"Danny Fenton."

Erica, the receptionist, got their attention with little effort.

The small group that just kept getting bigger by the hour snapped to attention. Maddie, who had returned two hours ago looking dejected and saying she'd done all she could for then, scrambled up from her hunched over position on the plastic chair and faced the woman. Sam and Tucker, who'd been half hiding behind Jack from the questions of the group around them, stopped whispering quietly to each other and looked at her with glassy eyes.

Erica smiled reassuringly. "The doctors have done all they could. He should be fine."

The room was filled with sudden chaotic cheering and whooping. Laughing as they embraced each other.

"I knew it," Jack muttered as he held his crying wife. "Us Fentons don't stay down for long."

Erica smiled, though now it seemed a bit more of a grimace. "However, he's in a coma."

The ones who heard her fell silent and hushed the other celebrating people. They threw her some concerned glances.

"How long?" A teenage girl asked softly.

"We don't know." Erica bit her lip. "Given Danny's interesting case, it makes it hard to figure out."

"But he should awake by now," Sam frowned, mind clouded in fear. She stood up, fists clenched. "Is he not awake?"

"He took a very hard hit, Miss," Erica responded in confusion.

Tucker stood next to his best friend too. His eyebrows furrowed and lips pressed together. "He's had worse. It's been hours. He's usually awake by now. Probably not fine and delirious, but at least conscious." Equations seemed to be running around in his head. "You gave him sedatives, didn't you?"

Erica ruffled through the papers and nodded. "To make sure he didn't wake during the procedure. It will wear off in a half hour. However, we don't expect him to be awake until at least another three weeks." She glanced up at the two teens who were looking almost angry. As if she was lying to them and the universe didn't make sense anymore. They were trying to grasp at something they could understand. She took a short breath. It was usually not allowed, especially to all these people around them, but they needed to have something to stand on and ground themselves. They had to know everything about this boy's health to get a clear understanding. "Danny got a bad concussion, several burns and scrapes. His left leg is severely bruised and his chest area is damaged." She paused. "Was he in perfect condition before he got all these injuries?"

Sam and Tucker faltered and exchanged glances. Erica was looking at the Fentons but it was Danny's best friends who answered.

"No," Tucker bit his lip before continuing. "He was very tired. We suspect he probably hadn't slept in days. He was stressed because of the tests at school," he bit out, as if angry at the school for putting such weight on his friend's shoulders.

"That leg injury was from another ghost fight," Sam added. "He was pretty drained last time I saw him. Probably because of the sudden rise in ghost attacks."

Maddie looked very crestfallen. Her desire to contribute something to the conversation had her saying: "At this time of the year the barrier between the Ghost Zone and here is thinner than normal. Natural portals have been opening up everywhere around Amity Park, where the ectoplasm is more concentrated than anywhere else in the world."

The rest of the group nodded along as if they had any idea what was being said.

Erica looked a bit more worried. She shifted her hold on the stack of papers in her hands and sighed. "Whatever the cause, Danny is not in his best condition and won't be waking up anytime soon. Everything that can be done has been done. He will stay in the hospital so we can monitor him and adjust to his needs. Maddie and Jack will be contacted if anything happens." She looked around at the crowd of hopeful faces and nodded. "He is apt for visitors. However, close family members first. After they are done, and with only their permission, you will be allowed in by threes."

There were smiles and sighs of relief. Maddie and Jack stepped forward to follow Erica, but Sam and Tucker stopped them.

"Can we go with?"

Maddie looked at Erica. "They are very close friends to my son. We would consider them family too."

The woman smiled fondly. She had guessed that. She nodded and the four of them walked the hallways, passing many rooms and once sidestepping a a group carrying a stretcher.

Tucker felt a bit bad about not caring if that other person was ok. He only wanted to see Danny as soon as possible.

Erica kept talking, giving them some information on his situation. "He was put in ICU and needs to be monitored constantly. There may be a nurse with him. He needs to be looked after at least 12 hours a day."

Jack frowned. "What kind of bill are we getting?" He asked rethorically.

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that." Erica grinned at them. "We have agreed to let him stay for free and the nurses caring for him are volunteers."

Jack's mouth dropped. "Why?!"

She smiled, looking towards a specific door. "We owe him."

Finally she opened a door and the four of them peeked in.

There were four beds. Only two were occupied. In one, an old woman was lying, another comatose patient. Some pictures were placed on the table next to her and an IV was stuck on her hand. On the other.

They rushed in to group around the bed that was too big for the body on it. The boy was as pale as the sheets under him and he was covered in bandages. He had been cleaned and his face held a few Band-Aids that kept some cuts together.

Maddie reached out and held his hand. It had an IV on the back that she decided to ignore. Jack placed his hands on the bed next to Danny's legs, looking as if he was refraining himself from hugging him. Sam held her arms tightly close to her chest. She clenched and unclenched her fists. She shouldn't be worried. Danny's had worse. He'll be fine. She won't cry.

Tucker seemed to have missed the memo because he had made a fist on the blanquet Danny was lying under and tears were spilling out on his face. "Please Danny," he pleaded. "Prove them wrong. Like you always do." He bowed his head next to his brother's. "Wake up soon."

Mmmh whatcha sayyyy