A Miserable Billy Visits Colt again...
Disclaimer: The characters of Billy Collins, Michael Dorset, Casey Malick, Rick Martinez, HJ Higgins, Adele Ferrer, and Fay Carson are not mine and are the property of Chaos, Rat Productions, 20th Century Fox and CBS Television. This is speculative and fan fiction for the purposes of entertainment of Live Journal members only, and I am not receiving any compensation or consideration for this work. All plot situations and additional characters are mine and purely fictional; any resemblance to any real person, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Word Count: 2240
Rating: PG
Summary: Colt remains unconscious while Billy recovers from his cold...except for a brief moment. Billy realizes that Colt is facing a long, painful recovery.
When Jack woke the next morning, Billy was still asleep. He headed for the mess hall, quickly ate breakfast, and brought back breakfast for Billy. When he opened the door, Billy sniffled and pushed himself up on one elbow. Jack smiled, “Guess you got that cold, after all.” Billy sniffled again and nodded. “Eat it all, son, and drink down the orange juice,” Jack said, handing him a tray. Billy sneezed and asked, “Where’s the bathroom?” “Showers and bathroom are to the left,” Jack said, handing him the juice, “Drink this first, son.” Billy gulped it down and sleepily headed down the hallway.
Jack walked to the nurse’s station and found Judy still there. “Been here all night?” Jack asked, handing her a cup of coffee. She shook her head, “Joe and I caught some sleep in a vacant room. Nurse Brown knew where I was if you needed me.” “I think Billy’s got a cold,” Jack said. Judy smiled, “I’m not surprised. The signs were all there. I’ll talk to Dr. Gaston about putting you both in a spare hospital room.” “He’s cleaning up. How’s Colt?” Jack asked. “No change…still unconscious. Her vital signs are good. Right now, we just wait until she wakes up,” Judy said, handing Jack a box of tissues and hand sanitizer, “Make sure Billy uses the hand sanitizer regularly, especially after blowing his nose or coughing.”
Jack nodded. Billy was returning to the room when he arrived, cleaned up, and clearly miserable with his cold. Jack handed him the tissues and hand sanitizer, passing along Judy’s instructions. Billy sniffled and nodded. He absentmindedly ate his breakfast under Jack’s watchful eye.
Judy knocked and entered at Jack’s call to come in. She smiled, “We’re moving you both to a spare hospital room. That room will be assigned to Colt when she’s ready to be moved.” Billy looked up, “Why? I’m OK…it’s just a cold.” He sneezed, blew his nose, and spritzed his hands with hand sanitizer. Judy smiled, “Staff uses this room, Billy. Do you want the rest of us catching your cold?” Billy shook his head.
Jack stood, “Get dressed, son. I’ll meet you outside.” Billy looked at Judy, “How’s Colt?” “Unchanged, Billy. Her vitals are strong. Now, get dressed,” Judy replied, closing the door after Jack. Billy pulled on his trousers, shirt, socks, and shoes and met them outside. When they arrived at the room, he settled on the bed and closed his eyes while Judy checked his temperature. “Your temperature is a bit low this morning, Billy. Are you feeling cold?” “A bit…not too bad,” he answered.
Later that morning, Millie brought more clothes and fixed Billy a spicy, strong tea. “Drink this, dear. It will help the cold,” she said. Billy started to protest and changed his mind when he saw the look on her face. He sipped the tea between coughs and sneezes. Dr. Gaston arrived and checked Billy over. “It’s a cold, all right…a pretty bad one. Millie, you know what to do. Son, no visit with Colt today, unless she wakes up. Then, I want you in sterile gear, gloves, and a mask.”
Billy nodded, “Is it normal for her to be out this long?” Dr. Gaston nodded, “One or two days is fairly typical with her head injuries. It could go three to five days. Her vitals are strong, and some swelling is starting to go down…all good signs. Right now, my orders are for you…get rest, fluids, and eat. That’s the only thing that helps a cold.” Billy sniffled and nodded. Gaston handed him the hand sanitizer, and Billy dutifully spritzed his hands.
Gaston looked at Millie and Jack and chuckled with a shake of his head. Billy leaned back in the bed, thoroughly miserable with the cold and all the tea and juice Millie made him drink. Around lunch time, he dozed off, and Jack covered him with a thick blanket from the other bed. As Billy snuggled under the blanket, Millie smiled, “What happened, Jack?” “Mission took a bad turn,” Jack said. Millie sighed, “I don’t really want to know any more than that. I thought this new set-up would be safer.”
