Hello! The second part to the story! Woo! It's going to be four parts long, please follow to make sure you don't miss the end. I hope that you will enjoy what I have in store.
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It wasn't that unusual for a maternity nurse to be called down to the ER. Pregnant women came in all the time with some emergency or another. Car wrecks, pedestrian accidents, slips, falls, freak accidents, Francis had seen just about everything. He or one of the other nurses would always come in handy in those situations, talking to the pregnant woman, assuring her everything would be alright with her unborn child.
So when he was summoned down to the ER by name, he wasn't surprised. He was actually pleased. Perhaps his reputation as the most splendid maternity nurse was stretching farther then he realized! That was wonderful news, his smile couldn't get any bigger as he made his way proudly through the hall. His chest was puffed out and he flipped his hair more then usual. This day was going to be a great day!
His smile didn't fade until he arrived at the ER, heading over to the room he had been called to. Arthur was standing outside of it, looking sullen and glum, well, more sullen and glum than was typical for his husband. The blinds to the room were drawn, Francis couldn't see the woman inside or her condition. It must have been seriously dire or even that Francis was no longer needed at all. That always made Francis upset, he just couldn't detach himself like the other nurses could. He felt every heartache just them same as the mothers did.
A silent prayer was said to hope that that wasn't the case, as he approached Arthur tenderly.
"Arthur?" He said quietly hoping to get his attention. Instead, Arthur nearly jumped out of his skin and clutched his heart in reaction. Francis was worried, looking to his husband. This was far more serious then a routine patient. "What iz going on?" He asked.
After Arthur had calmed down, he looked up at Francis and the Frenchman could see the strain and hurt written clearly on his face now. None of this was adding up to an answer Francis thought he wanted to hear. "Francis, I'm afraid I have some very bad news to tell you..."
"Zhe woman and 'er unborn child did not make it, did zhey?" He asked, knowing that was not the full answer. Perhaps it was someone that Francis knew, that was what was making Arthur so upset. He was surprised when Arthur looked at him confused.
"What?" He asked, reaching out to grasp Francis' hand. His were shaking, Francis frowned deeper.
"Zhe woman I was called 'ere for. She died before I could reach 'er, didn't she?" He replied, looking into Arthur's eyes. Now he knew that wasn't the answer to his question. He didn't know what his question should have been but looking into his husband's eyes, he knew this was something grave and heartbreaking.
"Were... were you not briefed on why you were called here to the ER?"
"Non, I was just told I need to come assist in an emergency case. What iz going on, Arthur? Why do you look so sad?" Francis asked, unable to help the pleading in his own voice. He was beginning to get scared, something was very wrong. Arthur took a deep breath.
"Francis, love," Oh. This wasn't going to be good. Francis knew by Arthur using that term of endearment. He squeezed his hand and Arthur continued. "Our boy, M-Matthew, he's been in a terrible accident. I-I'm not sure of the details of how it happened at this point in time but he's the patient you were called to see and Francis, he's-"
Francis' world dropped from underneath him as he imagined the next word's out of Arthur's mouth. He could see it all over his face and read it in the atmosphere. "Matthew iz de-" He stopped himself and in a quieter voice he managed, "Gone...?"
There was a small but painful pause from Arthur before he muttered a response. Francis felt his heart sink to new depths, it's pace quickening in horror and fear.
"Almost."
Francis let go of Arthur and went around him to get into the room, he needed to see his mon petit. Near death! His little ten year old pride and joy was near death! His heart was aching, in the process of breaking as he grabbed for the door knob.
"Francis, wait! I-I need to prepare you- Don't!"
Just as soon as he opened the door to the room and saw Matthew on the examination table, Francis had to repress the urge to vomit. His hand flew to his mouth as he doubled over, grabbing the nearest counter to steady himself. What he saw was far more then horrific. It was gut wrenching, heartbreaking, terrifying. That was all Francis could think as his husband came right in behind him, touching him gently on the back. Francis didn't speak, trembling as he walked over to his son.
He had seen terrible things, working as a maternity nurse. But this by far, was the worst.
Reaching out, he took his unconscious boy's hand in his and his head snapped to the monitors. It was there, a faint, weak pulse but it was there, holding on for dear life. "H-He's so cold." He stuttered, rubbing his small hand in between his own large ones, trying to get some warmth back to him.
"You know why, Francis. He went unconscious about ten minutes ago and he has remained unresponsive. His organs are in the process of drawing every ounce of blood from his extremities. He's using all his resources to fight-"
"For his life, mon amour. I did pay attention in class." He said very dryly, not angrily but emotionless. He felt empty and broken. "Where iz Alfred? Is 'e alright? What about Lizzy?" He asked. Arthur sighed.
"Both are here, in the waiting room. Lizzy came in hysterical, Alfred too. I hope she's got enough sense right now to have Alfred checked out too for possible injuries." He said as Francis looked at him, giving him a pleading look. "Yes, he looked fine, I just want to be sure. He might have been involved in the same bike accident. Can never be too careful."
Francis cringed at the word "bike". He tried to ignore the his boy's cage, his prison. "Oui, I would like to get 'im checked out as well. What of Mattie? What is going to be done?" He asked, trying so hard to keep his voice steady but he knew it was cracking. Luckily, his husband wasn't his normal grating self. He was being gentle and patient, even when Francis knew he was asking questions Arthur had already seen too.
"I've got an OR getting prepped now for him. I will go in and we will-" He stopped closing his eyes. "Do what we can, Francis. I don't know the extent of his injuries right now past the stab wound. I'll have to look once we've got him open and the bike removed." He said. Francis grabbed the trashcan and did vomit, bringing up everything he had ever eaten in his whole life with a couple of heaves.
When he was finished, he was pale and shaking. "And you'll be with 'im, oui? You'll be doing zhe surgery?" He whispered. Arthur was down at his side by now, rubbing his back. He nodded.
"I will. Francis, I need you to go to the waiting room, be with Alfred. He's freaked out as it is and I don't want him worried. Tell him that we've got everything under control and that Mattie will be just fine."
Francis frowned, "I'm not going to lie. I will tell Alfred zhat you are going to do all you can for Matthew but zhat 'e is seriously injured. I do not give false 'ope." Arthur looked like he wanted to protest but an OR nurse came into the room at that moment, looking to Arthur.
"Dr. Kirkland, your OR is ready now. We will wheel Matthew in and get him prepped for you." She said, politely as she and two others walked in, surrounding the table.
Francis numbly got out of the way and when his little boy was wheeled from the room, it felt so empty and cold. he had never noticed how sterile and intimidating a hospital exam room could be. He spent all day in one but right now, he felt like he would rather be any where else. Was this how families generally felt? Cold and detached, wit no hope to give them comfort? He certainly hoped not but that was how he felt at the moment. To watch his love one taken away, without reassurance that he would ever get to see his son's adoring lavender eyes looking up at him again, it crushed Francis.
Something was placed in his hand and he looked down. A pair of glasses, a little beat up, a few scuffs and scraps but still perfectly wearable. They were Matthew's, he knew right away from the red color lining the inside rims. He looked up to Arthur.
"You hold onto those, Matthew is going to need them in a little bit when he wakes up." Arthur said before grabbing his lucky scrub cap, the one with the Alice in Wonderland pattern all of it, and dashing out of the door to follow the nurses.
Francis lingered for a few more moments, clutching onto the glasses that had somehow, perhaps it was more Arthur's optimism then the glasses themselves, but he had hope. A small ray in his heart that everything was going to work out the way it needed to. The way he wanted it to. Matthew was going to be fine.
With a little more feeling back into his limbs, he went to try and find his other son and their caregiver.
