11.
"Come on, you need to go home. Get cleaned up and get some sleep because seriously you look like shit." Baja's dad spoke to Steve, who was currently sitting in an uncomfortable looking plastic chair.
"But what if she wakes up? What if I'm not here?" Steve ran his fingers though his messy hair and gave a sad look to Baja lying in the hospital bed.
"You know what the doctor said..." Her dad slowly slumped into a somewhat more comfortable looking recliner near his daughter's bed.
"No. They don't know anything. She is going to wake up. She's a fighter." Steve said strongly. Though he was not sure whether he was trying to convince himself or her dad. Maybe both... They both needed a lot of reassurance lately. It's been too long that the two of them and Dean had been taking shifts watching over the unmoving body of Baja.
"Just go son. You know I'll call you." Her dad understood that he wanted to stay; both Dean and Steve practically had to drag him away after the first week of not leaving his daughter's side. That was how they came up with the idea of shifts.
Steve did not reply for a few minutes, but finally he sighed, "Fine." He gave Baja's hand one last squeeze before getting up and giving a sad smile that did not quiet reach his eyes to her dad, "See you tomorrow."
Her dad just nodded and took Baja's hand in her own, "Oh sweety, you have to wake up. What will we do without you? It doesn't matter what the doctors say. Steve's right. You'll wake up right?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I woke up to the smell of bacon and pancakes. Oh what a wonderful smell. It reminded me of the mornings I would wake up at my grandma's. My dad wasn't much of a cook - and I couldn't say I was either - so we never had this kind of stuff. It brought back so many memories, and it made me kind of sad to think that I would never see my grandma again...
But then something in my brain clicked. Wait... No. It couldn't be. That was just a dream right?
Slowly and carefully I slipped out of bed, my bare feet coming in contact with the ice cold floor. I shivered, wanting to crawl back under the covers, but instead I walked - or rather tip toed - out the door and followed the smell.
Sure enough, my grandma was cooking breakfast. I could not believe that everything that had happened last night had actually happened.
She must have sensed me because she turned around with a smile on her face, "Good morning hun. Bacon and pancakes are still your favorite right?" I nodded eagerly, just aware of how hungry I really was, "I even made some hot cocoa." She said as she turned back to the stove to flip a pancake.
"Do you know how much I've missed actual food in the morning?" I asked.
She just chuckled, "I could imagine. Your father never was much of a cook. I'm guessing you took after him in that?"
"Yeah." I said sheepishly.
"Well eat up." She gave me another warm smile that I had missed so much, as he placed a plate full of food in front of me. I swear my taste buds exploded when I tasted the food. Has it really been that long?
After I had stuffed myself full of my grandma's wonderful food, I took a shower and slipped my other clothes back on after my grandma had attempted to wash them as best she could.
Now, I was standing in the middle of this 'Spirit World' town center. It was hard to believe that all these people were dead. They sure did not seem like it. They were very lively. But every time I walked by a small child or animal, my heart broke just a little, it was just too sad. Grandma must have noticed, because she spoke up, "Don't worry about them. They're all happy, it's not like this is a place where everyone is sad. It's like... a new beginning in a way. Ask any one of them, they're happy."
