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Thread: My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys - - - Mackenzy Cord

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    He was sitting in traffic waiting for the light to change when an old country ballad began to play on the radio, filtering through the worn speakers of the Jeep.

    After the first few notes he realised he recognized the melody and reached to turn up the volume. A smile was tugging into place as he listened with rapt attention to the lyrics, fingertips drumming along the steering wheel.



    I like the feel of your name on my lips
    And I like the sound of your sweet gentle kiss
    The way that your fingers run through my hair
    And how your scent lingers even when your not there

    And I like the way your eyes dance when you laugh
    And how you enjoy your two hour bath
    And how you convinced me to dance in the rain
    With everyone watching like we were insane

    But I love the way you love me
    Strong and wild
    Slow and easy
    Heart and soul
    So completely
    I love the way you love me

    I like to imitate old Jerry Lee
    And watch you roll your eyes when I'm slightly off key
    And I like the innocent way that you cry
    At sappy old movies you've seen hundreds of times

    But I love the way you love me
    Strong and wild
    Slow and easy
    Heart and soul
    So completely
    I love the way you love me

    And I could list a million things
    I love to like about you
    But they all come down to one reason
    I could never live without you

    I love the way you love me
    Strong and wild
    Slow and easy
    Heart and soul
    So completely
    I love the way you love me
    Oh baby, I love the way you love me



    As the ending notes drew to a close, he was reaching down into his pocket for his cell phone. He had the urge to call Shannon, just to tell her he loved her.
    A frown spreading into place as it seemed to be wedged especially good within its snug denim prison. The light was changing to green then, so he was pressing down on the gas pedal to proceed slowly into the intersection. He only glanced down for a second.
    But that's all that it took. He never even saw the large pick-up truck barrelling through the red light and headed towards an inevitable collision with the Jeep.

    The last thing he remembered was the unearthly loud crunch of metal against metal and the distinct sounds of glass shattering. Then he blacked out.



    *****************************



    Sirens blared somewhere in the distance. He felt strangely detatched from his body.
    He could hear voices buzzing somewhere in the back of his brain but the actual words were just beyond his grasp. Strangely, he didn't feel any pain. Just that strange numb detatchment as though his mind and body were two completely separate entities.

    Another voice louder, more insistent.
    "Sir? Sir, can you hear me?"
    The EMT was prying open one of his lids and shining an irritating beam of light into the glazed pupils. Mac just couldn't seem to exert the effort needed to form any words.

    "Pupils fixed and dilated. No response." Lowly spoken as the medical technician related his findings to another one who was busy lifting the victim of the other vehicle onto a stretcher and into an ambulance. She was shaking her head as she finished and wandering over to give an assessing glance to the man her collegue was hovering over.

    "Got an ID?" She asked.
    "Yeah. S'names Cord. We should notify next of kin." He answered gravely.

    Mackenzy had a lucid moment of clarity for the space of a few heartbeats and he wrapped his tongue around the only syllables that seemed to form in his mind. His throat felt raw and gritty as sandpaper but he managed to croak out the word painfully. "Shannon."
    Then he felt himself slipping back into the dark, swirling void.




    **********************************



    Oh, God.

    This can not be happening. That was the only thought tumbling about in Charisma's mind as she made that reckless drive well over the speed limit to the hospital. She would never forget the chill that sank into her bones when she received the call from the police.
    Words that still echoed in her mind.

    "...You're brother....accident...so sorry...."

    It hadn't seemed real and she'd only caught every other word as a hand flew to her throat and her lungs nearly forgot how to breathe. She was pulling into the emergency parking and nearly flying out of the car even as she was flipping open her phone to dial Shannon's number. Well, it was the number on the card she had been given weeks earlier. She didn't know her home number or if she had a cellular. It was an answering machine that picked up.
    Her shoulders slumped some as she was walking briskly through the hospital's automatic doors. At the tone, her words just rushed out, alarm and anxiety staining her usually composed and cooly clipped voice.

    "Shannon? Oh, God. I don't know if you're there...If you are, please pick up."
    She paused and was greeted with silence and then she was continuing on, repeating the awful words she had just heard herself, with a tremor she couldn't hold back.

    "It's Mac. There ---There's been an accident. Please come to the hospital at 72nd and North Troost Avenue. Please hurry." She hung up then, snapping the phone closed and hastening her steps towards the intensive care unit after she'd received information as to her brother's whereabouts. The twins were already there in the waiting area of the wing. Pacing and wringing their hands as they waiting for their older sister to arrive. Immediately upon sight of her, they were enveloping Ris into a three-way hug, and their tears mingled as one.

    "Do you know anything yet? Any news?" Charisma then inquiring of her baby sisters who had arrived together and minutes before her.

    "No, not yet. Just that he's in surgery right now," It was Melody replying fretfully and chewing with vigor at a fingernail, a habit she only employed when she was under great duress.

    "Ris, I'm so scared." Melanie then, making the tearful confession as she buried her face into the crook of her older sibling's neck and was wrapped into another comforting embrace.

    Charisma slanted a glance towards the clock, the only adornment on the otherwise starkly white hospital wall. Please let Shannon get her message in time.

    All they could do for now was pray.

    <font color="#FFFFFF"><font size="1">[ March 11, 2005 02:49 PM: Message edited by: incomplete addiction ]</font></font>

    <font color="#FFFFFF" size="1">[ March 11, 2005 02:50 PM: Message edited by: incomplete addiction ]</font>

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    Three voices began in unison. It was mass pandemonium to say the least. Finally, Charisma's cut through the most clearly and the twins simply fell trailed off into silence.

    "Thank God you're here, Shannon. We don't have any word yet. Just that he had massive blunt force trauma to his head and they needed to perform surgery to remove a possible blood clot. He hasn't come out of it yet." She was wringing her hands as well, a testament to the helplessness she felt. Ris generally was so cool and put together. Panic generally wasn't even in her vocabulary.

    She couldn't pace the narrow waiting area anymore and yet she couldn't make herself sit still either. So many thoughts were jumbling about in her brain making it hard to focus on a single one that screamed to be answered. She just buried her face into her hands as she finally sank down into a waiting room chair. How...just how could this all be real.

    Maybe it was just a bad dream.

    It had to be.

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    Those heavy doors to the emergency room were swinging open and a doctor in scrubs was emerging from behind them, pulling off his surgical mask as he headed towards the nervously waiting women. Four pairs of eyes swung in the surgeon's direction as he approached, anxious expressions etched clearly on the faces of one and all.

    He spoke before anyone had a chance to ask any questions.

    "We performed a CT scan on his brain which enabled us to locate and remove the blood clot that was pressing against the tissue due to the blunt force trauma. He's sustained a pretty severe concussion but we're optimistic that no primary damage to the brain has been made.

    He came through the craniotomy just fine but we're concerned that he hasn't regained consciousness yet. There are a few other non-life threatening injuries he suffered,
    a fractured ulna in his left arm and a fractured tibia in his left leg.
    We also had to stitch up a particularly bad gash along his brow. It may leave a scar.

    All things considered, I think it's a veritable miracle that he even survived.
    The driver of the other vehicle wasn't so lucky. She was brought in dead upon arrival.
    You may visit for a short while after he's been settled into his room. No more than two at once, please. He's going to need to spend some time in the neurosurgical unit while we carefully measure the pressure in his brain to ensure no additional swelling will occur."

    With a nod then, the doctor was murmuring a polite excuse to take him away back through those swinging doors. After he had gone, silence seemed to have settled once again over the small group. Melanie was the first one to speak, though her comments were brief.
    "Thank God in heaven he's going to pull through." He was, right? She just didn't know if she could stand the sight of her strong and seemingly invincible brother lying weak and helpless in a hospital bed, a respiratory machine breathing for him.

    Melody followed suit then, passing a glance to her older sister and the woman she was meeting now for the first time. "Ris, you and Shannon should go in first. I think we need a few moments first." She was usually able to sense what her twin was thinking or feeling and this instance was no different. Mackenzy was like their rock. How could they stand seeing him so vulnerable and fragile?

    A nurse was heading towards them then, leading the way out of intensive care to the neurosurgical unit. She paused in front of room 327 and gently held open the door for the
    first two visitors to enter. Charisma stepped inside the darkened space, almost afraid of what she might find. Bandages, tubes? A broken and crippled cowboy? No, no, no.
    The doctor had insisted that while he hadn't yet come out of the anesthesia, there weren't any more life-threatening injuries to worry about. Just so long as the swelling around his brain didn't worsen.

    She crept quietly towards the hospital bed and her breath caught in her throat at the sight of her little brother lying there helplessly, a sickly pallor to his skin despite those tanned features. Ris just took up one of his hands and squeezed it tightly, silently letting him know that she was there. And offering a silent prayer that everything, indeed would be alright.

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    He could feel the firm, gentle squeeze, hear the soft strains of a familiar sounding voice his mind couldn't seem to place. In fact, his entire mind was a jumble of cluttering thoughts, each one fighting to be heard over the other, chaos that wa rising to the fever-pitch of a dull roar within his ears.

    It was a very peculiar sensation...this feeling that seemed to linger around him that sense of detatchment. It was as though someone had ripped chapters out of the book that was his life and now he was desperately trying to piece together the bits of information that had been stolen from his grasp. Images came unbidden to his mind, technicolor pictures that didn't make much sense at all, like someone was flipping very quickly through a glossy magazine or changing the channels of a television set at a rapid pace.
    And he had no power over the remote control.

    He just couln't remember...anything. The last lingering thoughts in his mind had been a sickening crunch of metal twisted against metal then the strong sense of gasoline fumes and smoke. A sudden sensation of wrongness began to sweep over him as he struggled to wrap his mind around a single memory...any memory.

    This wasn't right.

    It was the last thing he was able to think before he was being tugged back under into
    that black vortex of unconscious oblivion.


    *****************************


    Ris had never really been an emotional sort of person. But water was now steadily filling up her eyes, and trying to trickle down the curve of her cheeks. She watched quietly as the artist said what she needed to into the shell of the cowboy's ear and a hand came up to clasp about her mouth then, as though to stifle the sound of her heart breaking.

    It just couldn't be real. It couldn't. She closed her eyes tightly as though hoping that when she opened them again it would all, indeed just be a bad dream. Her voice was thick with unshed tears as she managed a choked reply to Shannon. "No, it doesn't. It doesn't at all."

    As the woman now squeezing her brother hand stepped away, Charisma drew closer to her silbing's side and crouched down on her knees beside the bed so that she was on a more equal level with him, heedless of any damage done to the expensive looking suit she wore.
    "Hey, lil bro." Her voice was calm, almost gentle as she spoke those first words.
    Then those tones were taking on the usual crisply cool tones that she used when she was conducting business. The no-holds barred, determined resolve seemingly set in icy steel. She wasn't really yelling persay. Just whispering in savagely fierce undertones.

    "Now, you listen up, you tough guy wannabe. You always were a stubborn one, even as a child. And I know..." She had to pause then for a catch had lodged itself in her throat and she had to swallow harshly against the lump forming there.
    "..and I know we haven't always seen eye to eye. But I'm telling you, Pancrazio Mackenzy Cord, you need to wake up. You hear me?" Just like Ris to try and project all of her fear into something that she could use...anger. It just seemed to hurt a lot less that way.

    For all her bravado though, she hoped that the words had somehow made it through to him.
    She couldn't couldn't stay anymore so she was rising from that crouch and smoothing out the back of her skirt as she stood. She couldn't be in here any longer. Without looking back she was then taking her leave of the room and heading for the brightly lit hallway.
    After the dimness of the hospital room her eyes took a moment to adjust.
    The twins were huddled together on a set of chair and they both rose to their feet upon seeing their sister emerge from the room. Something about the expression on their older sibling's face had them swallowing any words they might have been about to say.

