Random Encounters: Home

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AJ looks around the room panicked, only seeing lights and white. He coughs more and more, trying to get someone's attention.

"Oh my God, AJ," Gwen's voice floats into the room.

There are quick footsteps and Gwen's face enters his view. She screams for a nurse, then looks back at him. Her lip ends curved up, tears in her eyes.

"We didn't think you'd make it," she whispers.

A nurse comes in quickly. They remove the tube that's lodged in his throat, allowing AJ to breathe. The nurse continues to look over him and remove other wires they apparently deemed unnecessary. AJ looks around, confused. He had been in their home less than two minutes ago.

"What-" AJ tries to speak, but his throat screams in agony.

"Don't try to speak," the nurse says, "It's futile."

Gwen sits next to him, holding his hand in hers. She cries, tears of joy, presumably, but it just further concerns and confuses AJ.

"I called Nate, I told him you woke up," Gwen brushes back his hair, "He said he's on his way."

AJ stares at her blankly, wishing he could speak. Wishing he could ask what happened. Ask why she's so happy. Ask why everyone is making such a fuss over him fainting one time.

"Do you know what happened?" She asks, a seemingly obvious question.

AJ shakes his head, no, he really doesn't know.

"You were in a car accident. A drunk driver hit you. AJ, you've been in a coma for three months," Gwen whispers.

No, no, no, this made no sense. He already woke up from the coma... right? He shakes his head, this is wrong, she must be confused.

"Hey, hey, no, it's okay," Gwen mutters, "The other driver woke up a couple days ago. They're so very sorry about what happened. AJ, we have a lot of decisions to make."

AJ begins breathing faster. He doesn't understand, this couldn't have happened. He was awake, he was awake. He knows he was, everything was so vivid. But... then it made sense. Why he couldn't read... Why everything felt like a sci-fi adventure.

"Hey, I love you babe," Gwen whispers to him.

His eyes light up a bit, he smiles. He was... home. It felt so good. There was no longer this nagging feeling. There was no fear. Just...

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