Taste of Wolves

Chapter 50

She woke up and sat up quickly making her yelp out in pain which immediately caught Quinn's attention. She looked around wildly not knowing where she was or how she'd gotten there. Calling out for Rane made him grab her arm. Looking over at him she sighed. He helped her lay back in the bed then moved the back of the bed so she was in more of a half-laying, half-sitting position. The nurse came in to check her vitals again before she could say anything to her 'ol man. He just watched the nurse like a hawk who seemed a bit intimidated by his presence. Once she'd taken Wolfie's vitals, she wrote them down in her chart then quickly left the room.

"Lil Bit, I told you about taking deep breaths." Quinn sighed, "Now you have a severe case of pneumonia. They're probably going to have to suction some of the liquid in your lungs out."

"I'm sorry." She looked down at her lap.

"Why didn't you listen to your doctor?" He inquired.

"Breathing hurts. Taking deep breaths hurt even more. I don't like pain." She replied.

"I get that, baby, but you should have listened to your doctor. You've made yourself worse and prolonged your recovery." He chastised her.

"I know." She sighed.

"Do you know how freaked out I was to come home and find you passed out on the floor?" His voice raised slightly.

She still couldn't look at him as he yelled at her. She couldn't take it and had to fight from crying.

"What did happen anyway?"

"I got up to go get me a snack. I was having a lot of trouble breathing. Lots of wheezing and gasping for breaths. Anyways. Halfway to the kitchen, the room started spinning and I got very dizzy. I made it to the kitchen without running into anything but before I made it to the counter, everything just went black." She explained.

"Lil Bit, when the doctor gives you instructions, you're to obey them. Ok?" He exclaimed.

"Ok." She quietly replied making him sigh, "Please don't be mad at me."

"If I'm angry with you, it's just because you really gave me a scare. I care about you. I care about your health and well-being." He gave her hand a squeeze.

Seeing a few silent tears streaking down her cheeks, he stood up so he could wipe them away.

"Look at me, Lil Bit." He commanded and waited for her to comply, "I love you. It's my job to look out for you, to protect you, to make sure you take care of yourself. Not listening to your doctor's instructions isn't doing that. I don't want you in the hospital where I can't sleep next to you. I don't like seeing you hooked up to all these machines."

"I know. I'm sorry." She stated before coughing hard making her groan in pain.

"Take as deep a breath as you can. I know it hurts but you have to start doing this." He instructed.

She tried, wincing in pain as she did, before coughing again. The nurse came in with a wheelchair and stated she was being taken to have some of the fluid removed from her lungs. Aria looked over at Quinn with a frightened look. He promised her she'd be fine and to try and stay relaxed for the staff. She nodded as the nurse unhooked her from all the machines then helped get her into the wheelchair. He sat back down and rubbed his face with his hands. 'Why is she so stubborn sometimes?' he groaned to himself. It was times like this that he hated it but he really did like her stubbornness. It was just part of who she was.

Nearly two hours had gone by and she still wasn't back. He was beginning to get concerned. As he began to pace the room, the door opened up making him whip around. The nurse was wheeling her back in. There was an oxygen tank on the back of the chair and she had an oxygen mask on her face. He watched as the nurse helped her back into her bed, took off the mask then began hooking her back up to all the machines including the oxygen mask from her bed. She took her vitals as Aria laid there looking around. He wondered what all had gone on because she seemed a little off.

"What happened to her?" He questioned the nurse.

"We had to give her something for anxiety. It's made her a little loopy." The nurse replied.

"Something for anxiety? Why?" He asked.

"She was having such trouble breathing it was causing her to be very anxious which was making it hard for her to sit still while the doctor was draining fluid from her lungs. She should be ok in an hour or so." The nurse explained.

"I see." He stated as he moved to take his space next to her bed, "Thanks."

The nurse just nodded before leaving the room with the wheelchair.

"Oh, Lil Bit. I'm sorry you're so anxious." He rubbed his thumb across the back of her hand.

"I love you." She whispered as she closed her eyes.

"I love you too, Aria." He replied.

Shortly after the nurse left, the door squeaked open again. Quinn looked over to see who was coming in and discovered it was just three of his brothers. He was shocked to see Juice and Tig coming to visit. He figured Chibs would be by at some point. He stood up so they could greet one another.

"'ow is she?" Chibs asked.

"They took her down to remove some of the fluid from her lungs. She was just brought back up not too long ago. They had to give her something for anxiety which has made her a little loopy and sleepy. She's got a severe case of pneumonia." He explained to the trio.

"Poor girl." Juice stated, "Is that why they have the oxygen mask on her?"

"Yeah. She's having a lot of trouble breathing right now. Taking the fluid off her lungs should help some, though." Quinn told him.

"Do you know how long she'll be in here?" Tig inquired.

"Not sure yet. Haven't asked, to be honest." Quinn replied as she began to move around in her bed and moaning at the pain.

"Hey there Wolfie! How are you doing, Doll?" Tig asked.

"So hard to breathe." She retorted.

"I bet. You sure gave us a scare, lass." Chibs stated.

She gave him a sad smile before looking up at her 'ol man.

"I've already read her the riot act over not following her doctor's instructions on breathing deeply to keep this from happening." Quinn stated.

"Aye, Wolfie. You need t' listen t' your doctors. They know best." Chibs rubbed her lower leg.

"I know." She sighed.

The group talked about how she was doing and what the doctor had told them so far. She was most likely going to have to stay in the hospital for a few days to make sure the fluid on her lungs begins to go away while they pump her full of antibiotics. She frowned hating being in the hospital but knew she'd done this to herself by not taking those deep breathes like she was told to. What she really hated was knowing Rane would stick by her in the hospital and not be getting any real rest. He'd looked like hell the day they brought her from the hospital after her attack. There was no getting good rest in a hospital for anyone! Tig could see how sick she was and hoped she'd be alright. Especially for his brother's sake.

After a while, Chibs decided they should leave so she could get some rest. Quinn thanked them for dropping by and she waved to all three before they left. The long-haired blond sat back down in his chair and turned his attention back to his 'ol lady. She was getting sleepy so he told her to get some rest because he wasn't going anywhere. Just nodding, she scooted around some to get comfortable then closed her eyes. He wasn't sleepy yet so he turned his attention to the TV and whatever show was playing at the moment. The hair he was in leaned back into a bed so when he began to get sleepy, he leaned his chair back. It wasn't like sleeping in their bed at home but it was something. The buzzing in her room woke him the next morning.

The nurse was checking her vitals and had her in a more sitting than laying position. Aria was coughing and moaning in pain as she did which hit him like a punch to the gut. He hated her being in pain like she was. The doctor ordered another x-ray of her chest and wanted her to have some breathing treatments to help her breath a little easier which in turn would make it easier for her to start taking those deep breathes she's supposed to be taking. Quinn nodded when the nurse explained to them what the doctor wanted her to do that day. He hoped these breathing treatments would help his Lil Bit. Once her vitals had been taken, she was unhooked from all the machines and wheeled up to the right floor for another x-ray on her chest.

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