just_muse_me | 13.3.6. It could have gone either way...
13.3.6. It could have gone either way...
[Follows THIS]
Sore. That was the first thought Chase’s brain formed. He didn’t even exactly know what was sore, just that something was and it wasn’t a small sore, either. That meant something wasn’t right. Maybe he was dead? But wasn’t the sore supposed to stop with the dead? Okay, whatever ride this was, he wanted off now.
A small moan caught in his throat around a pained gasp and he worked on getting his eyes open, even if it felt like his head would explode just from that small movement. He curled his fingers just a little and felt something soft underneath them. Cotton or something. Was he in a bed? It seemed to take ages for him to regain his consciousness to not only his body but his surroundings. It was like a process of swimming through water against the tide amidst a storm. The pain continued to thrum through him but he managed to get his eyes open just a little to try and see what the hell was going on. Was that a tube up his nose? Oh fuck, surely he wasn’t in hospital? He hated being a fucking patient!
Rogue. Where was Rogue? If he was hurt, was she hurt too?! “Marie…” he managed to croak out, but his eyes weren’t cooperating. They wouldn’t open any further than just small cracks and his whole body felt like it was weighed down by wet sheets.
“Robert,” a firm but calm voice soon filtered into his brain. Yes, that was his name, wasn’t it? And he recognised that voice from somewhere. Was the voice making the pain or was the pain making the voice? “Robert, it’s Riley. Can you squeeze my hand for me?”
Riley tucked his fingers in under Chase’s palm, leaning carefully over him to make sure there wasn’t about to be any seizures. He felt a soft squeeze in return and nodded. “That’s good, mate,” he coaxed softly and took his penlight from his pocket to check Chase’s pupils. “Can you tell me your full name, Robert?” he requested, speaking evenly and clearly. Not even an hour ago, Chase wasn’t in v-fib and flat-lining and now he was waking up. Stranger things had happened, for sure, but Riley wanted to be certain Chase was okay despite rousing. Especially considering the unusual circumstances surrounding him even being in a coma in the first place.
“Robert… Chase,” Chase said in a rough whisper, only just able to lay his eyes on Riley and somewhat focus on him. “Lewis... Robert Lewis Chase… Am I in the ER?”
Riley was already wrapping the sphygmometer cuff around Chase’s arm to check his blood pressure. He unhooked his stethoscope from around his neck and shook his head. “No, mate. This is the ICU. Do you remember? I was seconded her after my leave,” he said, choosing his words carefully. First thing he needed to try and establish was if Chase had any amnesia. The ER comment could indicate that possibility. He put the stethoscope in his ears and started to pump up the spyhg. He also was well aware Chase could mention the HIV at any turn due to his disorientation, but it was a risk Riley had to take. Very few people knew Riley’s confirmed diagnosis. It was neatly engraved on the MedicAlert bracelet he had worn since he returned to work but he had chosen not to actually announce to everyone that he was HIV Positive after much talk with both his boss and his therapist. It might be nightshift, but Riley still had a team of nurses and a couple of student doctors in the room with him in case Chase crashed again.
“Oh… oh right…” Chase mumbled, closing his eyes again to try and ward off the dragging lethargy. “Yeah, sorry. I remember. You were here when Tara was admitted after the baby…” He trailed off and opened his eyes a little again, needing to try and make some sense of all this. What the hell was wrong with him? “Marie… is she hurt? Is the baby…?”
Riley put his hand gently over Chase’s. “She’s fine and your daughter’s fine, mate. A nurse just called her and she’s on her way. You took a bit of a turn a little earlier, so we called her up to be with you.” He glanced behind him, briefly taking in who was listening and who wasn’t before he turned back to Chase. He once again had to select his wording carefully and in this environment, med speak was probably best. “Marie’s… condition has exacerbated with the pregnancy. We think the… stress of that might have contributed to your illness…” He held Chase’s eye contact intently, desperately hoping what he was saying was conveying the message.
Chase’s eyes opened a little wider at this and he stared at Riley in shock. The heart monitor started to beep faster as a panic began to set in and he was soon swarmed by more staff. “H-How long was I out?” he said hoarsely.
“Nearly two weeks,” Riley confirmed. “You need to try and stay calm for me, Rob. She’s on her way, okay? I promise you that they are both fine. I promise.” He looked up at one of the nurses. “Can we have a nurse meet Mrs Chase at the ICU entrance please? I don’t want her delayed in being let in. Thanks,” he requested. The nurse nodded and left without question.
Chase gripped Riley’s hand weakly. “Swear to me. Swear to me they’re okay,” he begged.
“I swear on my godson’s life,” Riley promised firmly.
