Junky Chronicles Ch. 03

Chapter Twenty Six 23 December 2006

It had been a busy two week for Dr. Ashley Simons, she had to travel to Durban for a patient that had relapsed after surgery and for the past two weeks she had been there trying to save his life. He was a boy, only 6 years old and he had to live with heart valve failure. Ashley thought that she had fixed it, but the stitches burst while the family was on holiday and she had to catch an emergency flight out. She has spent sleepless nights trying to figure out how she was going to fix the valve, but nothing came to her, the best chance he had was a heart transplant and donors were rare. The family couldn't afford the procedure either, even if she did it for free, rehab would still cost an arm and a leg.

Her thoughts were interrupted when EMTs' came rushing through the emergency doors, she ran out to see if she could be of assistance, anything to get her mind off of the boy that she couldn't save.

"What happened?" she asked, rushing past the nurses.

"Car crash and possible overdose," the EMT answered.

Ashley stepped closer to help and froze in her tracks, there she was again, Natalie Scott. It was as though fate kept pushing Natalie into her life, wherever she was this woman would be in her thoughts and now, here she was once again lying on her death bed. Ashley felt an overwhelming urge to save and protect this woman, so she stepped into action.

"What happened?" Ashley asked running to keep up.

"She was driving about 160 and rolled the car. Tests show that she has large amounts of alcohol, ecstasy, heroin and cocaine in her system. But it gets weirder, she has about 50 cuts on her torso and back that was not caused by the accident," he concluded.

"There some severe head trauma and almost every bone in her body is broken. I don't think she wants to be saved," the previous EMT's partner added.

"Oh God, Natalie! What have you gotten yourself into?" Ashley asked aloud.

"You know this woman?" Dr. Collins, the doctor on duty, asked.

"Yes, doctor. She was a patient of mine after she got shot, I know her medical history better than anyone. I will do the surgery," Ashley said stubbornly.

"You are not a doctor in this hospital! You are here for one patient only," Dr. Collins snapped.

"If I have to phone to get her guardians to tell you that I should do the surgery I will. Her heart is not strong and one wrong move she dies. Do you want that on your conscience?" Ashley snapped back.

"Fine, you can scrub in," he said and walked to the E.R.

Natalie was hanging by a thread and Ashley was truly concerned, especially when she saw the high amount of drugs in her blood. She had instructed the nurse to phone Natalie's friends and as soon as the surgery was done she will talk to them herself. She didn't understand why she felt this way, but she just needed to save this woman.
****

Everything was white around Natalie, she didn't know where she was or what had happened. 'Maybe I finally died,' Natalie thought.

"You didn't die, baby," a voice said and Natalie instinctively searched for the source.

Megan came walking toward her, a white dress flowing around her, contrasting her dark hair and eyes. Beside her was a young boy of about three, holding her hand tightly and smiling at Natalie. Natalie couldn't believe anything that she saw, she blinked rapidly, rubbed her but the pair came closer still, then she simply fell to her knees and sobbed.

"Don't cry, baby. We're right here, we always have been," Megan said lifting Natalie's face to her own.

"You left me, baby girl. I can't live without you," Natalie said as new tears streamed down her face.

"You can, baby," Megan kneeled before Natalie, "look at me. This our little boy, baby. He has been here with me, watching over you. Baby, we never left you, it was simply our time."

Natalie looked at the young boy standing next to Megan, he look so much like Megan with small hints of Devon. He had dark hair, with Megan's hazel eyes, Devon button nose and build. He was perfect, Natalie sobbed even harder as she looked at her son. She wished so hard that he could have had a chance to live and that she could have had the chance to be a mother to him. Logan slowly toward Natalie and threw his arms around her, Natalie pulled him closer and held him tight. Megan smiled, she too wished that she could have experienced raising their little boy with Natalie.

Megan didn't want to interrupt the moment, but she had limited time with her love, she had to say what she came to say, " baby, I need to talk you."

Logan gave Natalie a quick kiss and ran off, Natalie stood up and looked at the love of her life.

"God, I miss you so much baby," Natalie said, fresh tears threatening to spill.

"I know you do, baby, trust me I know," Megan said, taking Natalie into her arms and fighting back her own tears.

"Why did you have to go?" Natalie asked, clinging to her wife.

