**Chapter 11: A Glimmer of Hope**

The doctor smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners, as he began to review Ashley's chart. "Well, let's take a closer look at your vitals and see where we are," he said, his voice filled with a sense of optimism. Ashley snorted, rolling her eyes. "Great, because I haven't been poked and prodded enough already," she said, her tone laced with sarcasm. The doctor chuckled, unfazed by Ashley's attitude. "I think we're making progress, though," he said, glancing at Erica. "Why don't we try to assess your cognitive functions?" Erica nodded, and the doctor handed her a set of wooden blocks. "Let's see if you can stack these," he said, his eyes locked on Ashley. The doctor handed the blocks to Ashley, who looked at them with a mixture of curiosity and frustration. She took the blocks, but as she tried to stack them, her hands began to shake. The blocks slipped from her grasp, and they clattered to the floor. Ashley looked at Erica, tears welling up in her eyes. Erica's heart went out to her friend, and she felt a pang of sadness. She reached out to comfort Ashley, but Ashley pulled back, her eyes locked on the doctor. "Will I be able to perform?" Ashley asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "Please, I'll do anything." The doctor's expression softened, and he placed a gentle hand on Ashley's shoulder. "We're going to take this one step at a time, okay?" he said, his voice filled with empathy. "We'll work on your cognitive functions, and we'll get you back on your feet. But for now, let's just focus on taking it one day at a time." Ashley nodded, her eyes still brimming with tears. Erica could see the fear and uncertainty in her friend's eyes, and she knew that this was just the beginning of a long and difficult journey. But for the first time in weeks, Erica felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, Ashley was going to be okay.