Chapter Eleven

Surprise

Aidan laughed, "Yeah-hey!" It took him a minute to realize what she was saying.

Tyler smiled, "That took you a minute Aidan."

Aidan shook his head, "You see, you're in a hospital bed and you're still making fun of me.

Tyler nodded, "I got nothing better to do."

"Yeah well-never mind," Aidan said sighing as he sat down close to the bed.

Ally smiled and patted Aidan on the shoulder, "Aidan, it's okay, we still love you."

Tyler laughed and turned to his parents, "Have you talked to the doctor at all?"

Charles nodded, "Yes, we talked to him yesterday, after you and Caroline fell asleep."

"And?" Tyler asked pushing himself up with his good arm. He was finding it much easier to stay awake now, he knew it was because his meds had worn off, his leg was killing him but he wasn't about to say anything unless he really couldn't stand it. He wanted to get the low down on his condition since he had been out of it since he got there, "What did he say?"

"Maybe we should talk to you about it later," Charles said looking around the room and then back to Tyler.

Tyler shook his head, "No dad, they're family too," he paused and looked at Ally and Aidan and then continued, "Well at least they might as well be, they have a right to know what's going on with me too."

"Well-alright," Charles said and then he began, "When you were first brought in, you were rushed into the O.R. You're whole left side had been crushed under the elevator door. It took them almost two hours to piece your leg back together."

Tyler swallowed hard and looked down at his leg, plaster and surgical pins were the only thing that stared back at him. He sighed, "So are you saying that these pins-are the-the only thing holding my leg together?"

Caroline looked to her father to her mother and then back at Tyler, her eyes showing concern mixed with fear of the unknown. She looked back to her father as he continued.

Charles looked to Diane and Les and then back to his son and slowly nodded, "That's what they are for Tyler; the pins are going to hold the bone together while it heals. Your arm wasn't as bad but it broken through in three different places. You'll be able to use your arm after some time in therapy but-," he paused and looked around the room at the concern and fear on the faces he saw, he focused on his son's face as he continued, "But they think your leg might be permanently damaged."

Tyler shook his head, "What do you mean by damaged?"

Charles reached out and put his hand on his son's shoulder, "Tyler, they are saying you may never walk without the added support of a brace again. Even if you do they know that you will never walk again properly. No matter what you'll always have a limp."

Tyler wasn't sure what to say to that, he just sat there, staring at the one thing that he didn't know what to do about. His leg. His gaze was taken off of it when Ally pulled his face over to look at her.

"Tyler, it doesn't matter, so you'll always have a limp, it just doesn't matter," Ally said gently running her finger over his cheek again, the swelling had gone down some, she could now see how badly his cheek bone was broken.

"But, what if it's not just a limp, what if I never walk again at all?" Tyler said his thoughts making things up in his head.

Ally put her finger on his lips, "You're alive, that's all that matters."

Tyler slowly smiled, "I love you."

Ally nodded, "I love you too."

Tyler smiled and thought about changing the subject when there was a knock on the door to his room.

"Come in," Tyler called, not sure who it might be, everyone he knew was in the room already.

"Hey, you're awake," Brian said with smile as he walked into the room.

"Hey, yeah, finally back with it mostly, I think," Tyler said with a smile, "Everyone this is Brian, the hero of the hour; he saved my life more than once that day."

"Brian thank you so much, I don't know what else to say, just thank you," Diane said gripping Brian's hand in both of hers.

Brian smiled, "I'm glad I was there."

Tyler smiled and turned to Caroline, "Caroline, I know you think I'm your birthday present, but-,"

"You are, I don't need anything else Tyler, I just wanted you," Caroline said still snuggled into his side.

" Maestro, will you let me finish?" Tyler said almost laughing, he turned back to look between Caroline and Brian, "Brian, Maestro, he's your surprise, he works for some of the museums and he said that if your drawings are as good as I say they are he might be able to pull some strings and get you a section. A permanent one."

Caroline's mouth dropped open and Tyler had to cover his mouth in order not to laugh, he knew if he did he would go straight into a coughing fit.

"Really, you would really do that for me," Caroline asked looking to Brian, hope and excitement in her eyes.

"I'll take a look at your drawings and see what I can do alright," Brian said with a smile seeing why Tyler had talked so highly of his sister, she was so sweet.

"Thank you," Caroline whispered a shy smile on her face.

"You're welcome," Brian said with a smile and then turned back to Tyler but looked past him to Ally, "So this must be the famous Ally I've heard so much about."

"You've heard about me?" Ally asked looking to Tyler.

Tyler smiled sheepishly, "Yeah, he kind of knows a lot about my family, and you, I told him a lot while we were trapped."

"To tell you the truth I really didn't understand a lot of it, he was kind of out of it most of the time. But he did talk about you and Caroline, those were the stories I heard loud and clear," Brian said looking to Tyler with a wink. Tyler blushed trying to remember everything he had said.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, and thank you, if it wasn't for you we might not have Tyler back," Ally said with a smile.

"Nice to meet you too, I'm glad I could help," Brian said with a smile and then turned back to Tyler, "Well, I just stopped by to see how you were doing, I'll let you get back to your family," He turned to Caroline, "I'll be in touch so we can take a look at those drawings of yours alright?"

Caroline nodded, "Thank you-for everything."

Brian nodded, he patted Tyler's good leg through the blankets, "I'll see you later," he promised and then with a nod to the rest of the family he left the room.

Caroline sat up looking excited, "Do you really think my drawings are going to be good enough?"

Tyler nodded, "I know they will be."

"I agree, they would have to be stupid not to give you a section," Ally said with a smile.

"Thanks Ally," Caroline said with a smile.

"I think I'm going to run and get something to eat, since Aidan was in such a big hurry to get here this morning I didn't get breakfast," Ally said as she kissed Tyler once more before standing up, "I love you."

Tyler smiled, "I love you too."

"I am not the one who was in a hurry this morning; you're the one who nearly left with one shoe on and one shoe off," Aidan said as he stood up to follow her out.

"Yeah, well I'm not the one who almost forgot to put his shirt on," Ally said with a knowing smile, she turned back to Tyler and the rest of them, "Can we bring you guys anything?"

"Yeah maybe a little something if it's good," they all said in agreement.

"Alright, we'll be back," Ally said and with that she and Aidan walked out the door.

As the door shut once again, Caroline was surprised when a piece of paper landed in her lap.

It said: "Once I get out of here, you better have some free time. I'm going to need a girl's eye when I go ring shopping." She looked up to see Tyler smiling at her. She almost started jumping up and down but Tyler gave her the quiet signal, the ring shopping was just between the two of them. For now.

Caroline smiled and leaned forward to whisper into her brother's ear, "It's about time," she said smiling along with her brother as the rest of the family in the room wondered what was going on in their heads.