the death of a beautiful woman is most poetical

[BROOKLYN MARIE SAWYER]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, width: 400px; background-color: #464646; padding:20px; border-top: 10px #7D0000 solid; border-bottom: 10px #7D0000 solid;] there‘s a fire starting in my heart ( TAGGED ) CM, OW, TW, KS, CS ( OUTFIT ) NOTHING THEN HOSPITAL GOWN ( STATUS ) COMPLETE Death. Brooklyn never thought much of death until the moment the people had grabbed her then death was the only think she could think of. She knew it would come the moment one person held her body to theirs while the other began to beat her face with brass knuckles. That moment she was scared of death. She was scared of leaving this world on abd terms with her father. Of leaving Tristan-the only man she had ever wanted to marry. Of kylie who had already been going through so much and this would kill her. Of oliver whom had already lost his wife and now would lose her after she had worked so hard in pulling him from his darkness. Of her poor grandmother and how she would not be able to handle this. Then when the hot metal was pressed into her back, the scream that that unleashed was bloodcurdling but she knew no one would hear. They were too far away and the music too loud. Those screams only increased as four of her finger nails were pulled out one by one. Then the shock began to set in and that’s when Brooklyn welcomed death with open arms. Death was surely a better fate then this. When the knife met her skin, her back arched in response to the cuts but screams were no longer coming out as she felt something poking into her lungs. Now she was gasping for air as tears silently fell form her eyes as this monster cut into her. The whole world was hazy as she went in and out of the darkness. She heard a scuffling of two people fighting before someone was by her trying to help her. By that point the pain was blinding and unbearable. Her face was swollen to where she could barely speak or see. Brooklyn let the shock take over and she passed out. There were snippits she would remember. The sound of an ambulance and police sirens. People working to stop the bleeding. The amount of blood was too much they said before she drifted out again. Not that they probably noticed as her eyes seemed fairly swollen shut but the tears still escaped. What she could feel of the pain was excruciating. She hated this feeling. She just wanted to die and for it all to end. Before she passed out she thoughts of her days she had just shared with Tristan. She wanted those days back more then anything. An audible sob tried to escape her lips but wouldn’t come out. The next time she was conscious of anything she was in the hospital. People were all around her. Blood. Brooklyn smelt blood. her blood. And cameron was above her. Dear cameron who was so good to her best friend. And oliver. She heard oliver’s strained voice so full of emotions and then her own scream. Someone had touched her ribcage and it sent a shot of pain everywhere. Her body arched on the bed as a strained scream ripped form her throat and out of her mouth. Someone was soothing her at this point and it sounded like oliver. She reached for his hand and gave it was extremely weak squeeze as she felt herself go very weak. This time it wasn’t darkness but something else. Something that felt like exhaustion and she didn’t want to fight it. Looking at oliver the best she could through her swollen lids a final tear escaped Brooklyn’s eye before she gave into the exhaustion. Death. It was a beautiful thing when one embraced it. And embrace it Brooklyn did as breathing became difficult to do form her beating and her heart grew weak from where her rib had punctured it and her lung. Her whole body fell limp on the gurney. No one thinks of their own death until it’s before them. Brooklyn surely did no but in the moments leading up to this and she tried to let all her regrets go in the tears that had left her eyes. Death. No one was immune to it, not even a woman so full of life as Brooklyn sawyer. I got choked up writing this :(

table by CALIFORNIA DREAMING of CAUTION 2.0, lyrics by adele

[CAMERON AIDEN MATTHEWS]

[atrb=border, 0, true][atrb=style, width: 420px; background-color: #A9B1B9; border: 10px #1B2836 solid] it‘s amazing, you save me | tag: bs, ks, ow, tw, cs, sb | outfit | Notes: in. the. feels. 10:37pm It was nights like this that cameron hated to be a doctor. When the call came over the radio he immediately went pale and turned to oliver. The look on the other doctor’s face mimicked cameron’s. tonight was going to be the hardest night of their lives since kylie stowe’s accident. Worse. Brooklyn had been beaten deliberately. Oliver’s soon-to-be sister-in-law. Cameorn’s girlfriend’s best friend. Tonight was going to be awful. He saw oliver scrambling for his phone and cameron reached for him. ”no oliver you can’t. not yet. Not until we know what’s going on.” cameron knew what oliver was about to do and that was to call his brother, Tristan, who was engaged to Brooklyn. Cameron already knew he’d be taking charge. He stood up and ordered for the trauma room to be filled with all the necessary equipment and for a disposable gown for him. He pulled it on as the ambulance pulled up. 10:41pm When they pulled the gurney out cameron did all he could to keep his face impassive. You couldn’t even tell it was Brooklyn. Her face was swollen, bloody and purple. The fore and ring finger on each hand were bleeding. The paramedics said there were decreased breath sounds on her left side, she had a burn on her back and that a kidney had been removed. A kidney? Whoever did this was sick. The cooler had been left behind but cameron didn’t even know if it’d be worth trying to reattach it. That was ignored for now. They had other pressing matters to attend to. First cameron listened to her lungs and glanced at oliver. ”her lung must be punctured. I’m barely getting anything. I need a chest tube now! We need to intibate her.” cameorn looked over Brooklyn’s nearly naked form to her legs. There were cuts down her legs. Blood was everywhere. on her face, along her chest and legs, pouring out form the open wound that a nurse was trying desperately to control the bleed. ”I need some o neg now! And an echocardiogram machine.” cameron looked at Brooklyn as she began to scream. A nurse had touched her rib cage and cameron moved her hand away then began to gently feel himself. ”four ribs are broken on this side…” Cameron watched as Brooklyn reached for oliver and he had to choke back tears. Being in a small town it was impossible to not see someone you knew come through here. 10:56pm Flat line. ”I need a crash cart!” cameron shouted and he reached for it when it came. After everyone stepped back he shocked her. Once, twice, four times before a heartbeat returned tow minutes later but her breathing was staggered. he reached for the intubation tray to cut an incision in her throat then quickly stuck a tube down through the incision. When she was stable he reached for the echocardiogram machine and pressed it to her side. A grimace formed. There was fluid around her heart and he couldn’t see anything. He shook his head. ”she won’t make it if we even send her via helicopter to augusta. Oliver we have to do this. Yes we. You’re the cardiothoracic surgeon so we need you. You need to try to pull together.” he sighed as he ripped off the gown and ordered the nurses to call the anesthesiologist and scrub nurses before he turned to oliver. His face was melancholy. ”you call Tristan and your grandmother. I’ll call everyone else.” Cameron was given Brooklyn’s things. There was only one number he needed-her parents. Cameron took in a shaky breath before he picked up the hospital phone and dialed. His heart fell when he heard a woman answer. ”hello missus sawyer, my name id doctor cameron matthews from hope regional hospital. There um is no easy way to say this but you’re daughter Brooklyn was brought in. she-well she was attacked. She’s stable but we have to do surgery and I think you and your husband need to come here as soon as possible.” cameron got choked up as he heard her mother begin to sob. ’Brooklyn? Oh god Brooklyn! Who did this to her? Oh god…’ the woman sounded unable to speak and he heard some shuffling before he heard a man’s voice. ’hello? Who is this and what do you want?” cameron repeated his previous words and added in they were doing everything possible and that she was in the hands of a very excellent surgeon. The man seemed to be holding back but cameorn heard him saw, ’do whatever you must. We’re her proxies and well be there in the next few hours.’ cameron heard a click before he sighed. Now to clal kylie. This time cameron didn’t hold back emotions. ”baby you need to come here. Now. It’s Brooklyn. Someone-someone attacked her. It’s bad baby and I’m sorry I have to tell you this but please come. Now.” when they hung up cameron looked at oliver’s office with a sad look on his face. Someone said they were nearly ready for them so cameron nodded before he went to the door and knocked. ”oliver it’s time,” was softly spoken before they headed for the operating rooms. As they moved they went by the trauma room. Blood was all over the floor. Discarded gauze and utensils as a nurse began to clean things up. Cameron just turned is head and kept walking. 11:27pm After they were scrubbed up and in there, everything was a blur. The kidney was not salvageable. The cuts were crude and they couldn’t reconnect it. There was some problems sewing her back up and they drained so much blood from her chest. Her lung was repaired as well as her heart but there were a couple complications with the heart. Thankfully there was no bleeding on the brain. The burn on her back was third degree but small so no skin graft would be needed unless Brooklyn requested it form a plastic surgeon later on. Roughly five and a half hours later she was on her way to the intensive care unit. Once done and cleaning themselves cameron turned to oliver. ”you’re not working the rest of your shift. She needs someone oliver. Go sit with her.” 5:13am When back in his office cameron finally let himself cry. His head fell into his hands as sobs escaped his body. This was the most difficult night of his career as a doctor. He had to operate on a dear friend-his girlfriend’s best friend. He could still smell the burnt flesh and her blood-the look on her face and the scream when someone touched her ribs. At some point someone entered his office. By the sounds of the footsteps, the sniffling and the scent it was kylie. He sat up and pulled her to his and pressed his forehead to hers so they could just have this moment together to cry. 6:01am After some time there was a knock on his door. Brooklyn’s parents were there and he knew he had to talk to them. Cameron left to go to the private family room in the icu and he told them everything. How Brooklyn had come in in a bad state, told them her injuries and how they had lost her for two minutes. Cameron explained the complications form the surgery and how they would keep her in a medically induced coma for the next two days so the swelling on her brain could heal and the shock could move out of her system. He warned them that the sight would be difficult as she was severely beaten then he led them to her room where oliver was in a chair. Cameron wasn’t sure if he was awake or not but he explained it was Tristan’s brother whom had also done the surgery on her heart. With that cameron left them to have privacy as a family and to wait for Tristan’s arrival. Form what oliver had told him earlier it was something like sixteen hours of travel and the first fight wasn’t available until about two hours after they had called. When back in his office, the other emergency room doctors were there. One of the nurses had called and explained the situation saying that cameron and oliver needed to leave. Cameron thanked her and the doctors, glad to have this time to get over his emotions. He found kylie and engulfed her in a hug. ”lets go get something to at and try to rest. I want to pick up Tristan form the airport when his flight comes in around three-thirty.” 6:58am The longest eight hours and twenty-one minutes of cameron’s life in this hospital. As they left he couldn’t help but look over his shoulder at the building knowing the next time he would be coming here was with a very distraught fiancée in his car. Cameron had to pull it together for Tristan and kylie. Someone needed to remain strong for this little makeshift family that they all made up.

