~Fright.:.Night~

[Matt.|.Phoebe]

((This may not be the best thing to post today, but... here goes!))

Phoebe sat upright in the hospital bed. Her heart was racing and her head hurt like hell. She was immediately pushed back down by her cousin, Matt. She looked up at him, and saw the relief, and sadness, in his eyes. She was confussed, but then the events played in her head.

Matt!

She said, her voice full of fear.

Where are Cody and Zack!?!? Are they ok?!?! Where am I!?!?! ...

So many questions ran through her head that it made her head hurt worse. When the doctor came in, he shinned a light into her eyes. She didn't move when he did, but a scream came from her lungs as she remembered the image of the truck coming at them, seeing only the headlights. She wanted to cry, and in fact she did.

Where are my brothers?!

She shouted, wanting an answer.

Phebs, do you know what day it is?

Matt asked her in a soft tone.

Well at least she's remembering...

The doctor started to say, but stopped at the sound of Phoebe's voice.

It's Friday! Whar kind of question is that?!?! Matt, where are Zack and Cody?!?!?!

She was beginning to get irritated. But then, the look in Matt's eyes said it all.

Phoebe... it's Thursday.

He said calmly, but then his voice chocked.

Zack... Zack and....

He was hesitating, his voice catching with every word. He took a deep breathe, then looked her streight in the eye.

Zack and Cody are dead, Phoebe.

No!

She said, the news felt like a stab in the heart. She couldn't breathe, and her resistence to stay laying down ceased. She was frozen. And she knew that it had to be true, because of the look on Matt's face. Plus, Matt wouldn't lie about something like this. And, at that moment, she cried. Long, and hard....

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

Another week passed. They refused to let Phoebe leave the hospital because of her concussion, and her depression. No matter how hard her family urged, she refused to eat and barely drank. She just layed there, hugging her pillow, and crying her eyes out until she could cry no more. Most of all, she slept. However, she never got more than an hour or two of sleep at one time. Images of the night flashed before her eyes, and she would wake up in a sweat and immediately start crying again.

The others in her family had had two weeks to grieve, but she hadn't. She had missed her brother's funeral, and she had been laying in this hospital, out cold. Even after a week, she still couldn't get over the fact that her brother's were gone. They had been her life, her family, everything. They had always been there when she needed them, and now they never would be again.

Phoebe looked down at the plain white cast on her arm. She had refussed to let anyone sign it. And she pretty much refussed to talk to everyone. Everytime they came in to see her, they wanted to know how she was doing and, most importantly, what had happened the night of the crash. Phoebe was the only one that knew, and she refussed to talk to them about it...

[noelle]

Noelle wrapped her fingers around the doorknob and slowly opened it into the bright hospital room. Well...the lighting was bright. The mood hanging in the air was more like grim and saddened from weeping. She didn't turn herself at all as she quietly shut it behind her. She stood there for a moment, not making a movement she looked around the room. There was a not-even-touch lunch next to Phoebe's bed. Noelle could only imagine how depressed her friend must be, so much so not to eat. But she knew the feeling, having experienced it once or twice.

She finally let herself step away from the door and walk across the tiled floor to the abandoned chair beside Phoebe's bed. She st down, getting herself comfortable and thinking or what to say before opening her mouth. She wanted to say something like "how are you feeling?" but figured that wouldn't cross over too well.

The 76ers lost to the Cavaliers last night. The score was 50-53. Basketball...there was a safe topic. For now anyway.

[Matt.|.Phoebe]

Phoebe turned her head to see who had come in. She saw Noelle, and was extremely happy to see her, but couldn't even manage a smile. She did, however, roll over so that her back wasn't facing Noelle. If you looked in her eyes, there was only a slight spark that showed she was glad to see her. Nothing else came through.

Hey, Noelle.

She said softly. Her voice was barely above a whisper, but that was better than she had been, seeing as she had pretty much refused to talk to anyone, and that was only because they kept questioning her about the accident. Didn't they understand that she didn't want to talk about it?!?!?! Not yet, anyway...

[noelle]

Noelle decided that maybe she could go for a bit of humor for now, and see if it worked. If it didn't help at all, she could always go back to being serious again...if she felt like it. She and Jordan were a lot alike in the sense that they both liked to goof off. A tiny grin crept across her lips and she playfully leaned forward.

