FOLLOW YOUR HEART Chapter 21- WAKING UP NORA, a hush, hush fanfic

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN PATCH, NORA, RIXON, VEE, SCOTT OR THEIR PARENTS ALL RIGHTS BELONG TO THE OH SO TALENTED BECCA FITZPATRICK AUTHOR OF HUSH HUSH SAGA AND CREATOR OF MY SINFULLY DELICIOUS PATCH CIPRIANO :)~

I KNOW SOME OF YOU HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS, WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON WITH NORA WHILE PATCH AND GRANDMA TOOK CENTER STAGE... READ ON AND FIND OUT! HOPE YOU ENJOY AND DON'T FORGET TO FEED THE MUSE WITH YOUR REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS! YOU GUYS ARE SHOWING ME SOME AWESOME, ENCOURAGING LOVE AND I CAN'T THANK-YOU ENOUGH FOR OPENING YOUR HEARTS TO MY VERY FIRST STORY EVER, ONE THAT IS VERY DEAR TO MY HEART. 3

CHAPTER 21

WAKING UP NORA

Unknown to Patch and her family Nora was having experiences of her own. Some part of her remembered the sound of the tires screeching as they slid across the cement, she couldn't remember what had made her lose control, what she did remember was the sound of the guard rail braking and the water rushing at her and around her as she fought to live until everything swirled into blackness.

The next thing that was clear was the sound of a man's voice whispering her name gently but firmly, telling her to fight it wasn't her time. She didn't know how, she just knew that it was her grandpa Nick, grandma Clista's husband, that was talking to her, but she was so, so tired and so cold. He insisted she fight, telling her Patch wouldn't finish his life without her, she was the thing keeping him fighting. Then there was other pesky voices she didn't really understand and bright lights that would start to flicker through her conscience, but the pain was too much to bare and every time it happened she would run towards the safety of the darkness, letting it swallow her until the pain ceased and her grandpa's voice would again remind her of Patch and the other names she didn't always readily recognize. It's not your time, Nora. It's not your time, people need you Nora, people you love, people who love you, even people you have yet to meet, the world needs you, you have things to still accomplish and to contribute, he would whisper in a voice filled with the purest love she had ever felt. It enfolded her in a cocoon and she never wanted to leave. As much as she wanted to stay she would fight her way back towards those painful, flickering lights and confusing voices trying to make sense of it. There were times she couldn't remember what or who it was she was fighting for and then a name would come to her: Patch. She had to get to Patch. The last time she had wandered far into the darkness towards a light she couldn't see but was aware of she had felt herself surrendering everything to it, relishing in the rest and tranquility that was taking over her until her grandpa had appeared in front of her.

"I think there is something you need to see for yourself and you need to see it now before it's too late and you've made your choice to crossover because your choosing wrong. Your grandma told you to follow your heart and you're not, Angel." Angel...something inside of her resonated with that name, something significant... Angel, she repeated the nickname, tasting it and rolling it around in her mind. "Look down there, Nora." Nick pointed at what looked to be the inside of a hospital waiting room. "Do you see the young man? That's Patch, your Patch. The nurse just told him that you flat lined again and they are working to restart your heart. Now look at him closely." Nora knew she hadn't moved and yet somehow everything was now up close as if she could reach out and touch him. "He has clung weakly to that garbage can, violently ill since they told him and every time it's happened before, his mind is already spinning through ways to end the pain and suffering that's eclipsing him at the mere thought of losing you child, if you surrender to the light so will he. Answer me this: is your heart here in the darkness waiting for the light to take you or is it down there hanging by a thread to a garbage pleading to a God he's not sure he believes in or who would listen to someone who led the life he has? Your life is so entangled with his now and has been since you were both very young, your life is his and his life is yours. Are you prepared for that, for his life to be surrendered too, or are you the fighter him and your grandma have always believed you were? I've looked out for you all these years and I've agreed with them, are you going to prove us wrong?" In a flash that total darkness left and never came again, she didn't want it to, it wasn't welcomed any longer there was no peace to be found there, not right now.

