Ever After

Chapter 8



Dr.Pratt’s Arrival



Doc was busy preparing his charts for Dr. Pratt to review as we waited. The feeling in the air was tense and laced with much anticipation, over the doctors arrival.

“I want to stay while he examines her, is that ok Doc?” Will asked hesitantly.

“Yes, that’s fine he will not mind, but you don’t have to guard her. He is one of the best medical minds in the country. Pratt can be trusted to do everything in his power to get Corrine through this Will, you don’t need to worry.”

Will nodded as he sat down and flipped on the TV again. Doc looked at his watch. “I have to go down to my office for a second, and grab some things then make a few phone calls. Pratt will be here shortly, and I will bring him on up right away.”

Doc proceeded to tell me to get some rest, as Pratt would have to do some tests on me. Will grimaced at the fact, as he hated anyone doing anything to me that might cause me more pain. I tried to rest and ignore the fact that I had no idea what the next day or so would hold for me. I had been lucky the last few hours as the pain meds Doc had been giving me were working.

I drifted in and out of sleep again thankful to be getting any at all. I heard voices on and off, people coming in and out of the room. I turned over and could see William, dozing off in the love seat next to my bed. I was about to try and sit up, when it felt suddenly like the room was 120 degrees. I could feel the old gut wrenching feeling in my chest, and I knew the break I had been getting from the pain was now over.

I gasped and hung my head down trying not to panic. I tried to do the Lamaze breathing, like I had seen on that TLC show, A Baby Story. I felt stupid but I was trying to hold it together here. I slowly opened my eyes, and the room appeared empty, I felt scared that William had left me alone. I looked at my heart monitor and it was going crazy, I gripped the sheets. It felt like my heart was going a million miles an hour; this was probably it for me.

“Corrine… Corrine” Will’s voice was in my ear suddenly, he wrapped his arms around me so I wouldn’t fall over. “Breath love, breath damn it now Pratt just got here, don’t you die on me, don’t you dare.”

Will’s words were harsh, but he broke through my hysteria and I forced myself to try to slow my breathing down. The pain in my lungs was like hot steel vice clamping down on me, daring me to try to in hail, promising me more pain if I did. I felt an oxygen mask slipped over my face, as someone stroked my hair back off my face.

A low smooth voice, one I did not know spoke to me softly and reassuringly. “Corrine, I’m doctor Pratt. I’m here to help you. I won’t hurt you; we are going to get you better, now. Please try and be calm for me if you can.”

I could feel him take my hand and he counted out loud telling me to breath with him. I was amazed at how quickly I calmed down, the heart monitor slowed to a safer rate. I felt him lift my arm gently; he seemed to be looking it over. I didn’t care what he did at this point; I just wanted the pain to end.

“This will help with the pain; it will just sting for a second.” I felt the needle prick my skin, but it was nothing compared to the hell I had just went through. Pratt’s voice became muffled for a minute as the drug he had given me began to take effect.

“It’s a sedative; she will throw herself into cardiac arrest if she has another episode like that.” Pratt’s said in a hushed tone.

“My God”, Will gasped as I felt him take my hand again.

“It’s ok Will, Pratt has her under control.” Doc tried to reassure him, as he squeezed my hand nervously.

I could feel myself moved, blood taken from me as I assumed the examination had begun. I was basically out of it, so none of it hurt. I knew it was all something that had to be done, so Pratt could figure out how to help me. I really wanted to sleep though, each time I drifted off, I was moved.

“Well Pratt, what do you think?” Doc asked. I could hear chairs scooted as they all sat down.

“She’s weak, very weak and that’s no doubt caused by the cancer, that’s still active in her body. It concerns me very much, as she is weaker than Emma was. A war is what is going on in her body. The cancer’s trying to take over, and so is the venom, they are clashing with each other.” I could hear Pratt take a deep breath. “She is stalled out in a mid transitional phase, it’s extremely serious. If we can keep her alive and push her body over to complete the change, she will become a half blood like Emma and William. I am just concerned her system may not be strong enough to hold up that long.”

