"Dad, do you have to be so fucking cruel? You know how hard this is for her. You can't talk to her like that!" His son screamed at him.

"Damn it Marc this is destroying her!" And he was reluctant to watch his wife breaking under this pressure, under this back-breaking uncertainty.

"But you can't be serious in this. I…I mean you can't tell me that you really think about…about this." His son sounded irritated. Of course for him such a thought never have occured up on his mind. He wasn't a rational thinker. He was more emotional than he wanted to admit and that was what brought him up to the pole right now. But he had to explain him that this wasn't as cold-hearted as it sounded. While he had said these words he only had been thinking about this skinny boy and the fact that he for nothing in the world would have wanted to live on like that, as far as one even was able to consider this stadium as living.

"Do you think this is easy for me? No, it isn't but look at him. Do you see this?" He had stopped screaming. He knew that his thought was the worse one could have in respect to one's own child, but he had to stay rational, otherwise his family would get drwoned in a never being fulfilled hope. He had to keep together what remained from his small family, but without Neil it was a tough plan he tried to realize. He never had thought that his son was filling out such a big piece of their family life, but he did. The day when he had been admitted to hospital all cheer and happiness had been vanished out of their house and until today they hadn't found their way back. He hated himself for these fluffy thoughts, but what should he do? It was like that.

"Yes, I do. But this doesn't justify your behaviour…it…I…you can't tell me that you're really serious." Of course who was able to believe that a father was thinking about killing his son. Killing his son. That was what he was thinking of and it was the worse part of all. He was the one who had given his boy a hard time and he wsa going to be the one who was ending it. How much would he have been able to talk to his son. He wanted him to give him a hint that he knew what to do or what not. The only hint he had was that this fucking uncertainty was not only breaking his wife, but even him. And then again he had to think about his boy and what he probably would say.

"Marc do you think this is, what your brother would have wanted? Being nothing more than an object of occupation?"

"Dad, he's still your son…my brother…he's no object." Marc had stopped hiding his opinions. He had started to say what he thought and he was proud of this change.

"I know that and that's why I'm thinking about this. Look at him! Do you think he would have wanted to be washed and shaved by a stranger, to be fed through a tube under his collarbone? Do you really think this is how he would have wanted to live on?" It sounded impudent when he started to talk about what his son probably would have wanted and what not. But in somehow he had the feeling as is he knew his son, nevertheless how less attention he ever had paid at him. Unfortunately he was more like him that he ever had wished one of his son's was going to be. One didn't realize it on first watch, but if one knew him proper.

"Bu…but…Dad, he's still …my brother. You can't let him go." The first time his son had started to cry. He had all right to do so. He took him into his arm to give him some comfort. He wished he only once had given it to his little boy. He never had. He always had kept the distance between him and his son. In all their five years back he had tried to get a better relationship to Marc, to make things better, he had tried to enjoy his life with Paige trying to restart their love, but he never had tried to improve thinge between him and Neil and he regretted it.

"And he's always going to be your brother." He was sure that they never were going to forget this cheeky monkey. One just wasn't able to do so.

"Maybe he wakes up again. Maybe Mum is right and then … we would take his chance to come back again."

"Even if he waked up again, he would never be the same."

"You…mean this thing with nursing care?" His son asked carefully.

"Do you really think that he would have wanted to lose his whole independency?" This was the fact. Nobody ever had thought that he knew his son, but he did. He had gotten to know him, especially in their time together at NASA. He knew his son and nobody ever were allowed to say something different.

"How can you be like that?" His son asked him confused. He was an emotional person. He wasn't able to understand this, like Paige wasn't able to.

"Dunno." He answered. They staid there for a while and then he went home again. He wanted to give his wife some time for herself to think about what he had said to her. It had hit her hard, but he couldn't hid the facts from her. She needed to face reality, before she got drowned.