Nora didn't know how much time was passing or where exactly she was, for all she knew she was in limbo somewhere caught between life on earth and life in heaven or trapped in the darkest recesses of her mind unable to escape. When hope started to fade she would hear voices talking to her that were soft and comforting, not frightening, frantic and confusing like the others had been, she could almost swear that with that one deep velvety voice she could feel someone holding her hand, but she couldn't move or respond, only listen and on more and more frequent occasions she could make out clips of what was being said to her: Patch, her Patch was speaking to her and his tears were falling on her. In her confusion still she couldn't understand what was wrong or what was real or not, but she knew that something had to have happened to him and she needed to find out what and help him, then the dreamlike state would over take her again and she would be left reliving memories she thought were of the past, but she couldn't be sure. Flashes of a river and giant bonfires would come and go, a dance floor set up outdoors with lanterns decorating around it and some sort of music that wasn't American would ring in her ears and she would feel happy and then sad when it would fade away at the end of the song. It was all so hazy like she recognized it on some levels and not others.

Nora no longer remembered the accident, the sight nor sounds, but there were still those times she would start to hear unfamiliar voices getting louder and she tried to cry out to Patch that the pain was too much to make it stop and then it would fade away again leaving her feeling weak, drained and shaken. Each time it happened it became a little easier, but not by much.

There were two voice though that she couldn't place a name or face to, but they made her tiny world a place of Arctic cold where she felt like she was freezing from her heart out and she was lost against the storm raging on around her. She couldn't escape from those two voices, she had to wait out the weather until they left. When they would go she didn't know what had made them leave, but she sure as hell was glad they were gone.

The last time the voice had been almost perfectly clear it was Patch's voice she recognized, the one she had been hearing separate from the times there were multiple voices, but he was talking about love and marriage...with her? No, that couldn't be right, she must be dreaming she no sooner decided when his voice faded out again.

That's how the days passed for her, fighting to grasp what was real from what wasn't, what was now and what was the past from dreams and imprisonment wherever she was. Who were all the other voices she would hear, and why couldn't she put faces with them. It was all so confusing, so frustrating, and so very exhausting. She had promised her grandpa she would fight though and fight she was, there was no way on her watch that she was going to let anything happen to her Patch and when she finally broke through her state of limbo she would find out what was making him so sad and do everything she could to fix it and pick up the pieces that were shattering inside him.

Three long hard awful weeks had passed since the nightmare had begun with a knock at Patch's door and the voice of Nora's friend Bella, crying in search of her. All Patch could do now was repeat his undying love and devotion to his best friend, and express his need to give her all she wanted, to be all she wanted, to give her the family neither of them had ever had. He poured his heart out to her about the commitment he wanted, he wanted to commit himself to her, to the young woman who had always been his Angel. He hoped beyond hope she would hear him out and not turn him away. He didn't deserve it, he knew he didn't just like he didn't deserve her, that didn't stop his heart and soul from wanting that with her more than anything.

Today would be their next try at waking her the Doctors had informed him and he wanted it to work, he want it badly, but he was terrified it would turn out like the last attempts that seemed to hurt her, he felt like he could quite literally feel her physical pain and confusion as if he were sharing her thoughts and the last thing he wanted was for her to be in more pain.

This time Patch wanted to try something a little different, he'd read that mothers often use soft music when their in labor about to deliever to welcome their new baby's into the world during natural childbirth, especially home births and it got him thinking that maybe creating a calm and peaceful environment might help ease her or coax Nora back to him. He asked the Doctor if he would mind him playing a song softly in the background as they reduced her medication and he had agreed to let Patch try. He had thought it was a wonderful idea and Rixon had brought in Patch's iPod dock and speakers for him with the song he had requested. When the music was set on repeat and playing softly they began the slow process of weaning back the medication that was causing her to sleep so deeply.

I'LL BE THERE FOR YOU-BON JOVI

I guess this time you're really leaving
I heard your suitcase say goodbye
Well as my broken heart lies bleeding
you say true love is suicide

You say you've cried a thousand rivers
And now you're swimming for the shore
You left me drowning in my tears
And you won't save me anymore

Now I'm praying to God you'll give me one more chance, girl

I'll be there for you
These five words I swear to you
When you breathe I want to be the air for you
I'll be there for you
I'd live and I'd die for you
I'd steal the sun from the sky for you
Words can't say what love can do I'll be there for you

I know you know we've had some good times
Now they have their own hiding place
Well I can promise you tomorrow
But I can't buy back yesterday

