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Candle in the Wind by AJ Ashely Lane climbed into her car, seeking refuge from the pouring rain. She drove off without buckling her seatbelt, and felt her shoulders shake as a steady stream of tears coursed down her face. Pressing the gas pedal down, she felt her car accelerate, and felt the car skid when it hit a large puddle. Sliding, she fought to regain control of the car as she spun out of control. Minutes passed and she just sat there, inside of the broken vehicle, her head against the steering wheel, bleeding out of control. It seemed like forever until another car finally drove passed, and made the forever grateful decision to stop and offer any assistance possible. Ashley Lane felt hands reach her before she whispered Abbey's name and blacked out. The E.M.T.'s carefully set her down on the stretcher and wheeled her into the back of the ambulance. Abbey sighed as she stared out the window, wishing she hadn't let Ashley Lane leave. Turning as she heard her husband come in, she looked at him, taking note of his grave expression. "What's happened??" "There's been an accident, Abbey... it's pretty bad." "Accident? What kind of accident? Who?" "Ashley Lane..." Jed said as he saw his wife begin to raise her defenses. "She got in a car accident, because of the rain... she skidded off the side of the road. Abbey, she wasn't wearing her seatbelt." At this point, Abbey was staring at him in shock, but her years of training as a doctor took over. "What's her condition?" "She's in a coma, but is beginning to stabilize." Jed choose to speak his words with a soft tongue. "Abbey..." Jed knew that Abbey must be blaming herself, that look on her face was a dead giveaway. Abbey felt like her heart was breaking. "I have to go... I have to be there with her." Abbey moved towards the door, looking for her coat as she walked. Jed found her coat, right where it always laid, and picked it up. "I already have the limo waiting for us." Abbey nodded, and looked at him, "Jed, I knew she was upset. I shouldn't have let her go." Abbey's voice was quiet and detached as she looked at her husband. Jed put a very supportive and loving hand on his wife's shoulder. "Everything is going to work out, Abbey. It isn't your fault." She just nodded as she walked towards the door, not caring about anything but getting to her little sister. The limo drive to the hospital seemed to take forever. Climbing out and entering the hospital, they were met by a clean-cut young doctor named Avery Mitchell. Abbey wanted to ask the doctor how her sister was doing, she tried her hardest to let her doctor mode kick in, but as she stood there, she was completely speechless. "How is Ashley Lane, Dr. Mitchell?" Jed said in a soothing voice, with a hidden agenda in trying to help calm Abbey down. He smiled comfortingly at the First Lady, "Well, sir, ma'am, she's been taken to surgery. Dr. Yeager is her surgeon. He's the best at what he does, ma'am." Abbey gave off a very weak smile. "How long will she be in surgery, do you know?" Jed asked. "No, Sir. I don't really have that information. I can show you where they've designated you a waiting area if you wish." "Please." Jed said as he placed his hands on Abbey's shoulder and guided her to where the doctor led them. Once there, he turned back to the doctor, "Thank you." He said as Dr. Mitchell left. TBC...
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