A/N: Here's the next chapter :) I have one more written. Thanks for reading the last chapter :)
Chapter 2
Hospitalized
Suddenly, she woke up. There was no fog, but the white walls of her hospital room. At first, she thought it all was just a strange dream, but she saw Angel standing next to the door, smiling at her. Her friend was still wearing her vibrant-white gown, but Mimi herself had a usual hospital nightgown on, instead of her coat. She was surrounded by medical equipments. Their beeping was so annoying.
Mimi looked around. She saw many flowers and a few bars of untouched chocolate next to her on the bedside table. The room was so familiar to that one in which Angel died not a long ago. It was frustrating.
'Where are we?' she asked her friend.
'In the not so far future.' Angel answered 'Maybe a day or two after your almost death.'
'Oh, I see' she looked through the window which had a view to the corridor where she saw so many people. 'Do they see you?' she pointed to a group of nurses.
'No. I'm only visible and hearable for You.' Angel looked at the corridor 'Oh, here he goes.'
Before she could ask who, the door opened, and Roger walked in. He looked exhausted, and had stubble on his face. But anyway he looked as handsome as ever. When he saw Mimi he smiled.
'Good morning, Meems. Or should I say afternoon?' he joked. He bent down and gave her a peck on the lips. 'You look good' he put his palm onto her forehead. 'You have no fever. That's good.' He said as he sat down to the edge of the bed, and put his arm around her shoulder. His touch was so warm and soft. 'How are you today, anyway?'
'Tired and sleepy, but fine.' He gave her a skeptical look 'I am really feeling fine. Don't look at me that way'
'Sorry, Meems' he apologized. 'I'm just worried about you, that's all.' He kissed the top of her head.
'OK, I know.' She yawned. 'How long have I been sleeping?'
'About fifteen hours without waking up.' He said 'But the doctor said it's fine. You need the rest.'
'I hate this place. When can I go home?'
'You have been here only for two days… Mimi, you've almost died. I've almost lost you. You need the recovery.' She felt the hint of worry and shame in his voice. After all, if he hadn't gone to Santa Fe, she wouldn't have left the rehab.
'Know you're right, but I still loathe this place, and I can't help it.'
'Hold on just a little longer. I had a word with your doctor, and he said that your T-cells are pretty high. You can leave in a few days if you don't have fever anymore.' He nuzzled his nose into her long, curly hair. I love you so much Meems… I don't know what could I do without you.'
'It took a little while 'till you could it say aloud, didn't it?' she laughed.
'Yeah. A whole year, to be exact.' He said, chuckling.
Mimi closed her eyes, and leaned back to Roger's chest. She felt like she had no energy left. After all, a little sleep couldn't hurt… But first…
'Rog?'
'Yes?' it sounded like he was half-asleep himself.
'Could you sing me that song? Y'know, that one you wrote for me.'
'Of course, love.'
She could only hear the first few lines of the song, then drifted into dreamless sleep…
Your eyes, as we said our goodbyes
Can't get them out of my mind…
She woke up a few hours later. She was alone in the room again, with only Angel there. She could see a Roger-shaped dent in the sheets, from what she could tell that her boyfriend left not a long ago.
'Is it a new station of my life? 'Cause if it is, I don't wanna go back to life. I've had enough of hospitals for a lifetime.' she started in an annoyed voice.
'Don't worry, girlfriend, it's still the first. You've just been sleeping.' said Angel calmly. 'There's still something I have to show you. I wanna make sure that you'll choose to turn back.'
'Then go on'
'Don't want things go faster than they're supposed to be. Everything has it's time. But see, here we go.' She pointed at the corridor.
Mimi looked through the window and see Roger and a man with graying hair and glasses so typical. Roger looked embarrassed and confused, but the doctor looked excited. He was explaining something to her boyfriend. She had no idea what's going on.
'What's happening? Is something wrong with me?' she asked Angel. She shook her head.
'I can't tell you. You'll see.'
Outside the men finished talking, and Roger was heading towards her door. He looked sulky, but he smiled as he saw her awake.
'Hello, love.' It looked like it was his new habit to call her love, but she didn't mind it at all.
'Hello to you too" she said as he gave her a quick kiss 'Get a shave!'
'As the lady wishes' He said 'But first…'
'There's something wrong.' She cut in 'I'm right, am I not? There's something wrong with me…'
'No, no, no Meems… it's just… well…'
'So?'
'There's something we have to talk about' he said at last.
'Then let's talk' she ordered.
'Well… I talked with your doctor, and he said that there's something new medicine for HIV… but it hasn't tested yet. And he wants us for testing. 'Till this part, the thing is nice and fine, but I asked what about the by-effects? And he said, we couldn't know. And I'm afraid that it could do more damage than good. And I don't wanna put you into danger.'
'Oh, Roger.'
'Then I thought I could try it first. And if it didn't do too much bad with me, you could try it also… But what if… Damn, I don't know what to do!'
'Calm down, Rog.' Said Mimi, caressing his arm. 'Can I talk with that doctor?'
'Why?'
'I wanna know more about that medicine. It's pretty few information, and I wanna know as much about this stuff as possible.
'So you don't trust me? OK. I won't forget it.' His tone was irritated, but he was smiling. 'Fine. I'll catch that man for you.' He gave her a kiss on the lips, and then left the room.
Ten minutes later the doctor was sitting in front of them, and explaining the whole thing to them.
'Though, this is not the final cure' he said 'but a big step forward. If it's works, you two will see the millennium alive. It could give you ten, or fifteen more years to live. And meanwhile, the cure will probably be invented! Just image it – you could have much more time with each other. Just enough time, for example, for get married, start a family…'
She felt Roger's embrace tighten around her thin body. She's never thought about getting married or starting a family before… For God's sake! She was only twenty, they have just made up with Roger, and they both were HIV-positive… they lived for a moment, without a tough of future. But now… if she would have time… she could imagine Roger and herself, a few years later, healthy, with a little infant… But she couldn't live that long under these circumstances.
'How much time we would have with the old AZT?' asked Roger.
'For you, young man, maybe five, maximum seven years. But for you, Miss… two, or three years, if you're lucky.' Said the doctor, in a rather sad tone 'But, with the new medicine, as I said, you could celebrate your fortieth birthday, maybe. But, of course, to be frank, this isn't sure, you know, it hasn't tested. But you could just win, if you tried it, I would say.'
'Roger?'
'Yes, Babe?'
'I think we should try it.'
'But…' he started.
'No buts' he put his finger in his mouth 'The doctor is right, love. We can't loose anything.' She meant it.
'Ok, if you're sure.'
'Yes, I am.'
'So, can I take as you're going to be testers?' asked the doctor.
'Yeah… guinea pigs…' muttered Roger under his breath. Mimi hit his arm playfully.
'Yes, you can.'
'So, let's talk about the procedure…' the older man's voice started to fade away.
'It's time to go. You've seen enough.' Said Angel as they fell into the so familiar fog.
