"Aftermath"
Summary: "But he's going to be okay, right?" Clare pressed, looking for the positive. What happened next worried her. — One-shot; Post-"Blood On The Ground"; Fiona/Adam pairing; Drew/Clare friendship; *timeline fic*
Author's Note: This one-shot is a timeline fic.
It takes place directly after the final chapter of "Blood On The Ground". As such, it's set at the end of Semester 1 of Adam's Junior year at Degrassi. The following story in the series is "How To Save A Life". Fair warning, it may make you cry...
Author's Note #2: So... I've been back and forth on whether to share this as part of a multi-chapter story. For now I'm posting it as a one-shot, though I might expand at some point in the future!
Categories: Hurt/Comfort, Romance, Family, Friendship
Rating: T (for themes)
Disclaimer: I do NOT own Degrassi!
-oOo-
"He's awake, and he's asking for you."
Fiona blinked. She had been in the room, holding Adam's hand when she felt his fingers move. She immediately moved closer and called his name. At the sound of her voice, he opened his eyes. For the first time in three days her blue-gray eyes met his blue ones.
After that she alerted the nurses and they shooed her out of the room. She had been out here waiting with Clare for the past 15 minutes while doctors and nurses went in and out.
"Did you tell him?" Fiona asked quietly.
Drew let out a breath.
They had previously discussed this and all agreed that Drew was the right person to let Adam know what happened to him.
"Not yet. I tried to… but he wanted to see you first," Drew told her.
Fiona felt close to tears. She had thought she had no more left to cry, but apparently she had been wrong.
The two of them walked solemnly back to Adam's room. Drew went in first and held open the door for her. Fiona wasn't quite prepared for the sight that met her eyes.
In the room were a few doctors and nurses. She recognized the trauma surgeon who had been in charge of his care right away. Next to the bed stood Audra and Omar, his parents. Adam was alert and talking to them. He wasn't quite sitting up, but his bed had been adjusted so that it was elevated at an angle. He quickly fixed his eyes on her.
"Fiona," he said softly. His voice sounded hoarse but she cherished hearing him speak again. "Are you alright?"
She instantly cracked a small grin at his words. "You've been in a coma for three days and you're asking me that?"
She heard the others chuckle at their exchange as she continued walking towards him.
Adam looked at her with a lopsided grin. "I just need to know that you're alright."
Fiona took his hand. "I am now," she answered honestly and took a seat on the edge of the bed. She blinked back tears as she brought his hand to her cheek. He gently caressed the skin, as he looked into her eyes.
"I didn't mean to worry you," he whispered. He was emotional as well. He hated the thought of her being scared and uncertain if he would be okay. He was missing time, but he deeply regretted whatever led up to his run in with Owen.
A tear fell down her cheek and she hurriedly wiped it away. It didn't escape his notice and he looked at her sadly.
"Don't cry," he said softly. He hated seeing her so upset. "I'm fine now. Just a little banged up but everything's going to be okay," he assured her. As far as he knew, he had bruises but no broken bones.
Instead of making her feel better, his words seemed to have the opposite effect. She wouldn't meet his eyes. He glanced at his parents and brother, and saw they all had grim expressions. It was starting to freak him out. What did he not know?
"Right?" he asked quietly. He noticed their hesitation and looked at Drew. His brother was trying to tell him something earlier. He turned back to Fiona. After a short pause he asked, "Is it something bad?"
As Fiona looked into his eyes, her breath was caught in her throat. "Adam, I love you."
"I love you, too," he declared, without any hesitation. His voice was weak, but full of conviction. It was a moving combination. His mother wiped away a tear. He continued to look deeply into his girlfriend's eyes. "Always," he added. "Tell me," he pressed in quiet tone.
Fiona glanced at Drew.
"I can't be here."
Adam blinked. His mind raced as he tried to decipher the implication of her words. Something was wrong. He looked down at their entwined hands for a moment before meeting her eyes again. "Okay," he said calmly.
Fiona stared at him. She could see fear in his eyes, but also determination. And she could see the affection he held for her as clear as day. Right now, in this moment, it was just the two of them. She moved closer to him and gently brought her lips to his. He instantly responded, returning the kiss. It was a chaste kiss, but nonetheless powerful and meaningful. It was a promise that they would get through this. They had to.
He smiled at her as she pulled away. Here he was in a hospital bed, looking more girlie than he liked in the unflattering generic hospital gown he had on. He wasn't wearing a chest binder and was certain that his hair was a mess, yet it didn't seem to matter to Fiona. She loved him regardless of his appearance, and he was again struck by the depth of their love. It gave him hope and steadied him at a time of great uncertainty.
"I'm ready," he announced. He glanced at his brother and Drew nodded. Fiona held onto his hand as she stood up.
"I'll be down the hall," she told him. Adam nodded and let go of her hand as she moved further away. When she got to the door, she turned back around. "I love you," she repeated.
He cracked a small grin. "I love you too, princess."
With that, she walked out of the room. She walked a few feet and then leaned against the wall, too overwhelmed by emotion to go any further. She placed her head in her hands as she cried.
Adam turned to his brother with a resigned look on his face. "Andrew."
Drew shared a worried look with their parents before walking closer to the bed. He took a deep breath.
Fiona wasn't sure how much time had passed, but a short while later she heard screams coming from Adam's room. It was definitely him and he sounded more distraught than she had ever heard him. Her first instant was to run back in there, but her legs wouldn't work. She was frozen in place as additional hospital personnel rushed into the room. She sank to the floor, crying hard.
Moments later she heard a soft voice. "Fiona, come with me."
She looked up and saw Clare kneeling beside her. The younger girl looked incredibly concerned. Clare glanced down the hall again before turning back to Fiona.
"Adam…" Fiona sobbed.
"There's nothing you can do for him," Clare delicately told her. "Come on." She helped the other girl up and they slowly walked back to the waiting area.
Sometime later Clare spotted Drew heading in their direction. As her eyes swept over him, she winced. He looked completely devastated and his eyes were red. Fiona didn't notice him until he was right in front of them.
"How is he?" she asked in a shaky voice.
Drew swallowed. "They had to sedate him."
It had been awful. At first Adam refused to believe what Drew told him. His mind couldn't process it. Drew watched as his brother fully realized the sheer horror of what had been done to him. When a doctor told him he couldn't take testosterone shots because of the possibility of pregnancy, Adam lost it.
Fiona started to cry again. He looked at her solemnly.
"But he's going to be okay, right?" Clare pressed, looking for the positive. What happened next worried her.
Drew shrugged. As he tried to answer her question, he relived what happened in that room and it was too much for him.
"I don't know, Clare," he responded, his voice breaking. He wiped at his eyes, but it wasn't enough. His shoulders began to shake as he broke down crying.
Clare was at a loss of what to do as she watched both teens sob openly.
.
A/N: I'm going to end it here. Am leaning towards adding more at a later time.
Reviews = Yay!
To the folks I cannot directly PM:
AAe - Thanks for the review to "Interlude". It's good to be back, haha. I'm happy to hear you enjoyed it!
trans dude - I appreciate the review! You're right, but at this point in the timeline Adam hasn't been on T long enough for his periods to stop. It can take up to six months. He started hormone replacement therapy the summer between his Sophomore and Junior years. The events of "Blood On The Ground" occur in early December of his Junior year.