The Mute (Bradley Simpson fanfic) *Editing in progress*

Chapter 13

Cecilia's P.O.V

*One week later*

So I'm still in the hospital. The doctors say I won't be able to leave for a while. I'm having physiotherapy to get me walking again. It's agony though. I'm sure I had some spinal damage, although the doctors say that my operation has repaired most of my injuries. I've started physiotherapy to build up my muscle strength back up. Since I was shockingly able to make some noise, I'm also having some speech/vocal therapy too, but that's not really working honestly. I've just finished a physio session and I am exhausted. 

I'm lying back in my bed when I hear Connor walk in with the other boys. "Hey sis how are you doing?" He signs. Too tired to sign back, just I roll my eyes and turn my head to face him. He sits on the chair beside me. "That bad, huh?" I nod and yawn. The throbbing sensation in my back is really irritating. I can't get comfy and I can't move too much because my body still aches. I glance over at the other two boys. Wait...just two? Where's Brad? I look at them enquiringly and Connor sighs, "Brad didn't want to come... something about hospitals giving him the creeps?" James laughs, "What a wuss." They talk to me for a while and I feel myself beginning to doze off. But all of a sudden, I unwilling flinch quite sharply and a sharp pain is in my back. 

It's so painful that tears roll down my cheek. The boys see and instantly call a doctor over. I'm given pain relief and then taken for x-rays and a scan on my back. Soon I'm back in my bed and soon I find out the results of the x-ray and scan. Some of the nerves in my spine are trapped between two of the disks that have been forced together. Which means a surgical proceedure. When that is done and I'm awake again, the boys stay with me until visiting hours are up. They head off  and a nurse checks on before I  settle down for the night.

*A few days later*

I'm in the middle of a physio session when i notice the boys walk in. It should be my last physio session. I'm able to walk around normally now. My body still aches a lot but, I can manage. I still can't speak though. As soon as the session is ended I run over to Connor and hug him tight. Then I give James and Tristan a quick hug. Brad isn't here. I feel kinda sad that he never came to visit. Anyways i'm walking back to my room and the doctor walks in shortly after. She assesses me and then says, "You can go home today."  Then she begins to walk out but as she does Connor says, "I know my sister is able to make a few sounds now, which is definte progress, but is there any chance she'll be able to properly speak again?"  The doctor stops and gives him a sympathetic look. "Based on her progress with speech therapy and the irreperable damage to her vocal chords, I'm afraid it's still highly unlikely." She turns to me, "I'm so sorry." In response i just shrug and Connor gives me a gentle hug. 

I'm not all that surprised. It's what I expected and I'm okay with that, I'm used to comunicating in the way do. I know Connor is disappointed though, he's always been hopeful about it even though it's basically impossible.

*Later that day* 

So I'm back on the tour bus with the boys. Brad hasn't even so much as glanced at me. I know something is bothering him. Why won't he talk to me? Connor, James and Tristan are playing on the Xbox so I head off to where the bunks are and find Brad sitting in the aisle, propped against his bunk. Slowly I sit beside him and place a hand on his arm. "B-b-b-b." I croak and he looks up at me. But he doesn't speak. I give him a look as if to say 'What's wrong?'  He sighs and brushes my arm away. Then he gets up and is about to walk off. "B-b-b-b." I croak after him, furious with myself for not being able to speak. I too stand on my feet. "B-b-b-b."   I'm screaming inside my head as he walks off. Brad! Come back! Talk to me! Please! Don't shut me out.  He doesn't even look back. It's so frustrating. He's been brushing me off, ignoring me. And never even visited me in hospital. That stuff about hospitals giving him the creeps is a load of rubbish. He's been avoiding me and I don't know why. Stop ignoring me!

Quickly I lunge forward, grabbing his arm, trying to pull him back. He turns to me with a glare as he yanks his arm free. "LEAVE ME THE F**K ALONE! I DON'T WANNA BLOODY TALK TO YOU! F**K OFF ALREADY!"     I take a step back in shock, my eyes enlarged as I see his nostrils flare and his eyes narrow. Gulping I bite my lip, frozen to the spot, as he scoffs and storms off.  I then don't see him at all for the rest of the day.

In the evening I take refuge in my bunk, doing a few little sketches in a new notebook. I have my earphones in and am bobbing my head casually as I draw. I'm in my perfect little bubble. But my mind keeps going to Brad. I don't know what's up with him or why he keeps getting so mad at me. Eventually, after getting tired of losing focus, I put down my notebook and turn onto my side, trying to get some sleep.

We stay hugging for a while. I don't know why, but it feels so right, I can't explain it.

 Brad's P.O.V

I'm so glad Cecilia is okay. With her here in my arms, an immense relief washes over me. She's safe. She's here, back with us. Where she belongs. There's this strange feeling I get when I am around her.  It feels so right. I can't explain.  But there's no better feeling that knowing she is okay and she isn't mad at me or blames me, even though it wasn't truly my fault.

After a while, we separate and we just sit talking.