Notes: I'm sorry about this...
Chapter 32: Shattered Reality
Beep.
Beep.
Beep.
Beep.
Beep.
I let out a slight groan. What was that beeping? It was so annoying. Maybe if I ignore it, it will go away.
Beep.
Beep.
Beep.
I groaned again, my eyes fluttering open, only to snap shut as the blinding brightness hit me. Everything was so bright, so white.
I threw an arm over my eyes, trying to give them a moment to adjust. "Robyn, can you dim the lights?"
No answer.
"Robyn?"
Nothing.
I lowered my arm from my eyes and slowly sat up, taking in my surroundings. I froze, stunned, unable to process what I was seeing.
Why was I in a hospital?
Where is Robyn?
Where is Emmett and Rosalie?
Ivy?
No answer
Okay. Okay, I can figure this out!
I pinched my cheek. It felt real.
What the heck is going on?
Wait…
My hand.
Wires were taped to my hand, trailing up to an IV bag and a heart monitor. So that's where the beeping was coming from.
But that wasn't what caught my attention. My hand—it was larger than I remembered, almost like-
Suddenly, the sound of a door opening made me jump. A woman in a doctor's coat walked in, her eyes focused on a clipboard. She hadn't noticed me yet.
"Hello?" I called out, startling her.
"Oh, hello dear. You're awake! How do you feel?"
How do I feel?
No scratch that!
"Where's Robyn? Where am I?"
She looked at me with a confused look before flipping through some of the papers on the clipboard.
"Well, no one named Robyn has come to see you. As for where you are you are in the hospital. You have been in a coma for the last 2 years."
What?
2 year?
"2 years?! What do you mean?!"
"Faye, you don't remember? Well, that's common for someone who has been in a coma. According to your file, you got hit by a car while crossing the street."
No.
This can't be happening.
This can't be true!
I got a sister and a potential mom and dad only for it to be a coma dream or whatever it's called.
I felt myself panicking. I was crying. I could see the doctor's lips move, calling my name, but her voice was drowned out by the rising ringing in my ears, growing louder with each passing second.
"Faye?"
No.
"Faye."
No, please.
"Faye!"
"Faye, wake up!"
I shot upright, my heart racing like it was about to burst from my chest. It felt like it was beating at a million miles an hour. It pounded so hard, I could feel the pressure building with each breath. I felt my whole body shaking from head to toe.
A hand suddenly touched my shoulder, startling me. I jerked back, tangling myself in the blanket and tumbling to the floor.
Wait, these blankets don't look like hospital blankets. A shadow loomed over me making me look up.
Robyn!
She looks down at me with concern. "Faye, are you okay?"
I heard a door burst open and saw a disheveled and worried Emmett and Rosalie.
"We heard a noise. What happened?" Rosalie asked, her voice laced with concern.
Emmett scanned the room, his eyes sharp, searching for any sign of an intruder.
I felt tears welling in my eyes, and I instinctively covered my face with my hands.
It was a dream.
I'm not in a coma.
I didn't lose my family.
I'm here. They're here.
Still, I couldn't help the sob that came out of my mouth. Everything seemed so real.
I felt someone sit beside me and gently pull my hands away from my eyes. It was Robyn, her expression softening as she looked at me. "Hey, it's okay. You're okay, Faye. It was just a nightmare, right?" I nodded my head with tears streaming down my face.
She opened her arms, offering me a comforting embrace. I let out another sob, tears streaming down my face, and flung myself into her arms. As I cried, I felt her rub my back, trying to comfort me. "Shh, it's okay. Your okay. I got you." I gripped her shirt tighter than I ever did before.
Without warning, I felt two pairs of arms envelop us. I tensed for a moment until I realized it was just Emmett and Rosalie. Rosalie began to gently play with my hair, soothing me, while Emmett rubbed my arm, his touch a steady reassurance that helped me relax.
We stayed like that until I was calmer but as soon as I felt one of them start to move away, I quickly latched on to their shirt. It turns out it was Emmett. He told me that he was just going to get me a drink of water, but I shook my head and tightened my grip.
No.
They can't leave me.
Not right now
None of them can.
They need to stay where I can see them.
I guess he noticed the panic on my face because he quickly sat down, making sure his leg stayed pressed against mine. I let out a small sigh of relief. But then, I felt Rosalie shift beside me, and my head snapped toward her, panic rising again.
"Don't worry, baby bear. I'm not going anywhere. Just getting comfortable, see?" she said softly, leaning against the dresser, her leg touching mine.
I nodded, resting my head on Robyn's shoulder. I felt better with both of them on each side of me. I could keep an eye on them while lying on Robyn. Resting my head on Robyn's shoulder, I felt her hand gently begin to stroke my hair, a soothing rhythm. "Do you want to talk about it?" she asked quietly.
Robyn's question made tears well up as the memory of my dream resurfaced, but deep down, I knew the answer was yes. So, with a soft sniffle, I nodded.
"It was like a nightmare. I remember waking up, the room was blindingly bright, and I called out, asking you to turn off the lights. But you didn't answer." I sniffled, my voice trembling. "When I finally opened my eyes, I realized I was in a hospital. A doctor came in and told me I'd been in a coma for two years… after the car hit me."
