Memories of Color • Adopted by Josh Dun

_.|14|._

a/n: this chapter feels black and navy really. so truce it is. because it's a soft lullaby.

josh's pov:

i sat here for six hours, with me and tyler switching places holding alona's present. i got her a plain white ukulele because she likes to draw and i knew she'd want to draw on it. the nurse finally came out, with a smile on her face.

"both surgeries were successful. she's asleep still but you can come in if you'd like." she said. i immediately stood up and followed her. tyler and jenna followed me into the third room down from the waiting room.

i walked into the brown and white room. the first thing my eyes attached to was alona in her bed, asleep. tuned came in and out of her arms. and the oxygen mask wasn't pleasing.

but i realized something.

"wait, when she woke up did she actually tell you what happened?" i asked.

"yeah. but she was high on the drugs she was on. she she kept laughing and she wasn't speaking right. her voice was cracking left and right." the doctor replied.

"don't expect her to talk when she gets up. she has trust issues and is selectively mute." i explained. the nurses nodded.

"yeah. she said something about how she shouldn't be talking but she is because she has no idea what's happening." she laughed. i smiled, and rolled my chair over to her. softly holding her hand in mine. i felt her pulse.

"why is there a brand new ukulele here?" the doctor asked, picking up her present.

"it's her birthday present. today she is turning 13." i said. a gasp and a hush fled around the room.

"that's awful oh my god. i'm so sorry." a nurse said. i nodded. brushing her hair out of her face. in return i felt a squeeze in my hand that held hers. when i looked up her head was turned to me. and her eyes weren't brown. not anymore. they were a bright blue. but they were staring into line. like a hawk.

"oh my god she's awake." tyler whispered. alona stayed still. staring at me. expressionless. i rubbed a soft spot on her neck.

"hey how are you doing?" i asked softly. she looked at me wearily. as if she could barely stay awake.

"black and blue as-" she stopped. catching herself. she regained what was happening.

"it's okay you can talk. no one is in here." i said, looking around. there was a nurse blocking the door from the outside. just me and alona, and the beeping of the heart meter. that's all.

"josh. everything is black and red what's going on?" she asked. i looked at her confused.

"what does black and red mean buttercup?" i asked. she sighed, remembering i hardly understood her colors.

"i can't feel anything. it starts with a b right? tyler calls it something. bl- blurry. it feels blurry. below my waist." she said weakly. i noticed a tube going into her back. epidural.

"well um sweetheart, they had to do surgery on you down there. you know what edipdural is? well that's what's making it numb. you can't feel the pain. alona they checked everywhere. they fixed you up buttercup." i said. she looked confused.

"it's a rainbow right now josh. it's the bible only there is no bible. the lion isn't here josh. thank god it left too. it was laughing at me after i fell unconscious." she said. lion? she's having a migraine. i severe one, i know that.

"is the lion trying to eat you? and it was making fun of you at the same time?" i asked.

"yes. only he doesn't like you. he left. josh i don't know what this is called. but my head hurts and i keep imagining things that isn't there." she said. i chuckled.

"it's called a migraine. they aren't fun alona. not fun at all." i said, clutching the ukulele in my hands.

"well they are the second version of the bible. a rainbow. it's blinding in a way." she said.

"i guess so buttercup. happy birthday." i said. she smiled.

"thank you josh." she said. relaxing into her pillow and adjusting her oxygen mask.

"i'll give you your present later. tyler and jenna are checking out the baby." i said. she smiled. tyler and jenna knocked on the door, with huge grins on their faces.

"we found out the gender early! it's a boy!" jenna screamed. alona held her hands to her ears and there herself back on the pillow and groaned.

"oh i'm so sorry i forgot you had a concussion." jenna said. tyler put his arm around her neck and kissed her stomach.

"oh my god congrats! we need a name." josh said.

"it needs to be perfect." tyler said. i laughed, turning to alona. who was mouthing something to herself. as if she was talking.

then alona put her mouth by my ear.

"river. the name has to be river."