All That Is Gone and Left Behind [3b/??]
anonymous
April 29 2012, 07:17:09 UTC
The doctor’s smile gained understanding warmth as he took a seat next to Al’s bed. “Why don’t we talk some more about these dreams-are these all reoccurring images, or do they change?”
Al considered his doctor for a moment before nodding; aside for interrupting to ask a question or two, the doctor let Al vent for some time about the dreams that had been haunting him, until Al found himself explaining less and listening to the doctor more. After a question or two about his previous service working in the Air Force in the Amazon jungle, the doctor stood up from his chair and gave his shoulder a comforting pat.
The doctor explained he wanted to do more tests-Al groaned here, earning a chuckle-mostly to make sure there was nothing wrong inside his brain. Grumbling mostly to himself, Al glared at the wall as the doctor left, wondering if he would still be stuck there if he had kept his mouth shut.
He didn’t have long to brood in his thoughts as the door banged open once more and his children quickly scurried back in. Outside the door, Emily had stopped to talk to the doctor; Al assumed he was explaining that Al would have to stay for more tests.
“You done talking to the doctors now, Daddy?” Aaron asked, scrambling to climb up onto his bed.
“Probably,” Al shrugged before reaching down and tugging his son upward. When he turned to pick Adrian up, the boy held up a candy bar, one corner badly dented like it had been dropped.
“We got this for you,” he explained, handing the bar over.
Al smiled and set the candy bar aside before pulling his son up. “Thanks, guys. It’ll be really nice to have after I get through my tests tomorrow.”
To Al’s amusement, their reactions were spectacularly theatrical. “What?” Adrian wailed, fisting his hands into the scratchy hospital gown.
“More tests!” Aaron repeated, tossing his head back like he would howl. “Daddy, you’re supposed to come home with us!”
“Boys,” Emily hissed as she hurried into the room. “People are trying to rest-don’t scream.”
“Your mother’s right,” Al added, cutting off any protests. Both boys mumbled half hearted apologies before returning their attentions to tugging on Al’s clothes. “I just need to do some more tests tomorrow. Once they’re done, and if my tests come back okay, then I’ll come home.”
“But what if they don’t come back alright?” Adrian whimpered, his eyes wide. Whoops; now he’d just worried them more.
Al placed his hands gently on their heads, especially careful not to bump Adrian’s with his brace. “Then I stay here a little longer and the doctors will fix me up. Either way, once I am all fixed up, I’ll come home. Can I count on you boys to be brave and behave for your mother?”
Mollified, the both of them nodded. “Yes, Daddy.”
“Boys,” Emily began, causing all three of them to look up at her. She gave them a wan smile and nodded her head to the door. “I need to talk to your father. Will you do me a favor and sit outside the door for a moment?”
Warily, both boys climbed down off Al’s bed and shuffled out the door. “No running off!” Al called after them as Emily shut the door. He turned his gaze up to his wife’s face as soon as it clicked shut. “You okay?”
She managed a laugh as she walked over to his side. “Am I okay? Al, I found you with your fist through our patio door and you’re asking me if I am okay?”
Al’s smile dimmed and he looked sheepishly away. “Uh. Sorry-guess that was a stupid question.”
For a moment, neither of them said anything; sighing softly, Emily reached out and brushed some hair away from his face, leaving her hand to rest on his cheek. He looked back up to see that her smile looked as tired as he felt. “Al, just do me a favor? Do what the doctors tell you and get some rest. The boys and I can look after ourselves, so just focus on getting better. Will you do that for me, hun?”
Al smiled at her, tugging her hand away to press a kiss to the back of it. “I think I can manage that.”
All That Is Gone and Left Behind [3c/??]
anonymous
April 29 2012, 07:20:50 UTC
“Thank you,” she murmured, bending down so they could share a kiss. A pair of retching noises coming from the door interrupted them; they shared an exasperated smile and one last quick kiss before pulling apart. “We’ll swing by tomorrow afternoon to see how you are. Rest well until then.”
“You take care of yourselves,” he replied quietly.
