Hope from the Ocean: 20

Returning from the cafeteria, Todd and Blair were approached by a medical staff member.  "Mr. and Mrs. Manning?"

"Yes," Blair said.  She felt Todd's hand go to her back.

"I'm the attending physician for Sam.  He's taking a bit longer than we'd like to come out of it.  He's still unconscious, and it's been over eight hours."

Her heart skipped several beats, and she wavered.  Todd took her arm, and said, "Come on, sit here."  She obliged, and he said, "Doctor, what does this mean?  Is he going to be all right?"

"We need him to come around within the next hour or two, or we may be facing a problem.  The sedative wore off hours ago.  We may be looking at a brain injury, if he does not respond."

Blair's hand was to her mouth, and her fingers were trembling.  Todd's hand immediately went to her head, and he stroked her hair, still standing to finish the discussion with the doctor.  "What can we do?  Is there anything?"

"Go in and speak to him, attempt to get him awake and alert.  Otherwise, it's a matter of time to determine our next steps."

He sat down and took her in his arms, and she grabbed at his shirt, urgently.  Her shaking was overtaking her, again, and Dorian was attempting to get her to breath more regularly.  Todd looked up at Timothy, whose face was grim and creased.  The older man put a hand on Todd's shoulder, and Todd felt himself begin to crumble, but fought it with everything he had.  He said aloud, "Well, folks, what are we waiting for?  Let's go wake Sam."

***

The house was silent, and Starr, sleeping in Sam's room, opened her eyes when she heard a noise in the hallway.  Pursuing it, she thought it was going to be Tina, up with Ray, but instead, she saw Jack, sitting outside Sam's bedroom on the floor.  He was against the wall, his knees up, and his arms dangling off them at the wrists.  She sat beside him.  "Hi," she said.

"Hi.  I woke you?"

"Sorta."

"Sorry."

"No problem."

"Something's wrong with Sam, Starr.  Mom and Dad haven't called us or brought him home."

She grimaced, then said, "We were just there, remember?  It wasn't that long ago.  Only about 5 hours since we left."

"It's almost three in the morning.  It's been a long time.  He's . . . something's wrong with him."

"He's resting."

"I can't sleep.  I have two major tests tomorrow, and I can't even close my eyes or study.  Neither thing works."

"How's the school with all this stuff?  Do they make exceptions?"

"If I have a note, I can go to guidance, I guess.  They will probably have no problem believing me.  They think we're the crazy family anyway."

"Why do you say that?"

"Heard one secretary say it when she didn't realize I was in the office.  The crazy family."

"Well, it's better than the broken family, I think."

He closed his eyes, and leaned his head back against the wall.  "I know.  We're together.  Yeah, it's better than the broken family."

"Yes.  Sam will be okay.  I can feel it."

"I wish I could."

"He'll be home driving you nuts soon."

"That's what I am hoping.  Really hoping."

***

"Hey Sam, it's Dad.  Come on Buddy, open your eyes.  Can you?"  Todd said.  The little boy did not respond to his words.  Blair was in tears, with her head on Timothy's shoulder.

"Todd, do you remember the day when Sam was copying me?  He drove me crazy."  Dorian said.

"No, I wasn't there for that.  Tell me about it?"  Todd said, grateful for a train of thought to pursue in trying to get his son back to earth.

"He would copy everything I say.  At breakfast, at dinner, in the hallways, on the way to school, anywhere.  Everything I said, he would imitate.  It was totally infuriating."

"I can imagine that.  He was playing with you."  Todd said, "And when he wakes up, I'm going to congratulate him."

"Todd Manning!"  Dorian put on her most incredulous, indignant act.

"That's my name, lady, don't wear it out."

"I certainly will!  After all, you earned it, wear it!"

"Want me to start copying you?  I can, if it will shut you up."

She put her hands on her hips, and Timothy raised an eyebrow.  He whispered to Blair, "These two really have a mutual love hate thing going on, eh?"

