Hades

hospital bed

Stella

I blinked, closed my eyes and slowly opened them. Everything was hazy and bright. Too bright. I shut my eyes again.

A warm hand gently squeezed mine.

Adam? Taylor maybe?

I tried again and blinked the haziness away.

The room was stark white. I shut my eyes.

The hand was gone, a contact was flipped, and a much nicer darkness was on the opposite side of my closed eyes.

I opened my eyes, finding the light turned off.

That I could handle.

The warm hand squeezed mine gently again. I turned my head. Slowly and careful. My body felt weird. As if it wasn't mine, but someone else's. Nothing felt quite right.

Adam sat beside me, his black glasses framing his blue eyes. He smiled. "Hey sis."

I nodded meekly. Weakly maybe even. "Tay?" I asked.

"She'll be here later. She's working."

I tried the nodding again.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like I'm stuffed." I whispered.

Adam smiled. It was the smile I adored.

"Dad?"

"Work," he sighed. "And Donna is busy."

I didn't expect her to show up. The thought warmed. That she wouldn't come.

"Should I call dad?" he asked.

I shook my head ever so little.

The door was opened, and a tall person in a white coat entered. Long hair and no glasses. Not Taylor.

"Good evening, Stella," the gentle, female voice said.

I nodded ever so little.

She smiled. "Do you know, where you are?"

"Hospital," I muttered. "What happened?"

"What do you remember?" the doctor asked, shining a bright light into my eyes.

I shut my eyes and tried to move from the light. The headlights were directed at me. I didn't want to fall again.

"Hey," Adam said. "Nothing is happening."

"The headlights was coming for me." I whispered.

"You were in a car accident," the doctor said. "I have to see if your pupils are reacting like they should."

I grabbed Adam's hand and let her shine me in the eyes. It made my eyes tear up.

"Okay. You hit your head pretty hard, but the swelling has fallen, and there is nothing to see on brain scans."

"Adam, you'll tell me when she's gone," I muttered.

"Of course," Adam said.

"So, just to be sure. Can you move your toes?" the doctor asked.

I tried. "I feel like a teddy bear. Filled with stuffing. Am I moving?"

"You are," Adam said.

"You are on a lot of painkillers, Stella," the doctor lady said. "Can you move your fingers?"

I squeezed Adam's hand and fisted the other.

"Good," the doctor said. "Sleep, please. It will be good for you."

I nodded and looked at Adam. He smiled. "You need to shave." I whispered.

He smiled. "I know."

The lady doctor said some more things. I didn't listen, and then she left.

"Stella, you broke you femur, and your arm was in a pretty beat up condition when you got here."

"What does that mean?" I was so tired. But I wanted to see Taylor!

"That you'll have to be in a wheelchair until your leg heals. You sprained your wrist pretty bad, you elbow the same, and you'll have to be very careful for a long time."

I shut my eyes. "That's why I feel so wooly?"

"Yeah," Adam said. "Your hipbone was fractured as well."

"What does it all mean?" I whispered.

"You'll hurt for a while."

I looked at him again. "When will Taylor be here?" I whispered.

"Soon," he promised.

I nodded. "For how long do I have to stay here?" A beeping noise had made its entry. I couldn't block it.

"I don't know," Adam said. "It depends how you're doing."

I sighed.

The door was opened, and a tall, blond girl stepped inside. "Stella!" she yelled-whispered.

Taylor sat down next to Adam and squeezed my hand so gentle, it didn't feel like a squeeze.

I smiled a weak smile. Her hair as pulled back in a French braid, her blue eyes bright behind her black specs.

"Has the doctor been here?" Taylor asked Adam.

He nodded. "It seems as if everything is as it should be. But they'll keep an eye on her for a while before she's discharged."

Taylor nodded. "I've been so scared, Stella," she said. "I've missed you."

"Missed you too." I muttered sleepy.

"Hey, sleep, we'll drop by tomorrow."

"Not Donna," I said.

"No, not Donna," Adam confirmed. "Sleep, sis."

I let sleep pull me down and fell into a dream world of dark, dark eyes and happy kisses.