“If?” was all Will said, his voice barley a whisper.

“I still need to review her blood work, which will not take me long Will, I promise.”

“Feel free to use my lab and my office Pratt, just make yourself at home old friend.” They both laughed at the “old” remark as none of them barley looked a day over thirty-five. I heard Doc and Pratt leave my room, Doc was sure to tell Will to try to let me sleep as long as possible.

I could feel Will at my side even with my eyes closed. He had some kind of magnetic pull on me, and both of use could usually sense where the other one was. I probably would never understand it, and really, I didn’t want to, it was strong and it was real and that’s all that mattered to me. I turned over to face Will, feeling good for once due to whatever Pratt had given me, just a bit light headed and groggy.

“I’m sorry you had to go through all this love.” Will said softly, as he stroked my hair back off my cheek.

“It’s ok don't be sorry, this has to be done William it didn’t hurt at all anyway, whatever they did. Pratt seems like a really nice guy, and smart too, between him and Doc they should figure it out… I think.” I smiled up at Will, who seemed to be analyzing me. “I’m not giving up ok; you’re not getting rid of me so easily!” I laughed softly, trying to make him relax.

“I just can’t bear the thought of losing you, that’s all.” He sighed as he bent over and kissed my forehead. “I just can’t help but think if that night at the Halloween party would never have happened you wouldn’t be here like this now, fighting for your life. I should never have let them tell me you would be ok, from letting me take your blood. I should have known you were too weak!”

“Stop it Will, did you forget I was sick before the party? I was already dying and according to Doc, I would probably be nearing death right now, with or without the Halloween party incident! My fate was already sealed at the hospital after the stupid brain scan came back showing the tumor. I would probably be bald right now, and weigh like fifty pounds and be on life support!

I have a chance now Will, even with all the pain. I have a last chance to beat this and stay with you. I don’t care how much pain I have to go through as long as it means we can have our future together, I love you, and we will make it through this!”

I could see Will was overcome by emotions; he often tried to hide that. He quickly wiped a stray tear out of the corner of his eye as he took a deep breath looking away.

“Pratt has to make this work, without you, I just can’t even think of being here. You are everything to me. I have waited my whole life just to find you and I can’t lose you now or ever!”

“Will, I will beat this. I refuse to go, and I will not leave you!” I lay my head onto his shoulder and he rubbed my back, we sat in peaceful silence for a long time, watching the snowfall.

It seemed like forever before Doc and Pratt got back to my room after looking over my blood work and lord knows what else. I was feeling drained when they came back in, engrossed in a conversation, flooded with medical terminology. William got up and greeted them, and told them I had been stable while they were gone, just sleeping mainly.

Will began to ask a million questions, and Doc told him to wait and let Pratt explain what they had learned. I heard chairs pulled out as they all sat around a small table in the corner of the room, papers were spread out all over its marble top. Pratt’s expression was serious as he was reading a paper he had in his hand.

The mood in the room was tense as Pratt prepared to explain what he had discovered after my exam. Pratt smoothed back his wavy brown hair, he looked much the same age as Doc did, and they could have been brothers. He had the same brilliant green eyes, and perfect facial features as many of the vampires. He seemed to be slightly shorter than Doc was.

“I’ve studied this phenomenon for years, and it always seems to find a way to amaze me. I’ve researched the conflict of venom and the human system in great detail. As I’ve said, Corrine basically has a war going on in her body.” I groaned loud enough for them to hear me.

“You’re telling me?” I said as I pulled the blanket up next to my face.

“Yes, I know Corrine it is difficult, but as it is a war of sorts we have to get one side to call a truce somehow. One side has to surrender or pardon me for being blunt, but if not it will be a battle to the… death. We have to figure a way to get either the venom to stop or the cancer. Or Corrine will pay the price.”

“What’s our course of action then Pratt?” Doc asked, his face serious.

