The Buddy System

Sacrosanct

Waiting until the automatic doors had shut, Dipper made for the elevators and returned to the room where Mabel remained under the spell of preciously metered out anesthesia. Everything was as it had been following the bloodletting and he quietly retook his seat in the recliner, noting that the television had remained on in the interim, although the curling match was now replaced by the evening news.

With work long shut down for the day, Dipper's phone served more as a receptacle for random news clips and social media posts than anything else at the rapidly aging hour. Ignoring the noise percolating from the overhead television, Dipper decided to take a break from his virtual distraction and fetch some water in the hallway. Obtaining a cup from the nurses' station — following a promise that the conveyance would only contain water — he filed up the vessel and strolled back into the room, where he found, much to his heart's delight, the blankets stirring.

Rather than shock her into lucidity, Dipper quietly retook his seat, where he could keep a close eye on her while also providing her the space he was sure she'd appreciate. The caution was prudent, as it took Mabel close to five minutes to fully open her eyes and realize that she was in a hospital bed.

"Dipper?" she called out hoarsely to the air, her throat dry and raspy.

"I'm right here, Mabes," he soothed, rising to approach and pouring her a glass of water as well, assuming the pitcher and cup had been placed on her bedside table for a reason.

"Thank you," she said as Dipper helped her sit up enough to prevent the liquid from spilling down the front of her hospital gown; after getting enough sips down to fend off the worst of her dry mouth, she let off a deep sigh and laid back on the elevated mattress once more.

"How long have I been out?" she asked, continuing to look around the environs.

"Well, they brought you in around noon and it's around ten at night."

Dipper kept a close eye on his wife, making sure she continued to come out of her semi-conscious state as smoothly as possible. Remembering how sensitive Cassie at such a stage had been when she had her tonsils taken out, he looked around and spotted the — coincidentally named — kidney dish within arm's reach, should Mabel's stomach decide to turn.

"How are the kids? Who's watching them?" her tone slipped clandestinely into that of motherly concern, pausing afterwards to take another sip of water from the cup her brother held.

"They're fine. Wendy's watching them. They came by earlier and are a bit shaken up, especially Cassie, but they're all right and very excited to see you again," Dipper finished with a smile of genuinely elation over seeing her alert and in control of her faculties; however, curious as to how far back that awareness ran, he decided to inquire as gently as possible.

"Do you remember what happened?"

"I got in a wreck," she replied plainly, her mind clearly trying to assemble the remaining details in amongst the fog of trauma.

"Yeah, it was pretty bad. A truck hit you basically head-on there by Safeway in Bothell and somehow you survived. It's basically a miracle; a cop who was at the scene came by and said he hasn't seen a wreck that bad in years."

"Oh, it couldn't have been that bad; I feel pretty good," she promised in her most convincing manner, waving away the concern with a flick of her wrist.

"I think you feel okay because you're doped up on morphine, Mabes," he said smartly while pulling out his phone and working to bring up a specific picture.

"You worry too much, Dippingsauce," she griped through an impish smile, poking playfully at his arms. "All I need is a bit of SmileDip and I'll be back behind the wheel."