Blair nodded, still worried about her child, so small and still in the bed.

Todd continued, "So, would it?"

"Would it what?"  Dorian asked.

"Shut you up?"

"Never."

"Figures.  What the Hell could?"

"I'll have you know, Todd Manning, that you are the most unscrupulous, uncouth, tasteless creature I've ever met.  And I mean that."

"Well, thank you, Auntie Dorian.  I wouldn't have it any other way."

The room got quiet, and everyone looked to Sam, in the bed, his leg lifted slightly in a ceiling sling, his arm in a cast, and bandages over his head and parts of his face.

"Sam?  Can you hear me?"  Todd said.

Nothing.

Blair walked to the bed, crying, and said, "Sam, it's Mommy.  Please?  Can you talk to Mommy?"

Nothing.

"Blair, as your aunt, I am going to tell you that you have to go and lie down.  This is not good for you, and you're starting to tremble again.  You have to calm down, Dear."

"I second the word of Dorie," Timothy said, "Ya have to stay strong for all of your babbys."

She looked at Todd, as if for help.  He said, "I know, Babe.  I know.  But you want to bring that baby into the world healthy, so she and Sam can be brother and sister, and that means you have to listen.  Your hands are ice cold.  You're shaking, and look at you, Babe.  Your eyes are swollen, your nose is red.  Please.  Go on and rest.  I'll get Sam talking.  Trust me."

Did he say that?  Did he just make a promise that he would bring Sam to?  Now, he had to make good on it, and a sick feeling crept into his gut.  What if he couldn't?

Timothy escorted Blair out of the cubicle, and Dorian approached Todd.  Putting a hand on his shoulder, she stood directly behind him.  He looked at her hand, and then up at her.  She said, "This is hard on you, too, Todd.  Don't think we don't know that."

He tried to push the non-existent mass in his throat back down, and the pang of sadness with it.  Dorian continued to speak, quietly.  "I'll never forget what I have seen you do for my niece, Todd.  You're quite the man she has said you are.  And I know you're hurting, and it's all right to let that go."

He couldn't gain control as the tears flowed, and he lowered his head to the bed, near Sam's uninjured wrist.  Dorian stood still and strong behind him, just slightly moving her hand to the top of his head, and making one long caress down his head and back to his shoulder.  He pulled himself together, and said, "I have to make him come out of this.  I promised Blair."

"I heard you.  She'll understand if you can't."

"She thinks I can do anything I set my mind to, she thinks I have some mystical way of protecting all of them."

"Do you?"

"No.  Sometimes I have trouble living up to that.  But somehow, so far, it always worked out.  She begged me with Sommer, and I couldn't do anything.  And she lost her."

Dorian's heart was splintering listening to him through his emotion, explain himself, his guilt and his deep sense of commitment coming clearer than he probably expected.  She said, "Through no fault of your own.  And neither is this.  Things happen," she said, and didn't notice Timothy coming through the curtain behind them.  "This is not your fault.  You're a man, a father.  And I dare say, a very good one, Todd."

He wiped his eyes on his sleeve, and she rolled her eyes toward the ceiling.  Then she said, "Now, maybe you need a break."

"I can't leave him.  Sam's what's beautiful in people.  I can't leave him until he talks to me."

"I understand, but maybe some rest and try fresh."

"No.  The Doctor said they want him alert soon.  I can't go, not yet."  He put his head back onto the bed, more propped on his chin this time.

Sam's hand twitched by his father's face.  No one caught it.

"You should get some rest.  You're a mess, Todd."

"I know but, just a little while longer.  I'm going to tell him Spiderman stories.  That might help."

"I don't think it's a good idea."

"A good idea," a voice whispered.  Dorian and Todd both turned to see Timothy.  

Todd said, "Was that you, Dad?"

"No, Son, I was just listening.  It wasn't me."

