Unbelievable Pt. 09

"As much as I would love to revive that name, yet if it makes you uncomfortable, honey, I don't have to use it," Katherine replied in a loving tone as she brushed her hand through his hair.

"No, you can; just going to take me a while to get reacquainted with it."

"So, honey, why did your brother, Ruth, and her sister look like they were going to lose their lunches?"

"Already told you," Johnny uttered with an arched eyebrow.

"But what kind of true story could have done that?"

"What really happened in Raven Dale, what the papers and everyone got wrong," Johnny replied truthfully.

"Good, then you wouldn't have a problem telling me, would you?" Katherine said in that motherly voice. Taking the seat that Yasmine had vacated.

"I don't..."

"I'm stronger than you think, Johnny, I did, after all, raise you, so I have to be extra tough," Katherine said even though she knew most of what had happened in Raven Dale, given how she had Wanda tell her everything that he had spoken about in Jared's lawyer's office. Still, she needed John to tell her himself. To build that rapport with her son that they had lost because they trusted the wrong people with their son's mental health and safety. "Lay it on me, Johnny, don't hold anything back," Katherine stated with a roll of her hand.

"Remember, you wanted this," Johnny said darkly.

******

Katherine was lightly stroking John's left forearm and along the back of his head to comfort her son when she knew how much of a toll this was putting onto himself. Even if she knew most of it, still hearing it from her son's mouth was another thing altogether. "Don't you worry, honey, we'll get through this together," Katherine cooed lovingly down at him.

"Why aren't you like the others?" Johnny asked, peering up at his mother.

"Because I have to be strong. If I can't be strong for you, then how can you trust me to be strong when you really need it," Katherine answered in a motherly voice. Turning her body when two knocks came upon John's hospital room door.

"Mrs. Masters, might I see you for a moment," John's doctor said, keeping what he hoped would be a way to restore some of the functions of John's damaged brain cells, or at least that was his hope given the results of the animal testing that has been done so far.

"I'll be right back, honey; I'm sure it's just normal hospital stuff he needs me to look over," Katherine said, leaning down placing a light kiss on her son's forehead.

"Not like I can go anywhere," Johnny uttered, rattling his shackles.

Katherine arched an eyebrow when the good doctor closed John's hospital room door. Immediately she was on edge. Was he here to tell her that they were once again going to be forced to put John back into a ward? A place she knew wholeheartedly would destroy any chance of bringing their son back, that wasn't including their relationship that was on the mend. She also knew that would just devastate Janus. As much as she had been annoyed by her arrival at their home almost a month ago, she couldn't deny how good she was for her son. She knew it was because Janus was around that John was slowly coming out of that dark world he has been living in for so long because they failed to see. Failed to listen to their son's pleas for help. How that single moment in time would forever darken her and Brandan's lives. They should have heeded their son's words instead of the man that they had first taken John to, to see what was truly wrong with their child. Yet that man was just as bad as Dr. Mott was, she had no idea if the man was involved in what happened at Raven Dale or not; all she knew was they had listened to the wrong man.

"Yes, Doctor, what is it?" Katherine asked, hiding her worry from her tone.

"Please, come to my office; I'd like to discuss something in private about Johnny's future care," the man said, holding out his arm directing her towards the elevator.

The five minutes to get to the man's office had Katherine on pins and needles. Silently praying to herself that they weren't going to take John away. Although, she knew that was a possibility given how dangerous he could be during an episode. She wasn't willing to lose her boy, no matter how broken, how damaged he was, ever again!

"Please, have a seat," he said, gesturing to the chair in front of his desk within that oddly small office for a doctor.

"What's this about Doctor Hartwick?" Katherine asked, her eyes following the man as he ambled towards his chair.

"I don't want to get yours, your husband's, or your family's hopes up, but there might be a chance we can restore some of the function of the dead brain cells caused by your son's mistreatment at Raven Dale," Doctor Hartwick stated, seeing Katherine's jaw instantly dropping.

"Come again?!"

"I know, it goes against everything the layman knows about the brain and what happens when the cells in the brain die off. What I'm about to suggest to you is very, very experimental and highly dangerous given it will deal with injecting the drug directly into that part of Johnny's brain that was injured. Yet, so far, the animal trials have shown outstanding results. I only bring this up to you because the FDA has given the go-ahead for human trials to begin."

