Alex Carter: A Red Band Society Fanfiction

Awake

Nurse Jackson stared into Charlie's open eyes, searching for a sign of life. "Charlie? Are you in there? Say something, baby." As she stared into his open eyes, she began laughing out of joy. "He's awake!" she shouted, leaning around the doorway, shouting into the hallway. "Someone page Dr. McAndrew!"

"What, did you have a stroke?" Kara said bitterly as she walked into the room.

"Charlie's awake."

"What?" Kara exclaimed, dropping the attitude. "Oh my gosh. Look at those eyes." She leaned over the edge of his bed, her face featuring a genuine smile.

"Hey, what's going on?" Leo asked, walking in with Emma and Jordi.

"Charlie's awake," Nurse Jackson repeated.

"What?"

"No way!"

Alex and Dash came down the hall, riding their Ripsticks, weaving in and out of the nurses and personnel in the hallway. Alex grabbed the frame of the doorway and swung inside the room, followed by Dash. "Did we hear you say 'Charlie's awake'?" Dahs asked, suspicious.

Emma gestured toward the boy in the bed.

"Oh my gosh!" Alex gasped.

"Dang. It's about time," Dash sassed.

As everyone crowded around his bed, Kara looked up, her smile fading as she saw Hunter lurking outside the door, with a very sad look on his face. One that could only be associated with the purest dysphoria. She watched as he finally walked on, his eyes barely tearing from the scene inside the room.

"Guys, we should do something for Charlie," Leo said. "Something that he can look at, something that will get him to talk to us."

There were no objections to the idea, and everyone walked into the hallway so Charlie wouldn't hear their plans.  On their way out, Jordi leaned close to Alex's ear and whispered, "What's with all the boxes in our room? And why is it full of your stuff?"  

She smirked up at him. "Nosy."

Shrugging his shoulders in defeat,  Alex made her way to the front of the group. Looking around, she gestured towards the nurse's station and said, "We can't talk here. Follow me." She and Dash shared a look; a mysterious smile. Confused, everyone followed quietly.

Everyone knew exactly where they were, but they were still shocked when Alex produced a key. She opened the door, and everyone rushed inside. "No way!" Leo exclaimed. "Ruben left you his apartment?!"

Alex laughed and nodded. "We go way back. told never got to see me before he left,  but I found these," she held up the familiar keychain, "and a letter waiting for me at the nurse's station."

The apartment was a modern one, with one wall composed of a giant floor to ceiling window looking out at the city. The large vaulted ceiling was full of recess lighting, creating a bright environment. The main gathering space was stylishly accessorized with leather couches and low glass tables. Sleek brown cabinetry and a fully stocked bar with a black granite counter top created a natural divide between the sitting room to the kitchen and dining area. The walls surrounding the dining area featured large canvases of modern art, and the bedroom and guest room were beyond that, down a hall.

As everyone occupied themselves with touring the suite, Jordi snuck up behind Alex and wrapped his arms around her from behind. She settled into his embrace smiling up at him. "I should be mad that you're moving out of my room, but I can't say that I am."

She laughed, and kissed his cheek lightly. "You know, for some reason, I was sure you wouldn't object."

"Yo! You have a Jacuzzi in here!" echoed Leo's exclamation.

Alex walked into the master bath smiling. "I'm really lucky, I know."

"Jeez," came Kara's irritated voice from behind her. "I don't get why I'm stuck sharing a room with some coma boy and you get to live large up here." She looked Alex up and down. "The universe has been turned upside down or something."  

"It's probably because she didn't demand it," Dash said, poking his head through the doorway. "And you don't have to live with a 'coma boy' anymore. He's awake, remember?"

"Which reminds me," Emma said. "What are we going to do for Charlie?"

The group shuffled out of the bathroom and reconvened on the leather couches. "Does anyone have any ideas?" Emma asked, formally.

"Yeah, that's a no-brainer," Dash said, standing up. "What is it that a future baller like Charlie would like?"

"Boobs," Jordi and Leo claimed, instantaneously.

"Ew, pervs," Kara said, not bothering to look up from her phone.

"You're kidding, right?" when she was met with vacant looks, Emma continued. "I mean, come on guys, I think we can aim a little higher than that."

"Yeah, um, I actually agree with Kara," Alex claimed.

"Okay fine. We gotta think about what he actually likes." Leo said diplomatically.

"Kara said he likes pizza," Jordi offered.

"There's nothing fun about seeing pizza. Eating pizza, maybe." Leo explained.

"What about those little origami reptiles he has in the window," Emma said excitedly. "We could make a bunch more and string up a giant origami mobile above his bed."

"I love it" Alex put in.

Dash was not nearly as convinced. "Why would we do that when my first idea was clearly much better?"

"Mobiles stimulate neural activity in newborns," she explained.

"You know what else newborns like?" Dash asked. "Breastfeeding. You know why? Boobs."

The boys laughed, as Emma rolled her eyes.

"Seriously guys, stop being plagued by hormones and realize that this is a super derogatory conversation. Objectifying women is not something to do when there are three girls in the room." Alex groaned.

"Hey, what about a puppy?" Jordi offered, trying to calm her down.

"Now you're talkin'" She said with a smile.

"I don't know if it'll do the neural things or whatever but last time I was in chemo that weird pet therapy lady came over with a black lab puppy. It was pretty cool," He continued.

"Why don't we get it all?" Leo offered. "Let's just put our money together and do whatever it takes, you know, for Charlie."

No one objected, and Leo smiled; victorious. "Sweet. Now all we gotta do is get past Nurse Jackson."