“That’s the tricky part; rest of course is a must and no stress of any kind. We cannot halt the venom; all of us here know that. Vampire venom is highly concentrated and nearly impossible to contain. This leaves us with only one option; we must stop the cancer, and heal what’s left of her human cells, and let the venom complete the change.”

“Pratt, you know there is no cure for cancer, my god we would have cured her to start with when I diagnosed her over the summer.” Doc said, his voice shocked at Pratt’s un realistic treatment plan.

“I know…I know, calm down I’m well aware of this I spent all those years in the rain forest looking for a cure to the damn disease. The thing I’m trying to explain is, there is no cure for human cancer, but technically, Corrine is no longer fully human. The changes she has made, although they have stopped, have changed some of her cell structures in the last few weeks. I believe if we use some of the serum I discovered many years ago in Brazil, we might have a chance.” Pratt sounded very confident to me about this serum.

“Is this the same serum you used for Emma?” Will questioned him.

“Yes, the very same one, and it’s probably much stronger than the one I had at the time of Emma’s illness.”

“It proved to be lethal though, didn’t it?” I asked.

“Well yes, to humans more than likely, we never got to do extensive studies. It cured three humans, but later it proved lethal to some of our lab rats. What gives me confidence is Corrine is not fully human any longer, so this serum may be exactly what we need.” Pratt smiled slightly, as he was very confident in his theory.

I looked at him; he was as all the coven members naturally handsome, with his sandy blonde hair that just brushed his neck. His Romanesque facial features could have landed him a modeling job just about anywhere. I had to wonder what his wife Emma looked like, more than likely a super model no doubt. I quit daydreaming, when Pratt spoke again.

“I was in the Brazilian rain forest forty years ago give or take a year. I think Doc has told you. I won’t bore you all with the long story, but the discovery of a rare flower there, ultimately led me and a group of other scientists to the country. The natives had said it had healing powers many said it could repair tissue, and even cure some disease.

I led this team of very well respected scientists for years, we did extensive research and study’s. Of course being a vampire time was not an issue for me as it was my colleagues, so when they returned to the states, I stayed in Brazil to further study the plant’s ability’s. I felt it could be used in some other ways and set out to discover just how to use it.”

“Did anyone who took it live, or any of them cured?” I asked softly seeming to have lost my voice, I figured my mind was next to go.

“Yes, Corrine three of the tribes members with Lymphoma, were cured and they had no side effects and none of them were vampires or even half bloods. The serum stopped any further cell damage and it healed the areas of the body the cancer damaged. It was not long after those miracle cases that the lab rats began to die, so we were forced to stop testing and all trials on any humans.”

“That’s a shame it may have proven to be a cure to many human ailments!” Doc said as he picked up the research papers from the table and shook his head.

“Indeed, but the FDA would have had our medical license’s in no time. We would be banned from ever practicing in the states if we would have continued.”

“Yes, I have had issues with them before.” Doc said, not looking up as he scanned the lab reports. “So Pratt, do you feel we have a shot here, using the serum?” Doc’s voice was upbeat now I figured that had to be good.

“Yes, I have a very good feeling that this will save Corrine, with rest and steady doses of serum her body will heal. Then we will administer a small dose of vampire venom when she is strong enough. This should push her body to complete the change over and become a half blood as she wishes to be.” Pratt winked at me, a coy smile on his face. “You still wish that do you not Corrine?”

“Of course I want that, I want nothing more Dr.Pratt. I want to be like William and belong to the coven.”

“You already belong here Corrine; you just will be a full fledged member, that’s all.” Doc chuckled softly. I saw the intense look on Will’s face finally ease as he accepted Pratt’s detailed plan and explanation of how they would try to heal me.

“I want to begin treatment’s immediately, as once we start them we must never miss a dose or her body system will quickly go back to where she is now. The doses must be exact and at the same time each day, four times a day. If we miss any her system will quickly shut down, and we aren’t going to talk about that, as it will not be allowed to happen under Doc’s care and mine.