The End of Your Beginning (Andley)

Escape Disaster

*Andy's POV*

I gasped in air harshly, my body jerking into sudden life.

I remember opening my eyes to see reality. the harsh white light of reality.

I couldn't see anything other than that awful, awful shade...pure white.

It was disgusting.

I am trying my best to describe all that I remember, but honestly there's no memory to describe from that point.

All there was, was blinding light, loud incoherent voices, and blurry apparitions.

I do remember one thing, though...the tears. I had been crying. The only thing I could feel besides jolts of life spreading throughout my nerves slowly; tears.

*Ashley's POV*

Three weeks straight of disappointment and depression. I hadn't given up on him, though. never once had I given up on him.

The doctors had no files on him whatsoever; his parents, siblings. Nobody knew anything.

This boy was a complete mystery.

He was recovering well...physically, that is. Despite the doctors constantly reminding me that it was highly likely he could never wake up, I believed that my Andy was in there. He just needed to realize that he was asleep.

On the 23rd day, I visited him as usual.

I didn't expect anything to happen, I just wanted to be with him.

He was alone in his room, completely still. His heartbeat was unusually slow.

I ran to his side upon noticing this, staring down at his pale face. He looked like a ghost already. He was so thin by now that his bones were visible straight through his white sheet of skin.

I kneeled beside him and kissed his fragile hand, feeling the tears begin to well up in my eyes once again.

"Andy...please wake up!" I cried, gripping his cold hand tighter.

"I need you, Andy! Please.."

I stayed like that for about ten minutes, just crying into the hospital bed and staining it black.

"I can't take this anymore, man... I..I'm d-dying.." I choked out. My chest was tightening and my breath was barely coming to me. "Who am I kidding..YOU'LL NEVER WAKE UP!" I screamed in pure misery.

I had finally given up.

I began hating myself the moment I gave up on him.

Though, it wasn't long after that moment that I heard a sound. Such a soft sound that it's a miracle I heard it. a quite sniffle. I looked up at Andy, completely shocked. He..he's crying...

"Andy..." I whispered. "H-he's crying!" I yelled, hoping to catch the attention of a doctor.

"Someone get in here, Andy is crying!" I didn't know what it meant when a boy in a coma began to cry, but as cliché as it sounds..in my heart, I knew it was a good thing. It just had to be.

The doctors rushed in soon after, and pushed me away. I couldn't see what they were doing; they had all crowded in a circle around him with little machine and tool-looking things.

My foot was bouncing off the floor rapidly as I sat back in my chair and waited.

It seemed like an eternity before, one by one, the doctors began leaving the room. When only one remained, I stood up cautiously.

None of them had said a word to me.

I stood in place for a while, until the deafening silence became too much for me.

"Um...doctor, excuse me?" I spoke up eventually.

He turned to face me with a mumble of "hm?" Then a look of realization crossed his face.

"Oh, my apologies sir! I didn't realize you were in here!" He laughed. That put me at ease a bit.

I slowly crossed the floor to Andy's bedside.

His eyes were open.

"Andy!" I beamed, taking hold of his hand and kneeling down next to him.

He didn't speak, and I assumed that he couldn't quite yet, but the weak smile he offered was enough.

I, of course, was grinning like in idiot.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

In just 3 hours, he was speaking again.

He told me about the nightmare he'd had, and how while he was asleep it only seemed like a few hours.

I told him that he'd been out for weeks, and that I had come to visit him every single day.

That's when it came out... It being me.

I told him that I was terrified he was never going to wake up.

Not only that, though.

Oooh, no.

I told him, "Andy, I was so worried that you weren't going to make it.. I would've killed myself if you died because of me, Andy. I really would have. I love you." I instantly regretted telling him that, but knew that it would be easy to play off as I was being emotional.

You know how hormones are.

I was mortified when he didn't answer, but nearly barfed rainbows when I caught a glimpse of the light blush rising adorably into his cheeks.

After a few minutes, I was the first to speak again.

"Hey Andy...you know, my grandma said you can come live with us, i-if you'd, uhm..like to." I asked with obvious nervousness. I instantly relaxed when I heard his soft voice answering me.

"I'd love to."