Emily straightened and turned to the door. “Boys, you can come back in now-time to say goodbye to your father.”
There was a lengthy pause before both boys scurried back in and clamored around Al’s bedside before he and Emily pulled both boys onto the mattress. The minute they were up, they wriggled closer to their father to and clung to his side. “You guys be good, okay? Try not to have too much fun without me.”
“Okay, Daddy,” Aaron answered while Adrian sniffled and nodded.
“Guys,” he began, tugging them back so he could look into their faces. “It’ll be okay-I’ll be okay. And you know what?”
“What?”
“You’ll both be okay.” Their stares were still worried, but all he could do was bit back a sigh and try a smile. “I’ll be coming home soon, so I don’t want to hear that you gave Mommy a hard time. Now, gimme a hug and kiss.”
They gripped his neck hard enough to make it ache and kneed him in the stomach as they tried to reach his face. Biting back a grunt of pain, he pressed a kiss both of their foreheads and gave them one last squeeze before helping them down. With both boys in the room, Al and Emily settled for a short peck of the lips before she and their sons bade him goodbye.
Al waved back to them as Emily led them away; he sighed and fell back against his pillow and tried to get some sleep.
All That Is Gone and Left Behind [3d/??]
anonymous
April 29 2012, 07:22:38 UTC
In spite of the new, unsettling location, Al managed to have a good night’s rest. It left him a little surprised, but grateful nonetheless, even if he did wake to an almost painful itch from his stitches.
A nurse greeted him cheerfully, which he tried to return. After asking about when he could begin his tests-not for a few more hours, to his distaste-he complained about his stitches and asked her to check them. She humored him and started to examine his hand.
After a moment, she frowned.
“What’s wrong?” he asked as she continued to move his hand and manipulate his fingers.
Her lips only thinned. “Don’t worry. I’ll just be getting your doctor now, okay? Only be a minute!” She slipped out the door before he could protest and demand an explanation.
To his surprise, the doctor actually did show up quickly. He gave Al a banal smile as he asked him how he slept and how he felt. As Al muttered his answer, he watched curiously as the doctor examined his hand. “Anything wrong with it? It itches like black flies bit me.”
“I just need to check how it’s healing,” he answered promptly. “But I’m going to open your brace to see, so just try not to wriggle your fingers too much.” After a shrug of consent from Al, his doctor began undoing the Velcro as he returned to speaking. “Itching is actually a good sign, it means it’s healing.”
“I know-I’ve had stitches before-but I’ve never had them start itching so fast,” he complained.
“Perhaps an irritant got-hmm.” The doctor paused as he released Al’s hand from the brace. The bruising that Al had expected was only faint yellow marks, but he couldn’t see the stitches from the position he laid in. The doctor’s fingers brushed uncomfortably close to the sutures and before he could think to stop himself, Al’s curled his fingers to clench into a fist. For a moment he felt the sharp throb from the stitches pulling on the skin; the pain sent a shiver of fear for a popped stitch through him and he caught himself from curling his fingers anymore even as he closed his eyes to brace himself for more pain. The expected wave of pain from his abused hand never came, only a single sharp stab of pain from the stitches.
Both he and the doctor paused; opening his eyes and taking a deep breath, Al raised his hand and gazed down at it.
The stitches were furiously red, but around the wound itself had vanished, leaving only unnecessary thread in the way were his skin tried to grow around it. Around it, the constant ache of the bruised bones in his hand had vanished.
If he hadn’t nearly broken it the day before, he could have sworn it was entirely healed.
The doctor cleared his throat; when Al looked up, his face was pale. “Mr. Jones, I’m afraid I’m going to have to schedule you for some additional tests. I think I know what’s going on with you.”
Re: OP again
anonymous
April 29 2012, 14:27:36 UTC
*claps like a happy seal*
I've been waiting and waiting for this to update! Ahh, it's so amazing!
The Doctor knoooowwwssssss, he knowwwssssssssssssss. (How does he know? Are all hospitals put on alert for fast-healing, nightmare-having potential-nations?) It's awesome!