He had sat down on a chair next to his son's bed. Since that day he was thinking about what to do. His son had been right, when he had asked him, whether he had gone insane, by talking like that to Paige. He had shocked her, but she had realized that their situation was hopeless and that she hasn't enough strength to bear more of this horrible uncertainty. After a few weeks she had told him that she was overtaxed and not sure about whether she was able to make a decision. She had stopped talking to her son, as if he still was awake and she had started to realize that there was no life in this body, they both still called their son. Both were aware of the fact that this wasn't their son. Their son had been a cheeky monkey, fooling around and always being on the run. No, this here was only a body. He was nothing more then a machine anymore. No day passed on which they had started to think about what to do and both knew too well they weren't able to make a clear decision. They weren't able to judge about this situation out of an objective point of view. As parent one wasn't able to judge about the life of your own child.

Chuck was glad that Marc still staid at their side. He helped them where ever he was able to. He supported his Mum and even him. Although he had gotten a place at Princeton, he had shifted his start until the next term. He didn't want to leave his parents alone in this situation. He had said that it was his turn to be there for them. Now he and his mother were getting some coffee. It had been a long day. Again they had been talking to a doctor about their son's chances of a recovery and again he had answered them that there was not really something to be expected. Again Paige had started to cry at these words. She wasn't able to let her son go and he wasn't either, but this here was no solution. They needed to make a cut, until this was going to eat them up entirely. Inwardly he was calling himself selfish at this thought, but what could he do either? His son wouldn't have wanted to be the reason for their family getting rotten and he was sure that his son didn't even want to be forced to stay alive in this stadium.

He looked at his son, whose stadium hadn't shown any improvement. 'Hey, skinny. It's your turn. Tell me what to do. I have no idea.' He felt awful. He knew that he was going to kill his own son, in somehow. His son's life lay in his hands and he wanted to give it away. But he had to think of Paige who broke under this situation. There was no day she wasn't crying. She had lost her whole patience. When Neil had fallen into this coma, he had taken a big part of his Mum with him and when he really made this decision his son would take this part with him as past recovery. There was no wrong and no right, no guidance level which told him what was the proper decision. Then he also had to think about his eldest, who gave away his future because of them, although he had found his way. Although he was able to go his way without them criticize him. And he had to think of his youngest who was what he never had wanted to be, an emotionless cold thing without personality.

'Skinny, I need your help, now. I really, really do.' He wished he would have been able to talk to his son like Paige always had done, but there was a wall and he wasn't able to climb it. He sighed. 'Please, you can't let me down.' He was begging for a sign form his son which told him, what to do. He never had believed in supernatural powers but this here was not the time for ideals. He sat there, watching his son's chest moving up and down, and then his glance wandered to his son head focusing this big, ugly tube which had been inserted in his son's mouth and throat. He sat there for a while, enjoying the peace. He wasn't sure if he really enjoyed this peace or if he only fled into a space of not thinking about anything.

This peace got disturbed by coughs, by heavy coughs coming…coming from…his son.

"Neil?…Skinny…" He pressed the button to call for a doctor hysterically. There was nothing going on inside of him. He only watched his son who had left the motionless stadium.

"Neil, c'mon…you can make it…c'mon!" He only realized that someone had entered the room, when he was pushed aside by a doctor. He watched the scene, two doctors in white. They pulled the tube out of his son's throat.

"Oxygen?" One doctor asked?

"Not sufficient, but he's breathing on his own."

"Reflexes?"

"Pupils reacting, eye reflex positive, pain reflex positive." He had no clue what all this was supposed to mean. He only saw how the doctors where makeing some notes, looking at all these monitors.

"That's good." The doctor noted the information. This scene didn't take long.

"Uhm…Doctor…would you like to look at this?" He was stunned by what had happened. Had his son heard his words? Had he given him a sign? Or was this only a mind game and an incident?

"This is…well, we shouldn't be way too optimistic. This also could be caused by something else." The doctor told the other one, not paying any attention to him.

"Okay, but we should have an eye on this." The other one answered.

