Halcyon

Blood Stained

Jack sits in the corridor of the hospital it had been many hours since Nikki was stabbed and had been rushed to hospital with her life hanging in the balance, within minutes of her being brought into hospital they had sourced the bleed and managed to stop it for now. Just over an hour ago Nikki was taken into theatre when they found a stab wound that had punctured her left lung.

While waiting for Nikki to come out of the operating theatre, Jack rings his Dad to tell him what has happened and that he will need to collect Poppy from school and that things are touch and go with Nikki currently. He sits with his head in his hands and a cup of water in front of him on the floor, untouched. Nikki's blood still stained to his hands and t-shirt, he is devastated and wanting justice for Nikki, he now just wants to protect her with everything he's got.

A few minutes later footsteps approach him and then the person sits down beside him, "Mr. Alexander?" the voice comes making Jack lookup.
"No, Hodgson... we're not married... yet" He speaks realising that it's the same nurse from earlier who had gone into the operating theatre with Nikki and the surgeon. "How is she?" Jack questions his heart in his mouth expecting the worse news possible.

The young scrub nurse smiles and takes hold of Jack's hand, "She's a fighter Mr. Hodgson, Ms. Skubilina has successfully managed to stop both bleeds and repair the stab wounds. We have taken your partner to the high-dependancy unit as we have intubated and have taken over her breathing allowing her body to time to recover" The young nurse smiles and Jack nods and continues to look down at the floor.

"Thank you... I don't ... I don't know what to say, I'm so angry with myself for letting her do that court case, I knew it was dangerous-" He begins.
"Sir, it could have been anyone, don't beat yourself up over it" The nurse smiles sympathetically.
"I can't... what am I meant to tell my daughters... they're going to be asking about their Mum, well my eldest is four... for crying out loud our youngest is about to turn three months old" Jack speaks and the nurse is stunned to silence not realising how your their family actually was.

The young nurse looks up to see another nurse looking at her waiting to speak with her, "Okay, I have got to go, but your more than welcome to head up to the high-dependancy unit on the red route on the west side of the block... Ms. Skubilina will be over there on her ward rounds in the next hour..." The nurse smiles as she stands and leaves Jack to sit in the corridor.

Five minutes after gathering his thoughts he heads to the toilet and tries to remove as much blood from himself as possible before heading up to the High-dependency unit. He arrives there and rings the bell as the ward is secure, a voice comes on the intercom and allows Jack inside.

He is shown over to Nikki who is lying flat out on the bed hooked up to a variety of different monitors, she is currently receiving drip fluids and there is a machine breathing for her at the moment. His heart plummets when he examines her fragile body, she looks paler than usual and her hair seems to fall in a way that isn't Nikki making her seem different. He sighs and gently brushes her hair away from her shoulders so it looks more natural and not set there. "Oh, Niks, what are you like ay... my strong, beautiful Fiancée" He speaks softly and he gently places a kiss on her forehead.

He sits down beside the bed and takes hold of her hand, he gently runs his thumb over her knuckles, he then gently lifts her hand and kisses her hand ever so softly. "You always have to be the awkward one don't you, you're such an idiot... what am I meant to tell Poppy... you're such an idiot... but I love you" He whispers against her knuckles before pressing another kiss on her hand.