The family is really cute. Which makes me sad because this isn't going to end well. Also his eyes are eventually going to turn blue, which is a little harder to explain. And super-strength. And dreaming of other nations.
Please update as soon as you can! Words cannot express how much I adore this!
Re: All That Is Gone and Left Behind [3d/??]
anonymous
April 29 2012, 19:21:15 UTC
Back again! OMG! OMG! This is so exciting! I love your writing. And what's going on here. You are keeping me on the edge of my seat. All my love to this fill.
Re: All That Is Gone and Left Behind [3d/??]
anonymous
May 3 2012, 12:38:23 UTC
Gosh, as much as I would like USUK happen I very much am starting to like human!Al's family and I don't want to tear them apart! (seeing as they got their daddy back recently) Those little tykes aren't gonna see their daddy for a while, won't they. Please continue! :(
Al considered his doctor for a moment before nodding; aside for interrupting to ask a question or two, the doctor let Al vent for some time about the dreams that had been haunting him, until Al found himself explaining less and listening to the doctor more. After a question or two about his previous service working in the Air Force in the Amazon jungle, the doctor stood up from his chair and gave his shoulder a comforting pat.
The doctor explained he wanted to do more tests-Al groaned here, earning a chuckle-mostly to make sure there was nothing wrong inside his brain. Grumbling mostly to himself, Al glared at the wall as the doctor left, wondering if he would still be stuck there if he had kept his mouth shut.
He didn’t have long to brood in his thoughts as the door banged open once more and his children quickly scurried back in. Outside the door, Emily had stopped to talk to the doctor; Al assumed he was explaining that Al would have to stay for more tests.
“You done talking to the doctors now, Daddy?” Aaron asked, scrambling to climb up onto his bed.
“Probably,” Al shrugged before reaching down and tugging his son upward. When he turned to pick Adrian up, the boy held up a candy bar, one corner badly dented like it had been dropped.
“We got this for you,” he explained, handing the bar over.
Al smiled and set the candy bar aside before pulling his son up. “Thanks, guys. It’ll be really nice to have after I get through my tests tomorrow.”
To Al’s amusement, their reactions were spectacularly theatrical. “What?” Adrian wailed, fisting his hands into the scratchy hospital gown.
“More tests!” Aaron repeated, tossing his head back like he would howl. “Daddy, you’re supposed to come home with us!”
“Boys,” Emily hissed as she hurried into the room. “People are trying to rest-don’t scream.”
“Your mother’s right,” Al added, cutting off any protests. Both boys mumbled half hearted apologies before returning their attentions to tugging on Al’s clothes. “I just need to do some more tests tomorrow. Once they’re done, and if my tests come back okay, then I’ll come home.”
“But what if they don’t come back alright?” Adrian whimpered, his eyes wide. Whoops; now he’d just worried them more.
Al placed his hands gently on their heads, especially careful not to bump Adrian’s with his brace. “Then I stay here a little longer and the doctors will fix me up. Either way, once I am all fixed up, I’ll come home. Can I count on you boys to be brave and behave for your mother?”
Mollified, the both of them nodded. “Yes, Daddy.”
“Boys,” Emily began, causing all three of them to look up at her. She gave them a wan smile and nodded her head to the door. “I need to talk to your father. Will you do me a favor and sit outside the door for a moment?”
Warily, both boys climbed down off Al’s bed and shuffled out the door. “No running off!” Al called after them as Emily shut the door. He turned his gaze up to his wife’s face as soon as it clicked shut. “You okay?”
She managed a laugh as she walked over to his side. “Am I okay? Al, I found you with your fist through our patio door and you’re asking me if I am okay?”
Al’s smile dimmed and he looked sheepishly away. “Uh. Sorry-guess that was a stupid question.”
For a moment, neither of them said anything; sighing softly, Emily reached out and brushed some hair away from his face, leaving her hand to rest on his cheek. He looked back up to see that her smile looked as tired as he felt. “Al, just do me a favor? Do what the doctors tell you and get some rest. The boys and I can look after ourselves, so just focus on getting better. Will you do that for me, hun?”
