(Author's Note) Hello! So I thought this sort of plot was kind of interesting: What if El was left alone and only to have her friend(s?) return years later. I also thought it would be interesting to have El raise her "own" kid. That's just me I know weird.
I ment to upload this chapter when I first posted the story, but here it is several hours late.
Please review/fav/follow if you can, it makes me very happy to know I make people happy :D.
Anyways, enjoy!
_
The sergery took almost 7 hours. Mike
suffered from 4 deep cuts across his stomach along with a severe concussion.
The nurses and doctors wanted to know how El knew the patient, but all she could do was sit down in her office and think. How was he alive? How did he get in Massachusetts?
Mike wasn't expected to wake up anytime soon, so she drove back to her house and picked up Holly. They drove back to the hospital, El rufusing to explain what was going on, but said it was good so she didn't worry.
Holly walked into the room and burst into tears. "MIKE!" she yelled.
"Holly," El started. "He's alive, and he will make it." She opened her armed to her and they hugged.
"Sorry to interrupt, but Dr. Ives the chief needs to see you." El left the room and walked behind a nurse towards the chief of surgery's office. They were close. The chief was the only person who knew about her upbringing other than Dustin and Mike. Not even Holly knew.
"Is everything ok chief?" El asked while taking a seat across his desk.
"Yes, just I need to let you know Dr. Ashburn will be Mr. Wheeler's primary physician from this point on. I hope you understand."
El nodded.
"How are you doing?"
El smiled. "I haven't been so happy in years.
"I'm glad. You can have the week off."
"Thank you Ben."
El walked out of the office and back towards Mike's room. Holly was sitting in a chair next to him. El looked at the monitor. His blood pressure has improved.
"He's getting better already," she said to Holly, who was grinning yet had tearing running down her face.
She took a better look at Mike. He was about 6 feet tall. He was easily recognizable, but there was slight differences.
"You were young when he was gone," El said.
"I was five."
"Do you remember him at all?"
Holly nodded. "He would read comic books to me. I only have a few memories of him but they are all good. Do you remember Mike well?"
"Yes." El smiled. "I could never forget him. He is a lot like you, actually."
"Really?"
"Yeah," she said. "Honestly if you were same age and gender I don't think there would be any differences."
Holly laughed. "Do you know when he will wake up?"
"Hopefully in the next few hours. He has a concussion; he might not remember much."
Holly's smile went away.
"He is alive, Holly, that's what matters. I'm sure he will remember us."
Two hours later Mike woke up. El rushed to his side and looked down at him."Mike?"
"W-Where am I?"
"You're in a hospital. Mike its me... El."
"El?"
"I'm here, Mike."
Mike blinked slowly and took a deep breath.
"I need to go," he said.
"Why? Whats wrong?" El put her hand on his, but he pulled away.
"I have to leave now," Mike said. He tried to sit up, but almost immediately clenched his abdomen and fell back in the bed.
"You are hurt. You aren't going anywhere for at least a week."
Mike sighed in defeat. "I can't pay for all this."
"I can," she said. Silence filled the room and El got nervous. She had been nervous about seeing him again, but he didn't seem like himself.
"I thought you died," El blurted out.
Mike finally turned his head to look at her. "El please stop."
"Please stop? What happened to you Mike? This isn't you." El felt tears rolling down her cheeks.
"Well it is great to know that the only person I ever loved gave up looking for you. That might change someone."
"They told me you were dead... we had a funeral and-"
"I'm laying in bed right in front of you. I'm clearly alive."
El didn't know how to respond so she didn't, leaving the room in silence.
"Mike," Holly said.
"Holly is that you?"
She nodded. El noticed that she was a few feet away from the bed, as if she was frighted by her brother.
Mike smiled at her. "You're all grown up."
El realized what was happening. Mike blamed her. She understood. He found her when she was lost, and El failed to do the same.
_
Mike was sitting in his room alone. It was the next day, around 7 P.M. El had taken off with Holly and it left him alone to think. He had already apologized for treating El like that, and she seemed to be understanding.
It had been about ten minutes when a nurse walked in.
"Hello," he said.
"How are you feeling?" the nurse asked as he looked at his vital signs.
"Better," Mike started. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure"
"How old is El?"
"Dr. Ives?" the nurse asked.
Mike didn't know how old he was, nor remember his birthday. He did know that she was the same age that she was.
"I think she is 22."
"And she's an attending?"
"Yeah, it's impressive to say the least. If I were to be honest, I don't think you would have made it if another general surgeon did your procedure."
The nurse walked out and left Mike alone in his room. Every second he felt more terrible about how he treated her.
_
El was visiting Mike alone for the first time. The thought of him being alive still made her so happy, but a part of her was nervous. Mike was very social with Holly, but didn't speak much to El.
"Hi Mike," she said as she sat down in a visitor's chair next to bed. "A-Are you feeling okay?"
"Yeah, I feel better." Mike paused. "El?"
"Yeah?"
"I know I said this yesterday, but I'm sorry for ev-"
"Mike," El said cutting him off. "It's okay." El didn't know what made her do it, but she put her hand on his. "I missed you."
They sat in silence for a while.
"I don't remember anything El."
"What's the last thing you do?"
"I remember us, in the fort, and I remember I had to leave."
"That was 7 years ago, the last time I saw you."
"El c-can you tell me what happened?"
"You were driving with your family to drop Nancy off at college and..." El stopped, getting choked up.
"Please El, I need to know. "
"You and your family died in a car accedent. I'm so sorry, Mike."
They sat in silence for a few minutes.
"Who did you live with after?" Mike asked.
"Holly," El started.
"You raised her all by yourself?"
El nodded.
"And you still managed to be a doctor?"
El shrugged, not really knowing how to respond.
"T-thanks for saving my life, again," Mike said.
El laughed. "Have you thought about what you are going to do after you recover?"
"No."
"I-I know it's been a long time, and you don't remember much, but you can stay with Holly and I. We have a guest room."
Mike looked at El. "El I can't ask that of you."
"You didn't ask. I am offering."
"I don't know what to say." Mike started at her for a moment and smiled. "You've changed so much."
It was true El had changed. She had long dark hair and was moderatly tall for a woman. The only thing that hadn't changed was her eyes. Mike saw the pain built inside her when he looked into them. He wished he could help her in someway, but he was trapped in a hospital bed.
"I feel so helpless," Mike stated honestly.
"Mike don't worry about it. None of this is your fault."
"Thanks El."
"Hello Eleanor," said another doctor from outside the room. "Is this a good time?"
"Sure come in," El said. "This is Dr. Ashburn, he will be your physician now." El looked towards the doctor. "This is Mike, he is an old friend, so treat him well."
El didn't have many friends, but Matt Ashburn was one of them. She was his interns and later residents. He was her mentor, and El knew she wouldn't be where she was without him. However after El proved herself, she finished her residency in only a few years. They were co-workers and friendly with one another as equals.
"Nice to meet you," Mike said.
"You too," he started. "I looked over your case and I think you can go home in 5 days unless there is any infection."
"Really? Thanks Dr. Ashb-"
"Call me Matt. Any friend of El's is a friend of mine."
"Thanks," Mike said. Matt left and it was just Mike and El again.
"So... He seems nice."
They say is silence for another long moment, yet Neither of then felt uncomfertable. Mike noticed El's eyes closing slightly and she was asleep with her head on his bed in a few minutes.
"I missed you too, El."