Vince didn't even ask for an explanation. Whether it was through fear at the anger and flat authority in Mark's voice, or simply because Vince knew Mark rarely ever asked for time off unless it was serious, Mark didn't give a rat's ass. He was barely listening as Vince bade him good luck and hung up the phone.
The feeling of isolation stayed with Mark right up until he stepped on the plane. The first possible flight back to Houston. He didn't even give himself time to settle in. He literally dumped his belongings at his house, then rushed with all possible speed to the hospital.
"Oh my GOD, You're THE UNDERTAKER!" was the first thing he heard as he stepped into the Hospital reception. A very ruffled Mark ignored the milling injured and relatives, and walked up to the reception desk, to stare into the eyes of a bedazzled young receptionist.
Mark wasn't really listening as she babbled on praising him, asking for autographs. He silenced her with a piercing stare, slamming his hands down on the desk sharply.
"I'LL GIVE YOU A GOD DAMN AUTOGRAPH LATER!" He said hastily. "JUST..." He took a steadying breath. "Tell me where Rose Lewis is."
The nurse took a few moments to recover from the shock of a seven-foot tall gargantuan man shouting at her. Then she started feverishly shuffling through papers until she found what she was looking for.
The nurse directed Mark to the Intensive Care suite. Mark paid no attention to anything else the nurse said. There was only one thing on his mind and it was Rose. He charged off to where he knew his little sister was lying, possibly paralyzed.
The fear and the denial raced through his mind as he entered the corridor and blustered into the room the Nurse had indicated. Ross and Lily were still sitting by the bed.
And there, comatose, was the pale form of Rose Lewis. A huge weight pulled on Mark's heartstrings as he looked at her. His face dropped.
Ross stood up. Like Lily's, his eyes were stained with tears. As though it took all his strength - and Mark felt sure it did - Ross told him Rose had been asleep since they brought her in.
Mark walked up to the bed and took Rose's soft, still-warm hand in his own. He looked adown at her lifeless body. Tears started forming in his eyes and rolled unabashedly down his cheeks. He thought that, maybe if he started talking to her, it would wake her.
"Hey little sis," Mark's shaky voice ventured. "Heard you had a fight with a truck." He laughed. A meagre, worried laugh. "You gonna wake up for me, mom and dad, baby girl?"
Rose continued to lie there, unmoving, unhearing. Mark stared.
"The doctors...told us they don't know whether she will be able to walk again...or even...move," Lily choked out, before she collapsed into Ross's side in tears. Ross looked at his daughter, held his wife, then started to cry again himself.
"Ross," Mark said slowly, not taking his eyes off Rose. "I feel so helpless. I want to help her...any way I can."
"Then go get some rest," Ross offered, gratitude flowing through him at Mark's pledge. "Come back in the morning. You must have flown straight into the hospital lobby."
Mark smiled an awkward, mirthless smile. Ross wasn't far from the truth. Eventually Mark looked at his friend.
"Will you call me if there's any change?"
"Sure," Ross promised. "Straight away."
"Alright then," Mark sighed. "Goodnight Ross, Goodnight Lily."
As mark started to walk away, the silence of the room was suddenly shattered by a huge, gasping breath. Lily's eyes lit up. Ross went into shock.
"MOM! DAD! ARE YOU THERE!" Rose was almost screaming. Mark's hand snapped back to his side, inches from the door. His head turned with a lightning-fast movement. Rose was awake!
"We're here, honey," Lily was saying, trying desperately to sound soothing but unable to mask her emotion and relief.
"Where Am I?" A panicked Rose asked. "Why...why can't I move? What happened?"
"You're in hospital, sweetie," Ross answered as he joined his wife at his daughter's side. "You were hit by a truck."
"Is Mark here?" Rose asked desperately. "I...I heard his voice..."
That was Mark's cue. He left the door without a second thought, and moved to the other side of the bed, opposite Rose's parents.
"I'm here," he said. At the very sound of his voice, Rose brightened. "I'm so glad you're awake squirt."
"What are you doing here?" Rose asked, her eyes locking on him. Mark could tell she was feeling an immense relief. "Why aren't you at work?"
"Your dad rang me and told me what happened to you. So I flew in as soon as I could," Mark answered.
"How long are you staying for"
"How long do you want me to stay for"
"I don't know," Rose looked pensieve. "Two weeks?" She asked, hoping it was reasonable.
Mark blew the idea of reasonability out of the water. "How about two months."
"Two Months!" Rose exclaimed in happy surprise.
"Yup," Mark said in an accent that made him sound like Arnold Schwarzenegger."You got me for two whole months. No medicine can cure that."
Rose laughed. Mark felt an enormous feeling of comfort and happiness, pure reassurance, sweep over him as he saw her smile. Even when the doctor came in to tell them all that she would be confined to a wheelchair, for an unknown amount of time. Perhaps even permanently. Her spine had swollen considerably at its base and her legs would be paralysed unless the damage healed. IF it healed.
Mark's phone began to ring as Rose squeezed his hand, as if to say "I'm going to beat this." Mark squeezed back, replying silently, "And I'll be right here with you."
Mark stepped to one side to let Ross and Lily tend to Rose, and answered the phone.
"Hello"
"Mark? It's Glen," Came the familiar voice of Glen Jacobs. Mark had been wondering when he'd call. "Where are you"
"Houston hospital," Mark replied, calmly, as if it were totally normal for him to be AWOL.
"What are you doing there?" Glen said, dumbfounded.
"Rose is here"
"Why?" Glens answer changed from demanding anger to respectful worriment. "What happened"
"She was out with friends..." Mark said, rubbing his eyes. "She got hit by a truck"
"Oh man," Glen said, in total shock. "Take...take as much time as you need man. I'll talk to vince"
"Thanks, Glen. Dont worry about Rose. She's strong. She'll be fine."
Both men said their goodbyes and hung up. Mark put his phone in his pocket. He looked over at Rose and her family. A family he felt he was part of.
He swore to himself that he would help Rose fight and get better, make her stay happy in any way ppossible. He would not let her go through this alone.
One way or another, Mark vowed, his Little Sister would walk again.