Alright, I'm back with a fourth chapter. To my only reviewer as of yet Blunz: I can't thank you enough for your loyalty!

If anyone else is reading, please review and let me know!

"Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple." ~Dr. Suess

Chapter 4

The next few weeks passed quickly. Ryan required less pain medication, which meant that he was awake and aware a lot more than before. Jenna visited every day after she left work. Wilfred no longer stayed with Ryan all day and night (the hospital staff no longer allowed it since Ryan was doing better), but he did visit whenever Jenna did. Ryan missed Wilfred's company. As much as he got on his nerves sometimes, Ryan had grown quite accustomed to having him around.

Drew also visited a couple of times, and although Ryan liked Drew, he found himself breathing a sigh of relief after he left. Drew's loud voice, annoying nick-names, and consistently hyped up energy were just too much for Ryan, especially in his current state.

Kristen called to check on him several times. She made plans to visit after Ryan's first surgery. His mother Catherine also phoned every few days. She constantly advised that he breathe deeply and draw from the earth's energy to help him in his recovery. He humored her and assured her that he would.

The memories of the days leading up to Ryan's accident remained evasive, and he did not get very much time alone with Wilfred to try to force answers from him. Bruce did not visit after the first time either; something Ryan was grateful for. It was extremely difficult to relax and let down one's guard while in the presence of Bruce.

Ryan's first surgery took place on the fourth Saturday since his accident. It was only for his right leg, which needed a steel pin drilled through his upper leg to keep his femur together. There was also some damaged skin that needed to be removed located around the lacerations caused by the car's dashboard. Ryan was anesthetized for the entire duration of the surgery, for which he was very thankful.

A physical therapist came to his room every day after lunch to help Ryan with his arm exercises. Dr. Flatline said he needed to build his arm strength since he would be in a wheelchair for at least a couple of months until he could attempt to learn how to walk again. He quickly gained back full strength in his arms.

The Thursday after the first surgery, Ryan was watching television in his room with Wilfred, who Jenna had dropped off after work before running a few errands. She did not want to take advantage of Ryan by leaving Wilfred with him (ever since admitting she used Ryan and apologizing, she had been much more reluctant to have him watch Wilfred). But Ryan insisted that he needed the company.

"It's just not the same," Wilfred complained during a commercial break. The hospital had only basic cable, and unfortunately there was nothing on that starred Matt Damon. They had managed to find the movie 'Tremors', which was much more bearable than the soap operas and reality shows airing on all of the other channels. Hospitals weren't known for their wide array of television stations.

"What isn't?" Ryan asked. He was sipping on a juice box that the nurse, Hannah had given him. His stomach had proved its ability to keep down liquids and solid foods, and he was nearly back on a normal diet. An IV remained in his arm for medications and extra fluids, however. He couldn't wait to be rid of it.

"Hanging out with you and watching television without being high. You're a bore."

"Oh." Ryan adjusted his bed almost to a sitting position and stretched as much as he could in its confines. "I need to get out of this bed, Wilfred."

"You need to quit being lazy."

"I'm not being lazy, Wilfred. My legs are broken."

"Well, pull yourself around with your front legs, that's what I would do."

"I don't have front legs."

Wilfred pointed at Ryan's arms. "What are those?"

Ryan stared at him. Sometimes it was easy to forget that Wilfred was actually a dog, seeing how he appeared to Ryan as a man with scruffy facial hair in a dog costume. But times like these it reminded Ryan that he definitely was not talking to another human being. "These are arms. And I can't just drag myself around on the floor with them."

"Why the hell not?"

"Well, because-" Ryan paused.

I totally could.

"Because floors are dirty. I need to wait until they let me use a wheelchair," he concluded.

"That's a shit answer and you know it, Ryan."

Ryan did know it.

There was a knock on the door, and Kristen entered. "Oh, Wilfred's here. Yay!" she said sarcastically.

"Why, I'm doing just fine. Thank you for asking, Kristen," Wilfred chimed in.

"Hi Kristen," Ryan greeted her, trying to sound more enthusiastic than he felt.

"Hi Ryan. How are you?" There was a faint shadow of worry as Kristen looked her brother over, but as always she pushed any signs of weakness away as soon as they showed themselves.

"I'm doing all right. The doctor said that my surgery went well."

Kristen nodded. "Oh, good. Look, Geoffrey and I have been stopping by and keeping an eye on your house. You're lucky you had some money saved up from that joke of job at the research facility, it has been helping to paying your mortgage. Your car is totaled – the insurance company will replace it, though."

Ryan's car was the last thing on his mind, but he kept his mouth shut, knowing it wouldn't do him any good speak up. "Thanks."

"Yeah, you owe me."

Has there ever been a time I haven't owed you for something, Kristen?

There was a long silence as neither of the siblings knew what to say, and thankfully, Wilfred was quiet as well.

"Look, Ryan. I know you're on this whole self-destructive streak now, but you really need to stop only thinking about yourself."

"What are you talking about?"

"I mean, maybe you had the right idea months ago with those pills. At least you were keeping it in your own house."

"What a bitch!" Wilfred exclaimed, not for the first time.

"Kristen," Ryan began, attempting to stay calm. He kept telling himself that this was Kristen's way of dealing with stressful situations – she would lash out for a while, make him feel like shit, then eventually she would apologize and she would be tolerable for a while. "I've moved past that. It wasn't really a … streak."

"Yeah, well. That's what you said before your … accident." She occupied herself by organizing some flowers and cards Catherine had had sent to the hospital. They sat on the table by Ryan's bed, and were not exactly in need of organizing.

"She thinks you were trying to off yourself again, mate," Wilfred added.

"What?" Ryan asked, shocked.

"You know, the accident. No other cars were involved. You were speeding down an isolated road at a high rate of speed, and alcohol was not involved." Wilfred obviously knew details of the accident that Ryan did not, and this frustrated Ryan to no end that he could not get any real answers out of him.

"I wasn't trying to kill myself … was I?" he asked quietly, under his breath.

I will update ASAP. I'm going to a music festival this weekend, but I should be able to put something up next week!