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*Italic indicates thought
Chapter Thirty-Eight: What To Feel?
A/N: alright! Another chapter! Hope you like it!
"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life. It goes on." -Robert Frost
Serena felt as if her legs were made of lead as she followed the doctor. She focused on the man's words as they walked. "Your sister suffered from multiple lacerations on her head, neck, and arms. She has a broken wrist that needed remodeling and a hairline fracture to the opposite arm. She had some internal bleeding in the abdomen, but we've managed to repair it. What mostly concerns me is possibly injuries to her head. She hit her head very hard and most likely suffer from a concussion."
"How bad?" Serena asked, voice weak.
"We won't know until we do some scans. She has whiplash and will need to be bed-ridden for a few weeks to allow her spine to heal. Unfortunately her back may never heal fully, so the possibility of chronic back pain or mobility issues in the future. She's still sleeping off the anesthesia from surgery right now but we expect that she'll be waking up soon. She'll most likely be in a lot of pain, so we'll put her on some painkillers." They stopped outside a room in the recovery area and Serena have him a tense nod.
"Thank you Doctor." She took a deep breath and slowly opened the door. She felt her heart break when she saw her baby sister lying unconscious in her hospital bed. She approached her carefully. The only sound was the heart monitor keeping track of Emily's heartbeat. Serena stopped next to the hospital bed with her heart pounding. Emily was fast asleep with her head facing the side that her sister was standing on. There was some blood caked in her blonde hair near the forehead. Dried blood decorated a good portion of her face. I hope they can wash that off once she wakes up. Her broken wrist was in a cast, as was her left arm. She had wires going down her hospital gown to her chest, and IV's in her right arm. She also had a breathing tube in her nose that wrapped back up around her ears.
Serena rested her hand gently on the right cast. She felt tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. It hadn't been that long since their positions had been reversed. Serena lying in the hospital bed and Emily standing by her side. Never would Serena have ever wished to see them switch places. "It's silly to cry," she told herself quietly, but her voice sounded louder in the nearly silent room. "It's not like she's dying. It's not like when I was sick and no one knew what would happen to me. Even then Emily barely cried. I know for sure that she'll be awake soon."
There was a soft moan next to her and she opened her eyes. Emily moaned again and her eyes fluttered. Her eyelids closed, but then, very slowly, she pushed them open. She smiled weakly when she saw her big sister. "Hey," she croaked out weakly.
"Hey yourself," Serena replied. "How do you feel?"
"I...mhm..." She winced. "I'v been better..."
"What do you remember about what happened earlier?"
"It was raining...and there was a bright light...lots of loud noises and...pain. That's it. What happened?"
Serena tired to keep her emotions in check as she started to explain. "You got in a car accident. You were heading out of the city and the rain...it was raining so hard the driver of the other car didn't know he'd gone over the yellow line. He tired to turn at the last minute, and it's pretty lucky that he did. He only hit you on the driver's side. Your car lost traction and...and you spun out of control and off the road. You flipped it as you went over the edge. Landed upside down. The police said you were lucky to survive."
Emily blinked as she processed all that. "Wow. Are Mom and Dad here?"
"On their way back soon. They were still in Florida last I heard, but they're hopping on the fist flight back here."
"Ok. What time is it? How long have I been out?"
Serena smiled sadly. Only being a samurai ranger could've allowed Emily to be so coherent at a time like this. "About six or seven am."
Emily frowned. "It wasn't that late when I was heading home."
"You've been in surgery for a long time. Me and the others have been waiting to hear about your condition for hours."
"Others?"
"Yeah. Your team is here. Even Mike."
"Mike came?"
"All the way from Reefside."
"Wow."
"I know. I didn't even know you two were on speaking terms."
"We're not. I haven't spoken to him in weeks."
"Oh."
"Yeah. I'll got let everyone know you're awake. I'm sure they'd love to come see you real quick if you're feeling up to it."
"Of course," Emily smiled. "I would love to see them."
"Ok." Serena leaned down and gave her little sister a kiss on the forest gently. "I'm so glad you're ok. You have no idea how worried I was about you."
"I'm alright Serena."
