Reaching Out

Chapter 13

Sara, Catherine, and Lindsey were sent out of Megan's room as the doctor started to order all sorts of tests. After Sam had rolled Lindsey out of the room she had excused herself, needing to leave because she had to get some rest before her next shift would start, but not before promising Lindsey she'd be back.

The women were back at the chairs in the hallway again, all three waiting agitatedly for the results of the tests. Lindsey was fidgeting with the padding for the armrest of her wheelchair, different feelings causing internal turmoil.

She felt angry, because of the idiot who crashed his truck into the bus. She felt relief, because Megan had awoken. But most of all she felt scared.

Scared because Megan couldn't see, and because of the reaction it had evoked from the brunette -A really logical reaction, even Lindsey realized that. Still, it scared her a bit to see such a change in the girl she cared for.

The few minutes the curly-haired girl had been lucid her demeanor had been really down. Angry even. The snappy replies had scared Lindsey. Though, now she was more afraid of Megan losing her sight forever.

She'll never… Lindsey started in her mind, but even in her thoughts she couldn't finish.

*-*-*-*-*

Megan felt someone reaching out and touching her face. She even felt someone open her eyelid.

"As I told you just before," she snapped at the person's direction, "I can't see that stupid light you're probably waving in front of me."

The doctor continued his assessment, ignoring the girl's comment. "Order an MRI," he said to a nurse.

"Why?" Megan asked, sounding irritated.

"Because I want to know whether your brain has suffered from your coma. Though you woke up and most physical abilities are alright, there's something wrong with your eyes."

"Really?" Megan replied harshly. "Geeh, and you had to study, what, like, eight years to be able to make this diagnosis?"

"Alright," the doctor started sternly as he let go of Megan's face. "If you want to play it that way…I think the trauma you suffered to your head caused an internal hemorrhage at the occipital lobe, causing blindness, which hopefully will only be temporarily. The MRI will show the exact location of the hemorrhage and will show whether we need to operate again."

The brunette rolled her face away from where the doctor's voice had came from, her eyes as if staring out of the window -though the way they were moving around unfocused making it clear they didn't register a thing.

*-*-*-*-*

An hour had passed before Sara, Lindsey, and Catherine were allowed back in the room. The youngest Willows woman sat beside the bed, looking at the sleeping form of Megan. The MRI had exhausted the brunette so, that even before she was brought back to her room, she'd been fast asleep.

When they'd rolled Megan back into her room, the doctor had informed the three waiting women that the MRI had shown a small swelling at the back of the girl's brain. There were remnants of a small bleeding which had by long stopped, and there was no need for them to operate on her again. As far as they could assess now, the blindness would, indeed, be temporary.

All three had been very relieved when they heard the doctor's words, and couldn't wait to get to Megan's side again.

Sara had pushed Lindsey's wheelchair next to the bed, then offered Catherine the chair standing next to it.

The tall brunette stood at the foot of the bed, looking at her niece. Her mind set at ease as she noticed the calm look on Megan's face. The sleeping girl looked really peaceful, and if it hadn't been for the bandages at her sides and the bleeping of the machines next to her bed, she seemed just fine.

Sara knew better…

Her niece would have a long road to recovery once she'd get out of this hospital, and Sara made a promise to herself that she'd do everything within her possibility to help Megan.

Catherine looked up from where she was seated, regarding the tall woman. She noticed the look of determination in Sara's dark brown eyes -a look she knew so well, and knew, even without the brunette having to utter one word, what was on her mind.

She stood up from her chair and walked over to Sara, stopping behind her and pulling her back into an embrace. She felt Sara tense up at first, though soon the brunette relaxed and leaned back into the comforting arms of the strawberry blonde. Catherine rested her head on the taller woman's shoulder and watched the two girls quietly.

They would get through this.

Together.

*-*-*-*-*

Megan opened her eyes, but everything around her stayed covered in darkness. Closing and opening them once again and realizing it didn't have any effect, it finally dawned upon her what had happened.

Feeling a hand covering hers, Megan turned her head to the side, as if to see who was there. She didn't need her eyes to tell her Lindsey was sitting next to her bed.

"Lindsey," Megan whispered.

The blonde had dosed off, just as Sara, who'd been ushered into the other chair while Catherine had gone off to get something to eat.

Lindsey looked up and saw the blue eyes of Megan looking in her direction. "I'm here," she replied, squeezing the curly-haired girl's hand softly.

"Lindsey…" Megan started again, her voice sounding fragile and scared. "Will I…Will I ever see again?"

The young blonde got out of the wheelchair and leaned closer to Megan. She reached out her hand, fingers tracing the brunette's face, caressing the soft skin. "The doctor said it's a temporary thing," Lindsey started. "God, I'm so glad to see you're okay," she sighed as she rested her forehead against Megan's.