Hey, you're talking! That's my girl! I should get you a cookie... She looked around, not really seeing anything edible accepted for the very nasty looking hospital food that, once again, her friend had refused to eat.

Okay, maybe not...um... She thought a little more, then reached into her purse and pulled out a protein bar that had been in there for who-knows-how-long. Never opened, so it was probably still good. How about of of these? I consider them to be the nastiest thing man ever dared to create but hey...who knows what you'll eat. She held it in front of Phoebe's face temptingly. Really, it wasn't that bad. But just for the sake of humor...

[Matt.|.Phoebe]

Phoebe knew what Noelle was trying to do. She almost laughed, but then an overwelming feeling of sadness came over her and she couldn't even crack a smile. She brought a hand up and pushed Noelle's protein bar away from her face.

No thanks.

She said softly. She looked out the door and noticed that Matt was standing at the door. He smiled warmly and gave her a thumbs up, then disappeared down the hall. So far, Matt was the only one that she had said more than two words at a time to. More then likely, Noelle would have her talking any minute now, but it didn't change what had happened... or how she felt about it. She sighed a little, then looked up at Noelle.

Where did everyone go?

She asked. When she had went to sleep last, there had been a room full of people. She didn't want to try her luck, though. She was glad they had decided to leave her alone. She wasn't the kind of person to yell at them to get out... but she had come close more than once. It may not have shown at that moment, but Phoebe was glad that Noelle was there...

[noelle]

Noelle sighed and slipped the protein bar back into her purse. Well, she couldn't say she hadn't tried now. And she could have sworn she had almost gotten a smile! There was something. She set her purse down beside the chair on the floor and leaned back, crossing one leg over the other as she looked at her friend laying on the bed.

I don't know. She shrugged. I'm guessing that despite how much they all care about you they had to do something that would ensure the fact that they have a life. She grinned again, having a feeling the joke wouldn't work but she would still once again try. It was a little hard not too...it was in her nature to kid around.

So, what's up? She asked, trying to strike up a deeper conversation. Want me to get you anything? A pillow...a sports magazine...a key to the storage area perhaps? Okay, the key thing was a little out of the blue. Although, I can understand why you might question the key thing. But think of it this way, you never know what kind of interesting stuff you'll find in the back of a hospital. Just name it and I'll pull a Mission Impossible for you.

[Matt.|.Phoebe]

A smile pulled at the corners of Phoebe's mouth, but then she went back to her solken mood again. She shook her head at Noelle.

No. I don't want anything.

She looked at Noelle for a few minutes more and then looked up at the celing.

Aparently Matt doesn't have a life.

She said to Noelle then turned her head back to her.

'Cause he's standing right outside the door.

Her eyes drifted behind Noelle were Matt was standing once again. He grinned, then dived to the side where he wasn't seen again, Phoebe shook her head at him.

fI know he cares... but it gets a little old after a while.

[noelle]

Ah ha! Phoebe actually smiled that time! So despite how insane some people may think Noelle was, her ways worked! She'd have her friend making balloon animals in no time! Okay...maybe we wouldn't jump that far ahead yet...

She looked over her shoulder when Phoebe mentioned Matt, just getting a glimpse of him before he dived behind the wall. Rolling her eyes, she turned back to face the bed. I'll be right. She held her finger up, then pushed herself out the chair and walked around it toward the door. She quietly turned the handle and slipped out, closing it behind her so Phoebe couldn't hear them. Not like it matter much anyway....

She stepped in front of Matt, looking down at him with a weird expression. Can you say stalker? She held her hand down to help him up. Why don't you just go by yourself a pair of binoculars or one of those freaky things that make it so you can hear through walls. I'll be happy lend you a 10 if you don't have enough. All in all, that was just her way of pointing out he was being a liiiiittle bit obsessive.

[Matt.|.Phoebe]

Matt grinned and took her hand, standing up.

I can't help it, Noelle. I've never seen her like this. You know how she usually is, laughing, joking... almost like a second you! It kills me to see her like this... I wanted to see if you were helping her.

Matt sighed, running his fingers threw his hair.

I was hoping she wouldn't see me... Wishful thinking, huh.

He said with a slight laugh.

