A/N: So, I know a real big twist in this chapter, so PLEASE don't give up on it, ok. Please, I didn't plan on this happening; it just sort of flowed from my mind. So please, just stay with the story, watch it unfold. :D
-Jaclyn 3
Chapter Four: And Barely Conscious You'll Say to No One
George and Nora sat in the waiting room in the hospital. Lizzie, Edwin and Marti were staying next door at the Davis' until things got sorted out here. It had been four hours and there had been no news or any changes. George nervously tapped his foot on the linoleum floor, and Nora was clenching the arms of her chair, that her knuckles were white. Then a nurse came out and looked around for them. She looked nervous, like she had news she didn't want to tell them. She took a deep breath and stepped up to them.
"Mr. and Mrs. Venturi, will you follow me please?" she asked, as politely as she could.
They stood up at once. "What is going on?" George asked as they followed her down the hall.
"One moment, please, sir." The nurse, said, her voice betraying her calm demeanor.
Nora looked at her husband, her eyes filled with worry. He took her hand in his, and stroked it with his thumb, reassuringly. The nurse led them into a room with two occupied beds. George and Nora looked at them, their hearts filled with anxiety.
"Miss McDonald appears to be in a coma." The nurse explained, standing next to the closest bed.
"Appears to be?" Nora asked, her voice shaking, what does that mean?"
"Well, according to everything else, she is in a coma, but her brain activity is as if she's dreaming. And people in comas don't dream. It is a very strange situation."
George looked over to the other bed, "And what about—"
"Mr. Venturi, your son is just in a regular coma. When the car hit the tree, he hit the steering wheel with full impact, something damaged his brain, and now his body is trying to fix it. His brain waves are just as all coma patients are."
The parents stood in between the two beds, looking down at the two teenagers. They had left that morning for school in Derek's car. Neither one speaking to the other.
--
"Derek! Casey! You're going to be late for school! Hurry up now!" Nora called up the stairs, just as Derek ran down them.
"Chillz, Nora. We're going to make it there just on time. You have my word." He smirked at her, but somehow it was not the same as it usually was. Something was missing.
Casey then rushed down the stairs and hugged her mother, "Bye Mom. See you tonight!" she called as she ran over to grab her jacket. She didn't want to talk to Derek, but he was lollygagging and she wanted to leave. So she waited impatiently by the door, and tapped her foot.
Derek rolled his eyes and the smirk fell off his face. He then left Nora and hurried over to the door letting Casey walk out first, then following. They silently got into the car, and they pulled out of the driveway. Derek had his eyes on the road and his hands stiff on the wheel. Casey's hands were in her lap and she seemed uncomfortable.
She cleared her throat as they turned off their street. "I didn't mean it you know." She said softly.
Derek glanced over at her, hardly daring to believe what he heard, "What?"
"I didn't mean what I said last night. I don't hate you. And I don't wish you were never born. It was an awful thing for me to say." She said, still softly, but Derek heard every word.
He looked over at her, momentarily forgetting her was driving. "Really?"
She nodded, and tried to smile, but she still seemed uncomfortable.
His eyes were still on her, "Well, I didn't make the week easy for you, so, I guess, I'm sorry." He mumbled the last two words, and although she heard them, she asked him to repeat it.
"I'm sorry, Casey." He said louder, and looked into her eyes so she knew he meant it. This time she really did smile, but then there was a loud honk and Casey screamed as she looked at the road.
Derek had let the car go into the other lane, and a car coming the opposite way was almost about to run head-on into them. Derek swerved out of the way, but his jerk was too powerful, and in a second, the car was tumbling off the road and into the grass. Casey was screaming and Derek had lost control of the car. It was still going fast, and they were approaching a tree too quickly. Derek didn't think of the brakes until they were mere feet away and he slammed both feet down on the pedal, but nothing worked. There was a large slam, and Casey stopped screaming, and Derek's world went black. His last conscious thought was about Casey and praying she would be alright.
--
Tears were in Nora's eyes as she took her daughter's hand in her own. She was so confused. Why was her daughter's brain waves active and not her daughter? George stood by his son's bed and looked down at his peaceful face. He was in a peaceful, normal coma. He should have been thankful that it wasn't like Casey's condition, and normal, but he just couldn't be thankful for anything but the fact that his son was alive. It was so hard to realize that this was real, and happening.
Nora stifled a sob and turned to her husband, "Georgie, we should call the Davis', give them an update."
George nodded, "Don't you worry about it. I'll go call. You stay here with the kids."
Nora nodded, but it was very absently. She felt oddly empty. Not knowing what was wrong with her daughter, and the doctors and nurses being shocked with her condition. It was not reassuring. She pulled her chair closer to the bed, and laid her head on Casey's hand. She began crying and praying that everything would be all right.
George came back after a few moments, and they sat their together, looking at their kids, and wondering why on earth this had happened to them.
Suddenly a noise came from one of the machines by Derek's bed. The nurse came rushing back in, and hurried to the machine. She looked shocked at what she saw.
"What?" George cleared his rough throat, "What is it?"
The nurse looked up at the parents, and said, with a serious face, "Mr. Venturi's brain waves are active just like Miss McDonald's."