" I'm looking for a patient. Last name Redfield." Piers tapped his fingers on the desk, eager for today's visitation. Two weeks may not have been long to most but Nivan's perceived it to be adrift from his beloved superior.
"Ah yes, Redfield. Patient No. 6460832. Piers frowned at the notion of his captain being referenced by some number rather than his real name. Seems his caretaker is Dr. Donovan. I'll send him to escort you to his room. Just have a seat in the lobby.
Piers took a seat as told, impatient and nervous. If he could sprawl out a list of things he disliked in the world, waiting and hospitals would be at the top.
For what seemed like centuries, a man donning a lab coat with thinning grey hair stepped into the lobby. "Piers," he called in a pleasant manner. The man snapped out of his seat, completely disregarding introduction, simply asking, "how is he?".
"He was brought out of his coma just a about a week and a half ago, but he is indeed stable. Unfortunately however, he remains unresponsive and catatonic to the outside world. He won't eat, nor will he sleep much. His likeness is that of a vegetable.
The brunette haired man gave an involuntary glare and ignored his comment. The doctor stops at a room at the end of the hall and motions Piers through the door with a hand. "Im not sure how responsive he'll be, but since its you he might illicit one, the doctor said as he strode away back down the hall, possibly to check on other patients.
Piers took a breath, wishing he had prepared himself for this. Its only been a few weeks since he's seen Chris but its been 6 months since Chris has seen him. After the incident in Edonia, his biggest fear was for Chris to relive all of those memories of his comrades dying. Knowing his captain's sense of justice and the protection of his subordinates, he knew he wouldn't live this down.
Without a word, Piers stepped into the room, taking in all the blandness of it surrounding one dimly lit figure at the window. There he was sitting in a wheelchair, shoulder slumped in his hospital clothes. A various array of pills lay on his bedside table. A tube protruded from his arm where the I.V. bag dripped into.
"Captain….," Piers called in a calm tone.
He didn't move or show any signs of coherence. His once proud and upright superior now looked smaller; almost derelict. For the whole six months, all he could do was lie there and waste away while Piers watched in anguish.
"Do you remember me Captain?" Its me, Nivans. Piers flashbacked to how Chris would call him out by his last name whenever he was having one of those days or if he irritated him in some shape or form.
…..Nothing
"I've been waiting for you…..you know…..to wake back up." Its been six months since we've seen each other face-to-face." Piers wasn't quite sure what to say this time. IT was almost as if he was rehearsing the lines for what to say before he came in the room.
"Alot has happened since you were gone. They promoted me to pick up all the slack you left off" he joked. "When i heard you woke up, I tried as hard as I could to come see you as soon as possible. Unfortunately, I had to have Jill take my workload so she couldn't come. Claire said she'd be over next Friday so thats always something to look forward to. " In the meantime she told me to tell you that she was getting married and told me 'if that doesn't get him out of his coma and running then nothing will,."
He went on to tell him about the various operations they've been carrying out, the gossip in the workplace, and the conditions of their friends. Eventually, Piers came to the realization that anything he said was near futile.
A long silence stretched between the men until Piers cleared his throat. "Captain….I came here to see you today...and to also say that im sorry. That day in Edonia. It all happened so quick. I couldn't save anyone but you that day. I…."
His eyes began to burn with regret, reflecting on the day were he felt the most helpless and unusable.
"I saw it coming I just…" his shame manifested itself in the tears that rolled down his cheeks. He wasn't expecting an form of pity from his captain, but rather any sort of retort. If he hated him, then so be it. He didn't mind. He just wanted him back
"Its been hard without you," he said, finding himself kneeling beside the man. "I don't know how to act. I can't sleep, let alone focus on anything, knowing that you're stuck here like this. I blame myself for this and I don't know if you can ever forgive me but…" his blood red emerald eyes gazed at the lifeless, tired ocean that was Chris's.
"Just tell me that you hate me…...or forgive me….," he cried silently into his lap." I should be in this chair, not you." "I'm sorry…"
If Pier's wasn't so stricken, he could have sworn something had just brushed over the side of his cheek and across his ear. Fingers. Fingers gently traversing across his face, and gently caressing his hair.
Quietly, but surely he heard his name from a throat ravaged by unused vocal cords and breathing tubes. He looked back up into his Captain's face, scanning his parted lips and slightly watered eyes. Seeing change, Nivan's grinned. With a stroke of his thumb, Chris brushed away the younger man's tears and formed something resemblant of a smile.
"s,okay…" he whispered. As hard as he tried, he couldn't stop the flow of tears. " I missed you," Piers said, wrapping his arms around the man. All he wanted to do was sit there, comforted by his captain's small resurrection.