Mouse Returns

Ready to go

Jay woke hours later with a start. The room was dim but he heard machines beeping and making noises. He tried to sit up further but pain rocked through his ribs.

"It's ok, you're ok." Will turned on the lamp beside the bed and moved where Jay could see him.

"Will?" Jay forced his swollen eyes open. "Mouse?"

"He's ok, he's over in the other bed. We figured we had better keep the two of you in the same room. I told Hailey to lay down for a while too, she was falling asleep in the chair." Will leaned against the bed and grabbed Jay's hand. "Do you need more pain meds?"

Jay pulled the nasal oxygen tube out of his nose and shook his head. "I'm ready to get out of here."

"Not a chance brother. And you need to leave this in. Your broken rib punctured your lung. You aren't absorbing oxygen as well as you should." Will explained as he put the tube back in. Jay looked at his brother for a long moment, clearly struggling.

"Will, I'm sorry I've given you such a hard time. When I was laying in that box...." Jay gasped with emotion and Will carefully pulled him into a hug. He was horrified that Jay had been awake at any point buried in the box.

"You were awake in that box? God Jay. " Will put his hand on Jay's face as a few tears slid down Jay's face. "Right now you need to rest and let us take care of you for a while."

"You're awake?" Hailey rubbed her eyes and came closer to the bed. Will took a step back to give them space.

"I'm ready to go home." Jay quickly wiped his face with his uninjured hand.

"Ya right tough guy." Hailey shook her head and leaned in to kiss him on the cheek. He pulled her closer and kissed her on the lips.

"I'm sorry, you were right." Jay admitted with a pain filled sigh.

"Can I get that recorded for future fights?" Hailey smiled and kissed him again. "You are both going to be ok, thank goodness. That's all that matters." Hailey stroked his face.

"Jay, I'm going to give you something to help you sleep. You need to rest." Will quickly checked his brother over before increasing the meds in the IV. Jay drifted back to sleep. Hailey carefully crawled up beside him in the bed.

Will moved over and checked on Greg. He was still unconscious but vitals were stable.

"You need to go get some rest too." Goodwin whispered from the doorway.

"I'm ok, thanks." Will sat back in the chair and rubbed his eyes.

"I know you think you are but you've been awake for more than 24 hours. If you don't go lay down in the on call room, I'll get Ethan to take you home." Goodwin insisted. Will looked like he wanted to argue for several minutes.

"He's all I have left." Will bit his lip and looked lost. Goodwin took his arm and led him out of the room.
"Whatever you need Will but you need to take care of yourself as well. Rest, I have you covered for tomorrow so you can spend your time with your brother. I also have Dr. Charles ready to talk to them both over the next couple of days." Goodwin insisted. Will nodded and headed to the on call room to sleep.