Template by FOREST @ CAUTION 2.0

[OLIVER SEBASTIAN WELCOTT]

[/color] Oliver held her hand to his heart, not caring if her blood was slipped on him, and placed the other hand on her cheek, careful not to hurt her. You're in good hands Brooklyn...you're going to be fine, okay? Oliver assured her, more tears falling from his eyes as Brooklyn writhed in pain. Then suddenly nothing. She went limp and that terrifying sound of that long, unending mechanical tone.

Oliver's head shot up to look at the monitor, his eyes wide. No...oh God, no, please! Oliver grabbed her shoulders shaking her gently. Brooklyn, please...d-don't do this...you can't go! Oliver couldn't hold his emotions back any longer. He stepped back as Cameron worked on her, his hands going to his hair and tugging at it near the roots. Oliver growled and kicked at cart, not caring what anyone thought of or said to him about it. When their future sister-in-law was lying dead in the OR, they could say something to him, but not until then. But suddenly he heard the the monitor change. Turning around, Oliver ran to Brooklyn's side again. Oh thank God. He said more to himself then anyone.

Oliver shook his head at Cameron's words. No....I-I can't Cameron.... He was already shaking from head to toe...he was losing it. How could he perform heart surgery on Brooklyn?! Oliver ran his hands through his hair once more, his hands stopping at the back of his neck. Tears ran down his cheeks and he didn't try to stop him. After a moment, he nodded his head. A-alright...Alright we'll do it, you're right. Oliver didn't have a choice, but even if he did, he still would have chosen to do the surgery. Oliver knew he wouldn't trust anyone else to do this. He knew his own skills. What happened with Lilian wasn't his fault...That was the first time he'd admitted it to himself. It wasn't his fault. Oliver had to let that go now. He had to let go of his fears and tell himself that he could do this. He could and would save Brooklyn. Okay...I'll go call him.

Oliver went to his office and pulled out his phone. He dialed Tristan's number, dreading having to tell him this. Hey....Tristan...yeah I know...I'm sorry to wake you up, but it-it's important. Oliver knew Tristan didn't know what was about to hit him. And how was he supposed to tell a guy that his future wife might not make it?! Look.... he swallowed hard. You need to get on the next available flight to Maine...Brooklyn... Oliver could hardly get the words past his throat. Brooklyn was attacked...We don't know by who...or even why...But she's pretty bad off. I'm not going to sugar coat this.....Her injuries are severe. Cameron and I are getting ready to perform surgery...One of her lungs is collapsed and there's fluid around her heart.....Yes...I'm doing the surgery and I promise you, I will save her....But you need to get here as fast as you can.....alright....be careful...remember, you need to get her alive, so don't do anything stupid....I love you too....Hey....it's going to be okay. I've got this.

Oliver hung up the phone and took a long deep breath, wiped his eyes and began to prep himself mentally for the surgery. There was no room for emotions now. Brooklyn's life was at risk and Oliver had to save her, not only for Brooklyn and her family, but for himself and his own brother and Kylie. There were so many people that loved and depended on Brooklyn. Oliver was not about to let them down. He heard a soft knock at his door and Cameron's head poked in for a moment to tell him it was time. Oliver nodded and they headed for the OR.

The surgery was long and nerve wracking and they almost lost her more than once. But they got through it and when they had finished, Brooklyn was in stable condition. Oliver had never seen anything like it in his life and he hoped he never did again. But the worst was over now, or at least he hoped so. However, he knew the metal and physical scars from the attack were going to be a lot for Brooklyn to overcome. The woman, as strong and vibrant and full of life as she was, had a long road ahead of her.

Oliver nodded at Cameron's bidding to go and be with Brooklyn. He cleaned up and went to her hospital room. She still looked so pale and lifeless and wasn't breathing on her own yet. But the lung was prepared, so Oliver had hope that within the week, they could take the tube out. Pulling up a chair, Oliver sat down and cradling her seemingly fragile hand in both of his, Oliver laid his head on the bed and closed his eyes, exhaustion overtaking him. He didn't wake up until he heard the clicking of shoes on the tiled floor, entering the room. Lifting his head, Oliver turned to see Kylie standing there, pale and shocked at what she saw. He stood and walked towards her. She immediately wrapped her arms around him and kissed him on the cheek. Kylie sweetly offered a few comforting words and Oliver nodded his head and gave her a squeezing and they cried on each other's shoulders for a few minutes. Oliver and Kylie had never been close, but tragedy seemed to have a way of bringing people closer together. I'll give you a few minutes alone with her. Oliver said and left the room. He came back about 20 minutes later and waited just outside the room until Kylie was ready to leave. They exchanged a few more words and hugged once more before she went off to find Cameron.

Oliver fell asleep again until Brooklyn's parents entered. They were kind and thanked Oliver for everything he'd done and left once again to leave them alone for a while. Oliver didn't want to leave Brooklyn's side, he felt like he should have been watching over her in his brother's absence. But her parents needed time alone with her. So he went to one of the empty on call rooms and passed out on the bed, after setting an alarm for 3:00pm, about an hour before Tristan was to arrive at the hospital. Though he did sleep and hard, his dreams were haunted by what had transpired and more then once he thought they had lost Brooklyn and he'd wake up with a start, only to remember that she had made it through and some small relief would wash over him. Around 10:00 am he called Summer and told her what had happened. She offered to come over to the hospital, but he told her she didn't need to for the time being, but later that evening would be nice.

At 3 Oliver got up and showered and prepared for Tristan's arrival. He wanted to meet him at the hospital door, so he went and waited in the lobby. [/ul][/size]

[KYLIE BRIDGET STOWE]

[/color] She teased, but as soon as she heard Cameron's voice, a chill went down her spine. Something was wrong! Brooklyn? Attacked?! What? Why? Kylie knew he didn't have time to answer the question, but asking was a natural reaction. Alright....I'll be there in a few minutes.

Kylie quickly dressed in the first thing she could find, a t-shirt and exercise pants, pulled her hair back and threw on her sneakers. She grabbed her purse and her cell phone and headed out the door. Kylie speed to the hospital, making the 10 minute drive in 5. When she arrived, they had already taken Brooklyn into surgery. Kylie waited outside the operating room. The clock ticked by so slowly, every hour seemed a day. Now and again a nurse would frantically rush from the OR, covered in blood to fetch one thing or another and would be back as quickly as she left. These scenes and the length of time terrified Kylie. She was so afraid that she would never see Brooklyn alive again and no one seemed to know why or how or even exactly when it had all happened.

Kylie eventually feel asleep. Sleep was such a welcome escape in these situations. She was finally awoken by a nurse her told her what room she could see Brooklyn in. Kylie went immediately and entered to find Oliver by her side. Shock hit her like a brick wall when she saw Brooklyn, her face almost unrecognizable. Kylie's hand when to her mouth and her emotions immediately overtook her. Oh my God.... She said through the tears, and as Oliver approached, Kylie opened her arms to embrace him. Oliver...I'm so sorry....But she's strong and the nurses told me how brave you were in there. She tried to be encouraging. Kylie felt Oliver's tears wet her shoulder but she didn't care. She would be the shoulder Oliver needed to cry on. Kylie thanked him when he said he would give her some time alone.

Kylie approached Brooklyn's bed. She kissed her best friend's head. Brooklyn was more like a sister to her then a best friend. If she lost Brooklyn, she would be a mess. Brooklyn was such a beautiful person on the outside and on the inside. She was so vibrant and bubbly and feisty and so full of life. How was it possible for her to look so lifeless now?! Kylie sat in the chair and tried to come up with something to say. She heard everyone when she was in the coma, so maybe Brooklyn would hear her now. Brooklyn...It's me Kylie....What is it with you and me landing ourselves in here? Kylie asked, tears running down her face, but she managed to give a little laugh anyways. Brooklyn....Y-you....you can't let go okay? I know this is hard, I know you're in pain...But just keep thinking of Oliver and Tristan...that gorgeous guy you're going to marry. And you parents and your grandmother too. There are so many people that love you, that depend on you....Our world wouldn't be so bright and cheery without you...So please...fight. Stay with us...It's too soon for you to go. Kylie kissed her hand, which was bandaged. She wasn't sure exactly why. Kylie would have to ask Cameron what the injuries were.

