I'd Live For You, If Only I Could (Completed)

Six

I'm doing this instead of The Things I Love About You

Apparently, two knocks wasn't enough to wake me up. Neither was Scott shaking me and saying my name. Even when my dad knocked the door off its hinges to get in because Scott was busy trying to wake me up at the same time and couldn't answer the door, I didn't wake up. All the confusion of my parents finding my best friend in my room, in my bed, and me still asleep, my door being locked and knocked off its hinges, even my mom screaming my name in a worried panic didn't bring me back from my unconsciousness. Turns out that the cause of this was that my oxygen line had been knocked out in my sleep and I wasn't breathing properly. My lungs were filling up, which was causing me to go into the beginning of a coma. My parents and Scott got me to the hospital before I was completely gone, and I wake in the all-to-familiar hospital room. My mom is sitting next to one side of my bed, my dad on the other, and Scott is nowhere to be seen. They are both asleep, and the open window shows that it is dark outside.

"Mom." I say quietly; even the small word is trying to drain my energy but I reach toward my mom's arm and touch it lightly. Her eyes flutter open and she gives me a half smile.

"Hi, baby." She reaches toward my face, brushes over my cheekbone with her thumb, and then runs her fingers through my hair.

"What happened?" I close my eyes to rid my vision of the spots that are appearing. "Why are we here?"

"Your oxygen got disconnected while you were asleep and you started to go into a coma when your dad and I found you."

"W-where's...Scott?" I ask slowly, opening my eyes again and immediately regretting that decision. My lids fall shut again.

"He...I don't know. He disappeared after they took you back." I can feel it in my chest, the slow tug on my heart that feels like she is leaving something out. I am too tired to push it, though, so I leave it at that.

"How long have I been here?"

"Only a day. We got you here yesterday morning. Thank God your dad is strong enough to break the door down, because you were not waking up." She attempts a chuckle, but it comes out as more of a distorted cry.

"When can I leave?"

"I don't know, baby. I'm sorry." After a pause, she says, "Why was Scott in your room last night?"

"I...I had a panic attack. You know I always call him. He couldn't get me to calm down over the phone, so he came over and then it was late so he just stayed."

"Oh." The short word has an angry tone to it.

"Why do you ask?"

"Because I like to know why there are people in my son's room at night." she snaps. My stomach does a somersault. She pinches the bridge of her nose. "I'm sorry, baby. I just...I never handle this well. You know that. I'm sorry." She reaches for my hand and physically flinches when she feels how cold it is. For a second we just sit that way, with my hand clasped between hers, in silence, before my dad cracks his eyes open and reaches for my other hand. He opens his mouth but does not get the chance to speak before the door swings open and Dr. Jayne walks in. She gives me the typical run down: my lungs were filling and had to be drained, I should stay for a couple more days, don't go back to school right away. All that jazz. Same old, same old. I can practically recite her speech in my head for the amount of times I've heard it. When she leaves again, I look to my mom.

"Can you do me a favor? A couple, actually."

"Of course. What do you need?"

"First, can you call Scott and ask him to come? I need to talk to him. Second, would you mind brining me my laptop and my blanket from Colorado?"

"Sure. Anything else?"

"Oh, bring seasons 1-3 of Spongebob, please."

"Sure. I'll be back with them soon. Alright? And I'll tell Scott to come over."

"Thank you." She stands up, only to lean back down a second later to hug me. Seeming to know that I want to be alone, she drags my dad out with her to give me some space. For the next half our, I sit in silence, staring at the wall and just thinking. When Scott walks in, carrying my laptop, Spongebob, and my blanket under one arm, I am torn out of my thoughts.

"I heard you wanted these."

"I really just wanted you to be here." I say, reaching toward him. He sits on the bed, careful of my legs, and leans into my open arms.

"Did your parents question you?"

"What?"

"About me being there."

"Oh, my mom did. It didn't seem like it was a big thing, though." I rest my chin on his shoulder and my eyes threaten to fall shut as a new wave of exhaustion slams into me.

"Are you tired?" he asks, pulling back and setting the laptop, DVDs and blanket down on my lap.

"Very."

"Do you want me to leave you alone to get some rest?"

"I...I'd prefer if you stayed."

"Then stay I will." he says, flashing me a cheesy grin that makes me laugh a little too hard. I pat the small space on the other side of the bed and he crosses over, crawling under the thin sheets and letting me practically sit on his lap. The laptop is propped between our knees, playing the Spongebob pilot. Beneath the sheets, Scott's fingers are laced with mine, giving me a sense of reassurance and comfort.

"Where are my parents?" I ask suddenly, realizing that they didn't come back.

"Your dad said he thought we might want some space. I think he's onto us."

"How could he be? We just became official yesterday."

"I know. I don't know. I just think he's onto us." He tightens his hand around mine. "You're so cold."

"Tell me about it." I mutter. "I've been cold for three years now." I cautiously lay my head on his shoulder and he removes his hand from mine to wrap his arm around my waist.

"Mitch?" His voice is quiet, and he sounds close to tears. I don't look up, I just keep my eyes focused somewhere on the screen.

"Yeah?"

"Can I kiss you?" My heart flutters, but the logical part of my brain answers.

"No. I'm hooked up to too many machines, and I'm barely breathing on my own at the moment."

"Oh, right. Sorry, that was insensitive of me."

"Not at all. It was sweet." My eyes start to feel heavy, a little too heavy to keep them open. I curl up against Scott's chest, moving onto his lap to be more comfortable. "Is this okay?" My words sound slurred from exhaustion.

"Of course, darling." Heat rushes to my cheeks at the name, but I don't say anything.

"Thank you."

"For what?" He wraps his arms around my shoulders, making me feel secure and safe.

"For everything." I mumble before drifting into sleep.