"Alright."

He watched this scene, not understanding anything, only seeing how his son lay there, without tube in his mouth.

"Doctor, may you tell me what has happened?" He asked one of the men in a more determining voice. He had won back his composure.

"It looks as if your son starts to find his way back to the living. At least his chances are increasing." 'What? The sign?'

"What…didn't you tell me that he might not…I mean?" He was stunned.

"It looks like a wonder, but yes. But the coma still is a medical mystery. As much as we know about it, as much we don't know anything. The only thing which is important now is that your son has good chances to come back again."

"And how long?"

"Maybe today, maybe tomorrow. But you have to think of the risk which remains. It still might be that he falls back into his former stadium." He only nodded. His son has gotten a new chance and he won't let him fading away again. He would do everything he was able to, to bring his son back.

"Mr. Taggart, don't lose hope." The doctor put a hand onto his shoulder.

When the doctor had left he again sat down next to his son's bed. 'C'mon skinny. I know you can make it. If not you who else then? You only need to keep on. I'll help you, promised.' Paige entered the room and immediately noticed the change. She began to be hysterical.

"Chuck, what had happened?" She asked him.

"I don't know, but…it…seems as if he wants to come back again." He started to explain her.

"What? Are you sure?" Paige looked at him, as if she didn't believe what she had said.

"But we shouldn't expect too much. This doesn't mean anything." He started to explain Paige that she shouldn't let hope arise too much in her. He wanted to safe her from a huge disappointment.

"But there's new hope?"

"Only a little, but yes." He took her into his arms. She needed him now. They both needed each other now to help their little son to win this fight.

Both took a seat. After a while he got up and went to the window, he sat down again. He got up to get a cup of coffee then he sat down again. He and Paige didn't talk much. The atmosphere was strained. Both hoped that their son was on his way back to living. Marc had left them alone. He was tiered of this whole waiting and he could see that his son was strained. He deserved some rest now. Chuck went to get a magazine and came back again. It had become dark outside. He switched on a light at the table next to his son's bed. He sat down again and waited.

It must have been late at night, when he heard a noise again, a weak and quiet groaning. He looked at Paige. The glance in her eyes was indescribable. He got up too, getting as close to his wife as possible.

"Hey, Skinny. Come back." She slightly traced over her son's face, to let him know that there was someone waiting for him.

"Neil?" She asked in a calm and silent voice. She didn't want to spread hectic.

"Hmmm." They heard their son's voice. They saw how these eyes began to open again, slowly, but they began to open.

"C'mon, I'm here." Paige encouraged her son. He only stood there, watching what was happening and then he saw these eyes open again. They looked tiered and a bit numb.

"hmm" Her son still was numb, but the noise which came from him became stronger.

"How are you?" Paige asked carefully. She felt relived. Her son had come back.

His son was back again. His son had heard him and he had listened to him. He always had known that his son never would leave him alone.

"Tiered." Her son whispered and cleared his throat. She realized that he still was too weak.

"Three months is still not enough for you?" She asked, jokingly.

She looked at him and he saw how her eyes filled with tears. She couldn't hold them back. Their son had come back again. They wouldn't have to make this decision. They wouldn't lose their son. Not now. And their son talked to them. His son turned his head and looked confused at him. He still wasn't hundred percent back by now, but he was awake. Again Neil cleared his throat.

"Sore throat?"

"hmm." Chuck took a cup of water and put some ice cubes into it. They had brought them for the case his son would wake up as he did.

"Here, this helps." Neil tried to take the cup, but he wasn't able to hold it. Paige helped him to cool his throat. After their son and taken some sips, she put the cup back onto the table.

"Better?" She asked her baby. He had come back and he was awake and had talked to them. What meant, nevertheless what damages had been caused in his back, he at least would be able to communicate.

