His Hope

Part 20: You Did What?

20

Archer, Eloise, Louisa's Mother and Xavier we're all squeezed into the small hospital room as they watched the doctor move around the bed. Louisa hadn't woken up yet, but the doctor assumed she would soon. When the doctor reached across the bed to fiddle with one of the machines, a small groan was heard throughout the quiet room. The doctor immediately pulled back and Xavier stood up straight, looking towards his girl.

"Xavi..." a small scratchy voice sounded, and Xavier was by her side immediately. Ignoring the glare that was digging into his back, he gently brushed his fingers across her cheek.

"I'm here baby" his voice was soft as he leaned over her, watching her eyes flutter open. "Hi, love." His voice caught as he saw her beautiful brown eyes look up at him, before fluttering around the room confusedly.

"Where am I?" She whispered wincing at her extremely dry mouth, "water."

The doctor grabbed the glass of water that was already waiting and handed it to Xavier who gently slid the straw between her lips. After a minute she pulled back and he handed the water back to the doctor.

"I am so, so sorry baby." He sniffled as her small fingers wrapped around his hand. He couldn't remember ever crying as much as he had in the past 24 hours.

"Happened?" She asked again, straining to keep her eyes opened.

Xavier glanced at the doctor who waited patiently by the side of the bed, he nodded, and Xavier turned back to Lou. "We were in an accident, you were hurt." He winced when he said it out loud, taking a shaky breath.

"Head?" She mumbled, recognizing the pounding in her head.

"This is the doctor... he needs to look at you," Xavier told her, brushing her hair out of her face. Louisa felt panicked and used all her strength to hold onto Xavier.

"No, Xavier, no." She said, her breathing becoming rapid.

"Hey, hey, I'm not going anywhere, I'm right here." He whispered, leaning into her. He pressed his lips against her skin, calming her slightly. "He just wants to ask you some question's, I'll be right here." He assured her, and when he felt her relax the slightest bit and nod, only then did he move away again.

"Hi Louisa, I just need you to answer a few simple questions for me okay?" The doctor waited until she nodded before he continued. "Can you tell me what year it is?"

"It's in 2019." She whispered and squeezed Xavier's hand in her own, he immediately squeezed back.

"Can you tell me, what day is your birthday?" The doctor asked as he scribbled something down on his clipboard.

Louisa had to think for a minute, searching through the cloudiness in her brain. "August 3rd, 1996"

"Very good, and can you tell me what 10 times 2 is?" He said as he pulled out a small flashlight from his pocket.

"20," she mumbled as he raised his hand with the flashlight in it.

"Okay, I need you to follow the light with your eyes, honey." He raised the flashlight, clicking it on before slowly moving it from one side to the other. Louisa blinked rapidly when he clicked it off and he nodded mumbling 'very good'.

She was finding it much harder to keep her eyes open, and her head lulled to the side as she let them shut. "Head hurts," she mumbled before she drifted back asleep.

"Is she okay?" Archer asked as he stepped forward, watching his sister carefully.

"She's just fine, she'll be coming in and out for a while. Her pupils looked good and her memory seems to be intact. When she wakes again, we'll want to run more tests, but for now, she just needs rest." The doctor said, before finishing his examination.