The Butterfly Effect

Chapter 2: The light around you

Summary:

As Alec goes to sleep, Magnus is waking up. They have different fights on their hands but both need someone else who understands what they're going through.

"All good things are wild and free."

Alec squinted as the hazy morning light appeared at the window. It remained to be seen that the world would just keep moving along, oblivious to who he was. The world didn't stop for you, it kept going and turning. Alec had always been one for depressing poetry. Sick kids are a speck of passing time in a vast, vast universe. Alec opened his eyes properly, as a nurse wrapped a blood pressure cuff around his arm. They had been doing them at intervals through the night so he hadn't had a good quality sleep. His whole, current existence was a nightmare anyway.

She spoke in a soft, low voice. "It's nearly done. I'm going to open the curtains, once you have woken up properly. Okay? We'll be moving you to the other ward after your surgery." Alec nodded. He was being taken in for a port or 'Port-a-cath' to be fitted. It would basically be a round port for medication or injections. A raised circle on his chest that could be numbed, saving him the discomfort of having multiple needles in his arms or hands. They also lasted longer and meant that he could have chemo at home if he was well enough. The blood pressure cuff beeped. Surely this damn thing squeezing his arm could not get any tighter. His arm pounded in time with his pulse and his fingers started to tingle. Finally, the bastard thing released. The nurse put the temperature probe into his ear and it clicked once. He felt like Frankenstein's monster. If Frankenstein's monster had been drowning in his own white blood cells.

The nurse gathered up her things and Alec watched dubiously as she pulled back the curtains.

The first thing he noticed was that they were all younger than him.

Each of the kids were young enough to warrant having a parent with them. There were a few adults in the room. Two sleeping next to their kids and the rest in chairs. Sipping coffee that didn't smell like coffee. One of the nurses had told his Mom yesterday that the canteen coffee was much better. Alec glanced around the room. Everyone kind of kept to themselves but he took a guess at why some of them were there. One small boy had a leg in a cast. It had various pins through it and was being held up in the air, so Alec presumed he had broken it at some point. There was an older girl, probably around 13. She was attempting to brush her hair from around the bandage that was wrapped around her eye. The girl in the bed next to her had a complicated brace in an arc over her head, holding her neck straight with medieval looking pins that went into her skull. It connected to a panel that went over her chest.

Alec looked over to the door, as Maryse came back in. She had a holdall in her hands and her mouth moved slightly with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "I've got a surprise for you." Alec looked over the contents of the bag. A few pairs of pyjamas, some drinks and different snacks. He pretended that he didn't see his teddy at the bottom. "What is it?" He looked through the bag again.

"No, not in there. You'll have to come with me. Are you okay to walk?"

His legs felt shaky as he stood. The cannula in his arm tugged slightly. He had forgot that he had a drip attached to it. He pushed his bag with his foot and pulled the drip stand with him. He had wanted to get out for a bit anyway but suspected it was because Maryse didn't want him sitting under his 'Nil by mouth' sign while all the other kids got to eat breakfast.

"It's just down the corridor."

Alec walked ahead and Maryse followed. The corridor was probably only 10 metres long but felt like it went on for miles. Three days of being in bed must have taken its toll on him. He got half way down the corridor and stopped to catch his breath. Maryse had wanted to get a wheel chair but he insisted that he walk. This was actually very likely to be the fittest he would be for a while and something felt defeatist in using a wheel chair already.