Fragments

by Teg

  Shifts changed, hours crawled by and the nurses made their rounds to check on each patient in turn, administering medications, changing IV bags and taking other pertinent observations dependent upon the individual case.

  Elizabeth Bennet’s room had become a point of interest for there was always something new added to it every day. Although they kept to their regular

  routine, each nurse looked forward to seeing Miss Bennet’s name was next on her list so that the latest object could be discovered.

  That particular evening a music box stood on the table near the patient’s head.

  The nurse admired the simple elegance of the crystal and could not resist

  winding the mechanism. Delicate notes like tiny bells chimed a tune which she recognised but was unable to name. She tried to recall the title as she recorded blood pressure, heart rate, made the routine checks, but finally had to look at the bottom of the music box. She smiled when she saw what was written there.

  You Are My Sunshine

  She turned to look over her shoulder at the door, expecting to see someone there and was surprised to see no one. Sure that some movement had caught

  her peripheral vision, the nurse frowned. She did a visual inspection of the room to make certain everything was where it should be. Then she observed

  the patient for a full five minutes on the remote chance that Miss Bennet had moved.

  However, whatever it had been did not seem inclined to repeat itself. The nurse shrugged and went on to her next patient, reminding herself to make a note in her log book at the nurses station.

  The soft chimes of the music could be heard down the hall.

  Jane was waiting when Will entered the hospital room. He smiled a surprised greeting before seeing that Elizabeth was gone.

  "Where is she?" he demanded, fear squeezing his heart.

  "Don't panic, Will." Jane quickly assured him that nothing was wrong; Elizabeth had been taken to another floor for an MRI scan. "They do the scan periodically but when I learned another would be done this afternoon I stayed just to let you know as soon as you got here."

  He thanked her for her thoughtfulness and sat down. "How long does this take?"

  "Shouldn't be much longer." Jane looked at him thoughtfully for a few minutes.

  "Will, have you noticed anything different lately?"

  He turned to face her. "What do you mean?"

  "I'm not sure exactly. It's like I see something but then I don't."

  "You're not making much sense, Jane." Will grinned.

  She laughed lightly. "Yeah, Charles says that all the time. Seriously, though, the last few days when I've been here with Lizzy it's like I almost see her cheek twitch or her eyelids move but then I look closely and there's nothing."

  "Did you mention this to the nurses or doctors?"

  She shook her head. "I was afraid it was my imagination. I so want to see a change with all that you've done. Even the therapists have made use of the things you've brought in."

  "I'm glad to hear it." Impatient, Will got up from the chair to walk around the room. He picked up a stuffed toy, seemingly examining it.

  "I gave that to Lizzy on her sixteenth birthday," said Jane, smiling with fond remembrance. She proceeded to tell him stories from their childhood. Charles had heard them many times and Jane was delighted to have a fresh audience in Will. He was genuinely interested, their waiting time was pleasantly spent and when the orderlies wheeled Elizabeth into the room both Jane and Will felt a surge of relief.

  Jane knew it was pointless to ask questions of the orderlies but as soon as a nurse appeared to ensure all of the monitors were properly attached she began.

  "How was the scan?"

  The nurse smiled. "She behaved herself. You'll be pleased to know that Dr.

  Hanson is reviewing the results now. He'll most likely be up here within the next half hour."

  "Great!" Jane turned to Will. "I'll just give Charles a call to tell him I'll be late and be right back."

  He nodded, then sat down out of the way of the activity around the bed. He thought about all that Jane had said, realising with a pang of envy that he had no such memories of time shared with Elizabeth. Will had never meant

  anything to her.

  Soon enough he was left alone in the room, Elizabeth's silent presence bringing him more questions than comfort.

  What if this is all I ever share with her? God willing, when she awakens, what would I do if she tells me to go and never come back?

