In Sickness And Health ~Shikamaru~

Chapter 41

The silence was all in my head. The noise beyond my dark little world was truely deafening, and I wanted no place with it. I had since curled up on my side, my back against the wall. Alsono and Choji were in front of me... Alsono is still crying... so is Choji, but he's trying to be strong for her. It's been five minutes since her death was called. Five minutes since Reira's heart stopped. Why can't mine follow hers? Or will I be able to live forever in this bubble of dispair and silence? This silence...

The silence was pieced. One sound. One quick, high pitched sound. It lasted less than a second. But this one sound brought a life to my tired body. With wide eyes and held breath, I waited. And it happened again. I pushed myself up enough to look through the glass into the room. All the nurses and the doctor were staring at Reira with wide and disbelieveing eyes. It happened again. The doctor took a step closer to her. And it happened again.

The sounds were coming in faster now. Again... again... again. The nurses and the doctor all surounded her and started doing this and that. The sound was going at a steady pace now. It was beautiful. I never thought I would say that about a heart moniter, but the steady beeps was like a symphony. Alsono and Choji had moved behind me to look closer. Tears still rushed down their faces, but for a whole new reason now.

Alsono threw her arms around me and began to sob into my vest. Dispite it being a total pain, I didn't shove her off. In fact, I hugged her back, my eyes never leaving my little girlfriend through the window. I watched with a smile as they wrapped a bandage around her head. I watched through tears of joy as they replaced her oxygen mask and the white fog clouds returned.

Choji had his arm around us now and we all sank to sit against the wall, tears streaming and laughs ringing. The amount of joy in  that room could have been bottled and sold at that point. That beautiful, beautiful heart moniter just kept going.

"She's alive." Alsono squeaked. "She's alive."

She's alive. She's alive. She's alive. Oh it sounds so beautiful. She's alive. The doctor wheeled her into the prep room ten minnutes later when they determined she was going to be okay. We all surrounded her and took her hands, her hair. She was asleep still, but we were to happy to care. Because she's alive.

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"So the doctor says it will be another few days before she wakes up?" My mom asked at the breakfast table.

It's been a week since Reira's operation date, and she remains in a medically induced coma to allow her head some healing time. I've by to see her everyday, awake or not, I'm just overjoyed to see her, because for awhile there, I thought I wouldn't get to. "Yep. He wants to keep her under until Wednesday."

"How are they going to determine whether it was succesful or not?"

I smiled softly to myself. "Through me." Both my parents looked confused at my answer, but I quickly put the last of my breakfast in my mouth and got up to leave. I have a small mission today. It's one I've been waiting for too.

On my way to the village gates, I thought about the doctors therapy plan. I was the only person she was able to connect in her mind while she was in her limbo state. Naturally, they want to see how she reacts to me now that the surjury is over. He said it's more than likely that she will need to get used to listening and understanding again, just like before. But with everything else that she has proven wrong to him he didn't want to say for sure.

Every time I think about Reira, I can't stop my smile. It's been a week, but yet I'm still so happy that's she alive and will be able to wake up in a few days. Leaning against the gate post, I let my mind wander.

"Well, long time no see Shikamaru."

I looked up at my name and gave a grin. "Welcome back, Reeva."