Soon You'll Get Better

Eight

"Linda! Linda, listen to me." Danny was holding her face in his hands, looking her in the eye. "Listen. You need to go with the doctors."

"I want you!" She sobbed, her heart rate going up. She was coughing and gagging, trying to get air in, all while crying because of the pain in her throat, lungs, and entire body, and because they were taking her away from Danny. Her Danny, and while she still wasn't quite sure of the relationship between heralded and him, she knew she needed him. She gripped his shoulders, clinging to him, hiding her face from the others. "I want you! Don't leave me! I need you!"

Danny looked almost helpless as he watched the nurse put something in his wife's IV drip. Within seconds, Linda's sobs were reduced to sniffles, and her stiff body relaxed. "What did you do?"

"Gave her some Valium. Explain to her again." The nurse, who's name was Mary and would become Linda's nurse, gently encouraged him.

"Linda, listen." He stroked her hair, noting how her breathing was getting slower and slower. "You listening?"

"Yeah." Her voice was muffled against his neck.

"Okay. Doctor-" he looked at the doctor, realizing he didn't know his name.

"James Albright."

"Dr. James and Nurse Mary are going to help you." He pulled away and lifted her chin, forcing her to look at the two people in question. "They're going to help, okay?"

Linda nodded, and leaned her head against his shoulder. She still couldn't see and she was upset.

"They need to do some tests." He was glad her normal checkup tests were already done. Those were easier, as he was allowed to be in the room with her. The next tests wouldn't be so easy for her. "But they can't do them with me in the room."

Her head shot up so fast, Danny was concerned she'd get whiplash. "I want you!"

"I know, sweetheart. I know."

"Sweetheart," she interrupted him, looking like she was concentrating very hard. "That's our... c-ode wor-d."

Danny looked pleasantly shocked. "Yes! Yes, that's right. Remember what it means?" He quickly glanced at Mary and James, a smile on his face.

"Yes... it means... listen and no..." she had the word on the top of her tongue. Her cheeks slightly puffed as she tried getting the word out. Louder than she meant, she exclaimed, "bullshit!"

"That's right!" He hugged her, being careful of the injuries. He kissed her cheek, "you remember!"

James and Mary looked pleased as well, happy she remembered something from her past. Maybe her memory would come back faster than they hoped?

"James and Mary are-" he looked at them abruptly. "Could I actually go in there with her? While she's falling asleep?"

Mary nodded, "sure. Parents do that with kids all the time, and it looks like she needs a friend."

"Linda, I'm going to go in a room with you, and James is going to give you some medicine that'll make you sleep." He tried not to sound condescending, he tried to sound calm. "When you wake up-"

"You'll be there?" She asked hopefully.

Danny nodded, "I'll try."

Linda looked to the nurse and doctor. "I'm ready. But Danny has to come."