Colin's posts

".........." Ryker was silent as the doctor asked that question.

"...a DNR..." he muttered.

"Eke made a promise. A promise to himself... a promise to me." he went on.

"But if he does crash... then... perhaps... yes..." he said quietly. "He should't suffer..." he mumbled.

"However, he DID wake up while you were gone." he told the doctor.

"And he has approved the surgery."

Darrel thought for a moment.

Two's plenty. he sent her.

Anyway, I'll show up in... about 2 hours or so. he then sent.

With that, they ended their conversation, and he logged off.

Time passed, and after a couple of hours, he was at the door to her place, holding a cloth grocery bag in one of his hands.

"Hey, Abby!" he called in, knocking on the door.

"It's me!"

Ryker smiled at him.

"I love you as well." he said.

"And I mean that." he told him.

"I've never had family in my life, but if I did, it'd have been wonderful if they were like you." he continued.

"For whatever THAT'S worth." he added.

"Anyway, just concentrate on resting. You look beat." he finished.

"You only deserve to feel like a failure when you truly become one." Ryker responded.

"And as long as you have ONE person in the world that cares about you, you're not a failure." he went on.

"Believe me, you are NOT a failure." he then assured him.

"So... with this in mind, the doctor's going to be back soonish, and he'll be asking you a question." he continued.

"I assume you'll know the answer?" he asked.

".......preaching to the choir on that last one..." Ryker muttered under his breath.

"And why do you even deserve to exist?" he asked.

"Why do I deserve to exist? Why does ANYONE deserve to exist?" he asked further.

"You've traveled this far... you are so close to what you've been seeking." he went on.

"Why stop here?" he asked, getting up and sitting down on the edge of the bed.

"For all you know, the answer to all of your questions lies in the Capital."

"That answer alone speaks volumes." Ryker responded.

"It doesn't matter what decision you make. If you make it based on what others want, then you'll forever regret it, regardless of the results of said decision." he told him.

"So to answer your question, I want you to make the decision that you WANT." he said.

"I want you to look at yourself..." he went on, grabbing a small hand mirror out of the bag he had, and tossing it towards Eke. "...and ask yourself what you want." he said further.

"Look deep inside yourself, and ask yourself what you want to do." he reiterated.

"I may be a factor in this decision, but it is not MY decision to make." he continued.

"You are old enough, and mature enough, to make your own decisions like this." he went on. "You've grown up since we first met those years ago, I know you're capable of making this decision." he added with a small smile.

Yeah? Sounds good. Darrel sent.

When is a good time for me to show up? he then sent her.

"Hmmm." he muttered.

"Fajitas, eh?" he asked himself.

"Hmmmmmmm... yeah, I know what I'll bring." he chuckled, as he awaited a reply.

"All I have to say is that you have a choice now." Ryker said.

"You can either give in to fate, or fight it." he told him.

"The question is... do you have the will to go on? The strength to fight?" he asked.

"Do you have the courage to, when life pushes you back, push forward?" he asked further.

"If so... then you have a surgery to undergo." he finished, before relaying to Eke what the doctor had said to him.

Ryker was awake.

He was awake and sitting in the chair, staring forward.

He noticed Eke was awake, but didn't say anything.

He just crossed his arms over his chest, and waited for Eke to notice he was there. He knew he'd been noticed soon enough.

So he remained quiet, letting Eke take in his surroundings on his own terms, on his own time.

Ryker listened to what the doctor had to say, before looking at Eke.

"Well... I'll tell him this when he wakes up." he said.

"As you said, it's HIS decision." he went on.

"Assuming he does decide for it... how long until it happens?" he then asked.

"Is there a waiting line, or a processing time? Or will it happen ASAP?" he asked further.

"And how long before a decision NEEDS to be made, regardless of his consciousness?" he finished.

"Ok then." Darrel replied.

"Bye." he said.

They then ended the call, and he hung up the phone... before sighing.

"....damn." he muttered.

"Oh well." he sighed, shaking his head.

All he could do was wait. Wait until further information was given. Wait until things were more definite.

He hated it, but it was all he could do.

And he did so for a couple of days, until Sydney got back to him with the info. He took it all down after their call, before sighing, and getting online to see if Abby was on one of her chat programs.

She was.

Hey, Abby, can we meet up ASAP? he sent her.

Immediately, Ryker's widened.

He then lifted Eke up in his arms, and raced out the door.

Hours later, Eke was laying in a hospital bed, and Ryker was sitting in a chair beside him.

"...this is sickeningly familiar..." he muttered, remembering the last time this had happened.

He then closed his eyes, and tried to stop himself from worrying himself sick.

"Well, at the very least, I should tell Abby to clear her schedule for the next few days." Darrel replied.

"You know, because a guild is interested in her." he said.

"Is THAT ok?" he asked.

"Just a hint of possible good news?" he asked further.

"If not, fine, but I would like to give her SOME hope."

"I got it." Darrel replied.

"I'll let her know the bare minimum, essentially." he told her.

"But enough that she'll know this is good." he continued.

"Thanks again." he said.

"Are you going to contact me with more info, or do I need to contact you in a couple of days, or what?" he then asked.