Alex Carter: A Red Band Society Fanfiction

Want to Be Remembered

Nurse Jackson wandered over to the table my mom was sitting at. She was staring out the window, in a very empty room. Nurse Jackson wanted to talk to her, but knew my mom didn't really want to hear anything that was going to come out of her mouth. When she reached the table, she set down one of the two coffee cups she'd been holding. My mom turned and looked at the peace offering and decided to take it.
"Look," Nurse Jackson said, sitting down, "you were right. I should've told you about Nick. At the time, I isn't want to complicate an already complicated situation. But getting into your family's business there's just no excuse so, I'm sorry."

My mom looked at her, and began to smile. "That's okay," she began. "It's not even about that anymore. I think I wanted it to be about something as simple as that, but Nick's right. Nothing's ever going to change. You guys have done all you can. If he hasn't woken up by now, he probably never will."

Nurse Jackson sighed. She couldn't imagine what she was going through, as my mother, the mother of a comatose child. "Mandy, you can't think like that. Now is not the time to give up."

"I'm not giving up," she defended, " it's more like, accepting the truth. All this time, after that night, everything I've done, shutting out Nick keeping my head down, I've just been holding on by a thread for myself, and it's time for me to think about what's actually right for Charlie."

Dash sat in his room, with Brittany fussing over the tubes that connected him to the machine. HE breathed slowly, savoring each breath.

"Alright, I'm going to leave you to it, just call me when you're done," she said perkily and left him alone.

He sat on his bed, really thankful for the fresh oxygen, especially after the day's adventure. By the time they got back, he felt his lungs being closed off, so he wasn't as upset when he was told he needed a tune up. In fact, he welcomed it.
Dash looked up to see Kara saunter into the room. "Hey," she said, sitting herself down on one of his various beanbag chairs. He looked at her, unsure of why she would willingly spend time with him, seeing as they had completed their alliance. "So, maybe today was a bit much," Kara asked, seeing him hooked up to his tubes. Dash nodded, unsure of where the conversation was going. "Should I be feeling bad?" Kara continued, "Cause I can muster it up if need be."
Dash just gave her a thumbs up. "Well it was pretty fun," she added, "granted, my bar is super low at this point." He just stared at her, waiting for her to continue. "But, you'll be okay, right? I mean, your tune up is almost over, you'll get your new lungs, and...yay! Right?"
Dash sighed, removing his mask, so he could set her straight. "Maybe. If I decide to have the surgery. And that's a big if."
"What are you talking about?" Kara cut in. "Why wouldn't you have the surgery?"
"'Cause. New lungs work, but for how long? You know? I mean, it's not like I'm gonna suddenly start living a normal life. I gave that a long time ago."
Kara just looked at him, waiting for him to continue.
"Parents are still bending over backwards for me, so if I did have the surgery it would be for them. Me? I made my piece. It's not like I'm gonna live forever."
Kara nodded, finally understanding, at least a little.
"I just want to be remembered," Dash finished.
Realization hit her. "That's why you painted something ons roof that no one will ever see?"
Dash nodded. She almost got it. Almost.