Taking Chances (Official Second Draft)

Chapter 21

"But not without complications..." Dr. Piccard trails off.

"What do you mean complications?" I ask.

"Her brain began swelling towards the very end, we're waiting for her to wake up, but there is no promise." He looks down to the ground. "I did everything I could." I stand there numb.

"She might not wake up?" Matt asks.

"We are watching her vitals very closely, and her brain activity. As of now there is still activity, we are keeping a close eye." I stand as still as a rock.

"Where is she now?"

"She's being transported to the ICU. You guys can see her tomorrow, you both still are patients here. You need to be in bed now."

"There is no way i'm going to sleep right now." I cut in. All of them look to me.

"Can Naiomie sleep in my room? Is there any way?" Matt looks to Dr. Narissa.

"Normally, no. But I'll tell them they can put her on a temporary vital machine like they checked you with earlier. Only this once."

"I said I'm not sleeping. I want to see my sister."

"Baby, listen to me. They are watching her, and you have gotten no rest in the past almost seventeen hours. Come and just lie with me." He looks at me with his soft hazel eyes. I instantly go soft.

"Do you both promise that if ANYTHING happens, you will let me know immediately?" I stare at them.

"Of course." Piccard says. "We all need to get some rest." He takes off his scrub cap and walks out of the room. Narissa hot on his tail. I look to Matt and sigh. He walks over and engulfs me into his body.

"It's okay, It's over for now. You need to rest." I let out tears of relief and also still anxiety. He slowly rubs my back. Trying to keep steady as he holds me.

"Cmon, let's go."

|~|

"Let me just attach this to your finger.." The nurse puts on my pulse oximeter onto my finger. "There we go, you both are set. I'll be in throughout the night to check on you guys.." She looks at us both with weary eyes. "Get some rest." Matt thanks her as she closes the door. No lights, not even the one that runs across the sink. I feel his arm wrap around me and pull me in close. I lay my head against his chest, hearing his familiar heartbeat.

"I've probably been such a bitch today...I'm sorry."

"You haven't been. There's a difference between exhaustion and bitchy."

"I just hope she wakes up."

"I have hope that she will. Like I said, I'm holding that hope for you."

"I'm still scared, to have hope. I don't want to be crushed all over again."

"I know.." He trails off. "Let me tell you something."

"Hm?" I hum softly.

"Remember when we met, four years ago."

"How could I forget."

"You met me, when I was in a place...it was so dark. I didn't have any hope. My parents were rarely there, even though I was just a kid...I truly had no one." I heard him start to choke up.

"We don't have to talk about this-."

"And then I met you. I was too afraid to have hope, just like you are right now. But no matter what, even when I was in and out of the hospital you were always there for me. You always had hope in me. You held my hope, just like I'm doing right now, for you."