Awake After A Year

Leonica had her eyes closed, peacefully sleeping when a single snowdrop from outside found it's way through the window of her hospital room. It landed in the tip of her nose, melting almost instantly. The cold liquidly sensation had her finger twitching, one, twice and then her eyes fluttered open.

At first, her sight was blurred. Everything seemed distorted and unfamiliar. Her eyes wandered around the room, taking in her surroundings and her head spun.

'What happened? Where am I?'

These were the questions that raced through her mind, the feeling of dizziness and confusion clouding her brain and then the entire thing came flooding back Into her mind.

Irene kidnapping her, pushing her into the water, Owen coming to her rescue and the last thing she heard, the sound of him begging her to stay awake.

All that, had happened how long ago? She thought as she sat up, looking around the room to assess the situation of where she was.

It was neither heaven not hell, but a hospital room.

'How long did I sleep for?' She thought, glancing from the hospital machines, IV bags and almost whether Dahlias on the nightstand beside her.

She reached out to touch them, wondering if they were real, but she had to stop when the door to her room suddenly came open.

The sudden noise startled her and she flinched ever so slightly, turning around to meet Owen standing at the door, a look of surprise on his face.

Seeing him, made her body feel like it had just truly woken up. She smiled weakly at him. "Hey Owen."

"L-Leonica," He stammered, slowly entering the room with a look of both disbelief and relief. "You're awake."

"Yes. Did-" Before she could complete her words, Owen had rushed at her, throwing his arms around her, pulling her into a hug, his action making the smile on her lips grow more.

"Did I worry you?" She asked, raising her hand to gently Pat his back.

"No," He whispered and pulled her closer, almost as if he was having a hard time believing what was happening right now wasn't reality.

And it was just that. After a whole year of waiting and praying that Leonica would wake up, Owen's expectation for seeing her awake today of all days had dwindled, yet here she was, awake, and talking, and smiling and hugging him, and Owen could not have felt happier. "You scared me." He said and Leonica sighed.

"I'm sorry."

He pulled away from the hug and placed his hands on her shoulders. "How are you feeling?"

Leonica thought about her answer for a few seconds before she answered. "Refreshed. It feels like I've gotten the sleep I actually needed." After saying this, she proceeded to ask. "How long was I asleep for?"

Owen hesitated to answer, his lips drawing thin lines as he tried to think of the right words. "A year."

Leonica's eyes widened at his words, and her mouth went agape.

'A year?' She thought. 'I slept for a year?'

That would have explained the amount of snow covering the streets and the number of Christmas decorations that seemed to have filled every corner of her hospital room.

"I slept for a year." She repeated, the words sounding so unreal.

"You did, Luce mia." Owen ran a comforting hand through her hair, she instantly closing her eyes and leaning into his touch.

He chuckled silently, realizing how much he had missed seeing her lean into his touch.

She asked with her

family's been very

sighed. "I've probably missed

has changed since you went to sleep. I guess the only

is?" She opened her

the hospital, often,

muttered and a few moments passed with silence. "And Irene?

for a year. "She was arrested the day she pushed you into the water.

eyes again, remaining silent as she couldn't think

sad, rather, she felt pity for her. Although Irene had tried to kill her, that hatred had streamed from the fact that she wanted to be accepted

would have been accepted, if only she

leaning in and placing a soft kiss on her forehead, making her eyes flutter open. "Don't ever scare me like

her voice sounding

before he could say anything more, the door behind him slid open

flower she had been carrying in her hand

person she was looking at her daughter or was her mind

front of her was indeed her

her side and threw her arms around her, holding her

baby, you're awake!" She exclaimed, squeezing Leonica in her embrace, a hug that she gladly reciprocated, at first

little discomfort in her voice as she felt herself choking, the lack of air from her mother's hug. "I can't breathe." Cassandra quickly released her, apologizing as she did so. "I'm so sorry honey, I was

so worried, the poor kid. And

Thave to give him a

into her

with a figure that was not so tiny anymore, rushed into Leonica's room. "Leonica." Benjamin looked like he was about to burst with relief when he saw his daughter sitting

Ashley exclaimed in pure happiness, rushing towards his mother for the hug that

in embracing her son and holding him close, not wanting to let him go. "Oh baby,

familiar feeling of his mother's hold and

muttered into her chest after a while

"Me too, sweetie."

when Doctor Bailey, along with Kareem, knocked on the

Bailey greeted and Leonica smiled

ever." She

please allow us to carry out a quick blood draw to

turned her gaze towards her family. "Is

first, all nodded in agreement and excused

gestured at the long hands of the hospital gown she was

it in a container and passing it

turned back to Leonica, who had rolled her sleeves back down. "Let's begin the

11

be perfectly stable, your heart rate, BP and temperature are all normal." Dr. Bailey began listing down the result of the test as he wrote

CT scan, and it seems like there is nothing

their heads as they listened to all of what Doctor Bailey had to

asked, earning a nod of approval from the

come home?" Ashley

The Doctor

cheered. "We normally keep patients who have just woken up under a two day watch to

is fine despite

her two

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