A/N: Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! x10000000 for the terrific reviews! Once again, I'm really sorry about not updating this yesterday! I hope you all enjoy this chapter! Review when you are finished reading!

xoxoxo

Gianna

Chapter 6- Welcome Back

I was laying on an extremely uncomfortable matress with my eyes closed. My head was pounding with pain. I tried to lift my hand, but it felt as though it didn't belong to me. My throat was disgustingly dry due to a tube that was down my throat. Slowly, I opened my eyes to be blinded by the whiteness of the room. I immediately shut them again. Where in the world was I? My eyes opened sluggishly again, being more cautious of the brightness. The room had the pungent smell of disinfectant, disease, medicine, and sickness. I looked around to notice a machine beeping steadily beside me. I felt like I had been hit by a bus.

There were all these wires and machines hooked up to me. I felt my head to feel the white bandages wrapped around me tightly. It was definately a hospital. I tried to move a little to get a better view of the room, but my back seared with pain so I had to immediately remain in this pitiful positionI was stuck in. The pillow I was laying on was flattened while the bed was really hard due to the fact that it was used by many people. Why was I here? What happened to me? What's going on?

My fears started to slip away when I looked to my left to find a sleeping Lucas. He was sleeping with his head rested on the side of my bed. The position he was in looked awfully uncomfortable. I raised my heavy hand to rub his face with. He stirred a little before he eventually woke up. He looked at me as if I was the greatest thing in the entire world.

"Your awake!" he yelled.

I shook at the loud noises. I didn't realize my ears were so sensitive.

"I am so sorry!" he whispered as he apologized for yelling so loudly.

"It's ok," I said wondering if he could even hear my quiet voice.

"How do you feel?" he asked.

"Like someone hit me with a cement truck," I say with a gently smile.

"Wait here! I'm going to get the doctor." Where was I going to go? I could barely move. He seemed so worried all of the sudden.

From my bed, I heard him yell ''She's awake!" There were so many footsteps running to where I was.

Just then, Karen, Lily, Lucas, and a man dressed in a long white jacket were coming into my room. He must have been the doctor. Maybe now, hopefully, I could get some answers.

"Peyton! You're awake!" Karen said while her eyes became watery. She walked over to me and hugged me lightly, along with Lily.

"Hello, Peyton. My name is Doctor Curnan," he said introducing himself.

"Hi," I said monotonously.

"You gave us quite a scare there, but we knew you'd pull through," Dr. Curnan said giving me a side smile.

"Pull through what? Why am I here? What happened to me? What's going on?" I ask suddenly having more questions than I thought.

"Ms. Sawyer you've been in a coma for the past three months."

"What?" I say in disbelief. Three months? He can't be serious.

"You had trauma and bleeding that was affecting your brain. The swelling kept you in this state for a while."

I don't say anything because I'm trying register everything he's telling me.

"You also had direct blows to the ribs which broke some of your ribs and bruised your rib cartilage. They are still healing which is why you might be having a little bit of hard time taking deep breaths. I'm afraid you have some minor brain damage too."

"Are you serious? How do you know?" I ask. This can't be happening to me. This has to be a bad dream. I look over at Lucas, Lily, and Karen who are all listening intently to Doctor Curnan.

"A neurologist checked for brain damage using MRI scans. They also looked for irregularities in the brain and found some. We had to insure that you got the proper supply of oxygen to the brain and the rest of the body while maintaining adequate blood flow and controlling blood pressure. Imaging Tests were done to help determine the diagnosis and prognosis of your condition. Some X-rays were also done to check for bone fractures." He pauses before continuing. "I know this is all hard to understand right now, but the important thing is that you're ok."

Before I could respond, we were interrupted when a voice came on the loud speaker

"Doctor Curnan, you're needed immediately in the Emergency section of the hospital."

"I'm sorry, but I have to go for now. I'll be able to answer any questions you might have later," Dr. Curnan said as he left the room.

"Oh, Peyton we're so happy you're awake," Lily says with a grin from ear to ear.

"Why can't I remember why I'm here? What happened?" I ask.

Lucas took a deep breath before speaking. "Your father hurt you again."

I think back as far as I can. The details of the beating are vague, but I remember bits and pieces of it.

"And how did I get here? Where's my father? What about my mother? Where are they?"

Lucas begins to tell me the story of what exactly happened.

"When you weren't coming back to the car, I got worried so I let myself inside. I saw you're mom laying on the floor, but I didn't stop because I heard you screaming. When I got to where you were, your father pushed you down the stairs. He knocked you out..."

Flashback

"What the hell did you do to her you son of a bitch!?" Lucas yelled as he ran over to me. "Peyton! Come on Peyton! Wake up! Open your eyes!" Lucas said while shaking me fiercly.

"Get away from her! This is family business! Get the hell out of my house!" my father yelled.

Lucas became angered as my father tried to pull me away from him. "DO NOT TOUCH HER!"he screamed.

