You Belong To Me

Chapter Seventeen

(Hospital... that morning.)

Belle was in deep sleep when she felt something tugging at her arm. She groaned softly and opened her eyes, squinting at the flourescent lights above her. She sat up slowly and saw that Shawn had been the one tugging at her sleeve trying to wake her. Mimi and Phillip were also awake and sipping on coffee from the hospital cafeteria.

Belle rubbed her eyes blearily and yawned. "What's going on?"

Shawn motioned behind him towards a middle-aged attractive doctor who was standing up, apparently waiting for Belle to wake up. He smiled politely at her and spoke. "Isabella Black?"

"Yes, that's me."

"Miss Black, I'm Dr. Arnos, I'm one of the doctors that have been taking care of your brother."

"Doctor, is he doing alright?"

The doctor nodded reassuringly and continued. "For the time being... The infection hasn't spread any further, but it's not getting any better either. We were finally able to move him into a regular room about 30 minutes ago, but he is still unconscious. He may be out for awhile, so don't worry if he doesn't wake up right away."

"Can I see him?"

"Of course. He's only allowed to have 2 visitors right now, and his wife is with him now. I'll take you to his room."

Shawn squeezed Belle's hand and smiled at her. Belle stood and smiled back at him. "Shawn... what time is it?"

Shawn quickly glanced at his watch. "About eight o'clock."

"Good, that means my parents will be coming back soon. Please let them know what's going on."

"Of course we will."

Belle said quiet goodbyes to Mimi and Phillip and hurriedly followed the doctor to the elevators in the hallway. As they rode up, the doctor reminded her that when she saw Brady, not to be shocked by the tubes and machines. He needed the tubes to keep his lungs clear, and the machines were monitoring his vitals.

When they reached the door of Brady's room, Belle quickly shook the doctor's hand and thanked him for his help. She entered the room alone and saw Chloe sitting by Brady's bedside, holding on to his hand.

Belle walked over and quickly hugged Chloe. "Hey... how are you?"

Chloe sighed softly and shrugged. "I'm good... I guess. I don't know... Look at him, Belle."

Belle paused to take in the sight of her brother. He looked peaceful, but it wasn't the kind of sight you wanted to see on someone you loved. He had a tube running out of his nose, and was hooked up to IV's and machines. His skin looked pale and pasty, and his hair was matted to his forehead in disarray.

Chloe reached her other hand forward to brush Brady's hair off his forehead. She let her hand lovingly linger on his face for a moment before letting it drop back to her lap. "It's funny... Everyone keeps telling me how lucky we've been. Lucky that we got rescued, lucky that the gunshot wound wasn't worse, lucky that we found shelter and food, lucky that Brady's fever didn't go high enough to cause brain damage... I know that all of that is right, but it's hard to think of myself as lucky right now, looking at him like this."

Belle pulled a chair next to Chloe and took a seat beside her. "I know, it seems that way now. But, you are lucky. Most people search an entire lifetime to have even one minute of what you have with Brady, and never find it. Things are bad now, but they will get better."

"You know... I have to believe what you say, because if things got any worse..." Chloe paused and bit her lip, trying to fight back her tears. "I just don't know what I'd do without him in my life."

Belle nodded and placed a comforting hand on Chloe's arm. "I don't think any of us do."

"The only thing I keep thinking is; Why? Why did this have to happen to us? We've been through so much in our lives already. I thought that maybe it was over with. That we could all finally be happy."

Belle sighed sadly in response. "It seems like as soon as you get comfortable with life, the bottom drops out. But, I guess... These things do happen for a reason. We're just waiting to figure out what the reason for this is, but sometime, in the future... we'll understand it better. I hope."

"Good, because I don't understand it now. This was supposed to be the happiest time of my life, and it's turned out to be the worst."

Belle laid her head on Chloe's shoulder and sighed again. "There will be more happy times in the future. Brady will beat this infection. The two of you are going to have the most amazing life together, and the most beautiful baby in the world."

Chloe wiped one solitary tear off of her cheek with her free hand. "You sound so sure of that..."

"I'm not as sure as I sound. Deep down, I'm just as scared as you are. But, I also know that I have to believe that everything is going to be okay. Brady has always believed in me, and I believe in him. He's going to be fine. He has to be."

Chloe smiled weakly at her and nodded. "Have I told you how glad I am that you're here?"

"You don't even have to say it. Where else would I be? You know, I'm always going to be there for the people I care about."

"I know... and thank you for the pajamas."

"Oh, you're welcome. We didn't wake you when we came back, so we just left the stuff on your chair. It's bad enough when you have to be hospitalized, but when you have to do it in those frightening hospital gowns it just amplifies the misery."

Chloe chuckled slightly. "Yeah, I saw them when they woke me up to tell me about Brady. So, where are all the adults?"

"Chloe... we ARE adults."

Chloe laughed again and rolled her eyes. "Sometimes I forget... but you know what I mean."

Belle lifted her head from Chloe's shoulder and smiled at her. "Yeah, I know what you mean. We sent them back to the hotel for a while so they could get some sleep. They should be back here pretty soon."

"Did you guys get any rest?"

Belle sat back in mock amazement. "You mean... I don't look dazzingly beautiful and extremely well-rested."

Chloe supressed a laugh and shook her head. "No, not really. I mean, you look better than you did yesterday, but you still look pretty worn out."

"Same goes for you. I guess it's going to be awhile before we're back to our normal selves."

