Chapter 11
Later...
Riker POV
Avery convinced me to change into my swimsuit and try some stuff in the pool. I was really nervous though.
She brought me out on dad's office chair. I lowered myself down so I was sitting on the edge of the pool.
Avery got in the pool and came over to me.
"Can we get your legs in the water?" Avery asked.
I nodded. She helped me get my legs in the water. We'd taken the wrap off my ankle and covered the cast on my leg with plastic.
"Avery?"
"What?"
"I'm just... really scared about this."
"Why?"
"I'm really scared I won't be able to swim and keep myself above the water and I'll drown."
"Riker, I promise, I'm not going to let you drown. I'll be right next to you the whole time, ok?"
"Can you tell me what's going to happen before we do it?"
"Yes. First, I want to find out how low you have feeling. Then I can use that as our starting point so we'll know if you're improving at all."
"Ok."
"Let me know if you can feel anything. Even if you only feel it a tiny bit. Or if it just feels like pressure and not necessarily feeling."
She started with her hands on my knees and she slowly went up my legs until she reached my hips.
"I can feel there," I said.
"Ok. So basically your hips is your starting point."
"Do you honestly think I'm going to regain feeling?"
"These things are hard to even make a guess about, Riker. It really could go either way. We need to wait and see."
"What are you going to do next?"
She handed me a noodle.
"I want you to get in the pool."
I took a deep breath.
"Avery, I'm really scared."
"What are you scared of?"
"Drowning."
"That's why I gave you the noodle. It'll keep you up."
"I'm just really scared."
"I'll be right here the whole time, Riker."
I slowly slid myself off the edge of the pool, into the water. Avery grabbed my arm, making sure I didn't go under water.
"Are you ok?" Avery asked.
"I think so."
It started raining harder. I was hoping it wouldn't start storming again.
"So what is the point of doing stuff in the pool? Like how is this going to help?"
"Well... It gives you an opportunity to get some exercise and move around without putting any stress on your body since you're floating. It can help improve circulation since you're moving around, which can help you recover. If you start regaining feeling, it gives you a way to practice moving your legs."
"Ok."
I was sort of holding onto my noodle with a death grip. I'm literally terrified of losing it and drowning.
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Paralyzed
FanfictionWhen Riker gets into a car accident, he becomes partially paralyzed and can't go on tour with the rest of R5. But instead of leaving him home alone, his family hires a college nursing student to take care of him while they're gone. And he's not happ...
