The Artist [h.s.]

six

There was a sharp, unavoidable pain on the right side of her stomach. Harry's arms were securely wrapped around her and the pain only worsened the longer that she lay there. It felt like someone had gone inside her body and decided to rip her apart from the inside.

She wanted to cry, but she was sick and tired of crying and instead squeezed her eyes shut tightly and tried to wake Harry.

Carter pulled on his arms and shook them, her voice laced with pain.

"Harry, for Christ's sake, wake up!"

A low groan rumbled from somewhere deep in his throat, his arms pulling her closer and only making the pain in her stomach nearly unbearable and a sharp gasp coupled with a whine passed her lips.

Harry pulled back instantly, slowly albeit, but he still released the grip he had on her. His hands rubbed at his eyes and he yawned.

"What's wrong? Did I hurt you?"

Carter shook her head quickly, heavy tears rolling down her cheeks slowly despite her efforts to hold them back, "N-no I just...fuck it hurts."

Harry sat up and looked at her with a deep concern that spoke volumes, but she didn't notice because she was too busy trying not to scream.

"Where does it hurt?"

Carter gasped again as another wave of pain shot through her side, "My right...my right side."

Harry was out of bed the next instant, throwing on random clothes and finding loose and baggy clothes for her to put on so that he could take her to the hospital.

"What are you...doing?"

It was hard for her to speak because of the pain and his heart wrenched every time he heard her stifle a whimper or gasp sharply. He wasn't a doctor, but he was almost positive that her appendix had burst or was close to bursting.

Once he'd found her underwear, his sweatpants and his old shirt that she had padded down the hall in with only her underwear beneath, he walked back over to her side of the bed and tried to force a small smile.

"Getting you dressed so that I can take you to the hospital. Can you sit up?"

Carter shook her head quickly, her face contorting in pain as another wave of intense pain hit her. Moving sounded like the absolute worst idea in the world.

Harry frowned deeply and took her hand in his, "Squeeze as hard as you need to, we need to get you up. Sorry, sweetheart."

Carter took a deep breath and nodded, he was right. "Okay."

Harry gave her another moment to prepare herself, "On three...One...Two...Three."

He grimaced at just how strong she was, his hand felt completely smashed in hers, but she was up now and they had to go as soon as possible, so he ignored it and helped her dress.

Tears were streaming down her cheeks as she lifted her arms up for him to slip the large t-shirt over her head. Her underwear and his sweatpants were the hardest part, Carter cried out in pain every time that she had to move her side and Harry bit his lip because he had to keep going to help her, even if it hurt.

The journey to the hospital was even worse, traffic took forever and Harry had to carry her to the elevator and to his car and then lift her into a wheelchair at the hospital. Hearing her in so much pain tore him apart, but knowing that he could lose her if he took too long to get her help was the worst.

They made him wait in the lobby and fill out her paperwork, as much of it as he could, while they took Carter back behind the swinging doors to operate. Harry had never hated the ticking of a clock more in his life.