Blown Apart

14

Lexie Grey POV

Bronte eyes flicked between the window and her lap avoiding eye contact with me. I could see she was trying not to get emotional. She was doing better than most people and especially at her age most being would be in tears.
"Lexie... Lexie Grey." Bronte mumbled looking at me for the first time. I stop fidgeting and standing awkwardly and look back at her.
"Yea that's me!" I said and regretted it afterwards, god why am I so awkward.
"You... talked...talked to me... all the... the ... time. Right?" Bronte said, I assume she meant during her coma.
"Yea I did."
"And you once... once said that you...that you... that you... will be honest with me, right?" I nod in response not really sure what I am agreeing to.
"So you have to...to...to answer my q... q... questions honestly?"
"Tiger... I mean... Bronte. I will answer them as honestly as I can, okay?" I say not wanting to promise anything to her that I can't.
"Why do you...you...you call me... Tiger?" She asks looking at me.
"When I found you, I didn't know your name. You responded to my voice, when you were in a coma and had very server injuries and yet you were still fighting. So I just called you that. But I know your name now so I can just call you Bronte." I finish and can tell I rambled at the end but she just nods.
"Okay. How are my... siblings?"
"They are okay. Cody is okay, Brynlee arm is badly hurt but it will fix in time and Cece is still in the hospital but just under supervision as she had some heart issues." I finish not wanting to overwhelm Bronte but I already feel like I have.
I watched her carefully as she stared out the window, flicking her eye line between the window and her lap.

"How long was I...um... out for?" Bronte questioned i smiled at the her wording but knew exactly what she was trying to say.
"A few days." I stated I knew it was longer but I couldn't bring myself to freak her out more than she already was.
"And how...how... many d... days do you mean by a...a... few?" Bronte questioned was a given and I should have seen coming.
"Just over a week." I couldn't lie to her i knew that it was better to just tell her the truth.
"A week?" Bronte question but I knew that it didn't need an answer.
The room filled with silence once again. I didn't know what to say to her it seemed as if she didn't want to talk at all.
"I don't really... wanna talk anymore. Sorry." Bronte said looking out the window. I knew the questions she really wanted to ask she couldn't, she couldn't bring herself to even talk at this stage. Which I could appreciate she has done more than most and is reacting better than anyone would think.
"It's fine, do you want me to go?" I asked knowing I could leave her alone to process but I don't know what she wants.
"No." She replied simply. 

I sat down unsure what i was meant to do. She seemed just unsure as i did. I couldn't read anything about her emotions. She was just staring, I thought she maybe crying about her leg or where she was by the way her siblings talked about her needing her leg. But maybe this is it maybe she won't do it in front of me. A stranger she met only moments ago in theory. She may have heard me but only really saw who i was. But then how can she really know whats going on right now. Maybe her brain can't handle all of it, maybe she is just waiting to break down when...

"Lexie... Dr Grey..." 

"Uh huh, sorry." I said not knowing how long she had been trying to get my attention for.

"When.... my parents come back in...in ...in, are you or the other... other...other doctors going to stay in the room?" she asks almost nervously, but I can't tell if she is worried about being alone with her parents or worried about us being in the same room as her.

"We will probably give you some time with your family alone your siblings maybe able to come see you too but that's up to your parents most likely. Can I ask why?" Bronte shrugged unsure if she didn't want to tell me why or didn't know why she asked she may just be trying to fill the silence. 

"When are they coming in?" 

"I don't know most likely soon. They are just talking to Dr Robbins about...well..."

"Me." Bronte was smart i'd give her that. When she wanted an answer she would get it. I would love to talk to her when she is fully functioning again. She is lucky to be in this good of state while waking up. 

"When... When...my... when... my..." I could see her getting confused and annoyed quickly this was all normal but to her it most likely just freaked her out. I moved forward and grabbed her hand reassuring her I would wait and that she didn't need to rush. 

"It's okay this is normal. You are speaking and moving better than most by a lot. I swear. Just breathe,okay?, I'm here."

"my... mom leaves later... will you come back...back...in" She says looking at me directly so I knew she meant it. 

"Yea, your mom may stay with you though but if they leave, I will come in if you like." 

"I just... don't wanna... be...alone." 

"I promise, to come, you will not be alone." she moved her free hand to her head. And it seemed to be the first time it clicked that her hair wasn't there. It seemed like all of a sudden it was too much. She stopped and didn't say anything but i saw her face and that was the first time it seemed that she put her barrier down. Her face broke my heart, she was trying not to cry and it proved that she really was strong. Most people would have cried from the moment she woke up knowing what she did. And her holding it in was brave. She took a minute a squeezed my hand i squeezed it back showing her that I was there. She wanted to brake down but she stopped herself not sure who she was being brave for but i wanted her to know she didn't need to be.

"Tiger... I..." I didn't know what to say because truthfully I didn't know. But luckily I didn't need to as her moms walked in. They walked over to Bronte and I moved away to stand next to Dr Robbins. They walked to her and hugged her and i saw Bronte attempt to smile at them and pretend like she doesn't want to cry. 

"We will leave you alone for now, we will be coming to check on you later. Dr Grey." I followed Dr Robbins out of the room and turned to her so I could still look through the door. 

"How was she?" Dr Robbins questioned.

"She didn't complain of being in any physical pain. Her sentences were mostly broken up except for a few which is understandable. She is doing well she could move her arms and still think about sentences and what she is trying to say. Mentally she is trying to keep it all in, I don't think all of it has hit her yet. She nearly started crying and was starting to get worked up about her head but as soon as her parents walked in she acted fine. She doesn't want to be left alone either. She seemed to not want anyone else to know that so i said when or if her parents leave her later i would go back in there with her. But she is awake." I finish looking at Dr Robbins for an answer. 

"Okay, well you get some sleep and we will get someone to page you when her parents are leaving and someone will go in and check. Her being awake though is about to get a whole lot harder for her and her family, so be ready for that Dr Grey but kids healer quicker than adults so lets keep her spirits up." Dr Robbins said turning away and writing the information i told her. I take one last look in the room before walking to an on call room to have a nap while I still can.