The Antarctic Empire

6. Recovery

Beep.

Tommy, can you hear me?

Beep.

Please, wake up.

Beep.

Stupid gremlin child.

Beep.

I need you.

Beep.

Unca' Tommy?

Beep.

Wake up, sweetheart.

Beep.

Son. Wake up.

The voices had been going for days.

In between the monotonous beeping, there was always talking.

Sometimes he could make out what they were saying.

Sometimes he couldn't.

Always a different voice.

But he knew, somehow, he knew he needed to wake up.

The question was, how.

~•~

Tubbo yawned as he leaned on the side of the hospital bed. He hadn't left the hospital wing since Tommy had been admitted. Had only left the room once or twice to eat.

Everyone was worried. He had finally formally met the royal family. Wilbur seemed harmless enough, even with all of the stories that Tommy had told him, and the time he had witnessed the explosion of anger between the two. Techno seemed nice, worried and strict, but nice. Phil had come home early, and he seemed alright enough.

But here he was, alone in the hospital room. Tommy didn't look like himself, wires running all over his body, oxygen mask sitting on his nose and mouth. Parts of his body were covered in fluffy white gauze, the burns had been bad. His ankle was wrapped up in a cast, he broke it during the fall.

The doctors said he was lucky that was all he had broken.

Tubbo grabbed Tommy's hand and sighed, standing up next to him. He brushed his fingers through the boys hair, still dark with ash.

"Come on, Tommy." Tubbo whispered. "You have to wake up." He had been trying this once a day for the past week.

One of Tommy's fingers moved. Or, at least, Tubbo thought so. It felt like it.

"Tommy, Tommy, squeeze my hand if you can hear me." He said quietly, staring down at their joined hands. Tommy's fingers tightened for a moment, then relaxed again. Tubbo laughed and looked behind him, half expecting to see the royal family in all of their glory.

Instead, nurses and doctors rushed past the room.

"Tommy, squeeze my hand if Wilbur is a bitch." Tubbo whispered. Tommy squeezed his hand, hard. And didn't let go. Tubbo laughed again. His best friend was finally waking up.

"Tommy, open your eyes." He said after a moment.

Slowly, slowly, Tommy's eyes began to flutter.

"That's it. Come on, Toms, you can do it." Tubbo whispered, a stray tear slipping down his face.

And then blue eyes met brown ones.

Tubbo was silent as Tommy stared up at his friend.

"Hi Tubbo." Tommy said quietly, voice cracking. His throat felt incredibly dry.

"I'll get the nurse, hang on Tommy." Tubbo said, letting go of his hand and running out to the hallway, calling that Tommy had woken up.

Soon the room was full of nurses and doctors catering to Tommy's needs. Well, what did you expect for the Crowned Prince?

Tubbo was just happy his friend was alive.

~•~

Tommy was basically always tired for the next few days. Sally had come to visit a few times, but other than that it was just him and Tubbo.

He slept for hours, and when he was awake, it was all just pain.

"Tommy." He heard. He slowly opened his eyes to see who had woken him up. He squinted against the lights. Standing there, in all his royal glory, was his father.

"Thank god, Tommy." He said quietly, rushing forward. Tommy realized only when he hugged him that his father wasn't in his usual suit. He was much more casual.

"Hi dad." He whispered, his mouth dry. His father held him close, one hand on his back and the other in his hair. It felt nice.

"Tommy, thank god you're okay." He said softly. Tommy felt something wet fall to his shoulder.

"Dad? Are you crying?" He asked. He dad pulled away, wiping away the few tears that had slipped s down his face.

"Sorry, Toms." He laughed and pulled up a chair. "I was just so worried."

"You were?"

"Of course." He grabbed his sons hand. "I'm sorry I've been distant." He added after a moment. "I know this hasn't been easy for you, especially after your mom..." he trailed off.

"Dad, it's okay."

"No, no it's not." His father shook his head. "But I'm going to do better, Tommy, I promise. For you and Wilbur and Techno. For Fundy and Sally. For everyone, I'm going to be better." He looked serious, as he promised his son. "I'm going to be your father."

Tommy felt a smile leap onto his face. "That's all I wanted." He whispered.

~•~

After a week, he had been cleared to leave. The doctors handed him crutches as he finally got dressed. His dad allowed him to wear comfortable clothes for once, sweatpants and a tshirt.

The whole family was there to help him out, the first time that they had all been together since his father left for the business trip.

The hospital room was crowded, to say the least.

As soon as the doors to the hospital opened, they were surrounded in paparazzi. Phil quickly stepped in front of Tommy, with his brothers on either side, and Sally behind. Wilbur held Fundy in his arms, closer to Tommy than the outside.

They slowly made their way towards the car that was waiting, with reporters yelling and sticking microphones in their faces the whole time.

At one point, a reporter shoved Sally a little too hard for Tommys liking.

"Hey!" He yelled, stopping. "You don't touch her." He scowled.

"Tommy, it's fine."

"No. Don't touch her, you hear me?" He glared at the reporter until Techno grabbed his arm and pulled him along.

They finally, finally, made it to the car. His older brother helped him into the car, getting in right after him. Where Techno would usually sit up front, he was now right next to him.

Tommy looked at him, confused.

"What?" The older seemed to sense it, "I missed you, jerk." Tommy rolled his eyes and laughed.