When Oliver came back, Kylie hugged him once more. She's a fighter. She managed to smile and kissed his cheek before tapping him encouragingly on the shoulder. I have to go find Cameron.


Kylie left Brooklyn's room and found her way to Cameron's office. She didn't bother to knock, she just went in and found him sitting there crying. As soon as Cameron acknowledged her presence, Kylie collapsed into his arms and together they sobbed. H-how bad...is she? Kylie managed to get the question out. Just...tell me everything that happened...f-from the beginning. Kylie listened to every detail. She couldn't help but cry harder as Cameron explained it all, the call on the radio, when she came in, every injury, how they'd lost her on the table. Kylie was simply in shock. But somehow, she and Cameron managed to pull themselves together before her parents arrived. Kylie waited outside while Cameron spoke to them privately.

She tried to stay her tears and keep it together, at least until they got home. Kylie wanted to look encouraging to Brooklyn's parents if she saw them. When Cameron returned, she clung to him and they were silent for some time before he suggested they go home and try to rest before picking up Tristan. Once they got to their little home, which no longer seemed so bright and happy, Kylie crawled into bed with Cameron and cried herself to sleep. The alarm which they had set for 2:00pm before going to sleep, rang. Kylie made some food for Cameron, then got his clothes ready for him while he showered. She then got a quick shower herself and dressed and headed for the airport.

They met Tristan at 3:45. Their grandmother had also come with him. They both looked pale and distraught. Kylie wished there was something she could have said to comfort them, but there wasn't really, other then the fact that while Brooklyn was critical, she was still rather stable for the condition she was in. They gave vague answers to Tristan and Mrs. Welcott's questions. They wanted to let Oliver tell them the full extent of what had happened. As soon as they pulled up to the front door of the hospital, Oliver came out and engulfed both his brother and his grandmother in his long arms. Before leaving the hospital, Kylie explained that she and Cameron would take their bags to Brooklyn's grandmother's, then return so they could help where they were needed. As soon as the Welcotts disappeared into the hospital, Kylie broke down into tears again. Poor Tristan.... Was all she could manage to get out. The look of fear and sadness on his face just made her heart ache that much more. [/ul][/size]

[TRISTAN FREDERIC WELCOTT]

[/color] He asked, somewhat out of it. It's 2:30 in the morning here! Tristan scratched his cheek and shook his head a little, trying to wake up. Important? What did you marry that girl you've been seeing...um...Summer? Tristan laughed a little, but was cut short when he realized how serious Oliver's tone was. Brooklyn, what?! Tristan asked when the other line fell silent. As Oliver started to explain, Tristan could hear that his older brother's voice was thick with emotions that he was trying to hide. A chill went down Tristan's spine and it seemed that every hair on his body was now standing on end. His legs buckled and fell to the floor, resting his head in the hand that wasn't hold the phone to his ear. Attacked? What do you mean, attacked?Is she alright? He asked frantically. S-save her? Tristan asked, tears of fear and anguish springing up in his eyes. Alright....I'll get the next flight out. He said, biting his lip and wiping his eyes. I love you too Oli...I-If anything happens....anything.....please call me right away. Tristan was one of those people who did better when they were told exactly what was going on. He couldn't stand not knowing. It really was worse on him.

Hanging up the phone, Tristan ran his hand down his face and shook his head. He couldn't believe this was happening and he was so far away. What if something happened before he could get there? What if he lost her? Now he knew exactly the fear that Oliver had been facing the night Lilian had died. Except for the fact that Lilian's death was inevitable, where as Brooklyn could potentially survive. But the Oliver had described it all, and Tristan knew he didn't yet have all the details, it seemed that there might not be much hope. Picking up the phone again, Tristan called Gran. Gran....it's me Tristan. He said, trying not to sound too upset when she picked up the phone Tristan? Sweetheart, what's wrong? She asked. It's almost 3 in the morning. Mrs. Welcott told her grandson. I-I know Gran...it's Brooklyn...I have to go Maine...Somethings happened. Oliver just called and s-she was....attacked...and they taking her in for emergency s-surgery right now...I-I have to call the airport and get the next flight out. Tears spilled down his cheeks now and it was harder and harder to control his emotions. You had better make that two tickets Tristan...I'm coming too. The always stalwart Mrs. Welcott insisted. Gran I... Tristan started to say. No arguments. I'm packing as we speak, the chauffeur and I will pick you up. His grandmother said. She'd always been the take charge sort of person. No...it's out of the way, I can meet you there. Tristan assured her. No...you're upset...you're crying...I can hear it in your voice sweetheart. Brooklyn needs you alive and well. We don't want you getting into an accident on the way to the airport. We'll be there within the hour. And with that she hung up the phone.

Tristan called the airport and got two tickets on the first flight out to Maine, then threw some clothing into a suitcase, not evening caring to pay attention to what he had packed. He text Tom and Chesney about what had happened, that way some of his friends would know where he was and left a message on the business line of the current show's producer. By the time he had finished it all, Gran had arrived and they went to the airport. The flight was long and the combination of the worry and the time change exhausted them both. But they didn't seem to notice, only those around them did. Kylie and Cameron were a welcome sight when they arrived at the airport. Kylie sweetly hugged him and assured him that everything was going to be alright.

Tristan and Mrs. Welcott tried to get answers from Cameron and Kylie on their way to the hospital, but it was clear they didn't want to say much, which made Tristan even more worried. Kylie just kept saying that Brooklyn was a fighter, which Tristan knew was true. But was Kylie trying to tell him that it was a fight for her life at this point? And how had she been attacked? Cameron assured him that Brooklyn hadn't been raped, to his relief, but it almost sounded like that would have bee better compared to the condition she was in.

As soon as they arrived at the hospital Oli burst through the doors and engulfed them with his giant arms. It was clear he had been crying, due to the fact that his eyes were bloodshot and red. How is she? Tristan asked. She's alive. Oliver said. Come inside and I'll tell you everything. Oliver escorted his family to a private room and sitting them down, told them everything he knew about what had happened. Tristan shook with anger and terror. He was facing losing his fiancee. This just couldn't be happening! W-who's with her now? Tristan asked, sniffling, his eyes glassy from the tears. Her parents...but I'll take you to her room anyway. They know you were coming.. Oliver assured his younger brother. I'll wait here Tristan....Just come and get me if you need me. Gran said and hugged and kissed both her Grandsons.

Oliver wordlessly escorted Tristan to Brooklyn's room, but stopped him before he went in. Tristan...she looks....she looks really bad. Oliver said, clearing his throat as his voice was rather strained. Tristan nodded and gave Oliver one more long, tight hug before knocking and going in. Tristan was so taken back at the site of her, he almost fell over. But before he could process it all, Brooklyn's mother had approached and said something like 'You must be Tristan.' And hugged him. Tristan numbly nodded, closing his arms around her for a few moments, and shaking as the tears came out violently. It was almost as if Tristan was having an out of body experience. He could feel the hot tears coming down his cheeks and his body shaking, but it was if he wasn't even attempting to control it anymore. He'd given in to whatever emotions threatened to overtake him. When the woman let go, she told Tristan she and her husband would leave him to be with Brooklyn for a while. He nodded and thanked her. When they had left, Tristan slowly approached the bed and lowered his body into a chair, his legs to weak to stand any longer. Tristan reached up to move a few stray hairs out of her face and shaking his head, began to sob uncontrollably. Tristan's hand came to his mouth, trying to stifle the sounds that he just couldn't control. My God....what have they done to you? He asked. Tristan placed her hand in the palm of his own and rested his fore head atop it, while his other hand, gently gripped her fore arm. His body still convulsing as he tried, unsuccessfully, to swallow his emotions. [/ul][/size]

