In This Life (Sequel to 'In Another Life')

2 Colby's POV

"Choose who? "I heard a strained, dry voice answer. I would know that voice anywhere. I jerked my head back toward T, my eyes wide as I took in the sight of her open eyes." Cole ... "she started, then licked her lips. Denise shoved past me with a huge thermos of water, sticking the straw past Terra's lips. She sucked down a little, then weakly turned her head. "Go get the nurse, the doctor, who the fuck ever, GO GET THEM!" Denise yelled at me, not taking her eyes off of T. I didn't want to leave, but in that moment, I knew that Denise wasn't going anywhere. I darted from the room, and ran to the nurses desk. "She's awake! T, Terra, she's awake!" I yelled at them, motioning with my hands for them to hurry the fuck up. Drew and one I didn't recognize...she must be new, came running out from behind the desk, following me. We all jogged back to Terra's room, with me in the lead. "Is she okay?" I asked, running back over to Denise's side, needing to see T for myself. Her beautiful open aqua eyes met my own, and I wanted to cry. Oh hell, I did cry. I felt the tears spill from my eyes freely and I let them. There was no point in even trying to hide it. "T, oh my God, you're back," I sobbed, taking her hand and holding it to my face as I leaned down over her. "You came back to me." She barely twitched her fingers, trying to hold my cheek, but I knew instinctively that's what she was doing. She was weak, her body not wanting to move very well. I guess laying in a hospital bed for a couple of months would do that to you. The nurses surrounded her, checking her vitals, and asking her questions on how she felt. Denise and I stood back, away from her, but I kept my eyes on her. She was awake. Her eyes were bright and full of life, her pale skin flushed a little. She was beautiful, even after being in a coma for two months. I wrapped one arm around Denise's waist in comfort, and waited for the nurses to be finished so that we could have our moment with her. The doctor came in then and started her assessment. I made sure that we were completely out of the way because I didn't want them to ask us to leave. There was no way that I was leaving. It seemed like forever before the nurses left, leaving the doctor to speak with us and Terra. "Well, it seems like everything is okay. Your body is weak and you will need some physical therapy and I'd still like to run a few tests, just to make sure, but from the initial assessment, I believe it's safe to say that your body has healed itself quite well Ms. Brooks." Terra smiled at her, and my heart almost stopped. I had missed that so so much. That smile that was just so full of joy, and life, and it hit me straight in the chest. "You'll begin physical therapy tomorrow, in the hospital, but if everything is fine, you should be able to go home by the end of this week. You will continue PT in an outpatient facility, and I'll send you home with some steroids, and pain medication to help you out," the doctor continued. I watched Terra's face crease in worry, but she didn't say anything. "Terra, you can refuse them," Denise blurted out, then bit her lip. Terra met her eyes, then looked back to the doctor. "I'm a recovering addict. I can't have narcotics," she replied. The doctor nodded, and opened her chart back up on the computer screen in front of her. "Okay, then we'll send you home with the strongest ibuprofen but you will be in pain. You've been given narcotics here, when you first came in, before you fell into the coma, but nothing since. You should be fine with that aspect." She turned back to face Terra. "This is going to be hard, especially without pain medication. You're going to cry, and be in so much pain that you'll probably wish that you were dead. You'll be tempted to call me and ask me to prescribe you the meds anyway. I'm asking you now, while you're clear headed, do you want me to prescribe you the meds after today, or would you like me to refuse you?" Terra bit her lip, looking worried. She looked down at the bed, and started playing with a stray thread that was on her blanket. "Deny me," she said quietly, not looking back up. "T, it's okay. You're gonna be okay. We're all going to help you through this. We love you," I said quietly. She looked back up and met my gaze. "I know Colby. Thank you for being here." I smiled at her and looked back at the doctor. "I'll get the nurse to bring in a waiver because you're going to need to sign a form stating that you are refusing the medications, and that you would like me to refuse them to you, should you ask for them. Okay?" The doctor asked, looking at T sternly, making sure that she understood. T nodded. "Okay." Dr. Alexis nodded at her, then patted her leg over the blanket. "You're going to be okay Terra. You've got an amazing support system. The amount of people I've seen coming and going from your room is insane. Honestly, you would think that you were famous or something with everyone trying to get in at the same time." She then looked at Denise and I. "These two though, they haven't missed a day. Every single day, they've been here. You've got something special with them." She smiled, then said her goodbyes and walked out. Denise and I slowly walked over to T's bed, unsure really what to do. "I'm not contagious, you guys, oh my God," T answered, her voice still a little croaky from being dry. It was the most beautiful sound that I had ever heard in my life.