Chloe motioned towards Brady and replied. "I will be, as soon as he is. So... uhm... What's new with you?"

Belle slouched in her chair slightly and shrugged. "Lots and lots of things... But, at the same time, nothing."

"Things that you will explain to me eventually, I hope."

Belle nodded and crossed her heart with her index finger. "Cross my heart... I promise. It's just complicated and not really important held up to what Brady is going through."

Beside them, Brady coughed quietly. Both girls sat up straight and whipped their heads around to look at him. He opened his eyes halfway and rasped a quiet, "Hey..." to the girls beside him.

Belle and Chloe simultaneously jumped in surprise. The doctor had thought that he might wake up in a few hours, but not this soon. Chloe leaned over and gave him a peck on the lips and squeezed his hand in hers tighter.

"Brady... Oh my God... you're awake!?!" Chloe seemed to say it as more of a question than a statement of fact.

Brady tried to nod but he was too weak so he just replied quietly. "I never have been a late sleeper."

Chloe tried to smile but felt tears of joy welling up in her eyes instead. Belle stood and kissed her brother on the forehead and replied to him. "But you've always been a smartass, Brady Black. And, I wouldn't have you any other way."

"Hey sis... Didn't see you there."

Chloe wiped her tears away again and smiled widely at her husband. "Welcome back, Brady... You don't know how good it is to hear your voice."

"So tell me... how am I doing?"

Chloe glanced at Belle who gave her a knowing smile and a nod. Chloe kissed his hand and smiled at him again. "You're a very lucky man, Brady Black."

Brady coughed again and then replied. "Well, then we should have taken our honeymoon in Vegas."

Chloe chuckled softly. "No kidding. So, how much fight do you have left in you? Because, you have an infection... a serious infection... and you need to be strong and not give up."

Brady smiled weakly and looked at both Chloe and Belle. "I've got all the fight I need right here. Between the two of you... I'll never get a moment's peace. Push, push, push... that's what you'll do to me."

Belle laughed and nodded in agreement. "Well, I don't know about Chloe, but I learned that attitude from you. You're a Black, and we're not allowed to give up."

"You don't have to worry about me, Tinkerbelle. I'm not going anywhere, I promise."

Belle fought back her tears and paused for a moment. A sudden rush of emotion had hit her, not because she was afraid for Brady's life, but because she knew that she had been right. Brady wasn't going to give up, and she knew that no matter what the doctors told her, he was going to be just fine. In twenty-three years, her older brother had never broken a promise to her, and she knew he wouldn't break this one either. Belle finally knew that all the encouraging words she had been spouting to the others were true. She could finally believe them herself.

Belle tried to reply, but her voice was shaky. "I know you won't. Blacks never break their promises either."

Belle stood from her chair and started to back out of the room. "I'm gonna go tell the others the good news and give you two a minute alone. I'll be right back."

Chloe turned and smiled happily at her as she exited the room and then turned her attentions back to her ailing husband. Belle quickly made her way downstairs and back to the waiting room where the others were waiting anxiously. All eyes turned her direction and Belle smiled widely at her friends.

"I've got good news... Brady just woke up."

Her three friends breathed a simultaneous sigh of relief, and Shawn was the first one to speak. "So, is he gonna be alright?"

Belle shrugged slightly. "The doctors say that we have to wait to see if the infection clears up, but I know that he is going to be just fine. He made a promise to me, and Brady never makes a promise that he can't keep."

Mimi stood and rushed to hug Belle tightly. "Oh thank God, Belle..."

Phillip and Shawn stood and moved forward to join in the group hug. Phillip spoke quietly to their small circle. "So, how is he feeling?"

The group began to break away from each other and Belle shrugged. "Well, he looks... terrible. And, I think he's acting better than he really feels. But, he's still as much of a smartass as he's always been."

Shawn chuckled softly and nodded. "Then he must be feeling better."

"You know, doctors will tell us one thing, but..." Belle laid a hand on her heart and patted it gently. "But, I know what's in my heart. He's going to make it through this. I don't have a doubt in my mind that he's going to recover."

Mimi quickly glanced at her watch. "Your parents should be here in a few minutes. They said they'd be back about 8:30."

Belle nodded happily. "Yeah... Listen, I'm gonna go back up... Could you please send my dad upstairs to room 237? Brady needs his rest, but I know that he'll want to see my dad as soon as possible."

Shawn threw an arm around her shoulder impulsively and kissed her on the cheek. "We'll send him up as soon as he gets here. Please, give Brady our love."

Belle smiled, surprised at Shawn's suddenly display of affection. "I will... He'll want to see all of you soon too. Maybe after the doctor sees him again, he'll let more people in."

Phillip smiled knowingly. "No rush... We'll be down here patiently waiting."

Belle started to back away and nodded as she did. "Thanks guys... I'll be back down in a little while."

Belle smiled at them again and gleefully made her way back upstairs to Brady's room. She stood outside the door and watched Chloe and Brady for a moment. Chloe was gently caressing his hand, and Brady was staring up at her with love shining in his blue eyes.

Brady coughed quietly but did not take his eyes off of his wife. "You saved my life out there."

"And you saved mine."

Brady smiled weakly and motioned towards Belle who was standing in the doorway. "And Belle saved us all, didn't she?"

Belle smiled shyly and bowed her head a little. She didn't feel at all like a hero, or a savior, especially not now, when she had to worry about saving something else. The time was coming to salvage what she could of the love between her and Shawn.

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