3 Stepbrothers

The Kingdom Has Fallen

"Mommy don't take her." I heard Suzie say. Her head was buried into dad's arm. "I know you miss her mom but please don't take her. She's my big sister I need her. I need her to give me all that stupid girl advice for when I get older. She may not be the girly-est person but she promised to teach me how to wear make up when I'm fifteen. She said she'd shop with me when I go to Prom. She's the only person I have left mom." Suzie sobbed and took a sharp in take of air. "Don't take her."

Blake's grip tightened around me until Cole decided to join. His head came against mine but I kept my eyes tightly sealed and clung onto my brother like my life depended on it. Blake didn't seem to mind. He kept whispering small things like, "Don't worry. It'll all go away." Or, "Just sleep you guys. When you wake up it'll be over."

I couldn't sleep though. If I fell asleep again something could happen. I wouldn't sleep now. I'd stay awake and watch over Tori so nothing would happen. Maybe if I focused hard enough, I could transfer positive energy and make sure nothing bad happens. At the idea my voice said, You're crazy.

I'm trying to stay positive.

It didn't answer but I didn't care. It was still about twenty minutes before a doctor came out to speak with us. A lot had gone in the room, sometimes coming out but rushing down the hall to get someone else. We were left clueless. Doctor Garcia had been called and walked in without giving us a glance. When he came out he had a small smile, "She's fine."

The pressure in my chest floated away. Exhaustion creeped in me as the nerves in my stomach whispered away like leaves in the wind. I sighed out in relief like the rest of my family. "She's not...dead, right?" Blake asked.

"No." Doctor Garcia said. "Sometimes comatose patients go into these cardiac arrests. We're trained to bring them back. A coma doesn't effect the body. Just the brain. So we have tools to keep the body alive while the brain tries to repare itself."

"She's ok now right?" Cole asked. I couldn't find myself to talk. All I concentrated on was my breathing. I took deep breaths, in and out. In and out. My heart rate, that had picked up in the scare, was slowing down.

"For now yes." Garcia said. I could feel his eyes on me. I looked up at him but he then glanced at Suzie. "Usually when I have a patient like this I give the same advice to all the families."

Blake frowned. "What's that doc?"

"Get back to your regular lives." He said. "You all have school I assume. Warm beds at home that are much more comfortable than the chairs in the room. Plus," He looked at mom and dad, "You probably have jobs as well. We'd of course call if anything happ-"

"I do not have a job." Bill said with a half smile. "So I'll stay here with my daughter if that's all the same to you."

Garcia nodded. "As for your family, I just suggest getting back to the regular routine."

"It doesn't work like that," Blake said. "My sister was part of my regular routine. You can't expect us to go home and act like everything is...normal."

I closed my eyes again. I didn't want to have any part of this conversation but I listened to it. The metallic taste of vomit was still present in my mouth. There was just so much in my eyes. I was exhausted from what just happened. That was the biggest scare of my life. At least with my dad I had held onto hope but knew he probably wouldn't make it. I thought Tori was gone. I thought she'd never come back. Like she really did join my dad. I couldn't handle that, I wanted to sob under a rock and never come out.

"That's not what I meant," Doctor Garcia said, "I'm sure you boys have friends at school. Maybe sports. I'm just saying it'd be best to get back to that to try and clear your head. It's your choice though. But sooner or later you'll have to go. I'm sorry, you just can't stay here forever."