Austin Carlile Is My Father? (#Wattys2015)

Wake Up, I Know You Can Hear Me

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Austin

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Sienna sat by herself in the waiting room. Everyone had gone home except for Ryan, Emia, Oli, Alan, Hannah, Josh, and himself. She sat cross-legged on one of the chairs, peering out the window. It was the second day of Noah being in a coma. 

Ryan and Emia were still in the room with Noah, but Sienna didn't mind. At least, it didn't look like she minded. She looked calm and at ease. 

Austin rubbed his nose, trying to stay awake, but it was becoming a struggle. He needed to stay awake for his daughter. She needed him. Austin yawned loudly and slumped against the wall. Alan was fast asleep. Oli and Hannah were cuddled with each other in the corner of the room, sleeping. Josh was curled up in a chair, sleeping. But not Sienna. Sienna was still staring out the window, an odd look on her face. 

Austin yawned again, this time drawing the attention of Sienna. 

She looked over at him, her eyes misty. Instantly, Austin felt his heart break. Her eyes had dark bags under them and she looked like she hadn't slept for days. 

"Dad?" She asked, her voice cracking in the middle of the single syllable word. 

"Yeah, sweetie?" Austin asked, pulling himself from the wall to walk towards her. 

"Dad, I'm so - I'm so tired." she yawned after she spoke, her eyes closing and overflowing a little with tears. Austin frowned. 

"I'm sorry, baby. Do you want to sleep?" 

"I don't want to miss Noah." Sienna replied, her voice a bit slurred from her tiredness. "And I just want to-to-I-" She shook her head, her eyes widening a little. Austin found himself smiling a little. 

"C'mere." Austin said, crouching down on the ground and finally sitting, his joints cracking and popping. He leaned against the wall and gestured to Sienna. She climbed off her perch on the chair and scooted over to where Austin sat, basically sitting in his lap. He arranged his limbs so she was cradled in his embrace and he held her close to his chest, her head resting right over his heart. "If you go to sleep, I promise you, I'll wake you up when Noah's ready to see you." 

Sienna nodded against his chest. 

Austin felt a pang of guilt run through him. There was a potential chance of Noah not remembering her, and he told everyone not to tell her. He knew it was a poor decision, so he cleared his throat. 

"Sienna, there's something I need to tell you." 

Sienna mumbled a barely coherent response. 

"Sienna, the doctors say that when Noah wakes up…he might-" 

"He might forget me?" Sienna breathed, her body trembling. Austin tightened his grip around his little girl. 

"How'd you know that?" Austin asked his eyebrows shooting up. Sienna sighed heavily, her head burrowing a bit in his chest. 

"It happens in all of the movies, doesn't it?" Sienna's voice was so shaky, it made Austin's throat tighten a bit. "The girl falls for the guy, but the guy gets in an accident of some sort and either forgets the girl, or dies." She sniffled. "And he's not going to die, so he's just going to forget me. Right?" 

Austin felt his throat tighten. "No, of course not. There was a slight chance of that happening-" 

"But there's always a chance, right?" Sienna asked, pulling away from him to look him in the eye. "Right?" 

"Sienna-" 

"Just tell me I'm right." Sienna bursted out. "I need you to tell me that I'm right."