"I'll touch her anyway I want now get the hell out!" my father screamed as he started to shove Lucas.

Lucas didn't shove back. Instead he just punched him straight in the jaw, knocking him against the stairwell. He took this time to pick me up and bring me to his car.

"It's ok, Peyton! You're going to be ok. We're going to the hospital now," Lucas says to my lifeless body while putting me in his car.

He quickly drives me to the hospital and enters the emergency entrance.

"Help! Somebody please!" he yelled.

"What happened?" one of the doctors asked while he was running to take me from Lucas' arms.

"Her father hurt her. He...he beats her, and she's not waking up. You gotta help her!" Lucas frantically says.

"How long has she been unconscious?" the doctor asked while attempting to take my pulse.

"Umm, I...about 10 minutes. Maybe 15," Lucas said running his hands nervously through his hair.

"We need to get her into surgery immediately," the doctor said while Lucas started to follow. You need to wait here. She'll be alright. Just stay."

"Ok."

Lucas picked up his phone and dialed his mom's number.

"Mom? It's me...No...We're at the hospital...It's all my fault...I should have went inside with her...Ok.. Hurry up! Bye."

End of Flashback

"So you've been in a coma for the past three months," Lucas said finishing his story.

"And what about my parents?" I ask really not wanting to hear the answer.

Lucas looked at his mom and then back at me, as if asking her for permission to tell me something.

"You're mother died of an overdose of heroin, and you're father's in custody. There's a trial hearing for him in two months," Lucas says while taking my hand in his.

I don't cry. I'm somewhat relieved, like a weight has been lifted off of my shoulders. A weight that was dragging me down. A weight that kept me from fulfilling my needs and wants. A weight that is now gone. I hope that doesn't sound completely horrible of me to say, but it's the truth. I mean it from the bottom of my heart. My parents didn't love me. They couldn't love me. Drinking, doing drugs, and sometimes eachother was their main priority and their love. I think it would be the same way with or with out them, except the beatings of course.

"It's ok," I say, "It's ok. I'll be fine. I didn't need them anyway."

"You're strong, Peyton. You're not just a survivor. You're a warrior," Lily says to me.

"Thank you. All of you. For being here with me. For staying with me this whole time. I probably wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for you guys." I shifted my body slowly to look at Lucas. "I'm glad I met you, Lucas. You've changed my life so much, in ways I never thought possible."

"I'm glad I met you too, Peyton." He smiles at me.

My mind starts to wander to different places, when I eventually remember school. "Oh my God! How far behind am I in school?" I ask realizing that I've missed three months of my education.

"Don't worry about it. Your teachers are going to excuse you from doing it and, you'll just have to stay after school for a while so they can teach you everything that you missed," Lucas says reassuring me.

"Lily and I are going to go downstairs and get some coffee. Do you two want anything?" Mrs. Roe asks Lucas and I.

"I'm ok," Lucas says. "How about you?"

"No, thanks. The last thing on my mind is food," I say pointing to the tube down my throat.

They both laugh and walk out the door.

"Does anyone know about this?" I ask Lucas while pointing to me.

"About what?"

"About my father hurting me."

"Some people. Not really," he stops. "Yeah, pretty much everyone."

"Great," I say sarcastically.

"You know, school hasn't been the same with out you. I miss you when I'm there which is why the highlight of my day is when I get to come see you. Now, it's even better because you're awake and can actually respond when I talk to you."

I smile slightly. "It's weird."

"What is?" he asks.

"It felt like I was asleep for probably two or three hours tops, and then I wake up and it's three months later. It just doesn't feel like it."

"That is pretty weird," he says thinking about it.

"I'm already sick of this hospita, and I've been awake for only an hour."

"How do you think I feel? I've been basically living here for the past three months," he says in a whining voice.

"Thanks for staying with me," I say quietly.

"Yeah, anytime. The doctor said you could wake up at any time and I really wanted to be there when you opened your eyes."

"I'm glad you were."

"Me too," he says taking my hand.

"What's going to happen at my Dad's trial?" I ask.

"I would assume that they want you to make a statement," he replys. "They already took pictures of your scars and bruises and everything else, so there is no way that he's not going to be in jail for a long time."

"I hope he get's a death sentence," I say avoiding Lucas' eyes. "Do you think that's wrong for me to say, especially since he's my father?"

"Not at all. They would be doing him a favor if they sentenced him to death because his pain would be over soon while yours will always be with you. So, honestly, I hope he rots in jail," Lucas says more serious than ever.

"When's the trial again?" I ask.

"Like two months, why?" he asks.

"I'm just nervous. I really don't want to see him."

"I know, but think of how happy you'll be once he's gone and put in jail for good."

"I guess you're right."

"You're a brave person, Peytonand you are stronger than anyone I know. You have more courage than any woman could ever have."

"Thanks, Luke."

Lucas always seemed to know the right thing to say.

A/N: Just so everyone knows, I am not a doctor. Some of the medical terms could be incorrect. Reviews are appreciated!