WEDNESDAY 7:00PM
Chris cracks his knuckles nervously, he knocks on Courtney's door. No answer comes.
He knocks again and since there's no answer either he just pushes the door open. It creaks as Chris steps in. "Courtney?" He calls.
She is sprawled over the bed. Her legs and arms tied to the its frame with thick leather bands. She looks extremely thin and scrawny.
Her eyes are open and she stares out the window to the starry sky. Her face glows blue with its light and she looks like a wax doll with long strands of sleek black hair flung over her face and back.
"Courtney," Chris says again.
"I'm cold," Courtney says.
Chris sees that she's got nothing but her hospital gown on. He takes a crisp white sheet from a closet and extends it over her.
"Are you okay?" He asks shyly.
"Take them off," Courtney says in an empty voice expressing no feelings whatsoever.
"Shouldn't I get the doctor's permission to do that?"
"Do you think I'm crazy, Chris?"
"No,"
"Then take them off."
Chris hesitates a little wondering if he should. He realizes he can't just leave her like and that right now he desperately needs to please her and get on her good graces.
The bands are like thick beige leather belts. He works on the ones in her ankles and then frees her hands. The skin around the belts is red and irritated, Courtney's obviously been trying to get loose.
She rubs her wrists and sits up hugging her legs.
"Courtney what happened here today?"
Courtney shrugs hiding her face behind her knees. "That was just a display of my merry little life." She says not looking at him.
"Why does your aunt talk to you like that? Don't your parents stop her?"
"They're dead Chris, my family's dead."
Shit, no wonder she's in a bad mood all the time, Chris thinks. "I'm sorry,"
"Chris go, I don't want you to see me like this."
"I'll close my eyes." He blinks his eyes shut.
"Aren't your parents going to miss you." She asks. Her voice is soft and weak. Chris can tell she's tired and for once she's not being rude, probably tired of that too.
"They're at work. My mom, works owns a club and my dad... works as a real estate agent somewhere in Nevada."
"Cute," She says unimpressed.
Chris sits on her bed with his eyes closes, his hands toying with one of his slippers.
"You can open your eyes." Courtney says.
Chris does. "Good, I like looking at your face." He answers.
He's can't look at her face though, her hair falls over it like a thick curtain as she leans her chin on her knees.
Chris searches in his mind for something to break the ice. "Ever been in a hospital before?" He asks.
She nods. She'd been in this same hospital lots of times before. When her dad died, when Jimmy died, when she had her abortion, and once when Zed beat her up really bad.
"Really, what happened?"
Courtney laughs bitterly, "Come on, like you really wanna know."
"I do," Chris says.
"No you don't."
"Well, I've been here twice. When I was born and when a friend shot me with a BB gun."
Courtney smiles and slides her body down the bed. She grimaces as her sore body moves slowly. Holding the white sheet Chris gave her, she extends her legs down and lays on her back. Her feet touch Chris's butt and she gives him a light kick. "Come on, get back to your room. I need to sleep a little."
"You sure you want me to leave?"
"Oh yeah," Courtney answers listening to her body beg her for some rest.
"But you've had a tough day and I untied you and…"
She looks into his eyes and smiles warmly tucking her hair behind her ears. "I've been through worse Chris. I'm not gonna kill myself or anything like that."
"Promise you won't."
"I promise," She says closing her eyes.
Chris stares at her face for a second. He thinks about kissing her forehead, but she might still have the strength to beat him up so he resists.
"I'll see you tomorrow." He says walking out the room closing the door behind him.
THURSDAY 10:30AM
Chris carefully checks his image in the mirror. A white bandage covers his head so he can't do anything about his hair though he's probably bald under the bandages anyways.
After brushing his teeth and washing his face. Chris walks out the room feeling fresh and wishing for his cologne or at least some aftershave and decent clothes or maybe not even decent clothes but something other than a hospital gown and a robe. Though he's just going to go across the hall, Chris feels like he's about to step into some kind of date. With a very special girl.
He walks out his room, a silly grin whipped on his face. He sees Courtney's door and smiles with anticipation.
Checking both sides for nurses, he easily slips in her room. Since it's already thirty past ten he's expecting her to be awake, but she's still fast asleep in her bed.
Chris shrugs and sits on her bedside chair. Then he notices an IV line going in to her arm and a sort of white plastic rod with a red light pinned to her index finger.
"Courtney?" He calls. "Courtney are you awake?"
