Though the accident happened at night, it wasn't morning until Holly's unconscience body reached the hospital she would be staying at. This was due in part by the fact that she was first revived at the scene of the hit and run, then at a bigger hospital who began admitting her and then realized that they were out of rooms, and then she was transfered to a smaller hospital out of county. Kyle had been keeping up with her waiting for Kale to arrive, since Kale had been boarding a plane when Kyle called him.
As soon as Kale walked into the hospital, Kyle threw his arms around him sobbing. This shocked Kale on two counts. First, because Kale had never even met Kyle and second he was still processing the fact that Holly, his Holly, had been in a horrible accident. Kyle blurted, "It's my fault! This is all my fault!" Kale was in no condition to comfort anyone, but tried to pull himself together.
Kale grabbed the younger man's shoulders. "Hey, Kyle, listen to me..this is NOT your fault, okay?..We are going to figure this out. Why don't you go find the cafeteria, okay? Go get something to eat." Kyle nodded, trying to stifle his sobbing, he had never cried harder in his life! Kyle turned and headed up the stairs to the cafeteria.
Once Kyle had left, then and only then could Kale begin to gather his own thoughts. He was still in disbelief and shock. He turned to the nurse who was typing furiously on a keyboard. "Miss, I need to know if I can go see my wife-" Kale took in a deep breath realizing that they still weren't married. He regained his composer. "I need to know if I can see Holly Graham now." The nurse didn't even look up. "We are still processing her and Dr. Baxter has her in xrays now, just a few more minutes, sir."
Kale sat in the lobby, which was as empty as a tomb. This little hospital hadn't been his first choice, but he really didn't have a say in the matter. The doctors and nurses were just trying to keep Holly alive. Alive. He swallowed trying not to cry.
Kale got swept into his memories, thinking about when they danced at Hologram together. Holly had been so beautiful that night and graceful on the dance floor.
Kale thought of the last time he held Holly, as she cried like it was the end. Kale wondered if Holly thought she would die that night. She wasn't dead yet! He refused to let his mind go there. And yet. Even with her crying, Kale had left for the club. Why? What did it matter...he shouldn't have left her like that. It wasn't Kyle's fault, it was his. Realizing this, Kale began to cry.
Up in the cafeteria, Kyle wasn't doing any better. The same memories kept resurfacing over and over again in his mind. The moving van's tires screeching, the terrible thud that wouldn't stop replaying in his head and....
Holly's body just lying there in a crumpled heap. People every where had been shouting, some even crying. Kyle had called Kale and fallen to his knees. It was all his fault. He knew she was unstable, seeing things, and yet he left her alone! He couldn't process what he would do if she died. Somone touched his shoulder, and Kyle jumped.
"Sorry, sorry...you just looked, um, upset." Kyle eyed the patient sitting next to him who clearly had tried to slit her wrists. "Yeah it's been a rough night..day? Both I guess." She nodded. "Do you want to talk about it?" Surprisingly, it helped Kyle to talk to this random stranger. He felt better once he had relayed how he felt. "You know its really not your fault. If anything, it's the one guy...what's his name? Kanoa. Sounds like something he planned." Kyle felt his jaw clenched. The suicide watch girl made perfect sense. He couldn't deal with this now though. Right now his sister's life was on the line. He excused himself and headed back down to the lobby.
Kyle noted that Kale had clearly been crying but didn't say anything. He wanted to apologize again, say how everything was his fault, but before he could, the nurse was calling them back. The doctor had the xrays pulled up for them to see.
Dr. Baxter quickly began to walk them through each individual xray, explaining which bones were broken and how they would go about fixing them. Kale interrupted. "If I understand you right, your saying Holly may never walk again?" He didn't hide the anger he felt. Dr. Baxter gestured towards his office. "Let's talk."
Dr. Baxter used large words that Kale nor Kyle could process fast enough. The doctor didn't seem to slow down to take a breath. Kale got a few words such as surgery and physical therapy and very little else. He finally decided it really didn't matter what the doctor said at this point.
Kale stood wearily. Dr. Baxter, surprised, stood as well. Kale had next to no energy left and was beyond the charade of decorum and courtesy. "Can I just go see her, please?" Dr. Baxter, sensing Kale's exhaustion nodded. "We can talk another time. Just go to the lobby, the nurse will meet you there and send you up."
Kyle hugged Kale awkwardly in the lobby. He felt that Kale needed some time alone with Holly. He decided to head out and find an apartment nearby. He knew that as long as Holly was alive and in the hospital there was no way he was leaving this city. He glanced at Kale as he left. Kyle would never forgive himself for his carelessness.
Kale waited for the nurse in the lobby and finally she showed up to guide him to Holly's room.
Holly was sound asleep when he arrived. The nurse gave him the details on her current condition. Holly had never regained conscienceness after she was hit. She had died twice in the night and was revived. Kale felt nauseous, and sank into a chair before nearly passing out. The nurse left to go get him some orange juice.
As Kale stared at the limp form on the bed, he felt completely hopeless. If she died, Kale couldn't....no, refused to think like that. If she lived? Kale let his mind wander into this territory because it was safe, and he couldn't process anymore pain at the moment. If she lived, he would find a safe haven for them to live, away from Kanoa. Kanoa. Kale felt his blood boil. No matter what happened to Holly, Kale would make sure that Kanoa would rot behind bars.
End of Part 8
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