The Patient.

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After the life-changing surgery, Aaliyah was in and out of sleep. Haunted occasionally by flashbacks of the accident. Some nights she swore she heard the sound of Ginuwine's voice in her hospital room. Other times she'd find herself calling out his name just before she woke.

Nights in Mekka Creek were dark and chilly.

She spent most of them tasting tears.

The walls she grew tired of seeing and the television no longer interested her.

Visits from friends and family had lessened. Although Belinda was a very busy woman, she always tried to make time to pay a visit. Here and there. It pained her to see her daughter become a shadow of the young woman she once was. This energetic ball of life had now been sucked dry of all fun and hope of the future.

Her back was always turned whenever Belinda paid her visits. Until one day, she couldn't take it anymore. Her hand rubbed along the side of Aaliyah's wet face. "Sweetheart, look at you." She began in a worried motherly tone. "Do you really think this is how G would've wanted you?"

"I-I can't do this." Aaliyah forced out then bawled. 

"Now, now..." Belinda consoled. "If you are my child then yes you can that's one thing we Haughtons know how to do best and that is get through trying times."

Her mother's words came at a time that she needed them. Though she didn't want to hear it. Who would giving the situation? She knew it was true. So she tried putting a little effort into getting better.

Unlike before she even attended rehab. She groaned while using the heavy equipment at the rehabilitation center to stand up. The jazzy vocals of Amy Winehouse — Rehab replayed from her pink headphones.

They tried to make me go to rehab
I said, no, no, no
Yes, I been black
But when I come back,
you'll know, know, know.

Aaliyah almost slipped but caught herself in time then flinched at the aches that came from moving around so quick. Giving up sounded easy, and she thought about it a lot hence the reason she was replaying this song. She blasted it loudly, so the others in the room heard too. Even though the song was referencing a different kind of Rehab, Aaliyah felt her pain and applied it to her current situation.

"And it's not just my pride, it's just till these tears have dried." She sang along before that loud music went completely mute. Causing her to pat at her ears almost slipping again as Tupac grabbed hold of her before she could touch the floor. Her eyes landed on his arm which was secured around her waist then back up at his smiling face.

'Ooh! I just need a friend' Amy's voice flowed through the headphones that were also in Tupac's hands.

"No, music," he said before helping her back up on the equipment. She yanked away almost falling but once again he saved her from meeting the floor.

"What do you all expect us to do here then?" she asked before realizing how silly that sounded.

"Learn to use your muscles again like everyone else around," he replied anyway which made her roll her eyes. He guided her on the equipment; she hated being victimized even when she clearly needed help. They stared at each other even when she wanted to avoid doing so, her eyes always found his.

"I can't do this!"

"Yes, the hel- pardon my french but yes, the hell you can." He tried cheering her. "I've seen people come in here who've been through worse than you and they start back walking."

"Yeah, well, I'm not them," she responded.

"You're right which is what makes you so different." He said. "But just as important."

She wanted to smile at that but her sadness wouldn't allow it.

"Maybe today isn't my day but I'll try again tomorrow."

"Dust yourself off." She jokingly dusted at her shoulders which made him laugh before she moved to the exit in her wheelchair.  

Fatima was walking in to pick her up for the day. "You didn't tell me his fine self was here," Fatima whispered to her "I would've dressed up."

"Bye, Aaliyah." Tupac waved.

"She said 'bye to you too, Sexy'...." Fatima lied which had Aaliyah blushing hard. And if she wasn't so uncomfortable, she would've slapped her best friend straight across the face without hesitation.

"Why would you do that?" Aaliyah questioned as Fatima pushed her out into the hallway.

There little Harley waited with the hugest smile on her face. "I got you, Lili." Harley offered before taking over the wheelchair. 

"What? You have to admit that man is fioneee." Fatima dragged the last word. "You should be thanking me for hooking you up with him and not myself."

"Hooking up?" Aaliyah repeated in disgust. "There will be no hooking up on my part."

"Baby girl, you need to hook up with something." Fatima suggested. "Ain't you tired of being single?"

"Don't you got a lot of nerve?"

"Nope! What Josiah and I are going through is different besides I have gotten some recently." Fatima defended.

"Some?" Aaliyah pondered.

"She means sex." Harley answered.

Aaliyah's jaw dropped at this kid, yet she was even more shocked that Fatima felt the need to share that. "You could've kept that to yourself." Aaliyah frowned.

"Harley, stay in a child's place little girl."

Harley giggled to herself.

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A/N: After keeping you all waiting for soooo long I can finally say that this story is officially COMPLETED. Now all you guys as the readers have to do is vote, comment, and leave feedback if you want updates consistently. Thanks for being patient with me and this story. You won't be disappointed.