She doesn't stir.
The door to Courtney's room opens and Dr. Flint accompanied by a good-looking couple walks in.
"Hello, how are you?" Dr. Flint asks with a smile. "Are you Miss Wright's friend?"
Chris nods feeling caught doing something dirty. "Chris Halliwell," He introduces himself.
Dr. Flint nods. "Oh yes, Courtney paid you several visits while you were unconscious. She must really like you."
Chris blushes flattered and warmed by Courtney's concern.
Dr. Flint pats Chris's shoulder. "I just brought the Silases to see her but she won't be waking up for a while."
"Why? What happened?"
Dr. Flint hesitates for a moment and then says. "Well, she was feeling really bad yesterday. One of the nurses found her crying in the bathroom and they had to sedate her."
Chris sits in the chair flabbergasted wondering if he should have left her tied up last night, or if he should have stayed with her.
"You know, to be a shrink you're quite a blabber mouth." Courtney's groggy voice says.
Chris turns around. Courtney's eyes are still closed though she's smiling slightly.
"You're awake? How are you feeling?" Dr. Flint asks.
"I can't move," She answers. Her speech is slurred as if she was drunk. Her eyes opening a crack.
"It's the sedative, they gave you a strong one this time."
"Can you come back later? I feel like I'm gonna die."
Dr. Flint pats Courtney's hand. "Alright, rest well."
Mrs. Silas walks over to Courtney's side and kisses her forehead. "When you wake up, John and I have a surprise for you."
Courtney nods weakly, her eyes close again and she drifts into a tar-thick sleep.
Dr. Flint leads Chris and the Silases out closing the door silently.
She sees Chris's worried face. "Don't worry, I'm sure she'll be alright. She's a tough cookie."
"Even tough cookies crumble." Chris says.
Dr. Flint shakes her head. "Not this one." She smiles to the Silases. "Not when she's got them."
"When can we see her?" Mr. Silas asks.
Dr. Flint waves her hand. "Give her a couple of hours. Go home if you want and I'll have someone call you. But I have to go right now. I have an important appointment. Call me if you need me. Alright?"
Mr. Silas nods. "Yeah, but we'll just wait here. We want to talk to her as soon as possible."
Dr. Flint nods. "I understand. Call me and tell me how it goes." She waves and half runs out the hall. Her heels clicking, just like Courtney's Chris thinks.
He goes back to his room disappointed wishing he could just wait inside Courtney's room. Being with her felt good even if she was unconscious.
THURSDAY 11:15 -DR. FLINT'S OFFICE
"Your secretary let us in." Adrian explains when Dr. Flint comes in to find him and Charlie sitting there.
"It's okay, sorry I'm late." Dr. Flint apologizes checking her watch and realizing she's fifteen minutes late to the meeting she scheduled yesterday night over the phone.
"It's cool," Adrian says looking at Charlie's face. "We've been talking."
Dr. Flint nods slyly. "Oh reee-eally?"
"He's fine you know, knows all his shit." Charlie says.
Dr. Flint laughs. "Do I smell love in the air?"
They both blush shrugging.
"So how's it been? What important things have you learnt from each other?"
"Charlie told me about this really cool website, you know, for people like us." He takes out a printed-out flyer. "Look they have a yearly meeting in New York. I was thinking of asking my dad to take us."
"Would he do it?" Dr. Flint asks.
Adrian nods. "Oh yeah, he's really cool."
"We could all go up there and have some fun." Charlie says. "I mean, if my mom can get off work."
"What about your dad?" Adrian asks.
Dr. Flint intervenes. "You know the deal with your mom?" She asks Adrian. He nods.
"Same story with her dad."
Adrian winces back. "In that case, it wouldn't be such a hot idea for us to go together."
"Why not?" Dr. Flint asks.
"Her mom could fall for my dad and then we'd be brother and sister. And nothing could happen between us."
Dr. Flint laughs. "Not if both couples do it at the same time." Dr. Flint winks. She giggles. "So was it a good idea for me to get you two together?"
Adrian and Charlie hold hands. "You bet Cupid," Charlie answers for both.
Dr. Flint smiles widely staring at the two kids as she sees them feel happy and bubbly for the first time since she became their psychologist. And with that she know her job is done here. She feels just exactly the same way she feels when she finishes reading a very good book only a million times better. Happy, fulfilled, sad that it's over and glad that she decided to give it a chance.
