The Protector

FORTY-NINE

My eyes blinked open. They closed again, almost as quickly, and I forced them back open. I realized I'd been asleep for what felt like a lifetime and the room was nearly pitch black. I blinked my eyes again, waiting for them to adjust. Finally, once my vision cleared, I saw an IV pole hung next to my bed with at least five bags of the black solution dripping down into the crook of my elbow. I tried to move but a tube was stuck down my throat and my hands were tied to the bed rails. I pulled harder against the wrist braces, my shoulder screaming at me in protest. Movement on the right side of the room startled me, and I pulled again at my restraints. Where was I? Was I in hell?!

"I think she's awake," I heard Julian's welcome voice whisper to someone I couldn't see. "Get Healer West and the traditional doctor." He was by my side in a flash, his green eyes seeming to glow in the dark. "It's going to be okay, Perry," he said, grabbing my hand beneath the restraint. I coughed violently against the tube in my mouth and the machine next to the bed beeped melodically. A sliver of light peeked into the room as the person Julian was speaking to returned. Healer Barbie, flanked by Healer West and another older man in a white medical coat walked slowly into the room. The older man had something embroidered on the lapel of his lab coat, but my eyes couldn't focus long enough to read it. A small dim light cut on near the door and the pain bolted through my insides.

"Cut that off, Warren!" West hissed at Healer Barbie and the light was quickly turned off. "She has a retinal detachment! No more light for another two days. You should know this!" The loudness in her voice hurt almost as much as the light did.

"You're right, Healer West. Please forgive my stupidity," pleaded Healer Barbie, bowing. West ignored her and instead joined me next to the bed.

"Ms. Andrews, Perry, darling. You're okay. You're in the infirmary," she said with a soothing voice she probably thought was calming, but bordered on condescending. She continued, "Your injuries were very extensive, and you gave us quite a scare, young lady. We decided to use both modern and traditional approaches to treat your injuries." She motioned to the traditional doctor in the room. "This is Dr. Allen Khan, head of neurosurgery at Dallas General." The doctor moved forward as if to shake my hand, but instantly realized I was restrained and stepped back, bowing his head in embarrassment before he spoke.

"You're currently on the ventilator, but now that you're awake, we'll try to wean you from it this afternoon to learn the extent of your brain damage." Brain damage?!

I didn't feel brain damaged, but was I? I coughed against the tube in my throat to let him know my possibly damaged brain was quite aware of what he was telling me. I quickly searched the room for Julian. I needed something familiar, something or someone I knew. I was slightly dizzy, but I knew I was thinking clearly now.

"Dr Khan had to perform an emergency procedure to drain the blood from your brain, and we currently have you on some medicine which will allow your brain to reabsorb the rest," Healer West said.

"I don't know why you're explaining this to her now," Dr. Khan said with disdain as he folded his arms across his chest. "I guarantee you she doesn't understand a single thing you're saying, given the area of her brain affected. She will likely have global aphasia when we remove the vent." His tone was quite rude, and where I thought Healer West was a tad condescending, he was without a doubt blowing me off. I even remembered learning about global aphasia in my premed courses in college. It was a medical condition where a patient was unable to absorb anything that was happening or to speak logically. How's that for brain damage, you pompous ass? I sure hoped his surgical skills were superior to his bedside manner or I was a goner. I glared at him. Could he not see the alertness in my eyes?

"I don't know what it is with you human Healers, but your egos are astronomical," West huffed. I pulled against the restraint again to show I knew exactly what was being said about me. "Relax, Perry. We'll take those off as soon as we remove the tube. Warren, go ahead and start the process now that she's awake." West shot Dr. Khan a glare, begging him to challenge her authority in her infirmary.

"Yes, ma'am," Warren said as she detached the various lines and monitors. Slowly, I felt the machine stop breathing for me, and my own lungs kicked in. The process was excruciating, especially as Warren pulled the long tube out of my throat, and I gagged on the fresh air. Julian's arms were around me at once, despite the way West chastised him to give me some space. I wrapped my right arm around his back, hugging him tightly to me.

"Water," I said with barely a whisper. Julian quickly handed me a cup from my bedside tray and I downed it in one gulp. "Why can't I move my left arm?" I croaked, my voice thick with sleep. Dr. Khan looked visibly stunned by my ability to speak rationally. I glanced at him, then back to Julian. "And yes, Dr. Khan, I understood every word of your little lecture, and I'm in no way suffering from global aphasia." It was probably the first time in his medical career he was speechless. "But my shoulder hurts like a mother-"

"Did no one bother to check her extremities?!" West interrupted me. She walked around to the side of my bed and took my arm in her hands. "My God, it's completely shattered!" She shook her head and after a second or two, a stunning white light filled the room, causing me to shut my eyes. I felt the bones in my shoulder crunch back into place one by one. I clenched my teeth, which were covered in wires. Again. I remember Julian had the same precautions, and I opened my eyes, searching for him. He sat on the edge of my bed holding my hand tightly. It was as if he was afraid to let go of me.

"Are you alright?" I asked him as West finished with my left arm. It felt nice to be able to move my fingers again.

"Are you kidding me?" he said with a laugh as fresh tears washed his cheeks. I reached a hand up to wipe them away but he caught my fingers, pressing his full lips against them. "You should be dead, but you're here with me instead. You are a fighter. You are legendary. You are my girlfriend, and the one we should be talking about. Not me and my stupid broken jaw. I'm perfectly fine, mi amour," he promised me, his eyes shimmering with fresh tears waiting to be shed.

"I thought you were supposed to get out of here though," I said motioning down to the infirmary issued band still wrapped around his wrist. He laughed and ripped off the thin paper bracelet.

"I did," he said, taking my hand and sliding closer to me in the bed. We were now side by side, and I was cushioned against his strong chest. He gently kissed me down my hand and the rest of the medical team correctly took it as their cue to leave. Even Barbie Warren rolled her eyes, but departed on her own accord. "I was discharged the day after you arrived. I think it was about five days ago, I never left your side. I forgot to take off the bracelet."

"I've been here five days?" I asked incredulously. "What about training and practice and my papers that are due?" I asked, struggling to sit upright, but my head pulsed and objected immediately. I fell back in the bed, my eyes traveling back up to the black fluid.

"Easy, killer. You heard West, you have two more days of the antihemorrhagic and then we can test some light for your blown left eye," Julian said, placing his cool large hand to my forehead. "If I had to guess, I would say it's pretty hard for you to see much of anything right now." It felt so nice I closed my eyes, but I noticed how much of a headache had already formed from the small amount of stimulation.

"I feel okay," I lied. "I can't remember much of anything. I remember going to Avery's room to get ready for the evening, but everything after that is a huge blur." I tried so hard to remember why I was here, connected to the black fluid in an equally dark room with Julian. It was probably my stupid fault somehow.

"I honestly don't know what happened. I'm hoping you'll remember in time, but I can show you what I do know. That is, if it wouldn't be too overwhelming for you..." he said, but I was already shaking my head adamantly, drinking the rest of the water in the jug before resting back into his side.

"No please, show me. I want to know what happened when I was out," I said, wiping my wet lips before snaking my hand up beneath his soft black T-shirt, splaying my fingers across his bare chest.

"Okay, but if it gets too intense, please pull away," Julian pleaded, but I silenced him with my lips.

"I'm okay. Just show me." I closed my eyes and focused on him. In a moment I was transported to another hospital bed in the infirmary, madness filling the air...