When the unthinkable happens.... (closed)

[wideeyedone]

Natalie and Greg Archer were headed to his father's for dinner. Greg was excited. He had been promoted at work and wanted to tell his father in person. Natalie was glad for Greg but she was nervous about dinner with his father, Ryan.

Even though they had been married for over a year now, Ryan had not really approved of the marriage. Ryan had told Greg they were too young and didn't know each other well enough to be married. However, Natalie and Greg had a history. Before she met Greg, Natalie had worked as a cocktail waitress at a high end gentleman's club. Ryan had been a regular customer and a big spender. Not only had she been a waitress but she had dated the owner of the club who was twice her age. She had payed for college wearing the tiniest of uniforms and sleeping with her married boss.

The first time Greg had taken her home to meet Ryan it had been so awkward, but they never told him. Neither of them wanted to explain it to Greg or to hurt him. And all of that was resting heavily on Natalie as Greg drove.

She was deep in thought when she heard the squealing of tires. She heard Greg curse and before she could ask what was wrong, they were broadsided. The car was knocked off of the road.

Natalie hit her head and the world faded to black. She faded in and out of conciousness. She heard the sirens and the paramedics. She couldn't think clearly. She asked after Greg and they kept telling her that he was being taken care of. She closed her eyes again and the next thing she knew, she was in the ambulance.

They asked her who they should call and she told them Ryan's number.

 

[FireyIce]

Ryan had been helping with getting ready for Greg and his wife Natalie to show up for dinner. He pondered over his relationship with her. It was true that part of the reason he was so opposed to their marraige was that they were still young. The other part was due to the fact that he knew about her past. He wasn't sure if Natalie would ever tell Greg, however, he had decided not to stir that pot.

Ryan thought about the first time he saw Natalie at the club. It was for a coworker's bachelor party. Though he was originally opposed to going, he was glad that he did since it allowed him to meet Natalie. He was surprised that she was only a waitress and not a dancer. Her body was extremely remarkable and he figured she could make a living dancing for a long time. Over time, however, he found out that she was dating the owner.

It took a while, but in time Ryan would go and have lunch at the club close to once a week. He usually found out if Natalie was going to be working there or not. Aside from the lame excuse, the food there usually was pretty good. They learned a lot about each other while she was at the club. One of the things that eluded him, however, was how she actually met Greg. Though it was feesible they met at some random place, he was just never sure about it.

As he was working on getting dinner ready he heard his phone go off. As he answered it, he found out it was about the accident. Without any other concern for the night he headed straight to the hospital to check on both of them, to make sure that they were alright. Once he got there he found out where Greg and Natalie were staying.

As he apporached the door, he knocked on it before entering. He saw Natalie looking semi-awake and Greg asleep. "How are you feeling, Natalie?" he asked as he walked over towards her, sitting down in one of the chairs.

 

[wideeyedone]

Natalie was sitting on the cot looking shell shocked. She had an ice pack on her temple. She had some cuts and bruises but other than that she looked like she was okay.

"He's hurt really bad." She whispered. "They don't think.... he had a major head trauma." Her voice broke.

She drew her knees up and hugged them to her chest.

"We were talking about his promotion at work. Then out of nowhere... the police said that the other driver was drunk. He has been arrested."

She trembled as she spoke.

A doctor came into the room and explained the dire nature of Greg's injuries. Natalie cried softly as the doctor explained what they were going to do.

Natalie kissed Greg on the forehead before he was wheeled to surgery.

Natalie and Ryan waited for news on Greg. The doctors talked to Ryan about Natalie's concussion. The doctor told him that she couldn't be alone, that she needed to be awakened every few hours.

But Natalie couldn't sleep. Not until they heard about Greg, several hours later the doctor returned with the bad news that Greg had died on the operating table.

Natalie dissolved into tears and crumpled against Ryan's chest.

 

[FireyIce]

Ryan held Natalie tighly as they both heard the news. He knew it wasn't fair that the whole incident had happened, however, he also knew it wasn't their fault. He continued to hold her tightly as she cried on his shoulder for a while.