"Wish I could say the same," the brunette replied sarcastically.

"Oh, Megan, I'm sorry," Lindsey apologized as she realized what she'd exactly said. "I-"

"Forget it," Megan interrupted as she reached out for the blonde. "I'm glad you're alright as well." She let her fingers glide through the blonde's hair, stopping as she reached the other girl's neck, then pulled her in, pressing their lips together in a searching, soft kiss.

Chapter 14

Sara, sitting in a chair at the back of the room, watched the girls silently, a small smile gracing her lips as she saw the tender exchange between the two of them.

Funny, she thought, How people find each other in times of need.

Just last week, during her stay at Sara's , Megan had told her that she'd been feeling rather lonely ever since she'd told her mother about her sexuality and was informed that she -just as Sara had been told by her mother- wasn't welcome anymore. Fortunately for Megan, college had then started and so she had found her place there.

Around that time, Sara had also contacted her and so she found someone who wanted to know her, who cared about her. Someone who she could share everything and anything with.

Sara had been surprised at first about how quick they'd become so close, as if she'd been in Megan's life since the girl's birth. From the very first time she'd met her niece, Sara knew she'd be honored to fulfill Michael's request.

She glanced at the girls as she noticed Lindsey caressing Megan's face, leaning in to give her another kiss. Sara smiled again. Despite the fact that this wasn't the way things should've started out, she was relieved to see the bond between Megan and Lindsey.

At that moment, Catherine walked back into the room, holding two Styrofoam cups. Behind her, Sam entered as well.

"Hey," the strawberry blonde greeted as she walked over to Sara and noticed a light blush on Lindsey's cheeks. Catherine handed the brunette one of the Styrofoam cups. She knew that both Sara as well as Lindsey otherwise wouldn't get anything to eat and so, had brought along something from the hospital's cafeteria. "Make sure you eat it all," she said, her concern for the other woman noticeable in her voice.

Sara looked at her, her eyes betraying some of the emotions inside. Her own thought can back in mind…Funny how people find each other in times of need. She smiled gratefully at the older woman and opened the box, the smell of potato-vegetable soup filling her nose.

Catherine then turned her attention to her daughter and Megan, both of the girls with knowing smirks on their faces. Ignoring the looks they gave her, she handed Lindsey the other cup. "Same goes for you, Linds."

The younger Willows woman nodded as she gratefully took the offered soup.

Sam stood at the foot of the bed. "How are you feeling?" she asked the curly-haired brunette.

"Alright…better now that you're all here again," Megan trailed off as she leaned to Lindsey.

"I just met Doctor Fredricks and he said he was waiting on the results of your blood to come in and would meet with us in a few minutes," Sam said as she looked from the two young women to Sara and Catherine. The strawberry blonde had sat down on the armrest, her arm around Sara's shoulder, looking at the brunette.

The vibe the paramedic got from those two was exactly the same as the two younger counterparts. She smiled as she caught the loving looks both of the Willows women were sending the Sidle girls.

*-*-*-*-*

A few minutes later…

The Doctor walked over to the bed and did some final checks. Megan's oxygen level was good, her pulse was beating strong. Her blood pressure was a little low, but it had improved considerably over the last hour and a half.

"Alright," he spoke up as he hung his stethoscope around his neck again. "There is no need to keep you on the ICU anymore. I'll arrange your transfer."

"Can we stay here overnight?" Sara asked, not wanting to leave her niece's side.

"I'm afraid that won't be possible," Doctor Fredricks replied. "There simply is no room for you, sorry."

Catherine squeezed Sara's shoulder, trying to get her attention. "Maybe we could get a room at a hotel nearby?"

"I don't want to go," Lindsey said, clamping onto Megan's hand.

"Sweety," Catherine started, but as she saw her daughter's eyes and noticed the determinate look in them, she knew it was no use to argue. She completely understood Lindsey's reluctance to leave Megan's side.

Sara regarded the girls, then turned and faced the Doctor. "There's room for one person, right?"

The Doctor looked around the room, noticing the sad looks all around. "I think that can be arranged."

The tall brunette nodded. "Good. We'll find somewhere else to stay for tonight and be back the first thing tomorrow."

Sam, who'd been waiting at the back of the room, suddenly spoke up, "I think I can help you with that. I'll have to make a few arrangements."

All heads turned to the short-haired blonde. The pensive look on Sam's face indicated she was already working something out. She reached for her cell phone, and absentmindedly tapped it against her chin. "I'll be right back," she said, then quickly stepped out into the hallway.

Continued…

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