Author's Note: Here is chapter 4. Annie is in a semi-awake state, but how will she and Auggie communicate if she has a breathing tube in?

Let us see where this takes us. This was not originally part of my story when I outlined and started it, came to me later. Hope it works as well as I think it does.

Auggie felt Annie's hand squeeze his hand hours after the early morning scare. He hated not being able to see her right now. She couldn't talk and he couldn't see her to know for sure whether she was awake or not. He squeezed her hand again and was satisfied when she moved her thumb to gently caress his palm. She was awake. He located the call button on her bed.

Moments later a nurse came into the room. "Well, look who's awake! Ms. Walker you've been through a lot young lady. Let me check that everything is connected correctly and that your bandages don't need changing while I'm here." Auggie could feel the nurse come near him, but he didn't want to move. If she asked, he would, but so far no one had made him move the entire time he had been there. He had sat through numerous dressing changes, IV swaps, and countless blood draws. The nurses knew not to disturb the blind man that insisted on holding Annie's hand. He only let go when they needed him to. As soon as they were finished, he would find his way to her hand again. He couldn't let go of her. She would know he wasn't giving up on her. He didn't know if she could hear him while in the coma, but she would know immediately when she woke up that he was there. He had been determined of it.

After the nurse changed her bandages and left, he wondered when they would take the breathing tube out. The nurse did not talk to Annie much. The nurse had asked if she was in any pain, if she knew where she was, and if she knew who was holding her hand. The nurse had told Annie to answer by blinking once for yes and blinking twice for no. While answering the nurse's questions, Annie had squeezed his hand once that she was in pain, once that she knew where she was, and once that she knew who was holding her hand. Even where she was and everything she was going through, Annie was still able to think about Auggie. Wordlessly and effortlessly giving him exactly what he needed.

Annie always did that for Auggie, she always thought about what would make things easier on him. He didn't have to say a word to her and it was never done because she "needed" him to, just because she wanted to. She was the only person in his life who seemed to accept his blindness effortlessly. His blindness was never a big deal to her. It just seemed to him that it was like the color of his hair or the way he walked. It was just part of who he was and not the defining disability that it was to most people.

"Annie, its me Auggie, I'm here. I'm right here." Annie squeezed his hand again and he took that as an acknowledgment that she understood. "Annie I don't know if you remember what happened and I'm not sure I have all the details myself. I just know that you and Simon were shot in your sister's kitchen three days ago. We aren't sure who did it yet. We were hoping you saw something that could help. Annie, they suspect you of treason. Lena says she has evidence. Joan and I don't believe it is true, we haven't for a moment." Annie squeezed my hand harder as I spoke. I was glad that she was communicating with me in the only way she could right now. I wish I could hear her voice.

"Annie, you rest, I'm going to find out what the doctors say is going on. I won't be gone long." At hearing this, Annie squeezed my hand harder. This told me she didn't want me to go, she wasn't letting go. I couldn't leave her. I would wait for the doctor to come to me. I started telling her about life as I knew it to be out side of the hospital while she was sleeping. I don't know this for sure since I can't see her, but Annie must be scared right now. Here she lay in a hospital bed, attached to machine that are breathing for her. I assume she fell back asleep after a while, I continued to talk to her about the current events in the world while she was out of it, the weather conditions, and rumors going on at work. I tried to avoid anything about Joan, Jai, Simon, Lena, and anything else DPD related. I couldn't be sure she was asleep, but I couldn't chance her being awake to here me say anything that might stress or worry her right now.

Annie, I need to use the bathroom." I whispered softly after a long time of just sitting. I gently lifted my hand from hers and went to the bathroom. While I came out, instead of going back to my chair beside her bed, I grabbed my cane from the table and went out into the hallway. I needed to call Joan to give her an update. But first, I needed an update myself.

I walked over to the nurses station and stood there until someone spoke to me.

"Mr. Anderson, its Melissa. What can I help you with?"

"Hi Melissa, I was hoping to get an update on Annie's condition and news on when the breathing tube can come out."

"Let me call her doctor and see if he is available to speak with you. I know he hasn't made his rounds yet today, but he has been updated on her awakening this morning. I can let him know that you are looking for him when I see him."

Auggie decided to take the opportunity to take a break from his vigil over Annie and get something to eat from the cafeteria. He knew the nurses had his number if anything happened. They had been quite good to him so far during Annie's time in the hospital. He trusted that they would let him know of any change.

I opened my eyes and tried to speak, but I couldn't. Something was blocking my airway. Then I saw the tube coming out of my mouth. I vaguely remembered someone saying something about a breathing tube and being shot. I moved my eyes around the room and saw Auggie sitting next to me with his head down. I squeezed his hand. He raised his head. I wonder if he will know that I'm awake. Had I been squeezing his hand while I slept? Auggie's hand was in mine, was that just his way of letting me know he was there?

Thankfully he squeezed my hand back. He looks so tired and the wrinkles on his face have deepened since I saw him last. How long was I asleep? What had happened? Auggie moved beside me, searching for the nurse call button perhaps. Sure enough, the bed beeping beside me told me that was what he was searching for.

A few minutes later, a nurse walked in. She looked me over, checked the IV and my bandages. Apparently they needed to be changed because she started removing bandages and getting more from a drawer beside me. I wish I knew what bandages she was changing and why. I only knew I smelled a lot of blood and there were a lot of bandages. I couldn't see much from how I was laying or around the tubes coming from my mouth. She told me she had some questions for me and that I should blink once if the answer was yes and twice if the answer was no.

"Do you know where you are?" I blinked once and squeezed Auggie's hand once to let him know my answer. I knew he would want to know the answers just as this nurse did.

"Are you in pain?" Again, I blinked once and simultaneously squeezed Auggie's hand once. As much as I hated to admit pain, this pain was excruciating. Concern fell upon Auggie's face as I admitted this. He knew me well enough to know that the pain had to be horrible for me to admit it

"Do you recognize the person holding your hand?" Well of course I did! He was my best friend. I almost forgot to blink. I blinked once and squeezed Auggie's hand. He seemed relieved with this answer.

I wanted so badly to ask the nurse what was going on and when this tube could come out of my throat. I couldn't stand watching Auggie beside me cursing his blindness as I knew he was. He rarely complained about his blindness, but I knew that in a time like this, it was harder on him than usual. I know he is here to comfort me, but I don't want him to worry unnecessarily. I'm awake and while not feeling great, I seem to be okay. I think. I'm so drugged right now, I really don't know how I am, but I know that I am.

Author's Note: So what did you think? Next chapter later today. Then it will be a few before the next is up.