And Baby you know my hands are dirty
But I wanted to be your valentine
I'll be the water when you get thirsty, baby
When you get drunk, I'll be the wine

I'll be there for you
These five words I swear to you
When you breathe I want to be the air for you
I'll be there for you
I'd live and I'd die for you
Steal the sun from the sky for you
Words can't say what a love can do
I'll be there for you

[Solo]

And I wasn't there when you were happy
I wasn't there when you were down
I didn't mean to miss your birthday, baby
I wish I'd seen you blow those candles out

Patch stroked Nora's hand and spoke softly in a soothing voice about his dreams of what their life could be like together as the medication slowed while carefully watching the various machines that he had come to learn how to read in the time he had been there with her. He watched Nora's face and body along with her Doctor for any signs of stress. So far so good he smiled as hope began to rise in his chest for the first time since that awful first night and Clista who sat next to him gripped his hand tighter. Nora's eyelids started to flutter and her hand twitched. It was happening! Nora was waking up, Patch's heart-felt like it was racing and drumming to get out of his chest. He spoke just a bit louder, reassuring her that everything was okay, that she was okay, explaining to her that there would be some pain, he'd never lied to her and he wasn't about to start now. He rubbed her hand a little more firmly as he told her he was there with her and she would be okay, he wasn't going to leave her side. Over and over he repeated the words and kept telling her how much he needed her, how very much he missed her. For a minute her heart rate spike and her blood pressure as her eyes opened, but the Doctor assured them she was probably reacting to the confusion of it all, not knowing where she was and why she was in pain was bound to cause anxiety and a certain amount of trauma. He encouraged Patch to keep doing what he was doing. If she did well they would soon remove the ventilator.

The whole Scooby Doo gang was waiting outside the room in the hallway on bated breath to see how it would go, each trying to keep the others hopes up, especially when they didn't hear all the flurry of activity and loud voices that there had been the previous aborted attempts at waking her.

When Nora's eyes finally opened fully for the first time they raced around the room in panic, she couldn't speak or really make sense of it yet and there was a lot of pain still, this time it was tolerable though. Then her eyes found the two black pools that reminded her of a starless midnight sky: Patch's eyes. Her Patch just like she'd remembered him. From the moment her eyes met his they locked into place, sharp and focused as tears fell unrestrained slowly from his eyes, Nora was dying to wipe them away, to kiss it better, whatever 'it' was. The memory of her grandpa making her look at Patch, explaining how she was his life as much as he was hers and how if she gave up the fight he would surrender with her came flooding back to her. As their gaze held stead he gently explained to her that she had been in an accident, that she was in the hospital, everything was okay, she just needed to focus on resting and healing. Patch told her she would be able to talk soon, that they had put her in a deep sleep like a coma so her body could recover from the trauma a little.

Her thoughts where swirling, how long had she been out? Nora couldn't look away from Patch's eyes, as long as he was at her side she trusted she would be okay, she trusted him with everything, including her life.

They removed the ventilator a little while later, gently and as swiftly as they could, it wasn't a painless procedure, but it was quick. Her throat would be extremely sore for a while as it healed.

Big soft dove-gray eyes melted into tender black ones and words were exchanged without sound, that hadn't changed between them. Patch could see the calm his presence brought her, could see that she recognized him and his heart somehow beat a little louder, a little faster and a little stronger and he had to swallow a lump in his throat. He could also see the confusion and pain that was still etched on her beautiful face. Nora was now very gently squeezing his hand back in response. God did her touch feel good after all these weeks, he had missed it so deeply, it was like a drink of water after months spent wandering alone in the desert.

When she finally tried to speak her voice was hoarse, broken, and barely audible, you could, however, clearly make out her first word: Patch. Her eyes briefly left his to scan the room once more from the equipment to the Doctor's and nurses to her grandma, none of them were recognizable to her and Patch could see the complete loss of understanding raging in her eyes until she met his gaze again.

"Water. Patch." Nora whispered. One of the nurses hurried to pour her a cup and insert a straw for her. Very gently Patch raised the straw to her lips and held the cup for her to drink until she was done. He was so tender, so loving and patient with her in everything he did. To him it was the least he could do for the woman who was his best friend, his rock and his support...and God he hoped and prayed she would be his future wife. If she still wanted him, if she would still have him. He had been such a fool. It had taken him over twenty years to weave the tangled web of his life, the phrase 'oh what tangled webs we weave' played over and over in his mind, yes, it had take him that long to weave it, but thanks to Nora it was only going to take months to untangle it.

