Breathe (Bondi rescue fanfic)

Chapter 4

I squeeze the little rubber ball in my hand, trying my hardest to get strength back into my left hand. Gosh, I think, imagine just one week ago I was lying down on Bondi beach, and now here I am, trying to regain strength and feeling in some of my limbs in hospital. I put down the rubber ball and await the doctor's visit eagerly. I so hope I'm going to be discharged today. I know I'll be along way from being well again, but I feel being out and about might aid my recovery. 

I still haven't told my mom. She rings every night, I tell her I'm fine, I tell her some lie about what I did that day. I can't tell her, not till I'm closer to going home, if I told her now she'd worry, she'd want to come to me, she would come to me, though I know she can't afford to. 

"Hey Tiff!" Dr.Stan chirps, walking in. "I think you're ready to be discharged today. Your scans are all coming back fine. Once you get back on your feet there'll be no stopping you!" I sigh, relieved to be leaving, yet I'm all alone once I go. "So other than the left limbs there's no long lasting effects? And the walking will come back with time? That's great! I can't tell you how thankful I am!" I exclaim, delighted, sure it's a set back, but not a huge one. Dr.Stan says he'll send a nurse to help me get ready. I have to borrow (well take) some hospital clothes as they had to cut mine up and I had no one to bring me spare ones. It's little things like that that make me wish I had someone with me on my around the world trip. Though I wouldn't be getting around the world now. I had decided after this set back Australia would be my last stop, but I think I'll stay here a good few more weeks, just to take it all in and just to make sure I'm definitely well enough to travel again.

The nurse comes and helps me get ready. She doesn't really say much, but what she does say really reassures me I'm going to be ok. I like her. She helps me out of the bed and into a wheelchair, my wheelchair. Yes, I now have a wheelchair. But not for long! I will retaliate, I will walk again. I sign a few forms, say goodbye to Dr.Stan and I'm off. I ponder about whether I want to go home and rest for today or get straight into the action of sightseeing, but first things first, I gotta go thank the lifeguards, I need to see them one last time and come on, I mean they are amazing, if it wasn't for their work I could've sustained much worse brain damage or I could of even died.

I thank the taxi driver as he helps me into my wheelchair. He says it's ok, it's his job and he loves it. People like that give me hope. Those workers who go unthanked, unrecognized, yet are so important, who utterly love their job. I grab hold of the wheels of my chair as the taxi man drives away (wait are they called cabs in Australia?) I began wheeling myself towards the lifeguard tower. I again paused a moment and took in the magnificent view of Bondi beach, so breathtaking. My heart ached to think how I was moving on to the next leg of my Australian trip tomorrow, how I'd miss the warmth and friendliness of this place. I think about the taxi man again, about how it made me feel and then I think of the lifeguards. I'd watched every single episode of Bondi rescue, that was nine seasons worth, and I think about how many people come back and say thank you, but not usually the ones that had the most treatment, like me. As I near the door I begin to get so nervous, I'm about to see the Bondi lifeguards! I know, yes I'd met them before, but at that stage I wasn't even aware it was them I was in such a state. I gather my courage and knock on the door.

"Hey" Chappo says, opening the door. The beautiful smile on his face quickly vanishes when he sees I'm in a wheelchair. I can guess what he's thinking, did they miss one of the most vital things in those first few minutes, did they miss a spinal. He stares at me awhile longer before relalizing he's staring and then cuts the silence by saying, "Oh gosh, come in, come in." I wheel my chair in and he shuts the door behind me. I see a few others that where there the day of my rescue. They all come rushing over when they see me. I hear Maxi lean over and whisper to Jesse "No, oh no. How could we do this, how did we miss a spinal, we could've ruined her life." Deano comes up right next to me and pulls a chair over and sits down, a clear indication none of them are leaving before I tell them what happened. "Guys, thank you so much for last week, you don't understand how grateful I am. If it wasn't for you I wouldn't be here right now" I think about what to say next and then I decide to hint it wasn't a spinal without them knowing I'd overheard them whispering, "Gosh I could've even had a spinal injury at best probably! Thank you so so much" They all look at me for a moment before copping that I said it wasn't a back or neck injury. Deano  tries to ask in the nicest, sweetest, subtlest way he can what had actually happened, "So what did the doctor say?"

"I was doing fine, still quite dizzy, still drifting in and out of consciousness like I was at the beach, but as they were transferring me up to the ward for overnight observation I got sick and then I had a seizure. I was rushed for tonnes of tests and turns out due to my brain being starved of oxygen for a few minutes I lost all movement and feeling in my left arm and leg. I'm slowly getting the arm back, but no sign of mr.leg here budging" I explain, only drawing a breath once I'd finished. "Wow" Chappo says, "I'm so sorry." "It's ok" I say, "I'm not letting it hold me back, I will walk again, it's just gonna take some time." I sigh again and no one else says anything. Out of no where Maxi stands up, comes straight over to me and embraces me in a well needed hug. I wrap my arms around him and hold on, I hadn't realized how alone I had been without anyone there to comfort me. I don't want the hug to end, his firm yet somehow perfectly comfortable body providing me with the warmth of another person, a feeling I so desperately needed at a time like this. Then it ends, he lets go and steps back, but he doesn't break eye contact, he stares into my eyes and I feel amazing. "No arguments, we're going for a drink tonight" He says, gesturing to all the guys, "and you're coming too"

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Hope you enjoyed!!

Ok I need 3 main Bondi lifeguards ( I think)

How would you guys feel about Maxi, Chappo and Jesse being them? I'm torn between Jesse and Deano for one part :/

New update soon

:)

-Niamhxoxo