Chapter 09: Brave Heart
Somehow between the 2AM when they had all woken up the first time and 8AM when they'd woken up the final time Theo and Liam had gotten tangled in the blankets. Derek and Grace didn't want to know how that had happened when they walked past the bedroom. Liam blamed Theo and Theo blamed Liam as Liam untangled them before they climbed out of bed.
"You're lucky the schools having free day today," Grace said as the two boys entered the kitchen and she handed Liam a glass of water. "No more for you sweetheart, they may want to run a couple of tests today,"
"I know...can you do that thing where you make my arm water resistant or whatever?" Theo questioned, he wanted to shower before anyone had a chance to use up all the hot water.
"Come here," Grace held her hand out as she dug in the baking drawer for the cling (saran) wrap. "Not the most efficient way but hey it does it's job," she smiled yawning as she triumphantly pulled it out and began wrapping it around his elbow/arm.
"I have to head into the shop this morning to do some paper work but I'll be back in time," Derek said as he had a gulp of the coffee that he'd made. "I only do a couple of days a week at the daycare," he added seeing the super confused look that was forming on Liam's face.
"I still don't believe you do daycare," Liam said as Theo headed back towards the bathroom. "You're too grumpy,"
"You guys send him that way," Grace said with a shrug as she cradled the coffee in her hands before taking a mouthful. "What I'd be grumpy too if I'd had to put up with all of you,"
"Yeah but you're cheerful and totally not him," Liam stated as he pointed at Derek with a smirk on his face.
"Gee thanks," Derek rolled his eyes having more coffee before he started to make some toast to eat on his way out.
Grace laughed, before hearing another crash coming from the bathroom. Derek's eyes went wide and he raced down to the bathroom, Grace made Liam stay where he was. Liam glared at her he wanted to know what was going on and no one was telling him.
"Grace, what the fuck is going on?" Liam questioned, as he watched her start to walk down the hall way. "Grace?"
"Theo's hearts failing. Not the whole thing...just a part of it," Grace said before she disappeared into the bathroom and saw Derek holding Theo up.
"Maybe I shouldn't head to work today?" Derek said as Grace wrapped a towel around Theo and then took him into her arms his body feeling heavy as he took laboured breaths.
"Der, go. I'll call Melissa and ask her to come by and give me a hand," Grace leaned Theo against the counter steadying him as Derek handed her another towel. "You my dear are going to stay where I can see you today,"
"You don't have work today?" Theo questioned, once he'd managed to catch his breath as Grace dried his head off.
"Not today, part of the deal Der and I made a long time ago," Grace smiled at him pulling him into her arms as Derek went to get dressed. "The deal was whenever you had any doctors shit scheduled I'd go too, that's why I've been at every appointment,"
"And she's the last resort if they can't get a hold of me," Derek said as he walked back passed the bathroom this time full dressed. "I'll be back around one,"
Derek headed out the door and Grace lead Theo back into his room allowing him to get dressed while she went back to the kitchen to see what Liam was up to. She left Theo's door open so that she could hear if anything happened. Liam looked at Grace and yawned he half wanted to crawl back into bed but at the same time he wanted to hold Theo.
"Go on have a shower and we'll change the brace to the hard one," Grace said as she watched Liam sleepily put his cup on the counter. "You can chill with Theo afterwards," Grace motioned towards the bathroom before walking around the counter and making another cup of coffee while she checked her messages.
"Hey Gracie?" Liam called from his bedroom where he'd taken off the soft fabric split and was struggling to get the every day brace on.
"Yeah kiddo?" Grace called back as she started to walk down the hall towards Liam's room.
"Need help," Liam said the second she turned up at his bedroom door, Grace rolled her eyes at the dopey look that he was giving her.
"I know, it will get easier on you once you get more movement," Grace said as she fixed up the brace securing it on his leg before she helped him stand up. "Hey Theo, you good in there?" she questioned, semi loudly as she stuck her head out the door and saw his open with him sitting on the bed.
"Yeah..." Theo trailed off he'd had the same issue as Liam and was having difficulty putting the splint back on his arm.
"Come on you pair, lounge room and I'll fix your splint," Grace smiled, ushering Liam down the hall way as Theo came out of his room holding both his arm and the splint.
Grace did up Theo's splint while the two of them fought over what to watch on Netflix for a few hours. While they were fighting they got messages from Scott and Stiles saying that everyone was meeting at Scott's house that night for pizza and movies. Scott saying that he didn't think it was fair that they'd used Grace's house. Liam sent Mason a message asking if his bestfriend could hang with him that afternoon as Grace had to work, and Derek and Theo had an appointment to go to.
"Hey Mase, he's in the lounge room sulking," Grace laughed pointing towards the lounge as she opened the door and was faced with Mason. "Corey working today?"
"Hey Grace, yeah he picked up an extra shift at the hospital," Mason answered as he walked in and have her a quick hug before heading into the lounge.
"We'll be back in a couple of hours," Grace said as Theo left the bathroom and headed over to her as Derek pulled up out the front of the house. "Just don't cause any trouble please," Grace added as she and Theo walked out the door shutting it behind them.
"You ready?" Derek questioned, climbing out and standing beside the car as they walked towards him.
"Not really," Theo muttered, Derek walked from the side of the car that he was standing and pulled his little brother into a hug. "Kind of scared actually," he mumbled into the hug.
"You know, it's okay to be scared," Derek said looking down at him as he pulled away from him.
"Come on you pair, Theo you sit up front with Der," Grace said motioning for them to get in before she spoke again. "If we don't leave now we'll be late,"
Derek nodded agreeing that they'd be late so the three of them got in the car and Derek drove them to the hospital. Once they got to the hospital they headed to the cardiology ward where they met with Doctor Young. Theo spent the majority of the time not listening to him as he didn't want to know.
