Author's note: So, technically this is the last chapter :( However there will be an Epilogue that i will put up in the next few days and that should be considered the last chapter.
So, The penultimate chapter! Here we go...
**Disclaimer** (I should have put this on the last chapter too, oops) I have no medical knowledge, all medical info and jargon i have tried to research but if you realise something doesn't make sense please let me know and i will alter it :)
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The alarm continued to blare out around them. Lauren's blood ran cold as she watched Sinu steer a terrified looking Sofi away from the door and down the hall.
'What happened?' Lauren asked Alejandro, he looked the definition of shell-shocked, pale and wide eyed.
'I-I'm not sure, we were sleeping. The alarm just started going off, I don't know, I...I..'
'It'll be okay Mr Cabello.' Alex rested a reassuring hand on his shoulder just as the alarm cut off.
The abrupt silence was almost as startling as the alarm itself. Lauren could hear her own heartbeat pounding in her ears as the noise halted, before she could contemplate the implications of the alarm ceasing the door to Camila's room opened and her doctor stepped out.
'Okay, sorry about that it was just a false alarm.'
'Thank god.' Alejandro cried, 'She's okay?'
The doctor nodded, he was young and had floppy hair and too may pens in his lab coat but he was good at his job and always spoke to them like they were real people not just annoying extensions to his patient. 'She's not having a cardiac arrest.' He confirmed.
Lauren clutched at her chest; her pulse was still racing from the fright. 'Oh my God, I think I might be. Why the hell did the alarm go off then?'
The doctor smiled a little at Lauren's melodrama, 'Looks like Camila pulled her heart rate monitor off.' He clapped Alejandro on the arm. 'Your daughter is waking up, Mr Cabello.'
Alejandro's eyes widened the same time Lauren's did.
'You're sure?' Alejandro asked the doctor, his eyes glassy with hope and unshed tears.
'Yes, it is early stages but she is showing definite signs of emerging from her coma.'
'I need to find my wife, excuse me.' Alejandro walked quickly down the hallway in search of his family.
Lauren could not believe her ears. Two minutes ago she thought Camila might've died now she was being told she was waking up. Her mind was reeling but relief was spreading through her like an electric current, invigorating every cell in her body with renewed faith.
'So, she's awake now?' Alex asked the doctor.
'No, she isn't conscious currently. She's in the process of waking up, it can be a very a slow process and might be quite confusing for Camila. Patients can become very agitated during the emerging stages, it's likely she started to wake up and pulled at her wires. It's quite common.'
'That's good though right, that she is moving around?' Lauren remembered hearing that movement was a good sign.
He smiled again, 'It's a very good sign.'
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Camila's parents, Sofi, Lauren and Alex all barrelled into the room when the doctor cleared her for visitors a few minutes later. They all watch over her, waiting for any signs of alertness but Camila remained motionless for the next two hours.
The doctors had removed the ventilator when she started to come around and Lauren thought that without it Camila just looked like she was sleeping. She looked peaceful.
'Look!' Sofi exclaimed excitedly, pointing to Camila.
Camila's eyelids were fluttering, her head moving from side to side. She had a little frown on her face.
'Mija, can you hear me?' Sinu asked, grabbing her daughter's hand.
Camila made no sounds of acknowledgement; she just kept moving her head. A few seconds later she blinked her eyes half-open, slowly.
Lauren gasped at the sight of burnt copper irises; she hadn't seen Camila's eyes in weeks. It was startling and even more so when she noticed they were unfocused and dull, looking at nothing. Seeing nothing.
'Camila?' Sinu tried again but Camila gave no reaction. Her eyes blinked shut and she was asleep again.
It felt like climbing a mountain, celebrating at thinking you reached the summit and then turning around and seeing the rest of the mountain you didn't realise you still had to climb. She took a breath and sat back down in the chair she now called her own and waited.
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Camila continued to have these episodes of waking more and more frequently, but along with the joy of seeing her eyelids flicker open or her hands move there was the ever present worry of lasting damage to her brain. It weighed heavily upon them now, a constant shadow in the light of waking.
