Seven days.
Those words kept repeating in Kim's mind as she walked down the hospital corridor to the ICU. Seven days she had been in limbo. A full week, and still no change in Shane's condition.
Kim tried to silence the little voice in the back of her mind that asked what if Shane never woke up. What if he stayed like this? Kim knew it was possible. She had read articles about people who stayed in comas for years.
That can't happen to Shane.
The family could not survive that. Every day, Kim had to see Andrew's face fall as she told him that his father's condition had not changed.
And each day, Kim woke dreading what the day might bring from Eve. Julie and Kayla had talked to Eve, but all that had brought was grudging permission that Kim could visit Shane each day. Kim had hoped that seeing Shane would cause Eve to realize that they all needed to work together, but Eve kept seeing the past. Whenever they crossed paths, Eve reminded Kim that it was her relationship with Cal that led to this. Even if it had only been two days since Eve had arrived in Salem, she was showing no sign of dropping her anger toward Kim. And Kim feared that Eve's hostility would grow even stronger if Shane's condition remained in limbo.
With a sigh, Kim reached the ICU, pushed the screen open, and stepped inside.
Shane's bed was empty.
Kim tried to stem the panic that threatened to flood her. "Marcus!" she cried, spinning and running out of the room. She grabbed the arm of the first nurse she spotted. "Where's Marcus, I mean, Dr. Hunter?"
"He's-"
"I'm right here, Kim." At the sound of Marcus' voice, Kim turned. He had his hands up. "Calm down. We just moved Shane to another room. With the ventilator removed-"
Now Kim was confused. "What do you mean? When did you remove the ventilator?"
"About an hour ago," Marcus said. "Didn't Eve tell you? Shane's vitals looked okay, so we wanted to take him off the breathing tube."
"Is he-"
Marcus nodded. "He's fine. At least, he's breathing okay on his own. His breathing is shallow because we wrapped his ribs so tight, but he's doing fine."
Detecting Marcus' hesitance, Kim looked him in the eye. "But?"
"But. . . ." Marcus took a deep breath. "But he still hasn't woken up, and the more time that passes. . . ."
"The less chance of him coming out of the coma." Kim knew that. When Shane had been in the coma after she had shot him, Mike had told her the same thing. "So where is he?"
Marcus held out his arm. 'I'll take you up there."
Grateful, Kim took his arm and let him lead her to the elevator. As they walked, Kim began replaying the conversation. "So Eve told you to remove the ventilator?"
"We discussed it with her," Marcus explained. "We didn't want to do it without her agreeing. I can't believe she didn't tell you."
I can, Kim said to herself. Out loud, she just shook her head. "You don't need to worry about the family drama. Your job is more important. You need to get Shane better."
Marcus stopped short. "Kim. . . ."
Kim knew she was not going to like what Marcus had to say, so she steeled herself, before she said, "Go on."
"We've done pretty much all we can for Shane." Marcus looked away. "It's all up to him now."
Neither of them said anything further as the elevator arrived and took them up to a different floor. They entered a new ward, one that Kim knew was just for patients who did not need the same kind of monitoring as the hospital provided in intensive care. At least that told her that Marcus was optimistic that Shane was out of immediate danger.
As they approached the room, Marcus stopped again. "Kim. . . . I've been talking with Eve about long-term care options." He looked decidedly uncomfortable. "If he doesn't wake up . . . I can't really justify keeping him. There are places. . . ."
"You mean like a nursing home?" The idea was unfathomable. This was Shane they were talking about.
But Marcus did not detect Kim's disbelief. "Exactly. There are a couple of good ones in Salem that I discussed with Eve. I didn't realize she wasn't discussing things with you; I just assumed-"
"You shouldn't assume anything, Dr. Hunter." Eve's voice carried into the hallway from the door of the hospital room.
"Eve," Kim said evenly. "Marcus was just telling me-"
Eve tossed her head, whipping her long blond hair around her face. "I heard, and I'll remind you both that I'm making decisions about what happens to my dad."
"Nobody is trying to prevent you from making decisions." Marcus' tone was one of total exasperation. "It's just that Kimberly and your father-"
"- are no longer married," Eve said, cutting Marcus off. "She divorced him - or am I the only one that remembers that?" She turned to Kim. "When you sent those papers, Kimberly, you gave up any right to make decisions for my dad."