    Ris just headed down the hallway, without saying a thing. Hospital coffee was horrible.
    She remembered. And she absolutely hated hospitals. She hadn't been in one since...
    Another chilling memory of another gruesome car accident....so far off into time.
    The one that had claimed her parents' lives.
    Mackenzy couldn't suffer the same fate.
    God couldn't be that cruel.

    He was strong. He had to pull through.
    Because she didn't know how their family could deal with another tragedy so similar to the one they were all working so hard to forget.

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    Heartbreak lingered at the edges, whispering doubts and fears while she stepped back, so Ris could speak with the cowboy. Could he even hear them? Her gaze was desperately sweeping over his face for any sign of a reaction, but if there were any she couldn't see it.

    She almost broke down when she heard the whispered use of his first name, a hand lifting to cover her mouth. Thoughts were swirling about her, making her dizzy, and all she wanted to do was crawl into that small bed with him and let the tears fall while burying her face against his neck... but she couldn't do that.

    She was distracted from her thoughts by Ris's exit, watching the woman head back into the hallway before looking down at the cowboy. She knew that she should go, the twins needed to visit him after all, but she couldn't make her feet move just yet. "I love you." Repeating in case he could hear.


    It was that damned buzzing again somewhere in the back recesses of his mind. Voices. Familiar in there sound but just out of reach of his perception. It was like trying to swim against a very strong current, that struggle to breach
    consciousness. Words he wasn't capable of piecing together. He was furiously cursing himself inwardly at the sheer helplessness he felt.

    If I could just open my eyes. But again that surreal sense of detachment as though his mind were separate from his body and refusing to do its bidding. Veins worked near his brow.
    He tried to twitch a muscle in his jaw but the movement was so weakly faint he wasn't sure if it had even been noticed. Clawing against darkness
    and gasping for air from a crushing weight that seemed to be seizing his lungs, which were burning painfully with each tortuous breath.

    Oh, God. Please don't let me die.
    Maybe this sense of detatchment was that tranquil feeling one assumed just before they passed over. No, no. no.

    Had he moved? She blinked before studying him more intently. She wasn't sure what part of him had moved.. but there had been some sort of movement that triggered a signal in her mind.

    "Baby?" Edging closer to the bed. "Can you hear me?"

    Either he had moved.. or she had wanted him to move so badly that she imagined it. For the sake of her sanity, she was hoping it was former. A brief glance was slanted towards the door before she looked down at him.

    His eyes fluttered beneath those tightly sealed lids. Dark half moons fanned against those hollowed cheekbones trying with valiant effort to twitch...something. But he had failed.
    Whoever was speaking to him in soft, comforting tones would leave him soon and then what? He'd die alone. No, bad thoughts. Don't do this to yourself, Mac. You can beat this. You have to.

    Then he had a vision painted out in front of him in his mind's eye. Blue waters. It was all
    he could see...it was surrounding him. And he was just set a drift amongst the current, bobbing helplessly. Without a life preserver.

    He was drifting and she was trying to draw him back, though she didn't know how. A hand extended, teeth scraping along her bottom lip while she passed a quick glance to the doorway to make sure a nurse wasn't lingering nearby,
    before fingertips brushed against his cheek. It was fleeting touch, because she didn't want to hurt him.. didn't know if it would hurt him.

    "I .. guess you can't hear me can you?"
    Softly and she swallowed back the lump in her throat while withdrawing the hand.

    Quiet footsteps were heard as one half of a matched set was making her way into the room. It was Melody. And she was alone. Her twin was much more close to their older brother that she had been and just couldn't bring herself to see
    him right now as though denying the accident had even took place would somehow make it all go away.

    The teen just kinda stood off to the side, taking in the whole surreal scene spread out before her, a fist brought to her mouth to
    stifle a sudden urge to scream or cry or something. So much emotion welling up inside and so much guilt as well. She didn't want the last words her brother ever heard to be, 'I hate you! I wish you weren't even my brother!'

    A stupid argument really. Melody was the one who possessed the fiery temper in the family... it was a trait she'd inherited from her father. That sense of reckless abandon. I didn't mean, it 'Kenzy. I didn't mean it. Words that kept on repeating themselves within her tormented mind as her gaze fell onto the motionless figure in the bed.

    Footsteps had Shannon glancing up abruptly.
    An attempt at a smile was offered to Melody when she appeared, before her gaze lowered to focus on the fallen cowboy. She was doing her best to stay strong, Southern belle training usually came in handy in these sorts of situations, but she didn't know how long she could hold onto it.

    It was .. hard. So very hard. Don't leave me. You promised, remember? You promised. Silently pleading with the man before she looked back to Melody.

    "Do .. you, uh, want a moment with him?"

    Mel seemed robbed of the ability to speak at the moment. All she could do was just stare blankly ahead though not really seeing what her eyes were revealing to her. Approaching the bed carefully then, as though she felt as if she hadn't even the right to be there. It was absurd. She was his baby sister. Not his favorite one.
    The idle thought struck her bitterly and she felt as if she'd been slapped across the face.

    There was really no explanation for the way she had behaved so thoughtlessly. But if he could hear them on some level, she had to make her apologies. He needed to know she was sorry. And that she did love him. He was her big brother! She'd always looked up to him.
    Leaning over the side of the bed then to cup a hand around her mouth and whisper into his ear.

    "I'm so sorry this happened to you, 'Kenzy. And I'm so sorry for being sucha selfish spoiled brat. I love you even though I don't always show it. Please wake up, 'Kenz, y'gotta wake up."

    Tearful words spoken in near inaudible strains. Drops of wetness leaking out past tightly closed lids as she made that impassioned speech.
    Mel wanted to say so much more but the words stumbled on her tongue and seemed just beyond her so she just lingered there by his side as her heart quietly wept.

    She watched the teen approach, emotion welling up in her throat. There was so much pain in the room, in all forms, and Shannon was sure she was going to drown in the undertow of it all. She stepped back from the edge, giving Melody a chance to speak with the cowboy with some semblence of privacy.

    Her gaze drifted away, prayers once more being whispered in her mind. Please just let him pull through... I'll do anything. Please.


    A doctor was stepping into the room then, pausing upon the threshold of the doorway as he lifted a sheet of paper he was inspecting that was attatched to the clipboard he carried. It wasn't the same doctor as before but he had kind eyes and an even kinder voice. But he was dreading the news he had to impart.

    Melody looked up then upon sight of the physician and melted slowly away from her brother's side, questions filling her hazel eyes.
    He'd have to repeat the same words when the rest of the family was present which made the task all the more difficult.

    Shannon looked up at the sight of the doctor, and his expression had her worrying. She had seen doctors wear that expression before, on occasions she wouldn't care to recall. She straightened her spine slightly, stepping away from the bed while she listened.

    "I'm sorry to have to tell you that there's been much more extensive damage to his brain than we had earlier surmised. The swelling hasn't increased but the extent of the injury was far more severe than we had first diagnosed.

    The very sign that he hasn't come out of anesthesia yet isn't good either. If the current condition persists, I don't know how long it will be before he regains consciousness. If ever. I'm sorry, there's nothing else we can do. It's in God's hands now."

    His tones were professional but soothing and even though he had probably repeated the same words to some other family countless times before he tried to inflect a personal note of compassion into the speech. Flipping shut the clipboard, he paused to check the IV drip level and after scribbling down something into his charts,he quitted the room after another murmur of apology.

    If ever. If ever. The words were repeated time with the chisel that was slowly but surely chipping away at her heart. A hand lifted to cover her mouth as if to muffle a scream, but no sound came. She stared at the doctor in shock,
    silently begging him to say it was a joke, a trick.. that it wasn't real.

    But ... he didn't say it. When he left she swayed back a step, doing her best to stay on her feet even though the room seemed to be spinning.

    This can't be happening.The motionless form on the bed was the point of focus she picked to help her stay upright during the dizzy spell, silently pleading that he would open his eyes. He had to wake up. He just had to.


    (Excerpt taken from live play and reposted with
    permission)

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    If ever. If ever. The words were repeated time with the chisel that was slowly but surely chipping away at her heart. A hand lifted to cover her mouth as if to muffle a scream, but no sound came. She stared at the doctor, silently
    begging him to say it was a joke, a trick.. that it wasn't real. But ... he didn't say it. When he left she swayed back a step, doing her best to stay on her feet even though the room seemed to be spinning. This can't be happening. The motionless form on the bed was the point of focus she picked to help her stay upright during the dizzy spell, silently pleading that he would open his eyes. He had to wake up. He just had to.

    She worked her way around the bed to be closer to Melody, hesitating a moment before extending a hand to rest it on the teen's shoulder. There weren't any comforting words that could be said, so she just offered a gentle touch.

    Here she had just met the woman and what circumstances indeed to be making first impressions! The comforting touch was appreciated but there didn't seem to be any words to say at the moment that would somehow make all of this
    ...what? Her thoughts were just a jumbled mess right now. She could only stare blindly ahead at the still figure beneath those plain sheets, a hand clasped to her mouth as though trying to muffle the scream that threatened to spill from her lungs.

    Reassuring words littered the corners of her mind. C'mon. Wake up, you gotta wake up. C'mon. This was her big brother! Solid. Strong. If anyone could beat the odds...it was him. She could only stare ahead, dark auburn head shaking slowly from side to side as though to deny what was going on all around her. Please, 'Kenz, wake up.

    Indeed. She could only imagine what kind of an impression she made with watery eyes and wild hair. It certainly wasn't one she wanted to give! The situation was so completely surreal, it seemed to be filtering into her mind in the
    form of an abstract painting with irregular shapes and off the wall colors.

    She bit down on her lip harshly to distract herself from the overwhelming sadness, giving Melody's shoulder a squeeze while staring down at the cowboy. It was almost funny.. one minute she's being teased by Lola about when she and the cowboy were going to get married (Shannon couldn't even remember what she said to that) .. and now this. Her voice was rough and she had to clear her throat before trying again.
    "..Should one of us tell the others?"

    Swallowing past the lump that had seemed to have lodged itself permanently within her throat, hazels flew wide as she pased a glance to the artist. They did have to inform the others, didn't they? Unless the doctor had done so
    already. But if he had...wouldn't they have returned to the room by now to continue the vigil along with them? She managed a nod, trying to clear her throat enough to speak and failing miserably. Only a choked sound made its way out
    which couldn't have been considered any sort of word. She just nodded once more.

    She nodded, passing a glance to the cowboy once more. It was hard to get her body to move away from him now, but they did have to speak with the others. What if he woke up while she was gone? What if he slipped away? No, no. Don't
    think about that, Shannon.

    "Okay." Murmured and she forced herself to step back from the teen, hand falling from her shoulder. "I'll .. go tell them."

    She managed the words somehow this time though that stung and burned painfully at the back of her throat.
    "Th-Thank you."
    Attention returning then to the fallen cowboy, fingers of one hand lightly covering one of his which lay so still upon that starkly white hospital sheet. Gooseflesh prickled along her skin along with a vague sense of nausea. She detested hospitals! There were so cold and sterile. Those fingers of hers tried to give a light squeeze but the strain of it all was just too much and she was beyond bone-weary.
    Oh, God. What if he doesn't pull through? No, bad thoughts. He had to, there was just no other alternative. He had to.

    She nodded, slowly slipping away and out into the hallway. She smoothed a hand over her face, wiping any evidence of tears that might have fallen. She had to be strong. For herself.. and for his family. She took a deep breath while
    heading back down the hospital, trying to ignore the uneasy feeling snaking through her stomach. She stepped to the side to get out of a nurse's way before glancing towards the waiting area where the other two were.

    Melanie was the only one to be found in that waiting area when Shannon had emerged from the room. She was huddled up against one of those uncomfortable hospital chairs, her knees drawn up tightly to her chest, arms snaked around
    them to have them pressed tightly to her, as though she were very cold and couldn't stop shivering. She was even rocking back and forth slightly as her lips moved in a silent prayer.