  The very thought filled him with such dismay that Will felt nearly

  overpowered. He recognised the signs and knew he was in danger of slipping back into that black void from which Georgiana had worked so hard to free

  him. He refused to allow it.

  Moving to the bed, he stood looking down at Elizabeth's closed eyes. "I'm staying whether you want me here or not. I'll love you whether or not you want that, either."

  Her passion for the subject fascinated him; she was so intelligent and sympathetic to the plights of others.

  “It’s quite simple, really,” she said with only a trace of exasperation. “Perhaps you just prefer to remain ignorant.”

  He couldn’t disregard her undisguised challenge. “You are presuming two things with that suggestion, neither of which is necessarily true.” The surprise in her expression made his mouth twitch with amusement. “However, if you feel the need to enlighten me further...”

  Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Give you a chance to tell me how wrong I am, that I’m a misguided, gullible, bleeding heart? Well, I’ll pass, thank you.”

  Her reply was not what he expected and his brows drew together in a frown. “I would never presume to call you gullible nor a bleeding heart.”

  She stared at him for a moment, perplexed, then shook her head. ‘They warn us that doing this job too long will make us paranoid. I’m sorry if I offended you.”

  “You did not,” he said, very simply and quietly.

  Jane's soft voice called to him from the doorway. "Will, would you come with me to speak with Dr. Hanson?"

  He was thankful for the inclusion and said as much. Taking his hand, Jane

  wished she could ease his mind on the one point which remained a mystery;

  would Lizzy love him when she returned to them?

  Chapter Seven

  "Increased cortical activity. So, what does that mean, exactly?" Charles looked from one excited face to the other.

  "It's possible that her brain is compensating for the damage done to some parts and has rerouted processing to areas unaffected. What those functions are is not known at this point," explained Will.

  Jane added, "But Dr. Hanson says it's a positive sign! With all the stimuli being applied lately he feels it is directly related."

  Charles nodded, still cautious. "Is this the only improvement he noted?"

  "Well," said Jane, glancing aside at Will. "I have for some time thought I may have seen some signs of movement but didn't say anything about it. I wasn't entirely sure it wasn't just my imagination."

  "However," Will continued for her, "apparently two nurses reported similar experiences."

  "Really?" Charles was surprised. "What happens now?"

  Jane quickly explained that everything they'd been doing would be continued with greater attention to subtle responses on Elizabeth's part. Whenever a response was seen or suspected it would be recorded in a log, along with a notation about the activity and environmental stimulus at the time. She

  cautioned her husband that it would be a long road yet. It could be months before Elizabeth reached a state that might be considered conscious. "When I think how the prognosis has changed in such a short time I really believe it's down to all you've done, Will."

  Will wanted to believe it, too. He was doubly determined to find out what was working, what provoked a response in Elizabeth. He diligently kept his own log book as well as making entries in the hospital’s version. No question went unaske
d; if he thought of one in the middle of the night at home it would be written down to be repeated the next day at the first opportunity.

  Charles watched him carefully at work. At the first sign that Will’s focus was straying too far in the direction of obsessive he would take his friend aside and tacitly remind him of his other responsibilities. Will was grateful for there was too much at stake to let either the company or Lizzy slip from his care.

  On an especially rushed day he found great relief in the visit to Lizzy’s

  bedside, allowing him an interval of peace in his otherwise hectic existence.

  Such a day put him to the test when the physiotherapist arrived shortly before Will was to leave. The interruption to his routine was disconcerting. Will considered his goodbye to Elizabeth as private, the most intimate part of his visit with her. The therapist's intrusion was unwelcome. Rather than apologise and depart, the man was impatient as if expecting Will to get out of his way.

  This was furthest from his mind, however, and Will was faced with the choice of drawing the other man out of the room to tell him off or try to conclude his visit in the usual manner. The latter, sadly, was impossible. Will's mood had altered sharply and he was unable to calm himself enough, nor was he

  particularly pleased to have an audience. Rather than frustrate himself further, he gestured to the therapist to follow him into the hallway where they

  proceeded to have words.

