You're Not Allowed To Leave Me

The black SUV pulled into the private family hospital's driveway, its sleek exterior glinting under the bright sunlight. The medical team quickly offloaded Lily, who remained unconscious but stable, and wheeled her into the facility. Roland and Lena Martinez followed closely behind, their expressions a mix of fear and determination. 

"Prepare her room," Roland ordered the hospital staff as they entered. "I want the best team on this." 

"Yes, Mr. Martinez," the head nurse replied, rushing to ensure everything was in place. 

Lena stayed close to the stretcher, her hand gripping Lily's limp fingers. "You're going to be okay," she whispered, her voice trembling. "We're here now." 

Once Lily was settled in her private suite, Dr. Evan, the family's trusted surgeon, began a thorough assessment. He reviewed the scans and test results, his face growing more serious with each passing moment. 

"Mr. Martinez," Dr. Evan began, his tone steady but grave, "her condition has stabilized for now, but there's extensive damage. Her face has suffered multiple fractures, which will require reconstructive surgery. Her left leg has a compound fracture, and her right knee is severely injured. Additionally…" He hesitated. 

"Spit it out," Roland demanded, his sharp gaze boring into the doctor. 

Dr. Evan sighed. "Her spinal cord has sustained trauma. With massage therapy, rehabilitation, and time, she should recover. However, she'll need immediate surgery to address the fractures and prevent further complications." 

Lena, standing beside her father, felt her knees weaken at the news. "Surgery… will she be okay after that?" 

Dr. Evan nodded reassuringly. "We're confident she'll recover with time and care. But we must act quickly to ensure her condition doesn't worsen." 

As the discussion continued, a nurse burst into the room, her face pale. "Doctor! The patient is gassing up!" 

Dr. Evan's head snapped up. "What?" 

"Her oxygen levels are dropping rapidly, and she's showing signs of distress," the nurse said urgently. 

Without another word, they rushed to Lily's ward. Lena was the first to reach the room, her heart pounding as she saw Lily convulsing on the bed. 

"What's happening to her?" Lena screamed, her voice filled with panic. "Someone answer me!" 

Dr. Evan turned to her, his expression calm but firm. "Miss Lena, you'll need to step out. We need to stabilize her immediately." 

Lena opened her mouth to protest, but Roland placed a hand on her shoulder. "Come on, Lena. Let them work." 

"No, Dad!" Lena cried, tears streaming down her face as she clung to her father. "She's my sister! I can't leave her like this!" 

"Lena," Roland said firmly, pulling her away gently. "We won't help her by staying in the way. Trust the doctor." 

Reluctantly, Lena allowed herself to be led out of the room, sobbing into her father's chest. 

Inside the ward, the medical team moved with precision and urgency. 

"Her heart rate is dropping fast," the nurse reported, her voice tense. 

"Prepare the crash cart," Dr. Evan ordered, checking Lily's vitals. "She's seizing. We need to stabilize her airway." 

The nurse brought over an oxygen mask, and Dr. Evan secured it over Lily's face. "Increase the oxygen flow to 15 liters per minute." 

The machine beeped erratically, signaling Lily's fluctuating condition. 

"Start a saline drip," Dr. Evan instructed. "And prepare for blood transfusion. She's losing too much." 

A nurse quickly connected a fresh bag of blood to the IV line while another nurse inserted a new catheter for the saline. 

"Her blood pressure is dangerously low," the nurse monitoring her vitals said. 

"Push 10 milligrams of diazepam to stop the seizure," Dr. Evan instructed, his voice steady but urgent. 

The medication was administered, and the team watched as Lily's body slowly stopped convulsing. 

"She's stabilizing," one of the nurses said, her tone filled with relief. 

"Check her oxygen saturation levels," Dr. Evan said, leaning over to examine Lily. 

"Oxygen levels are climbing—85 percent, 90 percent, 93 percent," the nurse reported. 

"Good," Dr. Evan said, nodding. "Now monitor her closely. We're not out of the woods yet. Adjust the ventilator settings to ensure she's getting enough oxygen without overloading her lungs." 

Lena and Roland paced outside the ward, Lena's sobs muffled against her father's chest. 

"Why is this happening to her?" Lena whispered. "She didn't deserve this." 

Roland tightened his hold on her, his own expression grim. "We'll get her through this, Lena. She's strong—just like you. We'll do whatever it takes." 

The door opened, and Dr. Evan stepped out, his face slightly more relaxed. 

"She's stable now," he said, removing his gloves. "The seizure has stopped, and her oxygen levels are back to normal. But she's still in critical condition, and we need to proceed with surgery as soon as possible." 

Lena wiped her tears and asked, "Can I see her?" 

Dr. Evan hesitated. "Only for a moment. She's unconscious and heavily sedated. But she'll need all the positive energy she can get." 

Lena nodded and walked into the room, her heart aching as she saw Lily hooked up to multiple machines. She sat beside her and held her sister's hand. 

"You're going to get through this, Lily," Lena whispered, her tears falling freely. "You're not allowed to leave me, okay?" 

Roland stood in the doorway, his expression unreadable. Turning to Dr. Evan, he said, "Schedule the surgery immediately. Spare no expense. I want the best team on this." 

"Yes, Mr. Martinez," Dr. Evan replied. 

As the medical team prepared for Lily's surgery, Lena remained by her side, refusing to leave her twin's side. Roland, ever the pillar of strength, made arrangements for her continued care, his mind already working on how to protect his daughters from any further harm. 

Meanwhile, back at Williams University, Alex sat alone in his dorm, tormented by the knowledge of what had happened and the guilt of what he had witnessed.

The tension in the air was palpable as Lily was carefully wheeled into the state-of-the-art surgical room of the Martinez family hospital. Roland and Lena stood outside, watching through the observation window, their faces a mixture of fear and hope. 

