on thin ice [karen/frank - marvel]

forty one: sedated

[trigger warning: depictions of drug abuse]

Machinery hummed right next to his ear. It became louder with every second that passed. They were loud and monotonous and he was tempted to lean up and shut them off as though they were his alarm clock and he was waking up for work. The thought of work alone sent him spinning. Frank couldn't open his eyes, feeling as though if he did his head may actually explode. Instead, he gripped the edge of the bed, the sheets feeling clean and more plastic than comfortable. A hospital. He lifted his arm weakly to try and find something to grab. He could hear voices, unidentifiable, but he knew someone was there. He called out to the first person he could think of.

Frank's throat was dry, a frown appearing on his face as he swallowed hard. He forced himself to speak, eyes still closed tightly. "Ma?" he asked, not even sure that she would be there. She was the only person he wanted in that moment, someone who had seen him in the most vulnerable of states on more than one occasion. The vulnerable state that he was most likely in now. Just by saying one word, his voice cracked and he ended up coughing loudly.

"Frank? Oh, thank God" The voice that was speaking was finally identifiable as Gabriela's, and Frank could sense elements of worry and tears in her voice. By picturing her next to his bed, he could form an idea of who else was there. His Mother, surely, maybe not in the room, possibly Mike? He strained his ears harder, no sign of the kids. Everything suddenly became confusing, his frown deepening. His sister leaned across him a little bit, "Get the doctor" she said, to someone but Frank couldn't tell who.

The person sat in the other chair on the other side of Frank's bed rose from the seat, footsteps pattering across the room and out the door. Frank cleared his throat again and tried speaking once more. "Where's Ma?" She was the only thing on his mind at that very moment; where was she? Did he miss something whilst he was unconscious? Why was he unconscious? Was Gabriela not telling him something?

"She'll be here, Frank, don't worry" Gabriela said, her tone soft and almost inaudible as she attempted reassurance. There were so many questions running around his mind and he couldn't even see anything yet; so many things whirring up and causing him to go back into a small shock. He figured himself to go unconscious once again but there was something stopping him this time. The hunger in his veins drastically surged at that precise moment and the hollowness in his stomach reminded him. He had no drugs in his system. "It's me, Frank, it's Gabby. It's okay now"

He finally forced his eyes open, regretting it instantly as the white lights blinded his eyes. As his sense became intact, so did the others. He could finally begin to feel the brace around his neck, trying to move and being restricted. After feeling the surge of pain it caused just by the small movement and the fear electrifying Gabriela's eyes, he decided it was best he stay still. Frank groaned, shutting his eyes once more but only briefly. "What happened?"

"You've been sedated for a day," Gabriela said, leaning closer toward him. This only sent Frank's mind swirling even more; a day? How much could he have missed in a day? Why did it feel like he'd been sedated for longer than a day? "You overdosed the other day, after taking one too many pain meds"

"A day?" He asked, squinting as he looked toward her. Overdose? Everything came flooding back to him rather quicker than he had liked. A pounding in his head formed and he winced a little, unable to move very much due to all the restraints around him. He caught a glimpse of Gabriela wiping tears from her cheeks as they had surfaced most likely at the fact he overdosed. Frank immediately hated himself for what he did simply because he put her through it all, too. She didn't deserve any of this, any of the stupid decisions Frank made that affected her.

"You collapsed and they sedated you while you went through withdrawal. They induced a coma to keep your spine as still as possible. The doctor said you couldn't go through the first twenty-four hours of withdrawal because it would risk making your spine worse. You might have lost the ability to walk completely" She said, her voice shaking the entire time. He was unsure of how to react; so many things hitting him at once. Initially, his anger threatened to surface but his sister bearing the news kept it tucked away. He couldn't bring himself to be angry with her.