The Accident

Part 12

Carina did alright overnight, waking up around 2 am from a nightmare. Amelia was by her side in a second, making sure she was ok.

Carina managed to settle back to sleep, her fever still hanging on which was probably at least partly responsible for the nightmares that were vivid and horrible.

Carina stayed asleep until 8 am the next morning when another nightmare woke her up screaming.

"Hey," Amelia said, running over to her friend, "Hey. It's ok. Carina, you're safe. Maya's safe. It's ok."

Carina just cried, Amelia holding her tightly. As she was holding her friend, she realized she was much cooler than she had been the night before and also quite sweaty.

As Carina calmed, she pulled back from Amelia, wiping at her tears as her friend handed her some tissues.

"Sorry," Carina rasped out, throat sore from both the crying and the strep, "The nightmares..."

"I get it," Amelia nodded, "You don't have to apologize. Also, I think I might know why that one was so bad. I think you just broke your fever."

"That explains why I'm so sweaty," Carina said, noticing how gross she was feeling for the first time, "I need to shower."

"Let me pull some labs first," Amelia said, knowing Carina's electrolytes had still been a bit off the previous afternoon and they needed to make sure they were stabilized before she got to be discharged.

Carina nodded, letting Amelia get some blood.

"I am going to take out your IV out if you think you can manage oral hydration and medication today," Amelia said, getting a nod from the Italian, "Ok, but if you aren't eating or drinking, you are getting another one."

"Now a shower," Carina said, stretching a little as her arm was free from the IV, "Oh, wait. My stitches."

"Shit," Amelia said, "I forgot. I will get you something to cover your head and then I will help you wash the blood out of your hair which Teddy tried to do while you were passed out, but it needs some more work."

"Grazie," Carina nodded as Amelia left the room.

Carina got up, her whole body achy from her lack of movement over the past week. She stretched a little, doing a small breathing exercise from her therapist, trying to keep herself calm as she kept her eyes trained on the tablet. She suddenly saw Bailey on the screen, and the general surgeon unmuted their side.

"Good morning Carina," she said, "How are you feeling?"

"Good morning Bailey," Carina said, "I am feeling a bit better. My throat is still sore, but my fever broke and I am feeling mentally a bit better."

"Good," Bailey nodded, "Well, this wife of yours is fighting like hell to get back to you. Her kidney numbers are still getting better and her infection markers are dropping steadily. We are going to get her some scans and then, if those don't have any surprises, try waking her up."

"Really?" Carina said.

"I don't see why not," Bailey said, "And I heard from Shepard that if your labs come back, you are going to be discharged."

"Si," Carina nodded, rubbing her still tired eyes, "I am going to shower and then hopefully I can leave this room."

"Well, you are not coming back here until you have eaten something," Bailey said, "I don't care what, but I cannot have you passing out on us again because you ran yourself into the ground."

"I know," Carina nodded a little, "I will get something before I come back to Maya but can you wait for me to wake her up. I want to be there for her."