"As insane as this sounds, baby, but because you weren't supposed to spend your life with me. I was meant to be with you, meant to love you and be loved by you, but you baby, you still have someone waiting for you. You were meant to be with her until your dying day, I was simply a temporary fixture in your life, one that was meant to lead you to the woman who needs you and that you need," Megan said softly.

"No, baby. I will never love anyone the way I loved you," Natalie said, the tears audible in her voice.

"I know, baby. You will love her, not the same way you loved me, but in a new way. I also know that you won't forget me and that your heart will never let me go. But you will heal and she is going to make you whole again," Megan smiled at her love.

"No, I am going to stop fighting and be with you, right here baby," Natalie declared, refusing to fight.

"You can't, you still have so much to do and lives to change, baby. Hold on to what we shared and live your life baby, live for my memory," Megan pleaded with Natalie.

"I can't live without you, I don't want to! Being alive is not living without you," Natalie didn't want to be without Megan ever again.

"Do you trust me?" Megan asked seriously.

"You know I do, baby girl," Natalie said holding onto Megan.

"Then trust me when I say things are going to get better, just believe me Natalie," Megan pleaded again.

Natalie couldn't deny Megan anything, she trusted her with her life and would do anything Megan asked, even if it killed her.

"Okay, baby girl," was Natalie managed.

"One of my favorite days ever, baby, was the day you proposed. All of the effort you went through to make it the most magical day of my life," Megan smiled at the memory.

She always thought of how much trouble Natalie went to, to make her feel special. Even though she always did when Natalie simply looked at her, it was like the entire world disappeared. Megan knew that she wouldn't be able to stand by and look as Natalie makes someone else feel that way, even if she knew that she was Natalie's heart.

"I was so nervous that day, scared that it wouldn't go as planned and get ruined," Natalie smiled at Megan.

"Go back to that day, baby. Remember us and how we used to be," time was up and Megan knew she had to go.

"Don't leave," Natalie pleaded grabbing Megan's hand.

"I will always be with you Natalie Scott," Megan assured her.

Natalie pulled Megan close and kissed her for the last time, her lips against Megan's made her feel as though she was home again," I love you."

Megan started to walk away and looked back when she heard the words that changed her life, "I love you too."

Then she was gone, leaving Natalie to stand on her own between the white walls.
****

Ashley watched Natalie fade, she had to do something to save her, Natalie had to live. Ashley scrubbed in and told Collins what to do, she feared that it was already too late. Then a miracle happened, Natalie's pulse got stronger again and her vitals picked up. Ashley almost cried in relief, a nurse had come in to tell her that Devon and Kaz had arrived. They had been busy with the surgery for almost three hours, some of the bones had to be surgically repaired and her lungs had to be cleared of excess fluids. Ashley closely monitored the artery she had repaired after the shooting, she assisted with some parts of the surgery and now, three hours later they closed up the incisions.

Ashley was relieved that Natalie had survived, yet she was still confused as to why she felt so strongly for this patient, she was still deep in thought when Kaz and Devon approached her in the hallway.

"Is she okay?" Devon asked immediately.

"She's okay. I was thinking that we should keep her in an induced coma, I know it will be like the shooting all over again, but it will help with the withdrawal symptoms. It was a close call." Ashley said absent mindedly.

"Whatever you think will be best," Kaz said worriedly.

"You are like Natalie's savior," Devon said as a sigh of relief.

"We were lucky that you were here, you're like part of the family," Kaz said taking a seat.

"Yeah, it's weird how this happened. But what has been going on? How did she end up in Durban?" Ashley didn't know if she wanted the answer, but she wanted to be able to help Natalie.

Devon and Kaz started telling Ashley about everything that had happened after Natalie's attempted suicide, Ashley couldn't believe it. They told her about Alice's death and Natalie simply running off to Durban right after, Ashley filled them in about what she knew and they all concluded that whatever happened in between could provide answers as to how Natalie ended up rolling her car.

"At least they arrested the killers, turns out it was Megan's ex boyfriend who was still stuck on the fact that Megan left him for a woman. The rage boiled to a point when he saw them at a mall buying baby stuff," Devon said.

"So he walked into their house and killed Natalie's entire family?" Ashley asked shocked.

"Yeah, apparently the family wasn't supposed to be there. He had a hard time getting over what happened and turns out he is a really big homophobe and believes that gay shouldn't be allowed to live," Kaz said, tears filling her eyes again.