"You're not alright, but you're going to be." Serena patted Emily's broken wrist one more time before leaving. She found her way back to the waiting room, which was considerably more full then when she left it. She found her concerned parties sitting in one corner, although cortina people still managed to stay away from other people. They all looked at her expectantly as she got closer.
"Is Emily ok?" Mike asked.
Serena nodded. "She'll live, that's for sure. Broke wrist, hairline fracture to the left arm, concussion, internal bleeding but they've stopped that, and whiplash with some accompanying back injuries." She sat down in the middle of the group in a chair she assumed had been left empty for her. "But all things considered she could've been worse."
"Is she awake?" Lauren asked.
"She is, and she wants to see you guys. Probably go in groups so we don't keep her up for too long."
"Can I go first?" Jayden asked.
"Of course. She's in room 134."
"Thanks." He grabbed Lorrie's hand and the two of them left the waiting room. Lauren watched them go sort of irritated. Mia noticed this and sighed.
"Easy Lauren," she said.
"I don't like that girl. She took my brother away from me."
"Did you ever think maybe Jayden wanted to leave? After everyone he's been through and done in his life, I'm honestly not surprised he wants some independence."
Lauren simply crossed her arms and sat back. "I just want him back."
"I know."
-Samurai Ranger Life-
When Jayden got to Emily's room, he knocked simply out of habit. As he opened the door the former yellow ranger smiled at him. "You do know you don't have to knock, right?"
"In hindsight, I realize that."
Emily chuckled. She was propped up in her bed and looking pretty good considering everything. "How do you feel?" Jayden asked her as he and Lorrie approached her.
"I get the feeling I'm going to get asked that a lot. I'm ok. A little tired, and a little bit of pain. But what're you going to do?"
"I'm glad you're ok. I was worried."
"Don't get too worried, your friend here may get jealous."
Lorrie smiled as she wrapped one arm around Jayden. "Should I be jealous?"
"Yes, very," Jayden told her.
Emily nodded. "Jayden and I have been harboring a secret love for each other for years."
"That explains so much. He must have thing for smart, blonde girls."
Jayden chuckled. "Alright, well we'll leave, so that the next person can come in and say hi. Plus I have to go to work. Just wanted to check in on you."
"I'll be ok. Thanks though."
"Anytime." He gave her uninjured arm a gentle squeeze before he and Lorrie left. He held his girlfriend's hand tightly as they walked down the hall. "I'm so glad she's ok."
"You really care about your friends," Lorrie observed.
"After looking so many of the people I love, I can't bear to lose anymore."
Lorrie gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. "You won't." When they got back to the waiting room, Mia stood up. She hand out her hand and Kevin took it. They nodded to Jayden as they passed and he nodded in return.
"I'm going to leave," Jayden said. "I have to go to work."
"It's ok," Serena smiled. "Thank you so much for being here."
"You're welcome. Emily is my friend too. Bye."
"Bye Jayden."
"Adios Amigo," Antonio told him. "And Lorrie."
"Bye Antonio," Jayden smiled.
"Later Jay," Mike said.
"Bye Jayden," Lauren said quietly as her brother passed.
Jayden almost froze in his steps. Almost. "Bye Lauren." He and Lorrie left the hospital and he sighed. I feel like I really am losing my family for good, he thought as they left hand in hand.
-Samurai Ranger Life-
Mia smiled when she saw Emily. "Hey."
"Hey," Emily replied, smiling. "I was wondering when you'd come."
"Been here since last night. And almost the entire month really. But that's not important. How are you?"
"Tired. Sore. In pain. But apparently I'm lucky to be alive so, guess I can't complain too much."
"Hey you should be enjoying the life of a retired hero," Kevin told her. "You have the right to complain all you want."
"Thanks," Emily smiled. "Sorry you guys had to wait in the waiting room for so long."
"It's no problem."
"We'd do it for you anytime," Mia assured her. "We love you."
"And I love all of you," Emily smiled. "I'd hold your hand, but," she lifted her cast-covered wrist. "And the other one's not that much better."
"It's ok," Kevin smiled. "You just rest. I've got to get going, but I will come back and see you after I get off work."
"What about your Olympics training?"
Kevin rubbed the back of his neck. "That's not important. You just rest."
