Chapter 5

The awakening from a coma was certainly a slow process.  When Stefan had 
received the phone call that Katherine had opened her eyes and had spoken a few 
words, his hopes had been high that the woman he loved had finally returned.  
Instead, when he had reached her bedside, he had found Katherine hovering in and 
out of consciousness and calling for Damian over and over again.  Stefan had 
stayed with Katherine the entire night.  He had hoped that she would ask for 
him.  However, never once did his name cross her lips.  The only name she spoke 
of was Damian.  The name of a dead man.

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The light in the room was dim but even that small amount of light hurt as 
Katherine opened her eyes.  At first, she saw two of everything, and even those 
images appeared hazy.  She focused her eyes and soon the double images became 
one.  Her mouth was so dry that she longed for a glass of water.  Katherine 
began to look around the room and realized that she was in a hospital.

Slowly, with great effort, Katherine lifted up her right arm.  As she looked up 
and down her arm, she saw that it was covered in IVs.  Then just as slowly, she 
put her arm back into its former position.  Katherine then turned her head 
towards the right side of the room.  The blinds to the window were up, and she 
could see snow falling outside.  Evidently, it was winter she thought to 
herself.  Next, she glanced at the clock sitting on a nearby table.  It simply 
read 9:15 a.m.

Katherine felt totally disoriented.  She had no idea as to how or why she was 
here.  She tried to lift her left arm as she had done with her right.  However, 
she could not move it.  Katherine looked down and saw that there was a hand 
grasping her own.  The hand of a man.  Her eyes looked up, and she saw a man 
sitting upright in a wooden chair.  He was absolutely still in that position, 
and he was sleeping.  Slowly, in an attempt not to disturb him, Katherine began 
to pull her left hand out from underneath his grasp.  Just when she was almost 
free, he awoke.

The room was totally silent as they stared into each others eyes. Then, the 
silence was broken.  "Thank God Katherine, you are awake.  I thought this day 
would never come.  How do you feel? I should call Dr. Jones.  He will want to 
know that you are awake again."

As Stefan was about to reach for the phone, Katherine spoke. "Wait, can you get 
me some water?  I am so terribly thirsty."

"Of course Katherine, I will get you anything that you need.  All you have to do 
is just ask."

On the table next to the hospital bed was a pitcher of ice water. Stefan's hands 
shook as he poured the glass of water.  Then, he stood over Katherine with the 
glass in his hand.  He could tell that Katherine was too weak to drink the water 
on her own.  So, Stefan slid his right arm under her shoulders in order to lift 
her slightly off the bed.  Then, he held the glass to her lips. Katherine 
grasped the glass with both hands and drank till the glass was dry.  When she 
was done, Stefan slowly laid her back down against her pillows and returned the 
glass back onto the table.

As Stefan sat down on the side of the bed, he brushed a strand of Katherine's 
hair away from her face.  "You don't know how wonderful it is to hear your voice 
again.  It has been so long. Last night, you were so delirious that all you 
spoke of was Damian.  I had hoped that you would ask for me, but my feelings are 
not hurt.  I am just so thankful that you are alive and have returned.  All of 
my prayers have been answered.  I want you to know that I am never going to 
leave your side.  Never again.  I give you my word."  With that declaration of 
devotion, Stefan gently placed a kiss on Katherine's left hand.

The entire time that Stefan had spoken, Katherine had not shown any sign of 
emotion.  She had heard him speak but had not really listened.  Katherine 
cleared her throat and then asked a question in order to clarify a statement 
that had been made earlier.

"You said something before that you were going to get the doctor because he 
should know that I was awake again.  When was I awake before?  I don't 
remember."

"It was last night Katherine.  I wasn't here myself.  Dr. Jones said you opened 
your eyes for a few seconds and that you asked for Damian Smith.  By the time I 
got here, you were drifting in and out of consciousness."

For a few moments, Katherine just thought to herself.  She had a look of 
confusion on her face.  "You say that I have been asking for Damian.  Is he 
here? Is Damian here now?"

"What did you just say?"  Stefan asked.

Katherine repeated herself.  "Is Damian here?  I would really like to see him."

Stefan was almost in a state of shock by her request.  He grabbed the telephone 
and called Dr. Jones' office.  Seconds later, Dr. Jones was being paged 
throughout the hospital.