"People like him don't deserve to live, he took everything from her because Megan found true love in someone of the same sex," Ashley shook her head.
****

Natalie was still in a coma, Ashley spent a lot of time in her room, talking to Natalie and simply praying that she would be okay. She had hoped to find inspiration on how to save the little boy, yet nothing has come to her. Even if by some chance of luck a heart came their way, she didn't know if she could save the boy or how they would make enough funds for the medication and therapy involved.

"I don't even know you, yet I find myself wanting to tell you everything. I am so stressed about Peter, I don't know what I'm going to do or how I am going to save him. I just want to go home, tomorrow is Christmas and I can't go be with my family. It's selfish, I mean here is this family who doesn't even know if they'll have another week with their kid and I am bitching and moaning about not seeing my family. Here you are in a coma, after having just lost your entire family. There is so much hurt in this world, I guess I can't save them all, no matter how hard I try," Ashley talked to Natalie like this every moment she got.

Unbeknownst to her Natalie heard every word, even in her unconscious state she wanted to help, she knew she had to put her life back together. Maybe she will find closure someday soon, she had to, Natalie couldn't disappoint Megan again. If only she could get out of this coma, her muscles were aching, she was nauseas and she needed something to take it away. She couldn't stand being so uncomfortable, feeling like she needed something, she needed the high.

"How is she doing?" Kaz asked, her baby bump had grown quite a bit.

"Hey, she's alive. The withdrawal symptoms have started and she is very uncomfortable, but hopefully it will pass soon," Ashley said smiling at the worried friends.

"I just wish things could be better, that we could have a glimpse of Natalie again. I have so much I want to tell her, Michelle and I broke up, then I found the girl I couldn't stop thinking about," Devon looked at his friend.

"I was thinking, we have to take her away from all of this, help her somehow," Kaz said.

"I was thinking, I have this house Cape Town and maybe we can take her there, help her detox. I have this friend who is this psychiatrist and I was thinking if we take her along we can deal with the withdrawal symptoms and help her work through all of the scars that was left by the murders," Ashley suggested.

"I don't think we should be there, but that's a great idea," Devon took Natalie's hand and felt Natalie squeeze his, "she just squeezed my hand! I think she agrees."

"Her brain is still awake, so that is entirely possible," Ashley smiled.

"As soon the worst of the withdrawal symptoms are over and most of the bones healed, I think we should take her to your house," Kaz agreed.

Chapter Twenty Seven 14 February 2004

The alarm blared into Natalie and Megan's subconscious, making them aware that it was time to get up and et ready for work. Natalie silenced it and looked over at Megan, her face scrunched up in annoyance at having to wake up. Natalie couldn't help but smile, she kissed Megan on her cheek and got out of bed. She made her way down to the kitchen, she switched the kettle on and removed two cups from the cupboard. After adding the preferred amount of coffee and sugar she poured in the hot water and milk in Megan's cup, she added hot water only to her own cup. In the cupboard she removed the red roses she had stored there along with a diamond bracelet she had gotten Megan.

She made her way back upstairs and placed the coffee, roses and bracelet on Megan's pedestal, "morning, baby girl." Natalie cooed.

"Five more minutes," Megan said sleepily.

"Okay, then I guess I'll just celebrate Valentine's Day on my own," Natalie said and walked back to her side of the bed.

Megan opened her eyes and glared at Natalie, "yeah, I want to see you settling for sex with yourself."

Natalie snickered, "baby girl, you're too selfish to let me please myself. You won't let me have any pleasure if you aren't the one giving it."

Megan sat up and looked at her lover, "that's because no one can please you like I do. Even you admitted that."

"Happy Valentine's Day, baby girl," Natalie said laughing and leaning in to kiss Megan.

"Happy Valentine's Day," Megan returned after the kiss.

She turned to get her coffee and reached for the roses and bracelet that she hadn't noticed at first, instead. She smelled the roses and looked at her lover, "you never fail at making me feel special."

"Because you are, baby girl. Apart from that, you have to work today and I need to start your day right so you don't come home grumpy," Natalie retorted.

"Help me put this on," Megan said ignoring Natalie's last comment and holding the bracelet out.

