Part 2 begins now! The suspense in this thing has got even me anxious to know what happens next, and I should know, cuz I'm the writer! lol That's why I'm posting this so soon; I just couldn't wait any longer! I'll be writing more chapters as time goes, so be patient. I've yet to write Chapter 37 onward, so just hang in there. I promise you, once the next one's written, I'll upload and post it! You have my word, young padawans! (lol Couldn't resist a SW reference... XD) Enjoy! !

Emerging Compassions

Chapter 36: Headed Home!

(Jimmy's POV)

I didn't know how long I was out cold, but what I do know was that I couldn't remember, or even sense, anything from memory or the world around me. Little did I know at the time I'd slipped into a coma for a week, but that all changed on the 8th day I was at the hospital. First, I began hearing muddled voices that didn't make any logical sense at all when I began regaining consciousness; they only sounded like gibberish around me for the first couple hours. Then, it began to come into focus, first my hearing, then my other senses followed until I could sense everything around me. And when I was fully awake, I was in for a shock!

For one thing, my right arm was suspended in a sling held by pulleys bolted to a metal rod that was attached to the wall behind me. It hurt excruciatingly to maneuver it in the slightest. My head was also bandaged up, and I got severe headaches every now and then. An IV was attached to my left arm with a hospital wristband on it, along with my special watch they surprisingly let me keep with me. And, as usual for hospital stays, I donned a light blue hospital gown.

That afternoon on the day I regained consciousness, a nurse came in to assist me and check the usual medical vital signs. When she was finished taking my blood pressure and other such duties, I was surprised to learn she had some news for me. "I've got some exciting news for you, Jimmy!" the nurse, whose name was Theresa, informed me.

"What might that be? ?" I asked, my heart beginning to pound with excitement while I tried to keep a serious expression on my face.

Theresa just laughed and said, pointing to the heart monitor, "I can see right through your 'serious' expression, James. Your heart rate just increased dramatically, indicating you're excited about the news I'm about to give you! You're really rather amusing!"

"So, what's this exciting news of yours, ma'am?" I persisted, rather anxious to know what it was.

"You have 4 visitors coming to see you, and a robotic one, I believe, as well!" she told me, a confident look on her face.

"Holy Heisenberg!" I exclaimed, beaming with joy, "I know just who you're referring to! !"

Theresa giggled again and added as she left, "I'm sure you do! They'll be here in 20 minutes. Take care now."

I just couldn't believe my ears! My best friends in the whole universe, plus Goddard, were coming to visit me! This was just so invigorating to hear! Just thinking about this made me almost hysterical with emotion, so much so that I temporarily forgot my arm was broken and moved it a bit. Boy, THAT really hurt! "OW! ! I forgot about that!" I groaned a bit, grimacing from that bit of pain I just experienced. But the feeling soon passed, for I just couldn't WAIT for them to get there and see me, especially Cindy!

It was about 10 minutes after that that I heard an impatient knock on my door. I just rolled my eyes sarcastically; I knew that was Sheen any day! "Come on in, you guys!" I hollered.

Sheen was the first to come in, spastic as he usually was, rushing in all hyped on sugar, I suspected. The rest of them entered in a calmer manner than him.

The moment Cindy laid eyes on me, she hurried over and gently hugged me, carefully avoiding my injured arm. She then kissed me and said with a sigh of relief, "I'd thought I'd LOST you, Jimmy! Oh, I'm so grateful that you're alive! !"

"I'd feel the same way if you were in my situation, Cindy. How long was I out of sorts, ya know, in a coma?" I wanted to know.

"You were out cold for a week, Jim," she commented, caressing my cheek with her hand ever so gently.

"Thanks so much for saving me, Cindy," I gratefully thanked her, gently pressing her hand against my face with my good hand, then I joked with a good laugh, "Looks like I'll have to force myself to be a lefty instead of a right-y!"

"You're 'right' about that!" Sheen teased, snickering.

"Good one, Sheen!" Carl noted, laughing.

Even Cindy laughed when she heard that one! That was a first! Then she replied to my grateful comment, "You are SO welcome, hon..."

Then I thought of something: how badly WAS my arm broken? I was about to call for the nurse again, but Cindy stopped me and added, "Whatever question you may have, Jimmy, I'm positive I can answer it for you."

"Do you know how badly my arm was broken?" I questioned her.

"Your forearm was literally snapped in 2, radius and ulna region, so they had to perform surgery to straighten them so they can heal properly. Dr. Lang informed me of that," she explained.

Right at that moment, Nurse Theresa walked in, seeming to hear Cindy's last comment, because she informed us, "These screws that we inserted into your forearm are biological; they will remain partially metallic while your arm straightens and heals. Once completely healed, they will gradually degrade into the same material your bones are made of within 2 weeks afterwords. It's our latest advancement in bone regeneration."

"Incredible!" I gasped in awe, "Leapin' leptons, your hospital's medical marvels are astounding! !"