[BROOKLYN MARIE SAWYER]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, width: 400px; background-color: #464646; padding:20px; border-top: 10px #7D0000 solid; border-bottom: 10px #7D0000 solid;] there‘s a fire starting in my heart ( TAGGED ) CM, OW, TW, KS, CS ( OUTFIT ) NOTHING THEN HOSPITAL GOWN ( STATUS ) COMPLETE When one goes through something like Brooklyn sawyer did, for a short while time disappears. Such as it took over two days before the doctors drew her out of the coma but with doing so they kept her heavily medicated because of the severity of her injuries. The tube remained in because brooklyn wasn’t fighting it which means she still needed a bit of help breathing. The first things she saw when she woke up? Her parents and Tristan. She groaned lightly as she inched her fingers towards Tristan’s hands to wake him up. Her vision was a bit fuzzy but when he looked up she could tell he was a mess. When Tristan moved her parents got up from their seats and came up to her other side. They told her not to speak. Not like Brooklyn wanted to. She was in so much pain and exhausted. Just reaching for Tristan’s hand had wiped all her energy and she drifted back to sleep until the doctors came in to look her over. Even then she stayed up just long enough for that before she went back to sleep. The following day she was up for a few minutes longer each time she woke up. Everyone seemed to be in and out of the hospital. Tristan, kylie, oliver, cameron, her parents and even a few other people she saw. She was surprised but appreciative to see Tristan’s grandmother was here. That made her cry a little because she was so touched though she had a feeling people thought she was in pain. At one point she motioned for a bad of paper that had been brought in and a pen. It took what felt like forever to write because the fingers where her nails had been ripped out hurt like crazy. ’is coleman ok?’ Brooklyn remembered he came to help her while she had been attacked. She waned to make sure he hadn’t suffered the same face. Her mother laughed a little and smoothed back her hair. ”he’s fine, Brooklyn. Scared your attacker off.” without thinking Brooklyn scrawled out ’attackers. 2.’ the faces around her went a little pale before her father mumbled something about calling officer cross. They didn’t know there had been two people? Brooklyn attempted to furrow her brow but that hurt. Where had the second attacker gone? Were they gone before coleman got there? And why couldn’t she remember it. She began to cry in frustration in trying to remember details when she felt and heard Tristan near her face, soothing her. Brooklyn hated this. She wanted to remember what happened and she wanted to be able to talk. A nurse came in and gave her something her the anxiety and again she drifted off. The fourth day since the attack she asked to be sit up a bit. well, wrote it out. She told Tristan and her parents to go home and get some real food. Then cameron and kylie popped in. she squeezed cameron’s hand and sent him a painfully strained smile in gratitude. Her own grandmother plus her aunt and cousins would be here soon that house was going to be full at this point. Brooklyn-still thinking of others first-grabbed the paper and carefully scrawled out, ’cam make sure food is in house. Card in clutch in side table. Please.’ cameron agreed to do so before they left her. S usual when no one was around Brooklyn just stared blankly at the wall as the attack played over in her mind. She had thought there were students out there but after knowing what happened after coleman had scared her off, it wasn’t hard to figure out it was this mysterious avery person. Avery took a little bit of Brooklyn with them. Her will to fight. Everyone thought Brooklyn was such a fighter but she really wasn’t. she ahd stopped fighting her attackers and she had given up when in the emergency room. Brooklyn didn’t try to fight to breath before she had died. She had given up but how could she tell everyone that. It was on the fifth day Brooklyn started to try to fight the breathing tube and they removed it but she was still unable to talk. Her voice hurt and was hoarse. She remained in the icu. That was also the day they took her out of bed to help her take a full bath and not just washing her in the bd. Brooklyn wept when she looked at her features. One eye was open while the other was still half swollen. Her face was several different colors with her bruises and the cuts looked raw. She glanced down. Her stomach was different colors from where they had hit here there and the stitches along the incisions reminded her what else avery had taken form her-a kidney. They had taken out a kidney out of sheer malice and no other reason. It had been unable to be reattached. Brooklyn also remembered they had burned something on her back. Since her mother was in there with the nurse to help bathe her Brooklyn looked at her. “picture of back,” she staggered out. Her mother grimaced but Brooklyn looked at her sternly. She wanted to see and they said after she was cleaned up. Brooklyn nodded. The bath felt like it took forever. She felt like a child needing help to do something as simple as bathing and dressing herself. Her mother had brought her clean undergarments but she still had to wear a hospital gown. ”Brooklyn…are you sure you want to see it?’

[/I] Brooklyn weakly nodded. The nurse supported Brooklyn’s weight while her mother took out her phone and took a photo. When Brooklyn looked at it she got chocked up. They had branded her with flames. It wasn’t completely visible-some parts of the burn were more noticeable then other but she could tell what it was. Brooklyn decided after the wedding she would go to a plastic surgeon for a skin graft. She couldn’t live every day knowing it was there on her back. She had enough reminders and she didn’t’ want to see anymore then she had to each day.

Day six was when they got Brooklyn moving to prevent blood clots. Her father helped her and the physical therapist. Brooklyn’s voice was growing stronger at this point but the rest of her hurt and felt weak. She glanced out of the corner of her eyes at her father. He hadn’t said one word to Tristan form what she could tell and what her mother had told him. “please talk to him daddy. He and his grandmother flew out here from England. He’s a good man.” her father’s face was hard before he breathed in through his nostrils. ”it’s not that brook and you know it.” Brooklyn motioned for a rest as she looked at her father and sighed. Her voice was still hoarse so she kept her voice low. “it’s time to move on. I died. I actually died. What if cameron hadn’t revived me, huh? How would you feel leaving things as they have been? He wasn’t showing disrespect when he asked. Besides we know me. If Tristan didn’t want to have a proper wedding I might have already gone to vegas and gotten married by elvis. Please. Stop this.” Brooklyn hated having to use her death and revival to get her point across but it was necessary. That little speech and the short walk left her winded so a wheelchair was grabbed and her father wheeled her back. Before she had sat down she saw tears in her eyes as he nodded in agreement. Finally.

That sixth day was also when Brooklyn was moved out of the intensive care unit. It was still hard to do many things without help. Either she got tired, winded or was just in too much pain to do anything else. Someone was always around to help her but it was this day she suddenly wanted to be alone. Her window had a view of some trees and she began to sob uncontrollably because she thought she saw movement out there. It had just been the wind but movement outside the windows is why she had gone outside. She felt arms around her which just caused Brooklyn to fight off whomever was holding her. “no let me go! Let me go!” she felt a sharp pain in her ribs as a couple nurses grabbed at her arms and someone stuck a needle in her arm. Brooklyn fought a couple more minutes before she fell asleep. She faintly heard her mother crying then the scuffling of her leaving the room followed by several other footsteps. Brooklyn didn’t know who was still here or not but didn’t care. She fell asleep anyways.

A week. It had been one week since the attack. By now no one snuck up on Brooklyn and the blinds of her room were closed where the sun began to set. Acute stress disorder. That’s what they were calling it right now and wanted to watch her for posttraumatic stress disorder. Brooklyn was finally told that the hospital had been fighting reporters from coming in. great. Paparazzi she could handle but not actual reporters who wanted a story. They wanted the details and Brooklyn didn’t want to talk about it. She could hardly stand talking to people about it now.

She stared at the food in front of her, poking it with her fork. Today she felt sick and just didn’t want to eat. She had a couple bites of her mashed potatoes before the pushed the overhead tray away. They had brought in a small day bed because someone was always here with brooklyn at night. Despite it being a hospital full of people she hated to be alone for more then an hour. Right now no one was in it nor in any of the seats. She told everyone to go get some food elsewhere for lunch so they didn’t have to eat this terrible hospital food. Brooklyn leaned her bed back and shifted so she was laying on the side where her ribs weren’t broken and just stared blankly out the window. The full bandages on her hands had been removed so now only gauze was over the fingers that had the nails ripped form. Her hair was French braided courtesy of kylie and she could finally open both eyes fully. Her face was still extremely sore so when she could eat, Brooklyn only had soft foods so she didn’t have to chew so much. Monday a specialist would be coming in to talk about how she would have to do living with one kidney. Oliver told her she wouldn’t have to change her lifestyle but that she would need doctor visits every year. After he paused he also said there may be complications having a baby. Great. Just...great.

All this information swirled in Brooklyn’s head. This person had taken so much from Brooklyn in the span of twenty-some-odd minutes. Her fight, her kidney, her grandmother’s bracelet and they had humiliated her by doing this when she was in nothing but her undergarments. She had even died for two minutes she was told. There was no cliché white light and people all around. Brooklyn just remembered the peacefulness in ceasing in fighting everything. Utter peacefulness. That’s what death felt like to her though it wasn’t peaceful for others. Cameron had told her oliver had been there when she died. That she remembered because his was the last face she remembered seeing before she gave in. poor olvier. She just spent the last couple years in helping to draw him from a dark place and he had to go through seeing her die in front of her. Brooklyn was glad he had summer with him now. She was bright and full of life. Good for oliver, especially at this time.

Brooklyn continued to just stare outside while she was alone. Her food wasn’t touched again, only a couple bites having been eaten. She just didn’t feel hungry nor oculd she muster the energy to force herself to eat. everything just exhausted her and right now she wouldn’t fight through it. She just couldn’t
[/div]

too many emotions in this. gah I just can‘t handle it

[/center][/td][/tr][/table]

table by CALIFORNIA DREAMING of CAUTION 2.0, lyrics by adele

[/center]

[TRISTAN FREDERIC WELCOTT]

[/color] He attempted to make her feel better, but he didn't think it was working. When a person had been through something like that, little compliments didn't help...or at least not very much. And then there were the times when Brooklyn lost control and she had to be sedated. The cut Tristan to the core. The doctors and nurses wouldn't even give him a chance to try and calm her down. That made him mad because he was quite sure he could have and it would have been better than having her more doped up.

Tristan wanted revenge. If he ever found out who had done this to Brooklyn, the person would pay and big time. What they had taken from Brooklyn were things that couldn't be replaced or repaired. They would heal to some degree in time, but she would never be the same person she was before. Perhaps the differences would be small to those who were looking from the outside. But those on the inside could see just how much this did now and would in the future affect her. And then they found out that it wasn't just one attacker, but two. No wonder. Things made more sense now. Just one person wouldn't have been able to do this to her. They'd had to over power her, the cowards.

Tristan was also frustrated because he hadn't been ale to spend any time alone with Brooklyn since she'd woken up. Her parents were always there and never offered to leave. Furthermore, her father completely ignored him constantly. When he did turn in Tristan's general direction the man would just stare right through him. Tristan wanted to have it out with him right then and there. But it wasn't the time nor the place and Brooklyn would never forgive either of them. So he endured it for now But if things didn't change, Tristan would be pulling the man aside soon to tell him to get over it. They'd almost lost Brooklyn! It was time they all pulled together and dropped their differences. It was stupid and petty.