    Charisma was no where in sight. When the teen
    looked up and finally seemed to see Shannon she passed on the information that her older sister was busily trying to reach some other friends of her brother's to keep them advised of the situation. After the brief message was
    relayed, she seemed to slump back against her chair. She'd been in shock those first few hours and hence rendered numb to most any emotion but now the reality of what had really happened was sinking in bit by bit and the weight of it all was too much to bear. She resumed the knee hugging and just shook her head to herself.

    She took one look at the girl before pulling the sweatshirt up over her head (Lola had been kind enough to swing by her apartment and bring some things for Shan earlier) and offering it out.

    "Here .. hospitals are always cold."
    An attempt at a small smile, though it failed miserably. She nodded for the information about Charisma, passing a brief glance about the hallway before sinking down into the chair next to Melanie.
    "..He's gonna be okay."
    Was she saying that to convince herself or the teen? She didn't really know.
    "The doctor said the swelling hasn't increased.." But she couldn't bring herself to reveal the rest of the update.

    Hazels blinked at the offering before nodding her thanks and sliding the material over her shoulders rather than pulling it on. Even that simple act seemed like it would take too much energy. Mel had always been a realist. She
    didn't sugarcoat matters and she didn't want others to sugarcoat them for her.
    "He's..." Her voice began unsteadily, but she couldn't form the rest of the sentence on her tongue. If she said the words out loud perhaps she was tempting fate to bring them to fruition.

    Positive thoughts, girl! She swallowed back whatever else she was going to say and attempted a different sentiment.
    "That's good to hear," offered cautiously. Somehow she knew there was something that was being held back. Please, no more bad news.

    There was, but she couldn't bring herself to say the words out loud. If she said them.. they might come true. But he was going to fine. Right? Right. She just had to keep believing that.

    "Do you want to go see him?" Softly asked with a
    glance back towards the teen.

    A startled shout from Mackenzy's room had her nearly flying out of her chair, the sweatshirt falling to a heap on the floor forgotten. "Shannon! Mel! Come quick!" Melody's voice, high-pitched with...something. Alarm? Surprise? She didn't stop to analyze it just flashed a quick glance to the artist then the teen was nearly scrambling for the room. What?! Please. don't say he... she couldn't even think it.

    Well, she jumped at the shout. There was a startled glance to Mel before she was all but leaping to her feet and rushing down the hallway. Was he dying? Was he awake? What was it? She was right behind the teen, nearly tripping in
    her haste to get into the room.

    "What is it?" Urgently asked as soon as Melody was in sight.

    Even Charisma all the way down the corridor frantically talking into the receiver of the phone at the nurse's station heard the yell. She made a hasty goodbye and then she was high tailing it down the length of the hallway for her
    brother's room, heels clicking noisily against the linoleum. She made good time, just seconds after the other two and to hell with the two visitors only rule! What had happened? Alarm and hope was both etched into her features.

    Melody's face was all pinkened as though she'd been running or exerting herself somehow.
    "I--I thought..." She was almost afraid to hope. Swallowing then against the catch in her throat before continuing. "I thought I felt something."

    She glanced down at her hand clasped about her brother's. Had she just imagained the faintly weak squeeze? Had she just been hoping too hard and her imagination was playing tricks on her?

    Shannon froze for a moment, letting the full force of that statement crash into her. She was afraid to get her hopes up, drifting closer to the bed.
    "You .. did?" A glance down at the cowboy, before gently brushing fingertips along his other hand. Was it true?

    "Uh huh. At least...I hope I did. Maybe I'm just overly tired. I could've sworn I felt him squeeze my hand. It was so fleeting..."
    She trailed off then. She had to believe it was true because it was all the hope they had at the
    moment.

    She passed a brief glance to the other girls before looking down at his face. Was there any change? She was almost afraid to give his hand a squeeze.. but she did. Teeth scraped along her bottom lip while she watched him.

    Melanie was pressing in alongside her twin, hazels filled with a hopeful light as well. Unlike the others, this was her initia; glimpse of her older sibling and while the other's might have steeled themselves against the sight of
    him looking so...fragile... she was literally taken aback at what her eyes were revealing to her.
    That... couldn't be Mac. He was so strong and full of life. The pale looking figure lying so deathly still beneath those plain sheets
    just wasn't her brother. But it was. Her eyes slid shut as though to block out both the image and the unwanted tears. Please, let it be true. Let him be okay.

    Seconds seemed to last forever and she was waiting on pins and needles for any sign that he was responding. She looked at the others, chewing on her bottom lip lightly before looking down at Mac once more. Come on, baby. Please.

  7. #7
    Inactive Member Roping the Wind's Avatar
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    Seconds seemed to last forever and she was waiting on pins and needles for any sign that he was responding. She looked at the others, chewing on her bottom lip lightly before looking down at Mac once more. Come on, baby. Please.
    A brush of her fingertips along his knuckles before her hand curled about his, giving a gentle squeeze. Please.

    Melody offered another gentle squeeze to her brother's hand, hoping against hope that what she had felt had not been in her imagination. Please let him have responded. She couldn't have just imagined it. Not when everyone who cared so much for him was hoping for some kind of miracle. C'mon, 'Kenz! Do it again. I know you're with us. Please.

    She was almost afraid to breathe, as if that would affect whether he responded again or not. She was watching his face intently, hoping for any sign that he was with them. A flutter of lashes, a slight tick to his jaw, a squeeze.. anything. She passed a glance towards the others while the silence reigned.

    It was a strange and rather surreal journey, that resurfacing from those murky waters of unconsciousness. Oh, but he didn't want to go back. It just hurt way too damned much. Floating along with that sense of detatchment the pain was there yes, but somewhere far away..like the sound of a distant drum beating somewhere. But as he struggled against those waves that clawed and tugged at him trying to force him back under, the pain sharpened, it was blindingly bright now, as though he could see it. So bright. Colors swirling together in patterns that didn't make much sense to his feverish mind. No, it hurt too much to open his eyes. He struggled against the tide and eventually was swept away once more but for all his exertions, there was a very faint tick in the granite muscle of his jaw. Nearly imperceptible, but there.

    She probably would've missed that faint movement of his jaw if she hadn't been watching him so intently. Even so, she couldn't help but doubt herself. Had he moved? Or .. was she just imagining it? A lump rose up in her throat, a mixture of relief, hope, and fear churning inside of her while she glanced back to them wide-eyed. "..Did anyone else see him move?"

    The twins both speaking in unison, their voices so similar, it was as though one person had uttered the sentiment. "I did!" It was a soft exclamation, as though they feared that speaking too loudly would erase the truth they had just witnessed.

    The relief was overwhelming and she almost got sucked down by the undertow but was able to pull herself back from the brink. Oh, thank God. She squeezed his hand again, unsure of whether she wanted to laugh or cry. If he was responding.. surely that would mean he was getting better. ".. Oh, good." She was so glad that she hadn't imagined it. A flicker of a smile for the trio.

    Voices. Whisper soft but filtering through his senses as though they were supposed to be important to him. No, it hurt too much to open his eyes but he locked in an inner struggle to try to surface back to reality. After receiving that warm squeeze, a work-roughened fingertip twitched faintly in response. Now, there have been reports of patients being comatose for years and then suddenly sitting upright and requesting their favorite food. It seemed this was
    not to be the case for the cowboy. After treading water for what seemed like an eternity...he just...opened his eyes. Ceiling. Freshly painted and starkly white. That's what he saw first. Christ, it hurt so much. He blinked as though he had sand in his eyes. Dazed. His vision wasn't all that clear yet but shapes were slowly coming into focus. He just stared straight ahead, there but not really seeing then as though he'd been alert for a few seconds but now was gone again.

    Hell, she'd make him his favorite foods every day for the rest of his life he would just wake up .. just stay with them. She glanced back to the cowboy when she felt the faint movement of his fingertip against her palm ... and caught her breath in a gasp. His eyes were open. His eyes were open! Her eyes widened and she looked at the others quickly to make sure they were seeing this before stepping closer to the bed. "Mac? ... Baby?" She couldn't get over how much of a miracle this was. His eyes were open!

    Simultaneous gasps from both Melanie and Melody, hands lifting in unison to clasp over their mouths as though to stifle the sound. He'd opened his eyes but was he with them? Don't let it be some cruel joke that he had survived this horrible tragedy but was for all intents and purposes...brain dead. Their voices mingled as one chasing after Shannon's. "Kenz? Can you hear us?" Mel was sorely tempted to wave a hand before his face but she was just too stunned to even think about it.

    Even Ris was speechless. No gasps or any outwards sign of emotion. Just watching intently as though she feared if she looked away for one second that the evidence her eyes were telling her would vanish into a thin puff of smoke.

    Well, that would be a cruel trick if he was able to open his eyes.. but wasn't with them. She was clinging the threads of hope with all her might, watching him intently. She had never been so happy to see his beautiful eyes as she was now. "C'mon, baby.." Please show us you're with us.

    And then the veil that seemed to be draped over his perception lifted then as the blank stare seemed to evaporate and he was blinking again. Slowly, painfully, he tried to get his mind and body to work in sync once again. That detatched sensation wanted to linger, still clawed at him viciously. It was dark there, but it was almost comforting. And it hurt a helluva lot less. His throat worked, tongue feeling too thick in his mouth. Voice raw. He could only mouth the words as even whispering took too much of an effort. ' Thirsty.' It wasn't clear who it was directed to as he hadn't locked eyes with anyone as of yet. It was just a general statement directed to whomever was nearby. Then those grey-greens lowered once again...as though it was too much of an effort to even keep them open. But he was still there. Struggling to hold on.

    She would never want him to feel pain, but him feeling some pain and still being alive mattered more to her then him peacefully slipping away into the afterlife. Her control slipped away when she saw him mouth that request, free hand lifting to cover her mouth while a few tears streaked down her cheeks. He was here. Now Shannon was horrible at lip reading so she didn't have a clue about what he said, passing a brief glance to the others to see if they got the message while she squeezed his hand. He really was Mister All and Powerful, recovering from such a horrible injury. "Hey you." Murmured when she glanced back down to him.

    Then finally a crack in that all too pristine shell of Charisma's the sound of the ice melting as her lower lip trembled slightly. Oh, my God. He's with us. She caught the mouthing of the syllables and couldn't move towards the nightstand quickly enough for the pitcher of water and glass there. Hands shaking visibly as she sloshed some of the liquid into the tumbler. Thank you, God.

    She watched Charisma rush over to the water pitcher, swiping a hand along her cheeks to remove the tears while she laughed. It was a soft sound, all of the joy and relief she felt being channeled into that sound. She brushed fingertips along his while smiling at the twins. He was going to be okay!

    His gaze was sort of in soft focus. As though everything about him had slightly fuzzy edges. He was back, that was for certain, but other than that basic need for water he couldn't seem to form any other thoughts in his mind. Brows furrowed before he realised that that hurt like hell and he was then gazing at the myriad of faces crowding about the bed as though he'd never seen them before. Then a sense of wrongness at the back reaches of his mind. Not right. The words seemed to be screaming at him from some far off place as his eyes squinted, blinked and then stared again. Something was just not right. He couldn't determine exactly what it was that was bothering him but he knew it was something very important. The images all seemed to blur together as his vision swam. It was just too much to handle all at once.

    "Ris is gettin' you some water, honey.." Warmth was obvious in her honey smooth drawl, and she glanced down at him with a flicker of a smile. He didn't have to say anything.. it was enough just to see him looking up at them. She swallowed back the tide of emotion that was threatening to drown her before glancing towards the others. "Should .. we tell someone that he's awake?" Softly.