Jack sat next to her, “With this particular mission, Colt had to take the lead in the field. It was the only way to succeed.” Millie sighed angrily, “Was it worth this?” Jack nodded, “Yes, dear. It was. Otherwise, Billy and Colt might be in danger or face another few years apart like they did before.” Millie said, “I don’t like the work any of you do.” Jack rubbed her back, “Or do you not like us doing it?” Millie nodded, “Yes. I know your work helps keep the world safe, but it’s really hard to bear…the worry, the injuries, the threat of death.” Jack nodded, “I know, honey. But the odds of Colt or Billy facing a dangerous field situation like that are significantly reduced with this mission.”
Millie looked at a sleeping Billy. “Dear, I don’t think either of them can take much more of this.” Jack nodded, “I know, honey. But they’ll be fine.” Judy stuck her head in the door, “Joe’s stopping by an Italian place and offered to bring you something. This is not one of the mess hall’s better lunch days.” Millie and Jack ordered, and when Joe arrived with their lunches, Billy stirred and opened his eyes, sniffling miserably.
Joe grinned, “I heard you had a cold…sounds pretty bad.” Billy pulled the covers more tightly around him and nodded and sniffled, “Id is.” Joe grinned, “You’ll live. How’s Colt?” “Doh change,” Billy sniffled. Millie fixed him some spice tea with lemon. Billy groaned and shook his head. Joe and Jack chuckled as she lifted Billy’s chin and looked at him sternly, “Billy…drink this.” Billy sighed and sulkily drank the tea.
Judy entered the room bearing a large bowl of soup and wheeled a tray in front of Billy. Billy looked at her miserably, “I’mb sloshing…can I have sombe solid food?” Judy smiled as he sniffled, “Maybe tonight. Fluids help flush out the virus.” They heard Billy mutter, “Id’s a conspiracy” as he took his first spoonful of soup. Joe whispered, “He’s pretty cranky today.” Billy overheard him, “You try feeling bad and getting odly juice, soup, and tea.”
Jack stood and walked to Billy’s side, “Enough, son. I think this is more about Colt than your cold.” Billy sighed and nodded. “I canb’t be with her with this code.” Jack looked at Millie and nodded toward the door. She nudged Joe, and they left. Jack said, “Eat up, son. Then, we’ll talk.” Billy finished his soup, coughed and blew his nose, and waited as Jack pulled the tray away.
“Still mad at me, son?” Billy looked at him, puzzled. “The mission, son,” Jack said. Billy lowered his eyes and shook his head, “Dnot adymore. I wanbt to be wid Colt. She’ll wake up alonbe.” “It meant a lot to you to wake up with her there when you were hurt?” Jack asked. Billy nodded. Jack smiled, “Son, you look pale, tired, and sick right now. I think Colt would worry less about you if you rested and got over this. I think it would be better for her to see you healthier than you are now.” Billy sighed and wiped his red nose.
What little control Billy had gave way, and Jack consoled him as he released the months of pent-up tension and worry he’d been holding in. When Billy had calmed down, Jack wiped his face and eased him back on the pillows, pulling the covers up around him, “Get some sleep, son. If anything changes with Colt, we’ll wake you.” Billy curled up under the blankets and eventually dozed off. Jack left the room to find Millie and Joe sitting on a bench a few feet away. “Is he OK?” Joe asked. Jack nodded, “He feels pretty miserable and is worried about Colt…it’s all catching up with him.”
“Isn’t there something Dr. Gaston can do to make him feel better?” Millie asked. “Honey, we’ll ask him again, but remember, he said what you were doing for him was best,” Jack said putting his arm around her. She stood, “How is he?” “Napping,” Jack said. Dr. Gaston stopped by later, “I hear Billy wasn’t feeling well earlier?” Millie smiled, “He was cranky. Jack talked with him, and he’s still napping.” “Colt’s still unconscious. Her vitals are steady and strong,” Gaston said.