Robyn nodded understanding why I freaked out. "You thought it wasn't real, that we were all just part of the dream," she said softly, her voice filled with empathy. I nodded, tears spilling down my cheeks again. "It felt so real... I thought I had lost all of you."
Robyn's arms tightened around me, her warmth grounding me. "You're not going to lose us, Faye. We're right here, and we're not going anywhere." She gently pressed her forehead against mine, her gaze unwavering. "I promise you, none of that was real. This is real. We are here, and we're here to stay."
Emmett spoke, his voice gentle but firm. "You've got us for the long haul, kiddo. No dream is going to change that." He ruffled my hair, a small smile tugging at his lips.
Rosalie leaned in, her fingers gently brushing away the last of my tears. I let my eyes drift closed, savoring the comforting touch of her hand. "You're safe, baby bear." She then glanced between Robyn and me. "I'm sorry, we weren't here when you guys woke up. We were attempting to make breakfast. I knew that one of us should have stayed."
Robyn and I shook our heads. "It's okay," I whispered. "Yeah, it's okay. You're here now," Robyn added, her voice warm and reassuring.
Rosalie glanced down, nervously fidgeting with the ends of her hair before finally lifting her gaze to meet Robyn's eyes. "Robyn, I want to apologize for the way I treated you when you arrived with Faye. I was in a foul mood all week, and I didn't mean to take it out on you. That's not an excuse, but I know you must have been terrified when you first showed up, and I only made it worse."
Robyn blinked, taken aback by the apology, before a warm smile tugged at her lips. She hadn't expected Rosalie to say that. "It's okay," she said softly. "I get it." Rosalie let out a relieved breath, her shoulders relaxing as the tension melted away. Without a word, she wrapped an arm around Robyn, pulling her into a firm, comforting side hug. A silent thank you.
Now that things had calmed down, I remembered what she said about breakfast, and my stomach let out a loud rumble in response. I blushed and glanced down, feeling my face heat up as I heard them chuckle softly.
I peeked over at Rosalie through my long bangs with a sheepish expression. "You said breakfast? What are we eating?" If Rosalie could look flustered, she certainly would at that moment. "Uh, well, the thing is..." she began, hesitating.
Emmett burst into laughter, drawing Robyn's and my attention. "Yeah, the truth is, we've never cooked a day in our lives," he admitted, grinning. "So, what we have downstairs is more like charcoal than food." Rosalie sent him a glare but I could tell there was no real heat behind it. "It's not my fault I never found a reason to learn!" Robyn and I turned towards each other a paused for a few seconds before bursting laughing.
As the laughter gradually faded, Robyn wiped a tear from her eye still smiling. She turned to Rosalie, her voice warm and light, "Why don't we cook together? It could be fun, and that way you could know what we like to eat."
Rosalie blinked in surprise before a soft smile spread across her lips. "That is a great idea!" Emmett also beamed and excitedly nodded his head.
Robyn nodded her head before turning toward me, her voice was warm and quiet. "Does that sound okay, Faye or do you need more time?" I thought about it for a minute. "I don't think I could handle anyone leaving my sight for a while but as long as we are all in the kitchen, it should be okay." I looked down biting my bottom lip nervously before saying my next thoughts. "Would it also be okay if I sit on someone's lap or lean on someone? The contact helps a lot."
Emmett immediately responded, in a typical playful fashion. "I'll volunteer! Who wouldn't want a cuddle buddy while cooking? Plus, I would make an excellent chair." He puffed his chest out proudly, his wide smile helping to lighten the mood.
Robyn chuckled squeezing me lightly drawing my attention. "I think that sounds perfect, Emmett," she said, her eyes warm and reassuring. Then she turned to me, her smile softening. "If you ever want to switch, I'm sure that Rosalie or I wouldn't mind trading off every once in a while."
Rosalie nodded and smiled, reaching out to gently squeeze my hand. "I wouldn't mind. I promise, we will all stay close and where you can see us."
Feeling the warmth of their words, I nodded, a small smile tugging at my lips despite everything. "Okay. Let's go make breakfast," I said, my voice still a little shaky but filled with hope.
Emmett clapped his hands, his voice boisterous. "Family breakfast it is! And Faye, you'll be the supervisor to make sure we don't burn the house down this time." He winked, making me giggle a bit. Emmett picked me up off Robyn's lap with ease making sure to support my back and legs cradling me against him, making me feel secure.
"You need to eat more, little bear. You are too light."
We all started walking down the stairs, and while I kept an eye on Robyn and Rosalie from the corner of my vision, Emmett's comment made me turn and give him a playful glare. "Hey, the only reason why I am so light was that I was living off the forest eating mostly rabbits, berries, and nuts."
Emmett and Rosalie looked at me, their eyes widening in shock. "Rabbits?" Emmett repeated, turning his gaze to Robyn for confirmation. She nodded solemnly.
"How long have you been living off that?" Emmett asked, his voice edged with concern.
