And Back

Tommy-

Getting back to Christopher's after the meeting was a bit of a pain, literally. Tommy wasn't sure why his chest was hurting so much more recently, but he steeled his nerves when went inside the doorway so that he didn't look like he was in pain. He wasn't too surprised to see that Christopher wasn't home, though.

Duh, his car wasn't even here when you got out of the taxi.

Running a hand through his hair, Tommy sighed, then wheeled himself into the kitchen. He wanted to make dinner, or at least a few peanut butter and banana sandwiches for when Chris got home, but he couldn't even find the energy to fight the pain that flared up when he simply tried to open the refrigerator.

Groaning, he leaned back in his chair, body sagging with defeat. "Well, you can't make a simple sandwich anymore. Chris is going to kill me... if my injury doesn't first."

As if his voice had summoned the man, the sound of the door handle being turned echoed in the silent house. Tommy felt his heart ache. He could try to hide his pain from Christopher, but to what end? He didn't want the man to worry, but surely letting himself die because of a situation that could have been cured causes much more than worry.

Turning his wheelchair toward the kitchen entrance, Tommy counted Christopher's three remaining steps before he saw the man appear in the doorway. He looked drained, but when his eyes fell on Tommy, they narrowed.

"You look like absolute shit. We're going to the hospital now."

Well, that went just as I'd planned.

Christopher stalked over to him and grabbed the handles of his wheelchair. "We're going right now. Don't argue."

Tommy grabbed the wheel bars of his chair to try and stop Chris from moving it but the man was determined. "It really can wait until tomorrow. I don't feel that terrible."

"Oh? Not that terrible?" Christopher repeated, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he continued to walk.

Wincing, Tommy pursed his lips and bit back another response. He didn't want to go to the hospital yet but there wasn't much he could do. If he somehow managed to stop Christopher from taking him, the man would more than likely just call the ambulance himself.

Why did I have to fall in love with a doctor? Why couldn't he be a pet groomer or something?

Tommy paused in his thoughts, mouth dropping open slightly.

You might love him, but he doesn't love you, I think.

"Tommy? Answer me, now."

Blinking back darkness that had crept into the edges of his vision, Tommy leaned his head back on the headrest of the passenger's seat and felt his heart sink in his chest. I blacked out? He could see Christopher's hand blur to his left, then felt it smack him on top of his head. He expected it to hurt, at least enough to make him focus better, but he honestly had barely felt it.

"Dammit." Christopher growled. His voice sounded muffled and Tommy had to focus on the word just to be able to understand it.

As he zoned in and out of awareness, Tommy could hear Chris talking, though it didn't seem like it was to him. The conversation mentioned him doing some tests or if needed, surgery, but Tommy couldn't piece together much more of what he could only assume was a phone call.

When they actually got to the hospital, he didn't know. He could feel himself being poked by needles in two or three places, then something cold pressed against his chest and forehead. Everything was far too muffled to be able to hear and his eyelids felt like they were made of cement.

I think... I have a fever.

Even the thought was hard to put together, but Tommy knew that just letting himself black out again would be bad. He remembered that in most cases, keeping consciousness during a trauma issue was extremely important. He felt like he was breathing somewhat well but his breath felt very hot on his lips, and his mouth was extremely dry. He tried to lick his lips to at least spread a bit of saliva around, but his tongue would barely move and then there was suddenly something being forced down his throat.

Tommy gagged immediately, and, with what little energy he could manage to find, tried to turn his head away. A loud beeping started to come through the fog in his mind, as well as the sound of at least two people shouting, but he couldn't make out what they were saying or really what was going on at all. He did feel someone grasp his head, forcing it to remain still as the item was forced further down his throat. Tommy coughed several times and tried to get his head free, but the large hands holding him still were far too strong.

"...hear me."

What?

The beeping sound began to stutter and pick up as another, different sounding one started up. Tommy felt his head begin to pound even though he could barely hear the sounds. He wanted to just rest for a bit. Surely that would fix whatever was wrong with him. It was easy to just allow his body to be pulled back into the darkness, but something kept nudging at his consciousness each time he tried to let himself go completely.

Those damn hands. I'm not trying to move my head, let go already.

They were still holding it, but not as tightly. It almost felt like they were cupping his face instead of restraining his head right then.

