As long as we both shall live [Tom Hiddleston]{EBT book 3 of 4}

The morning after

When she opened her eyes the sun was streaming through the window, almost enough to light the room. She saw on her watch it was almost 6am and sat up, checking for messages on her phone and hoping that no news was good news. After another quick shower she dressed in jeans, shirt, hoodie and her pink Cons and had some breakfast. Driving to the hospital, Kate felt much more prepared than she had the last few days. She knew what the worst was, and he'd get through it.
Softly she opened the door and found Tom already sitting on the edge of the bed, rubbing his eyes. Luke was in the recliner under a blanket, snoring quietly.
"Well good morning Thomas. How are you feeling?"
He didn't answer, but opened his arms and she stood in front of him, wrapping her arms tightly around him. He put his hands on her cheeks and kissed her mouth softly, making her squeak when he probed her lips with his tongue. He pulled away and coughed lightly, trying and failing to hide the firey pain it caused around his middle. "Mmm. Take me home, Kate."
"Feeling better then, are we?"
"Hehe a little. More sore but less sick. My head feels almost normal." She sat next to him on the bed. "I frightened you yesterday, didn't I?"
"Yes you did." Kate said softly. "You were so brave, Tom."
"I wasn't really, I was as scared as you were."
"Well then you're an even better actor than I gave you credit for." She smiled. Tom started putting his feet on the floor. "Want some help?"
"I'll let you know," he chuckled. He walked slowly to the door and turned around with an enormous goofy grin on his face, and Kate clapped quietly.
"On your way back, I brought you some things. But take it easy or I'll take them back." She warned. He went to her bag and pulled out his script with his scribbled notes on it and his ipod. The big smile returned and for the first time she noticed his eyes were sparkling again, although covered in burst blood vessels.
"Thank you darling," he walked back to her and sat down. "I feel a bit like a prisoner having cigarettes smuggled in a cake." Kate laughed a little too loud and Luke stirred in his chair.
"Morning Luke," they said in unison.
"You two sound very chipper this morning,"
Tom stood up. "It's good to be upright."
"Wow. Slight improvement from yesterday." Luke yawned and stretched as he stood up.
"You two chat, I'll go get breakfast and coffee for Luke," Kate said as Tom's breakfast arrived.
When she returned Luke had the script in his hand, reading random lines to Tom so he could run the rest of the scene.
"Only you could wake up from a brain infection and still not miss a beat on your lines, Tom. You're like a robot."
Kate smiled. Tom was starting to look like himself again. A half size version at least.
"I spoke to Rodney yesterday, he's going to come and see you when you're home so you can run through the songs again before you go back to the set. Have you talked about the filming schedule yet?"
"I did, yesterday on the way here. They still think they can scrape in before Christmas if Tom is up to it. They've almost done all they can without him."
Kate sat down on the bed. "I'm not going home for Christmas. I'm staying with you."
"You, what? Why?"
"Because the plan was to be back in London before I went, and now we won't be. When I realised how close it was going to be when you finished, and that I would not be able to see both families... I discussed it with Liz and I'm going to stay here with you. And go back to London with you, and then to your mum's. I can go home in January and not be rushing." He leaned in and kissed her.
"I love you."
"I love you, too. What was that for?"
"Being so good to me. And I know when I shouldn't bother arguing." He winked.
"Luke can you pencil that in for me? Block out two weeks in January?"
"Hm? Sorry you got mushy so I tuned out. Yes Kate, I'll block out two weeks for you to go home. In January. You're recording with Chris and Josh in January but it will be late in the month and run into February."
Dr Porter opened the door, fluorescent light streaming in to the room. It didn't escape Kate's notice that Tom didn't flinch. "This looks promising," he said to Tom. "How are you feeling?"
"So much better. Still weak and I get out of breath easily but otherwise I feel good."
"How are your muscles recovering from yesterday?"
"They're fine," Tom lied. Kate poked him lightly in the ribs and it was enough to make him yelp. "OK they're not, but they'll recover." He shot Kate a frown and the doctor laughed softly.
"I've written up some anti inflammatory that should help. No coughing this morning or last night?"
"None worth mentioning,"
"Headache?"
"Bearable."
"Had any pain relief this morning?"
"Nope."
"Well we need to do an EEG, x ray, and bloods this morning but if it all comes back fine you might be able to go home. I'm not promising anything, we can't release you until you can shower and dress and take care of yourself. And no more coughing episodes." He listened to Tom's chest and back. "Your lungs sound clear. You have some very impressive burst vessels in your eyes from yesterday, they're expected, nothing to worry about."
He called Amy over. "We can remove the IV and the monitors, and he can shower and get dressed. We'll do the scans and hopefully discharge him this afternoon. No promises though," he said to Tom.