Chase [chasemd] and Riley [pullmysteth] are both mine, so no permission needed. Rogue [justalilcontact] and Tara [doctortara] referenced with permission
Word Count | 933
[Follows THIS]
Sore. That was the first thought Chase’s brain formed. He didn’t even exactly know what was sore, just that something was and it wasn’t a small sore, either. That meant something wasn’t right. Maybe he was dead? But wasn’t the sore supposed to stop with the dead? Okay, whatever ride this was, he wanted off now.
A small moan caught in his throat around a pained gasp and he worked on getting his eyes open, even if it felt like his head would explode just from that small movement. He curled his fingers just a little and felt something soft underneath them. Cotton or something. Was he in a bed? It seemed to take ages for him to regain his consciousness to not only his body but his surroundings. It was like a process of swimming through water against the tide amidst a storm. The pain continued to thrum through him but he managed to get his eyes open just a little to try and see what the hell was going on. Was that a tube up his nose? Oh fuck, surely he wasn’t in hospital? He hated being a fucking patient!
Rogue. Where was Rogue? If he was hurt, was she hurt too?! “Marie…” he managed to croak out, but his eyes weren’t cooperating. They wouldn’t open any further than just small cracks and his whole body felt like it was weighed down by wet sheets.
“Robert,” a firm but calm voice soon filtered into his brain. Yes, that was his name, wasn’t it? And he recognised that voice from somewhere. Was the voice making the pain or was the pain making the voice? “Robert, it’s Riley. Can you squeeze my hand for me?”
Riley tucked his fingers in under Chase’s palm, leaning carefully over him to make sure there wasn’t about to be any seizures. He felt a soft squeeze in return and nodded. “That’s good, mate,” he coaxed softly and took his penlight from his pocket to check Chase’s pupils. “Can you tell me your full name, Robert?” he requested, speaking evenly and clearly. Not even an hour ago, Chase wasn’t in v-fib and flat-lining and now he was waking up. Stranger things had happened, for sure, but Riley wanted to be certain Chase was okay despite rousing. Especially considering the unusual circumstances surrounding him even being in a coma in the first place.
“Robert… Chase,” Chase said in a rough whisper, only just able to lay his eyes on Riley and somewhat focus on him. “Lewis... Robert Lewis Chase… Am I in the ER?”
Riley was already wrapping the sphygmometer cuff around Chase’s arm to check his blood pressure. He unhooked his stethoscope from around his neck and shook his head. “No, mate. This is the ICU. Do you remember? I was seconded her after my leave,” he said, choosing his words carefully. First thing he needed to try and establish was if Chase had any amnesia. The ER comment could indicate that possibility. He put the stethoscope in his ears and started to pump up the spyhg. He also was well aware Chase could mention the HIV at any turn due to his disorientation, but it was a risk Riley had to take. Very few people knew Riley’s confirmed diagnosis. It was neatly engraved on the MedicAlert bracelet he had worn since he returned to work but he had chosen not to actually announce to everyone that he was HIV Positive after much talk with both his boss and his therapist. It might be nightshift, but Riley still had a team of nurses and a couple of student doctors in the room with him in case Chase crashed again.
“Oh… oh right…” Chase mumbled, closing his eyes again to try and ward off the dragging lethargy. “Yeah, sorry. I remember. You were here when Tara was admitted after the baby…” He trailed off and opened his eyes a little again, needing to try and make some sense of all this. What the hell was wrong with him? “Marie… is she hurt? Is the baby…?”
Riley put his hand gently over Chase’s. “She’s fine and your daughter’s fine, mate. A nurse just called her and she’s on her way. You took a bit of a turn a little earlier, so we called her up to be with you.” He glanced behind him, briefly taking in who was listening and who wasn’t before he turned back to Chase. He once again had to select his wording carefully and in this environment, med speak was probably best. “Marie’s… condition has exacerbated with the pregnancy. We think the… stress of that might have contributed to your illness…” He held Chase’s eye contact intently, desperately hoping what he was saying was conveying the message.
Chase’s eyes opened a little wider at this and he stared at Riley in shock. The heart monitor started to beep faster as a panic began to set in and he was soon swarmed by more staff. “H-How long was I out?” he said hoarsely.
“Nearly two weeks,” Riley confirmed. “You need to try and stay calm for me, Rob. She’s on her way, okay? I promise you that they are both fine. I promise.” He looked up at one of the nurses. “Can we have a nurse meet Mrs Chase at the ICU entrance please? I don’t want her delayed in being let in. Thanks,” he requested. The nurse nodded and left without question.
Chase gripped Riley’s hand weakly. “Swear to me. Swear to me they’re okay,” he begged.
“I swear on my godson’s life,” Riley promised firmly.
Chase [chasemd] and Riley [pullmysteth] are both mine, so no permission needed. Rogue [justalilcontact] and Tara [doctortara] referenced with permission
Word Count | 933