"I think you need to begin at the beginning, Doctor," Katherine stated with hope in her eyes. Not to get her son, the boy that place took from them, no matter how much she would love that, no, so it would help John to live with some part of his brain restored in a limited function. Nodding along, telling him she understood what he was saying as the man went over everything about the trial and what its original purpose was for. Which he told her it was developed to help those who've suffered a stroke and lost some brain function due to the lack of blood to that part of the brain. Also showing her how the drug interacted with the damaged tissue while leaving the healthy parts of the brain alone. How the drug reformatted the cells, in layman terms, to carry blood flow through that part of the damaged portion also changing some of the cells to act as neurons to help bridge the gap between the healthy parts. "What would this mean for Johnny?" Katherine asked, looking at the man once he had finished.

"I can't say for certain, I can speculate if you would like," seeing Katherine nod, "if this does what I think it will in a human brain as it does in a rat's brain, given their similar makeup, then it's possible that Johnny's memory could be partially or fully restored if the drug does what it's designed to do."

"What about his seizures?"

"Hmm..." A deep hum emanated from his chest. "That I cannot comment on, could it lessen them sure, could it make them worse, also a possibility. As I said, the drug is experimental, so there's no telling what or if any side effects would be to Johnny's health. I know this is a very big discussion you, Johnny, and your family has to decide on. The trial begins in four months' time, please make a decision by the end of the month, so I can ensure that Johnny has a spot on the trial."

"And where exactly will this trial be taking place," Katherine asked, arching an eyebrow.

"The place is called New Venture Medical Research in Ohio," Doctor Hartwick said, printing the name neatly on a yellow sticky-note pad so they could look the place up for themselves and see he wasn't trying to hoodwink them. He wasn't about to be like the man that did that to John. He was ashamed, to say the least, that they both work in the same field. He got into medicine to save lives; it appeared to him that man, whoever he was, got into it to torment lives.

"Ohio?!"

"I know, it's a long way to go, but I believe it will be worth the cost," Doctor Hartwick said, handing her the piece of paper.

"And just how much would this trial cost us?" Katherine asked with a pointed look.

"To you and Johnny? Nothing, just the cost of the plane ticket, the people that are running it aren't charging those that are approved to take part in it. From what they've told me, they pay for the hotel room so they can easily monitor their patients while they're in recovery to ensure nothing goes wrong."

"I see," chewing on her lip, she was onboard the moment he said it might get John's memories back, "I don't know if Johnny will be up for it. He doesn't like people, namely doctors, messing with his head," Katherine said, knowing her son would be the one that has to determine if he wants this or not.

"That's very understandable," Doctor Hartwick nodded. "Please, just present him the facts; I know he's smart; you can see it in his eyes. I'm sure he'll understand what's at risk and the gains he might receive if this works."

"I'll try, but I can't guarantee you anything," Katherine said, running the pad of her thumb over the name on the paper. She was going to be damn sure that this place was what it said it was. She had learned the hard way of blindly trusting a medical professional before. She wasn't about to make the same mistake ever again!

"I understand; if he doesn't, then he doesn't. We'll just continue on as we've done so far."

Shaking the man's hand, saying a few parting words. Katherine felt her heart was light, full of hope, as she made her way back to John's hospital room.

"Johnny?" Katherine cooed, softly knocking on the door of his hospital room as she pushed it open. Seeing his head turning with the tablet that Annie had brought for him in his hands as the door inched wider.

"Bad news, I take it?" Johnny greeted as his mother sauntered into the room.

"No, why do you say that?" Katherine asked, returning to her son's side.

"You were gone a while," Johnny answered, showing her the time on the tablet.

"I know. Can you put that away for a moment? I have something very serious I want to discuss with you," Katherine spoke, seeing John arching an eyebrow at that.

"So, what ward am I going to this time?" Johnny asked in a cold tone. Why else would his mother be gone for so long if not to discuss the details of his transfer to a mental hospital?

"None."

"None?" Johnny repeated her answer; his disbelief was evident in the tone of his voice.

