Chapter 14

"It's been three days, John. You need to eat and get some sleep," Michael said to his brother after once again finding John slumped over on the edge of Natalie's hospital bed.

"I'm fine Michael. I'm not leaving her," John told him, sitting up and trying to stretch the kink out of his neck.

For three days, John had barely moved. He sat on the stool next to her bed to her left, never taking his eyes off her face and holding her hand. Trying to will her eyes to open. Family members have come and gone but, John never moved. Most times he acted like he didn't even know they were in the room. He didn't want to see or talk to anyone.

"She's not going to be happy if she wakes up and you're dead," Michael said.

"I have to be here when she wakes up. She has to see me when she wakes up," John said. Michael just shook his head, he knew that was what John would say. Michael set down a take-out bag from Rodi's on the table next to the bed, "eat," he said sternly to John before leaving.

The thought of food turned John's stomach but, he took a few bites anyways and threw the rest away. Sitting back down and grabbing Natalie's hand, he continued to look at his wife's face. It wasn't long after that her head jerked to the side. He reached up and gently smoothed her hair back.

"Natalie," John said to her, "Natalie wake up sweetheart, I'm here. Please, please wake up.

Natalie felt like she was underwater. She could hear people talking to her but, their words were so garbled she couldn't make out what they were saying most of the time. She'd heard her mother, father and sister. She knew she'd heard Michael and Eve, her Uncle Bo and Roxy. And John. She was afraid that if she opened her eyes she wouldn't hear him anymore.

"Natalie, Natalie wake up sweetheart please, please wake up," she heard him say. It's the most clear thing she'd heard yet. She tried hard to open her eyes, it felt like they were glued shut. Finally she blinked one open.

"Natalie? God sweetheart," he kissed her fingers, "Natalie?" Finally opening both eyes, she was looking at him with a blank stare, "Natalie, can you hear me?" He asked. Getting no response he pushed the call button. Within seconds his brother and a nurse that had been taking care of her, rushed into the room.

"She's awake Mike," John said needlessly, his voice sounding more like a child's.

"Yup, I see that. We've done this before, you have to wait in the hall," Michael said pushing his brother to the door.

"No but, she's my wife. I can stay," John argued.

"No, I need you in the hall. I'll come get you in a minute," Michael said firmly but, gently.

John looked over at Natalie who was still watching him with an unreadable blank look on her face. He reluctantly left but, only took one step outside the room. He leaned on the door frame as the emotions ran through him. 'Did she know who he was? Did she understand what he'd said to her' he thought. Michael said head injuries could be difficult to diagnose, a person could look perfectly fine and not be aware of their surroundings. Tears stinging his eyes. He pulled out his phone and called her mother.

Natalie hadn't moved while the nurse took her vitals. She watched silently as Michael ushered John out the door.

"How you doing kid?" Michael asked her looking into her eyes with a small light.

"John?" She finally managed to say hoarsely. She was so confused.

"Yup John's here, he's in the hall. Listen, do you know where you are?" Michael asked her. She just nodded her head 'yes'. He had been growing more concerned with each day that Natalie hadn't woken up. Noticing her limited responses, was worrisome as well.

"Can you tell me what year it is?" He asked, again receiving a nod in return. Natalie didn't really seem to be paying attention to him.

"Natalie, I need you to answer me. Can you speak?" Michael leaned down into her line of sight.

"Yes, it hurts….so much," she whispered, tears stinging her eyes.

"I know it does honey, Linda's giving you meds for that right now," he nodded to his side indicating the nurse that was injecting something into her iv.

"Do you know who I am?" Michael asked her softly.

Natalie smiled slightly, "A wonderful brother-in-law," she answered. He smiled at her. "What do you remember, Nat?" He was torn by the doctor in him that needed her to remember everything and the brother in him that certainly hoped she didn't remember the accident or having to be cut out of her car.

"Uhm...I remember talking to you, on the phone, in the car," she paused. Racking her brain, trying so hard to remember but, it just wasn't there, "I don't know. Then waking up here." She closed her eyes trying to concentrate. It was making her head hurt.

"Listen, don't try so hard to remember now. It will come back to you in time. That is exactly what was going on when you got hurt ok. Don't worry about it right now," Michael told her. He knew that her Uncle was waiting to talk to her about the accident. The other driver walked away with hardly a scratch. Knowing that John was involved in something made Michael suspicious of the wreck to begin with.