During meal times, Brooklyn always shooed them out of the room to go eat elsewhere. But not today. Tristan did leave with the group when Brooklyn shooed them out for lunch, but halfway down the hall, Tristan said he'd just grab something in the cafeteria, he wasn't very hungry and wanted to be alone. He did go down to the cafeteria and bought a salad and a drink, which he took back up to Brooklyn's room. Tristan made sure to knock before entering, so as not to scare her. Hey. Tristan said softly and approached her bed. He said the food down on the windowsill to be consumed later. Tristan sat in a chair and scooted it close to her. He looked at her plate of food, which she had hardly touched. Not hungry? Tristan asked. I know you said to get out of here for lunch....But I just wanted to have a few minutes alone with you before everyone came back. He placed his hand gently over hers, holding back tears as he was once again reminded of the gruesome injuries and the terrible physical and emotional pain it had all caused her.

Tristan bit his lip and sighed, looked at her and smiled, and shook his head. I'm sorry...I don't mean to get emotional. He breathed deeply. I mean....you're the once in the bed and I'm the one crying...this is backwards. He chuckled lightly to try and lighten the mood. Tristan gently took her hand, as if it was the most fragile thing he'd ever seen or touched, and pressed it to his lips. I love you Brooklyn....I-I thought I was going to loose you. A few tears rolled down his cheeks now. I-I need you...we all do....You're the glue Brooklyn. You hold us all together. He smiled through the tears and ran his thumb over the top of her hand. I'm taking 6 months off...I mean I'll have to back to London and settle some business and get Gran back safely. But other than that, I'm not going back to work until we've got you back up and on your feet. Tristan told her. And I am not going to take any arguments.

Moving closer, Tristan sat on the edge of the bed. He wanted so badly to just take her in his arms and hold her close, but he couldn't, she was too fragile and the pain would be too great. Can I kiss you? Tristan asked softly. It was a bit awkward to have to ask, but it was the considerate thing to do. He wasn't one to take advantage of her and do something that would cause her discomfort. Tristan just wanted to be close to her, to touch her, to feel her soft skin against his. He wanted to show her that the attack hadn't changed how he felt about her. That he didn't care if her scars were permanent or not. Brooklyn was still the love of his life. She was the woman he wanted to spend every last second he had left on this earth with. Nothing ever could or ever would change that. [/ul][/size]

[BROOKLYN MARIE SAWYER]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, width: 400px; background-color: #464646; padding:20px; border-top: 10px #7D0000 solid; border-bottom: 10px #7D0000 solid;] there‘s a fire starting in my heart ( TAGGED ) CM, OW, TW, KS, CS ( OUTFIT ) NOTHING THEN HOSPITAL GOWN ( STATUS ) COMPLETE Brooklyn knew that through all this Tristan was just trying to make her feel better and comfort her. She knew that but it was still hard. She felt so guilty because she had given up fighting. Everyone believed Brooklyn was such a strong girl and could fight her way through anything but until you were in such a situation like she was you’d never understand anything. She was not a fighter, especially in that moment. She had given in and become weak. The looks on everyone’s faces showed her the same thing each time-they thought Brooklyn had fought her way back. They didn’t know anything about her inner turmoil. Every encouraging word, smile and touch just made the guilt worse along with every other emotion. When she got time alone she thought over all of this. Every emotion along with the replaying of the attack. When she thought too long about the attack she would usually start to cry and close her eyes to try to block the memories out. She would bite her pillow to stifle the cries because she was on enough medications and didn’t need more right now. This afternoon she didn’t need to do either of those things. She was just...numb. Her stomach felt tight and nauseated from the pain medications, making things even worse. She slowly exhaled out of her nose and when she heard a knock a the door she gingerly turned her body to the sound of Tristan’s voice. The room was dim because of her concussion but she could still make out his sweet face. “hey…” she trailed off before she laid back down and watched his movements. Her head gently shook. “the stuff for the pain is making me sick.” Brooklyn tucked a hand under her pillow as the other was covered by his own. “it’s ok. I just want you all to get some real rest, too.” she felt choked up because her whole family was here and rotating in taking care of her. A soft chuckle left hr lips followed by a groan of pain from the action. “at least our grandmothers are getting along.” that pleased Brooklyn greatly. Brooklyn got choked up seeing Tristan so…broken. She reached up and used her forefinger to brush away his tears since her thumb was bandaged up. “it’s ok. We’re all a little emotional.” Brooklyn fought back the guilty sobs that threatened to escape with every perfect thing he said. She wanted to wipe the fresh wave of tears but he had one hand and it’d be too painful to move the other again. “Tristan I’m not the glue. You guys have this all wrong.” her voice was thick with emotions as her own vision went cloudy with her tears. Despite what Tristan thought she wasn’t going to fight him. She had been fighting too much and was exhausted from it. Alls he could do was nod her head a bit at his demand. Brooklyn shifted to let him on the bed. She reached p to cup her hand along his tear streaked face but that simple action proved to be too much and she eventually dropped her arm. every time she lifted her arms too much she just felt pain all down her sides. Once the pain subsided she nodded her head while she attempted to smile. “you never have to ask my permission Tristan.” though she did feel a bit weird. Her face was swollen, cut up and bruised-a pretty grotesque site. When he finally leaned down to kiss her, Brooklyn tried to kiss him back but felt nothing. She couldn’t feel the pressure of his lips and it pained her. She just wanted to be normally again. When he pulled back tears began to flow freely as she sobbed quietly, her head leaning against him the best she could. “I’m sorry Tristan. I’m so sorry,” was choked out in this moment alone. She couldn’t help it. Everything was so overwhelming and she just felt so guilty. She couldn’t hold her own emotions in anymore. At least she knew with Tristan there would be no judgment. Or she prayed it would be that way. too many emotions in this. gah I just can‘t handle it

table by CALIFORNIA DREAMING of CAUTION 2.0, lyrics by adele

[TRISTAN FREDERIC WELCOTT]

[/color] Tristan said sympathetically, wishing he could help her feel better. He hated not being able to do anything but stand here and speak. Words were just words when you couldn't follow them up with action! This was killing Tristan. He related to Oliver so much more now. He had understood how Oliver had felt before, with Lilian. But now he related much, much more. Tristan nodded when she said she wanted them to get some rest. I can't sleep without you. He said honestly and ran his fingers through his hair. Tristan felt tired and draw out. He'd only slept about 15 hours in the last week. But he didn't care. Sleep seemed so insignificant and unimportant compared to what was going on. Tristan would go to Brooklyn's at night and try to sleep, but usually he'd lay awake thinking about her and hoping that she was resting peacefully. Tristan nodded and laughed softly. Yes....I think they have quite become best friends. Your Gran's been talking about taking a trip to London to stay with her when this is all over. He smiled. Tristan loved both their grandmothers. They were amazing women.

Tristan smiled faintly when Brooklyn reached out to wipe his tears. Just like her to try to take care of him when she was the one who needed taken care of. He gave Brooklyn a confused look when she said she wasn't the glue. What did she mean? How could she think that? Brooklyn....sweetheart. Do you know what a mess we would all be without you? Tristan asked You've always been there for everyone babe. You've been there for your Aunt with this whole court case, you helped get Oliver back on his feet in a way that Gran and I couldn't. You were there for Kylie when she had the accident. I'm sure I could go around this town and get every resident to tell me at least one way in which Brooklyn Sawyer has touched their lives. You're a very special person. You bring people together and make them better for having known you. This wasn't vain flattery. Tristan meant every word of what he said and he hoped Brooklyn took it seriously and to heart.

Tristan closed his eyes when Brooklyn's hand came up to rest on his face, savoring the feeling of her touch, but he could tell it was difficult for her and if she had remained there a moment longer, he would have lowered it for her. When Brooklyn gave permission, Tristan leaned in and kissed her gently on the lips. He did so in such a way that wouldn't cause her pain or to exert herself. It felt wonderful just to be able to touch her and to love her. It had been 9 days since he'd last kissed her, before she'd left to go back to Maine. It felt like 9 months.

Tristan was surprised when Brooklyn leaned against him and began to sob. He wrapped his arms around her frail body, careful not to hold her too tightly. This wasn't like Brooklyn. Brooklyn didn't get emotional...passionate, but not emotional. She was strong, held things together, nothing broke her down. Until now. But no one could blame her and Tristan was going to be right here, holding her and comforting her and doing whatever he possibly could, every step of the way. Brooklyn would be strong again. Maybe stronger then before. It would take time, but she would get there.

Sorry for what? This isn't your fault Brooklyn. Tristan kissed the top of her head carefully, while running his hand very gently up and down her back in an attempt to sooth her. You didn't ask for this....Don't you dare blame yourself. No, Tristan was not going to allow Brooklyn to think any of this was her fault. It wasn't. No argument she could make would convince him that was true. Brooklyn had been tortured, horrifically tortured. And it seemed there was no real reason for it. Just some sick minded freak getting their kicks from someone else's pain. Sometimes, like right now, Tristan wished he could go outside the law and take matters into his own hand. He wished he could find whoever did this to Brooklyn and kidnap them and do to them everything they'd done to Brooklyn and more. He wished he could make them pay.