Natalie fastened the clip and smiled at the look of admiration in Megan's eyes. Megan leaned in and kissed Natalie, wrapping her arms around Natalie's neck after putting the roses down on the bed. Her tongue probed into Natalie's mouth and explored the well known territory again, Natalie's tongue ran over Megan's in the way she loved so much and she felt herself wanting more than just the kiss. Her hand traveled down to her lover's breast and she started kneading the flesh in her palm until Natalie broke the kiss.

"You have to get ready for work and we have all night tonight," Natalie said somewhat breathlessly.

"I can always call in sick," Megan said, kissing Natalie again.

"As tempting as that sounds, baby girl, they will start seeing a pattern in your absences. Always on Valentine's Day and every other 1st of the month," Natalie needed Megan to go to work, she had to plan their night without Megan knowing.

"Doesn't matter, I want to be with you right now," Megan persisted.

"Baby, I have to go into the office too," Natalie tried again.

"I can't believe you'd rather work than have sex with me all day," Megan said pouting.

"Baby girl, if having sex with you paid the bills we would never leave the bedroom," Natalie said reassuringly.

"Fine, I'll go shower," Megan sipped her coffee and stomped out of the room.

Natalie laughed at her child like reaction, she loved seeing Megan pout when she didn't get what she wanted. She forced herself downstairs to put the roses in a vase of water, if she gave in to her own desires she would join Megan in the shower and neither would get anything done. Natalie had big plans for this night and she wouldn't let her wanting of Megan ruin it. About an hour later Megan stomped down the stairs, the pout on her face still there.

"If you keep pulling your face that it will get stuck, baby girl," Natalie teased.

"Yeah that's fine. Then everyone can know that my girlfriend refused to give me sex," Megan retorted grabbing the traveling mug filled with coffee.

"Feeling sorry for yourself won't work," Natalie said with laughter in her voice.

She walked Megan to the door and kissed her goodbye, once back inside she phoned Devon, Alice and Kaz. After that she ran upstairs and jumped through the shower, the picture of Megan pouting made her giggle again. If only she knew what Natalie had planned, the pouting would never have happened. Natalie washed herself and got out, she got dressed and dried her hair, she ripped the page from her diary that contained the list of things to do.

Natalie rushed out of the door to her car, she started it and made her way to the mall where Kaz and Devon was waiting. Natalie met them at Wimpy and joined them for a cup of coffee and a quick breakfast.

"Where do you want to go first?" Devon asked with a mouth full of bacon.

"To get the ring, then the dress I had made for her," Natalie replied, sipping her coffee.

"Devon please chew with your mouth closed and swallow before you speak," Kaz asked nicely, "so what's the plan again?"

"When she gets home she'll find the dress on the bed with a note and a rose, after she get dressed the driver will drive her to Sun City, where a manager will meet her. He will take her to that new Italian restaurant, whatever the name is, I will be waiting there for her with roses. From there we'll eat and then we'll be escorted to the Big Wheel, which I rented out for half an hour and when we get to the top the wheel will stop. After admiring the view for a minute lights will go on that spell out the words 'marry me' and then I pray that she says yes," Natalie revised the plan.

"God, you're such a closet romantic! Who would have known?" Devon noted.

"Well, we need to start cracking. I have a man waiting for me at home," Kaz said with a sly smirk.

They paid the bill and walked out of the restaurant, they made their way to the jewelry store and walked inside. A young girl stood behind the counter, "can I help you?" she asked with a smile.

"I'm here to pick up a ring that was designed for me," Natalie responded.

The girl smiled at Devon, "you must really love her to have this done."

Devon looked confused for a second, then he and Natalie looked at each other and burst out laughing, "no, that ring is for Natalie to propose to her girlfriend."

"Oh," was all the girl said, looking rather uncomfortable.

She disappeared to the back and rang the purchase up, Natalie swiped her card and they left the store still laughing at the comment the girl made. From there they made their way to the designer store and collected the dress. It was a beautiful black cocktail dress, mad according to Megan's measurements from a wedding they had attended.

Natalie drove home, she had only had two hours to finish before Megan would be arriving at home. She laid the dress out and wrote a simple note to accompany the rose. Natalie jumped through the shower and dressed in her tight fitting black jeans with black shoes, a light blue dress shirt and a black waist coat. She styled her hair and put her favorite cologne on, she looked at the setting in the room, she was glad she had strewn some rose petals all over. She looked at her watch and left for Sun City, there she would ensure that the rest of the things go as planned.