"We'll there's not much else I can do."
Mia leaned down and hugged Emily's shoulders gently. "Rest up Em. You'll need it. When you're all better, you and I are going shopping."
"Sounds like fun."
"It will be. Bye."
"Bye!"
"Get well Em. I'll be be back later today. Bye."
"Bye Kevin. Bye Mia." Emily watched them go and sat back against her pillows. She wondered who would be coming next. She looked at her cast and smiled. "I can probably get Justin to doodle on them." Oh my gosh Justin! Did anyone tell him where I am?! I hope someone did.
Back in the waiting room, Serena looked at Antonio and Lauren as Kevin and Mia came back. "Can you two handle seeing her together?"
"Of course, Chica," Antonio smiled.
Lauren nodded. "Yeah."
"Ok then."
"Be quick, or you're walking back to the apartment," Kevin told his roommate.
"It's all the way across the city!"
"Then be quick."
Antonio sighed and rolled his eyes as he followed Lauren. Mike got up suddenly and rubbed his hands together anxiously. "I'm going outside for a minute. Be right back." He walked quickly to the automatic doors and looked for a place to clear his head. His back was turned to the door, so he didn't see a certain someone who walked into the hospital behind him. He ran his hand through his hair anxiously. He knew when Lauren and Antonio came back it would be his turn to go see Emily. He rubbed his hands together as if he was trying to keep them warm. "What do I say?" he wondered. "What if she still has feelings for me?"
He started pacing back and forth as he mumbled through his thoughts. "That'd be bad because...because I don't have any feelings for her. Right? I mean...I can't. I can't have feelings fro her. We broke up. She threw me out. She doesn't love me." He stopped and stared at the ground. "I-I don't know if I don't love her." He felt like screaming. "Maybe I can just take of running now. I could be in Mexico by the time anyone notices I'm gone. I should know enough Spanish from hanging around Antonio." He sighed and rubbed his head. "How long have I been out here? Guess I better go inside and face the music." He started walking back towards the door. He walked back in and saw that Kevin and Antonio were leaving.
Looks like Antonio and Lauren managed to be alone together without killing each other. He didn't even bother giving back into the waiting room. It was his turn anyways. He walked down the hospital corridor, ignoring the hustle and bustle of doctors and nurses. As he headed for Emily's room he felt a growing sense of fear. It would be bad enough just to see her, let alone the conversation he felt was coming. He made it to her room and put his hand on the door handle. But when he looked in the window of the door, his heart stopped and his blood froze. His breath started coming in short gasps.
Sitting next to Emily, was Justin. He smiled and kissed her cheek gently. He said something that Mike couldn't make out, but whatever it was it made Emily laugh. He stared at the couple as Justin stroked one side of her face lovingly. Mike felt sadness fil him as he let go of the door handle slowly. He turned and walked away, his heart getting heavier with every step.
-Samurai Ranger Life-
"I'm so glad you're ok," Justin told Emily for the millionth time. "I would've come sooner I swear, but the rain made travel impossible on the back roads and-"
"It's ok," Emily assured him. "I know you tired to get here as soon as possible."
"The minute it was ok to drive. I swear."
"I todo you it's ok. I'm going to be on bed rest for a while though-"
"Perfect. I will spend however long it takes to make you better taking care of you. I won't have to lift a finger."
"Well, the casts kind of prevent me from lifting fingers, so that one got decided for me."
Justin chuckled and kissed her ink the cheek again. Nether of them knew that his earlier on had been observed by someone in the corridor. "I still can't believe this happened. If I'd lost you...I don't know what I would've done."
"It's ok Justin," Emily told him, resting her casted hand on his own, uninjured one gently. "I'm here."
"I know. I know. I was so worried though. I was up all night. I couldn't sleep. I was just hoping and praying t hat you would be ok. I can't bear to lose you. You're an amazing person."
Emily blushed a little bit and leaned in for a kiss. "So are you."
"Only because you make me one."
Emily smiled. "If you say so."
"I do." Justin kissed her on the lips, not caring about the dried blood in her face. "I love you."
Emily leaned closer to him, as close as her injured body and the bed would allow and kissed him back. "I love you too."