    As though those words had summoned the very doctor himself, there was yet another physician strolling into the hospital room and before he could make a complaint about there being way too many visitors in the sick room, he nearly dropped his clipboard at the sight of his patient...awake! The chances of even regaining consciousness were slim to none but there the cowboy was alert (mostly) and sipping from a glass of water held by his sister's hand. He spoke without preamble. "Well! What do we have here? Good to see you with us again, Mr. Cord." The amiable note in his voice covered the shock laced somewhere in there quite effectively. This was one for the history books for sure. He was heading towards the bed then, lifting a few papers from that clipboard then checking the read out on the heart monitor before inspecting the IV drip. His smile was all encompassing for the whole group. "I don't know if any of you is particularly religious, but I'd say that this was definitely the hand of a higher power." Nodding as he was scribbling something down into his charts.

    Well, that was certainly convenient! She couldn't help but laugh softly at the doctor's seemingly perfect timing, brushing a few more stray tears away while listening to him. "I'd say you're right, doctor." She agreed softly, offering a small smile while glancing up at the man before her attention quickly returned to the cowboy. She was afraid to look away for too long, as if he might slip away from them again if she didn't watch him.

    Mr. Cord. Cord. He knew the name should be familiar to him as should the faces gathered along his side but...there was no trace of recognition in either. Not right. Again that nagging voice. Relentless, insistent. The doctor was closing the clipboard then to angle alongside his patient's bed so that he might do a closer inspection. "Any dizziness, nausea? Loss of feeling in your arms or legs?" There was something that didn't seem to sit well with him. The man hadn't responded at all with familiarity to the greeting he had offered. That wasn't good.

    He didn't know what prompted him to ask the question, perhaps it was a gut reaction, perhaps because he had seen a lot of this particular malady associated with severe trauma. "Can you tell me your full name?" He was inspecting the stitches near his patient's brow as he inquired making sure none has split open or anything.

    She had noticed the lack of .. reaction when he looked at them, but she didn't think anything of it. He was just in shock. Surely he wouldn't make a full recovery in one day, even if he was Mister All and Powerful. She just watched the cowboy quietly while the doctor questioned him.

    Mackeny's mouth twisted as though in pain. And even though it had hurt like hell, he furrowed those dark brows again. He was at a loss, eyes shifting out towards the others lingering nearby as though expecting to find the answer written on their faces. Finally, he stammered in a voice that was hardly more than a croak. "I -- I don't know." There it was the ugly truth. He didn't know anything.

    She just blinked, surprise written all over her features. Wide eyes lifted to focus on the doctor before sliding to focus on his sisters with a confused furrow of her brows. He .. didn't know his name? A thousand questions were racing through her mind, and she didn't know which one to ask first. Or if she even wanted to ask any of them.

    The doctor released a side then as he drew back as though the whispered confession didn't at all surprise him. "I'm afraid it's not at all an uncommon occurrence. After the kind of trauma you've just been through Mr. Cord, temporary amnesia is not at all unusual." He was shifting a glance over the gathered family members then. "Do you recognise any of these people, Mr. Cord?" Yes, he was persistant and it was almost annoying the cowboy but he couldn't even meet those perplexed gazes...all focused on him. In a voice so soft he almost didn't recognise it as his own. "No." It was a sound of defeat.

    Temporary amnesia. She mouthed the words silenty while her mind tried to grasp the concept of it all. He .. couldn't remember them? At all? She never thought that could really happen to someone, it was just a trick they used in the movies. She blinked rapidly to keep the water that filled her eyes from slipping down her cheeks, a hand lifting to cover her mouth when she heard him admit to not remembering. That stung a bit, though she knew it wasn't his fault. She swallowed harshly before glancing towards the others to see their reactions to the news.

    The twins were hugging each other, tears mingling together as they rested their heads on one another's shoulders. Ris was just...stone still. Sure, she would rather have her brother alive and...not completely himself than to see him slipping away at death's door. But still it hurt. But it wasn't his fault. He should be concentrating on getting better. Completely better. Then they could all worry about the unfortunate side effects of this unthinkable accident later on. She swallowed against the tears threatening to clog her throat and then she was just quitting the room. Now that she knew he was going to be okay, she just needed to get out of there. It was just too much.

    She watched Ris leave the room before glancing back to the doctor, swallowing once more. She could handle this, right? ..Sure. "Temporary?" The question was directed to the doctor, her fingertips brushing against Mac's knuckles without her even realising she was still holding his hand. It was something that had become second nature, touching him. Though it probably wasn't the best of ideas judging by the fact that he couldn't remember her.

    The doctor nodded as he lifted the cover of the clipboard to scritch out something else onto the papers attatched. "We can only hope. Mild amnesia is not at all uncommon for this extent of injury. But I'm going to have to be honest with you. Sometimes the memories will leak out slowly, at a time. Others a certain scent, or place will trigger a flood of memories." He was hedging over the last part he had to impart as it wasn't particularly pleasant. His voice lowered an octave before continuing on. "In some cases," He exhaled on a break shaking his slightly greying head slowly. "It is permanently irreversible." His features darkened then as though forming the words had left a bad taste on his tongue.

    "Oh." No other response came to mind except for that and her gaze lowered abruptly. What was she supposed to say to that? She cleared her throat lightly while letting the information settle in. A heavy weight could be felt in the pit of her stomach and her free hand lifted to rake fingers through messy curls, a nervous habit. She was at a loss and glanced about the room in search of a life line before she spotted the twins. God, she could only imagine what they were feeling at this pointed. Granted, she was his lover ... but that bond wasn't the same as the bond between siblings. "Is there anything we can do ..?" Looking back to the doctor while she spoke.

    Like a scared little boy, he had that lost expression etched into his face. With as much strength as he could muster at the moment he drew away his hand from the side of the bed and tucked it beneath the sheets. Not knowing how much hat simple action probably hurt her. What the hell was going on? He just wanted to scream. Or hide away from it all.

    The doctor spoke again after heaving another sigh. "Anything you think would help him remember his life as it was. As it should be. Pictures. A certain place maybe he liked to visit often. All factors that could play a role in jogging loose the files of his memory that are locked in there somewhere deeply in his brain. Most of all. Talk to him. Tell him things about himself. That is what I'd best advise." He was pushing away from the bed hen, affording them all with a sympathetic smile then flipping that clipboard closed again and mvoing to leave the room. Yes, it had been a miracle his patient had even survived but the aftermath of the terrible tragedy were yet another obstacle to breach before everyone could rejoice in that fact fully.

    Oh, it definitely stung. She blinked, glancing down abruptly when he withdrew his hand. She drew her hand away from the mattress while stepping back slightly, suddenly uncertain. Should she even be here? Maybe he didn't want her around right now.. but then again, he wasn't even himself so how could he know what he wants? She was distracted from her jumbled thoughts by the doctor's advice, passing a brief glance up to him and nodding. "Thank you, sir." A bit of her southern belle nature coming into play, making it easier for her to respond gracefully and keep her sadness at bay. She swallowed before glancing towards the twins.

    Melanie broke away from her sister's arms then and just burst out of the room, trying to keep the sound of her sobs from escaping past her throat with a hand fastened tightly against her mouth. Like Ris, she couldn't bear to be around her brother right now whe he was surveying him with an unintentionally cool gaze that one might have reserved for strangers. She would be thanking the stars forever that he had beat the odds and survived but at what price? She was accepting great gulps of air as she reached the hallway then heading off in the direction he thought her older sister might have taken. She would need the hear the rest, as much as she probably didn't want to right now.

    She watched Melanie rush out of the room and it tugged at her heartstrings, sadness sadness painted briefly across the canvas of her features before she pushed it away. Be strong. You have to be strong, Shannon. A brief glance was slanted towards Melody to see whether she was staying or not before she glanced down to the silent cowboy. "Hey." Softly, and she paused briefly.. unsure of how to begin. "I'm Shannon .. your, uh, girlfriend." It felt so strange to have to introduce herself to him.

    The remaining twin was simply staring at a fixed place somewhere over her brother's shoulder. Then she was just backing away slowly as though the very sight of her sibling was too much to bear at the moment. She didn't rush out obbing as her sister had done. She felt too numb for that. Hazels flickering towards Shannon then and a lifting of her shoulders in a helpless shrug as she slowly turned to leave the room as well. Leaving Shannon to have some time alone with the cowboy. And heading down the corridor in search of the other missing members of the family. She didn't know whether the worse was over or just beginning but she was thankful at least that he was alive.

    And then it was just the cowboy and the belle. She glanced about briefly, attempting to gather her scattered wits while searching for a chair. She finally located one in the corner of the room and moved to drag it closer to the bed and settling down into it. Hands brushed along denim-clad thighs before she looked up at him, offering a small attempt at a smile. This felt so .. awkward. "I'm glad you're awake.. you had us all really worried there, Mac." Softly.

    "Shannon." He repeated as though testing the word on his lips. His voice was rough around the edges as he spoke slowly. Those grey-greens lifted for the first time then to meet her own, so startling blue. His girlfriend. It was a name he should've known as well as his own, but he was just getting used to learning that. He regarded her as though looking at a some kind of puzzle or riddle one that he only had a few pieces of and was expected to figured out the rest on his own. "I don't remember." Gruffly. It was a bit more brusque then he had intended. The anger wasn't directed at her persay but at himself. At this whole situation. At his helplessness of it all.

    She nodded when he repeated her name, the smile widening a touch. One step at a time, Shannon. You have to be patient. "Mhm, Shannon Maguire. You're name is Pancrazio Mackenzy... but you don't like Pancrazio, so you choose to go by Mackenzy.." She trailed off abruptly at the rough tone to his voice, glancing down towards her shoes. "I know." Quietly. "I can go.. if you'd rather?" A tip of her head to the side, attempting to hide the discreet swipe of her hand along the skin underneath her eyes, removing stray tears. "Mackenzy Cord, that is." Tacking that on.

    There was a small piece of the puzzle sliding into place as though falling from the sky and hitting him square in the head. A fragment of a memory. He..saw...horses? And bulls. A moment of clarity and then he was remembering at least one detail of his life. One step at a time, Mac. The words seemingly were coming from nowhere...snatched out of the air as though with a magician's hand. "Never said I didn't like it. Just that it wasn't suitable to be announced at a rodeo." Where had that come from? His brows furrowed and he winced. He remembered....something. He was a cowboy by trade. It was a relief to have that tiny scrap of information brought to life and he grasped onto it as though a drowning person hugging onto a life preserver.

    She blinked at his reply, glancing up at him with surprise widening those sea colored eyes. "You remember that? .. It means Mister all and powerful in Italian. I tend to call you that when I'm teasin' you." A hint of a softer smile, remembering some of those light hearted moments ... before remembering that he couldn't recall those moments.

    And the puzzlement spreading across his features clearly showed he didn't have the slightest inkling what she was talking about. But she had a rather comforting, soothing voice and it seemed to placate him as much as he felt like he was leaping out of his skin at the moment. "No. Stay. I need to.." He paused. He needed to know more. "Tell me more? Those people that were here... they are close to me?" It was a question he thought he knew the answer to but like a child requesting confirmation of knowing the right answer he was tentative at best. The rough edge had softened from his voice a bit though only by degrees.

    "Okay." She nodded, passing a glance to the door before shifting in her seat, angling more towards him. "They're your sisters. Charisma.. She's the eldest and she runs her own interior design company. Then there are the twins, Melanie and Melody.." She regretted not knowing more about the girls, but she was only just getting to know them herself. "Um, Melanie writes for a literary journal.. She's very focused on her craft. Melody seems to be a little less grounded.. She's the opposite of Melanie." A tip of her head, gaze drifting about the room while she tried to think of what else to tell him. "Your birthday is on January 28th.. and mine is on June 28th, it was a coincedence that amused us both." A brief smile, glancing back to him after a moment.

