Devil's backbone (Eddie munson au)

Part 14

Shaking the shock from my system I tried to recall everything I had learn in the last seven months of nursing school.
"I need boiled water." I say.
"What sweat heart." Joyce says taking a step closer. Standing up I meet her eyes.

"I need fresh boiled water and clean sheet. Fresh bandages. I'm going to clean him up." I can tell she is shocked that I am taking control, but she turns and walks away. When I hear her banging around the kitchen I turn back to Eddie, kneeling down pushing his hair from his face

"Do you remember when we first started dating, and you got the flu? You were so miserable. But I took care of you. I'm going to take care of you again." I kiss his cheek again.

"But you have to promise not to do anything dramatic. Like dying. Do you hear me Edward. Your not aloud to die on me." Hearing the door open I turn to see Joyce back with a steaming bowl of water, a wash cloth and a bar of soap.

"I'll come back with the sheets. The boys went to go get some gauze. Is there anything else."

"Scissors. I need to cut the old gauze and clothes." She turns and walk out a second later coming back and handing me the scissors.

Taking off his sheets, I put my hand to mouth to keep a gasp contained. I see more of his damage and half cut away clothes. They did just enough to stop the bleeding, to keep him alive and to get him here. Getting to work I cut everything away until he was bare.

Pulling the bowl closer, dipping the cloth in to the barely cool water and working soap into lather. Starting on the unmarred skin then working my way to the injured flesh, his muscles involuntary spasming when it is touch.

"Oh Eddie I'm so sorry." His legs had an almost uncountable amount of injuries, most of them
Superficial. But a few looked very deep, and very close to the femoral artery. I don't understand how his is still alive. Before I get to his waist the water in the bowl is dark red with blood. Joyce must have known I would need more because she brought me another steaming bowl of fresh water. She pats my back before walking back out.

Now that his legs and waist are done, I Take the gauze off his chest and arms. A lot of along wounds his ribs and sides of his stomach. But the worst being his left pectoral, where two tattoos used to sit was one giant wound. When I start cleaning it he winces and my heart leaps. It was biggest reaction I've seen from him.

"I'm sorry babe. Can you hear me?" I say kissing his cheek again. Rolling him slightly to wash the other arm, the cloth washing down his newest tattoo, he had gotten a few months ago.

A wyvern, the same design that was on the pick that was currently hanging from my wrist. Kissing his knuckles before washing his forearm and hands. My thumb running along bruises that made it looks like the was bound. Moving up to his face I gently wipe it clean.

"At least your handsome face is intact." A knock at the door breaks my focus. Hopper steps in and hands a bag filled with gauze and bundle of
Clothes.
"Thank you." He nods and walks out.

Once I have eddie re-bandaged and dressed In some pajamas bottoms, Joyce helped me change the sheets. Laying him back down and covering up, I look to Joyce.
"Thank you. " I say softly.

"Your welcome. Anything I can do to help you, just ask. Have you eaten today?" She asks coming and rubbing my back.
Looking down at his face, my only thought was not of me but of him.

"I'll bring you some food." She says walking back out and I lay down beside him, intertwining our fingers. When Joyce comes in with a plate she gives me a sympathetic look before walking back out.

I jerk my self awake it must have been early morning, I could see the sun had just risen. I must have fallen asleep, but I was uncomfortably hot. Reaching out and running my hand along Eddie's cheek, I find the source of the heat. I sit up in a panic. He was hot, too hot. Hotter then the time he had a fever. Leaping off the bed and running to the door I throw it open.
"Joyce do you have a thermometer?" I see her jump up from the couch. I look around and see a bathroom, walking in I turn on the bathtub to a Luke warm temperature. Going back to the room that Eddie was in, Joyce had already taken him temperature. It was almost 105.