"No," shaking her head sternly, "if you let me speak, I'll tell you everything, and no, you being carted off to a ward never once came up," Katherine stated, smiling as John's jaw snapped closed.

"You want me to do what?!" Johnny growled if he wasn't strapped to that bed, he'd be up in arms right at that moment; as it were, his display was very muted.

"I'm not telling you to do anything, just to think on it, that's all," Katherine said after detailing what Doctor Hartwick had told her about the trial.

"And you just want me to let some damn whack-a-doo mess with my brain?! Have you gone insane?!"

"I know you're hesitant, Johnny; I understand all that. Yet think of the benefits this might bring to you."

"No, you just want your son back; what happens to me, Johnny, if this is successful, huh? Am I to be stuffed into some dark hole never to be seen or heard from again?"

"I..." Biting her tongue, denying that she wanted her boy before his hospitalization back, would be bad, and John would see right through it. "I don't know Johnny; I can't say what will happen if it is successful. Maybe it will be a good thing for you. You never know it might help to stabilize your personality."

"No, you don't seem to understand," Johnny sighed, shaking his head.

"Then help me to understand, honey," Katherine uttered, leaning forward and taking his hand into hers.

"John and I are two different people. He can never be me, nor I, him. Can't you see that? Even I can see that with what I've discerned from what I've seen in my memories."

"Do you not see the contradiction in what you just said?" Katherine asked, trying not to smile. "If John, my Li'l John, isn't you, then why do you have his memories, hmm? I'm not dismissing you're concerns, son; I'd never do that to you. Not again. But why not give us the month to find out everything we can about this trial and make our discission together."

"Together, huh?"

"Mmmhmm," Katherine nodded her head, causing her brown hair to bounce against her chest. "I'm sure Janus and Annie would also like to have a say in this since this is going to affect them as well. Given I'm sure, Janus will be the one taking you to Ohio." She couldn't help it; the corners of her lips lifted at the sound of her son's grown.

"And if it doesn't work, what then? You'll give up on this crusade to get your lost son back?" Johnny asked, looking intently at her.

"Never. I'd never give up on my baby, no matter how difficult he's being at the moment," Katherine said in a teasing tone, brushing her thumb along the back of his hand as she did.

"So did he say when I was getting out of here, or is my stay indefinite?" Johnny asked, changing the subject.

"Well, now, I'm a little hurt, Johnny. Has my hospitality been so unwelcomed?!" Doctor Hartwick joked from the entrance to his room.

"No, you're fine; it's just no one here likes the midnight ice-cold sponge baths," Johnny retorted with his own joke.

"I could have sworn the hot water was working," Doctor Hartwick mused with a smile on his lips.

"So, Doc, am I to be a free man or are ya going to glove up again because I feel a big one coming on," Johnny uttered, causing the good doctor to snort in kind.

"I don't know; if I let you go, how do I know you won't go terrorizing the city in your Doom bot?" Doctor Hartwick asked; he's always taken an interest in his patient's likes and whatnot. John had become a special case for him. To show him that not all doctors were like the man who did horrible things to him so long ago. Seeing Johnny chuckling at his reference to the Dr. Doom comics.

"If you give the word, I promise no death rays or giant robots for twelve hours," Johnny retorted with a wink. Watching as his doctor brought up the folder in his hand that contained his medical file.

"Now, before we get to the nitty-gritty part of your wonderful stay at El Mercy, I hope you're mother has informed you of what we have talked about earlier. I know you're hesitant," cutting John off as he began to speak, "it's very understandable given what you went through. I think I would be too, but the possible rewards outweigh the perceivable risks to you. I'm just a phone call away; any time you need to talk about it, or you need more detailed information about the trial, I'd be glad to do so with you and your family."

"What happens to me if I do this?"

"If you're referring to your personality... that I cannot say. Although I seriously doubt you'd revert back to the personality you had five years ago. I think you'd become a more whole version of you. Think of the Green Hulk and the Grey Hulk; they both are Banner but they both aren't the same Hulk," seeing John's gaze staring at him intently as he referenced that comic, "but Banner combined the two of them and made the Blue-Green Hulk. A smarter, stronger version of his previous self."

"I see, so I'd be like the Bionic Man?"

