I hate being a procrastinator TT_TT It makes people sad. Lol. Anyway, here's the VERY long awaited Chapter 2! :)

~ Mik Mik

COURTNEY'S POV

"Courtney? Courtney wake up! COURTNEY!"

I jumped as a voice yelled in my ear, making me almost fall out of my seat. I hadn't realized that I had dozed off.

I was about to snap at whoever had woke me up, but they hugged me before I had the chance.

"Oh God, Court, I'm so glad you're okay! I was so worried about you!"

"Bridgette?" I leaned back to look at my best friends face.

Bridgette Eareckson's olive-green eyes were slightly puffy from crying. Her blonde pony tail was slightly messed up, and her normally clean blue sweatshirt was stained from crying.

Bridge and I have always been close. I've known her since almost middle school. Her calm and optimistic side balanced out my argumentative and negative side. What can I say? It's what lawyers do.

"When you didn't call me back, I headed straight for the college, and when you weren't there I called Geoff and asked him to drop me off here. I thought you were hurt Court!" Bridgette pulled me back into a hug, wiping her eyes.

"I'm sorry. I should've called you back." I say, stunned. I didn't realize how worried she had been about me.

Bridgette pulled back and pulled out her phone. "Let me tell your parents I found you. We've been worried sic-"

"YOU TOLD MY PARENTS?!" I shriek, earning surprised and annoyed glances from people walking down the hall.

"I had to, Court! If you were dead or seriously hurt, they have a right to know!" Bridgette sent the text and sat down next to me.

"Do you know what they'll do to me Bridge? They won't trust me on my own for MONTHS! They-" I started to rant, but just then my parents burst through the door, running towards me as soon as they saw me.

It looked as though they had both left straight from work. They both worked at the same law firm, so they were dressed in a neatly pressed suit and a blouse-skirt matching set.

My mothers chocolate hair was neat as always, but her eyes held a frantic worry as she raced over to me. My father was close behind, his suit not near as straight as normal. His dark brown hair looked like he had run his hair through it, a sign of his stress level. Their matching black eyes showed their emotions clearly as they gripped me in a tight hug.

"Oh Courtney, my darling." My mother gushed as she pulled me close to her. "We were SO worried about you!"

"Are you alright?" My father asked, cutting straight to the chase.

"I'm fine. Really. Just a few scrapes here and there." I stammer, not used to my mother showing so much affection. Bridgette smiled as she watched me and my family.

"Are you sure? The story Bridgette here told us made me think you had gotten hit by a car!" My mother said, still holding onto me at arm's length.

"I didn't, mother. A man saved my life." I tell her, thoughts of the piercing covered punk floating through my brain.

"My, how courageous! Did you hear that, Steven? Someone saved our daughters life!" My mother gasped, earning a surprised and impressed nod from my father. "Who is he?"

"I don't know yet. I wasn't familiar with him. The nurse I was talking to earlier said she'd be back with news on him soon."

"And she has arrived." Nurse Wortman said as she walked out from the double doors.

I turned around and walked over to her, eager to hear the news. Her solemn expression discouraged me.

"Is he alright?" I asked, feeling Bridgette beside me. My parents walked slowly up behind us.

"Honestly? No. I think you should come with me." Nurse Wortman said, with a sad look in her eyes, opening the double doors for us. I hurried through, eager to see the man.

As we walked down the corridor and up a floor, I nervously played with my shirt edge, biting my lip.

What if he was seriously hurt? What if he had brain damage or dramatic breaks or fractures? What if he wasn't going to live?

My mother lightly smacked my hand away from playing with my shirt. Same old same old, always worried about appearances.

Nurse Wortman stopped outside the last door on the right of the critical unit wing of the hospital.

"He's been unresponsive since we brought him here earlier this afternoon." Nurse Wortman sighed as she opened the door to peer in. "Looks as if it hasn't changed."

I crept forward and looked inside the door, almost afraid of what I would see.

