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𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐎𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐍𝐔𝐑𝐒𝐄𝐒 of West Valley General watched the news cast in the doctor's lounge. Except for Stella. She couldn't bring herself to watch the news or even look on social media. Yes. It had been two weeks since the fight at West Valley High. Her brother was still in a coma, Nathan and Janette would visit him, and Stella, what can you say about Stella through this whole ordeal. She never left his side. Except for when she had to work.

Stella herself was mentally and emotionally exhausted. She was drowning herself in her work, and her best friends, as well as her new friends she had made at the hospital took notice, but never said anything.

Stella hadn't heard from Johnny since the fight, but what she did hear from Janette: he started drinking again, and he left town. No one knows where he went. As harsh as it may sound, her only priority was her brother waking up. Johnny could take care of himself. As the days passed, and time spun it's web, August's condition hadn't improved. It was still the same.

Stella was sitting at the nurses station, charting on her patient, her eyes would occasionally avert to her brother's room. Feeling a hand on her shoulder, she turned her head, and it was April.

"Hey." Stella softly smiled

"How are you?" April said

"Stella softly shrugged her shoulders, then looked towards her brother's room. "I'm alright I guess."

"Hey, your brother's going to pull through." April said. "He's been fighting."

Stella smiled at her friend, and nodded, a few tears falling. "It wasn't supposed to happen."

"I know, hon. I know." April said as she embraced her friend. "Look, you haven't eaten anything. Why don't you go down to the cafeteria and get something? We can't have you in here too."

"But my brother—"

"Will be alright." April reassured. "If something happens, I'll text you."

Stella nodded as she did feel a little hungry, but she was still hesitant. At the same time, she knew April was right and she had to keep her strength up. After grabbing her purse, Stella walked into her brother's room, bent down to give him a gentle kiss on the fore head and walked towards the elevator to head down to the cafeteria.

Out in the parking lot, Johnny got out of the car he had taken and stopped in front of the hospital. After he was released from jail, he knew there was one place he needed to be. West Valley General Hospital. Walking into the waiting room, Johnny made his way up to the front desk, where he was greeted by the nurse. "Can I help you? she asked

"Yeah, I'm here to see August Walker." Johnny said

"He's in the ICU. Are you family?" The nurse asked

"No-but uh-" Johnny started

"Only family, emergency contacts, doctors, and patients in the ICU." The nurse said

"Can't you make an exception?" Johnny asked

"Those are the rules." The nurse said

"Can't you, you know...break the rules?" Johnny asked as he winked at her. "Come on, be a bad girl."

"Only family, emergency contacts, doctors, and patients in the ICU." The lady repeated.

"You're no fun," Johnny mumbled as he turned away from the desk. Just then, he saw a white coat hanging over a chair, getting an idea.

In the bathroom, Johnny put the white lab coat on, and stood in front of the mirror. "Hello, I'm Dr. L... Nguyen. I just need to get past that door." Just then, a toilet flushed behind him, and a man came out of the stall, zipping his pants.

"Oh hey, doc. I got this..." The man started. Johnny turned around, revealing his scraggy beard, bloodshot eyes, and beat-up face. "You're not a doctor. Sorry."

The man walked out of the bathroom, making Johnny sigh. He was beyond frustrated. He took off the coat and threw them into the sink. He started walking towards the door when his eyes caught the metal paper towel dispenser. He had another idea.

Taking a deep breath, he brought his head forward, ramming into the towel dispenser. The collision knocked the dispenser down and gave Johnny a giant bleeding gash on his forehead. That'll get him into the ICU.

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As a nurse dabbed at the wound on Johnny's head, another stood off to the side, reading his chart. "We might have to keep him over night. Lab found blood in his urine." a fellow nurse named Zoey said

"Oh, that? No biggie. I got into a fight last night. Just a little jam in the lemonade. Usually goes away in two, three days." Johnny dismissed with a chuckle and Zoey and the other nurse exchanged a look. "But this sucker's been bothering me a little bit."

Johnny lifted his shirt up to reveal a giant bruise that covered his whole lower back. "Little Bengay should take care of that, right?" he asked, then pulled his shirt back down.

"Uh, wait here." Zoey said. She gestured to the nurse who had covered up Johnny's cut and the two walked away, leaving him alone.

Johnny took the opportunity to go see August. He walked through the hallway, until he found it. August's rooms. On the counter, there were countless flowers and plants, with get well cards in them.

As George Jones' The Grand Tour played on a low volume on the old radio that belonged to Nathan, Johnny walked into the hospital room and carefully examined his top student. His eyes were closed and his chest was slowly rising up and down. He was hooked up to multiple machines, and had a brace wrapped around his back and head.

"Hey buddy. Sorry I haven't been up here. Your family and even Stella doesn't want me around. Can't blame them. I thought I was helping you. You were learning so fast getting so strong. But I failed you." Johnny said as he grabbed August's hand, then continued. "I'm so sorry August. I never meant for this to happen to you. You have to believe that. I failed you, I'm so sorry. I don't know if you can hear me, but I know you've got it in you to pull through. You've gotta keep fighting. Never give up. You can do this. I know you can."

"Excuse me?" April said as Johnny turned around. "Only family is allowed in here."

"Yeah, yeah I was just leaving." Johnny said through tears, as he gave August's hand a gentle squeeze before leaving the room.

The next morning, Stella, who had the day off, Nate, and Janette woke up to the loud beeping of the machines. August was going into v-fib. April and Maggie made Stella, Nathan, and Janette step out.

"Code blue. Respirations spiking." Dr. Halstead said, as the nurses began compressions, then checked his pulse, when the machine flatlined. "Come on, stay with us, August."

The machine began beeping again when August's bright blue eyes shot open. He was alive. By the grace of God, he was alive.

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"How are you feeling, hon?" Lori asked August as she, Kara, Amy, and Carter sat with Stella, Janette and Nathan in his room

"Can't feel anything below my waist, but I'm fine." August said, then looked over to the table to see the muffin and fruit baskets, as well as comic books on the table. "What's all that?"

Nathan grabbed the comic book for August. "Oh, your friend Demetri gave this to you. He said it's not UV resistant, so don't leave it by the window. Also, there's a fruit basket from the LaRusso's. The station sent over a muffin basket as well."

"There's a basket full of snacks, muffins and cookies for you guys from us." Lori smiled.

"Oh, and I sent over a bottle of wine for Janette and Nathan." Kara smiled 

"So the teachers and I came together, and we also got you muffins as well." Amy smiled

"Thanks guys, I really appreciate it." August said. "Where's sensei?"

The room fell silent. No one knew where Johnny was. After the confrontation in the waiting room, he had taken off and started drinking again. The only thing that truly mattered in this moment was August was awake and was doing ok. However, what they didn't realize, it was going to be an interesting road to recovery.