The doctors had always been clear that the true extent of Camila's accident would only become apparent when she was fully awake. They explained early on that the best sign that she had not suffered from any lasting cognitive damage would be if she acted on command, if she followed direction.
As yet, she had not.
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A few days later, Camila was taken for another CT scan to track her brain functions and Camila's family took the opportunity to get away from the hospital for a while.
Lauren stayed in Camila's room while she went for the scan. She enjoyed reading the cards sent by fans and friends that littered the window sills and cabinets around the room. They had received so may well wishes and cards and presents, too many to put in this one room. Alex was hoarding most of it at the hotel. Lauren was, once again, floored by the generosity of their fans.
The nurses wheeled Camila back in when Lauren was only halfway through the multitude of get well soon messages.
After the nurses finished attaching her back to the monitors and tubes, they left them alone. Lauren walked over and softly kissed Camila on the forehead and then brushed her nose against Camila's slightly colder one in an Eskimo kiss.
She pulled her chair up close to the bed and held Camila's hand; it was a familiar position now she had done it so many times.
'So, what shall we talk about today, huh? You're up to date with Pretty Little Liars and don't worry you haven't missed the new Gilmore Girls.'
'Sam, you know the orderly on your ward? He has asked Dinah out thirteen times now and she swears she saw him in the bushes outside the hospital the other day. She's pretending to be freaked but I think she's loving having a stalker. 'Lauren laughed. 'Oh and I got my cast off this morning. I can do things like a two-armed person would now. Here, feel.' Lauren picked up Camila's hand and trailed it down her own arm.
She was halfway up her forearm when Camila's fingers clamped down and grasped her arm. Lauren smiled at the now familiar gesture of wakefulness.
Camila's eyes fluttered open, Lauren noticed they were still unfocused and clouded.
'Hey, sleepyhead,' Lauren used her unoccupied hand to brush a finger up and down the bridge of Camila's nose, being careful of the feeding tube. Camila's eyes were heavy-lidded and still ringed with dark bruises. 'Are you going to wake up properly today, ya lazy butt?'
Camila squeezed her arm again.
Lauren narrowed her eyes at the physical response; she looked into Camila's vacant eyes and sighed. She had gotten used to coincidence, to her hopes rising and being dashed in the same moment.
That didn't ever stop her from asking though, 'Camz, squeeze my hand if you can hear me.' She moved her arm so her hand was placed under the younger girls.
There was no response. Dashed again.
Then suddenly a tight grasp.
Lauren's breath hitched. Coincidence maybe?
'Camila, squeeze my hand again.'
Squeeze.
'Shit.' That was not a coincidence, she had acted on demand, and she had listened to instruction. 'Camz, I'm here. You're okay baby, you're gonna be okay.' Lauren clutched Camila's hand desperately in her own.
Camila's eyes flittered over to Lauren's general direction, still bleary and not quite seeing, but she definitely tried to look at Lauren, definitely tried to follow the sound of Lauren's voice.
The thrill and overbearing relief exhilarated her so much she blurted, 'I love you,' because it had been on her mind since the crash and on the tip of her tongue since they met.
Camila's eyes dropped shut slowly but not before she managed one more squeeze of Lauren's hand.
It felt like recognition, it felt like Camila was saying it back in the grip of her fingers and Lauren burst out a laugh, the sound was wet and she realised she was sobbing. She pressed another kiss to the sleeping girl's forehead and went in search of a doctor.
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Lauren stumbled out of the shower to her phone ringing. Camila had been improving regularly since that day and new developments could happen at the drop of a hat. She took her cell phone with her everywhere she went now, just in case.
Droplets of water sprinkled over the screen as Dinah's face popped up on the phone.
'Hey.' Lauren answered, a little breathless from darting from the shower.
'She's trying to talk!' Dinah yelled without explanation. 'Get your ass down here!'
'On my way.' Lauren hung up, threw on some clothes over her wet skin and ran from the hotel to the hospital. It was half a mile, a journey she had done many times in the last few weeks. She skidded through the foyer and took the steps up to Camila's ward two at a time.
Dinah and Alex were waiting outside the room when Lauren ran up to them, her shirt was damp from her wet hair and she panted a greeting to them, feeling embarrassingly out of shape.
