A New York Secret

Chapter Nine

Loki slept in the next morning, not even waking when a different nurse came in to bring breakfast. When he did wake, he was confused to see Emily still with him, with her head on his shoulder. She could hear someone rummaging around and opened one eye to see Loki was trying to reach his table to get his breakfast. "Want help?"

"Want it, no. Need it, most likely." He muttered. "I honestly assumed you would have moved the moment I fell asleep." He said truthfully.

She gingerly sat up, then leaned over to pull the table closer to him so he could eat. "I was more tired than I thought. But you make a good cuddle companion too."

He gave her a look, then focused on his food. "I was just surprised is all, it was kind of nice to not be alone." He admitted.

She smiled at him, then stole a piece of his bacon. "I agree. It was nice to have someone to lean on."

"If you are going to share my food, you'll need to have them bring enough for both of us." He said, then snatched the other piece of bacon to stop her from getting it.

She chuckled and leaned back in her spot beside him. "I won't take anymore. Eat your food."

"I guess I don't mind as long as there's enough for us both?" He shrugged, but regretted the movement. When a nurse knocked, he looked over and glared at the door.

Emily rubbed his arm and stood from the bed. "Eat Loki," she said softly, then walked to the door and answered it. "Yes?"

"I was told to deliver some walking equipment to this room." The nurse said, clearly not from their floor.

She nodded and let her in. "Thank you. I'll be sure to start working with him today."

The nurse brought in a walker and leg brace. "Do you know how to put the leg brace on?" She asked Emily.

"I know the basics. Hopefully he will not be needing it for too long," she replied.

"Would you like for me to stand by in the event you need help with the brace?" The nurse offered.

Emily nodded. "You can if you'd like, but I want him to be able to finish his food first."

"I will wait at the nurse station for now. Just hit the call button if you need me." She said and walked out.

She turned back towards Loki after she shut the door to see him drinking his milk. "How're you feeling this morning?"

"What do they want me to do now?" Loki asked, eyeing the brace and walker suspiciously.

"Nothing bad, but it will be difficult at first," she assured. "I want you to try and start walking."

"I want to start walking, so that's fine. Help me up." He said and held his hand out to her, eager to get up.

Emily walked up to the side of the bed and moved his table to the side. "Slow down there. I need to put your leg brace on your bad leg, then make sure you have a walker for support."

"Why do I need a thing on my leg? It was my side that was injured." Loki challenged.

"The injury goes down into your thigh and affects the muscle of that leg," she explained. "It's precautionary."

"Is that what the m..r thingy told you?" He asked curiously and nodded to say she could put the brace on.

Emily grabbed the brace and removed his blanket to see his bruised legs. "No," she chuckled. "I keep an eye on your reports. Are you able to lift your bad leg at all?"

Loki tried to lift his leg but the pain made him stop nearly right away. "No, it's too stiff." He said, from having been bedridden.

She nodded and put the brace on the bed then walked over to the drawer that held his medicine and grabbed the walker in her other hand. "Here," she said when she returned with some pills. "This will help with pain and inflammation."