The Next Chapter (Aaron Carpenter Fanfiction)

Chapter 5

The next morning, I wake up earlier than I have since I went to real school.

"Goodmorning, baby." I say to Roxanne, unconscious and still. Her parents arrive shortly after with coffee and muffins, enough for the three of us.

"Oh, Aaron, you stayed here all night?!"

"Yes ma'am. No where else worth going."

"Are you sore from that couch?"

"No sir. I feel fine."

"Coffee?"

"Sure, thank you ma'am."

"We have three types of muffin: blueberry, double chocolate, and banana nut. Well more like two types. Tom likes banana nut."

"Which would you like Ms. Jennings?"

"Oh, well, blueberry looks good. And it's a bit healthier."

"Well, I'll take double chocolate then."

They say their hello's an I love you's to Roxanne and sit on either side of me on the couch. We don't even move the couch so we can all be close to her. I text the crew and tell them not to disappoint the fans and to have MAGCON today without me. Mahogany protests, but agrees. I send out a tweet.

"I am sorry to say I will not be attending MAGCON today due to Roxanne still being in the hospital. It isn't cancelled! Much love."

There are tons of disappointed replies and some get well tweets to Roxanne. I grab a book from the bag I was originally taking to MAGCON and start reading. An hour or two later the boys file in one by one to check up on me and Roxanne and to greet Roxanne's parents. Matt brings his collection of DVD's he always brings on the road for us to watch. They leave shortly after to get ready for MAGCON.

We order hospital food when we're hungry. It's not as bad as you would expect. We watch movies to pass the time. All the while I have my hand somewhere on Roxanne's hospital bed in case she wakes up.

At around 10 pm, after MAGCON, everyone shows up again to check in bearing Chicago-style pizza, breadsticks, and salad. Roxanne's mom is so grateful.

"Your friends are so thoughtful!" she says.

"I guess this is what Chicago is famous for." her dad says after eating a slice of pizza. One by one, the pizza, breadsticks and salad disappear. By 11 we are all stuffed.

"We'd better get back to Jake now. Goodnight Aaron." her mom says. She walks over to Roxanne's hospital bed and kisses her forehead, touches one of the cuts across her face and cries a bit.

"My poor baby. My poor baby. I love you baby I love you. See you in the morning." she says through tears.

"Goodnight sis. Daddy loves you. You're still Daddy's little girl even when God is taking care of you." her dad says through his own tears.

"See you tomorrow, Aaron."

I settle in on the couch but don't go to sleep yet. I just sit up holding Roxanne's fragile, beautiful hand.

"Wake up honey. Please. I love you sunshine." I whisper as I hold her hand to my lips and drift off.

--------------one week later---------------

------------Saturday Morning------------- -Roxanne's Point of View-

Where am I?

Am I breathing?

Why is it so dark?

Aren't I still in the car?

Where is Aaron?

WHERE IS AARON?

I open my eyes and gasp to find my breath.

"A-Aaron.." I whisper.

"Roxanne baby!" he excitedly gasps, seeming surprised.

"H-hi...honey. W-where...am I? What are these...t-tubes all over?"

"You're in the hospital, sunshine."

"Wh-why?"

"On the way to my MAGCON event last weekend a car ran a red light as we were pulling out. He was speeding to get past. He hit the back passenger door where you were sitting. You were looking out your window and saw the car coming at you. You screamed. It was too late, the car was seconds away from impact. The window shattered after your head smashed into it. You went into a coma because of the shock and impact of hitting the window. You have cuts from the glass every place on your right side where skin was showing. You were in a coma for 8 days. You will be okay though. Only minor cuts." he says while hitting a little button next to my bed.

"Oh...wow. I am feeling a lot of pain right now. My face feels...horrible. Where are my parents?"

"They should be here soon. When the nurse comes in she will call them. The boys are torn up about it. Mahogany misses you more than any of them."

"Oh...Mahogany! Bring my best friend here as soon as possible..please. I need a Lox hug."

"Of course, as soon as your parents arrive I will call them to come over."

"Have you left?"

"Not once since I was allowed in." "Aaron?"

"Yes baby?"

"I love you. More than anything and anyone in the world."

"I love you too, forever,"

"And always. Thank you for staying with me."

"Anything for my everything."

Two nurses rush in. One sees I'm conscious and runs out and comes back with a phone calling my parents. The other calmly asks me how I am feeling and if I need or want anything. She updates my vaccines and takes my vitals.

"We're so glad you're awake! You're so lucky to be alive, Ms. Jennings."

"Thank you, Nora."

-Aaron's Point of View-

The nurses leave and it's only Roxanne and me for a bit.

"Aaron come here. Now."

"What?"

"Come here!"

"Okay, okay." I say, walking over.

She lifts her arms up to me and I hug her gently.

"A little tighter would be okay."

I hug tighter. She runs her hands through my hair.

"I love you so much." She whispers into my ear.

"I love you too."

She wraps her hands around my neck and I kiss her for what feels like the first time in forever. I just kiss her and kiss her and kiss her. I kiss her cuts and her nose and her forehead. I kiss her soft lips over and over. I kiss her ears and her neck and her closed eyelids. I sit back down on the couch next to her, put down the railings in the hospital bed, and hold her hand. Her other hand is running through my hair, over my face, down my neck.