'We're waiting on Ally and Normani but they won't let us in anyway.' Dinah explained, 'It's just her immediate family allowed.'
Lauren nodded, still catching her breath. She felt antsy and uncomfortable in her clammy clothes. 'Couldn't you have told me that on the phone then I didn't Usain Bolt it down here?'
'I thought you could do with the work out.' Dinah sassed, poking Lauren in the belly.
'Hey!'
She was interrupted from her own feisty reply by the nurse exiting Camila's room.
'How is she?' Lauren pounced immediately, desperate to know what was happening in the hospital room.
'She's good,' the nurse reassured, 'she's answering yes and no questions and seems to be much more alert.'
'Can we see her?' Alex asked. The nurse looked at all there worried faces and opened the door for them.
They shuffled in and Lauren was hit with a wave of nervousness. She had only been concerned with one thing since the crash, getting Camila better. She hadn't considered what would happen after that. Would Camila remember their fight? Would she even want to see her? Would she use her new found ability to speak to tell her to fuck off?
She gulped as they created a semicircle around the bed. Lauren could see Camila's tired eyes focus on each of them, there was a concentration and alertness there that had previously been absent.
The Cuban's lips twitched at the sides and Lauren recognised the attempt at a smile.
'Hi.' Camila spoke.
It was croaked and quiet but shy and distinctly Camila and it was the most beautiful syllable Lauren had ever heard.
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One week after Camila regained speech, Lauren was on her way to visit Camila. She had been improving in strides that felt both huge and tiny. The younger girl had been inundated with visitors since she started to verbally communicate and so it was a surprise for Lauren when she walked into the room to find only Camila in there.
The brunette was propped upright by pillows and had significantly less wires attached to her body. She was holding a pencil awkwardly over some paper.
'Oh, hey.' Lauren waved gawkily, suddenly nervous. They had been in a room alone together plenty of times when Camila had been unconscious but this was the first time it had been just the two of them since she woke up. It put Lauren on edge.
'Hi.' Camila looked up from the paper. 'I'm tr-trying to write...my name.' her words were slow and sluggish but clear.
'How's it going?' Lauren dropped her bag on the floor and took her seat next to Camila.
'Not great.' Camila answered, she put down the pencil and picked up the paper to show Lauren. She moved slowly and imprecisely, like she was inebriated. She didn't seem to be in full control of her limbs yet.
Lauren looked at the incomprehensible wiggles on the page and smirked, 'I see no difference from your usual scrawl.'
Camila narrowed her eyes and shot Lauren a look that she thought was probably meant to be sardonic but she was on too many happy meds for it to be convincing.
Lauren couldn't look her in the eye properly anymore. Not when their argument hadn't been addressed, not when she was sure Camila wasn't well enough to hash out old issues. Blame festered within her and she felt like every time she looked at Camila the other girl would remember everything and tell her to leave. The worry was tangible and lingering.
Distracting herself, Lauren routed through her bag. Pulling out magazines and Pringles and nail varnish, anything to occupy her eyes and hands.
It was quiet for a while, until Camila uttered, 'Lauren.' So delicately and softly it caressed Lauren's ears. Until recently, Lauren had never considered the magnitude of someone you love saying your name. Now, it created a visceral response within her, a thrum that reverberated through her body.
She looked up, timidly. 'Yeah?'
'Don't blame yourself.' She advised and then went back to writing her name.
She still wasn't back to her usual self, she was blunt and often rude to people. Oblivious to many things and indifferent to others. Overly emotional sometimes and angry without warning. It was all part of the process but it was so not what she was used to when it came to Camila.
'Do you blame me?' Lauren asked, in a moment of bravery.
Camila frowned down at the paper, 'No.'
'Do you remember what happened before the crash?' She had promised herself not to ask Camila this until she was in better health, but the words came out unsolicited and she couldn't take them back now.
Camila nodded, still trying to hold the pencil securely in her uncooperative fingers, the level of concentration on Camila's face was immense and Lauren was distracted slightly by how endearing she looked.