Kim felt her heart sink. "Eve . . . why can't you understand that I love your father and he loves me."
Eve harrumphed. "Yeah, right."
"Look, Eve," Marcus said. "You weren't here when your father was shot."
"No, but I was here when he got the divorce papers." Eve's voice rose sharply. "And I also know that if it wasn't for her jumping into bed with Cal Winters, my dad wouldn't be lying in that room with none of us knowing if he'll ever wake up. So don't lie to me and act like she's some kind of saint!"
"Eve!" Marcus snapped.
"What?" Eve said, equally loudly. "You're like everyone else. Always thinking of poor, fragile Kimberly. Well what about my dad? He's the one who nearly died - because of her." Eve glared at Kim. "And I swear, when he's out of here, I'm going to make sure you can't hurt him any more. Or see him. You may have friends here who can fight your battles, but-"
Marcus grabbed Eve's arm. "That's enough." He started dragging Eve toward a staff lounge. "We're going to have a talk about shouting in this hospital, young lady." He gave Kim a quick look and motioned toward the room.
Still reeling from the venom of Eve's words, it took Kim a second to realize that Marcus was taking Eve away so Kim could get into Shane's room. For a moment, Kim wondered if Eve would direct the hospital to keep Kim away. After hearing Eve's anger, Kim could not dismiss that possibility.
This might be the last chance I have to see him, she realized.
Slowly, sick from the very thought, Kim stepped slowing through the door to Shane's room. He was completely still, just as he had been during every visit over the past week. The only difference is that he no longer had the large breathing tube over his mouth. He still looked like he was sleeping peacefully.
Stepping over to the bed, Kim reached down and took Shane's hand.
"Shane . . . I'm here again. I don't really know what to say; I feel like I've said everything already." Kim blinked back a few tears. "God . . . we need you. We need you so much. I don't know what's going to happen now. Eve's so angry and, well, you know we've never seen eye to eye. It's like you've always been the one to keep us together. . . ."
Kim took a deep breath, lifted Shane's hand, and clasped it in both of hers.
"I'm afraid, Shane. I'm afraid Eve's going to let that anger poison everything and keep me away from you. And I'm afraid for our children. I look at Andrew, and it's like, every day, his world is crushed when I have to tell him you're still asleep. Plus Jeannie's going to be talking soon and she's going to ask about her daddy too. They need you. Your children need you."
I need you.
"Why can't you wake up?" Kim squeezed Shane's hand. "I know you don't want to give up. You could have given up before, but you kept fighting. I know you're still fighting, so you just have to wake up. I know you can do that, Shane. I know you want to be here."
Kim stopped talking as she waited for a response, but there was none. Shane remained silent and motionless. The only real sign of life was the slight rise and fall of his bandaged chest.
Unable to think of anything more to say, Kim laid Shane's hand back by his side. She stayed quiet, just watching him. Outside, she could hear Eve shouting again and knew her time was nearly up.
With a heavy heart, Kim leaned over and gave Shane a light kiss on the forehead. She did not even realize she was crying until some of her tears landed on Shane's cheek. Kim brushed them away and then ran her index finger over Shane's lips.
"I love you," she whispered. "If you hear nothing else, Shane, hear that. I love you, and I'll always love you."
Stepping back, Kim turned, started for the door, and readied herself for another round with Eve, even though she feared it was a losing battle. The law was on Eve's side this time.
For Shane, though, I'll keep fighting.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Kim froze as she heard the sound change in the monitor behind her. The slow, steady beeps had suddenly become a rapid string. Please, God, she prayed. Fearing the worst, she slowly turned around.
Shane was moving. Not a lot, but Kim saw his head move slightly. And she heard something. Not words, but murmurs.
"Shane. . . . I'm right here," Kim cried out, rushing back to the bed. "I'm right here, my love."
His head continued to loll a bit and his eyelids fluttered.
"Come on, Shane. Wake up," Kim urged. Then she remembered the doctors and she ran to the door. Marcus was just down the hall, still facing-off with Eve.
"Marcus!" Kim shouted. "Come quick. I think he's waking up."