    He was nodding as he slowly absorbed all this new information, storing it away somewhere in his mind. Hint of a fleeting smile (though it hurt like hell) crossing his features as she revealed the latter comment. "It is certainly an interesting coincidence." He allowed his eyes to fall closed for a few seconds as though the strain of the day had been far too much and just now catching up to him. He had three sisters. He had a girlfriend. Why couldn't he remember any of it? But odds and ends came to the forefront of his mind like what he must have said once before about his name. It was all quite an unsettling experience. He only hoped the rest of the pieces of the puzzle fell into place before he went completely crazy.

    "I thought so." Agreeing with a small smile while she settled back some in her seat. "I'm afraid I don't know much about your sisters yet.. I've only just met them myself. But I could tell you some more about you an' me, if you'd like?" Passing a glance back to him, brow curving upwards when she saw his eyes were closed. Oh, God. Did that mean he had slipped away again?

    "Please." Those grey-greens were shifting slowly to half-mast and he surveyed the woman across from him. He read the panic strickened expression on her face and wondered at the cause of it. She was... amazingly beautiful. He wished he could feel something. In due time, Mac. Patience. His voice was drowsy but he was hanging on by a tenuous thread, not ready to give into the languor that seemed to be seeping into his bones.

    "Okay." She nodded, a hand lifting to rake fingers through dark curls while she thought about what to tell him. She had to keep reminding herself to go slowly.. It wouldn't do to overwhelm him .. or expect too much right away. "Well you own a ranch on the west side of town, and you have all different kinds of horses. One of your mares had a filly recently and you let me pick out the name for her. Her name's Belle. She's a spoiled thing now, but she's so adorable I don't think anyone can resist her." A soft chuckle, glancing back to him after a moment. "You have an orchard on the property .. we had a picnic there once."

    "Horses." Well, that explained where those images had originated from. He was nodding drowsily as she spoke, silent encouragement to continue, to offer any futher insights that might help unlock his memory that seemed just out of reach of grasping fingers.

    "Mhm. You train them.. and ride bulls in rodeos. A regular cowboy." A hint of amused flickered in her smile, studying him thoughtfully. "You like old black and white movies.. When I decided to be Marilyn Monroe for Halloween, you rented all of the Monroe movies you could find so we could do research .. of course we tended to get distracted when ever we sat down to watch them, but it's the thought that counts." A soft chuckle, fingertips tangling with the hem of her shirt while she spoke. "You were thinkin' about bein' Joe DiMaggio to match me, so I found a documentary about him as well. We watched it the other day."

    The yawn was slicing apart his lips without any warning and the action nearly killed his badly bruised jaw. Wincing a bit, he was giving another nod as she parted with more information. He was resisting the battle against sleep now and losing miserably. But it had been a pretty rough day for the cowboy! Perhaps rest wouldn't be such a bad thing right now. His voice was getting more and more distant. "Tell me.." He trailed off then and it looked as though he had drifted off to sleep but then after a few intervals, he continued in that baritone husky with fatigue. "Tell me about how we met." Damn, it hurt to keep on yawning but he couldn't seem to help that.

    She noticed the yawn, and leaned forward, resting one hand on the sheet near his side. "You should get some rest, baby.." She didn't touch him, though the desire to do so was lingering right at the surface. She couldn't push him, though. Go slow. She'd stay here while he slept, unable to contemplate leaving his side now that he was back. Or .. well, partially back. "We met at this bar called the Medieval Tavern. It's near your ranch, actually. We were introduced by a mutual friend.. and ended up being pulled into that game where one person starts a story and the next person continues it.. and so on and so forth." Lazily telling the story while she watched his face.

    His hand had abandoned the safety of the sheet and was edging closer to hers resting near his side. He just rested his lightly on the back of hers. It seemed so natural and now that he wasn't so taken aback by the new set of cards fate had dealt him, he could feel himself relaxing, slowly but it was a start. This women evidently meant a lot to him and he was going to try to make the effort to remember. Corners of his mouth lifting in the semblance of a smile as he formed that single syllable. "Ahh." He couldn't seem to wrap his mind around the memory but he basically giving the response to let her know he was still with her, that he hadn't been claimed by sleep yet.

    "We started building a pretty good friendship after that.." It was sad how much that touch cheered her up. At least he wasn't withdrawing from her, even if he couldn't remember her. "Our first .. I guess you could call it a date, was to this awful honky tonk bar on 5th. It had a mechanical bull in it.. and I stayed on longer then you did, but I'm pretty sure you let me win." A flicker of a warm smile slanted up to him. "We danced and had a pretty good time."

    The memory was fuzzy and vague but struggling to break the surface of that tightly locked portion of his brain. The words were tripping from his lips before he even realised he knew them. "You always smelled so good." He was breathing in deeply then as if to catch a whiff of her fragrance as he offered the words. Yes, it was a scent that was trying to bring on a deluge of memories but yet it lingered just beyond his grasp.

    "Hm? Oh.. It's my shampoo. One of those Herbal Essence things, you know?" She leaned forward, bringing her hair closer to his nose so he could inhale the scent. "One day .. we ended up going to this black sand beach and havin' lunch out there. We ended up gettin' covered in sand and had to go back to my apartment for a shower. You smelled like my soap the rest of the day."

    When she leaned he not only took the whiff offered but fingers were pushing through the tumble of curls as he breathed in, as though learning the texture of her hair. It sifted like silk through his hands and another technicolor flash of imagery danced across the blank canvas of his mind. Those curls were falling all around him, brushing his face even as her mouth touched his in light, teasing kisses. Then the flash was gone and he was left in the dark once more. But it was a breathtaking glimpse into what he was so desperately trying to recapture. He knew it within his gut that it was very important to remember. His brows furrowed as those eyes drifted closed trying to bring the memory back to the surface.

    She smiled for the tender touch, and turned her head to impulsively brush a kiss to his cheek before leaning back. "I have a dog. His name is Loki.. He loves you, which is amazing since he's usually really nervous around men." A flicker of a smile and she brushed fingertips along his hand lightly.

    "Mhm." He was drifting now, hoping that his dreams might possibly shed more insight on the unfinished puzzle that was his life at the moment. He was beyond exhausted and finally gave into the overhwelming urge to sleep. Tomorrow was another day and another chance to piece together more clues to the riddle that would help uncover the mystery that was Mackenzy Cord. His hand slipped from those dark curls to rest on the sheet and then soon his chest was rising and falling in the rhythmic breathing of slumber.

    "You can cook.. and you're a pretty good dancer.." Lazily listing some more things she remembered about him before finally noticing that he had drifted off. She leaned forward to pull that sheet further up his form, tucking him in tenderly before brushing a kiss to his cheek once more. "Night, baby. Love you." She leaned back slowly, settling in her chair and glancing towards the door. She was content just to linger.. and a hand lifted to swipe at her eyes. She didn't have to be strong when no one was looking at her, after all.


    (Reposted with permission)


    ______________________________________________

    I wanted you to know
    I love the way you laugh
    I wanna hold you high and steal your pain away
    I keep your photograph
    I know it serves me well
    I wanna hold you high and steal your pain

    Because I'm broken when I'm lonesome
    And I don't feel right when you're gone away

    You've gone away
    You don't feel me here anymore

    The worst is over now
    And we can breathe again
    I wanna hold you high and steal my pain away
    There?s so much left to learn
    And no one left to fight
    I wanna hold you high and steal your pain

    Cause Im broken when I'm open
    And I don't feel like I am strong enough
    Cuz I'm broken when I'm lonesome
    And I don't feel right when you're gone away

    Cause Im broken when I'm open
    And I don't feel like I am strong enough
    Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome
    And I don't feel light when you're gone away

    -- Amy Lee/Seether

  8. #8
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    Mackenzy was scheduled to be released from the hospital the upcoming weekend but the doctor was pleased with the progress his patient had been making so he was drawing up the paperwork that the cowboy might be discharged a day early.

    For Mac, it wasn't a moment too soon. Sure he'd need to be wheeled out in a chair and have to learn how to manipulate crutches (with one good arm, no less!) but the prospect of finally going home after what had seemed liek an eternity in that neurosurgical unit was music to his ears.

    He was looking forward to being among (not so) familiar surroundings; sleeping in a relatively comfortable bed.

    And most of all being taken care of by his beautiful southern belle. He only hoped Shan had
    that nurse outfit on hand. Wicked gleam shone in those grey-greens which still lingered as a nurse bustled into his room to take his blood pressure.

    Poor woman. She was probably scared out of her wits at that rather devilish expression on his face and couldn't attend to her task and make her leave quickly enough.

    He reached for the phone near the nightstand and after pressing the appropriate button to receive an outside line, he was dialing her number.

    Letting it ring. Once. Twice. Three times.
    Then the voicemail kicked in. His mouth curved into a faint smile as he listened to her
    honey-drawl and reclining back against the pillows as he waited to leave his message.

    "Hey, baby," Baritone rumbled low and rough around the edges but in a rather earthy, seductive way.

    "Guess what, mi fiore bella? They're releasing me a day early. So, I might need a ride..."

    Yes, the deep boom had rose several intervals to that of almost a little boy's joyous whoop of pleasure. And he meant ride from the hospital back to the ranch. There would be plenty of time for...ahem...the other kind when he was all better.

    He was going home!

  9. #9
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    "Heh. We seemed to cause quite a stir tonight."

    Amused expression while they sped along the darkened city streets.

    Since the shop was in walking distance it didn't take long for them to reach the store. She pulled up to the curb in front of the shop, parking the car before turning off the engine.

    "Seems we did."

    She chuckled softly, leaning over to brush a kiss to the inviting curve of his mouth.

    "I guess we're just that cute."

    A soft chuckle and she leaned back, easing open the door before angling out the car.

    He wondered idly of the Irishman's relationship to the southern belle but the cowboy wasn't the overly possessive or jealous type that would flip out just because his girlfriend had close male friends. But...he was curious.

    When Shannon had been out of ear shot some of the remarks made in passing had him taking pause. Brows arching in silent thought as he reached for the door handle when they had rolled to a stop, cruising into a parking space.

    Shannon and Jack were ... cut from the same cloth. Their friendship was built on playful teasing that would never be more then that, because they both were in commited relationships and did not have any attraction for each
    other.

    Remarks were made about her? Hm.

    She was unaware of his thoughts, of course, so she was smiling warmly while removing the crutches from the back seat. His thoughtful expression had her lifting a brow while she offered the crutches out him.

    "Penny for your thoughts?" Playful smile.


    "Guess so." And nauseating. Lovey-dovey. Some might even say. But didn't matter much to him for they were damned cute. Mhm. Angling out of the Honda and hobbling a bit over to accept the crutches from her.

    "Ehh...I'm just a bit puzzled is all." And what was with the clothes remark thing? They hadn't been canoodling or anything out on the swing! Kisses and nuzzles, nothing more.

    Some people were just jealous.
    Remarks he had caught as he was pushing his way towards the steps, a lengthy interval after the painter had already headed towards the lot. Hrm.

    "No matter, right? Come up with any other duo ideas?" Yes, subtle shifting of the topic of conversation. Smoooth cowboy, real smooth.

    She thought they were a great couple! So she didn't care what the others thought about it.

    "..Puzzled? About what?"

    Curious lift of a brow .. and she blinked at the subject change. "Um. Well, there's Batman and Robin."

    A flicker of an amused smile and she passed a glance over her shoulder towards the shop before looking back to him.

    "S'nothin' baby. Only approval I need is from mi fiore bella."

    Heated rumble of foreign lyricism against the delicate shell of her ear as he leaned (hobbled) in for a brush of his mouth against her own.

    And he had already passed around the idea of the caped crusaders. No tights, remember?

    "Are you sure?" Curious study of his expression before she leaned into the kiss. Did he think her friends didn't approve of him?

