"Beeeeeeeeeeeeep," was the constant blaring from the machines that woke Stevie out of her sleep. It wasn't the constant short beeps, but the long flat line that scared the life out of her.
"Help! I need help in here!" she yelled to the door hoping for nurses to rush in. "Please don't leave me, be strong, come on!" she yelled at Brandon while crushing his hand.
"Step out of the way ma'am," a woman with a German accent dressed in blue scrubs said from behind Stevie. She turned to see her holding paddles.
"Please save him," she said and moved away for them to perform CPR. Eventually they used the paddles.
"Charging at 200," the woman said and they all let out a breath when a strong heartbeat returned.
"Brandon!" Stevie said strongly hoping to wake him up.
"We have to take him for a CAT scan, but it seems like he's trying to wake up from the coma," another nurse explained.
"Is that a good thing?" Stevie asked hesitantly.
"It would be under different circumstances, but we need the swelling in his brain to decrease before the stress of him trying to wake up increases it," she says before she and the other nurses push his bed out of the room. She decides this reprieve will give her time to check into a hotel across the street.
"Hello, I was wondering if you have a room available," she asked.
"Yes, we have one, how long is your stay?" the receptionist asked.
"I have no idea, just put me down for a week," she replies tiredly.
"That will be $700," she says.
"Here put it on the card," Stevie replies handing the card over.
"I'm sorry but this says Brandon Wilkins," she says.
"We're related, I just have a different last name," she says and holds up her wedding band.
"I see, sorry for the confusion," the receptionist apologizes.
"No worries," she says.
"You're in room 303, the man will escort you to your room and carry your luggage," she says.
"Thank you, have a nice day," she says noting it's almost 10 am.
"You as well," and with that Stevie is escorted to the elevator. Soon she finds herself in a nice sized room with a bed that's been calling her name. She gives the man a $20 tip and flops onto the bed. Her eyes close so fast she barely has time to reach for a pillow. When she wakes, it comes from a knock on her door and it takes a while for it to register. Once she opens it, she wishes she could close it again. The person she wanted here least; her parents.
"Mom, dad, what are you guys doing here?" she asks.
"What are we doing here? What are you doing here?" her mom says and she rolls her eyes as they pass the threshold.
"I told you, I'm here to help a friend," she replies.
"Who's the friend? What do they need help with?" her dad asks, speaking for the first time after he observed every detail of the room.
"Don't lie either," her mother says as if she already knows the reason.
"His name is Brandon Wilkins, I'm his emergency contact and he's at Landstuhl Regional Hospital," she says and finally breaks down.
"Oh baby," her dad, always the protector wraps his arms around her and for the first time in the past three days, she feels safe.
"I just want him…" she's cut off by her phone and goes to retrieve it from the charger.
"Hello?" she asks.
"Ms. McCord?" the man asks.
"Yes this is she," she says.
"Mr. Wilkins is awake and is asking for you. The doctors still need you to sign the forms because he's not coherent enough," he explains.
"I'll be right over," she says and hangs up the phone.
"He's awake, I have to go," she says and makes a move towards the door, but feels an arm pulling her back. "You can't stop me," she says sharper than intended.
"I was going to say let's go together," her mother reasons and it makes her relax. 15 minutes later and they're walking into the hospital and it seems busier than when she first came in last night. They go towards his hospital room and he's still connected to machines, but instead of the ventilator to help him breath, he has the nasal cannula on.
"Hi beautiful," he says when he sees her walk in. His head still bandaged heavily.
"You're awake," she rushes to his side and brings him into a crushing hug.
"Ribs!" he croaks.
"Oh God sorry, sorry, I'm just so happy you're awake," she says and he reaches for her left hand and that's when her parents see the wedding band for the first time.
"Who is he Stevie?" her father asks.
"He's my husband," she cries as she wipes tears from her eyes.
"Don't they know who I am?" he asks quietly.
"I'm sorry I just never got around to it. I just never knew how to tell them," she reasoned.
"And what I'm just this secret you hid away," he says and she can sense him getting angry.
"Calm down, stress isn't good. You still have a bullet in your brain and I have to sign those damn papers," she reasons.
"You're husband?" her dad asks still in shock.
"Dad, I'll explain everything in a little while I just have to…" she says but the doctor she was looking for comes in with papers and a needle.
"Hello Ms. McCord, I have the papers for you to sign and this is a sedative for you to relax," he says.
"She's Mrs. Wilkins," Brandon grinds in between his teeth.
"I apologize for the confusion," the doctor apologizes.
"It's not you who should be sorry," he replies and fixes a cold stare at Stevie who opens her mouth but nothing comes out. "Save it, I risk my life for my country and my own wife won't even acknowledge me," he says and feels the drugs taking effect as he calms down.
"So Mrs. Wilkins, these are the forms you need to sign that will allow us to perform the surgery. Would you like me to explain the procedure?" he asks and she nods.
"Please let me escort you to my office," he says and my parents go to follow.
"I'm sorry, family only," he says.
"They're my parents," she replies and he nods. Once they're in his office, he shows the brain scan.
"This is where the bullet is lodged in his brain. I don't see signs that it's damaged his motor skills or anything but we can't be too sure until after surgery. We will enter through the left lobe and retrieve it," he says.
"How long is the surgery?" she asks.
"Five hours give or take two," he says.
"Please save him," she cries.
"I'll do my best ma'am," he says and hands her a pen. Her hand shakes as tears roll down her cheek onto the paper moistening it.
"What are the risks?" she asks and knows she shouldn't because the list is endless.
"There's always risks with surgery, but are you sure you want to know?" he asks and she nods her head, unsure herself.
"Well there's brain damage where he could lose control of his muscles and motor skills, he could be paralyzed, slip into a coma, he could die," he lists.
"Please stop, I shouldn't have asked," she says. "When can he return to his unit?" she asks.
"I can't be for sure until after surgery, but he has a long way to go with physical therapy and testing before he can return," the doctor says.
"Thank you," she sighs and begins to sign the papers.
"We'll prep the OR for tonight. Go sit by him and speak to him, it's always better when they know they have something great to return to," he encourages before filing the documents and shaking hands. She feels her parents' hands on her back guiding her inside the room to see his sleeping form. She sits by his bed and pulls his hand into hers.
"Baby," she whispers but receives no response. "Please wake up".
"I'm awake," he sighs as his eyes flutter open. "This is nice".
"What is?" she asks.
"You'll be the last person I see before I die, and that makes it the sweetest death ever," he says and laughs.
"Shut up! You're not dying," she hits his arm lightly and laughs at the joke.
"Mom, dad, I want you to meet Brandon, he's my husband," she says and ushers them to the opposite side of the bed.
"Nice to meet you sir," Brandon says a little loopy to Henry, "and you too Madam Secretary".
"No formalities, you're family," Liz smiles down at him.
"Even in my death, I'll follow you," he says looking seriously at Stevie quoting their favorite song.
"I love you so much," she cries into his shoulder and he puts his hand on her head.
"I love you too, but you have to be strong. You're my rock, my home to come to. You're my warrior princess who bakes me cookies before I deploy, and most important, you're a Wilkins. No fear," he says and she nods her head in his shoulder.
"Don't leave me," she says.
"I'm always here," he says pointing to her heart. "No fear babe," he says before he goes into a coughing fit where he spits up blood and she cries harder. After it dies down he says, "I've had worse. But promise me; promise me to stay strong no matter what happens. Promise me!" he says strongly.
"I promise," she says and the tears stop.
"We're here to take you to surgery," the nurse says and Stevie blows him a kiss that he captures and puts near his heart.