Normily: After Effects

Doctor

"So, uh, I think you broke your ribs," Emily said, trying to so sound more than depressing.

"Feels like it," Norman wheezed. Norman was having a hard time breathing. Steven had the pedal floored trying to get to the nearest hospital fast. He blew through a red light and practically drifted into the emergency room entrance. Two doctors approached the car and opened the side door. They helped Norman onto a stretcher and raced him inside before Steven and Emily could even get out. Norman groaned at each movement.

Steven parked in the parking lot and got out with Emily. They walked quickly inside only to be stopped at the desk by the on duty nurse. The nurse held up a hand at the pair jogging down to the desk. They slowed and eventually stopped in front of her. She finished the phone call that was in progress and hung up, all while glaring at the Korean and he blonde standing in front of her.

"May I help you," the nurse said, not very kindly.

"The man that just came in with the chest and breathing," panted Steven. Steven was in shape, just not perfect enough to handle his friend being seriously hurt. He bent over trying to catch his breath, which he was sure was due to the panic attack he was having on the inside. Emily glanced at the OR board for Norman's name. She read every name twice, but no 'Norman Reedus' or anything to that effect.

"So you?" the nurse replied to Steven.

Emily put Steven's arm around her shoulders and got him to stand. His face was red and he was shaking. Emily could feel some sweat from his armpit, but she didn't care. All she wanted was for Norman to be okay.

"Can you just tell us if anything about a Mr. Reedus or a Norman develops?" Emily said. "We are going to go sit down in the waiting room. Ok, Steven, we are going to go sit down."

The couple wandered off in the direction the sign for the waiting area pointed. Emily helped Steven into a chair before going to get him some water. She returned a few minutes later with two paper cups, one in each hand. Steven took one and sipped from it. He was tired now. Emily just stared into her cup trying to think of what to do. She didn't want to lose Norman. Admittedly, she knew there was a slim chance of that. But you never knew. After five minutes of thinking. Steven nudged Emily. She glanced up at him. He looked better.

"I wish I was a doctor," Steven said.

"Why?" Emily quietly said, raising an eyebrow.

"So I could heal your troubled heart."

"What are you talking about?"

"Analyze each bruise. . ." Steven started before Emily cut him off by raising her hand.

"Please don't," she tried, "I really don't want you to sing a song that ends in sex, right now."

"I'm just trying to help you feel less alone," Steven said, trying to hide a smile. Emily gave a small laughed and hugged him. He wrapped his arms around her and held her. Emily didn't try to fight it. They just embraced each other. Steven sighed and let go. Emily sat back in her seat and sighed. They both wished that someone would bring them news, any news at all was better than this.

A nurse approached them an hour later. They were both napping against each other. Emily's head was resting on Steven's shoulder. His head was resting on Emily's head. They were both snoring quietly. The nurse laid a hand on Stevens shoulder, "Sir."

Steven opened his eyes and sat up slowly; he woke Emily. Emily sat up and rubbed her eyes. Her makeup was no longer perfectly applied and her hair was messy. She looked around and then focused on the nurse in front of her.

"Mr. Reedus is out of surgery," Nurse Johns, according to his scrubs, said. "I can take you to him."

They rose and followed Johns to recovery. They walked into Norman's room. The nurse motioned for them to sit in the chairs in the corner of the room opposite Norman's bed. Norman had a couple of tubes running to an IV in his arm and a breathing mask over his face for pure oxygen. He was sleeping peacefully. A doctor walked in.

"Hello, I'm Dr. Stan," the doctor said, "Norman has broken a few ribs. One of which broke inward and punctured his lung."

The world seemed to dull out around Emily as she watched Norman. The sound of Dr. Stan's voice seemed to grow distant and echoey. Emily could only focus on Norman. He looked okay on the outside. Emily just wished she could get into his dreams and talk to him. She wished she could heal him.