    "Aw, baby. Everyone approves of you.." Softly, just in case that was his concern. "But I'm the lucky one because I get to call you mine."

    Warm murmur and she brushed a few kisses to his jaw. Oh, right! No tights.

    "So, shall we go see what we can find?"

    Gesturing towards the store while glancing back to him.

    It wasn't so much that he didn't think they approved of him, but rather that he felt as if he needed to prove he was good enough for the southern belle. The other evening with the whole 'scaring him away' idea had unsettled him more than he had let on.

    He knew what a lucky bastard he was to have caught the heart of the artist, what a precious and rare jewel she truly was. And...here he was a mere cowboy. Yes, he had money. Lots of it even.

    But didn't change the fact that deep down inside, he'd always just be a country boy. But that was why they made such a good fit, hmm?

    Country boy meets country girl.

    "I'm sure, baby. Love you, mi amore."

    Aw. He didn't need to prove anything! She just got nervous when Dom and Tory started giving him the third degree about his intentions, since it wasn't really the best timing. He was trying to remember who he was, and didn't need to be bothered with questions about marriage and so forth. Money and assets aside, they were two simple people at heart, a cowboy and a belle.
    She knew how lucky she was to have him, and she treasured their love.

    "Love you too,laska."

    Softly before she stepped back to lead the way towards the store, holding the door open for him.

    Pausing to press a sound kiss to the side of her cheek and warmed by her admission, he was scraping inside the shop, extending a polite smile to the salesclerk he witnessed behind the register. Now, time to search for a costume!

    She offered a smile to the salesclerk when he greeted them, following the cowboy through the store towards the costume area.

    "Aw, I love Halloween."

    Pausing to check out a display of cheesy decorations before hurrying to catch up
    with him.

    "What would you like to do on Halloween, baby?"

    Curious glance over to him with a brow lifting. "Watch scary movies? Go trick or treatin'?" Cue the amused smile.

    "Or I'm sure there are Haunted Houses somewhere that we could check out.."

    "Me too."

    And it wasn't the new Mac making that confession but a fragment of the old cowboy trying to breach the surface. He'd always loved decorating for the season. Getting the jack-o-lantern (again, pumpkins ruled), the spiced cider, the bonfires wafting scents of chickory, the candy and of course the make believe of taking on a new persona if for just one night. One day out of the year you could trade the masks you wore everyday and be someone completely different.

    Pause as he reflected on the question asked.

    "We had some family traditions when I was a kid. Apple bobbin' for instance. Then the haunted corn maze. My parents used to throw a huge bash every season for all the neighborhood kids. They went all out, too. Haunted house, hay rides, holograms projected spookily along the walls. Mom used to make the best candied apples you ever did taste..."

    Trailing off then a pucker marring his dark brow and his shoulders seemed to sag as though suddenly burdened by a great weight. Then the shadow clouding the canvas of his features seemed to clear and he favored her with a rueful smile.

    "I like to do it all, really."

    Yep, or at least he liked to think he could try. The scary movies, especially. He would be there for her to cling to should she get spooked!

    Aw, Pumpkin. Maybe they'd rent the Charlie Brown movie about the Great Pumpkin one of these days! It would be interesting to see how he responded to the Pom when he was himself again! If he ended up not liking the pup, she'd take him in.. or if nothing else, she was sure Samantha would be happy to take the pup in, since she loved animals as well.

    She smiled warmly while listening to his story, a hand extending to brush fingertips along his back.

    "Sounds like a really great party, baby."

    Softly, and she was struck by the strong urge to chase that world-weary expression away the moment it arrived, easing closer to him.

    "Would you want to do that?"

    Have a bash for the neighborhood kids like one his parents threw.

    "And sure, baby. We can do all of it.. just don't make fun of me when I hide my face durin' the scary parts in the movie."

    Look at the inner glow filling that grey-green gaze of his as he passed her a rather eagerly boyish look. This new Mac was just...such a joy to watch, yanno. As though he was someone experiencing things for the very first time. And in actuality he was!

    While he had managed to dig up that age old memory of his own family's halloween celebrations, the newer, fresher memories, and more importanly, the ones that tied the cowboy to the belle were the ones that seemed to still elude him.

    But he had to give it time...and patience. Surely, they would eventually be crowding into his mind and flooding his senses with the emotions attatched.

    "Yeah! That would be so great, baby. Could we?"

    Excitement causing his gaze to brighten in a shimmering sea of emerald and silver. So, maybe this man standing before her wasn't quite exactly the same old Mac, but there were many appealing qualities tied to the new persona he had seemed to have adopted. The penchant for romantic films, the pom, the silliness. All endearing traits in of themselves, hmm?

    A tenderness warmed her expression while she watched him, charmed beyond belief by the boyish gleam in his beautiful eyes. The amnesia did have one thing going for it, since it was giving her the chance to get a rare glimpse of a different side of him. A chance to see how he might have turned out .. had things turned out differently.

    Not that the old version was a bad one!
    She loved the man he used to be, but this man was more boyish and willing to be silly, where she had to coax the silliness out of the real cowboy.

    But perhaps this new version would blend with the old and create an even more perfect cowboy ---
    but then again, how can you improve on perfection? Hm, hm.

    "Sure, baby. I think it's a great idea.. and I'll try to do your Mama justice with the candy apples."

    A kiss to his cheek, smiling warmly for the excited look in his eyes.

    Ear to ear grin from him as he swooped in for an impulsive lingering kiss to her mouth.
    So what, they were..in..an aisle. And obscured by a rack of costumes. Yeah.

    Work-roughened palms arcing up to press tenderly to either side of her face, while the pads of his thumbs traced the outline of her cheekbones.
    God, he loved this woman!

    You would've thought she had just given him the key to the city or something. But nah...he had something far more invaluable. A key to her heart.

    Huskily murmured near her ear, baritone infused with so much emotion, the tones were slightly thickened around the rumbled Italian.

    "Grazie, mi bella luce. Thank you so much. And I'm sure you'll do a great job with the refreshments."

    Stepping back then as he had been wobbling precariously having let go of the crutches to steal the kiss and he was tucking the wooden implements back under his arms to steady his balance.

    Yes, he had a key to her heart and she hoped he wouldn't ever throw it away. She was excited about the bash for the simple reason that it made him happy to have it. She returned the kiss lovingly, grinning brightly when it finally
    ended.

    "I'll do my best."

    A brush of a hand along his cheek before she turned to begin looking through the rack.

    "So Action types? Does it have to a duo? Because you could be Indiana Jones." With the whip. Heh.

    Oooo. Indiana Jones. And killer could be dressed in a snake..suit.

    Yanno.. 'Why'd it have to be snaaaakes?!'

    Did they even make snake suits? If he was grinning it was because he was trying to picture it. Nooo. Shannon would be hotter with a whip. Twinkle in his eyes as he gave into a shamelessly devilish wink.

    A whip? Maybe. Who knows! She laughed for his wink, removing the costume from the rack and offering it out to him.

    "I think it'd look good." But that was just her!

    "I'm kinda liking the idea. Indiana Jones. Hm."

    Musing over the option. Let's see if they had the costume first! He'd hate to get his hopes up and then be sorely disappointed later on at the discovery that they didn't even have that particular costume in stock.

    Scraping down along the current aisle they were loitering in to round another one and unconsciously keeping a look out for the thrill-seeker's duds as he began to sift through the available costumes on a nearby rack.

    She glanced towards the rack, searching to see if this was the only Jones costume they had, just in case it wasn't the right size.

    "Here's one.." Offering the Indiana Jones costume out to him once she located it, smiling brightly.

    "We'd have to find you a whip, though." Heh.


    Maybe they could teach Killer to carry it within his mouth. Heh! The pom could be his archeaological assistant complete with his own outfit. Although the thought of tie-dyed booties was still making him chuckle.

    The Austin Powers thing was just too funny. He'd be searching for that costume next! Just as a lark. Bright smile for the artist as she produced the costume for him with a great flourish.

    "Hey, great. What size is it?"

    He didn't seem to be committing himself to any permanent choices at the moment which was another striking difference in his differing personalities.

    The old Mac never waffled. He was persistant, patient, a bit rough around the edges and it took a bit of time to chip past that steely walls he had seemed to fashion around himself out of necessity.

    But this Mac...was... so much more open minded, expressive, ready to try new things and take risks. Impulsive where the old Mac had had to plan everything out to a tee. If the two personas could somehow be combined into a single person what a dynamite combo that would be!

    Actually, the Austin Powers costume might work really well with her own costume. Hmm. She shifted to check the tag when he asked about the size, brows furrowing briefly.

    "..Umm. It's a medium."

    A thoughtful glance to the costume and hen over to him, trying to judge with her gaze if it would fit or not. Yes, the old Mac had built up walls.. but so had she, so they found common ground in trying to get past those invisible barriers.

    She would love to see a balance of the old and new appear when he finally regained all of his memories since that would be an amazing combo, but she would be content to have either the old or the new. She loved them both wholeheartedly.

    And that was why he loved her with the whole of his heart. Her tenderness and understanding. Her unwavering faith in him that he could set out to accomplish anything. Like he could lasso the moon if he'd only but try. Speculative glance slanted towards the costume and a frown marring his brow as a shake of his dark head was given.

    "No, don't think that's gonna work for me, love. I need a large."

    For the sheer reason of the breadth of his shoulders and the fact that he had a rather long torso. The material would probably only reach his navel, which was not a good look for Mr. Jones! Lips quirking as he tried to visualise the image.

    She would be there to encourage him in whatever he tried to do, whether it be riding in a rodeo or attempting to lasso the moon. It was all part of that commitment, and she was sure he'd be there for her if she ever needed his support.

    She nodded, turning to hang the costume back up, but not offering offering a flirty glance from beneath a veil of dark lashes.

    "Mhm. Of course you do."

    There was a hint of innuendo in that statement, though it was rather subtle.

    "I'm sure there must be some more of them.."

    Said while she searched the rack, pausing when she found one.

    "Here's on -- Oh, no, that's a small. That definitely wouldn't fit you."

    Hangers creaked lightly while being pushing about, until she finally found his size.

    "Aha! A large. Here you are, my love."

    Removing the costume from the rack and offering it out to him.

    The intensity in his grey-greens seemed to flare slightly upon catching the hint of innuendo laced in her honey-smooth drawl. Dark brows lifting slightly in amusement.

    Going the Austin Powers route would certainly provide a feasible solution to Killer's wardrobe. Mini-Pup or something. Chuckle as she waded through the hangers and finally plucked the appropriate size from the rack and holding it out towards him.

    "Hm. Okay, then. Shall I try it on and see how it fits me?"

    Not just how it physically complimented his leanly muscled frame but how it suited him on some other level as well.

    Sometimes you find that one costume that seems as it was made especially for you. Tailored to meet your every expectation. He taking the garments from her outstretched fingers and draping the hanger over his arm while he began the scrape towards the fitting rooms.

    "Yup. I can look around for other costume ideas that might work while you change.."

    And if she happened to come across a Catwoman costume? Well, maybe she would try it on. Just for fun, though!

    She offered a grin, watching him head off the fitting room before turning her attention back to the rack.

    She chuckled when she found the Jessica Rabbit costume again, fabric rustling while she studied each costume in search of other prospects. What else, what else. A Phantom costume was located and removed from the rack. Maybe this would work.

    Muffled strains of his voice emanating from behind the closed doors of the changing area.

    "Um..I don't know about his, Shan."

    Not necessarily displeasure staining the mellow baritone, but rather uncertainty.

    He was emerging from behind the swinging doors then, sans crutches as he had grown quite profficient in hobbling about within a relatively short distances. And without falling over either. It wasn't a bad look, persay.

    C'mon. Indiana Jones? Was hot. And the cowboy did the form-fitting garments justice. He just didn't feel like it was the one. You know?