"You have..."

A faint pressure on his cheeks brought Tommy slowly back from the edge of darkness. He was more annoyed, than anything, though. Whoever was rubbing their thumbs along his cheeks and jaw needed to stop. He was exhausted and just wanted to rest. Eventually, he did just that, letting his mind turn off completely.

There was a sharp jerk on whatever had been shoved down his throat at the same time someone yelled. "Wake up, now!"

Tommy gagged hard and his right eye blinked open. His vision was blurry and his eyelid only managed to open about a third of the way, but he was determined to tell whoever was messing with him to go find someone else to torture.

"You are..."

What? What am I?

The two beeping sounds slowly began to return but the second one went away after a few moments.

"I hate..."

Dammit. I can't focus enough to hear what he's saying.

The voice sounded familiar, too. His left ear was clearing up a bit, allowing him to hear somewhat decently. It was still muffled and words were coming and going as if his mind was trying to tune his brain to pick them up better, but at least he could solidly hear a few of them.

Focus more. Pay attention.

"Wake up you damn idiot!" Christopher shouted loud enough to startle Tommy. The faster beeping sound returned for a moment, then quieted back to its previous steady rhythm.

A faint sigh, along with a groan, was heard as someone walked around the side of his bed. Tommy opened his good eye a little further and waited for the fuzziness to clear. It took a minute, but eventually he could see Christopher's features come into focus.

He was panting and looked like he hadn't slept in at least a few days. He was taking me to the hospital. Tommy finally remembered. His heart twisted at the thought of being unconscious for days.

"Scared the shit out of me." Christopher said through a thin green surgical mask. He tugged it down, then removed the cap he'd been wearing to keep his hair covered.

Tommy wanted to say something but there was a plastic tube down his throat that he finally realized was likely forced in to help him breathe. I was making the heart monitor go crazy. The idea that he had almost died swam in his head, making the monitor relay his worry.

"It'll be okay now. Take it easy, Tommy." Christopher said in a surprisingly soft voice. Tommy briefly noticed a few people, who were dressed in the same green scrub outfits as Christopher, walk behind the man to, what he could only assume, was exit the room.

When everyone seemed to have left, Christopher dropped down into a chair beside the bed Tommy was lying in and heaved another exhausted sigh. "You've been gone for nearly six hours. We... I, lost you, twice..."

His eyes lifted from his pants to meet Tommy's wide one. "I pray there was no damage." He said, making Tommy immediately go through a mental checklist of his own body. He could think perfectly well, though the haze still remained floating over his conscious. He assumed that was his own exhaustion and possibly some drugs he'd been given.

He then went to his feet and legs, moving them each ever so slightly. It took effort and made his body ache more, but it worked. He then went to his arms. His left one had a pins and needles feeling, but they both responded enough to not cause him to worry. He didn't have the energy to try and speak and with the tube still down his throat, he wouldn't have been able to anyways, but he wasn't going to dwell on that. He was able to move and he was still alive.

"We'll test your motor skills after you've recovered." Christopher said as he took off his stained green gloves and threw them in a trash can behind him before turning back to face Tommy.

"Some of the muscle around your injury had gotten infected. Normally, it's not an issue, but it can happen... and it did. With you." He ran a shaky hand through his hair, then dropped his forehead on the bed as his body sagged with relief, right hand gripping the thin blankets tightly. "I went in and took out the infected tissue. I'm so sorry I hadn't realized what was going on earlier. I should have. I didn't think that if I did the operation when you got hurt, that there would be an issue like infection. I have no one else to blame this time, I messed up."

It can happen even with the most careful procedures.

Tommy wanted to comfort the man crumbling before him, but he couldn't speak and his limbs barely worked. He willed his other eye to open, then focused through his blurry vision until Christopher lifted his head and met his gaze.

I love you.

He tried to project his thoughts, but Christopher only gave him a sad, pained smile and sat back in his chair. "Relax as best you can, but please try to stay awake. I'm going to remain here in case anything happens. Your heartbeat is back to normal, but if you could keep yourself up for a bit longer, you'll be in much safer waters."

Tommy fought with himself until he could give the faintest of nods, then did as told. He still hurt all over and he had no doubt that he had a long road ahead of him still, especially after a second surgery, but he did feel blessed to have Christopher still by his side.