Flicker

40

I stay with Levi in the hospital for the next week. Ben and Alayna keep the kids for us as Levi gets the medical attention he so desperately needs. He takes the doctor's orders with a grain of salt, being a complete pain in the rear end. 

"Levi, you need to take your meds," I growl, starting to get heavily frustrated at my legal husband. 

He shakes his head and sits back against the pillow, "I don't like how they make me feel."

"You're going to take your meds or I'm calling Jackson. Pick it. Now." I order, sick of his toddler-like behavior. 

"They make me tired."

"I can make you real tired," I chuckle, fully intending my threat, "If you don't, I have to call a nurse and she'll give you a shot in your butt. Quit acting like Daniel or Sam and grow up, Levi! We have children at home that want you home but until you take the darn pills the way you're supposed to we can't go home to them!" 

He takes a deep and aggravated breath before finally taking the pills. He swallows them and I feel my whole body relax. 

He falls back asleep a few moments later and I sit in my chair, scrolling through tik tok on my phone, watching the recent dog videos and wedding planning tips.

Someone knocks at the door and when I look up, I see Natalia coming in with a McDonalds bag. 

"I got you a 10 piece, a large fry, and a coke." She smiles, handing me the food, "How's he doing?"

"He's being a pain." I chuckle, suddenly feeling grateful I get to be by his side in a hospital rather than planning a funeral, "But there's nowhere I'd rather be right now."

"Being a fire fighter's wife isn't for the weak, before y'all came into the picture Jackson got hurt pretty bad and had to be hospitalized. He had third degree burns because he was helping an elderly woman out, then ran back in for someone else and almost didn't make it out." She explains, the pain of the event cursing across her face as she recalls the memory, "It's probably harder for you because you've ran into those same fires and held the mentality of the victims life over yours, I know you have. It's why I was so against you going in. I knew Drake was, I couldn't stop him."

"Daniel still asks about him." I sigh, taking my food out the bag, "He just doesn't understand and it breaks my heart."

"He will one day, and on the day he does all we can do is hold onto that little boy because he will crash. Whether in anger or depression, he will crash." Natalia sighs, wiping a tear of her own, "On another note, speeding and running from police is absolutely unacceptable young lady." 

I roll my eyes, having already had the same lecture from Ben, "I know, but I didn't care." 

"Don't roll your eyes at me again, young lady."

"Yes ma'am." I mumble, knowing Natalia still scares the heebie jeebies out of me, "I promise to be good on the roads." 

"What do you mean you ran from the cops?" Levi asks weakly and I turn to face him. 

"Nothing dear." I smile and he rolls his eyes at me. 

Natalia chuckles at the interaction and stands up, gives me a hug and a playful swat before saying her goodbyes and walking out. She's always been good about giving us privacy in our relationships, always.

I take a deep breath and sit in my chair beside him, taking a moment to feel his comfort. 

"Explain to me what happened." He orders weakly and I smirk.

"It really was nothing."

"Why were you running from the cops, Valerie?" He asks harshly and I sigh before telling him the whole story. 

He rolls his eyes and weakly grips my hand in his. I should be scared, because I know he's more than likely going to bust my ass when he's better, but I can't help but smile.

"I wouldn't be smiling about that." He coughs, taking a moment to catch his breath, "It's not funny."

My smile can't help but get wider as I carefully lay on the bed beside him, "I thought I'd lost you. I'm smiling because I still have you, even if it means you're going to bust my ass when you can."

"Oh I am." He chuckles, wrapping an arm around my shoulders, "But we can table that until I'm better."

Someone knocks on the door and Ben walks in, giving Levi a sad look. 

"They told me you'd woken up. How you feeling?" Ben questions, eyeing the untouched McDonalds on the table, "Valerie Ann if I have to tell you one more time about eating-"

"He's feeling better." I smile and Ben shakes his head, but sits on the chair in the corner of the room. 

"Your sisters a pain about meds." Levi chuckles, kissing my cheek. 

Ben eyes me and shakes his head, "Yeah, I got hurt once when she was like 13 and she was just constantly shoving pills in my face." He pauses to take a deep breath, "But I got out of it a lot better than you're looking."

"Excuse me I look hot." Levi snorts and I roll my eyes, snuggling as close to him as I can with all the wires while also being cautious of his burns.

"You don't look that great right now." I smirk and Levi lets out a small laugh. 

"Can we bring the kids in yet?" Levi asks softly and I nod.

"Ben, text Alayna and tell her to bring our hoodlums please."