You need to rest. Tristan said softly, but he had no intention of leaving while she did. He carefully laid her back against the pillows, then used the controls to lower her bed to a comfortable angle for sleeping, then laid down beside her. Tristan moved up against the bar at the edge of the bed, making sure that Brooklyn had plenty or room. Tristan just couldn't leave her alone, not right now. She needed someone here with her and not at arm's length. Brooklyn needed to feel the touch and closeness of those that loved her. If her parents didn't like it, that was just too bad. They would have to get over it and Tristan would tell them so if they forced him.[/ul][/size]

[BROOKLYN MARIE SAWYER]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, width: 400px; background-color: #464646; padding:20px; border-top: 10px #7D0000 solid; border-bottom: 10px #7D0000 solid;] there‘s a fire starting in my heart ( TAGGED ) CM, OW, TW, KS, CS ( OUTFIT ) NOTHING THEN HOSPITAL GOWN ( STATUS ) COMPLETE Brooklyn just shrugged, not really looking at Tristan. She know he was just looking out for her but she couldn’t muster eating. If it wasn’t her medications making her feel sick it was the fact that it hurt too much. The doctors had taken to giving her nutrients through her an iv bag when she didn’t eat much. She sighed in his direction as she adjusted her head to peer up at him better. Even if her eyes were no longer swollen her vision was a bit blurry in one eye so it was hard to focus at times. “you can sleep on the cot in here. It’s why the nurses bought it in.” she could tell everyone was exhausted but at least most of them went home to rest. Except for Tristan and her parents. One of her parents was always here and the rotating of sleepless nights and ones of resting were wearing them out. It just made her guilt so much worse. A weak chuckle escaped her bruised face. “I knew they would like each other.” Brooklyn was glad about that and she definitely would not protest to her going to England to visit. Especially after she was fully moved there. suddenly a thought washed over her and she moved to furrow her brow but that caused an intense pain and she had to stifle a groan. “Tristan has this gotten over there? They said reporters are outside and it’s been all over the news…” Brooklyn hadn’t talked to reporters but it wouldn’t be hard for one nosy paparazzi from England to type in her name and this would be bound to pop up. Tristan and oliver had spent the last tow years hiding maine from the nosy reporters in england and this could unravel everything which would suck even more. Again her thoughts were so jumbled but she was trying to keep from replaying everything so she was distracting herself as much as possible at this point. Brooklyn had to swallow back a sob but couldn’t hide the tears that escaped down her slightly numb cheeks. She honestly didn’t realize so many people thought so highly of her. She was just trying to be a good person-turn over a new leaf after all the bad years she had put herself through. She didn’t realize how much people appreciated what she did or cared. It made her feel good and so much worse all at once. It took everything not to break down right there. All these people who relied on her and she was just read to give up. Just like that. All she could do is hope people understood why she stopped fighting. The amount of pain she was in had been overwhelming. Was still overwhelming at times too. Brooklyn knew she had a long, rocky road ahead of her. Just the amount of specialist she had already seen and the therapists...Brooklyn was already much too overwhelmed. Every emotion kept pouring out at different times. Mostly she felt numb. Numb was a safe place to be because she didn’t think of things too much. Hen her parents were around it was easy to stay numb but when oliver or Tristan or kylie were here she couldn’t help it. She vaguely remembered kylie coming to see her while she had been unconscious and she clearly remembered oliver being the last face she saw before she died. And Tristan was the last memory she clung to-the best memory. memories. and she was just going ot leave this all behind. Leave behind her friends and family and this wonderful man who had come into her life. A man who found a way into her heart extremely quickly, without even trying. A man who was beyond sweet in every way possible. He was humble despite a luxurious lifestyle and glitzy career. His head remained completely level despite the chaos and had a way of calming Brooklyn. She just wished that calm was what she felt currently. Instead when Tristan kissed her, everything came flooding out. Between not being able to feel his kiss and the guilt, none of it could stay in anymore. Then just his simple touch was so painful but she didn’t want it to show. She just wanted to be close to him. Her head shook against him as he tried saying it was her fault. “I-I-I went out there. Alone. I saw movement….and I went there alone. A-a-after I j-just told coleman about everything. I still went out there alone.” Brooklyn’s words fell out in between sobs. She could feel her ribs hurting from the force of the tears and the noises escaping her body. “they str-stripepd me an-and br-branded m-me like cattle and-and-and I just gave up Tristan. I-I stopp-pped fighting. I let them cut me and I felt it. I felt everything. I-was-awake-and…and I st-stopped f-fighting.I bl-blacked o-out bu-but I still f-felt it all. Y-yet I can’t remember everything.” Brooklyn as surely soaking his shirt by now but everything was flooding out that she could remember. She couldn’t help it. Brooklyn was so very broken. “I l-let myself d-di-ie. I didn’t wa-want t-to live Tristan. It hurt s-s-so m-much. Th-there are t-times I sti-still just want the p-pain to be g-gone.” Brooklyn hadn’t admitted that to anyone yet. Not even her doctors. She knew everyone would freak out if they knew what she was thinking but this was Tristan. She needed to be honest with him. Still there was so much more then just this going on in her head. Way, way more. What if she was as bad as haven with her nightmares? What if her scars stayed ugly? What if she couldn’t give Tristan a child because of only having one child? What if they never caught her attackers? That thought terrified her the most-her attackers remaining free for the rest of their lives. That just couldn’t happen. Brooklyn’s stream of tears began to stem and she just leaned back as Tristan lowered her. She had a morphine pump and she tried not to use it but after her little break down she was in a lot of pain. As she began to relax, she increased the dosage slightly. Not enough to knock her out quickly. Brooklyn desperately needed to be near Tristan and have her hand close to him. As he settled in the bed she felt much calmer. Tristan had this way of easing everything that was going on in the present moment. One hand was tucked under her pillow while her other gingerly moved to his own. She didn’t care if this bed was way too small for two full grown adults. Brooklyn did need him near and he seemed to know that which she appreciated. She wanted to just curl up to him but she knew it’d be too painful to do. A lump was swallowed as she focused on Tristan. “that nurse friend of your brother’s told me he had a breakdown. I’m so sorry oliver had to go through this, Tristan.” she knew after everything with his wife and then summer’s accident this could not have helped oliver at all. Just the little she heard she knew ahd to have been bad. too many emotions in this. gah I just can‘t handle it

table by CALIFORNIA DREAMING of CAUTION 2.0, lyrics by adele

[SUMMER LILA BANES]

Summer had just gotten the news from the school district that she had gotten the job and would be starting the following Autumn as a second grade teacher at the elementary school in town. Her excitement had left her nearly paralyzed, so much so that she hadn't been able to get herself to go to the Prom that she was supposed to be chaperoning. Instead, she sat in her apartment, already wearing the marine blue evening dress with her hair curled and pulled into a side ponytail and her sparkling necklace clasped around her neck. She was all dressed besides her shoes, but the thought never crossed her mind twice. The only thing she could think about was telling Oliver the good news.

She knew that he was at work, so she would have to wait until the next day, but until then, she worked on simply getting back into comfortable clothes and after a celebratory dessert and movie, she fell asleep on her couch.

She woke up around 10 the next morning, when she got a call from Oliver and immediately woke up, ready to tell him the good news. "Good morning, Oliver!" She said cheerfully, but immediately forgot everything that was on her mind and instead fought through the shock of the news. "Do you want me to come over? Is everything okay?" She asked, completely unsure of what she should do. He told her that tonight would be a better time and she nodded, though he wasn't there to see it. "Alright... I'll be over later tonight. I'm bringing dinner too, so don't let anyone buy that nasty cafeteria food." She warned him, trying to lighten the mood just slightly, but it was a weak attempt. They hung up and she spent the rest of the day preparing for seeing Brooklyn that night.


She walked through the hospital doors, which were currently surrounded with reporters and security guards, with a rolling cart which she borrowed from a local restaurant which carried two punch sized bowls of Caesar Salad, three trays of Baked Ziti, five loaves of Italian Bread and two trays of grilled chicken breasts which could be eaten alone or cut up on top of the salad. They would use the cafeteria dishes since she had made enough for anyone who wanted any. Before seeing Oliver, she went straight down to the cafeteria and stopped them from making a large meal for everyone, which they gladly did and then helped her set up a table for all of the food as well as bring out plates and trays and cups for their soda fountain and drink fridge.

After a buffet of food was in line, Summer made her way to the front desk to ask where Brooklyn was. After explaining that she was a friend, they told her where to go and she hurried up the stairs. Before heading over to the hospital room, she wondered if maybe Oliver was in his office, so she poked her head inside.

[TRISTAN FREDERIC WELCOTT]

[/color] He said softly. But your parents are always here and then they say they're going to stay and don't give anyone else a chance. He sighed. I guess if it was our daughter in here, we'd do the same. Tristan smiled a little. He understood her parents wanting to be always near her and stuff. But it was almost like they didn't acknowledge his existence or his relationship to Brooklyn. They hadn't even really talked to Tristan. Sure there was the first day when her mom had hugged him and left him alone with Brooklyn for a bit. But they had pretty much dominated her since then and Tristan just felt like an outsider.