They turned back to the bed, and Todd's eyes widened.  Dorian said, "My God."

"My God," Sam said, dreamily.

"Sam, you stop that this instant," she said, louder, leaning over toward him.

He opened his eyes.  "Sam, you stop that this instant," and then he smiled, before his face turned down and crinkled.  "Dad, it hurts."

Todd wanted to grab his son off the bed and hold him, and instead, he was careful to lean over and kiss his forehead, more tears springing forth.  "Hey, Buddy, I'm sorry it hurts.  I love you.  You're okay."

"I love you too, Dad.  Where's Mom?"

"She's resting, Sonny.  I'll go and get her for ya."  Timothy vanished.

"Sam, I'm so glad you're all right," Dorian said.

"Me too, but I feel real bad."

"Sam, why did you do this?  Why did you jump?"  Todd asked.

"I thought it would be fun.  I thought it would be soft like cotton.  It guess it wasn't."

"You scared your mother and me," Todd said, sitting back down.  

Dorian leaned over and kissed her nephew, and then said, "Todd, remember what I said.  I meant all of it," and went out to the waiting room to make room for Blair.  She ran into Timothy and Blair ran right by her, pushing through the curtains.  Dorian looked at Timothy and said, "Could I be wrong about that man?  Maybe there's no one on this earth that belongs with Blair more than he does."

"I'm glad to hear ya ask it, though I dare say, ya must have known it in here, for a while."  Timothy said, touching her collarbone gently.  "Let's go to the penthouse.  I'll make ya feel warm and cozy."

She smiled, and leaned into his shoulder, where he kissed the top of her head and walked her out.

Blair, ripping the curtains apart to get inside the cubicle pushed her way to Sam's bed, and he called out, "Mommy!" and his face crinkled again with tears.  

She leaned down and kissed and comforted him.  "Sam, oh Sam," she said.  "Mommy was so scared.  Daddy was too."

"Mommy, Dad cried.  I heard him."

She looked at Todd, and he simply shrugged.  She said, "Of course he did, he was afraid of losing you."

"Mom, I'm sorry.  I shouldn't have done it."

"No, you shouldn't.  But I am just thanking God you're all right."

"It hurts Mom, everywhere."  His little tears were still running.  Todd had Sam's hand and was suddenly impossibly exhausted.  "Dad?  What happened to your hands?"

"Nothing, I had a little accident, that's all."

"Your father dug you out of the snow,"  Blair said.

"He did?"

"Yes.  He did, and Shaun, and even Mixie."

"Mixie?  Really Dad?  Did he?"

"He did."  Blair could see that Todd was dissolving in front of her.  The physical energy he had spent rescuing his son alone could enfeeble him, not to mention the emotions, and the fear.  She said, "Sam, I am so happy that you're all right.  Dad and I have to go home and rest, though.  Is that okay?"

"Yeah, that's okay.  You both look really bad."

Blair laughed and Todd said, "Hmf, thanks a lot, Pal."

"Really Dad, you look the worst."

"Thanks again."

"We'll be back in a few hours, okay?  Are you all right here?  I'm going to send Starr back over to be with you, how is that?"  Blair offered.

"That's good, but I'm tired Mom, I probably can just sleep if you sing to me first.  Then I'll just rest and see you later."

Todd pulled up another chair and Blair sat in it, and then Todd transferred her son's hand into hers.  

Tell me why the stars do shine, 
tell me why, 
the ivy twines,  
tell me why 
the sky's so blue, 
and I will tell you, 
just why I love you.

Because God made the stars to shine.
Because God made the ivy twine
Because God made the sky so blue
Because God made you, 
That's why I love you.

Halfway through the second verse, Sam's eyes were fluttering closed.  Blair turned to Todd, and touching his scar, continued singing softly.

It seems to me
That God above
Created you 
For me to love.
He chose you out 
of all the rest
Because God knew
I would love you best.

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