Nora's Doctor reminded Patch and Clista to be prepared that she might not remember everyone at first, what had happened or where she was, to not lose faith because the medicine was still wearing out of her system from being built up and the longer it was the more she would remember. By the next afternoon it should be almost entirely gone. If she was still not remembering things she should they would order more tests.

After a thorough exam, but before leaving the Doctor looked from Nora to Patch.

"In all my forty-six years of medical practice I have never seen a couple more in love or a man as dedicated to his partner as I have witnessed with you, Patch. Not a single boyfriend, fiancé' or husband has shown your level of commitment. I haven't had many parents who have done what you have for Nora. It gives me hope again that true love and soul mates might really still exist. I can see in her eyes already that if nothing else she recognizes you Patch, she trusts you completely. You're two pieces of a puzzle finally reconnected. Your love is a blessing and an honor to witness. Thank-you for restoring a little hope for humanity back in this old Doctor." He nodded his head and quietly left them alone after telling them he'd be back on rounds to check on her unless they needed him before.

The music continued to play its quiet melody in the background long into the evening as it seemed to soothe Nora just as Patch had hoped. He sincerely wished that she found meaning in his song selection, if not there was always later.

The more Patch spoke to her, the more she seemed to start to understand that she had been in an accident and where she was and what was happening in her body and around her. Nora was experiencing pain, but she was okay. He asked her if she needed any pain medication, letting her know it would help her to sleep and get some rest. She'd refused, shaking her head no at him. Nora didn't want to go to sleep, she wanted to look at Patch, to hear his voice. It didn't matter what he said, he could have repeated the ingredients off a bottle of hand-sanitizer for all she cared, his voice would still beat a choir of angels singing to her.

Nora took notice of how Patch told her she'd been in a car accident, but not what had happened exactly. That was one thing Nora would never remember and one thing he'd swear to do everything in his power to make sure she never found out. Some things were better left in the dark, that was one of them. Her night terrors had robbed her of enough sleep already. She'd suffered from them since shortly after he had met her, the visions of being in a car skidding off the road and through a guard rail before plunging into the icy water below. Sometimes her family would be with her and they would all die. Most often it was only her and she was trapped by her seat belt as water filled the car, her window wouldn't break or roll down and there was no escape, she wasn't strong enough to open the door. She would gasp her final breath, trying to hold it as long as she could pray for a speedy death while fully aware it was racing towards her. It was at that point she would wake screaming and crying, gasping for air like she couldn't breathe and shivering like she had hypothermia. Those were the nights Patch would rush to her side if he wasn't there already, holding her throughout the night, comforting and soothing her when her parents couldn't be bothered or weren't around. Patch would never understand the callous hearts that would choose to save face or 'embarrassment to their family' over their little girl who was being traumatized over and over. Clista had begged them and pleaded them for help, offered to pay and even drive her out of Coldwater Creek to keep it a secret if they would seek her granddaughter help. Not even Nora's grandma had been able to calm her down when she had one, she would sit by her side until she cried herself out and fell back to sleep. It was by the grace of God that Patch had just happened to be over right after moving in when little Nora had gone up to bed only to be struck by one. Her screams had sent him bolting at lightening speed to her room thinking she was being attacked or was dying. When he realized she was dreaming he had pulled back the covers, crawled into bed with her and pulled her into his arms, gently stroking her hair and whispering things he hoped would soothe her. He didn't know what to say or do, he was only ten, but he did the best he could and it seemed to work. A bond was forged of the strongest kind that night out of one that was already made to be unbreakable. As Nora got older the frequency dropped, still it was frequent enough that he was always alert to listen for his phone if she needed him. When Patch had heard the details of the accident from the officers who investigated it had sickened him how closely those nightmares had been to the actual event. There was no way he would willingly let anyone tell her that and risk permanently traumatizing her more. If she suffered another night terror after this he was paying for her to see the best damn Doctor money could get. His reputation meant nothing, her peace of mind meant everything.