Inside, the surgical team moved with precision, preparing to begin the complex procedure. The room was filled with the hum of machines and the sterile smell of antiseptics. 

Dr. Evan, the lead surgeon, glanced at the monitors before addressing the team. "All right, everyone, this is going to be a long and delicate procedure. We're addressing facial fractures, a broken femur, and damage to the spinal cord. Let's stay focused and work together to give her the best chance." 

"Yes, Doctor," the team replied in unison. 

Dr. Evan began with Lily's face, carefully aligning the fractured bones and securing them with medical-grade plates. The room was silent except for the occasional murmurs of the staff and the rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor. 

"Her vitals are holding steady," the anesthesiologist reported, keeping a close eye on Lily's blood pressure and oxygen levels. 

"Good," Dr. Evan said, his hands steady as he worked. "Let's move to the leg. Nurse, pass me the orthopedic drill." 

The nurse handed him the instrument, and he expertly secured the fractured femur with screws and a titanium rod. 

"Bone alignment is perfect," one of the assisting surgeons commented. 

"Now to the spinal cord," Dr. Evan said, his tone grave. "This is where it gets critical. We need to relieve the pressure and stabilize the area without causing further damage." 

The team nodded, fully aware of the risks. 

Halfway through the spinal procedure, the anesthesiologist's voice broke the tense silence. 

"Doctor, her heart rate is dropping!" 

Dr. Evan immediately stopped what he was doing, his eyes snapping to the monitors. The once-steady beeping of the heart monitor had become erratic, and Lily's oxygen levels were plummeting. 

"Nurse, check her blood pressure!" he ordered. 

"It's dangerously low, Doctor," the nurse replied, her voice shaky. 

Dr. Evan's jaw tightened. "Prepare the defibrillator! We're losing her!" 

The nurses moved quickly, wheeling over the defibrillator cart. One of them applied conductive gel to the paddles, ensuring proper contact. 

"Charging to 200 joules," the nurse announced, her hands trembling slightly. 

Dr. Evan placed his hands on the paddles, looking at the team. "Clear on my count. Three… two… one. Clear!" 

The paddles delivered a jolt of electricity, and Lily's body jerked slightly. Everyone's eyes were on the heart monitor. 

"Come on, Lily," Dr. Evan muttered under his breath. 

"Still no rhythm," the nurse reported, her voice strained. 

"Charge to 300 joules," Dr. Evan instructed. 

The paddles were recharged, and he tried again. "Three… two… one. Clear!" 

Lily's body jerked again, but the heart monitor remained flat. 

"Doctor…" one of the nurses started, her voice wavering. 

"Not yet," Dr. Evan said firmly. "Charge to 360 joules. We're not giving up on her. Prepare another dose of epinephrine." 

"360 joules charged and ready, Doctor," the nurse confirmed, handing him the paddles. 

Dr. Evan placed the paddles on Lily's chest. "Three… two… one. Clear!" 

Lily's body jerked once more. The heart monitor flickered for a moment, giving the team a sliver of hope, but it quickly flatlined again. 

"Administer the epinephrine," Dr. Evan ordered. The nurse injected the medication into Lily's IV line as instructed. 

"One more time," Dr. Evan said, his voice resolute. "Charge to 360 again." 

The room was tense as the paddles were recharged. 

"Three… two… one. Clear!" 

This time, the heart monitor sprang to life, the steady beeping indicating that Lily's heart was beating again. 

"She's back!" the nurse exclaimed, relief flooding her voice. 

Dr. Evan exhaled deeply, his shoulders relaxing slightly. "Good work, everyone. Let's stabilize her and close up." 

As the team finished the surgery, the neurologist on call conducted a series of tests to assess Lily's condition. After reviewing the results, he turned to Dr. Evan with a grim expression. 

"She's stable, but there's no response to any of the tests," the neurologist said. "She's slipped into a coma." 

Dr. Evan sighed, his exhaustion evident. "Make a note of it in her records. Ensure she's monitored around the clock." 

The staff carefully transferred Lily to a specialized bed designed for ICU patients. As they wheeled her out, Dr. Evan stepped into the hallway where Roland and Lena were waiting. 

"How is she?" Lena asked, rushing to him. 

Dr. Evan pulled off his surgical mask, his face lined with fatigue. "The surgery was successful. We've stabilized her fractures and relieved the pressure on her spine. However…" 

"What is it?" Roland pressed, his voice low but firm. 

"She had a cardiac event during the surgery. We managed to revive her, but she's now in a coma. We've moved her to the ICU and connected her to a life support machine to help her body recover." 

Lena gasped, tears streaming down her face as she clutched her father's arm. "A coma? How long will she stay like that?" 

Dr. Evan shook his head. "It's impossible to say. It could be days, weeks, or longer. But her body has a strong chance of recovery with proper care." 

Roland's expression darkened, his protective instincts kicking in. "I want the best nurses, the best equipment, and round-the-clock monitoring. Spare no expense." 

"Yes, Mr. Martinez," Dr. Evan replied. 

Lena wiped her tears and said softly, "Can I see her now?" 

"You can, but only briefly," Dr. Evan said. "She needs to remain undisturbed." 

When Lena entered the ICU, she froze at the sight of Lily. Her twin was hooked up to numerous machines, her face pale and her body motionless. The ventilator's rhythmic sound was the only indication that she was still alive. 

"You're going to come back to us, Lily," Lena whispered, taking her sister's hand. "You're the strongest person I know. Please, don't give up." 

Roland stood at the window, watching his daughters with an unreadable expression. Inside, his heart ached, but he knew he had to remain strong for both of them. 

As the night wore on, the hospital staff continued their diligent care, and the Martinez family began their vigil, determined to see Lily through this battle.