"We have to run some tests, alright? Then we will know more and I'll be able to answer more of your questions, is that ok?" He asked. She nodded again.

"John's here?" She asked him again, wrinkling her brow still feeling confused. Michael nodded, sitting on the edge of her bed. "Yeah, John's here. He hasn't left your side in three days. Not to eat or sleep or...shower," he held up one finger, "be prepared for that," Michael said with a small smile.

"Why?" Natalie asked, her voice rough from being unused, "why is he here?" Michael shook his head, "Other than, you're the love of his life, his wife and the mother of his children? I don't know, you want to ask him?"

She looked at him hard for a moment, then nodded. Michael stood up to let his brother back in but, before he could reach the door she asked, "the kids?" He turned and gave her another reassuring smile, "your mother, your sister, my mother, my wife...under control. You worry about getting some rest ok?" She gave him a small nod.

Opening the door quickly, John practically fell through it. "Sorry brother," Michael tried not to laugh. John slowly entered the room as the nurse left. "If you need anything Nat, push the button, ok?" Michael said leaving. She nodded.

"Hey," John said coming to her side and sitting down on the stool he'd occupied for the last three days.

Natalie looked around the room, anywhere but at her husband, "hey," she said back, then cleared her throat. He grabbed her hand and rubbed his thumb over the top of her fingers. "Why are you here?" she asked him harshly.

"Michael called and told me you were hurt. I came as soon as I could," he answered hurt by her tone.

"I'm fine now," she said shortly, trying to move her hand but it felt like lead, "you don't need to stay."

"Natalie, I'm not leaving," he told her firmly, finally catching her eye.

"Why are you here?" she snapped as best she could given how she felt.

"Sweetheart-" John started.

"No. Don't call me that," she hissed through her teeth, snatching her hand back and bringing up to her forehead, she had a horrible headache. "You left. You left me here alone. You left your children," Natalie felt the tears slipping down her cheeks, "You-" Natalie was interrupted by the door to her room swinging open. Clearing her throat a second time, Natalie swiped the tears away when she saw her mother come in.

"Hey mom," she managed quickly with a shaky voice.

"Oh honey, I'm so glad to see you," Viki said coming up to the other side of the bed. Anyone that had come to see her the last few days realized if they wanted to get close to her, they had to go to the other side as John never moved from his spot to her left.

"I'm glad to see you too," her mother kissed her forehead, and Natalie asked, "How are the kids?"

"They'll be ok. It's been hard for them to not see either of their parents recently," Viki tried to say it gently but, John still heard the accusation in her voice.

"What did you tell them?" Natalie was so worried about them. They had all reacted to John's absence in different ways, she could only imagine how they felt not being able to see their mother, too.

"Just that you were sick and didn't want to make them sick, too. That their father was here taking care of you and that you would be home soon," Viki gave her son-in-law a stern look, hoping to convey how disappointed she was with him. John didn't need her to tell him, he knew it. "Between Jess and her kids, your father, Eve and Marcy and Michael's family, we've managed to keep them pretty busy the last three days," Viki said.

"Thanks mom," Natalie said tiredly, "Michael said they had to run some tests before they could give me any idea of when I could go home."

"Well, you'll stay with us and-"

"No," John interrupted, "I'll take her home." Both Natalie and Viki snapped their eyes to John. "She'd be…..she'll be more comfortable there," he said softening his tone.

After a moment of awkward silence, Natalie looked away from him and back to her mother, "I want to see the kids," she said.

"Oh honey, we should wait a bit for the bruises to heal a little," Viki told her as she gently touched the side of her daughters face.

"Oh, yeah right," Natalie conceded, "well, tell them I love them." Natalie couldn't help the tears that filled her eyes. She couldn't imagine what her babies were going through.

"I will," her mother smiled at her, "you rest and I will see you soon."

Natalie tried to smile back, "ok thanks. Bye," she mumbled as her mother left.

John and Natalie sat in silence for what seemed like forever to her. Finally he said, "are you hungry? I could get them to bring you something," he offered, he wanted to help her in any way that he could.

"No," she said quickly, "I'm getting tired." She still couldn't look at him. She wasn't sure if the pain in her chest was from the accident or her broken heart.

"Then you should rest," John told her, wishing he could hold her.

"You don't need to stay," she said closing her eyes, trying to block him out.

"I know," he said but, he didn't move.