    She looked up at the sound of his voice, draping the Phantom costume over her arm before threading her way through the racks -- oh, look at that.

    "How do you feel about Beetle Juice, baby?"

    It was the dead version of Austin Powers, in a way. She checked the tag before removing the costume, draping it over her arm before continuing on over to the dressing room.

    "Hm." She paused when he stepped out of the room, studying the costume with a brow lifting.

    "Well .. it looks really good on you, baby.
    But are you comfortable in it?"

    That was more important then what looks good and what doesn't. His smile was endearingly sheepish.

    "Not really. I mean, it looks good and all but doesn't feel like me." Well, duh. That was the point in dressing up. Taking on a new persona.

    But the cowboy was already confused by the two personas already trapped somewhere in his brain trying to duke it out for power of the compromised organ. Heh.

    He sent her a floundering glance hoping she understood what exactly he had been trying to get across.

    That was an interesting question as well, would his costume choices even remain the same when he regained his memory back.

    "It's not your style, hm? I understand."

    She nodded. If a Halloween costume didn't fit his style or even the general idea he was hoping for .. then it wouldn't feel right.

    "Do you want to try either of these?"

    Holding up the Phantom of the Opera and Beetle Juice costumes for him to look at.

    He was about to reach out to take the Phantom costume from her when he swayed some and took a few staggering steps backwards.

    Really, he had been alright just moments earlier but the new medication the doctor had switched him to (after he had a few adverse side effects to the old prescription) had him feeling a somewhat woozy.

    Only able to let a few words slip past before he was alarmingly crumpling to the floor.

    "Baby, feelin' kinda dizzy." Out like that.

    Umm...what?

    Her eyes widened when she saw him stumble and she let the costumes drop from her hand while rushing to try and catch him. She was a little too slow though, barely able to grab his arm while he crumpled.. and not able to catch him or better support the fall.

    "Mac? Baby?!"

    Um. Well, needless to say, she was a little freaked out here! She shook him some to try and wake him up, rather unsure of what to do in this kind of situations. "Mac!"

    Few sales associates rushed over having witnessed the fainting. Both women speaking at once. "

    Oh my God, is he alright?"

    Yeah, not much help or even bothering to offer any assistance, call any paramedics or anything no. Just gawking.

    No, hopefully it wasn't some unfortunate setback. He had probably just been trying to do too much at one time. This wouldn't be one of those long torturous stretches of time where she feared he might not ever open his eyes for a mild groan reverberating through his chest as those lashes far too thick and long to possibly belong to a man fluttered then the lids shifted to half-mast.

    Roughly, as though speaking through a fog, trying to focus his eyes squarely
    onto the artist's face looming over his prone figure.

    "Wha-? What happened?"

    "Water? Could you get me some water? And.. maybe you should call an ambulance."

    Uncertainty in her tones while she spoke to the women, doing her best to try and take control. He fainted. What was she supposed to do?

    The groan had her gaze returning to him quickly and the relief she felt at seeing him awake was almost staggering. It probably be awhile before things like this didn't cause her to panic on some level, but she was doing her best not to worry about things.

    "Hey.. are you okay?" Worried scan of his face, fingertips brushing along his cheek.

    "I don't know what happened, baby. You just .. collapsed." A glance up to the nearby clerks.

    "Would it be possible to get him some water?"

    He didn't seem to be quite ...all there. His expression was a rather dreamy one as though a child just awakening from a lazy slumber.

    "I love you."

    Though it was sorta uttered in a sing-song way that should've been justified cause for concern. Wrapped around a little boy's type lisp.

    One of the women seeming to become animated at Shannon's repeated request and bustling off to retrieve the water while the other lingered hesitantly before scrambling towards the checkout counter to punch in 911.

    Mac was just sort of in a weird state of limbo. Not that detatched feeling he had experienced for so long during those dark days before the onset of his recovery but in that surreal state of mind where everything seemed to be in slow motion and voices mingled together to echo loudly in his ears. He heard her voice but it seemed as though coming from some fall off place.

    The expression on his face was setting off warning bells in her mind, but she wasn't sure why. He seemed to recognize her .. but his voice sounded wrong.

    "I love you too... Do you know who I am, Mac?"

    She had to check, just in case. She glanced up, watching the women hurry off before looking back down to him.

    "Does anything hurt, baby?"

    He had taken a pretty nasty fall, so she was scanning his body for any sign of broken bones while listening.

    Boyish grin nearly childlike in his response as he clapped a hand against her cheek to pat it.

    "You're Shannon."

    Playfully offered in a voice that clearly wasn't his own. What the hell had the doctor given him? Was he having some sort of allergic reaction or something? It seemed only time would tell.

    Sirens blared in the distance heralding the approach of the paramedics already on their way to respond to the emergency call.

    What was this? Another version of himself? She didn't know what to think and that was rather disconcerting. Teeth scraped along her bottom lip and the build-up from the previous encounters coupled with the new stress this one created had a hint of mist gather in her eyes.

    Not again. Please not again.

    "That's right. I'm Shannon."

    Forced out with a harsh swallow following soon after.

    "Do you know what your name is?"

    Keeping him talking while the sirens drew closer.

    Seemingly forgetting her second uttered question and making up answers to his own while he patted her cheek again. In the same almost childlike voice that was becoming more and more startling.

    "You're pretty."

    Overlooking the new inquiry as well. The doors to the shop nearly flew open as two EMTs pushed their way inside carrying a stretcher.

    "We got a call about someone collapsing?"

    Spying the fallen cowboy on the far side of the building and heading down an aisle in a smoothly efficient fashion after being directed by one of the salesclerks.

    It seemed one of them had decided to visit a well and draw the water herself for all the time it seemed to take the girl to bring the artist a simple glass of water. She was pressing in against Shannon's side then to hold out the offering as though some miracle tonic that would everything all better.

    This was wrong. Very wrong. She almost wanted to shy away from the patting because it didn't feel like him. It was him.. but it wasn't.

    She glanced up when the woman returned with the water, thanking her shortly before glancing back to Mac.

    "Mac? Here's some water.."

    He pulled a face.

    "Not thirsty."

    She would have to make him take a few sips, lifting up his head and pressing the glass to his lips if she wanted the life giving substances to trickle past his lips.

    "I think you should drink some water, Mac..."

    She was pressing the glass against his mouth, attempting to coax him.

    "Please? For me?"

    Exaggerated sigh much like a small child having been asked to do some chore or other that really wasn't that pleasant.

    "Okay."

    When the glass was pressed against his mouth, he allowed a few rivulets of the liquid to slide down his throat. Giving her a bright eyed (far too bright) beam upon having completed the task.

    Oh, God. What if it was delayed response to the accident? Brain damage couldn't possibly occur so many weeks afterwards when he had been doing so well, could it? Of course not.

    He was just.. in a daze. That he would surely be snapping out of any second now.

    Snap out of it, Mack.

    She sighed as well, when she heard that childish sigh, glancing away quickly.

    Oh, God. What if he hit his head and knocked some loose .. or what if he lost himself in this new persona.

    It was right about that she figured Fate must really be interested in sabatoging them, first the accident.. and then the amnesia, with memories of her being the last ones not retrieved from his mind, and now here she was .. waiting for the EMTs to take him away again. It was rather painful.

    "Thank you, Mac." Softly murmured when he finally drank some water.

    The paramedics had reached there side then and began bombarding the artist with questions.

    Is he on any medications? What were they? Was he prone to epileptic seizures... Did he have any known allergies.. a swirling vortex of
    confusion it seemed for the cowboy to handle so he simply closed his eyes.

    But there wasn't any grounds for alarm that he shouldn't open them again,he was merely exhausted from having exerted himself so much in the past few days.

    Stubborn to a fault, that had been the character trait that had stuck with him no matter what persona currently occupied the mind of the cowboy. And he had thought he couuld rush the healing process (never a good thing) and get on
    with the rest of his life.

    The question was now... what life would it be when he woke up this time?

    She did her best to answer all of their questions, keeping a firm reign on her emotions at the same time. She wanted to just crumple under the strain of all of this stress and just go .. cry somewhere, get it all out, but she had to be strong.

    The rest .. could happen sometime later when she was by herself. She set the glass of water down, listening to the paramedics comments before answering some more of the questions.

    And then...the gods seemed to smile upon them, perhaps taking pity upon all the twists of fate that seemed destined to keep them apart.
    The hazy veil loosened its hold over the fuzzy outer reaches of his brain and he was able to see
    clearly once again. His voice.

    "Shannon?" Yes, it was him. Slightly roughened husky baritone that she would've had carved a niche for somewhere deep within her soul just as hers held a special place somewhere within his own heart.

    "Baby, where are you?"

    The EMTs had lifted their patient onto the stretcher and were carrying it towards the door and while it was his voice, he sounded rather frantic upon coming to reality and not catching sight of her.

    He was going to be alright. Thank God.

    She smoothed a hand over her face while leaning back, letting the EMTs examine him. She bit down harshly on the inside of her cheek to keep the swell of emotion back .. when she heard his voice. His voice.

    "Mac?"

    She quickly pushed to her feet, chasing after the stretcher.

    "Wait, wait!"

    Shouted at the paramedics while trying to catch up with them. Was it really him?

    Yeah, it was him alright and even in his dazed state didn't stop him from hurling out a few choice curses in Italian.

    "Would you wait a minute? Goddamnit. Shannon!"

    Called as he was being hefted up and tucked into the waiting ambulance. There was no way he was going back to the damned hospital (even if it was just for a check out) without her!

    Ah, but which cowboy was it? The old or the new?

    "Wait! Please!"

    She burst out of the store in pursuit of them, scrambling to reach the van before they closed the door. She was coming with, thank you very much!

    The fainting spell while it might have been terrifying for her witness had indeed jogged loose a few more memories.

    In fact...he felt as if everything...his entire life was just within hairs breath of his grasp.

    But which cowboy would it be? The old, the new...or by any stretch of the imagination a mingling of the two?

    He gave a weary sigh of relief as she bounced into the ambulance just seconds before the door was about to be slammed closed.

    He had knocked his head a bit and there was a dull throbbing at the back of his skull but isn't that what they always portrayed in the movies?

    A knock on the head and then suddenly all the snapshots of memories came flooding back in
    one great deluge? Well, it didn't happen quite that way for the cowboy and while he had a damn fine headache at least he was cognitive of his surroundings and reaching out towards her. Weak but there. Really there.

    "Shannon. I remember."

    Two words but meaning so much. And then he was practically a tidal wave of energy rattling off things about their relationship that she probably didn't even recall.

    What she had been wearing that first day he was introduced to her. The first time they had kissed. The bull riding competition at the Honky Tonk. It would have her laughing, crying or a mixture of both.

    He was really back. And it was indeed a mesh of both cowboys.

    That was indeed the Hollywood trick for films involving memory loss. She settled down near the stretcher, her hand curling about his.

    "It's okay, baby. I'm here. I'm here."

    Murmured while she looked down at him, studying his face. When he began spouting off those details .. the joy that spread through her left no corner of her mind untouched.

    He remembered. All of the fears and the doubts that had been bottle up inside of her slipped free now, escaping her body in the form of tears streaking down her cheeks.

    The relief was evident in her expression and she squeezed his hand before wiping at her cheeks with her free one.

    "I love you."

    It had never sounded so sincere, not it hadn't
    before .. but there was even more emotion behind it now.

    "Oh baby, I haven't even got to the best detail, yet. I remember really remember what it felt like being with you for the first time. Being loved by you, mi fiore bella. I love you so much."

    Rumbled confession and lifting her hand towards his mouth to brush a grazing kiss along the back of it. Then pressing it to his cheek as though never wanting to let her go. And he wouldn't be leaving her again if he could help it!