  Will Darcy was unaccustomed to defiance of his directions but when he

  informed the therapist that he would have to wait until Will's visit had come to its natural conclusion the man immediately countered with the same arrogant stubbornness. His time was money, or so he claimed, and Will could leave or stay but not in the patient's room while he performed his work.

  This cold manner rankled Will even more. He stood his ground, refusing to

  allow access. It didn't take long for the ICU nurses to notice the confrontation.

  Security was summoned while two of the nurses approached to speak with the pair.

  "In the time you've spent arguing, Mr. Darcy could have concluded his visit three times over. Mr. Timmons, another five minutes' wait would not ruin your schedule."

  Will didn't feel particularly generous but he thanked her for her assistance when Timmons removed himself from the scene, saying he would be back in

  half an hour.

  "Perhaps you'd like to take a few minutes to calm down, too," the nurse suggested. "It wouldn't do to say your goodbye to Miss Bennet while you are angry and upset."

  Will nodded. He suddenly realised just how tired he was. Pulling over a chair from across the corridor, he stationed it beside Elizabeth's door and sat down heavily. Then he leaned his head back against the wall and stared at the ceiling, concentrating on his breathing. The rhythm slowed, his breaths became deeper, drawing in more oxygen to relieve his fatigued brain. Soon he felt relaxed enough to join Elizabeth again.

  It was the first time he'd entered her room into the ambience he had created.

  Immediately Will was exhilarated by the delicate aroma of the candles'

  perfume. Images of Elizabeth flashed through his mind one after another, the flickering light from the flames accentuating the surreal effect. Blindly, he reached for the chair, lowering himself into it slowly while taking Elizabeth's hand in his. His tongue felt thick, he couldn't speak. He simply stroked her hand then raised it, pressing the fingers against his lips, his eyes tightly closed.

  Her presence there was unexpected though hardly unwelcome. Stretched out upon the beach chair, tanned skin exposed to the sun with tiny flecks of sand sparkling across her belly, he was brought up short at the sight. He stood, able only to admire her silently and wishing his lips would express the feelings he kept hidden deep inside. Her laughter reached his ears, as delicate and beautiful as herself. Her sense of humour was rich and perceptive. Awe kept him at a distance; beauty and intelligence so combined could not be so carelessly approached.

  Will had no concept of passing time. How long he sat there he couldn't guess but with a jolt he became aware of the room once more. He tried to determine what had pulled him from that dreamlike state when it happened again.

  Elizabeth's fingers moved!

  The rush of excitement that fired through him was followed by an attempt to rein in his frantic thoughts. He squeezed her fingers lightly, then looked at her face only to find that her eyes were no longer closed. Not quite open, either, she seemed to stare through him, her face as expressionless as ever.

  Will found himself wondering how long she had been looking at him. "Lizzy,"

  he whispered urgently. "Lizzy, keep fighting. I know you can do it. I know you want to come back to us." Jane! He had to call Jane but to leave Elizabeth now was unthinkable! Will grabbed the cable to call for the nurse, pushing the button repeatedly.

  Two nurses responded to the page, hurrying into the room. Will's excited babbling was difficult to understand but there was no mistaking his intent. As one briskly began examining her patient thoroughly and making notations, the other left to call the doctors and Jane.

  It was impossible for Will to release Elizabeth's hand. He repeatedly brought it to his lips, softly kissing her fingers, her palm; pressing her hand to his cheek.

  After a few moments her eyes fluttered closed; disappointment settled over him.

  "Don't be dismayed," said the nurse as if she could read his thoughts. "It looks like she's made a start but these recoveries take time. Patience is very

  important."

  Will was grateful when she left. Maintaining his hold on one hand, he gently touched Elizabeth's cheek with a finger, caressing the curve of her skin.

  Her fingers moved against his own.