Dr. Flint sights, this time she schedules an appointment to see both of them together in exactly one month. The appointment is a follow-up visit though she knows it'll all go well because they now finally get what she's been trying to tell them all along, they are not alone in the world, not by far.
THURSDAY NOON -SACRED HEART HOSPITAL
Chris goes out his room aiming for the cafeteria. The nurses did get lunch to his room, but he's go an inextinguishable crave for chocolate chip ice cream.
He has to be careful because the nurses nag him about staying in his room and getting some rest. He tried it for two minutes, got bored and went out for his ice cream.
When he steps in the hall, he sees that the Silases are still sitting in the hall's plastic blue chairs waiting.
"Hi," He says. "She still out?"
"As a light." Mr. Silas answers with a friendly smile. "Are you a good friends of hers?"
Chris shrugs. "I guess I could say so."
"You're Chris Halliwell aren't you? I saw you in the newspaper."
"Yeah, I am." He offers his hand. "Nice to meet you."
Mr. Silas gives him a firm shake.
"Are you Courtney's… who are you?"
Mr. Silas looks caught off guard. He shrugs taking his wife's hand. "We can't tell you till we tell her."
Chris's eyebrows hover upwards. "I guess I'll ask after you talk to her."
Mrs. Silas squeezes her husband's hand. "If everything goes well, there's going to be a big party and you're invited."
"Thanks," Chris answers leaning on the wall opposite to them. He has completely forgotten about the chocolate chip ice cream now. "Did you know her parents are dead?" He asks wondering how much they know.
Mrs. Silas nods. "Her dad's dead, her mother isn't. And her little brother too, she keeps his ashes in a yellow jar." She looks down frowning. "After her dad died her mother got really sick, mentally, so Courtney and her brother were sent to her abusive aunt."
"How do you know this?"
"My mother lives close to her and they talk a lot."
"What about that doctor?"
"Dr. Flint?"
"Yeah,"
"Oh she's Courtney's psychiatrist. She started seeing her after her brother's death."
Chris slides down the wall. "Shit, she never told me that before."
Mrs. Silas feels a bit guilty, but doesn't show it. "You might as well know it. It's the truth."
"I not gonna give her hell for it or anything, but damn thats a lot of crap to swallow." He says reassuring Mrs. Silas.
An awkward silence falls over them. Chris decides some ice cream would let it all go down more easily. " So I was on my way to the cafeteria to get some ice cream? My treat."
Mr. Silas smiles. "I'd love some,"
Mrs. Silas nods, "Me too, vanilla please."
Chris gets to his feet toying with his mother's credit card. She'd be glad to know he was feeling good enough to stuff himself with his favorite ice cream plus some extras.
He strides down the hall determined to make it up to Courtney as soon as they both get back to school.
The thought of school makes something in him go off. School seems so far away now, he remembers how he used to push Courtney away from his life avoiding her as much as possible. Now all he wants is to be with her and all thanks to that poem in the internet. Where'd that go by the way? He wonders as he pushes the button in the elevator.
The doors open and he steps in. A kid in a wheel chair smiles to him and he smiles back. The door close as he punches the button for the second floor, where the cafeteria is.
THURSDAY 1:01 PM
Chris licks the last drop of ice cream from his black plastic spoon. He puts the 8oz carton of ice cream down and pats his belly. "That's some good ice cream right there."
"You got that ice cream an hour ago, how can you make it last so much?" Mr. Silas asks in wonderment.
Chris laughs shortly. "The secret is to melt the ice cream in your tongue till only a chocolate chip is left. The you roll the chip around in your mouth till it's gone next you wait a second for the ice cream to take its full effect on you, only then are you allowed to shove half a teaspoon into your mouth. The ice cream facing your tongue and the back of the spoon against your upper mouth."
Mr. and Mrs. Silas nod as if this was a normal conversation.
The door to Courtney's room opens and they all turn around to see Courtney standing in the doorway. Her hair neatly falls on her shoulders and her eyes still look tired.
"Any of you got any food? I'm starving." She says.
Mrs. Silas runs to Courtney and gives her a loving bear hug.
"Hey Joanne," Courtney's muffled voice says. "glad to see you too."
Mr. Silas waits for his turn on Courtney right behind his wife. Then three of them hug leaving Chris out.
Chris gets up from the cold floor leaving his ice cream cup behind. He shrugs and joins in the hugs frenzy.