A mere fifteen minutes later, Tony approached Katherine's room with Gail Baldwin 
at his side.  Stefan was waiting impatiently outside the door.  "Something is 
wrong with Katherine. She is awake, but she is asking to see Damian Smith.  The 
man is dead. What is wrong with her?"

Tony tried to be reassuring.  "You need to remain calm Mr. Cassadine.  Remember, 
Katherine has been through a severe head trauma.  It is not uncommon for coma 
patients to be disoriented and confused when they first awaken.  Wait outside 
here while Gail Baldwin and I go in and examine her."

Stefan had his arms folded in front of his chest as he shook his head.  
"Absolutely not.  I just promised her that I would not leave her alone, and I 
can tell that she is scared.  I should be with her."

Tony responded, "I brought Gail Baldwin along specifically to help reassure 
Katherine.  Gail is not only a psychiatrist but has worked with other coma 
patients during their recovery period.  We really need to evaluate Katherine 
privately."

Stefan knew that he had to do what was best for Katherine.  So reluctantly, he 
stepped aside so that they could enter Katherine's room.  As they walked in the 
room, Katherine just stared at them. Gail sat down in the chair that Stefan had 
occupied the entire previous night, and Tony stood next to her.  Tony spoke 
first.  "I don't know if you remember us Katherine.  I am Tony Jones and this is 
Gail Baldwin."

Katherine nodded, "Yes, I remember.  You are both doctors."

"That is right Katherine," Tony replied.  "I am a neurologist, and Gail is a 
psychiatrist.  She is here to help me in your evaluation.  Can you tell us how 
you are feeling?"

Katherine took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a second. Then, she opened 
them again.  Tired, I feel so tired.  Please, tell me where am I?  I think it is 
a hospital, but I am not sure."

Gail answered, "You are at General Hospital.  You were in a terrible accident 
and suffered a head injury.  Ever since, you have been in a coma which has 
lasted for months."

Katherine rubbed the right side of her forehead as she spoke, "I don't remember 
being in any accident."

Tony did not really want to go into details about the parapet accident.  
Therefore, he decided to change the subject. "Katherine, I think it would be 
best if I asked you some questions so that I can determine the extent of your 
injuries.  First of all, can you tell us your last name?  Do you remember?"  
Tony asked this as he held her medical chart in his hands ready to take notes.

For a few moments, Katherine thought to herself and then she spoke, "My name is… 
My name is Katherine Crawford."  Tony and Gail just looked at each other with 
concern because of her response.

The look on their faces told Katherine that her answer was wrong. Katherine 
began to think to herself again.  No, she thought to herself.  Crawford was the 
name she used when she first came to Port Charles.  Crawford was not her last 
name. "No… No… my last name is Bell, not Crawford.  My name is Katherine Bell.  
I remember now."

"Good Katherine," Gail answered.  "You are doing just fine. There is another 
question that we need to ask you.  You have been asking to see Damian Smith.  Do 
you think that is really possible?"

Katherine once again began to think to herself. She thought of the first time 
she had ever met Damian.  At one time in her life, she had loved the man or at 
least believed she had.  However, he had had a wandering eye for other women, 
namely Lucy Coe and Bobbie Spencer.  Then, Katherine recalled to herself how he 
had faked his own death and framed her for his murder.  Later, he really did die 
in the Ward House fire.  Katherine began to shake her head.  "No, it is not… 
Damian is dead."

In an encouraging voice, Tony answered, "Yes he is.  Damian is gone.  I think 
your memory is coming back.  You are just a little fuzzy which is perfectly 
normal in your situation.  We can finish asking questions later.  Right now, you 
really need to have some more tests done so that I can make a new assessment of 
your head injury.  Do you think you are up for that?"

The thought of undergoing tests did not appeal to Katherine, but she was too 
tired to argue so she just nodded her head.

"Good.  I will go down to radiology and get the CAT Scan and MRI ready."  With 
that, Tony left.  Gail stayed behind in order to comfort Katherine.

Katherine turned her head towards Gail and spoke, "I need to ask you a question.  
Before, when I woke up, there was a man sitting here, and we were all alone.  He 
got me a drink of water, and we talked for a bit.  Then, he left.  Who was that 
man?  Do you know his name?  Do I know him?"