Chapter 6: Rush to Wed
Holly rushed into the hospital emergency room and found Joey waiting for her. She had changed out of her wedding dress but still had her makeup and hair done. "How is he?" she demanded frantically.
Joey looked up and the look on his face said it all. "He ain't doin' too good. Apparently he had been lying there for a while. If only I had gone to check on him sooner." He groaned, beating himself up internally.
Holly sat down beside him. "He can't die. He has two little girls to raise with me and I can't do it without him." She sniffled.
Yugi, Linda, Seto, and Grandpa arrived. "How is he?" Yugi asked frantically.
"He's not doing good." Holly replied glumly.
A doctor entered the waiting room and approached them. "Are you here for Atem Mutou?"
"Yes, I'm his fiancée." Holly replied.
"I'm sorry, but you aren't family. I have to talk to family." The doctor apologized.
"I'm his brother and he's his grandfather." Yugi stood up. "How is he?"
"Come with me." The doctor led them away.
Holly was furious. "How could they not tell me just because he was hurt before he could marry me?" she demanded.
"I'm sure Yugi and Grandpa will tell you his condition." Joey assured her.
Holly paced the room until Yugi and Grandpa returned, both looking pale. "How is he?" she demanded frantically.
"He had surgery to remove the bullet and they're cooling him off. He was left for dead in the heat so he has hyperthermia. They're only allowing family in to see him until he's stable." Grandpa explained.
Holly sighed, sinking into a chair. "I can't lose him, I just can't."
"If only you could marry him," Joey said thoughtfully. "Then you could see him sooner. You would be family."
"He does have a point. If only someone could bribe a nurse into letting her and a chaplain in to see him." Linda gave a meaningful look to Seto. The others gave him a look.
Seto sighed. "I'll talk to a nurse. But one of you is going to have to find a chaplain otherwise it's not going to work for me to bribe one."
"I'll find a chaplain." Joey said confidently. "There's got to be a chapel somewhere."
Seto and Linda headed upstairs with Holly, Yugi, and Grandpa. Seto went ahead and found a nurse at a desk near Atem's room. "Mr. Kaiba, I'd recognize you anywhere." The nurse grinned as she looked up.
"I have a favor to ask of you." Seto gave his warmest smile, turning on the charm he uses to get his way during business dealings. "My friend needs to see her fiancé, who is a patient on this floor. But she isn't actually family. He was shot before they could marry and she wants to marry him in case he dies. You wouldn't want to leave the father of her twin girls without the one thing he tried to do in life, right?" He asked, slipping her a couple of bills.
The nurse was torn. "What's his name?"
"Atem Mutou." Seto could tell it was working.
The nurse typed into the computer on the desk. "I really shouldn't. But I guess if a professional was in the room to monitor his vitals while the ceremony was going on, it wouldn't hurt. But just a little kiss, nothing that will raise his heart rate. Make sure she understands that."
"Yes, ma'am. You're a sweetheart." Seto smiled and walked back to where Holly and the others were. "We have a cooperative nurse. Let's hope Wheeler can get us a chaplain. And you can't do a really major kiss. She doesn't want to raise his heart rate. And she insists on being there."
"I'll be careful." Holly nodded. "I want to be his wife so badly I'll follow any rules she imposes."
Joey arrived finally with an older gentleman in a priest's cassock. "Found a chaplain." He panted. "Got a way to marry them?"
"Yes, let's do it." Holly nodded.
They went back to the desk and the nurse led Holly, Joey, and the chaplain into Atem's room. Atem was awake and sitting up. He smiled when he saw Holly. "Hey, what's going on?" he asked, looking from Holly to the chaplain.
"Joey pointed out that we could marry here in the hospital if we could find someone who was willing to sneak me in and someone to marry us." Holly nodded to the nurse and the chaplain. "We found both."
Atem looked confused. "We didn't get married?"
"That's for another time. You ready to marry me, honey?" Holly took the hand that didn't have an IV in it and kissed it.
"I've been ready for a long time." Atem smiled.
"What's your names?" the chaplain asked.
"Atem Mutou and Holly Michaels." Holly explained.
"We are gathered here today to witness the joining of Atem Mutou and Holly Michaels. Because of the special circumstances, I'm going to keep this short. Atem, do you promise to love and cherish this woman?" the chaplain asked Atem.
Atem smiled up at Holly. "I do."
"And do you promise to love and cherish this man, Holly?" the chaplain asked Holly.
"I do." Holly smiled down at Atem.
"Then I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss him." The chaplain smiled.
Holly leaned down and planted a soft kiss on Atem's lips. The nurse cleared her throat and Holly pulled away with a little giggle. "That's all I get?" Atem complained, looking at the nurse.
"You are recovering. That's all you get for now." The nurse frowned. "I'm breaking the rules for letting her in here."
"Not now. Thank you." Holly smiled at her.
"Don't upset or excite him." The nurse warned and left the room.
"I guess a honeymoon is out of the question." Atem sighed, wincing a little.
"I'll make it up to you." Holly promised, as she sat in a chair beside his bed.
"I better go. I'm not a relative." Joey sighed. "Get better, bro."
"Thanks, Joey." Atem smiled.
"Thank Kaiba. He bribed the nurse into letting the ceremony happen." Joey rolled his eyes.
"Linda convinced him?" Atem raised an eyebrow.
"You know it. Why would he do something nice for us?" Joey sighed.
"I still appreciate it." Atem yawned.
"We should let him get some rest. He has to recover." Holly kissed him softly again and headed for the door.
"Night, my beautiful wife." Atem called after her.
"Night, my handsome husband." Holly replied and left.