I was going to jump ahead a few weeks in this chapter, but I think it's too soon, so hopefully the next chapter will be a few days/weeks in the future. Thanks again for the continuous support. x
Serena felt her body become light, as though she was floating. Feeling painless and tranquil, she opened her eyes. The room was dark and she couldn't see very far. Turning her head, she noticed someone standing beside her bed. She tried to speak, but her throat was too tight and instead she attempted to reach out to get the other woman's attention. The other woman turned slowly to face her. She immediately recognised her daughter's beautiful features. Eleanor had dark streaks of mascara that had run down her face. She stared back at her mother with a dead pan look on her face. Serena's brow furrowed as she realized she couldn't move. All she wanted was to embrace and comfort her little girl. Eleanor took a step towards the bed, her boots eerily silent against the tiled floor. She didn't seem to see Serena at all. It was as though she was invisible to her. Serena tried to raise her hand to get her attention, but something was restraining her. Eleanor took another step towards the bed. She moved her gaze up to Serena's face and reached out to her. Serena tried desperately to take her hand, but it was as though she was paralyzed. Suddenly Eleanor's face contorted with fear and she let out a blood curdling scream as she was ripped through the air into the darkness and away from her mother.
Serena felt a heavy pressure on her chest and pain surging through her body as her mind began to move back to reality. Lights began to flicker around her and she could hear the strange beeping sound of a machine along with panicked voices.
"Hang in there," someone was saying. "She's back with us."
"I need more suction over here!" Someone else shouted.
"Page doctor Simms!" A man's voice ordered.
"I can't find the bleed."
"She's losing too much blood."
"She's going to arrest again."
"Where's our anaesthetist? She's waking up!"
"I'm right here," a man called. "I've got it sorted."
A warm sensation rushed through Serena's veins and the pain slowly started subsiding. The voices became faint and she could barely understand what they were saying.
Jac stood in the doorway, staring at Jonny. She wasn't entirely sure how long she had been standing there, but she couldn't seem to move any further. Thoughts of Jonny in a wheelchair for the rest of his life seemed to flood her brain and she couldn't shake it.
"If you want to run, I don't blame you," Jonny's voice suddenly filled the room.
"Don't be ridiculous," she snapped, quickly heading towards him. He was lying on his back, facing the ceiling. His face was black and blue. "You look like you've been battered by a heavy weight lifter in a bar brawl."
"You should see the other guy," Jonny snorted.
Jac couldn't even smile at that. She glanced down his broken body towards his legs. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm not," he answered.
Jac raised an eyebrow.
"Feeling, I mean. I'm not feeling. That's the problem."
Jac stared back at him, her blue eyes filled with concern.
"Joke," he said. "That was a little joke."
"Stop," she snapped, suddenly feeling angry. She knew it was selfish to be angry with him for what had happened, but she couldn't help it. "Stop making jokes. Stop pretending like this isn't getting to you."
"Jac," he tried to speak.
"This could change everything and you're pretending like it's all just one big joke."
"I assure you, I know the implications."
"Well then start acting like you do!"
"I'm sorry if my need to lighten the situation with some comic relief isn't to your taste. Unfortunately I'm the one lying on my back in a strange hospital with the very large possibility of never being able to use my legs again hanging over my head. For once, this is not about Jac Naylor!" He snapped, grimacing as he did as though it was painful to do.
Jac was slightly taken aback, uncertain of how to respond. "I didn't mean to infer . . ."
"Forget it," Jonny answered. "Let's just talk about something else, okay?"
Jac nodded, knowing how dangerous this road was; if Jonny was going to be in denial about all of this, it could have dreadful consequences.
"How is everyone else doing?"
"I'm not sure," Jac answered, realizing how uncaring it sounded. She had been so wrapped up in Jonny that she had not even bothered to discover how her colleagues were.
"Jac," Jonny said. "Go find out how our friends are doing."
"I'd rather stay here if it's all the same to you."
"Jac. Please. Just go."
"I'll send Mo in," she mumbled, turning to leave.
"No," Jonny called after her. "I'd just like to be alone for a while."
Edward sat forward in his seat with his head in his hands. He found himself remembering how beautiful Serena looked on their wedding day. She had been so content. He missed seeing her like that. He missed her smile and the sparkle in her eyes. She was an incredible mother and an incredible woman.
"Are you okay?" Ric asked as he took a seat beside him.
"Each time I close my eyes, I see her. She's so pale and bloodied," he sat up. "Ric, I've done a lot of bad things in life. I hope to God this isn't payment for it."
"She's going to pull through. I'm sure of it," Ric tried to comfort his colleague. In truth, he was worried about Serena. Her injuries had been extensive. He'd seen people die from less.
"How are they?" Jac stepped into the waiting room, glancing over at Elliot who was on his mobile phone.
"Both in surgery," Ric answered.
