Still, even as you thought this, the shock of seeing your Auntie's face, peacefully sleeping on the bed was almost too much to take. She was dead. Your Auntie Joan was dead. And Randall was now inside her body... It just... it just seemed so impossible!
Although more than anything, you wanted to believe that this was untrue, that what the doctors were just telling you was some crazy story, or practical joke they'd both dreamed up, but you couldn't. The proof was right there in front of you. Your Aunt Joan, your mother's younger sister and one of the coolest women you knew, was laying right there in front of your eyes.
"Your Auntie, it appears..." Kerry then went on to explain, "...had a small blood clot in her brain that ruptured, causing an aneurysm, when the truck collided with your van. Medically speaking there was nothing we could do for her once she was brought in, other than keep her body alive. Her brain no longer functioned. Or at least it hadn't. Not until, in a last ditch effort to save your friend, we transplanted a small portion of his brain onto hers."
"We realize how hard this must be for you. But you have to understand, this was our only option. There was just no time to wait for a more suitable candidate. If not for the surgery, both of them would have died."
You were still barely listening however, and instead just staring at your Auntie's body. The realization that she was now gone finally hitting you. "Oh God..." you whimpered, trying to fight back the tears, but failing miserably. You couldn't believe she was actually dead, never mind all the rest of it. Your Aunt Joan having been a constant in your life for as far back as you could remember.
Giving you a moment, Dr. Kerry stepped back, while Saunders continued to try and comfort you, rubbing gently at your arm, repeating again "we really are truly sorry." You never imagined anything like this could ever happen to you or your family, and especially not Joan. She had always been so kind and funny and cool, having an infectious personality that caused you to light up whenever she visited. Knowing now that you would never be able to speak to her again, or listen to her gently poke fun at you (as she always seemed to do) was just too horrible for words. You'd barely even known her 16 years, and now you'd would never see her again... at least not as herself.
Wiping away the tears from your cheeks, you heard Kerry then start up again. This time a little more softly than he usually spoke. "Apart from the blood clot, your Aunt Joan was a perfectly fit and healthy woman, and her injuries really were minimal." It certainly did seem that way (at least from what you could see), apart from the surgical dressing that was visible beneath her short dark hair, you really couldn't see any other signs of trauma. Her face looked just as pretty and untouched as it had done when you'd all piled into your father's van. And there were no casts or anything else to be seen anywhere else on her body. "It should really only be a matter of days before your friend is awake and walking again."
"Walking again?" you questioned, looking back up at Kerry, recalling what he'd said earlier about him having to live out her life. It really making no sense at all. "So he's just gonna what... carry on in that body like everything is normal?"
"It's not ideal we know, but there really is no other option," Saunders then told you, trying to help you understand, sounding a little flustered now. "This procedure we used, it was... it was state of the art. Brand new. So much so in fact that it... well it..."
Taking over again from his colleague, Dr. Saunder's clearly having difficulty explaining, Kerry then continued, "...It hasn't been officially sanctioned by either the hospital or the medical board. Technically, we weren't supposed to even try it. If wind of any of this gets out, well it won't just be our jobs on the line, but Randall's very existence." There was no sugar coating now, Dr. Kerry giving you the hard facts, as you sat there in shock, listening to all of this. "Think about it, the media attention, press attention, not to mention legal ramifications of your best friend now being in your Aunt's body would be overwhelming. He wouldn't even be able to step outside without getting hounded. Surely you wouldn't want that for your friend."
"No. No of course not." you said, that being the last thing you wanted Randall to have to go through. There still however being something deeply unsettling about all of this. "It's just... Isn't there any other way?"
"If there was, don't you think we would have tried it? Now as we said before, both your parents and Randall's have agreed its for the best. I wish it could be any other way, but this truly is the only way to protect your friend. For him to continue on as if he really was Joan Burton."
You knew what he was saying was true, there being no way Randall would be able to survive out there under a media spotlight that would no doubt label him a freak, inhabiting the body of a dead woman. Still, you couldn't help but feel angry that it had to be this way, that things couldn't be like they were. If only this stupid accident hadn't happened in the first place...
It had though and you were going to have to live with it, as Dr. Saunders rather more gently explained, kneeling down to face you now. "I know it might seem unfair and be difficult to grasp right now, but I promise you, Tim, it really is for everyone's benefit. No one can know that this procedure took place here. As far as this hospital and everyone in it is concerned - officially - Randall Davis is dead."
"And it will only be for the benefit of others," Kerry added, kneeling down as well. "You and your family will still all know the truth."
"And what about Randall? How's he supposed to live like that? As someone else?"
"It will be difficult," Saunders agreed, nodding his head as he stared intently into your eyes, "But that is why he will need you by his side. To help him get through this. "
Though you were still feeling overwhelmed by everything that had happened. Devastated by the death of your favorite Aunt. Confused and bewildered by the fact that they actually expected you all to keep quiet and pretend like everything was normal when it so clearly wasn't. Angry that any of this had to happen in the first place, that the driver of the truck had plowed into your car. Looking now at Dr. Saunder's face, and the sincerity and empathy his weathered features wore, he was right. Randall would need you now more than ever. He hadn't asked for any of this. How was he going to feel once he woke up to discover all this? You had to be strong for him. You had to...
Announcing then, "Alright. I think that's enough excitement for one day." Kerry told you that, "You still need to rest, Tim. So lets get you back to your room for now and then perhaps later we can bring the rest of your family in to see you. Okay?"
Nodding your head, feeling admittedly rather more worn out now than you had done before after all of these crazy revelations, the two doctors then escorted you back to your room, helping you into bed. Once there, Saunders then told you that he would explain everything more thoroughly once you had awoken and had a chance to discuss things with your family, briefly mentioning papers that would need to be signed and arrangements that would have to be made with Randall's parents. Kerry meanwhile, re-attached the IV tube that had previously been in your arm and injected something into it, telling you that it was "just something to help you sleep".
You felt the effects almost immediately, and in no time at all you were drifting off, your final thoughts before you did being exclusively focused on both Randall and your Auntie Joan...
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