    He knew how much it must have hurt her for him not to remember all those tender moments they had shared. As though they had never even existed.But they were back! Making him feel whole again and that restoration in itself was more powerful than the most potent medicine any doctor could ever prescribe.

    The joy she felt was released in the form of soft laughter and she brushed some more saltine wetness from her cheeks while listening to him.

    There were no words to express her feelings at the moment, it was that kind of blankness that comes after unexpected joys such as an award you didn't expect to win, or a proposal that takes you by complete surprise.

    A soft smile for the warm kiss he pressed to her skin and she sniffled quietly before leaning down to nuzzle her cheek against his.

    "I love you too,laska.
    You're my heart and soul."

    Murmured in emotion-rough tones, letting her eyes fall closed for a brief moment.
    She was just trying to take it all in.

    Tender, roughly affectionate in that warm baritone tripping from his throat.

    "You're my everything, mi bella luce.
    My life, soul, my heart. It's gonna be okay, love. Promised I'd never leave you, right?"

    And while the first time he had nearly broken the promise by slipping away from this earth, the second time and coincidentally the incident that set the chain reaction of events to follow into motion nearly had him abandoning her once again.

    Although this time, it might even be more painful then his life's essence slipping away.

    Seeing him, hearing him...and having him not really there...not himself. With the mind of a child. Wouldn't that be the cruelest trick fate ever played?

    While he would still be here physically, mentally and emotionally he would be lost to her forever.

    Just as if he had broken the promise he swore never to break.

    "I mean that. Never, Shannon. Never."

    And it was from the bottom of his heart. Sincere and fervently insistent as his fingers curled more tightly around her own.

    Yes, well. Hopefully they wouldn't have anymore near brushes! She didn't know if she could handle that. And yes, the appearance of that childlike mind had been pretty horrifying, especially with the fear that this would be how it ended up forever.

    She would truly have gotten to see the kind of emotion and willpower that made a person stay in a situation like that, much like James Gardner's character in the film they saw the other night.

    It would seem that the floodgates were not closing anytime soon, silent tears continuing to trickle down her cheeks while she buried her face against him. She held onto his hand tightly, sniffling every now and then while fighting to gain control over her emotions.

    "Never." Repeating his promise softly.

    He wanted to kiss away every one of those tears. His voice battle weary but insistent just the same. "Don't cry, mi amore. It's going to be okay. We're going to be okay."

    Whether he was saying it to try and convince her or himself it was uncertain.

    Maybe a bit of both.

    He was pressing another warm kiss against the back of her hand and then tugging on her wrist to bring her closer. He needed to kiss her. Needed it more than he was craving his next breath right now.

    "I'm trying not to."

    Murmured in almost apologetic tones. She didn't want him to see her cry! She knew how much men hated tears, after all.

    She leaned forward with the tug, free hand settling on the edge of the stretcher to help her balance. She pressed a light kiss to his mouth before settling into a deeper one. She needed to touch him, to feel that he was here .. that he wasn't slipping away again.

    Gutteral groan trickling past his lips at the initial touch of her lips to his own, then expanding into a deep seated growl of pleasure so bittersweetly familiar it was certain to bring more water to her eyes.

    He moved his mouth against hers, confirming with his kiss the promise he had made for all time as though sealing some bargain with fate. This was the woman that had always been meant for him.
    His soulmate.

    "Love you more than anything, Shannon,"

    He faltered then at the words wanting to leap off the tip of his tongue but he was uncertain how she would respond to them.

    Her reaction might not have been the same had they not just narrowly avoided another disaster just moments earlier. Maybe with her fear leading the way she might be ruled to make a decision she otherwise might have had to think upon more later. But he had to say the words aloud, even though they had never even made mention of them ever before this night.

    "Shannon, I know this isn't the most romantic setting in the world but what I'm telling you is straight from the heart. I never thought I could find someone that truly love me for who I am unconditionally. I never thought I'd fall for someone so completely different from me in every imaginable way. You make me want to be a better man. And I'm a better person for being loved by you."

    His heart was beating crazily against his ribcage as he paused.

    "Shannon, will you marry me? Not anytime soon, mind you. Just I want to know. Will you be my wife? I'd say that you'd make me the happiest man that ever lived but you've already done that. By loving me."

    Silence then and grey-greens shifting anxiously to her face, gauging her reaction to the impulsive words.

    The growl struck a chord of memory and it only made her lean further into the kiss. She wanted to curl up on that stretcher with him, but she knew it wasn't allowed.

    She leaned back while listening to him, quirking a brief grin for the mention of their differences, since they were polar opposites in many ways!

    And then.. he proposed. Proposed. In the back of an ambulance heading for the hospital.

    It was almost comical, but she wasn't laughing. Her eyes widened, a sign that he had caught her completely off guard and she drew back slightly.

    "I --" Speechless. She was absolutely speechless.

    "Are you sure? Baby, are you sure you want to marry me? I mean.. are you sure?"

    She never thought she'd hear those words from him anytime soon .. or that she'd even want to hear them.

    After her first failed marriage, she had pretty much sworn off the whole thing.. but then she let him in. It started with the accident in showing her how much she needed him and Lola put the seed of thought on the subject in her mind, letting her muse on it privately.

    "I don't -- I don't want you to propose because of this baby," because of some near death experience, "But if you're absolutely sure ... then yes. I'll be your wife."

    He laughed. Yes, laughed. At the near squeaking of the fractured words catching in her throat.

    "Yes, baby. I've never been more sure of anyting in my entire life. But, I don't want to rush you into anything. Hell, we can be engaged
    for ten years if you want. Though, I might have lost some of my looks by then and I'd only hope you'd still love me in spite of it."

    Throwing in a joke to show that he was after all a mixture of both cowboy personas. His heart flew nto his throat upon hearing her words and then skipped a beat. She said yes. She was truly, honestly his.

    "No, baby not just because of this...I..."

    There was something else he needed to tell her.

    "Baby, on the morning of the accident, I had planned something special for us. Candlelight dinner at the most exclusive restaurant in town. Ring in the champagne glass, everything.

    Baby, I wanted to marry you then. I'm not asking you now because of some near brush with death. I'm asking you because I love you. I love you."

    Heart in his eyes as he made the declaration...
    and spilled to her his intentions of the very day of the accident.

    How twisted fate can be... they had come so far, through so much...and now seeming to be back on course. Right where they should be..from the very start.

    She chuckled for the joke, charmed by the reminder of that 'new' cowboy spirit.

    "Baby, you could be ninety and I'd still think you were the most handsomest man on earth."

    In response to the mention of waiting ten years. She looked surprised once again when he told her what his intentions that morning had been (and actually confirming her suspicions about what Ris's message about a special night meant).

    They .. had seemingly come full circle.

    "You did? Oh, baby.."

    She at a loss for words that fit the emotions running through her. Nothing she could think of did justice to the intense rush speeding through her veins, increasing the wild beating of her heart.

    "I don't .. I don't deserve you, you know?"

    Because he really was far too good for her.

    "But I'll love you with all my heart, baby. From now until forever."

    Promising while brushing a kiss to his cheek.

    "I don't deserve you, mi bella luce. But when a blessing is dropped within you lap you don't question where it came from, you just be grateful that it did. I promise to love you from now until eternity and I will never ever leave you."

    Physically or emotionally, a vow sealed by another crush of his mouth against her own sealing the promises they had made to each other.

    They had after all, come full circle. Fates intertwined with shared destiny and for one moment in time everything was right in the world.

    "Shannon. Bellisima Shannon."

    Rumbled words against her mouth as he rubbed his lips against those satin soft pillows inviting to be plundered and he was all too willing to comply with the silent demand, deepening the kiss and pouring out every ounce of emotion he had stored up over the time he had known her.
    She was his.

    Fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt while she leaned into the kiss, channeling all of her turbulent emotions into it. Her lips parted against his, an unspoken invitation for him to come explore..

    And if those EMTs were paying attention to them, they were certainly getting quite a show!

    She only pulled back from the kiss when the need for oxygen wasn't able to be ignored any longer, taking a few deep breaths.

    "You complete me, baby. You really do."

    Yes, it was a cheesy line, but it fit her emotions perfectly.

    The emergency technicians could stare, really. Fine with him. It was rude...but hey.

    What did he care? His southern belle was going to be Mrs. Cowboy! He could've let loose a victory whoop if he hadn't felt so completely drained.

    Yes, he had been overdoing it. And the dizzy spell had been his body's way of telling him to slow down.

    But then again without the incident and the slight knot forming on his head he was sure to have on the morrow...who knows how long it would've been until his memory was completely restored? Even trials come unexpectedly attatched to miracles it seemed.

    "You make me feel complete, too, baby. I never lived before your love. God, Shannon. Thank you for loving me."

    Murmured against her neck when she drew back some and then the ambulance was pulling into the hospital emergency entrance and his lids seemed too heavy to keep them open any longer.

    A good night's rest and then the knowledge that tomorrow...his girlfriend was now...his beautiful fiancee.

    And the ring was waiting for her back at the ranch, too. He only wished he had it on him now to slip on her finger. A bit of an unconventional proposal but nonetheless meaningful.

    Mister and Missus Cowboy...and Killer. What a family! Well, the impromptu proposal was just as romantic as a planned one.. and they could always do something special with the ring later on. She brushed a kiss to his brow before leaning back, not wanting to get into the EMT's way while they went about unloading him from the ambulance. She slipped out once they finished taking care of him.

    He would be checked out by the experts and probably have an overnight visit but it was tolerable enough for Mackenzy since his stay this time wasn't going to be an overly long one!

    Sleepily murmured and almost comical at that. "We've never did decide on a costume..."

    Last words from the cowboy before sleep finally claimed him and causing a chuckle from the belle in all probability. They would just have to go shopping again on the morrow. Imagine that!

    [img]graemlins/heart.gif[/img]

    <font color="#996600" size="1">[ November 09, 2004 09:13 PM: Message edited by: Roping the Wind ]</font>

  10. #10
    Inactive Member Roping the Wind's Avatar
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    Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the blinds, creating bars of light that stretched over the pair curled up in the bed. They were a tangle of limbs, Apollo holding his Diana tightly lest she run away again. But, judging by the way she was leaning into him, this Diana did not have running on her mind.

    She had woken up some time ago, slowly lured away by Sleep's embrace by the light seeping through closed lids. Lashes fluttered briefly before she squinted at the wall in front of her, fingertips brushing along the strong forearm curving about the soft planes of her stomach. Snapshots of last night were flickering in her mind in random succession, like a jumble of photographs spread out on the floor in an unorganized mess. Usually, such encounters would leave her itching to flee before he could wake and stop her ... but she didn't feel the stirring of her blood, the panic that usually accompanied such thoughts.

    She didn't want to run.

    Shannon had never been the type of person to believe in signs, but this seemed like a pretty important one. She rolled over carefully, studying his shadowed features before leaning up to brush a kiss to his mouth. "We're okay." Murmured, more so to reassure herself then him. Last night had been .. odd, but they'd be fine. Every relationship had a learning curve, right?

    She carefully slipped out of his embrace and climbed out of bed, brushing a hand along the silky material of her slip while quietly leaving the bedroom to head into the kitchen. A detour had her heading into the living room, leaning down to snag that video from the VCR. She tapped fingertips along it thoughtfully while heading back into the kitchen. She set it down on the kitchen table before rummaging around for a pen and a post-it note. It was a simple message that she wrote, attaching the post-it to the front of the video before placing it front of one of the chairs.

    The message: Watch me? ... and then in smaller print at the bottom: Just be careful what you do with it afterwards. I trust you, baby.

    She stepped away from the table, moving to the stove to begin making breakfast. French toast and scrambled eggs! It'd all be set up for him by the time he awoke, the appetizing food on a plate and a glass of juice waiting. Aw.


    (reposted with permission)

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