Insomnolence |Ryden AU| ✔️

~20~

Doctors rush into the room in an instant, pushing us aside like we're not even there.  They crowd around his bedside, staring down at him like a caged animal, and he looks scared, his eyes stretched wide as he frantically looks around at the mass of people surrounding him.  He can hardly move because of all those needles and wires attached to him.

He's alive.

"What happened, Dr. Holland?"  a female doctor questions, icy blue eyes narrowed.

"Nothing.  He just....opened his eyes,"  Dr. Holland explains, looking baffled beyond belief.  I don't think I've ever seen a man so puzzled before.

He's alive.

Sarah tightens her grip on my arm, watching the wild mess of a scene unfold before us.  He still hasn't spared us a glance, just keeps his terrified eyes locked on all the doctors circled around him.  I can't even imagine how confused and frightened he must be right now.  Waking up after nearly seven weeks to a bunch of pristine doctors crowded around you and dozens of needles and wires jabbed into your body?  Terrifying.

The female doctor with the icy blue eyes touches his arm; he jumps back and whips his frightened gaze to her, like her finger is made of hot steel.  "Ryan?  Can you hear me right now?"

He only stares back at her, his brows furrowed and fear glimmering in his gaze.  Why isn't he speaking....?

"Blink once for no and twice for yes,"  the female doctor goes on.  I don't like the harsh tone in her voice.  Don't treat my Ryan like that.  "Can you hear me?"

There's another moment of silence, but then, he blinks his eyes twice; I can almost feel the relief surging through the room.  He's responding to us.  If that isn't a good start, then I don't know what is.  But why can't he talk?  I know he still has a mask over his mouth, but people can talk through those.  I'm starting to get nervous.

"Do you know where you are?"  Dr. Holland butts in, casting the female doctor a sharp glare.  It doesn't take a genius to realize they don't like each other.

He turns to stare at the male doctor now, his eyes still wide and his chest heaving with fearful breaths.  They're scaring him.  Why do they have to stand so close to him?

He blinks once.

"You're at Summerhill Medical Center,"  the female doctor--I want to say her name tag says Dr. Brookes--explains.  "Do you remember what happened to you?"

Another doctor prods at one of the wires in his arm; he tenses, tries to move away, but his movements are restricted.  God, he looks so terrified.  They're treating him like a science experiment, not a human being, a human who's just been through hell and back.  Give him a break.

He blinks once again.

"You were in a coma for nearly seven weeks,"  Dr. Holland says, and when he gets a puzzled look, he elaborates.  "You were hit by a car early one morning.  You suffered from some serious internal bleeding, broken bones, and brain trauma.  You were also severely malnourished and dehydrated, but luckily we were able to get some of those needed nutrients into your bloodstream while you were unconscious."

He looks absolutely horrified by what he's just been told, and if I were in his position, I'd be panicking, too.  If I woke up from a coma and had no idea where I was or what I'd been through, I'd have a heart attack.  I just want these aggravating doctors to leave so I can tell him everything's okay.  I missed him.  God, I missed him so much, and now he's alive.  I never thought I'd see this day.

Dr. Brookes flashes her threatening icy blue eyes to Sarah and me then, her thin lips pursed into a straight line.  "Do you recognize these people, Ryan?"