The man was the only one in the room. His bed was against the wall with his right side facing towards us. The window directly in front of us was closed to keep the chill of night out.

There was a small TV in front of the bed and a small room to our right, which I assumed was the bathroom. Two chairs were on each side of the bed, right next to the IV stands and multiple buttons for the patient.

I walked closer, inspecting the man more closely than I had earlier.

His black and green hair was damp from a quick shower. He had stitches on the left side of his head about three inches long, stopping just above his ear. His left arm was in a sling that laid over his blanket on his chest, and his right arm was laid the same way across his stomach.

I sat down gingerly on the side of his bed, looking at him. He wasn't that bad-looking. Thankfully his dog collar and piercings were out and hidden from sight. His round face was blank and peaceful in his sleep.

"When is he going to wake up?" I asked without looking away. When I didn't get a response, I glanced at the door to see everyone standing awkwardly by the door.

Nurse Wortman cleared her throat and pulled up a chair to sit in front of me. She had the same solemn look in her eyes from earlier.

Uh-oh.

"We don't know, Courtney." She said in a soft voice, looking at me like she was soothing a child.

"What do you mean?" I asked, panicked. "He's just asleep, right? Right?"

Nurse Wortman gave me a sad look. Before she could respond, my mother blurted in.

"He's in a coma, darling." She stated, tsking as she stepped into the room.

"It's true. His unresponsive behavior is abnormal for people who simply pass out or become unconscious. Plus, he was hit pretty hard and skid quite a few feet, from looking at his injuries." Nurse Wortman said, brushing her hair over one shoulder with her hands.

"Due to his injuries, he could be in a coma for weeks, maybe months even. But one thing is for sure, he isn't going to be waking up anytime soon."

"How bad are his injuries, exactly?" My father asked, leaning against the door frame.

"Pretty bad. His left arm is broken, as are a few of his ribs. One almost punctured his lung. He has scrapes, bruises, and small minor burns that vary in severity all over him from skidding on the road. The worst injury was his head cracking on impact with the road. He's lucky to be alive at all."

"If it had been you," Nurse Wortman directed to me. "there would be an even slimmer chance of you surviving. You could have been paralyzed, put into a coma like his, or worse... You're lucky this man was here to save your life."

There was a significant awkward silence as everyone let that fact sink in.

I could've died. He could've died. He still could...

"Is he-" I started, but stopped to control my shaky voice. "Is he going to make it?" I looked back at him with sorrow. What if I would never get to forgive the man who saved my life?

"I'm not going to lie, Courtney. I honestly don't know." Nurse Wortman said, looking at me closely to make sure that I wasn't going to freak out or scream at her. I was too numb to do anything other than stare at the mans face.

"Um, nurse? Could we have a minute with our daughter?" My father cleared his throat as he stepped into the room.

"Alone." He added, casting a glance at Bridgette.

"Of course. We have to change his bandages soon, so don't take too long." Nurse Wortman said as she stood up.

"Hey Court, I'll see you around. I have to go help Geoff with something. He's on his way to get me." Bridgette said as she walked over to hug me goodbye. I stood up and hugged her back.

"Call me when you get home." She whispered in my ear.

"Will do." I whispered back. "Bye Bridgette." I said as she turned around to leave.

"Bye. Goodbye Mr and Mrs Dale." She said as she walked past them and out of the room.

I sat back down as my parents came in and took seats on the chairs by the bed, alternating staring at me and the mystery man.

"This man saved your life?" My mother said surprised. "Are those piercing holes on his face?"

"A ruffian like this saved your life, sweetheart? Are you sure it's the right man?" My father said, trying to hide his surprise and disgust.

"Yes." I replied, looking at them. "Don't judge him too badly based on his looks. He did save me from getting hit by a car, after all."

"Yes but, Courtney, just look at him! It looks like he just walked out of a juvenile detainment center!" My mother said, still mesmerized by the many piercing holes.