But the moment caught up with her and Lauren felt shame heat up her cheeks, 'Camila I-'
'It doesn't matter, Lauren,' Camila made eye contact again. 'It doesn't matter at all.'
Lauren nodded in agreement, she just wasn't sure what she was agreeing to.
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Lauren was wheeling Camila through the hospital to the courtyard. She had recovered unbelievably well mentally, but physical she still needed work. She couldn't walk for prolonged periods of time but her physical therapy sessions were starting to help.
'I missed you.' Camila said, as Lauren pushed her through a gaggle of nurses in the corridor.
'Huh?' Lauren asked down to the top of Camila's head.
'I missed you, when I was in a coma.'
Lauren pulled a face and moved around Camila to press the call button for the elevator. 'You were unconscious, how could you miss me?'
She pushed the wheelchair in and they rode down to the ground floor.
'I was aware of some things.' Camila answered, as Lauren wheeled them out and towards the courtyard door.
When they were outside, Lauren put the brakes on the wheelchair and sat opposite Camila on the bench.
It was quiet outside, the birds were chirping and the breeze was blowing the trees around them. It was fresh, the air had a bite to it but the sun warmed them. Camila tilted her head into the sun and it glittered over her skin. She breathed in the fresh air and smiled. Lauren was mesmerized, and not for the first time she was struck by how lucky they were that Camila was still here.
'What things were you aware of?'
'Voices, snippets of converstauion. Especially when I was first waking up.'
'Like what?' Lauren prodded, intrigued.
'My mom crying, my dad praying in Spanish.' Camila had a look in her eyes, one that she had most of the time now. It was a look of significant sorrow, like she had been a part of something so poignant it had changed her somehow. Lauren itched to reach out and hold her when the look bled into her eyes but she daren't now, too scared, too unsure.
'There are other things though, like I remember Dinah rapping and I remember people touching me, it was reassuring. I remember feeling safe and peaceful but mostly...mostly I remember you.'
Lauren looked up in shock, 'Me?'
'Yeah, I mean just little things really. I remember your smell,' Camila laughed at the odd face Lauren pulled, 'It's weird, I know.'
'No, I think I heard someone say smell is the strongest sense.'
'I remember other things though, were you telling what happened in Pretty Little Liars?'
Lauren laughed and nodded.
'Why? I don't even watch that show?' Camila asked, bemused.
'Well, now you won't have to,' She grinned, 'and I had to keep talking to you and there's only so many times you can beg someone to wake up before it gets old. Apologising over an over was starting to wear a little thin you know.'
Camila's smile dropped and Lauren wanted to smack herself for her lack of tact.
'Lauren, there's nothing to apologise for, you did nothing wrong.'
'But we were arguing and-'
'Yeah we were arguing about a guy that threatened you, whom Alex tells me is now jobless, wifeless and been dragged to hell by social media.
'But I lied to you.'
'And I understand why you did, I get it. I forgive you, okay? Look at what happened to me, I could've died.'
Lauren looked away, choking up.
'I could've died but I didn't and it's made me realise that life is fucking short and it's precious and we need to cherish every moment with the people we care about because we don't know when they are going to be ripped away from us.' Camila had tears in her own eyes now, mirroring Lauren's own. Lauren was feeling a multitude of emotions towards Camila right then, the most prominent being adoration.
'I remember something else from when I was asleep.' Camila continued, leaning forward in her wheelchair and smirking at Lauren. 'I remember you saying that you love me.'
Lauren blinked a few times, 'You heard that, huh?'
'I love you too.' Camila confessed quickly and fiercely.
It startled Lauren enough that she gasped, the tears pooled in her eyes spilled over the edge and down her cheeks. She smiled; she smiled the biggest smile her face had ever worn.
'You do?'
Camila rolled her eyes, pulled Lauren towards her by the scruff of her collar. 'Of course you massive dork.'
'Rude.' Lauren grinned; she moved in closer and breathed in the scent of home.
'Just promise me something?' Camila asked, they were so close their lips brushed.
'Anything.'
'We do it right this time.'
'I promise.' Lauren pledged, and leaned forward.
And sealed it with a kiss.
THE END