Tristan smiled when Brooklyn chuckled. It was nice to hear her make any happy noise, even if it was faint and weak. At least it was something. Tristan shook his head in the negative. No, no. Don't worry about that. He told her, rubbing her hand very gently. Tom and Chesney have been watching like hawks, and the only thing they've gotten is that I stepped out of the show. He assured her. The reporters here haven't even gotten their pound of flesh. The only one's that have talked to them are the police and they haven't even released any names yet, so it's just conjecture on the media's part. Tristan explained. But you let us worry about that, and just focus on resting and getting better, okay? Brooklyn had enough on her plate without worry about the media. If it did get out, they'd cross that bridge when they came to it. For now, it wasn't even a concern in Tristan's mind. That was such a very minuscule part of the picture.

Brooklyn....Brooklyn. Tristan said gently, cupping her face and making her look at him. You couldn't have known this was going to happen to you....Anyone would have gone...I would have. Kylie would have...Blimey, we know that Haven would have. You were there to make sure that those kids stayed safe and appropriate...You felt a responsibility to look in on it. Tristan was trying his best to stay strong for her and hold back his own emotions and anger as she began to explain everything that had happened to her. This wasn't fair. Not to Brooklyn, not to anyone that was having to go through this with her. It just wasn't fair. This sort of stuff just didn't happen to good people, loving people like Brooklyn. What had she ever done to deserve this?

Tristan felt her cling to him, knowing it must have been causing her pain, but he couldn't deny her this. She needed to be held and comforted and she needed to just vent about all of this. Baby...No one can fight something like that. Pain...it does something to your brain. Your body starts to shut down to protect itself, you can't think clearly. He tried to assure her, but she kept protesting. Tears were spilling rapidly down his cheeks now, but he tried to wipe them away before the fell on Brooklyn. He didn't want her to know he was crying. He didn't want her to be worried about sharing this with him. They were things he had to know anyway, so he could take care of her emotional and physical needs properly.

Tristan wanted to pull her into his lap, to envelope her in his arms and hold her more tightly than ever before. But he couldn't. That had been taken away from them when Brooklyn had been so brutally violated. The things that this had taken away from them both just couldn't be numbered at the moment. Tristan tried not to think about it. He just wanted to deal with one thing at a time. But it was hard not to. And not for selfish reasons of course. But purely out of what it was doing and would in the future do, to Brooklyn. This was all supposed to be a wonderful happy time in their lives. They were planning their wedding, the first day of the rest of their lives together as man and wife. It wasn't supposed to be like this!

Brooklyn. It's alright. Tristan said, unable to hide the tears or the emotion in his voice anymore. In part, he wished, only for her sake, that she hadn't lived. Because death would have been much better for her then what she was having to go through now. I know you do....I know. And no one can ever blame you for that Brooklyn. I don't blame you for letting go. That's natural Brooklyn...D-don't be afraid o-or angry or s-sorry. Tristan could hardly get the words past his throat as he felt his heart breaking yet again. Death...Death was peace....You wanted peace, y-you needed peace. It was so very hard for Tristan to even think about her having given up and died. But he understood it. He understood it as best as a person could without actually having gone through it. It doesn't c-change us. Tristan said, not wanting her to be worried about any of that, or what he might think of her or if he might feel differently about her then before. I will always love you...And e-everything that is part of you. Every bruise...Every scar...E-every fear...No matter how big or how small. His voice had grown hoarse. I will never stop....I will always be here from you....I will never leave your side again. Tristan kissed the top of her head. He was glad the door had been closed so none of the nurses had heard her. Tristan knew they would have come in and sedated her and he probably would punched someone out. He was sick of the Doctors and Nurses coming in and thinking they knew what was better for her better than he did. They didn't.


As Tristan settled into the bed, he reached for a tissue and cautiously wiped her tears away, then took her hand when she reached for it, allowing her to place it in his, in a way that was comfortable. He had seen her use the pump for the morphine, but made no comment. There was nothing he could say about it, other then that he was sorry. But him being sorry didn't help anything right now. Again, he felt helpless. Sshhh.... He said softly. Oliver's fine...He's stronger now...thanks to everything you've done for him Brooklyn...Before, it would have killed him...But now...He broke down, yes. But Cameron saved you and Summer came and he was all put to rights. Tristan smiled at her. See what I mean...You're laying here in a hospital bed...but you're worried about Oliver having to see you that way. He shook his head. You are the most unbelievably beautiful person in the world.

Tristan laid with Brooklyn until she'd drifted off to sleep, getting groggy himself. He was almost asleep when he heard Oliver in the hallway. His brother poked his head in and Tristan very carefully and slowly sat up, motioning for Oliver to not to say anything because Brooklyn was resting. He very carefully got out of the bed and walked out of the room and into the hallway. We need to go somewhere private. Tristan said, trying to hold himself together.

Once they were in Oliver's office, Tristan dropped into a chair and put his head in his hands, tugging angrily at his hair. I can't stand seeing her t-this way. He sobbed, unable to hold it all in anymore. W-What kind of person does this to another h-human being?! S-she doesn't deserve this...I'it's not fair. Tristan felt Oliver's hands on his shoulders and he lifted his head to look at him. I know Tristan. Oliver said softly. I wish there was something I could say or do. Tristan shook his head. No..you've done it already...y-you saved her. Tristan said assuredly. I-It's just that...s-she's still so scared and she's so broken....I-I'm afraid she's lost her fight...She said when they t-tortured her, she gave up....A-and I know that's a natural way to r-react to that...But it s-scared me. Tristan admitted. A-and I feel so....so helpless....T-there's nothing I can do for her! All I-I have are words and there so u-useless. Oliver shook his he head. No...your words are not useless. They're a great comfort to her. I know that. If she didn't have you Tristan, she might not have come back at all.

Tristan shook his head, lowering it into his hands again. I should have been here with her...With everything that's b-been going on in this damn t-town..I-I should have known n-not to send her back a-alone. It's not safe here w-with these maniacs o-on the loose....If I-I hadn't been so wrapped up in m-my shows, I-I'd have been here...A-and none of this w-would have happened t-to her.....I-it's all my fault Oliver.

Oliver squeezed his brother's shoulders. Don't you ever blame yourself...And don't you let Brooklyn do it either. This is not her fault, or your fault, or anyone else's, except the people who did it to her...You need to stay strong and help Brooklyn stay positive. Don't let her see you this way Tristan. You just keep her positive and it will all be alright...Understand? Oliver spoke firmly to his brother. He knew this was a hard time for them, but Brooklyn and Tristan blaming themselves wasn't helping anything. Especially when neither of them had anything to blame themselves for. Tristan nodded his head. Good...Now listen to me Tristan. Oliver said, even more seriously The police are going to have to talk to Brooklyn....We've held them off as long as we can, now they have to do their job. This is going to be very difficult for her, because she's going to have to try to remember anything she possibly can. And her mind has probably blocked some of those memories because of how terrible they are. But it's necessary if we're ever going to catch these people. You're going to have to help her do that. You're the only one she'll trust. But if she thinks it's going to be too hard on you, we'll never get anywhere with her. Alright? Tristan nodded once more, sighing heavily. Now clean yourself up and go back to her room, you don't want her waking up alone Oliver embraced Tristan for a few moments. You're both going to make it through this little brother. Oliver left the room giving Tristan a few minutes to collect himself.

When he'd washed his face and gotten a drink, Tristan headed back to Brooklyn's room. Fortunately she was still sleeping. Carefully he crawled back into the bed and placed her hand back in his own, exactly as hit had been, not wanting her to know he'd left at all, then drifted off to sleep himself.[/ul][/size]

[OLIVER SEBASTIAN WELCOTT]

[/color] Accident? Why was he saying accident? There was no accident. This had been a deliberate. I mean...an attack. Brooklyn...Brooklyn's been attacked....They brought her in late last night... Oliver's voice was weak and forlorn. Doctor Matthews and I had to perform emergency surgery on her. He was trying to hold back the tears. No...you don't have to come over now...Her parents are here and Tristan's on his way....She's pretty bad off and I don't even know if her condition will remain stable... Oliver heaved a long, emotion laden sigh. He wanted Summer here...now. But there was just too much going on and there was no sense in brining her out to sit alone. Can you come tonight? Oliver asked weakly. He was so tired and emotionally and physically drained. A faint smile came to his face and Summer said she was bringing dinner. Thank you sweetheart. He said genuinely.

Oliver rested for a while, though it was't the most peaceful rest. But at least it was something. He wanted to be alert and able to answer questions when Tristan arrived. Plus he knew there would be a great need to comfort his younger bother. Oliver was dreading it. Not because he didn't want to comfort Tristan. But because he wished there wasn't to be the need for it. Oliver wished that Brooklyn and Tristan had been spared this horrifically awful turn of evens.

When Oliver did wake up, he showered, changed and was ready and waiting when Tristan arrived. Oliver was surprised to see their Gran get out of the car with him. He hadn't seen her since a little while after Lilian had died and the sight of her brought tears to his eyes. Oliver had rushed outside the hospital doors and enveloped his family in his arms. Once they were inside, he'd had to explain to them what had transpired, though he did spare them a few details. After he'd taken Tristan to Brooklyn's room, Oliver went to his office. Upon arrival he slumped down in his chair, allowing his head to fall back, he placed his hand over his eyes and exhaled deeply. How would they all get through this?