"hmmm." Their son didn't seem to lose his numbness and they began to worry. They looked at each other. Both were sure that this might even be harder than having a son in a come. On the other hand they had known before that their son wouldn't be the same, when he would wake up. The damages of his backbones had been way too serious as if his spinal marrow would have been left out of it.

"I go to get a doctor. Try to make him stay awake okay?" He told Paige. She nodded and then paid her whole attention to her son. He left his son for a few seconds. It didn't feel good to do so, but his son's condition worried him more he had thought it would. The worry covered all happiness which had arisen in him, because now the hardest part was coming towards him and Paige. How to tell a boy like Neil that his life as he had known it was over?

She was worried about her little baby who struggled hard to become awake. Maybe there were more damages one had been able to see before? It didn't matter. Her son was back and she was there for him. She wondered why she didn't freak out because of happiness. She hadn't to wonder why. She knew the answer and this was no reason to wonder why. The thought of what was coming towards them was the reason for her to stay calm. Telling her son that his former life was over, that he now depended on other people's help was the worse thing which could have happened to her.

When the doctor came, she had to go outside. She waited with her husband, who also was way too calm. He was thinking the same, for sure. If not he, who else? It seemed as if hours passed until the doctor came out again.

"Mrs. and Mr. Taggart, I want to be honest." 'Oh my God, is it really that bad?' He started to wish he had made his decision earlier. His son never would have been wanted to be only a lifeless body.

'My baby, you don't deserve this.' She stared to wish that she had listened to her husband. Her son wasn't spared anything. She took her husband's hand. They both gave each other hold and support.

"I have no idea what your son is made of and if I wouldn't have had him on my operating table I would start to think that he's everything else than human." The doctor went on. They tried to understand what he wanted to tell him, but it was impossible. He looked at his wife, but she looked questioning herself.

She would have liked to answer her husband's question, but she had no answer.

"But your son's recovery is enormous. The damages in his spinal marrow caused by his broken back bones, hasn't been as serious as to be expected."

"What?" Both asked. He had the feeling as if he was in a wrong movie. Hadn't they told them that in all likelihood his son was going to be a case of nursing care, because of these serious damages?

Did this mean that she would get her baby back? Was this cheeky monkey coming back to her as she had always known him?

"Your son can move every single part of his body, all reflexes are reacting. What means apart from his left knee he will be able to move unlimited as long as he doesn't overdo things." He wasn't able to answer anything.

Her son would be the same again? Her son was going to be the same as he always had been? This was the proof that nothing ever could break her son. Not her, not his father and not even this accident was able to force him to change his life and personality.

"Don't worry I'll take care of it." She answered. And she would do so. She wouldn't allow her son to risk anything.

He was sure that his wife would do so. For her this must have been a gift form heaven, although she wasn't religious at all.

"But you still have to expect late effects as there were chronicle backaches as well as the possibility of an afterwards paraplegia. But if we start early enough with a well elaborated pain and physical therapy, we can even reduce these effects."

"How? I mean…didn't you tell my wife and me that…" He stumbled.

"I can't explain you anything, but you know everything is possible." With these words the doctor left.

That was true. After everything they had seen and gone through they really believed that.

"I go and call Marc." He said to her. His son needed to know this immediately and he cursed himself that he hadn't called his son earlier. And he wanted to give his wife some time alone with her son. She had suffered so badly through all these months. Now she deserved it.

"Okay." She answered him. She gave him a kiss, before she turned towards the door. It was a kiss, which explained every feeling of hers to him.

She entered the room. They weren't able to express what was going inside of them. Her son had turned aside, curled together, as far as it was possible for him to do so. Another doctor still was there, making some notes. Her baby still was awake, shivering badly.

"A nurse will bring another blanket." The doctor assured her as she sat down again next to her son.

"Hey, everything's alright?" She asked him in a quite voice.

"Wanna…go…ho…home." Her son managed to pronounce his first sentence, disturbed by shivers.

