in her voice, he knew something was wrong. He heard sadness and fear. Something was going on. His cop instincts had taken over. He looked at his sister, peacefully sleeping, grabbed her hand and squeezed it.

"You think about the same thing uh? There's something going on and I want to know what it is".

He grabbed his phone and contacted Kendra.

"Antonio? What a surprise!"

"Hey Kendra, I don't bother you?"

"I'm on shift but I have five minutes. There is a problem? I heard about Gabby".

"I... I don't know if there is a problem. Maybe I'm becoming crazy, but I want to be sure".

"Spill it out".

"Casey... Casey was involved too. And he is in your hospital. And Shay called me earlier to tell me that everything was good but... But in her voice..."

"Say no more. I'll check".

Kendra verified on one of the computer. She saw that Matt was in the OR for a brain surgery and he hadn't returned yet. After three hours. This wasn't good. She had to find a logical explanation. Knowing Shay and with Gabby in a bad shape, she thought that Leslie didn't want to stress him more than he was. So she lied to him.

"I don't have much information in the ER computer. But it means that he is stable and there is no problem. But if something happens, I'll call immediately. I promise".

"Thank you Kendra".

"How is Gabby?"

"She uh... She's in an induced coma. According to the nurse, she is stable and her vitals are strong. It's a good thing apparently".

"A great thing even. It means she's healing good and is supporting the drugs. She will be on her feet in no time".

"I don't know. She'll have to relearn to walk with a single vestibular system. Anyway, I didn't understand well, but..."

"Keep hope Antonio. For your sister. And also for Matt. I have to go, we're overcrowded here".

"Okay, thanks".

He hung up. His concern wasn't as high as before, but the fact that he was far from Matt and he couldn't check himself stressed him.

In the OR, Dr. Hermit continued to increase the power of the stimulation, but it made no difference. Matt still didn't react.

"We're almost at the max".

Dr. Riley had still his eyes glued to the screen, ready to scream if he saw a change.

"Maybe..."

"No!", Riley interrupted.

He didn't know Kelly, but he knew that if they gave up, Kelly would never forgive them.

"Riley, it's been almost four hours".

"But that doesn't make four hours. Keep going".

Hermit didn't answered, knowing he wouldn't have the last word. Riley was his chief, so he had to obey.

"Well... No choice: we go to the max".

One of the nurse put her eyes on Dr. Hermit then Riley.

"If we do this, he may die".

"And if we do nothing, he's dead. You have other options in your head?"

The nurse stodd there speechless. She shook her head side to side and helped the neurosurgeon to increase the intensity.

"STOP!"

Everyoneraised their arms, surprised, and looked at the window above them. Dr. Riley had closed his eyes.

"Stop the machine", he said calmly, eyes still closed.

Kelly turned to him, stood up and grabbed him by his shoulder.

"You're giving up?"

Doctor Riley raised his arms and pointed to the glass. One of the nurse and Dr. Hermit had understood what it meant and lowered their arms. Kelly collapsed to the ground, crying hardly, hitting everything that was in his vision, ready to break his hand if needed. Dr. Riley couldn't say anything for a while, then he grabbed the microphone and talked to Hermit.

"Check his pupils".

The same nurse took her penlight and opened his eyes, Matt's eyes. She took a minute and then...

"Weak reaction!"

Kelly opened his eyes filled with tears and looked the sharp smile on the face of the neurosurgeon.

"You didn't give me the time to explain. But he had a weak brain activity. Weak, but there".

Kelly closed his eyes again, ready to burst. Not into sadness, not into anger. But ready to burst into joy. His little brother that he loved so much, came back in he land of the living. Finally. He began to cry once again, clutching Shay in his arms, the biggest hug he could offer. He was relieved.