Car Trouble

A Long Journey

Miranda's pov

His eyes darted around crazily. He looked terrified and his heartbeat and blood pressure skyrocketed. The sounds of blaring alarms were scaring me. The doctor tried to calm him down but nothing seemed to work. I quickly got in between him and the doctor and he locked eyes with me, freezing up entirely. I sat on the edge of his bed and grabbed his hand. He was super stiff for some reason. I struggled to unfist his hand and set it on my belly. He looked so terrified but his vitals slowly went back to normal. The doctor adjusted his glasses and typed something on the machines which then printed something out. "Are you in any pain?" He asks. His eyes look at the doctor then back to me. "Wait... Can you not talk?" His eyes got more desperate. I think that means yes. "Well that's not good." The doctor said which of course instantly worried me. "Ok if you're in pain, blink once." The doctor says. My poor husband blinked once. "I don't think he can move his body either." The doctor murmurs, thinking. Jason blinks once again. "That means yes!" I gasp, horrified. I hold his hand tighter. It was heavy and very stiff. How on earth do I help him?!

*a few weeks later*

I was trying some exercises the doctor told me about. We have to get his muscles working again. He's been so scared. I hate to see him like that. "You can understand me right?" He blinks once as before. "How in pain are you? I guess blink on a scale of 1 to 10." I say, worried. He looks at me for a minute or two then avoids eye contact. "Please I need to know." I shakily say, holding his hand and lacing our fingers together.

Jason's pov

I'm trapped in my own mind. I can't move. I can't talk. Every muscle in my body is searing. It hurts with every movement. But I know it's what's got to be done. They warned me it'll hurt. I just never fathomed how bad. It is excruciating but I don't want to tell her that. She's worried enough about me. The doctor walked in, wheeling some sort of machine. Miranda stood up, looking worried. "What does that do?" It's an ultrasound machine. Thought maybe seeing the baby would perk both your spirits." It took a few minutes but then a fuzzy little image of our baby came on the screen. "Well you're having a little girl." He says, smiling. Miranda starts to cry. I am going to be here for this baby. I will not give up. I'll keep fighting if it's the last thing I do.

*one month later*

I finally gained the ability to move my hands and talk but my muscles are screaming in agony. Turns out the bullet cut through a bunch of neurons in my brain that connected to my mobility. Thankfully the human body is remarkable. The neurons can repair themselves. It just takes time. And until they're repaired enough, my body is going to hurt. But also to keep from my limbs dying from lack of blood flow, I have to move them which hurts ungodly. "But it's worth it." I whisper. Anything is worth it to be with my family. I can't wait for our little girl to get here. I tried flexing my hands and lifting my arms. It wasn't easy. Today the doctor wants to try and get me walking. I don't know if I can. Miranda came out of the bathroom as Luke got here with food. I can't eat. My body isn't healed enough for that. They had to insert a feeding tube and it fucking sucks. "I brought some Checkers." He said as Miranda sat down. "Thanks." "How're ya doin', man?" He asked, pulling up a chair. It wears me out to talk so I just shrug. But even that movement is killer. I can tell my poor wife is so upset. Ok. I'm determined. I will walk today. "Come here, Luke." I struggle to say. He quickly walks over worried and I strenuously lift my arm up. It's shaking like crazy but i manage to grab his shirt. "Whoa! What's up?" He cries, caught off guard. I try to sit up but it's impossible. "Do you want to get up?" I quickly nod and he grabs my arms, getting me sitting. Thank God. My hands are shaking and I'm sweating like crazy. "I won't give up." I shakily say, holding onto Luke for dear life. Miranda was crying silently, her hands covering her mouth. This poor girl has been through hell. He pulls the blanket back and I force my exhausted sore body to move. "Come on." I whisper, desperately clenching my fists, my teeth grit, the pain like a thousand fire ants burrowing into me. It hurts. It hurts so unbelievably bad. Words can't even describe. They both help me get my legs off the bed but when my feet made contact with the floor, it felt like I stepped on lava. Especially when I put even the slightest bit of weight on them. I didn't want to but I screamed from the pain. "Jase lets not push you too hard." "No. I h-have t-to." I choke out, my hands shaking around Luke's." "I want to walk." I force myself to say. I grit my teeth, most of my weight on my best buddy. After almost an hour of struggling,  I'm standing. I'm drenched in sweat, in the worst pain imaginable but I'm standing. "Oh Jason." She whimpers, looking so worried. Poor girl. God I love her so much. Thank you for giving me a second chance.