  Delighted, Will grinned. "If I'm annoying you just tell me. It won't mean I'll stop, though. Not as long as I get a reaction from you." Sighing happily, he made himself comfortable in the chair, awaiting the arrival of Jane and

  Elizabeth's doctors.

  Her quality was unparalleled. Nobody could tell him of her flaws; he dismissed them with an impatient grunt. His eyes never left her, drinking her in slowly, like a fine, aged wine.....

  "Will?" Charles gently shook his shoulder.

  Opening his eyes, Will took in his surroundings and realised he had fallen asleep at Elizabeth's bedside. Instantly, his head swung around to focus on her face; her hand still rested in his.

  Jane stood on the opposite side of the bed, watching him, an enquiring look in her eyes. "We got here as quickly as we could. What happened?"

  Will's face broke out in a huge smile and excitedly he said, "She opened her eyes, Jane! Only for a little while but they were open and she squeezed my fingers, too!" He turned to Charles. "I swear I didn't imagine it. The nurses were here, too."

  His friend laughed. "Okay, I believe you!"

  "Lizzy?" Jane called, her voice soft yet strong. "Lizzy, don't let Will have all the excitement. I expect to share in it, too. Okay, maybe not tonight. You've already made your appearance today but I mean it! If I have to sit here all day and night, I have to see for myself that you are making an effort." To Will she said, "Do you remember what you were doing or saying when it happened?"

  "I don't know. Nothing different. In fact, I had my eyes closed, just lost in thought... memories of ... before." The thrill of feeling Elizabeth's fingers move

  within his gripped him again. "Something startled me out of my daydreaming and, while I was trying to figure out what, I felt her fingers move in my hand.

  Then I saw her eyes were open!"

  Jane laughed. "I'm actually jealous, Will. I always thought I'd be the one to see the first signs but as it is I am so happy just to know it's happening at last!"

  At these words the neurologist entered the room, glancing over the chart he'd picked up at the nurses' station. "Try not to be too hasty, Mrs. Bingley," he said.

  "Let's determine what stage Elizabeth is at before making plans for a h
omecoming." He asked several questions of Will, consulted the chart again as well as the log notes kept at the foot of the bed. "Well," he finally said. "These are still very early signs but it's far more than we've seen in the last few months. There is no way to tell how long she may take to progress to a more cognitive state. Since the periods of, I won't call it wakefulness just yet but when you do notice her eyes are open it's not going to be for long periods. Not enough time for a doctor or nurse to arrive to test responsiveness in most instances. I'll leave some instructions for you, simple reaction tests you may employ if you suspect Elizabeth of being in a more conscious state. Other than that, at this point, keep doing as you have been and we'll upgrade the level of monitoring, physio, etc."

  After the high emotions they'd been feeling, the doctor's speech left Jane, Charles and Will rather deflated. Although Will was exhausted, he accepted Charles' invitation to go back to their house for some dinner. The meal restored some of his energy and afterward the three of them sat on the deck enjoying the warm summer evening.

  Jane could not help thinking that the next year her sister might be joining them and it caused her to sigh out loud.

  "What is it, dear?" enquired Charles, thinking his wife had considered something unpleasant.

  "I was just thinking how great it will be to have Lizzy here with us next summer." She had a foolish grin. " I know, I'm getting ahead of myself but I can't help it!" Will admitted to thinking ahead, which came as no surprise, but when Charles confessed his own thoughts had been of the day Elizabeth would leave the hospital and move into the Bingley home Jane was astonished. He

  had always been, if not pessimistic, at least the realist of the two. Her husband's change of outlook only strengthened her own happy expectations.

  It was another ten days before anything new was noted in Elizabeth's condition.

  She had been periodically opening her eyes each day, sometimes for as long as thirty minutes at a time. On this particular day Jane noticed her sister actually seemed to be watching her, not simply staring off into nowhere. She moved