After a few 'hug' minutes Courtney's voice emerges from within the mass of bodies. "Seriously guys, all they do to feed me here is stick a needle in my arm. I'm dying."
The hug falls apart with Courtney's words.
"Chris, why don't you go get Courtney a burger while we talk to her." Mr. Silas says handing Chris a twenty.
"A twenty buck burger?"
"Burger, fries, soda, ice cream, you know the basics." Mr. Silas answers.
"Be right back, see ya Courtney." Chris says waving away. He trots down the hall, but stops as soon as a nurse gives him a dirty look. He decides to be a nice boy or else she'll make him go back to bed where he should be.
The elevator ride is a bit unpleasant since there is a kid barfing in a basin and crying. Chris feels sorry for him and tries to comfort him, but the kid gets freaked out and moves to a corner of the elevator.
Chris shrugs and steps out on the second floor. He heads to the cafeteria thinking of getting himself a burger.
By when he's at the counter ready to pay he has a tray with two burgers, a bowl of fruit, two chocolate milkshakes, a cup of chocolate chip ice cream, fries and a Gatorade.
The woman at the counter raises her eyebrows. "Hungry boy?"
Chris shakes his head. "Hungry teenage boy." He corrects.
She nods. "Ah, I understand."
The tab comes for twenty five dollars and some cents. Chris hands over the twenty and pays the rest with mommy's credit card.
He walks gingerly with the overloaded tray. The smells of hot food filling his nose and killing his stomach. Not able to resist, he rest the tray on his knee and eats one of the fries. Its crunchy salty taste leaving him hungry for more.
THURSDAY 1:05
Courtney sits on the bed, her back rested on the pillow and legs extended in front of her a crisp white sheet covering them.
Mrs. Silas sits on the foot of the bed and pats Courtney's knee. "Feeling better?"
"I guess, still pretty tired though."
"We have something important to tell you. To ask you really." Mr. Silas sits on the other side from Mrs. Silas and takes her hand.
"Sure," Courtney answers. She can hear Joanne and John just fine but it's as if they were miles away. She feels light headed and wobbly so she chooses to lay down instead of sitting not trusting her body to hold her up.
"We would honestly wait for you to catch some sleep, but we're too excited." Joanne says.
Courtney nods. "It's okay, sleeping during the day is messing with my circadian rhythim anyways."
Joanne takes Courtney's hand and smiles nervously.
"Courtney?"
"Yes,"
"Would you…," She giggles looks at John and then back to Courtney. Her eyes glitter with excitement. "would you be our daughter?"
"Your what?" Courtney asks wondering if she heard wrong.
"Our daughter," John repeats. "we want to addopt you."
Courtney's heart beats quickly. She feels fully awake now, excitement rushes through her body. "Do you… do you mean it?"
Joanne nods fervently. "We mean it, we want to be your parents we want you all to ourselves, no sharing with your aunt anymore."
Courtney laughs happily. "Really?" She says imagining how wonderful it would be.
"With all our hearts."
"So what do you say?" John asks.
Courtney smiles. "Yes," She says laughing. "I say yes, yes!"
"Oh thank God!" Joanne says throwing her hands around Courtney. "It'll be wonderful, I promise." She laughs.
Happy tears roll down her cheeks and smudge on Joanne's shoulders. Joanne cries happily too. John hugs both of them laughing and rushing out plans.
"We're going to look at houses so you can finish this school year, and then we'll move to Raleigh and, and go to the beach as soon as you get out of here and…"
Courtney feels the huge load of misery she'd been feeling lift off her shoulders, mind and body.
"Food's here!"Chris screams opening the door. He finds the Silases and Courtney hugging, laughing and crying in Courtney's bed.
He almost falls on his face. "I'm I interrupting something?"
"No, come over here. We're celebration." Mr. Silas says.
"Alright! I love celebrations." He says jumping on the bed after placing the food on top of Courtney's bedside table.
"What are we celebrating?" He asks Courtney.
She wipes tears from her face. "I have parents now." She says laughing.
Chris looks at the Silases. "You two are…"
"That's right," Mrs. Silas says not taking her loving eyes off Courtney. "we're adopting her."
Chris smiles happy for Courtney. To this day, he doesn't know how it happened, but the he ended up crying happily hugging Courtney Silas as tightly as if his life depended on her. And life was good again.
Disclaimer: I do not own Charmed and all the credit should go to the creators. You know who they are!!