[noelle]

Noelle couldn't help but smile a little bit. She knew Matt card for Phoebe and was just checking up on how she was doing, but he had to look at it from her point of view too. It probably felt like she was in a fishbowl. I understand, believe me, but it's going to take longer than just one little conversation with me. You know that right?

She raised her eyebrows as she looked at him, pushing her hands into her back pockets. She lost probably the two people she held closet to her. It's going to take her years to get over it. But her personality will come back in time, don't worry. She nudged him with her elbow, giving him a bit of hopefulness. She knew she could say this confidently, because she had been in Phoebe's place before. Depressed and withdrawn, not wanting to talk to anyone, and just look at her now! Matt had even just practically called her perky.

[Matt.|.Phoebe]

Matt nodded.

I know... I know. It's just that, it's been two weeks, and she still refuses to touch her food... I don't know if I can stand watching it much longer before I go and stuff it down her throat.

He shook his head.

But hey, you've helped her a little. I figure, you and Jordan are probabaly the only people in this world that can make her feel better. The only other ones I can think of aren't here.

He said the last sentence in a softer tone. He was talking about Zack and Cody, naturally, but it was a known fact to everyone that their family had always been close to Noelle and Jordan. It just made sence that they would be the ones that cheered her up.

[noelle]

Noelle frowned a little at Matt's tone. This was obviously eating away at him, the same way it was eating away at the rest of them. Come here. She held her arms out and stepped forward, wrapping them comfortingly around his neck. Jordan and I will try the best we can I promise. She pulled back and smiled up at him reassuringly, then let her hands slide away form him.

Now go, get yourself a soda or something. She said, moving her arms in a shooing motion toward the cafeteria. And I expect to not see your face outside that window at LEAST for another five minutes. She pointed a warning finger at him. Once again, she was only trying to lighten the mood.

She waved him a small goodbye before she went back into the room, once again shutting the door behind her. She walked back over to the chair and plopped down, leaning forward so she could rest her elbows on her knees. Okay, I just bought you a minimum of 7 and a half minutes. I better get a thanks for it later. She grinned.

[Matt.|.Phoebe]

Phoebe shook her head at Noelle. A small, almost invisible smile came to her lips. She almost laughed slightly, but then a wave of overwelming pain came over her and her smile fell.

Thanks, Noelle.

She said softly. Just looking at Noelle made her want to cry. She remembered times when her and Noelle would stay up late at night, just sitting in the dorm talking. Those were the good times. But the memory that suddenly came to her mind was of Zack... and the feelings he had had for her. Fresh tears tried to spring to her eyes, but she had cried so much she didn't think crying was possible.

It just ate away at her that two guys that were so young... and so full of life... were now gone. The two people in the world she used to feel like she couldn't live without were gone, and now she felt this overwelming terror that she couldn't explain. She was so sad at the fact that they weren't here to look out for her anymore, and she was so terrifed that she may not be able to get by without them. Living here in the hospital seemed like such a safe cage at the moment. She knew that the next time she went out in the world, it would be alone...

Noelle... where's Jordan?

She asked finally, noticing that he wasn't there.

[noelle]

Noelle nodded softly, able to catch at least a tiny smile on Phoebe's lips. It was something. It would take a lot longer to get a full one though. Anytime. Just say the word. She teased again. This whole joking thing seemed to be getting harder and harder. The more Phoebe's spirit's fell, the more Noelle's hopes did of cheering her up. It kind of sucked. She was a cheery person, she didn't like being sad.

He had a couple things to do, but he'll be here soon. She had a feeling it was to put off coming to the hospital. They both hated hospitals, but Jordan had had more experiences with them. He always had to prepare for a little bit before enter one and bringing the memories back. All the same, nothing would keep him out. He cared for Phoebe too, and would try his best to help her out as well.

In the mean time... How are you feeling? Think you're up for a walk? She asked, a sympathetic smile on her features. She understood if her friend didn't want to, but moving around would be better than laying in bed all day wallowing in self-pity.

[Matt.|.Phoebe]

Phoebe went to shake her head, 'cause she didn't feel like it. She didn't want to walk, she didn't want to eat, she didn't want to sleep. All she wanted to do was die. However, the look on Noelle's face broke her and she sighed.

Okay.

She whispered quietly.