My Heart Holds Onto You *COMPLETED*

Chapter 23

*AN: Fair warning, I'm not a doctor, so if I get anything wrong or it sounds stupid, I apologize!*

Brenna's POV

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      My eyelids felt heavy, like they were being pushed down by some unknown source. I tried to move my legs but they felt like boulders. Where the hell am I? What is that annoying beeping sound? Why can't I move? Where's Siva and Tom?

     I was snapped out of my thoughts by the sound of a door opening and closing, along with the angelic voice of Tom. "She still didn't wake up yet?" Woah, he sounded extremely tired, his voice was hoarse and scratchy, like he'd been crying for hours. I felt movement next to me but couldn't place it.

    With all my strength, I slowly opened my eyes. Everything was blurry at first but pretty soon an exhausted looking Tom and Siva came into view. I tried to speak but my throat was on fire, it felt like sandpaper, so all that came out was a stupid sounding grunt. 

      Their heads snapped towards me and they look relieved. "Brenna, oh thank God, I was so worried," Siva said as he stood from the chair next to my bed and smiled warmly at me. I wanted to speak so bad, I had all these questions, but my throat was killing me. I gestured for them to bring me something to drink.

      Seev grabbed a glass of water from the table next to my bed and I gulped it down within record time. He gave me a bit more and I gulped that down as well, the cold liquid feeling like heaven. My throat was still scratchy but it was tolerable. "Why am I in the hospital? What happened?" I looked between the two of them. They looked uncomfortable but Tom walked to the other side of my bed and took my hand in his, stroking it gently. 

       "Do you remember anything at all?" Why would he ask me that? "The last thing I remember is going to Nareesha's neice's birthday party, Kelsey walking in, and that's about it. How'd I end up here?" They both sighed and looked down, avoiding my gaze. "Guys, what happened?"

      Tom was the first to speak. "Well, after Kelsey walked in you went upstairs to use the restroom, I guess, and you were gone for quite a while. And I had to ask you something so I searched the house for you but couldn't find you. But then I heard a loud bang so I rushed to see what it was." He paused for a moment as though, he was pained about this memory. "Y-you were unconscious and being pulled by your hair up the stairs by Isaac. Rage just sort of took over me, then police got involved, and you've been in a coma for about a week."

      I stared at them with wide eyes. Tears formed and I let them fall. I cleared my throat and decided now would be a good time to talk, but so many questions filled my head. "W-what happened to Isaac? Where is he now?" 

      Tom gently wiped my tears. "He's been arrested. The police saw how bad the damage was that he did to you, and I told them what you told me about him. And it turns out, after you left him when you were younger, he did the same thing to his new girlfriend. They've been looking for him for quite a while. He won't be out until he's in his eighties."

     I don't know what came over me but sobs wracked my body, but I cried joyful tears. I was happy, relieved, fearless. I felt free. There was no more hiding away, no more sheltering myself, no more looking over my shoulder to make sure he wouldn't pop up. I was free and I couldn't feel happier. I smiled at the both of them as more tears fell. 

      Just as I calmed down, a doctor walked in. He smiled politely at all of us, then focused his attention on me. "Hi, Brenna, I'm Dr. Karp, how are you feeling?" I nodded and smiled. "I'm feeling a bit better."

     He nodded and wrote something down on the clipboard he was carrying. Once he cleared his throat, he continued. "Now, Brenna, I'm not one to beat around the bush, so, I have some good news and bad news." My heart stopped a bit but I tried to stay hopeful. 

     "The good news is that everything is perfectly in tact. Your blood work is clear, your vitals are good. But, the bad news," he sighed and looked me straight into my eyes, "You're paralyzed from the waist down."

       WHAT?