OMGlee! "Born This Way" was amazing... I really needed those tissues haha.
Oh, and I guess I'm not as awesome as I thought I was, considering almost everyone guessed what made Kurt so upset.
WARNING: This chapter contains sadness of epic proportions so get them tissues ready!
Daddy B was in a coma. A deer had jumped out in front of his car, he swerved to avoid it, lost control of the car, and rolled down a hill. According to Santana, he'd gotten pretty banged up and broken a few ribs. She also said that he'd smashed his head against the window really hard so the doctors put him in a medical coma because they were afraid of swelling or bleeding. She said the coma was just a precaution, that they wanted to do everything they could to make sure Daddy B was okay, but I didn't believe her. Somewhere deep inside my soul I knew that something was really wrong. I didn't want it to be, but I just knew.
I walked back into the choir room to get my bag so Santana could take me to the hospital. I felt like I was underwater - I could see everything around me but it was all cloudy (but that was probably because of the tears) and everyone's voices seemed muddled and faraway. Behind me, I could hear Santana telling Mr. Schue what had happened. Words like "Blaine", "coma", and "not good" jumped out at me, but they were disjointed and I couldn't glean any meaning from them. I grabbed my bag from next my chair and was about to walk away when someone grabbed my arm. Thinking it was Anna, I turned and started to say, "My dad is..."
"He's upset. I know," Matthew said. "But I'm worried about you, Liz. Are you okay?" I shook my head. "Is there anything I can do?" Make Daddy B better. Knowing he couldn't do that, I shook my head again. "Okay." He released my arm. "Here." He handed me a piece of paper with numbers scribbled on it. "If you, you know, need someone to talk to... give me a call, okay?" I nodded, not telling him that the only person I wanted to talk to was unable to talk back.
I slung my bag over my shoulder and followed Santana out to her car, where I crammed myself into the backseat between my brothers, crying.
When we got to the hospital, Santana walked up to the front desk and asked which room Daddy B was in. "He's in the ICU," the lady replied, "so only immediate family is allowed."
"These are his children."
"And you are..." I wanted to strangle her. Who cared if Santana was related us or if she was just some random lady off the street? I just wanted to see my father.
"Their mother," Santana said in clipped tones. "Now just tell me what room he's in."
"4553," the lady replied.
"Thank you," Santana answered coolly. "Come on, kids." We all scurried behind her to the elevators.
When the doors opened to the ICU floor, I was hit with why I was deathly afraid of hospitals. Everywhere you turned there was a person, each one sicker than the last. The room started spinning and I leaned against the wall for support. Then I heard his voice. It's okay, baby. Hospitals are supposed to make you better... They're good places.
Daddy B?
I'm here, Lizzie, I'm here.
I'm scared.
Don't be. I'm going to be just fine. I need you to stay strong, though. Can you do that for me?
I - I think so... I love you.
I love you, too, baby. I love you, too.
"This way guys. Liz, are you okay?" Santana asked, snapping me violently back to the present.
"Uh... yeah. I just really hate hospitals." Santana put her arm around my shoulders and pulled me close. It might not have been the touch I wanted, but it comforted me nonetheless and I allowed her to lead me down the hall to the very last door, which was slightly ajar. The sign next to it read Hummel-Anderson, Blaine and the name of his doctor below it. Gabe was about to push the door open, when the sound of someone talking stopped him.
"Please wake up, Blaine, please." It was Daddy K. "Just - just squeeze my hand." Silence. "Please, baby. I told you that I'd never say goodbye to you. Please don't make me break that promise. I love you, Blaine. Just, please, open your eyes," he begged and then I heard him crying. My heart ached and I couldn't stand it any longer. I pushed past the others and rushed into the room. I stopped in my tracks when I saw Daddy K leaning over a small figure on the bed. When I realized the small figure was Daddy B, the tears came harder. He looked so fragile, like he could blow away at any moment.
"Daddy," I choked out, not knowing which one I was talking to. Daddy K turned around and held out his arms. I ran into his embrace until I had no more tears left. When I'd cried myself dry, I lifted my heavy head and looked around. Ian was on the other side of the bed, holding Daddy B's hand. Santana was leaning against the wall, part of the family, yet removed.
But Gabe broke my heart. Out of the three of us, he was easily the closest to Daddy B. When we were little, Daddy B was the one Gabe always ran to when he was hurt, sick, or sad. The story goes that his first word was "Dada" and he'd looked right at Daddy B when he'd said it, smiling. Over the years, their bond had only gotten stronger and, because of this, Gabe was curled at the end of the bed, looking so much like the little boy who just wanted his daddy to hold him and tell him everything was okay.
I tore my eyes away from Gabe and chanced a glance at Daddy B's face. I don't know why I did it, because it I knew it was going to make me lose it all over again. But he looked... normal. Aside from the bruises on his face and the oxygen machine that was breathing for him, he could have been sleeping. I pushed a curl out of his closed eyes because I knew that it annoyed him and whispered, "Come on, Daddy B, you can do it. Just open your eyes." He didn't so much as stir and a tear dropped from my eye.
The nurse walked in. "Sorry, guys," she apologized kindly. "Visiting hours are over."
"I'm not going anywhere," Daddy K stated, not taking his eyes off Daddy B. His voice was lifeless.
"I understand. But..." she eyed the rest of us. (Translation: I'm sorry that your dad may be dying, but this hospital has lame-ass rules and you have to go home now.) Ian got the hint and stormed out of the room without a backward glance. Santana followed him, pausing only to give Daddy K a kiss on the cheek. I hesitated, but got up and was almost to the door when I heard the nurse say, "Come on, sweetie, you can't stay here."
"Yes, I can," Gabe moaned. I turned to see him still curled in a ball at the end of the bed, refusing to get up, even with the nurse gently shaking him.
"Gabe," Daddy K said softly. "Go, okay? If anything changes, you'll be the first one I'll call."
"Promise?" he whimpered, sitting up.
"I promise," Daddy K vowed. Gabe, seeming convinced, shakily got to his feet and I helped him out of the room, knowing that he wouldn't be able to support himself.
As the four of us walked away, I heard Daddy K start to pray, even though he didn't believe in God. I wanted to collapse right there (my family was falling apart so why shouldn't I?) but then I heard his voice again. Be strong, Princess. Everything's going to be okay.
I would do it. I would be strong.
For my daddy.
Are you crying? Well, are you? Don't worry, Blaine isn't going to die... or is he? Guess you'll have to review to find out! Oh, and I'm going to get back into the whole "Liz trying to hide her two dads" thing in the next chapter. This idea just came to me when I heard a certain line in "Born This Way" (first person to spot it gets a virtual cookie!).
Review!