A few moments later he heard a knock on the door and he opened his eyes to see Summer coming in. It was so good to see her. A wave of comfort swept over him as his eyes traced over her glowing hair and smiling face. Oliver quickly rose from his chair and hurried towards her. Without even thinking he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her deeply with need and passion. A moment later, he broke the kiss,realizing what he was doing. Summer..I-I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking. Oliver turned and placed both hands on his desk, his head and shoulders falling. What was wrong with him? He and Summer were moving slow. That wasn't moving slow. It must have just been the stress of everything that was happening. A comforting, familiar face was always welcome in this situation. But they hadn't gone that far yet. Oliver was quite afraid he'd just crossed a line with Summer. I-I'm not in my right mind...It's just we...we almost lost Brooklyn last night and Tristan is just beside himself. Oliver sniffled as a few tears fell and he wiped his face with the back of his hand.[/ul][/size]

[SUMMER LILA BANES]

The moment their eyes met, she knew Oliver was stressed. She walked in and he got up from behind his desk, rushing over to her. She went to hug him, but before she could pull him close, his hands cupped either side of her face and his lips met hers. The need and the want, the desire and longing, were all evident in that kiss. While she was slightly taken aback at first, she didn't truly fight it, simply let him kiss her. It wasn't until he pulled away, shocked at his own actions, that she realized it was against what they had decided. "Oliver... Don't apologize." She said to him quietly. She wasn't comfortable with what he just did, but if wasn't as if he'd given her any reason not to feel comfortable around him or not to trust him, so she wouldn't be offended. She walked over towards him slowly, placing her hand on his back and running her fingers up and down the fabric of his shirt. "It's been a pretty crazy day, hasn't it?" She said, just wanting him to be able to calm down.

It was when she saw his tears that her heart started to wrench, not ever wanting to have to see him upset. "Hey... You saved her, didn't you? You've done your job for her as a doctor... And as a friend." She whispered quietly, reaching around to pull his face towards her. She sighed quietly and reached up, using her thumbs to wipe away the tears that were falling. "You're an amazing man, Oliver... And you care so much about everyone around you. But sometimes you have to let them carry their own problems for a bit. You can only carry so many bags before you break." She said to him, her hands moving down to hold his face gently.


{ So about how I literally had no idea what else to write... It's hard only being able to respond on my phone. }

[BROOKLYN MARIE SAWYER]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, width: 400px; background-color: #464646; padding:20px; border-top: 10px #7D0000 solid; border-bottom: 10px #7D0000 solid;] there‘s a fire starting in my heart ( TAGGED ) CM, OW, TW, KS, CS ( OUTFIT ) NOTHING THEN HOSPITAL GOWN ( STATUS ) COMPLETE “they really need to start easing up. Sooner rather then later.” Brooklyn appreciated them being here but at the same time it was getting frustrating. She hardly got a moment alone with friends or the doctors. And the fact they still hadn’t let up despite the conversation with her father was really aggravating as well. Tristan was trying so hard to show he was a good guy and his efforts were going completely unnoticed. Maybe she should wrangle in kylie to talk to them if things didn’t let up anytime soon. A pain went through Brooklyn when Tristan casually mentioned if they had a daughter in this situation. “Tristan…I…” Brooklyn felt emotions clogging her throat so she did her best to clear it but all that did was hurt the incision from the tracheotomy. “Tristan, oliver told me there may be complications if we have kids. I don’t know what. The kidney specialist will tell me when they come in monday.” her voice was soft, scared and unsure. Just the word complications scared her with everything else going on in her life. Brooklyn nodded at Tristan, glad it hadn’t gotten over there nor that they had a name at all. “I know I shouldn’t worry about it but it’s better to think of things like that then…” Brooklyn’s voice trailed off as she squeezed her eyes shut, trying to shake off the mental images in her mind. every time she thought about the attack she felt more and more guilty and scared. Brooklyn wasn’t sure this fear would go away again. Her spirits had been broken and it wasn’t hard to tell that. “It doesn’t matter, I shouldn’t have gone out there.” yes, Brooklyn blamed herself and that wouldn’t go away easily. There was just so much guilt, anger and pain within her. Not just physical pain either. People could figure she’d be damaged for a little while but no one could really understand the full extent. They hadn’t even been through half of what she had been. Sure kylie had been in a car accident which was bad but she didn’t have the images of being tortured burned into her mind for the rest of her life. “it has nothing to do with pain doing something to me. I just wanted to die.” Brooklyn sobbed against Tristan, very much aware of his tears as they now began to fall on her head. She hated to do this to him but everything was just falling out of her mouth. She did her best to ignore the pain from her crying because she just wanted to be near Tristan. She hadn’t been able to be held by him at all because there was always someone else here in the room with her. She knew her parents and the doctors would not like him on the bed at all. She gingerly shifted so she could look at Tristan. All of this was painful but she just kept pushing her limits. If her face wasn’t so bruised her eyes would probably be rimmed red from the tears. “you’re not mad at me?” Brooklyn was so afraid Tristan would be upset by her confessional. Oliver was the other one she worried about being upset. His wife had died in front of him and now Brooklyn had but because she gave up fighting. She may have come back to life but still, she had died. Tristan’s words began to calm her down and the sobs were no longer as loud. “I love you too. I’m so sorry Tristan.” at this point Brooklyn’s pain was getting pretty unbearable. She had bee in Tristan’s arms violently crying for a good ten minutes. Her body was screaming in pain and just plain exhausted. doing too much often zapped all her energy. Normally she couldn‘t be awake for more then two or three hours at a time and even that was a challenge. She couldn’t wait until she felt better and got back to normal. With this exhaustion, settling back into her bed was a welcomed relief as Tristan helped her. She began to tug on the blankets but couldn’t move her left arm enough to do it and couldn’t use her right without sitting up. When Tristan began to help she teared up a moment, feeling like a child who needed help with everything. When he helped wipe up her face she couldn’t help but wince despite him not doing it too hard. Brooklyn laid as close to Tristan as she could without it hurting her as her eyes closed but she still listened to him. “he’s family, I worry about him. Plus I need to think of anything to keep my mind off things. Like summer’s birthday. I’ve been thinking about that a lot to distract myself. The colors and the food and decorations...” as the morphine began to kick in her words slurred slightly and she felt like she was within a tunnel until the darkness overtook her. Brooklyn liked falling asleep while on medication because she didn’t dream then. Brooklyn’s parents walked down the hall back to their daughter’s room. They had checked on lucy’s mother and Kevin had called back to the base to check on things. He’d be going back home soon. When they came to her room they found it strange the door was closed. When no one was in there it was usually left open. Lucy opened the door and started to get choked up at the sight. Kevin just got tense. Neither expected to come in and see Tristan laying with Brooklyn. Kevin felt like ripping him out of the bed but after the conversation with everyone back at the house he thought better of it. Lucy gently woke up Tristan and asked him to come down the hall to grab a cup of coffee from the machine with them real quick. She hadn’t been fair to him and neither had her husband. Once at the coffee machine, it was tense a moment before lucy cleared her throat. ”you’re good with her-for her. She’s not as…wild as she was.” she paused as she sipped her coffee nervously as she looked at Kevin. This was more his battle, not hers. Kevin let out a gruff before he shifted around and looked Tristan in the eyes. ”I know we’ve been a little harsh on you but I have my own way of doing things. I will get better. I apologize for getting upset about the whole situation.” Kevin’s jaw was set. He was not a man for many unnecessary words. He was always straight to the point. Lucy spoke up next with a clearing of her throat. ”We have to drive my mother home tonight so brooklyn will need someone to stay here with her. We’ve already cleared it with the nurses.” after a few more minutes of polite but tense conversation they headed back into the room. Kevin and lucy had been sitting most of the afternoon so they stayed standing and adjusted things around the room. Brooklyn didn’t wake up until she heard the door slam. She sat up a little too quickly in the bed with a panicky feeling in her chest and searching for Tristan. Her head was still heavy and groggy as she tried to see a little more clearly while her eyes began to swim with ears. “Tristan? Tristan where are you?” she had fallen asleep with him in the bed. When she felt his hands on one of hers she began to clam down a little as she tried not to cry. all she did was get scared and cry at the littlest things lately. She heard her dad asking who the newcomer was and her mother trying to kepe her father from getting in the person’s face. When Brooklyn heard the voice she turned towards the door. “coleman?” Brooklyn pulled away from Tristan and asked if someone could sit her bed up. Brooklyn grabbed a tissue with her right hand and gently wiped at her eyes to see more clearly. Her vision was still blurry in one eye but that one had been bleeding pretty bad when she first came in so it was taking a lot longer to heal. “coleman are you alright? I was worried about you. Come here so I can see you. You don’t sound so good.” Brooklyn’s voice was soft as it had been the last few days she was able to speak. That was from the tracheotomy they had to do. “I tried to get a hold of you. Someone said I had a jacket draped over me when I was found. Is it yours or did one of the other chaperones but it on me?” Brooklyn hadn’t seen it so she herself wouldn’t have any clue. I give up writing her sobbing && if coleman can‘t tell, Brooklyn is pretty friggin unrecognizable

table by CALIFORNIA DREAMING of CAUTION 2.0, lyrics by adele