30-Something Reality

The Crash...

SHANNON's P.O.V.

I hear the monitors and know I'm in pain.... I hear my brother's voice...."Welcome back bro.... We were all worried about you...." I'm sitff and can't move.... "You're going to be just fine... And soon you will meet your daughter..."

I must have had a paniced look on my face as I tried to speak..."When..."

"Siren is in the delivery room now man... She didn't leave your side since she got here.... Jared hasn't either..." Tomo's voice came from the right side of my bed... I look over as he puts his hand on Vickie's shoulder.... "Your mom is with her... Jared stayed with you cause you started waking up when she went into labor...."

"What happened?" I weakly got out.... WHY did I feel so weak... "I want to see her..."

"Bro... you lay your bike down on a corner and hit your head when you slid... Your wrist has a micro fracture on both bones... you will be able to play again... But it will be a few weeks... So you will get to spend some important time with your daughter before we start trying to get you back on your drum kit..."

"How did she..."

"I brought her here after she fainted in the doctors office when mom told her about the crash... They didn't know if you were going to make it..." Jared looked at me as he sat down on my left... "She went into labor in here... When you moved your right hand... She jumped... With in ten minutes her water broke sitting right next to you... Mom went with her so she could be with her when Connie made her debut!" Jared had the biggest smile on his face... 

Vickie touched my right hand... "She should be here any minute Shannon... You're going to be a dad..."

"He already is..." I hear my mother's voice... "She comes in holding a pink blanket and tears streaming down her face... "She's perfect Shannon... 6lbs... 15 ounces... 19 inches long... a head full of brown hair... and her mother's eyes..."

Jared stood up and so did Vickie and Tomo... They all stood back so my mother could bring my daughter to see me... 

"Siren's last words were for her to meet her daddy..." My mother sat my bed up and lay my daughter in my left arm and helped me hold her as I was still groggy... "Victoria Constance Leto was born at 2:35 a.m. on Feb. 17... 8 days before her momma's birthday..."

"She's perfect!" I looked at my daughter... she didn't seem real! She was so TINY!

"When can we see Siren?" Vickie looked at my mother who was curled up in Jared's arms watching me....

"When they get her ready for us to see her..." My mother reached over and took Connie from my arms... "Jared I need to talk to you in private for a minute..." She put my daughter in Vickie's arms as she cried... "She wanted to make sure her God-Mother got to hold her after Shannon..."

She grabbed my brother and pulled him out of the room.... 

"She is beautiful man... You two make a damn beautiful baby..." Tomo had this beaming smile on his face... 

I heard Jared scream in the hallway.... All three of us turned to look and Connie started to cry... My mother came back in and took Connie.... 

"Mom.... Why did..." I tried to read my mother... she was in tears.... She was strong, but I was seeing a side of her that was completely broken.... I hadn't see that look in my mother's eyes in SO LONG!"

"Shannon... Siren flat lined after she Connie was born... She had lost too much blood... They pulled me out of the room after I cut her cord and she crashed... The last thing she saw was her daughter's face... They have her on life support..."

*************

JARED's P.O.V.

The doctors let me see Siren... Tubes, monitors... Everything... Blood bags hooked into her IV's...  I sat down next to her and just colapsed and cried... 

"She's perfect... Your little Nuckler even has your eyes!" I just sat there so lost.... Just then I feel a hand on my shoulder... I turn around to see JEANETTE standing behind me in tears... "No.... NO! You don't get to be here! She's not yours anymore... You don't get to be the reason she comes back out of this, this time.... Last time she was this sick she came back cause of you... NOT this time! Get out Jean... Stay away from my wife!" 

The look on her face... "You didn't...." 

"No but if she wakes up... I will! Look at her hand Jeanette... she is still wearing MY ring... Even after I gave her back his they found in his hand at the accident... Connie is with her father where she belongs... FAR away from YOU! NOW I know why you threw a fit when she wanted to name her after you.... I have no clue why she even would.... How many times did you leave her? Huh?"

"Jared... I didn't come for her.... I came for YOU! How can you be so fucking cruel to someone you claimed you loved! I came to say good bye to her... They told me they don't think she is going to make it... And I can't let my sister think I hate her if she dies.... But it is obvious you have convinced her not to forgive me OR Shannon..."

"No... I STILL told her before he woke up I would keep back if she wanted... NOT anymore.... He has her daughter... I'm staying with her. Till her heart stops beating! I'm NOT leaving her!" I screamed.... Then I heard the sound I fear the most.... Her heart did just what I said... it stopped!

"PATIENT CODING IN THE RED WING.... ROOM 6...." I hear the announcement as the nurses push both of us out of the room and get to work on Siren... 

Vickie comes flying down the hall and stops dead in her tracks when she sees me hugging Jeanette and both of us leaning on the wall bawling...