Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing, just the plot bunny ;)
A/N:So I didn't update last night... I blame being completely beat after work and not really concentrating on writing! But here's your update! Thanks for the reviews guys, I'm doing this on the quick between doing university work and wanting sleep ASAP!
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- While In Wonderland -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Haziness didn't even begin to explain what Derek felt as he began to open his eyes. His body felt electrified to all the new stimuli's in his nearby surroundings. He took it all in slowly, with closed eyes, the new noises around him, the feel of the sheets covering his body, the sense of being entirely alone for an entirely new reason.
His mind began to catch up then, he knew it had worked. Penelope had saved him, that much was sure.
"Penelope," He groaned out as he brought his hand up to rip the oxygen mask free of his face. He had to find her and he didn't care what he had to do it, but he had to do it now.
Hands came to his shoulders and slowly eased him down to the mattress and pillows. "Derek," His mom's voice came gently, "You need to lay back." She continued as she watched her son blink repeatedly to get some sense and bearing back. "Des, run and get someone, tell a nurse Derek's woken up."
Derek looked up at his mom, could see her smiling face and see the concern etched into her irises. "Mom," He croaked at her, "Penelope?"
"She's sleeping," Fran told him a tear fell down her cheek, "I'm so glad you're awake, Derek."
Pushing his head into the pillow he took a deep, painful breath before releasing it. "Is she alive?" Was all he asked, he waited for the response but didn't one and when he looked at his mom he could see she didn't have a response other than the nod of her head.
"She knew there were going to be complications, and her body went into shock just after she was brought up from recovery. The doctor just wants to wait on her to wake up to assess the damage."
"I told her she should've thought before she did it." Derek said as he brought his hands up to head, he could feel the multiple scraps and cuts. "Are they hopeful?" He asked, almost pleadingly, "Please tell me she's going to wake up."
Fran went to answer him, give him the same response she had been given but Desiree came back into the room.
"Doctor's just been paged, and Penelope's just beginning to show signs of waking up." She said with the brightest smile ever. Walking around the bed, she took her brother's hand in hers and brought it up to her chest. "It's good to see you finally awake, Bro. Was beginning to miss the big brother bullying."
"I'm sure," Derek breathed as he relaxed; now he knew Penelope had woken up he felt a part of his body calm, begin to enjoy the feel of reality as it settled around him. "You watch, I'll be back soon and then you'll want me to stop." He said with a slight grimace at the end of his sentence.
"You in any pain?" Fran asked as she toyed with the sheet, pulling it up a bit more onto his bare torso. She could see the goose bumps prickling along the bits of skin that weren't covered in gauzes in bandages.
Derek nodded, his mind succumbing to sleep as the machine by his bed released a new shot of morphine into his blood stream, he slowly reached for his mom's hand and took in his, squeezing it weakly. "Tell her thank you for me, please. Go to Penelope."
Desiree and Fran looked at one another as he went back to sleep, confused at what he had just asked of them.
"You go mom, she's going to need you more than me." Des said as she took her seat back by her brother's bed, "He's going to make sure you told her and you know what he's going to get like if you haven't. Especially where Pen's concerned." She smiled at her mom, "Go on, I'm fine, honest."
"You sure?" Fran asked, weary to leave either of her children, hurt or not.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Des replied firmly, "You're only going to be a few rooms down the corridor, not in another state." Des could read her mother's hesitation, "You've been panicking about them both, Derek's woken up, now go see Penelope. If I need you, or Derek does, I'll be right down."
"You look after him." Fran warned, still seeing Derek as her prized little boy even if he was an adult. She looked down at him, her heart now gaining a perfect rhythm as she realised the worse was now over, he had woken up after all.
She just needed to go and see Penelope and realise that she was the reason her son was slowly on the way to getting better.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- While In Wonderland -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
If Penelope could make one wish above all wishes it was that she wished she was back in limbo with Derek. Even though she knew he was okay, there was still a sense of longing, a sense of abandonment and she guessed it was all down to one thing and one thing only.
She had spent so much time with Derek, so much time just the two of them and now they were back to fight reality and with it all of the responsibilities.
In limbo, there had been no work, no pain and now back she realised that although they both still had to recover there would come a time that they would be back to the grind of work and life and that day she wished was million light-years away.
All she wanted was more perfect and pure moments like she had had. Time to sit and recollect, time to gather thought, to enjoy freedom, to revel in their continuous flow of love for one another.
At that point, she realised there was a major flaw to limbo. In all of its perfections and ideal living, it made one forget about what was lying in wait back on the other side.
"Penelope," She heard, her first voice since waking up properly and she looked to see Fran there, her hand in hers, the other coming up to brush some hair away. "Good to see you awake at long last." She told her genuinely, her eyes watching her every feature. She couldn't believe how ill she looked, how she looked worse than ever and she could only guess that this was the consequence of the operation.
All Penelope could do was smile a little, she felt much too weak to do much more. It now seemed everything had rendered her body powerless. "Fran..." She said slowly, her voice dry and croaky, "Is he okay?"
Fran smiled, she loved that both were so in tune with the other, that their first thoughts went to the other. She could only compare to how she was with Derek's father, how he was always first on her mind. "He's doing brilliantly, Dear." She told her truthfully, "He said thank you, I don't know what for exactly, I'm not sure how he could know it was you, but he's very thankful of you."
Nodding, Penelope took a deep breath and tried to move a little, trying to just gain an inch of comfort. "I know you told me not to, but I had to save him my own way. It's all about him."
Fran leant down, "I understand that now, Penelope, and although it scared the hell out of me, I am eternally grateful for what you do. What you sacrificed." She watched Penelope beginning to give into the sleep so she smiled, "Next time I don't want you doing anything so stupid."
"How many times can I be his hero really, Mom?" Penelope asked sleepily, her voice no more than a bare whisper.
Fran ran a hand over Penelope's face gently, "When it's just about you and him, you can be his hero everyday of this life and the next."
"Good," Penelope gulped on the word deeply, "I plan to be that every day. As long as I have him I can be his hero."
Fran watched as Penelope fully gave in then, she gave her a kiss on the forehead and stood back up. "Same works for him, Penelope." She finally said as she took a seat and began her vigil again.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- While In Wonderland -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
So make a wish
I will have one too
I wish I can stay with you
Wish you knew
How... wishes do come true
It's all about you
It's all about you
Today
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- While In Wonderland -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Song: Chris Brown – All About You