Authors note: Again we'd like to start off by saying thanks to dj for continuing to work with us and make this story, our story a reality.
And a special thanks to LF for just being amazing ;)
To address a couple of things that we have been constantly messaged about, the separation of "pov" is truly just where each of us start and stop our individual writing with little thoughts that make it feel more personal, no it will not change. And lastly yes this is supposed to be in the incest category.
Thanks for all the support.
Anna and Nick
Anna
Panic, fear, anger, heartbreak. Every emotion Anna could imagine hit her at once as she got off the phone and ran to her car. Forgetting her school bag and her instrument, she sped out of the school parking lot. Breaking any and all traffic violations as she drove. Assuming the worst, hoping for the best, all while repeating the same thought over and over.
"
He can't leave me like this. Not now. Not after.... Please no."
In a flash she was pulling into the ER parking, barely coming to a stop before she was already out the door flying past concerned staff. Knowing exactly where to go, no one could stop her. Arriving at the door, his door, she froze, feeling woefully unprepared for whatever was behind this door. Slowly turning the handle, she pushed the door open. The large machines beeping, the tubes running across him, the bags of fluid tied to his arms. Fear took over as the dominant emotion as she ran to his bed and dropped to her knees. Feeling a strong, warm hand on her shoulder lifted the weight on her chest a little as she turned to see his uncle. "What happened?" Anna managed to whisper through streams of tears and sobs.
"He took a nasty fall. The crane failed and started dragging him through the trees."
He responded through a few tears of his own. Continuing with what happened, he told her that even though Nick was able to free himself from the crane, he couldn't get free of the truss. With 400 pounds of wood pulling him down towards the ground there was nothing left he could do but fall.
"We found him standing in a small clearing in the forest dusting himself off. When he looked up and saw us, he gave us a stupid shit-eating grin then collapsed. Falling forward onto his face we saw the foot long tree branch impaling his back."
Feeling worse about the situation, Anna slid closer to the bed taking Nick's hand into her own, she leaned in and kissed his hand and laid her cheek on the bed. Gazing up at his peaceful face she continued to cry. Giving them some time alone, his uncle left the room. The now eerie silence was made even more somber by the piercing punctuation of the heart monitor. An hour passed before a nurse came in to check his fluids and chart. Wanting to know more Anna, asked to speak with the doctor. Nodding the nurse quickly left to fetch the surgeon.
Only a few moments had passed, but to Anna it felt like an eternity before the doctor came in. Moving to the other side of the bed, the doctor looked at a few screens before coming back over to Anna, extending his hand. "My name is Dr. Collins, the nurse said you had some questions?"
"Is he going to be okay?" She asked, shaking his hand, never moving from her spot.
"Well, it's tough to say at this point. He suffered a massive intrusion through his back, severely damaging his liver. We were able to stop the bleeding and save most of the liver."
Listening intently as the doctor listed off the rest of the damage, four bruised ribs, two bruised vertebrae as well as a dislocated hip, a torn rotator cuff and significant head trauma.
"Will he wake up.?" She barely managed to ask.
"That's up to him now, we've done all we can, but he's in a coma, he needs to keep fighting."
With no more questions the doctor left to give her space to process. The ventilator sounds driving the pain deeper into her mind, unable to move she sat there just holding his hand. "Please Nick, wake up." A few hours later the nurse came back to do another check and to let Anna know visiting hours for non-family was over. Silently nodding, Anna let go to get up and leave.
Nick
Falling, cracking against a limb, pain shooting through his body. Vision blurring, Nick felt more and more branches beating against him. The ground quickly came closer. Closing his eyes, Nick prepared for the impact, but nothing happened. He felt his left hand grow warm and wet, love washing over him. Looking around, he was stuck, there was nothing, just a blinding light that felt so safe, so familiar. Quickly bleeding away the light started to fade.
"No, don't leave me... please!"
Jolting awake, flooded with pain, he reached out and grabbed Anna's hand, startling her and the nurse. Forgetting about his injuries Anna quickly leaned over on top of him to hug him, crying into his shirt. Not wanting her to let go, he quietly groaned when she put pressure on his ribs.
"Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry I didn't mean to hurt you!"
She said getting up and taking his hand once again. The nurse had already left to get help and came back in with the doctor to extubate him. Asking Anna to step back the nurse deflated the balloon holding the tube in, carefully sliding the endotracheal tube out causing Nick to go into a coughing fit, adjusting to breathing on his own again. Finally calming down Nick took in his surroundings. "I thought I was gone." He said, acting surprisingly calm.
"Well son I definitely didn't expect you to come back this soon that's for sure." The doctor said, looking at the chart.
"After tonight, as long as everything stays this positive, you might be home in time for dinner. We tried reaching your parents but haven't had any luck."
"Yeah, good luck with that. They are probably on an island somewhere with their phones in the bottom of the ocean." Nick said, looking around for something to drink. The nurse handed him a cup and the doctor laughed at his remark even though Nick was serious. Settling back down in the bed he finally realized how much numbing pain was radiating from his back.