Since You Been Gone

Since You Been Gone: Chapter 6

*Apologies for the shortness, there'll be another update tonight!*

When she finally snapped out of her daze, Dawn looked out of the 8th floor window into the darkness...

"What time is it?" she thought to herself.

Her eyes couldn't focus on the lamp posts just outside of the Hospital entry down below, or on the fifteen or twenty cars now left in the almost empty parking lot just outside... It was as though her eyes were filled with water, nearly blinding her, making it hard for her to see.

Then, she realized it was the steady rain streaming down the window that hindered her sight. She didn't have any tears because she was in shock. Replaying in her mind was every tiny detail that had played out over the course of the day. Going from fear mixed with sublime happiness at knowing that she was carrying the baby of the only man she had allowed herself to love this much. Ending up with the fear that he would never be whole again, not to mention all that happened in between.

Dawn began to feel heat rise from the tips of her toes to the top of her head. Anger. It wasn't at Que anymore. He had been through enough. He couldn't make up for what he had done more than he was making up for it this very moment. Her anger was dedicated and focused on just one source... Aubrey.

Just as Dawn began to allow herself to feel the seething anger she had felt earlier in the day when she went after Aubrey, she heard the frantic clicking of Drea's 5 inch heels on the hard linoleum floor behind her.

"DAWN!" Aundrea shouted.

All of the nurses at the station nearby seemed to hush her at the same time.

"Oh, sorry..." she turned and said softly.

She turned back to her destination. "Dawnie?" Drea said with the concern of a sister... As soon as Dawn turned from the window and saw her friend's face she silently, but almost uncontrollably began weeping a river of tears she hadn't cried all day... ever in her life that she could remember.

Even when she and her family lost everything in Hurricane Katrina, she didn't really cry... she just moved on, did what she had to do. But, this time was different. Had Aundrea not moved fast enough, Dawn might've crumpled down onto the cold floor, but her friend rushed to her and held her up. Drea couldn't help it either, and she wept now too.

"Oh, honey," she said as she rubbed Dawn's back. "He'll be okay... He'll be okay." She seemed to know that Dawn's fear for this man she loved so much was the source of her deepest pain at the moment.

When there was a pause in the intensity of her cries, Aundrea lifted up Dawn's face, brushed away her hair, and looked directly into her friend's eyes.

"Dr. Mathison couldn't give me any details, but he told me the basics. Dawn..." she said in the gentlest voice, "Go in there right now and tell him how much you love him."

Dawn shook her head and tried to speak, but all she could muster was a "N-no... but I-I..."

"DAWN!" Drea said, more determined this time, "You are the one person he needs to see right now. He needs you there with him, taking care of him this time. He needs to be reminded of your love for him and he just needs to know that you've forgiven him. Honey," she continued, "it's just you and him, nobody and nothing else matters."

Dawn nodded her head, took the Kleenex Aundrea offered, and dabbed the moisture from her cheeks. She wanted to be strong for her first baby, for Que. As she walked back down the hall towards the room, she was surprised to see Robert sitting in the small waiting area just across from the door to Que's room.

"Hey," he said in a concerned voice as he stood up to give Dawn a kiss on her cheek. "Drea called me and I rushed over there to swoop her up. We came right away."

Dawn nodded her appreciation. She still couldn't say much for want of choking back tears.

"He's gonna be alright," Rob said, "I heard him calling your name!"

Dawn's eyes lit up, even behind the tears still present in them, and she said "Thank you" in a whisper. Dawn slipped into Que's room...

"Baby?..." Que said in a weak voice as he focused on her form coming into the room. Q reached out his hand for Dawn, and she ran to him immediately, grabbing and kissing his hand, and sitting down at his side. Que began to weep, physical pain, the memory of the day's events, regret, and relief that his baby was by his side.

"Don't cry baby," Dawn said as she leaned into him and nuzzled her face into his neck. "I'm here..."

"I'm so sorry... I-" Que tried to attempt.

"I know baby, I know" Dawn said as she assured him with the look in her eyes, and the squeeze of his hand that she still loved him...

*Thanks to all who have read and voted on this story! Comments are also greatly appreciated, just to let me know your thoughts and if you're enjoying the story, another update tonight!*