Jaylor One Shots

The Coma

Joe has been sitting at Taylor's bedside for four days now. Ever since the accident. The moment he got the call about what had happened, his heart had stopped. And he doesn't really think it's started beating again. Not until she's awake and okay. Not until she's confirmed it with her own words. Everyone keeps telling him that she'll be okay. That she's just in a medically induced coma until her body has had enough time to heal. But all he keeps thinking about is the worst case scenario. Loosing her. He knows he wouldn't survive it. So he's been sitting here, for four days. Holding her hand, talking to her, refusing to leave her side for longer than it would take to use the bathroom.

It had been a car accident. She'd been on her way home from the studio when someone slammed head-on into her car. Because of the collision, they're worried about her brain - which is why they'd put her into a coma, so her brain could heal with the serious amount of rest it needs. He'd been told it had been a drunk driver. He's furious with whichever idiot had hopped into the drivers seat of a vehicle while intoxicated like that. But despite his begging, no one had given him a name. His emotions come in waves. Mostly it's just an intense amount of grief, but occasionally anger consumes him, or guilt. He wishes it had been him in that car, not her. He doesn't want to go on without her anyway, so better he had just ended up in this situation first. But it wasn't him. Nothing he could ever say or do would allow him to trade places with her now. So here he sits, gently stroking the back of her hand, tears in his eyes as he looks at her peaceful face. She almost looks like could be sleeping, if you ignore the tube in her mouth. 

"I love you Taylor." He murmurs, kissing her hand as tears slide down his face.

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Five days have passed now. It's now been nine days of him just sitting here. Her family have been here most days, her friends have come and gone. But none of them really stay much longer than a couple of hours. Her mom always brings him something to eat, before talking to him about something else, something lighthearted. He knows she's trying to comfort him, but he feels worse when she tries. He doesn't really know why. But today they are going to try bring Taylor out of her coma. They can't be 100% certain what will happen, but the doctors say they are confident, that all the scans show her brain activity has been good. He's hopeful, that in just a few days, she'll wake up, and will say something. That she'll be back here, with him. He can't do this anymore. He spends most of his time with tears running down his face, he's too scared to leave in case something happens. His heart feels like it's been ripped out of his chest, and he can't breathe most of the time. He'd expected that at some point, it would feel more normal. That he'd be able to go get some food, or take a shower maybe. But the pain, and the fear just haven't let up at all. He needs her back, he needs her to be safe. He knows recovery will be long, but he'll be there, by her side the whole time. He doesn't know how he'll ever let her out of his sight again.

A few hours later, the doctors come in and begin bringing her out of the coma. They've all warned him that it could take hours, or even days for her to wake up. And even longer for her to be fully aware. They also told him that only he can be here when she wakes up, any more people will be too overwhelming for a person with brain trauma. He stands in the corner of the room, watching them work. He almost can't stand the sight of her lifeless body, of all the tubes and wires. His heart aches in his chest, for the whole time they're working on her. It doesn't take very long, and they've left the room again. So he sits down in the chair next to her bed again, the same one he hasn't really left for nine days now, and reaches for her hand, hoping it provides her some comfort when she wakes up in this strange place. The doctors had all told him that she probably won't remember the crash, and quite possibly most of the day before. He'll explain it all to her. Every last detail that he can. Joe pulls his phone out of his pocket, dialling Andrea.