"In a sense," Doctor Hartwick nodded with a smirk on his lips.

"I'll have to give it some thought," Johnny muttered as he looked down at his hands. Trying to will himself to Hulk out, and yet nothing happened; he was so disappointed.

"Please do, Johnny; I only brought it up to your mother because I believe it can heal some of the damage done to you by that quack of a doctor," Doctor Hartwick said in a firm tone. "Now, since I can safely say that you're imbalance has passed, I'll start work on your discharge forms."

"Isn't that great, baby?! You'll get to come home tonight," Katherine said with a wide smile on her lips.

"Only to go to school in the morning," Johnny snorted.

"Well, you very well can't cut school, young man," Katherine teased.

"Not if I do that little thing you like?" Johnny asked, trying to bargain his way out of going to class the next morning.

"Hmm..." Tilting her head to the side, tapping her finger against her chin, pretending to think about his offer. "As tempting as that is, you need your schooling, and eating my pussy isn't going to teach you what you'll need to know... for the most part," Katherine said, smirking impishly at her son.

"So mean to an ill man," Johnny grumbled in a light tone.

"You're not ill, just special," Katherine retorted with a smile on her lips. So very pleased that she and her son could be speaking like this. This was a far cry from the past five years. Where every conversation they had had a confrontational feel to it. It was good to see that John still had some humor in himself, given what those people had done to her little boy. "Now, let me call Janus and have her bring you some fresh clothes from home," she said, patting his thigh above his knee as she rose.

"Hi, Janus," Katherine greeted the moment Janus had answered her phone.

"Hello, Katherine, how's Johnny?"

"I have good news."

"Oh?!" Katherine felt her smile widening at the mirth in Janus' voice.

"They're going to release Johnny soon, so he's coming home tonight; I was wondering if you would mind bringing some clothes for him to wear?"

"Of course, of course?! I'll be there soon as I can..."

"Oh, before you hang up, there's something else we need to talk about, but not over the phone," Katherine said before Janus could hang up on her.

"Okay, why does it sound ominous?"

"Like I said, I don't want to get into it over the phone, only when everyone is with us so we all can discuss it."

"I... see, okay, I won't pry... yet; it better be soon."

"I promise once everyone is home tonight, we'll discuss it then," Katherine stated in a firm nod. "Johnny," walking back into the room after she had ended her call with Janus, "she'll be here soon with your clothes. How do you feel about spaghetti tonight?"

"You're making it right, and not Dad's version?" Johnny asked with an arched eyebrow.

"Come on, Brandan's can't be that bad, can it?" Katherine asked, keeping her smile from her lips as John nodded his head very vehemently. "I'm sure your dad is going to be so heartbroken hearing that you don't enjoy his cooking."

"It's not that, just he burns the sauce; who burns sauce?!" Johnny exclaimed, thrusting his arms up as far as his shackles would allow.

"Well then, I'll just make sure that you only get my delicious spaghetti whenever you want it," Katherine cooed in a loving voice as she retook her seat. "Johnny?"

"Hmm?"

"What did Doctor Hartwick mean by the Green and Grey Hulk. I thought there was only one Hulk?"

"Oh, no, there're three Hulks; She-Hulk, who's Banner's cousin, then there's the Red Hulk, he's the General you see in those movies, he came way later in the comics. The Green Hulk is the one you see the most of. Given how the Green Hulk was the first incarnation of the Hulk. The Grey Hulk came after Banner irradiated himself with another gamma blast to rid himself of the Hulk the first time, only to turn himself into the Grey Hulk. Then he did it a third time, resulting in the Blue-Green Hulk," Johnny said, rattling off his knowledge of the comic world. Not voicing even that didn't last, and the Green Hulk reemerged. Wondering if what they were suggesting would end up just like Banner's futile attempts to rid himself of the Hulk. He didn't know what was crueler, what he went through, or giving them false hope if the operation didn't last.

"Ah, but the last one is the best one, right?" Katherine asked she had no inkling for comics, yet if her son was into them, she would try her damnedest to be a part of it. Her mind flashed back to the outfit she had worn when she, Annie, Johnny, and all the rest went to the convention in the next town over before Janus became a permanent part of their lives.