Chapter Four

The sound of the ticking clock seemed to pound through Sid`s head as he sat in the private waiting room. Natalie sat across from him in a chair holding a sleeping Acelin. Sid rubbed his eyes and sighed. He had been here for nearly two hours and still hadn't heard any news on his wife. Leaning forward, he placed his head in his hands. Tears began once again to stream down his already tear soaked face. Mario gently patted his back.

"She's going to be alright, Sidney. You have to have faith. Don't give up hope." Mario glanced at his wife, who was staring at Sid with saddness in her eyes. They both hated seeing him so upset. It pained them that Sid and Diana were going through this. They were like family and they felt helpless. Mario kept his hand on Sid's back as he wept. His heart was breaking, knowing how much Sidney was hurting and not being able to do anything to stop it.

Suddenly the door opened and a surgeon in scrubs stepped into the room. Sidney and Mario stood up, looking at the surgeon with hope in their eyes. "I'm Dr. Pantan, I'm the surgeon who operated on your wife. Mr. Crosby, your wife had some pretty serious injuries. We had to remove her left kidney which was crushed in the accident. Fortunately her right kidney sustained no damage. We also removed her appendix and a small portion of her liver. She has 3 broken ribs, a fractured pelvis, collar bone and two fractures of the tibia. She's stable now. We managed to stop the internal bleeding and repair the damage to some arteries. They're going to be moving her to private room right now, if you'd like to see her."

Sidney slumped against Mario, his legs turning to jello. Fresh tears began to pour down his face as he repeated the injuries in his mind. 'My God! My beautiful Diana.' He thought to himself. finally he managed to nod at the Dr. After letting them know an orderly would be there to take Sid to his wife, the surgeon left the room. Sid stood there crying against Mario for a few minutes. Every breath was sharp and it felt like he couldn't breathe. Finally, the orderly came into the room to escort Sid to see Diana.

He quickly managed to collect himself and followed the orderly out of the room and down the hallways to Diana's room. Sid stood outside the door for what seemed like hours, trying to control his composure, unsure of what he was about to find on the other side. Finally he opened the door and stepped into the dimly lit room. Sid's heart caught in his throat as his eyes rested on his wife laying in the bed. Diana was surrounded by machines and tubes. One tube was taped to her beautiful lips, entering her mouth. Another tube placed in her nose to help her breath. An IV was taped to her hand, pumping several medications into her veins.

In two quick steps, Sidney was beside her. His body slumping into the chair as he grasped her hand and held it to his cheek. Once again he sobbed, his tears tumbling onto his wife's skin. Leaning forward he placed his head on her chest, the sound of her heartbeat calming him slightly. "Oh my love. My darling Diana! Why did this have to happen to you? I love you baby, I love you! Please come back to me!"

He cried for several minutes, his head laying gently on her chest as he stroked her hand and kissed it repeatedly. Finally he sat up, his body quivering. His heart hurt so much to see his beloved wife that way. Reaching up Sid gently brushed a strand of hair from her face. Even with all the tubes, cuts and bruises, she was still beautiful. Sidney leaned forward and gently kissed her lips. Oh how he wished she'd wake up and smile at him. He ached to see her smile and look into those beautiful eyes.

"Diana, baby, if you can hear me, please come back to me. I can't live without you! I would be so lost without you by my side. Baby girl, I need you! Acelin needs you!! Come back to us my love, please come back to us!!! Je t'aime Diana, Je t'aime!!" Sid kissed her mouth again, a tear falling from his face and onto her lips. Gently he placed her arm across her belly, then silently and softly he crawled onto the bed and lay beside her, placing his arm around her. Once again he kissed her, then before he knew he fell into a deep dream filled sleep.