Al smiled at her, tugging her hand away to press a kiss to the back of it. “I think I can manage that.”
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“You take care of yourselves,” he replied quietly.
Emily straightened and turned to the door. “Boys, you can come back in now-time to say goodbye to your father.”
There was a lengthy pause before both boys scurried back in and clamored around Al’s bedside before he and Emily pulled both boys onto the mattress. The minute they were up, they wriggled closer to their father to and clung to his side. “You guys be good, okay? Try not to have too much fun without me.”
“Okay, Daddy,” Aaron answered while Adrian sniffled and nodded.
“Guys,” he began, tugging them back so he could look into their faces. “It’ll be okay-I’ll be okay. And you know what?”
“What?”
“You’ll both be okay.” Their stares were still worried, but all he could do was bit back a sigh and try a smile. “I’ll be coming home soon, so I don’t want to hear that you gave Mommy a hard time. Now, gimme a hug and kiss.”
They gripped his neck hard enough to make it ache and kneed him in the stomach as they tried to reach his face. Biting back a grunt of pain, he pressed a kiss both of their foreheads and gave them one last squeeze before helping them down. With both boys in the room, Al and Emily settled for a short peck of the lips before she and their sons bade him goodbye.
Al waved back to them as Emily led them away; he sighed and fell back against his pillow and tried to get some sleep.
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A nurse greeted him cheerfully, which he tried to return. After asking about when he could begin his tests-not for a few more hours, to his distaste-he complained about his stitches and asked her to check them. She humored him and started to examine his hand.
After a moment, she frowned.
“What’s wrong?” he asked as she continued to move his hand and manipulate his fingers.
Her lips only thinned. “Don’t worry. I’ll just be getting your doctor now, okay? Only be a minute!” She slipped out the door before he could protest and demand an explanation.
To his surprise, the doctor actually did show up quickly. He gave Al a banal smile as he asked him how he slept and how he felt. As Al muttered his answer, he watched curiously as the doctor examined his hand. “Anything wrong with it? It itches like black flies bit me.”
“I just need to check how it’s healing,” he answered promptly. “But I’m going to open your brace to see, so just try not to wriggle your fingers too much.” After a shrug of consent from Al, his doctor began undoing the Velcro as he returned to speaking. “Itching is actually a good sign, it means it’s healing.”
“I know-I’ve had stitches before-but I’ve never had them start itching so fast,” he complained.
“Perhaps an irritant got-hmm.” The doctor paused as he released Al’s hand from the brace. The bruising that Al had expected was only faint yellow marks, but he couldn’t see the stitches from the position he laid in. The doctor’s fingers brushed uncomfortably close to the sutures and before he could think to stop himself, Al’s curled his fingers to clench into a fist. For a moment he felt the sharp throb from the stitches pulling on the skin; the pain sent a shiver of fear for a popped stitch through him and he caught himself from curling his fingers anymore even as he closed his eyes to brace himself for more pain. The expected wave of pain from his abused hand never came, only a single sharp stab of pain from the stitches.
Both he and the doctor paused; opening his eyes and taking a deep breath, Al raised his hand and gazed down at it.
The stitches were furiously red, but around the wound itself had vanished, leaving only unnecessary thread in the way were his skin tried to grow around it. Around it, the constant ache of the bruised bones in his hand had vanished.
If he hadn’t nearly broken it the day before, he could have sworn it was entirely healed.
The doctor cleared his throat; when Al looked up, his face was pale. “Mr. Jones, I’m afraid I’m going to have to schedule you for some additional tests. I think I know what’s going on with you.”
Reply
I've been waiting and waiting for this to update! Ahh, it's so amazing!
The Doctor knoooowwwssssss, he knowwwssssssssssssss. (How does he know? Are all hospitals put on alert for fast-healing, nightmare-having potential-nations?) It's awesome!
The family is really cute. Which makes me sad because this isn't going to end well. Also his eyes are eventually going to turn blue, which is a little harder to explain. And super-strength. And dreaming of other nations.
Please update as soon as you can! Words cannot express how much I adore this!
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SO GOOD
MORE PLEASE
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