Can You Hear Me? ~ Adopted by Fall Out Boy (COMPLETED)

Yule Shoot Your Eye Out

The ambulance ride was chaotic. Since I was bleeding from my head, I was bleeding a lot, which meant I had more of a chance of dying. Dad held my left hand, mouthing words to one of his songs. I think it was Lullabye. He was trying to get me to go to sleep without them having to use anesthesia. It didn't work. I was in too much pain as it was. The workers constantly prodding the site didn't help either. I could see them pull out the remains of my right hearing aid, all I could see of it was a bloody and charred mess. I didn't see them pull any of my ear away, so that was good.

We arrived at the hospital and they wheeled me into a room of my own. I still couldn't feel that general area though. I could feel a pinch in my arm, and my world slowly faded to black.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I woke up an hour later in a room of my own. Mom and Dad were in chairs next to me, watching with anticipation as I shifted. 

"How are you feeling?" Dad signed, looking at me like I was going to blow up at any second.

"My face hurts," I signed, pointing to the right side of my face, "And I can't feel my right ear."

"That was kind of expected," Dad signed, moving to sit on the bed with me. Mom looked like she had been crying. Dad asked her to do something, probably update everyone, and then turned back to me.

"What happened?" I was scared of what the answer would be. I gulped as Dad sighed.

"Your hearing aid blew up, they're still trying to figure out how though. You're completely deaf in your right ear now though, and you have really bad burns on your face and neck, a little on your shoulder," I could understand why he hesitated in telling me. I nodded, trying to process it. "They also want to keep you over night. We'll be back in time for opening gifts tomorrow though."

I nodded. 

"The rest of the band will be by tomorrow for a big Christmas dinner too, and the family will be gone by then. Unless Nana and Pap decide they want to stay and help. But they will stay in the guest room."

I nodded again. At least there was that. The doctor came in as Mom was telling Dad something. The doctor saw I was awake and smiled at me. She hung a clipboard on the end of my bed and sat next to Dad.

"So, I heard your dad told you everything that happened. We have a band-aid that's going to go over your ear and part of your face until further notice. You'll be here overnight and then come back in a month. Is that okay?" She asked, directing the question at both me and my parents.

We all nodded at the same time. 

The doctor continues to drone on about what happened. They figured out that my hearing aids had been blocked by wax. But not ear wax. Candle wax. AKA, it had been sabotaged. We thought it was Grandpa and Grandma, but Dad and I didn't want to press charges. We could handle the bills and it was just more stress. Although, cops were going to investigate the two. I was now 100% deaf in my right ear, as Dad told me already, and it was pointless to even use a hearing aid in that ear. I had the option to restore hearing in that ear via surgery, but they would wait until later to ask me if I wanted it again. 

That night was restless for me. My face still hurt like someone had stabbed it. Technically I did get stabbed a little, shards of the hearing aid had gotten into my shoulder. Believe me, it hurt like a bitch. They gave me a standard-issue hearing air they had fit while I was sleeping. I would have to throw the old ones away, which sucked, but these new ones were way better.

I got to sleep, finally, at three in the morning. I woke up around 5 though. So I was running on basically no sleep when I got checked out. Dad wrapped his arm around me when we finished up, and gave me a pair of sunglasses and a hoodie to put on. I could see the paparazzi outside, so I quickly slipped them on as the car pulled up. The security guards helped us walk out to the car without too much trouble (unless you count constant flashes of cameras trouble). We reached the car and Dad got in the back with me. Mom got up front with Pete, and the paparazzi backed off as we drove away. 

I leaned against Dad on the ride home. I couldn't feel parts of my face still, but maybe that was for the best. The pain killers were obviously helping with the fact that I wasn't currently screaming my head off. Dad kept his arm wrapped around me and I could feel his chest rumble slightly when he talked. A few minutes into the ride, Dad pushed me off gently so he could sign to me.

"We're gonna postpone Christmas activities until tonight, so you can rest, ok?" Dad looked like he could cringe into oblivion. Was he scared that I was going to be upset? Granted, I was a little bit, but I could understand and totally advocated for it. Dad smiled in relief as Pete pulled into our driveway.

"Stay safe kid, okay?" Pete said to me as I was climbing out.

"Will do," I signed, gripping onto the door after. Dad climbed out and helped me walk into the house. 

We walked in and I couldn't see anyone. Maybe it was because Mom and Dad got them to leave for a little bit? I shrugged the feeling off as Dad led me down the hallway. Mom went into the kitchen and I could smell something already being cooked. Smelled like Ramen. I haven't had that since I was 4 when they were still sold for 99 cents. Back when the orphanage could afford them.

Dad led me into my room- not the lounge, which was taped off. I guess the relatives ended up moving somewhere else? Maybe the hotel. We reached my bed and I laid down gently. The pillows and blankets wrapped around what parts of my body they could reach, seemingly wrapping me in a cocoon of sleepiness. Dad kissed my forehead and I could feel my eyes drifting shut.