"Still?" Jac asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Henrik's been in for an hour. Serena . . . Serena's been in for significantly longer," he said, looking at Edward.
"Do we have a prognosis?"
"We haven't been told anything."
Jac exhaled slowly as she took a seat beside Mary-Claire and Chantelle.
"How's Jonny and Mo?" Chantelle asked.
"Mo's doing well. Jonny's . . ." Jac tried to keep the emotion out of her voice. "It's a waiting game."
Chantelle sat forward in her seat to look at Jac. "He's in critical condition?" She asked in a panic.
"He's stable for now," Jac replied. "They're waiting for the swelling in his spinal column to subside to determine whether there's permanent damage or not."
"I'm so sorry, Ms Naylor," Chantelle reached over to squeeze Jac's hand.
After an initial urge to pull away, she allowed the young woman to hold her hand. It felt strangely comforting.
"Any news?" Ric asked Elliot who had joined them, his mobile still in his hand.
"They've found another two bodies in the rubble," Elliot answered. "A nurse and a civilian."
Ric shook his head in disbelief. "Do we know who?"
"Not yet. The investigators have concluded that the explosion was not terrorist related. They believe it was the result of a gas leak."
"Gas leak?" Malick spat, watching as Mo stepped into the waiting room. "We have inspectors looking for just that coming in every three months. How did they miss it?"
"Holby is a very old building. It may have been a corroded pipe. A freak accident."
"A freak accident could be responsible for killing Serena," Edward stared at the floor.
Elliot fell silent. He couldn't find any words to fix this. This was something Serena or Henrik would be good at. Not him.
Henrik stared up at the ceiling as his vision began to clear. He could feel his shoulder was heavily bandaged and he was unable to move it. He wondered if the damage done would affect his abilities as a surgeon in the long run. The thought scared him; he was nothing without medicine. His whole life had been built on his talent as a surgeon and the idea of losing it scared him to his core. He couldn't picture a future.
Taking a deep breath, he managed to pull himself up, grimacing in pain as he did. The morphine was clearly not as effective as it should be. He was almost expecting a nurse to rush in and force him to lay back down. He assumed they were all still too busy.
He very carefully slid off of the bed, the cold feeling of the tiles against his bare feet a welcoming feeling. It proved he was alive. He started shuffling towards the doorway. The stitches pulled across his chest and he needed a moment to catch his breath. The corridor was strangely quiet and for a moment he feared he was dreaming again.
"Mr Hanssen," Sacha called from the other side of the corridor.
"Ah, Mr Levy," he greeted him. "How is everyone?"
"Never mind them," Sacha smiled. "How are you?"
"I'll survive," he smiled tiredly. "Have you seen-" he was cut off as a stretcher was wheeled past him. Both he and Sacha froze as they watched Serena's unconscious body move past them.
"Oh my God," Sacha watched as the stretcher disappeared into a recovery room. "She doesn't look good."
Henrik waited for the nurses to leave the room, probably to rush off to another emergency, before he headed in. She was as pale as a ghost.
"I should get Edward," Sacha stood watching her, his hands on his hips.
Henrik tried to pick up Serena's file from the foot of her bed, but he struggled to open it and Sacha jumped in.
"Ruptured spleen, kidney damage, fractured ribs, broken leg . . . they've removed her kidney," Sacha inhaled deeply. "Good God. How did she survive this?"
"She's a strong woman," Henrik answered. "Go find Mr Campbell. He'll want to be here."
Sacha nodded and rushed out of the room.
"I expect a full recovery from you, Ms Campbell," Henrik said to her. "And nothing less. Don't leave me to clean up this mess by myself. Please."
"Why don't you all go home?" Elliot said to the staff in the waiting room. "I'll inform you of any changes."
"We don't mind staying," Harry said.
"To be fair, I believe we may be taking up valuable space here."
"We'll wait outside," Mary-Claire answered.
"It's been a long day. I think it's best you all got some rest. I will be in contact with you soon."
"Edward!" Sacha came racing into the room. "You need to come," he tried to catch his breath.
"Serena?" Edward stood up.
"She's in recovery. Mr Hanssen's with her now," Sacha was still explaining as Edward ran out towards the corridor. "Seventh floor, room four owe eight!" Sacha called after him.
"How does she look?" Ric asked.
"She sleeping," Sacha said. "She doesn't look like the usual Serena Campbell, but I think she's going to be okay."
"Oh thank God," Elliot smiled, wringing his hands together.
"Uhm, Mr Griffin," Chantelle called from the corner of the room. She was leaning on the floor, beside Mo's chair. "I think there's a problem."
"Mo, are you alright?" Ric took a step towards her.
Mo lifted her head just as she coughed a spray of blood onto the floor.
"Mo!" Sacha raced towards her, grabbing her just before she fell out of the chair.
"We need help in here!" Jac called.