"Mother! He saved my life! Cant you try to be a bit more generous and less... Judgmental?" I asked, looking at her in surprise. She normally never spoke bad about anyone.

"Courtney, listen, honey." My father said, putting his hand on mine and patting it awkwardly. "We are very grateful that this stranger saved your life, but your mother is right. What if he was trying to rob you?"

"In broad daylight?!" I yelled, standing up.

"Courtney, sit down-" My father started to raise his voice when Nurse Wortman walked back in.

"Is... Everything alright in here?" She asked, glancing worriedly between me and my father.

"Yes, we were just leaving." My mother said, standing up and scurrying towards the door.

"Come along, Courtney." My father demanded as he followed my mother out into the hallway.

I walked slowly towards the door, but stopped when I was by the nurse.

"Did you find out who he was?" I asked quietly, not wanting my parents to somehow overhear when they were halfway down the hall.

"The police found his wallet when they went back to investigate the scene." Nurse Wortman whispered back, sliding inside the door to let me out. "Only half of his ID was recognizable. His name is Duncan, and he's 19, but that's all we could find out about him. We've been running DNA tests, but so far nothing has shown up."

"Here." She said as she slipped me a piece of paper.

"It's my cell number and email. You can call anytime. I'll let you know if anything changes."

"Thank you." I said, honored that she cared about letting me know about my mystery hero.

"Are his parents coming to see him?" I asked, glancing down the hall to see my parents impatiently waiting by the elevator.

"We don't know who his parents are. There are no records of him in our system." Nurse Wortman glanced down the hall as I stepped out. "I'll let you know if they show up."

"Can I come vis-"

"Courtney, dear, hurry up!" My mother called as the elevator doors opened.

"Come in anytime. Just ask for Katherine. Good bye." Nurse Wortman said as she shooed me down the hall.

"Thank you!" I called back as I jogged down the hall. Right before the elevator doors closed I leaped in beside my parents, who looked at me disapprovingly.

"Courtney, you shouldn't run through the halls like that." My mother chided, straightening and smoothing my shirt out.

"If you had held the doors for me, I wouldn't have." I grumbled, leaning against the wall.

"Don't back talk your mother, Courtney Ann." My father sternly told me, looking at me with exasperation.

"And don't lean against the wall, darling. Who knows what kind of germs are there." My mother scolded, standing pointedly in the middle of the elevator.

I sighed and ignored them, pushing myself off the wall only when the elevator doors opened.

We walked as a trio out the way we came, looking for our familiar blue Honda Civic.

When my mother found it, I jumped into the back seat, shivering in the cool night air. My mother climbed daintily into the passenger seat and closed the door gently as my father hopped in and started the car.

I leaned against the door and rested my head on the cold glass, closing my eyes so I wouldn't have to talk to my parents on the ride home.

I heard them chatting small talk with each other, probably concerning me, but I zoned out and took a quick doze on the ride home.

When we finally pulled into the driveway of our fancy, three-story house, I got out of the car and headed straight for my bedroom. I didn't want to talk to my parents anymore today.

When I walked into my room, I locked the door, kicked my stilettos off, and flung myself onto my bed with a grunt as I landed on my stomach. I didn't even bother turning on the lights.

I flipped to my side to see the time.

10:35 already? Gosh. I thought as I flipped onto my back, staring at my ceiling.

I sighed and closed my eyes, but not ten seconds later I jolted upright with the alarm of my ringtone. I grabbed my phone out of my pocket to check the messages.

Hey Court. U home yet? Call me plz! ~B~

I sat up and rested my back against the headboard as I dialed Bridgette's number.

When she answered, I was sabotaged with the loud sound of the pounding bass drop of a dub-step song.

"Hey Courtney! Give me a second!" I could barely hear Bridgette yell across the phone.

I heard the music die suddenly, probably because she stepped outside.

"Okay, that's better." Bridgette sighed.