I gave a half-hearted shrug. "I've been living in the forest since I was nine, and I'm twelve now, so about three years. I mean, there was that one time I got to eat Esme's cooking... It was the first real meal I'd had in years—everything else was just berries and rabbit."
Emmett shook his head, his expression growing resolute as he quickened his pace down the stairs. "We need to get you some proper food, and fast."
I tried to reassure him, shaking my head. "Really, I'm fine. It's not like I'm going to starve if I wait a little longer."
Emmett's eyes softened, but there was a glint of determination. "Maybe not, but you deserve better than just surviving, Faye. We're going to make sure you're well-fed, starting today."
I wanted to protest, but then Emmett glanced down at me, adopting an exaggerated pout. His eyes widened as he gave me the most over-the-top "puppy dog" look imaginable. "Please? It's our job to worry about you, Faye. That's what family does," he said, his voice dripping with playful drama.
I couldn't help but smile at his antics, the warmth of his words making it harder to resist. I sighed, shaking my head slightly, but couldn't help the small smile that tugged at my lips. "Okay, fine. Just… nothing too over the top, alright?"
"Deal," Emmett said with a grin, and he gave me a quick squeeze before placing a soft kiss on my forehead.
We made our way into the kitchen. Emmett sat down on the bar stool and placed me on his lap sideways so I could comfortably lay my head on his chest and see Rosalie and Robyn cook. I could see what looked to be burnt remains on a skillet. Of what? I couldn't tell you.
I could see Robyn inside the fridge to see what they had while Rosalie pushed the burnt skillet back and pulled out another pan and a pot, just in case. Robyn nodded her head seeming to decide before asking me. "It looks like we have all the ingredients. How do you feel about French toast, Faye?" I nodded my head excitedly. It's been so long since I had French toast.
I could see the confusion on Emmett and Rosalie's faces but Rosalie looked determined as she pulled back her sleeves. "Alright," Rosalie turned towards Robyn with a confident smile. "Let's do this—family breakfast." Her confidence faltered slightly as she added, a sheepish grin spreading across her lips, "How do we do this?"
Robyn let out a laugh before explaining the steps as they gathered all of the ingredients and got started, it looked like both of them were having fun and enjoying their time together.
I felt a slight squeeze making me look up at Emmett. He looked down at me with a smile. "Are you ready mini secretary of the supervisor?" I let out an exasperated huff. "What do you mean, secretary? I'm the head supervisor here! If anything, you're the secretary!" I shot him a playful glare, but it lost its edge as the corners of my mouth began to curl into a grin.
"Fine, fine," Emmett said with a loud laugh, raising his hands in mock surrender. "I guess you can be Head supervisor!" I nodded my head in agreement. I was supposed to be the head supervisor, to begin with.
As Robyn and Rosalie prepared the mixture for the French toast, the kitchen began to fill with warmth and laughter. I settled into Emmett's embrace, feeling the comfort of his presence surround me like a protective bubble.
"Okay, so what else do we need?" Rosalie asked, her voice bright and enthusiastic.
"Well we already have the Eggs, and milk in the bowl, and bread is right there," Robyn replied, her brow furrowing in concentration as she continued to whisk. "maybe some cinnamon?"
"Yes! Cinnamon is a must," I chimed in, trying to keep my excitement under control. I couldn't help but chime in. It's been a while since I've had something other than forest food.
Emmett nudged me gently. "See? You're already one of the best Head supervisor I've ever seen. A great Head supervisor and a great chef in the making!" I giggled, leaning my head back against him.
The atmosphere was very happy and calm as I watched Rosalie and Robyn work together like they have done this routine their whole lives, their movements coordinated and fluid. Robyn poured the mixture into a plate while Rosalie soaked the bread before placing them in the pan.
I felt a surge of gratitude wash over me, realizing how lucky I was to have these moments with them.
After a few moments, the first batch of French toast was done. Robyn plated them up with a flourish, adding a sprinkle of powdered sugar and drizzling syrup over the top.
"Ta-da! Family breakfast is served!" she declared proudly, setting the plate in front of us.
I felt my mouth water at the sight, the sweet aroma intoxicating. "Wow, that looks amazing!" I said, my voice filled with genuine awe.
"Just wait until you taste it!" Robyn replied, grabbing a fork and holding it out toward me.
I took the fork eagerly, my heart racing with anticipation. As I took a bite, the flavors exploded in my mouth—soft, warm, and sweet. It was pure bliss.
"Okay, that's definitely better than a rabbit," I said, my eyes widening in delight.
Emmett laughed heartily while Rosalie gave us a happy smile, "I'm happy it came out right. It's all thanks to Robyn's help." She leans over and pulls Robyn into a light side hug making Robyn blush lightly and rub her neck.
As we ate, laughter filled the air, and stories and jokes were passed around the table. With each bite, I felt myself gradually relaxing, the weight of the nightmare and my earlier fears slowly fading away. I hadn't felt this at ease, this much at home, in a long time.
Suddenly I heard a yawn making me jump slightly making Emmett look at me in worry and confusion.
"Oh, hey Faye, what did I miss?"
Sorry for the scare! :) Oh, and guess what? All the chapters have titles now! Feel free to check them out!