A/N: Here's the chapter you've all been dying to read...

Hope it was worth the wait!

Happy reading :)

_____________________

Chapter thirty-five

"Doctor! Doctor! Nurse!" Andrea yelled as soon as she opened the door. Both Daphne and John entered the room in concern.

"What happened? Oh my... My little Ryder." Daphne said as tears quickly formed in her eyes. John quickly pulled her to his side and caressed her shoulder soothingly.

The doctor and nurses quickly entered the room and rushed to Ryder's side. The doctor used his endoscope and placed it on Ryder's chest. "Bring in the defibrillator." He commanded as one of the nurse nodded and went out to get it.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, sir, but you have to leave. Please get out of the room." The other nurse said as she guided them out of the room.

"No, I'm not leaving Ryder like that!" Andrea refused stubbornly as she tried to stay inside the room.

"Please, you have to leave." The nurse kept begging.

John pulled his wife outside first and settled her on a seat. Then he came back inside the room to drag Andrea out. She put up a good fight struggling out of John's grasp but he was a lot stronger than her. The nurse came back with the machine and entered the room while the other nurse shut the door behind.

Andrea was panting heavily as John placed her on one of the seats opposite Daphne. He sat beside his wife and pulled her into a hug and kissed the top of her head.

Andrea's tears were endless. She felt like the walls were closing in on her. She felt breathless as if all the oxygen in her body ran out. Her heart felt like it was repeatedly being stabbed by a knife over and over again. She couldn't hold it in anymore and she knew she was on the verge of bursting.

"Andrea?" Karen's voice echoed through the hall with James following behind, but Andrea didn't seem to notice. She felt numbed and she couldn't hear anything. Karen rushed to her daughter's side and pulled her to her side. Andrea rested her head on her chest and let her mother comfort her. However, she couldn't be comforted. She was in too much pain. It was as if she felt Ryder's pain. She was hurt, very hurt. She just prayed that Ryder would be alright.

~ * ~ * ~

"Mom? Mom, we got here as soon as we got the news. How is he?" Rina asked panicky with Steven and Scott following behind her.

Steven was at his house taking a short nap when he was awaken by his beeping phone. Rina called him informing him about the news and had asked him to drive her to the hospital. Steven quickly dialled Scott and told him about it. He picked both of them up and rushed to the hospital.

When Steven heard about the news, his hope was rising to the extent of the possibilities that Ryder might be waking up. Even though Ryder didn't consider him as a friend anymore, it didn't mean that Steven stopped being his friend. No matter how much Ryder hated him, he will always be there for him. Steven would always treasure their friendship.

"We don't know, sweetheart. The doctor's still inside." Daphne answered as tears flowed down her cheeks. A few minutes of silence, the door to Ryder's room finally opened revealing the doctor who had been checking up on him.

"Doc, doctor, how's my son?" Daphne quickly asked rushing to her feet with John at her side. Andrea seemed to be sensing the earth again as she saw the doctor. Her surroundings were less of a blur and she could see and hear much better.

"We did everything we could..." He started and everyone's face stilled.

Tears brimmed in their eyes and they knew how the conversation was going to go. "And he did too. Surprisingly, a miracle just happened." He continued as everyone's face turned to a confuse one.

"I am glad to say that Ryder will be okay. He fought his comatose state and I would like to announce that anytime now he will wake up." He announced as relieved flooded into all of their systems.

"Oh my!" Daphne leaped out of happiness and hugged her husband. Steven and Rina did the same while Andrea grinned wildly at her mother and father and Scott ran a hand through his face in relieved.

"You are now allowed to go in." The doctor said as he left. Everyone rushed to their feet and entered the room. One of the nurses was still inside double checking the machines before she left shooting them a warm smile.

Ryder was still unconscious. However, the big tube on his mouth was gone replaced by the oxygen tube that was attached to his nose. Daphne sat at the chair near Ryder's bed while Andrea decided to stand on the opposite of her.

~ * ~ * ~

After two hours of waiting patiently for Ryder to wake up, the Collin family was famished and so was Andrea's parents, so they decided to go to the Chinese restaurant across the street and get something to eat.

"Andrea, honey, do you want anything?" Karen asked gently.

"General Tao would be nice." She answered as she sat on the chair where Daphne used to sit. "And can you get something for Ryder? I'm sure he'll be hungry when he wakes up." She said.

"Of course, sweetheart, I'll buy him some. But are you sure you don't want to come?" Daphne asked rubbing her thumb at Andrea's forehead.

"I'm fine, Mrs. Collins. Besides, I wanna be here in case Ryder wakes up."

"Alright, call us if you need anything." Daphne said as they left the room. James and Karen planted a kiss on her temple first before they left.

Andrea grabbed Ryder's hand and stared at his face. She had clearly memorized the details of his face already. With six days in a row coming to his room just to stare at him, she kind of memorized every single detailed on his beautiful face.

"I hope you wake up soon. I miss you, Ry. I really wanna see those eyes. And I wanna hear that voice. Please wake up." She pleaded as she played with his fingers and turned her eyes on his hand. She began massaging it and kissed it repeatedly.

"Why don't you do that to my lips instead?" A hoarse but husky voice asked and Andrea's body froze. She slowly turned her head to the direction of the voice and found a grinning Ryder watching her with amusement. It seemed as if Andrea was in a haze. She was completely stunned and she was full of gladness seeing his wonderful grey eyes and beautiful pearly white teeth.

"Ryder." She gasped in astonishment. "Ryder!" She said more enthusiastically as she threw herself on top of him. He let out a groan as he felt his bruises when Andrea was putting pressure on them. "I'm sorry." She apologized as she tried to get off of him but Ryder held her firmed. He didn't want to let go and he was enjoying her body on his.

"No, no I like you here." He said as he continued to hug her by the waist. Andrea hugged him too but not too tightly because she was afraid of hurting him.

"Do you want some water? Your voice kinda sounds rough." She offered as he nodded in reply. She pulled away from him as he reluctantly let her go. She grabbed the water bottle on the bedside table and pushed the button on the bed to adjust it so that he was sitting down instead of laying. He drank half of the water in the bottle and was relieved that his deserted throat was finally washed with water.

"Thanks." He muttered as he pulled her back to bed the moment she placed the bottle back to the table. Andrea was now sitting on the bed with her back turned to Ryder. His arm was wrapped around her waist holding her firmly as he snuggled his head on the curve of her waist. "I missed you." He said planting a kiss on her forearm.

"I missed you too." She admitted as she massages his hair. She bent down closer to his head and peck his lips. Once she pulled away, she saw a pouting Ryder. "What?" She asked innocently. She sat properly on the bed and rested her back on the reclined bed.

"That was hardly a one second kiss. It should be illegal." He said with pouting lips. Andrea stuck her tongue out at him and laugh.

"How are you feeling? Do you want me to call the doctor? She asked worriedly.

"It would really make me feel better if you kiss me longer..." He said earning a giggle from Andrea. She went in and planted a peck on his lips but Ryder placed his hand on the nape of her neck holding her in place. He savored her lips missing the sweet taste of it.

_______________________

A/N: How was that?.... Did you cry?

I know it's already chapter thirty-five, but believe me when I say that this book is barely even starting. There's a lot more actions and dramas to happen. Secrets are going to be revealed and new characters will come in. Just be patient with me and I promise to update as soon as I can!

Just hang in there my fellow loyal readers...