The Other Hummel

Aftershocks

            It was Brody; Louisa was sure of it. But why was he dressed in his Gabe outfit? She recognized the song: it was Aftershocks from Next to Normal. Had they performed the play? She didn't remember being on the stage. Actually, she remembered very few things at that exact moment. Her mind was very foggy.

They've managed to get rid of me,
Returned me to the grave
Ect, electric chair, we shock who we can't save.
They've cleared you of my memory and many more as well.
You may have wanted some of them but who can ever tell?
Your brainwaves are more regular, the chemistry more pure.
The headaches and the nausea will pass and you'll endure.
You son is gone forever though, of that the doctor's sure.
The memories will wane,
The aftershocks remain.
You wonder which is worse, the symptom or the cure.

Brody's performance sounded almost like an accusation. Gabe's words of sorrow sounded like she, Louisa, had done something that offended him very much. Hang on... she did do something: she had called the performance out, hasn't she? So why were they on the stage? Was that a stage? And why there was nobody and nothing else than the two of them? All she could see was Brody's face singing angrily very close to her; brighten by a strong spotlight on it. She knew she was there; she knew he was there. But where were they?

They've managed to get rid of me, I'm gone without a trace,
But sear the soul and leave scar no treatment can erase.
They've cut away the cancer but forgot to fill the hole.
They removed me from your memory, I'm still there in your soul.
Your life goes back to normal now, or so they all believe.
Your heart is in your chest again, not hanging from your sleeve.
They've driven out the demons and they've earned you this reprieve.
The memories are gone.
The aftershocks live on.
But with nothing to remember,
Is there nothing left to grieve?

Louisa woke up panting and her eyes needed a few seconds to adjust. She looked around not recognizing the room she was in or the bed she was laying on. On a second scanning, she turned her head just a bit more and saw Kurt sleeping very uncomfortably on a chair. It wasn't long after she started moving that he woke up in a jump and walked closer to her smiling:

"Good morning, boo; how are you feeling?"

"I'm... fine? I mean; I don't feel anything strange but I'm very confused."

He smiled sympathetically and reached for her hand:

"Well, the doctors said you'd be. What's the last thing you remember?"

"Doctors?"

Kurt stroked her hand kindly:

"We're in a hospital, sweetie. I'll explain everything to you later; but now it's very important that you try to remember. What's the last thing you have a memory of?"

She tried to focus and found out that her head was starting to ache.

"I remember being backstage for the show. Then something happened I can't recall and I'm getting a headache."

Kurt sighed worried but tried to hide it.

"What's wrong, Kurt? Why are we here?"

"Sweetie, Doctor Young told me that the most important thing now is to try to have you as calm as possible..."

She interrupted him starting to be very upset to been treated like a child: