Burning It Down, All the Way to Bat Country

Trinity’s POV

Two weeks. Two weeks of sitting by my dad’s bedside, waiting for him to pull out of this coma. I could remember all too vividly the words that the doctor had spoken in that god forsaken waiting room two weeks ago,

“He lost a lot of blood during surgery, blood that we couldn’t replace fast enough. The bullet wound was a lot worse than we thought; it entered his left side and passed between his liver and kidney, nicking a hole into both. We repaired the holes, but his body shut itself down to heal. We don’t know how long the coma will last or what his condition will be when he pulls out of it, or if he pulls out of it at all. I can say that his vitals are stable, he’s being moved to his own room and a nurse will be out shortly to bring you to him.”

I was still in shock. I hadn’t left the hospital except to shower the entire two weeks that my dad had been here. Mistey had been bringing me my homework, and when I finished with that I would curl up in the chair next to my dad and read. I was always watching for some small flicker of movement from the bed my dad was currently lying in. I couldn’t stop thinking about the man who had shot him, I should have just taken the damn shit from the stairs, if I had, this never would have happened. I knew everyone was worried about me, I didn’t talk anymore, and I ate only when I was forced. Every day one of my aunts or uncles would try to get me to say something, anything, but I stayed silent, except for when I read dad poetry or Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. I would talk when dad woke up, and I knew that he would. He was the strongest person I know, he would pull through this.

Steph’s POV

I sighed as I watched Trinity read to her dad through the small window in the hospital room door. The poor girl hadn’t left the room for more than an hour since Matt had been admitted. I knocked and walked into the room, interrupting Trinity’s reading. She was reciting Fear and Loathing again, something she had read to him at least three times before, just because she knew it was his favorite book and was hoping that it would provoke a reaction.
“Trinity sweetheart, do you want something to eat?” she just looked at me and shook her head. I sighed again, kissing her forehead and walking out of the room. I met Brian in the hallway, his expression matching my worried one,

“How is she?”
“Still not talking, just reading that damn book. I think that if she’s going to sit in there and read to him, we should at least get her some new material. I mean, how many times can she read that book before she has it memorized? Even the freaking Twilight series would be better than that, maybe it would annoy Matt out of the fucking coma!” I ranted, throwing my hands in the air and walking away, heading to my car. I got in and sped to the nearest bookstore, where I spent an hour and a half picking out new reading material before going back to the hospital. I walked into Matt’s room and dropped the books on the bedside table.

“Here, if all you’re going to do is read to him and do homework, then read something else. Just know that you’re not the only one hurting here, we all love him and we all want him to wake up and I think you being completely anti social and refusing to talk to anyone is really selfish. I know how you feel, my dad died when I was fifteen. I’m not saying that your dad is going to die, but you need to stop being such a recluse.” I snapped and walked out of the room. I heard her get up and walk after me, tapping me on the shoulder, I turned around and glared at her, softening my look when I saw the tears cascading down her face. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around my waist, sobbing into my shirt,

“I’m sorry; I just don’t want to miss anything. He could talk or move or wake up, and I don’t want him to be alone!” she wailed, I pressed her head into the space between my shoulder and my neck, rocking us back and forth.
“Shh, it’s ok baby girl, I know.” I walked her back to Matt’s room and had her sit in her chair, handing her the first book in the Twilight Saga.
“Here, maybe this will irritate him out of the coma.” She smiled softly and nodded, taking the book. I grinned and kissed her forehead before walking out of the room. I could only hope that Matt woke up soon, or we were going to lose Trinity too.

Matt’s POV

I could hear Trinity talking, but I couldn’t open my eyes. She had been reading to me for a long time, but I don’t understand what’s going on. I kept trying to move but my body wouldn’t work, it was like I was locked inside my head, all I could do was listen. The calming poetry was good, I loved when she read Fear and Loathing, but she was reading something new, something about…a sparkling vampire? No, oh god no, she’s reading me freaking Twilight. No, stop, dammit Trinity, knock it off! I groaned and the reading stopped, then she was gripping my hand,

“Daddy, can you hear me?” Of course I can hear you, I’m not deaf.
“Daddy, squeeze my hand if you can hear me.” I fought to squeeze, and felt my fingers move before she let go and I heard her walking away, no don’t go! I forced my eyes open a fraction of an inch, groaning at the pain of the light. Trinity’s worried face moved into my line of vision, a huge grin splitting her face before she threw her arms around my neck,
“Oh my god, you’re awake!” she squealed, pressing a button that lifted the bed into a sitting position. I was so confused, what was she so excited about?
“Trin, what are you talking about? Why the hell am I in the hospital?” I rasped, my throat feeling raw and dry. She grabbed a cup and popped a straw into it, putting it to my lips. I sucked down the cooling liquid and tried to focus on what she was rambling about,
“You got shot and you’ve been in a coma for over two weeks. Don’t you remember any of this?” I shook my head, she just rolled her eyes and pressed a button, a few seconds later a man in a white coat walked in, carrying something I presumed was my chart.

“Ah Mr. Sanders, how are you feeling?” I thought about it for a second, cataloging all the points of pain,
“I feel ok actually, but my side is starting to hurt.” He nodded and scribbled something down,
“Alright, I just need you to answer a few questions for me.” I nodded slowly, where was he going with this?
“What’s your full name?”
“Matthew Charles Sanders.”
“How old are you?”
“27.”
“What do you do for a living?”
“I’m the lead singer for Avenged Sevenfold.”
“How many children do you have?”
“Just one, Trinity, she’s right there.” The doctor grinned and nodded, writing something else down.
“Alright Mr. Sanders, we’re going to keep you here for about two more days just to make sure everything is healing the way it should be, and if all turns out well, you can go home. Would you like me to send in the rest of your family?”

“Yeah, thanks doc.” He nodded and left, soon the room was filled with my band mates and their girls, parents, and Steph. My sweetheart of a girlfriend was currently lying in bed with me, refusing to let go. She had lectured me for a good twenty minutes about how stupid it was to step in front of a bullet, then gave me a kiss that made my mom coo and my dad blush. An hour later and visiting hours were over, but Trinity and Steph weren’t leaving.

“Don’t you guys need to go home?” They both looked at me like I was insane and shook their heads. Steph got comfortable beside me and Trinity walked into a small room, coming out in her pajamas and lying down on a cot that I hadn’t noticed before. I smiled and shook my head; I should have known my girls wouldn’t leave.

Time Elapse: Two days later, 2pm.
Trinity’s POV

“So you can go home today, I’ll grab your discharge papers.” Dad grinned and nodded, the doctor left the room. I looked at my dad and grinned, he finally had color back in his cheeks, but the sight of the huge bandage around his abdomen still freaked me out. The doctor came back with all the necessary paperwork and dad quickly filled it out before handing it back and standing up. The moron was refusing to use a wheelchair, choosing instead to ‘suck it up and be a man’. Whatever, when he falls over I’m not helping him up. Fortunately, we made it to the car without any problems and Steph drove us all back to the house where Brian and Jimmy dragged his happy ass up to his room. The ride home had jostled his stitches so we had given him two of his pain pills, the man was now higher than a kite and very…affectionate.

“Brian! Oh my god man, I love you so much, you’re the best guitar player in the world!” he gushed, leaning on my uncle heavily as they worked to get him upstairs, Brian just laughed and nodded,
“I love you too man. Now come on, help us out here.”
“Naw, I think Imma just sleep on the couch.” He mumbled, stumbling over to one of the couches in the living room, falling onto it face first and falling asleep instantly. Jimmy just looked at me and cocked an eyebrow,

“Just how many of those pills did you give him?” I smiled innocently and shrugged,
“Just two, how was I supposed to know that they would make him pass out?”
“Did you read the label?”
“Yeah, it said give two for the pain and that they might cause drowsiness.” I grinned impishly and skipped upstairs to call Mitch, I hadn’t seen him since my dad was admitted, and I wanted to talk to him. I dialed his number and waited for him to pick up, smiling when I heard his voice,
“Hey baby, how’s your dad?”

“He’s good, got discharged today. He’s passed out on the couch right now; I guess Vicoden makes you really tired.” I giggled as Mitch laughed,
“Yeah, it tends to do shit like that, it is a narcotic babe. So do you wanna hang out today? I can come pick you up?”
“Sure, we can just chill at my house.”
“Alright babe, be there in ten.” I hung up my phone and went back downstairs to make food, Mitch was always hungry and I knew none of the guys had eaten yet. I poked my head round the corner to see who was in the living room,
“Biran, you’re my favorite uncle!”
“I love you too, what do you want?”

“Can you start the grill up for me? Mitch is coming over and none of us have eaten yet so I figured we’d barbeque these steaks that have my name and a heart on them.” Brian grinned and gave me a thumbs up before heading out back with Lynnie in tow. I was boiling eggs for deviled eggs when a pair of arms wrapped around my waist and a soft kiss was pressed to my neck. I grinned and turned around, winding my arms around his neck and pulling his head down for a kiss. I pulled away and looked into the melted chocolate eyes of my boyfriend, then squealed and jumped away when he dug his fingers into my sides. Mitch laughed and pulled me back, trapping me between his body and the countertop and slanting his lips over mine. I grinned into the kiss and opened my mouth to his exploring tongue. I was just getting into it and then,

“Take your hands OFF my niece.”