The Scariest Days of Our Lives (Big Time Rush Fanfic)

Chapter Six

"We got a surprise for you," Mama Knight said as we entered the hospital about a week after Carlos's last surgery. "Shh, Katie!"

Katie bounced around as if she desperately wanted to tell us the secret. After her mom told her to keep quiet, she zipped her lips and held them tight.

James groaned. He probably didn't want another surprise like the pop quiz we had that day in science. I don't think he was prepared.

"It's a good surprise, I promise." Mrs. Knight led us in a direction we weren't used to going.

When Mrs. Knight led us to a set of elevators we had never seen before James, Kendall, and I shared a look. Katie had a big smile on her face. I knew she was bursting to tell us the news.

When we got on the elevator it clicked in our brains. We jumped up and down with great joy.

"CARLOS IS OUT OF ICU!" The three of us shouted.

"Yes!" Katie fist pumped.

When the elevator door opened on the fourth floor we took off like rockets even though we really had no idea where we were going. We didn't know what room Carlos was in or even where that room would be located. Mrs. Knight led us to a set of double doors and when we opened them we got the biggest surprise of all.

At the other end of the hall was a ten year old Latino wearing his hospital gown, hospital socks, and a black helmet shuffling along with the aid of a metal walker and the help of a woman that I have come to decide looked a lot like Kelly, though we didn't know Kelly back then so we didn't know she looked like our future manager's assistant.

"Carlos!" James, Kendall, and I shouted. We had stopped running when we came to the double doors, but upon spotting him we picked up speed.

We ran into him, almost knocking him over, wrapping our arms around him. He was on his feet, walking! Yes, he was using a walker, but he was on his feet, not to mention the fact that he was no longer in ICU. Carlos was improving. This was a great sign.

"Careful," the nurse told us.

We let go of Carlos and he regained his balance.

"This my nurse, Marie." He carefully tapped her arm.

"Hi, I'm his occupational therapist." She smiled at us showing her big white teeth.

"This my friends, Kindle, James, and Logie."

"Logan," I said quickly out of reflex.

"I heard about you three diligently visiting Carlos every day. Carlos is lucky to have such great friends as you. All right, Carlos, we need to keep going. You can walk with us. We're going up and down this hall three times and right now we're on the second lap."

Carlos moved really slowly, but we didn't mind. We were just excited that he was walking at all. We didn't care if it took us an hour to get down the hall, which it did not. He moved a bit faster than that! James brought up an accident Jenny had that day while holding up a bandaged left index finger.

"She gave me a paper cut."

"I had those," Carlos replied.

"I had to go to urgent care and have them perform surgery." Urgent care—a totally viable place to have surgery. I wouldn't exactly call what James had surgery, but well, I guess, maybe technically.

"Surg'ry?" Carlos asked.

"The paper was imbedded in my finger. I don' know if I'll ever be able to use this finger again," James sighed dramatically.

I rolled my eyes. James always was the drama queen, I mean king.

"You know," I brought up, "Jim Henson died from a paper cut."

"Who?" James, Kendall, and Carlos asked.

"He, um, created the Muppets."

After the third time up and down (our second time, his third) we entered Carlos's hospital room, number 436. Inside we found Mrs. Knight and Mrs. Garcia talking, Katie trying to read a book she checked out of her school's library, and one of Carlos's little sisters, Nina short for Carolina, talking to a cloth doll.

"Carlos!" Nina ran to her brother, dropping her doll as he entered the room. Only four years old, she had been too young to visit him in ICU but she was very excited she could see him in his regular hospital room. She was also really happy that he remembered her. She had heard stories that Carlos didn't remember things, but he remembered his baby sister.

"Carlos did well today. Tomorrow, I want to move you up to four laps and we're going to start getting dressed," Marie said to Carlos and his mother. "You'll need a t-shirt, a button down shirt with lots of buttons, a pair of regular blue jeans, socks, and sneakers with laces."

"Need help?" I asked as Carlos stood by his bed still holding onto the walker and his sister while looking confused.

"Let him try it himself," Marie suggested.

Carlos let go of his sister and the walker at the same time. He lost his balance and basically fell into his bed.

"Good job, Carlos!" Marie said even though Carlos looked like he wanted to cry. "He needs to try to do everything for himself first. It's the only way he'll get better. I'll see you tomorrow, same time, okay? Don't forget the clothes, Mom."

As soon as the therapist left Carlos burst into tears.

"I'm never get better, am I?"

James, Kendall, and I ran to his bed. Nina stood there looking scared. James picked her up and placed her on the bed next to Carlos after we helped him get situated comfortably.

"You're getting better all the time," Mrs. Garcia assured her son.

"Yeah, when you first came in your speech was pretty bad," James said.

"You couldn't do many things for yourself," Kendall continued.

"You didn't remember us," I said.

"And you couldn't wear your helmet," Katie added.

"Now look at you," Mrs. Knight finished.

"Don't be sad, Carlos," Nina contributed. She hugged her brother tightly.

"I'm no sad." He returned the hug and lightly tickled her side causing her to giggle.