"Did you want to stay with me for a while? Help you with getting everything set up?" he asked with concern in his voice. He continued to let her just lean against him as he comforted her. "Perhaps we should be on our way," he suggested after a while. "Besides, I'll need to make sure you're up part of the night with your concussion. At least you know I'll be there for you," he tried to reassure her.

After a while longer they went into the room and saw Greg's body, lifeless, the opposite of how he was in life in general. When they finished paying their respects Ryan drove Natalie back to his house and took her up to the guest room. "Do you need anything to eat or drink?" he offered as he helped her get situated. "You know you're still going to be part of the family, right?" he said as he tried to lift her spirits up.

 

[wideeyedone]

Natalie was sitting on the edge of the bed. She looked up at Ryan.

"You were right. I didn't deserve him." Her voice broke and bit her lip. She tried to hold back her tears.

"What am I going to do with out him?"

She reached for Ryan and leaned in against his chest. She took in his comfort, and snuggled in against him.

She did her best to try to stop.

"Do you have a shirt I can sleep in? There is a little blood on mine and I don't have anything to change in to."

 

[FireyIce]

Ryan held Natalie close as she started to cry. He looked at her as she tried to regain her composure. "You'll be ok. You can stay here as long as you'd like," he said as he continued to hold her.

"Yeah, I have a shirt you can borrow," he said as he got up and went to his room. He got an old shirt that he didn't mind if it became dirty that he got for her. He came back into the room a few moments later and handed it to her. "If you want, I can wash your other clothes," he offered.

"Did you want anything to eat or drink?" he asked. He didn't know if she managed to get anything at the hospital or not.

 

[wideeyedone]

"I could use a drink." Natalie almost whispered.

She took the shirt into the bathroom and stripped off her clothes. She slid into the shirt. It was long enough that it went to the middle of her thigh. It showed the bruises that had formed on her arms and legs from the accident.

She returned from the bathroom. And saw that her father in law had gone down to the kitchen. She padded into the kitchen and poured herself a small tumbler of scotch.

"Ryan, thanks for letting me stay here tonight. I don't think I could face our place right now."

 

[FireyIce]

"It's no problem, dear," he said as he watched her pour some scotch for herself. "What happened, exactly?" he asked her our of sheer curiosity. He walked over and poured a glass for himself as well.

"Tomorrow I can take you out shopping for some clothes, or I can take you back to your place to get some if you want," it's up to you. "You can stay here as long as you want to."

He went to the fridge and got out some of the food that he was making for their dinner. He started to heat some of it up. "Did you want anything?" he asked as he started to get some plates and silverware out.

 

[wideeyedone]

Natalie took a long sip of the scotch.

"I was talking to Greg. He was driving. He was really excited to tell you about his promotion at work. He got a raise... and some new territory. Then I heard him swear and then the car hit us."

She closed her eyes. She could hear and see the accident.

"Maybe we can go to our house and get some of my things... I can't imagine being there with out him."

She sat down at the table and tucked her feet underneath her.

 

[FireyIce]

Ryan brought a plate of food over to Natalie. "Here, you must be starving," he told her as he went and got a plate for himself. "Damn," he said outloud, "I can't believe this happened. I know we have a complicated relationship as well, since, you know..." he tried to be a bit discreet about her past, though it was just the two of them and they both knew it. "Did you ever tell Greg about what you did before you met him?" he inquired.

There was no doubt that when they did get married Ryan was highly opposed to it, though he even had to admit that she made him happy. He began to eat his food while looking over at Natalie. "I'll take the guest room, you can sleep in my bedroom tonight. Tomorrow we can go and stop by your place and you can get some clothes if you want to stay here for a while. I don't want you to feel like you don't have anyone to help you out during this time, Nat," he told her with great sincerity.

 

[wideeyedone]

Natalie took a few bites of the dinner he offered.

"I told him. I told him that I worked at the club. I didn't tell him that I knew you from there. I figured that was your story to tell."

She took another long sip of the scotch.

"He was a little surprised about my working there. And he really didn't like that I dated Jim, the owner. But, he didn't hold it against me."

Natalie found herself starting to cry again.

"I'll need to go home and pack a bag tomorrow."