Alright here we go! I haven't been online in a couple of days, I was really anxious to keep writing! Thanks for the feedback, more reviews are appreciated!

DISCLAIMER...I don't own Next to Normal but I of course wish I did...

Natalie woke up in a stark white room. The walls were white; the ceiling was white; the curtains hanging from white rods were white; the chair in the corner was white. The only pop of color was coming from the boy in a green sweatshirt in that chair. She recognized him as Henry, her boyfriend, immediately. He seemed to be dozing off. She herself was in a white nightgown with little light blue polka dots. Judging from the tubes jammed into her arm, she guessed she was in the hospital. But she really couldn't remember how she got there.

"Henry?" she called, her voice a dry whisper.

His eyes shot open. "Natalie?" he said. Seeing she was awake, he rushed to her side, grabbing her hand and showering her faces and arms with kisses. "I was so worried. I can't believe you're alive."

"Where's my parents?" she asked, noticing that no one else was in the room. Then she remembered her parents were split up. "Where's my dad?" she corrected.

"In the cafeteria. He hasn't eaten anything all day, poor guy." He noticed Natalie's face. "Don't worry," he said. "Your mom was here too. She left a little while ago to go home, shower and change, you know?"

"What happened to me? Why am I here? How long have I been out of it?" Natalie knew she'd definitely been unconscious for all while. Why else would she have such a hard time remembering stuff?

"Well, Friday at school, you blacked out. You almost overdosed, Natalie, which means I was right when I guessed you were using again. I called 911 right away, plus your dad, who called your mom. You were in a mini-coma till now. It's Wednesday."

Friday. Saturday. Sunday. Monday. Tuesday. And most of Wednesday. "Six days?" she whispered, in total shock.

"Just about," Henry confirmed. "But I'm so glad you'll be okay. Your doctors said that as long as you woke up within a week, there'd be no serious damage. Everything will be fine. I'm going to grab a nurse."

He was gone for about two seconds, returning with a nurse and her father. Dan was so happy to see his daughter well again. He was close to tears actually.

As the nurse checked her vital signs and all the usual stuff, he whispered, "Natalie, thank God you woke up. Henry and I have been sitting here since Friday night, honestly! That poor kid missed all that school, for you. He really loves you, Nat, I know it. It used to creep me out, but now I understand. Life's too short, Nat, it is!" He seemed to be a little frantic. "When I heard it was drugs that got you like this, I was shocked. I was even more upset to learn that you'd used before, according to Henry. When? Why?"

"When Mom was going through stuff," she answered. She looked over to Henry, who looked at the floor awkwardly. She remembered the day he got her to try pot, all the stuff he told her. "People said the rush would help, I guess. I wasn't into the usual, smoking stuff. Pills were what worked for me. I stopped though. Then after this...recent...crap stuff with Henry, well, I just...I lost it, okay? I needed something. But I obviously took it too far."

"I'm glad you realize that, honey," the nurse chimed in. Her name-tag read Bernadette. She seemed to be a little bit older than her dad. "That sort of stuff is horrible, really dangerous. It does nightmares to your heart, not to mention your nerves and your brain-stuff you really need. You need to quit it forever if you want to get better. I don't know how serious you were as a user, but the main desk can suggest some rehabs."

"No, it was never like that," Henry interjected. Dan gave him a weird look, sort of one that read, How would you know? "Well, I mean, it's not like that now. Maybe back when Mrs. Goodman was sick, but she doesn't need a rehab."

"I don't," Natalie agreed. "Henry's right; it never was that bad, even when Mom was."

"Just checking," Bernadette said. "The doctor will be in within half an hour. Just come and find me if you need anything." And she left.

"Dad, I'm sorry," Natalie said after she couldn't stand the weird silence they were sitting in. That just wasn't them. "This has to be hard for you..." She didn't know what else to say.

"Yes, Natalie, it was," he said, his voice getting a little aggitated. "The day when you find our your daughter was a chronic drug user is never a good one."

"I wasn't chronic," she fought back. "I used for like maybe two months, not even. After mom came home from her ECT, I kind of...stopped, kind of. But once Henry and I were all good, I swore off it."

"And how long did that last?"

"Hey, it's been, like, a year, okay?"

"Oh, okay, a year," her father said sarcastically, laughing that way too. "Does that mean that you'll be on drugs every other year?"

"Mr. Goodman," Henry cut in, standing up and coming over to them. "I think I should take full responsibility for Natalie's starting up again. She was upset about our fights, our break-up. That's why she took the pills."

"Break up? You mean, you two aren't together right now?" The teenagers shook their heads. Mr. Goodman laughed. "Wow, you're not even dating the guy and he still won't leave your side? Wow, just wow."

"Alright, Dad, whatever," Natalie said. "Believe what you want, but I don't have a drug problem. Not anymore. And I certainly won't be taking anything ever again. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like a second alone with Henry." She stared at her Dad until finally he backed out of the room.

Henry rocked back and forth on his heels. "So..." he said, still rocking and looking at the floor.

"Yeah, so..."

"I can go if you want."

"It's up to you," Natalie said, shrugging even though it rustled her IV tubes.

"Okay, sure, whatever. See you whenever..." He turned and slowly started leaving.

Natalie laughed, but then started to cry. Henry turned back to her. "So it's really over, huh?" she asked through her tears.

"Not if you don't want it to be," Henry said simply, sitting next to her in bed and holding her in his arms as she cried.

"I'm such a bitch! I'm just a nasty bipolar freak! One minute, I'm yelling at you, and the next, I'm begging you to stay. What's wrong with me?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all. Nat, you know I think you're perfect. I never want you to change. And I don't want us to either. We belong together, Nat. I love you."

"I love you," she managed, wiping at her runny nose.

"So we're back together right?" he asked, pulling back a bit.

"Uh, yeah, I guess. I want us to be."

"Then that's all there is to it." He stroked her hair, then kissed her ever so gently, making her cry again. Henry was just so good to her. She didn't deserve it. "I do have to get home before my parents kill me for missing another day of school, but I'll be here right after school tomorrow. And everyday after that until they send you home. And then, I'm never leaving your side."

"I love you, Henry," Natalie said, giving him a tight, loving hug.

"I love you more," he whispered.

Don't be fooled, it's not over yet! This next chapter is gonna be an intense one! Please review!