"You think? That horrible music busted my ear drums." I joke, smiling at the thought of Bridgette in the middle of a rave party with her ever-partying boyfriend, Geoff.

"Hey, dub-step isn't THAT bad!" Bridge chuckled. "So, how's your mystery man? Spill what happened after I left."

"His name is Duncan." I sighed, staring off into space as I imagined his face.

Wait... What?!

"Oh my, do I sense a crush?" Bridgette teased, laughing.

I blushed madly before trying to deny it.

"W-What? No way! I don't even know him Bridge!"

"You don't have to know somebody to be attracted to them!" I could almost hear her winking on the other end.

"Okay, I admit, he is kinda cute. Save the fact that he has more piercings than most girls." I giggle. I don't know if the giggle was from happiness or insanity.

"Seriously? I didn't notice that!" She gasped, having never gone inside the hospital room.

"Yes!" I gushed, flopping ungracefully onto my stomach with my feet in the air behind me.

"Oh my gosh." Bridgette laughed. "Imagine what your parents thought when they saw him! Did he have the piercings in?"

"No, thankfully, but Mother still noticed the piercing holes."

"What did she say?"

In my best Queen of Hearts expression, I lamely tried to imitate my mother.

"That boy looks like he crawled straight out of a juvenile detention center! Off with his head!"

Bridgette and I died laughing. I don't know about her, but I had tears streaming down my eyes from imagining my mother in a goofy, ridiculous dress like the Queen of

Hearts wears in Alice in Wonderland.

Bridgette was the only one I could laugh with like this. Sometimes I can be a little rude and harsh. But only a little. There wasn't much room for laughter and hanging

with my friends often, but I enjoyed it and had a blast when we could get together.

"We need to go on a double date when Duncan wakes up." Bridgette said, still laughing a little.

"A double date? Please, makes you think I'll ever see him again after he wakes up and leaves?" I scoff.

"Anything is possible, Court." Bridgette chuckled. I heard a mumbling in the background, and Bridgette replied to it with a flirtatious laugh.

"Sorry, gotta go. Geoff misses me being inside. Stop!" Bridgette giggled. I guess Geoff was probably doing something stupid to make her laugh.

"Alright. Text you later-" I was interrupted by the sound of footsteps coming closer in the hall.

"Shit." I mutter, quickly ending the call before Bridgette could respond. I tucked my phone under my pillow and just got under the covers when a there was a light tap on the door.

When I didn't answer, I heard my door creak open a tiny bit. My mother sighed and gently closed the door behind her as she left.

I let out a sigh of relief and slipped out of bed. I turned on my bedside lamp and went over to my dresser to pick out some pajamas. I stripped off my clothes for a baggy sweatshirt that was three sizes too big and a pair of boxer-type shorts. I have a whole stash of boy-ish clothes that I've collected over the years. I only wear them when I'm alone because, let's be honest, who would wear these kind of pajamas in public?

I jump back into bed and turn off my light, laying on my back and staring once again at the ceiling. My thoughts wandered to Duncan.

Duncan.

The man who saved my life.

What if he doesn't make it? I mean, he got hit by a fast moving car sideways trying to save me. And he was bruised up pretty bad too... What if he never wakes up? What if he dies because of me? What if his parents show up and find their son dead? And it's all my fault? What if... What if... Wha...

I dozed off into a fitful sleep, waking up more than once every hour from the same, horrifying nightmare. The blood curdling screech. The dull thump. The body flying through the air. The limp body lying dead on the street.

Each time it was a different person. Friends. Family. Duncan.

I woke up once again at dawn, with sunlight barely filtering though the windows. I was covered in cold sweat, shivering at the realness of the nightmares.

I curled up into a ball and buried my face into the pillow, not wanting to sleep, but not wanting to face the reality of almost killing someone who saved my life.

Review, fav, etc.. Blah blah blah. Lol. Gonna post my Warrior Cats story soon so check that out :3 Sorry I'm not a constant uploader! :c