Gone Country

Fourty

Some times people do stupid things.

And I swear I was one of those people.  The ones that do stupid things that is.

I woke up groggy and disoriented every now and then, but no longer then a few minutes from my memory.  I was so hyped on drugs I couldn't tell the difference from night to day...but I could recognize Lucas...asleep against my side.

Weaving my fingers through his blond hair he held onto me tighter.

How long was I gone?

Finally able to look around me, I noticed I was in a very large room. I was in the hospital bed, but there were two couches...and on them, where the people I loved.  Peyton was sleeping in Caleb's arms, while my mother was hunched in a chair.  Flowers riddled the tables and looked as if they had already started to wilt.  The pail blue curtains on the window were drawn to the side and I could see the sun rising.

This was comfortable for me.  I'm not sure why, maybe it was the fact that Lucas was cuddling with me, or that I couldn't feel my body.  Either way, I was doing alright.  I tried to smile, but my face felt tired. It was hard to do anything but watch. 

Not making a noise I watched them all sleep.

The nurse on duty, Tifini, had come in to check on me. Asking if she should move Lucas, but I refused to let her touch him.  Taking my vitals and watching the monitors, she made her round, asked if she could do anything for me, handed me a few meds, and was out the door again. 

I could see the sun rising higher now, my eyes wanting to slump all over again, but I didn't want to miss this.  I felt that I had slept enough. Having been so close to death...I just wanted to watch the people around me.

Caleb had Peyton in his arms, as protective as ever...and it made me think...was that how they had slept before I'd come for her?  The memory of him, at our first meeting washed over me and I remembered thinking that a man like him couldn't possibly now how to handle a small child...oh how I had been proven wrong.  I thought he was a man of steel, a man that knew only work...he was a man with a heart.  A heart that I had gladly put myself in front of.

As if sensing my stare, Caleb's eyes slowly opened and landed on me.  His checks gaining color on  a rush he sat up quickly, then remembered he had Peyton to his chest.  He cradled her against him and made his way over to where I was lying on the bed.

"I'm so happy your finally awake.."  He leaned over, barley balancing the sleeping child and brushed his lips over mine.  Even in this state his touch gave me goose bumps, and I kissed him longer then I should have.  It felt like it had been years sense I had kissed his lips.

"I love you."  Where the first words out of my mouth.  They where the last ones I had thought before waking in this room, and I wanted to make myself clear.  "I love you so much."  I could feel the frog in my throat, the tightens in my chest.  I didn't know that a tear had fallen down my cheek till he reached over Lucas to whip it away. 

"I love you too babe."  He held my cheek in his hand and stared at me for some time.  When Peyton started to screwworm in his arms, he went over to my mother and lyed her down on top of her.  My mothers arms immediatly shot out to wrap around her, keeping her safe.  

I loved my family so much.

"How long was I asleep?"  I asked, my voice stronger then I thought it would be.  He sat down next to me and took to rubbing Lucas on the back.

"You were in the ICU for two weeks..."

"Two-!"  I wanted to jult up, but the weight of my son kept me down, along with Caleb's arm to my shoulder.