It was stressful for them that she hadn't immediately recognized anyone else, not her grandma, her sister or her closest friends. Nora studied each face, listened to each voice and focused as much as she could but it was blank, nothing came to her. She could see the pain and hurt on their faces. As bad as she felt there was nothing more she could do but pray the Doctors and nurses were right and she would soon remember. She sensed how important they were to her before her accident, she just couldn't put it together when there were no memories to go with the faces and voices. Again and again she would turn to Patch for reassurance and he would comfort her with his soothing words and loving gaze as best he could, telling her that it would come back to her, give it time. It was fascinating to both of them how she had remembered him instantly along with their history together, they could still seem to speak to each others thoughts.

Nora sensed that Patch was keeping something from her, something he hadn't told her, for now she would let it go. She had healing to do and she tired easily. As much as she hated it she had to surrender to asking for pain relief. It hurt to breath and the first time someone had said something funny and she had involuntarily tried to laugh she'd instantly regretted it, it felt as if she was being killed.

Patch kept vigil as Nora slept, thinking about all that had happened that day. The miracle and relief of her waking up, recognizing him and actually knowing him and their lives together as if they'd never missed a day. Later than afternoon she had started to recognize the others, starting with her grandma. Both 'his girls' cried. Tonight it had been Vee which brought a whole new round of tears, smiles and hugs. Patch had yet to let go of her hand or move from his spot next to her bedside. The group had gone out to eat and brought him back dinner and his favorite Starbucks coffee. A few weeks ago they'd have rather twisted a knife in his gut then buy him coffee, somewhere along the line they had started and it hadn't stopped. Patch owed each of them after the rocky relationship they'd all had post Dabria, especially with Bella and Shadow. Saint Rixon and Shadow seemed to have grown quite close through the whole ordeal, leaning on each other for support and comfort of their own, he hadn't been so blind during the time that he didn't notice how their body language was changing. Maybe there was hope for his lil bro after all to let go and move on from his childhood crush. Unrequited love sucked, Patch knew that painful lesson first hand. He hoped that if Rixon decided to go for it that the two of them would be good to each other, he thought they would make a good couple. Shadow was bubbly, happy, full of energy, throwing herself into every project she could get her busy hands involved in. She was finishing fashion school and already had boutiques that were interested in her designs. Shadow had natural talent and Patch intended on paying her back by making a sound financial investment in helping her open and prosper her own business, that had been a long time dream of hers. It was the least he could do, she had a promising talent and she'd been Nora's friends since diapers. Rough patches or not she was still there and she'd been there everyday to visit, even bringing him things she knew or thought he might need. Her extroverted personality would help draw out his broodier, introverted brother. Rixon needed someone to challenge him to open up more and have some fun and humor in his life, let go and live a little without worrying quite so much. Shadow just might be what the doctor ordered and the right person for the job.

Vee and Scott were already insanely happy together, he thought about what he could do for them and decided that since they had had to postpone their dream wedding that once Nora was healed he would drop an anonymous envelope by their place with the cash to cover their lost expenses and the new wedding with a dream honeymoon. He knew where they had wanted to go, but they hadn't been able to afford it, he would book the tickets and accommodations for them and have an envelope with spending cash for them waiting at their destination. It wasn't that money was the answer to everything, Patch knew for a fact that wasn't true, his family was the perfect example of it being false, so was Nora's, but that didn't mean it wasn't helpful.

He had plans for Bella and Angelo as well, no one would be left out that had been there for Nora or him. He had worked his ass off building his own company unknown to others while working a full-time job at Angelo's Advertising Agency where he had just been promoted to partner. In five long or short years, however you chose to look at it, he had managed to acquire more wealth than his parents and the Grey's had combined and when his company hit the public it would take it by storm since it silently led it's field. To the public the company's name was simply listed 'unknown' and 'unknown' was making it to the Fortune 500 list. Whatever their parents thought they had with status and wealth it was NOTHING compared to Patch now, not that he cared. What he cared about was Nora and doing something that made him feel good, made him happy.

Hmm...Nora knows Patch is keeping something from her, wonder what she thinks it is... Don't forget that Tristan is still not out of the picture, grandma invited him to Nora's welcome home party and Patch still doesn't know... Don't forget to leave your reviews and thank-you again for those who are leaving them and following this story as it winds its way to the end (not yet!)