Billy stirred and opened his eyes. Dr. Gaston looked at him, “Not feeling well?” Billy sighed, “A bit better. Tired of soup, juice, and tea.” Gaston touched his forehead, “Well, you feel more normal. Jack, Millie, give us a few minutes and send Judy in?” Gaston examined Billy. “You’re congested, but no fever. Your temperature is normal…no problems there. Believe it or not, Millie’s program is doing some good.” Billy sighed, “How’s Colt?” “Vitals are steady and strong…swelling is going down. She’s not awake yet,” Gaston said.
Gaston stood, “Get your clothes on. I’ll take you to see her.” Billy changed and followed Gaston. Judy outfitted him in a sterile gown, gloves, and a mask. To Billy’s eye, Colt looked only slightly improved. Her eyes were still black, and her stitched lip did look a little better. He gently put his hand on top of hers and stroked her hair. He stood there for several minutes silently watching her.
Gaston touched his shoulder, “Time to get back to your room, Billy. We’ll come get you if she shows any signs of waking.” When Billy arrived at his room with Gaston, he climbed in bed and curled up under the covers, saying, “Thanks, John.” Gaston smiled, “I advise you to stick with Millie’s program through today. I think you’ll feel much better tomorrow, Billy.” Billy nodded, “OK, John.”
Millie brought him some tea and orange juice. Billy dutifully drank both and leaned back against the pillows, closing his eyes. After a night of more soup and tea, Billy woke the next morning feeling much better, still congested but better, and his cough was gone. He ate breakfast in the mess hall and stopped by Colt’s room before going home with Millie to spend some time with the twins.
He answered their questions and played with them that afternoon before returning to the hospital. When he entered her room, he sat in a chair watching her closely for signs she was waking. A couple of hours later, she stirred slightly and moaned. Billy quickly pulled his mask up, spritzed his hands with sanitizer, and put his hand on her head. “Honey? You awake?” Colt struggled to open her eyes. “Honey?” Billy asked stroking her hair. He felt Colt’s thumb and forefinger squeeze his hand slightly.
Billy pressed the call button, and Judy came in. Billy said, “She’s waking…she’s trying to wake up, at least.” Gaston arrived as Billy was talking to her, “Honey? Can you open your eyes?” Colt moaned and her eyes fluttered open about half-way. “Mask?” she mumbled painfully. “Cold,” he said. “How long out?” “A little over two days, honey,” he replied. She closed her eyes and groaned as Dr. Gaston leaned over her. “In pain, Colt?” he asked. She nodded painfully, groaning again. “Colt, you’ve got a concussion…I can only give you enough to take the edge off. Billy can stay with you for a while longer,” Gaston said.
Gaston pressed the button on the box by her bed, saying, “Billy, you can stay with her until she falls asleep.” Billy continued stroking her hair and speaking to her in soothing tones until she fell asleep. He left the room to find Dr. Gaston at the nurse’s station. “When she starting regaining consciousness, what happened?” Gaston asked and wrote notes as Billy reported, “She stirred a bit and moaned. When I put my hand on hers, she squeezed a little with her thumb and forefinger. I rang for Judy, and then, you came in.”
Gaston smiled, “Good signs. Billy, she’s going to be in a lot of pain for quite a while yet. Until I’m confident she’s recovered from the concussion, I can’t give her too much pain medication. Billy, you need to take care of yourself so you can help her through this.” Billy nodded as he pulled off his sterile garb. He grabbed a tissue from Judy’s desk and sneezed. Dr. Gaston smiled, “Take it easy for the next couple of hours. Then, we’ll see about another visit.” “OK, John,” Billy said with a sniffle.
Billy headed back to the room. Millie smiled, “Jack’s napping. How’s Colt?” “She came to briefly, Aunt Millie. She’s in a lot of pain, and they can’t give her much pain medication until they’re sure she’s recovered from the concussion,” Billy reported. Millie leaned forward, “She regained consciousness? That’s great!” “For a short time…she was in a lot of pain, Aunt Millie,” Billy said.
Billy rubbed his upper lip and said, “Aunt Millie, John says she’s going to be hurting a lot for a while.” Millie sighed, “She’ll get through, dear. Just remember that last time…don’t hover too much, and like she did with you, encourage her to be as independent as she can be.” Billy yawned and rubbed his eyes. “Guess I’ll take a nap. Would you wake me in a couple of hours, Aunt Millie?” She rubbed his shoulder, “Of course, Billy.”