"Don't worry honey. You'll be home again soon." She stroked through her son's hair. She wasn't able to remember whether she had done this before that accident and she realized that this was the first time she also was physically that close to her son. Her son started to try to get rid of all the tubes and cables which had been fixed on his body. She carefully took her son's hand.

"These better remain where they are."

"He's a bit confused, that's normal. Tomorrow things will be better. But nevertheless he still needs a lot of rest. Three months coma isn't the same as three months sleep. We've also given him some painkillers. His last surgery on his back had been two weeks ago and it's better if we don't confront him with everything right at the beginning." The doctor said. A nurse came with another blanket. She gently covered her son with it

"Here we are. Now it's better." The nurse said and then she and the doctor left her alone with her little boy. His glance became clearer with every passing minute. Her son again cleared his throat. Having a tube in one's throat must be one of the most awful things she could imagine.

"Could you give me some …water please?" Her son whispered. The first clear sentence. Her little son really was back now.

"Sure." She put some more ice cubes into the cup. This time her son was able to hold it on his own.

"Your throat hurts?"

"hmm." He was losing his numbness but he had no clue where it had come from and what did this glance in his mother's face was supposed to mean? 'And where in hell am I?'

"What happened?" He asked his Mum.

"What?" She didn't believe that her son really had asked this question.

Why was she that confused? This was his part at leas it seemed as if everybody knew about everything, only he had no clue.

"Your accident, Holly, her drunken aunt and her pickup truck remember, you're in a hospitall?" His Mum asked back. She started with these things, before she was going to tell him what was wrong with him.

'Accident? Okay, I missed something. Hospital? No, I already had this, I didn't need this again. Shit.'

"Nope, but that's the reason why I'm here?" Her son really had no idea what had happened, but maybe it was better that way. She couldn't believe that one would have liked to be able to remember anything like that. She nodded.

"And why do you look like that?" He asked carefully. He didn't want to force his Mum to the edge of fury right at the beginning only because he had messed it up again. Who knew which stupid action had let to this result

Her son's voice still sounded weak, but what he said sounded clear.

"Because of you honey." She answered.

"That bad?" He had seen his Mum like that only once and that had been in the time after Marc went AWOL. In conclusion this meant that what had happened wasn't only like getting a little scratch.

"The doctor told us that you'll never wake up again or at least that if you would do so, you were going to be severe disabled, a case of nursing care. And now after over three months you wake up and the only late effect you'll carry away is a backache." She answered, while she was taking his hand into hers. It was cold to the touch, but lying motionless for three months definitely wasn't good for one's circulation.

"Oh." Her son only answered. She looked at him, who began to be thoughtful. In a brainwave he realized that he was able to start with his life from new, now where their mission had found an end. In the same second he realized that he wasn't alone. His Mum was there. Since when did someone really care? Maybe things really had gotten the wrong meaning through the wrong way they had taken.

He felt a warm touch on his shoulder. He tried to turn around, but wasn't able to, something on his back hindered him.

"Hey skinny, you gave us quite a scare." It was his father's voice. He got next to his Mum. He looked tiered.

He was glad to see his son awake again. The glance in his eyes had become clear and cheeky again. His son was going to be the same again there was nothing to be doubted about that.

"Yeah, sorry." He felt a bit uncomfortable. Only because of him, his whole family has had troubled months and this although he had sworn that this was never going to happen anymore.

"I leave you two alone. I guess there are some things you want to talk about." His Mum said.

He hadn't gotten a chance to talk about their mission, its end and what had happened to his son. Neil fell asleep a few minutes after his Mum had left. He staid there for a while and watched his son's peace- and restful sleep. He deserved it. He had fought such a hard fight and he had won it. Only his son could be such a tough cookie. He stroked through his son's hair, before he went home.

This night all went to bed in peace. He realized that this accident had welted them together: Paige, Marc, Neil and even he had become one family. But it was tragically that they had needed such an experience to realize the value of family. Neil, his little boy had brought them together. Nevertheless this result felt good. They had managed to get their family back.