"Mister Raeken, are you listening?" Doctor Young questioned, noticing the distant looking on Theo's face.
Theo blinked a couple of times before he nodded. "Sorry,"
"It's okay, as I was saying. Doctor Dunbar was correct in her diagnosis last night," Doctor Young said, having conferred with Grace when they entered the room. "The gurgling or crackling sound is a sign that you're going to need a replacement valve soon,"
"What does that mean?" Theo questioned looking between Derek and Grace as his eyes landed on Doctor young before settling on his lap.
"Theo, it's okay," Grace put her hand on his shoulder as she looked at Doctor Young and then Derek. Even Derek had a perplexed look on his face.
"It means that your heart is failing, not the whole heart. What we're going to do is go in and have a look, and replace the valves with artificial valves," Doctor Young said, Theo turned to face Grace as his face paled and he almost jumped out of the chair. Grace moved quickly and grabbed hold of Theo pulling him towards her.
"Shh, come here," Grace soothed as Derek listened to Doctor Young talking, the next thing they knew they were scheduling a surgery for the following day.
When they got back to the house Theo headed straight down the hall to his room, bypassing Liam's calls of is everything okay. Grace followed him while Derek joined Liam and Mason in the living room. Liam wanted to follow Theo but was held back by Derek telling him that Theo needed time.
"Sweetheart, come here," Grace held her arms out to Theo as she sat on the bed beside him. Theo shook his head but sat up and scooted towards her anyway. "Want to talk about it?"
"Why's it decided now?" Theo mumbled as Grace wrapped her arms around him and gave him a hug which ended with him resting his head on her shoulder.
"I don't know, some hearts don't last as long as what yours has," Grace said, she didn't want to add that some last twice as long.
"I'm a failure," Theo's voice was almost inaudible as he mumbled into Grace's shoulder. "I'm not good..."
"Theo, sweetheart you're perfect. Never think that you're not," Grace kissed the top of his head as she hugged him tighter. "I'll go make you something to eat,"
"I'm...not gonna go to Scott's tonight," Theo said glancing at Grace as they both heard Liam's hobbling down the hall followed by Derek's swearing.
"You can still have a normal life," Grace motioned for Liam to join them in the room, so he did hobbling his way in and sitting next to Theo. "I have to go into work tonight for the graveyard shift, but you can both call me or Derek at any time,"
In the living room Derek was talking with Mason, who was slightly surprised by his friends actions especially how close it seemed that Theo and Liam had gotten. Derek just laughed saying that it was bound to happen sooner or later due. That night Scott allowed Liam and Theo to have the lounge figuring it was easier than the any of the other chairs for them to use. Scott and Allison took the floor in front of the lounge, with Isaac sitting curled up in the single seater. Mason and Corey were on the floor in front of him with Stiles and Lydia on the love seat.
"I know...I've had like two surgeries in as many months...but..." Theo started to say trailing off as he couldn't quite find the words to tell them that he was going into hospital for longer this time.
"Dude, it's alright," Scott said as his hand found its way behind him to grab hold of Theo's in a comforting manor.
"No...I'm having open heart surgery..." Theo mumbled it was almost inaudible but Scott caught what he said and turned around to face him. "They found some stuff going wrong today,"
"When?" this time it was Isaac who spoke as Lydia had firmly clamped her hand of Stiles' mouth to stop him from saying anything.
"Tomorrow after lunch," Theo answered as Liam tugged him closer to him so that he could hug him and rest his chin on his shoulder. "Why?"
"So that we know when we can ask when is a good time to see you," Lydia said, with a smile as she turned to face him before looking at Stiles and speaking again. "I'll take my hand off, on the condition that you don't say anything stupid," Stiles nodded underneath her hand.
"You won't be able...at least not straight away," Theo said as he started to get stressed, which caused his breathing to get heavier. Liam fumbled in Theo's pocked to find his inhaler, quickly putting it in his hand when he did.
"What? Why not?" Now Stiles had a question, that Theo thought the answer to should be obvious.
"His immune system will be really weak," Allison said turning around and looking at Theo, before she stood up and offered him a hand.
Theo took Allison's hand as she helped him up, while Liam stayed where he was not sure what Allison was planning on doing with Theo. Allison lead Theo into the kitchen and sat him at the counter before grabbing him a glass of water. Theo smiled at Allison before he used his inhaler and pulled out his phone.
"Want me to call Derek?" Allison questioned, Theo shook his head as he had a mouthful of water. "Grace?" Theo nodded, as he unlocked his phone and handed it to Allison. Allison scrolled through Theo's contacts until she got to Grace's number and hit the call button.
'Theo?' Grace answered she was on a break in the cafeteria so she had her phone on her.
"Hey Grace, it's Ally," Allison said, watching carefully as Theo tried to get his breathing to even out again.
'Allison, is everything okay?' Grace questioned, glancing around the cafeteria and noticing that Melissa had just entered.
"Theo's not doing to crash hot, he was just telling us that he has to have surgery...and started what looked like a mini-panic attack," Allison said glancing at Theo as she spoke before she moved around to stand beside him. "What do you want me to do?"
'Calm down, just sit with him. If his breathing doesn't even out in the next hour bring him into the hospital, I'm working till 5AM,' Grace answered, she hoped that Allison would be able to calm him down. 'Oh and Allison, can you keep an eye on Liam so he doesn't freak out?'
"Yeah, Scott and Isaac are keeping an on eye Liam now. I'm sitting in the kitchen with Theo," Allison answered before she held the phone to Theo's ear.
'Theo, try and relax sweetheart,' Grace said taking a deep breath as Melissa walked over to her. 'I have to go but, Allison's going to stay with you,'
"I'm trying," Theo muttered, as he felt Allison's hand resting on his back.