"I'm very glad you think so, James," Theresa said with a smile. Then she added, removing the IV and the wristband, "We need to get you ready to go home this evening. I'll very carefully lift your bandaged arm out of this sling, then set in this rolling support rod and come with me. We're gonna fit you for a cast that you'll be able to use at home or on the go. The rest of you, please go wait in the waiting room downstairs, if you would, please."

As they were leaving, I couldn't help but hear Sheen tease me, saying, "I see London, I see- Oh, dang! Say no to crack!" With that, he began laughing hysterically. Feeling myself blush extremely hard, I used my free hand to keep the back of my gown shut. Now THAT was embarrassing! !

While the rest of them retreated to the downstairs waiting room, I was taken upstairs to the X-ray/cast-manufacturing room. As I was taken in, I took a look around and thought, Whoa! This hi-tech equipment is incredible! Totally state of the art! ! I just took it all in with an amazed and awestruck expression, taking a seat in one of the chairs provided next to one of the examination tables. Very carefully, but not without wincing in pain a bit, I extremely cautiously laid my injured arm on the table to be examined. Measurements were soon taken, and the former bandage was incredibly carefully removed. Then my arm was very carefully bandaged in gauze up to just below my elbow until firm, then a sturdier material was used to cover that. A final colored material was the outermost layer that made the cast incredibly strong, so much so that not even a hammer could crack it, thus protecting my forearm from further damage.

Once that was finished, Theresa returned to assess my head injuries. She cautiously removed the bandages, then told me, "Your wounds are healing splendidly! You'll only need a small bandage over your head wounds this time." She took a piece of gauze, sprayed some antibiotics on it, then placed it on my forehead and secured it with a couple strips of medical tape. The spray stung a little, but I just reminded myself that it was just killing the disease-carrying organisms so my wound could heal.

I was then led back out and headed downstairs to the lobby where the others were waiting, still clutching the back of my gown so I wouldn't embarrass myself again.

"Hey, Neutron!" Libby hollered at me, "We broughtcha some extra clothes! Here, Cindy, take them to him."

"Thanks, Libs, I will," she replied, taking my hypercube to me, then telling me discretely, pointing, "Your clothes are in there. You can change in the nearby bathroom."

Luckily, I could still clutch things in my right hand, I just couldn't move my wrist any. While still using my left to cover myself up, I took it with the other, saying, "Thanks, Cin." I then went to the bathroom to change, emerging about 5 minutes later, feeling very relieved to be dressed normally again.

I just then noticed that Goddard was with them, so I called, "Here, boy! Here, Goddard!" He bounded up to me, jumped up, and began licking my face like crazy! I just laughed and gently pushed him away, saying, "Okay, boy, that's enough! I'm glad to see you, too!"

The 5 of us, plus Goddard, returned to the front desk. The woman managing it informed us, starting with me, "Well, James Neutron, you are recovering just splendidly! Your friends really have proved their true loyalty to you, and I commend you all for that. Dr. Lang has given you permission to return home. Just stay out of trouble while your body's healing, alright? All of you have a wonderful day, now! Take care now!"

"Thanks, ma'am!" we thanked her, and returned to our current mode of transportation, which happened to be my newest rocket that time. Then I wondered something: what happened to my hovercar? So I questioned, "Cindy, where's my hovercar?"

"At your place," she replied, "I didn't know what fuel you used for it since it ran out last, so I used this one, since you taught me how to drive it and all, heh-heh..."

"Well, that's fine with me, Cin," I informed her politely, taking the controls, starting it up, and rocketing out of there in no time at all. It was surprisingly easy to do so even with a cast on my arm.

With that rapid form of transportation, we were back in Retroville within 20 minutes. I had just landed in my front yard and stepped out with the rest of them when my mom came running up to me with outstretched arms. I hugged her back as she said, "Jimmy, oh, Jimmy! ! I was so desperately WORRIED about you! I'm so glad you're alright now! ! !"

"I'm fine now, Mom," I reassured her, "Those doctors in Phoenix were the best ever! It was a miracle I was only in a coma for a week!" Then I remembered something and added, "The screws that they've put inside my arm are part biological, Mom! Once my arm has completely healed, within 2 weeks, they'll take on the exact same material that my bones are made of."

"Is technology incredible or what, sweetie? !" she gasped in awe.

"It sure is, Mom, it sure is!" I responded confidently.

Then, suddenly, we heard a familiar cry of pain. I turned to see where it originated and saw that it was Cindy!

She groaned in pain as she gasped, "Jimmy, quick! Get a doctor! ! I think I'm in LABOR! ! ! EEEERRRRRGGGHHH! ! ! ! !"

It wasn't long before I heard yet another cry of agony, and saw that it was Libby! "Make that 2 ladies in labor, Neutron! DO somethin'! AAAUUGH! ! ! !"

Brilliant, just brilliant... I thought sarcastically to myself, In labor right on graduation day...! !