In the middle of it all

April 14th '59

Nate, Izzy and Kyle moved back to the crib. This morning I received a text from Asad. He said that they received a call from the hospital. Rayan had awakened from her coma. The doctors and nurses said that she was still unable to communicate but that it'll be good to receive company. I burst into JJ's room and told her the news. Sha, her and I drove to the hospital located on the East side of Naire and met up there with Izzy, the twins, Nate and Kyle. There was nothing we could do for her, besides wait.

That wait took over a month. Each day Jessie spent at least 3 hours with Rayan, progressively helping regain her linguistic ability.

"J.." mumbled Rayan, sitting up half awake. Jessie sat on a chair by her bed reading a book.

"Hmm ?" She replied as she closed the book and placed it on a table nearby.

Her eyes stared into space. "Keemo. Where is he ?"

"You don't remember, do you ?" sighed Jessie deeply. "He's gone..."

"No he's not." she turned her head in Jessie's direction.

"He's gone, I'm so sorry."

"But he was there... I know I saw him. He was with me." Her lips began to shake.

"Rayan !"

"We were supposed to get married, have kids." interrupted Rayan, speaking with a quicker pace. "Keemo wanted 4 kids... My father was so happy that I had found someone like him..."

"Rayan !"

" Oh please...Please let this be one horrible nightmare. Wake me up. Wake me up !" She weeped as she raised her head, looking up to the ceiling.

"We're both stuck in this nightmare ! There's no way out."

"No way at all ?"

She shook her head, in response. "I've been in there for months now."

"Did you get used to it ?"

"You can't. I'm living in regret and pain each day." she confessed.

"How can you continue living like that ?"

"I don't wanna die, Rayan. I don't want to and I can't abandon the kids. They've already lost so much. Who's gon' take care of them if I leave ?"

"You're the last one there ?"

"Yeah.."

"Everyone else left ?" Rayan asked as more tears began to build up in her eyelids.

"Yeah." she repeated.

"Jordan ? Denzel ? Skylar ? Diego ? Kelvin ?"

"Yes."

"Even Shigeru left ?"

"He...He left us as well." answered Jessie while sighing.

The build up tears in her eyelids overflew and streamed down her cheeks. "My poor girl... " She says, leaning in and wrapping her arms around her friend. "You stayed strong all alone. Your aunt and uncle are helping you ?"

"I don't live with them."

"They threw you out ?!"

"I wasn't always strong...They didn't want to see that."

Rayan cried. She placed her right hand on her shirt above her heart and JJ noticed excessive sweat on her forehead. Ray's grip became tighter as she held onto the fabric. Jess called the nurses. When they rushed into the room, she was told to leave the room immediately as Rayan breathing became excessive.