Chapter 10: Surgery
Around Midnight Theo's breathing had gotten to a point where it was ragged so Allison made the decision that she and Isaac would take him to the hospital. Scott and Stiles took Liam home, telling Derek what Allison and Isaac had done. Liam was protesting the entire way, so much so that Scott stayed while Stiles went back to pick up Lydia to take her home.
"Hi Melissa, is Grace around?" Allison asked as she walked up to the nurses station and saw Melissa behind the desk.
"Hi Allison, she is. Can I help?" Melissa replied, peering around Allison and seeing Isaac standing with Theo leaning against him. "Bring Theo into the exam room and I'll find Grace," Melissa walked around the desk while Allison went back to Isaac and helped Theo.
"Thank you," Allison smiled, Isaac stayed quiet he never quite new what to say and he didn't like hospitals all that much either and from the look that Theo was giving them he didn't either.
"Theo, I'll find Grace for you, okay?" Melissa said as Theo sat on the bed and started swinging his legs back and forth until Allison sat beside him and put an arm around his shoulder. Melissa let the room, and a few minutes later Grace walked through the doors.
"Grace," Theo mumbled the second that she entered the room, Allison sat rubbing his back as it had helped him somewhat earlier.
"Hey sweetheart, what happened?" Grace asked, nodding to Allison that it was okay to keep rubbing his back as it seemed to be calming him down. Grace took her stethoscope from around her neck and put it against his chest. "Allison, thanks for bringing him," Grace smiled at her as she listened to Theo's breathing.
"I was telling them about having to have surgery..." Theo started to say as his breathing sped up again, he didn't know why it was making him as nervous and scared as it was.
"Shh, it's okay to be scared," Grace said putting the stethoscope down and making a quick note about his breathing before she picked them up again and listened to his heart. "Allison, did you and Isaac want to head home. I'll keep Theo here until my shift ends,"
"We can take him home if you want?" Allison suggested, Grace glanced at her Theo as she listened to Allison.
Theo shook his head, he wasn't ready for another car ride just yet so both Allison and Isaac instead offered to stay and keep him company. Grace nodded, telling them to make sure they stayed out of the way before she lead them into her office. David wasn't due in until 9AM so they could rest in there.
Back at Grace's, Liam was being told that he had to go to bed and that he'd be able to see Theo in the morning. Grace had ended up calling Liam, from her her office phone just so that Theo could talk to him briefly before napping. Melissa checked on Theo before she finished her shift, and by then it was time for Grace's shift to end.
Grace quietly opened the door to the office, grimacing as it squeaked – the door really needed to be oiled but neither her not David had said anything. Isaac was sitting at one end of the sofa, with Theo resting against him while Allison was curled up at the opposite end. Isaac was the first one to open his eyes, rubbing them once he saw that Grace was there.
"Come on you three, time to go home," Grace said gently tapping Allison on the shoulder before she moved to Theo. "Thanks for staying with Theo,"
"No problem," Allison yawned sitting up as Theo slowly woke up and almost yelped in pain.
"Sleep wonky?" Isaac asked, helping Theo to sit up more before they were both able to get up off the couch.
"Slightly...I didn't hurt you did I?" Theo replied quietly as he and Isaac stood up with Isaac helping to steady him before Grace hugged him.
Isaac shook his head before answering him. "Nah, I'm good," Isaac answered, running a hand through his hair before he spoke again. "We'll probably see you in a few days,"
"I'll let you know when you can see him," Grace smiled, before she lead the three teenagers from the room and out the hospital doors. "You two go home and get some sleep, Ally I talked to your dad and told him you were here with Theo last night,"
"Thank you," Allison smiled, at her she hadn't even thought about calling her father after they had taken Theo into the hospital.
Eight hours later and Grace was taking Theo back to Beacon Hills Memorial while Derek took Liam back to his parents before heading to the hospital to meet up with Grace and Theo. Derek also had to make a side-trip to the mechanic's as Aiden and Ethan had run into an issue. Derek grumbled something in coherently to the twins as he picked up his phone and dialled Grace.
"Hey Grace, I'm running late..." Derek said the second that Grace answered.
'Der, where the hell are you?' Grace questioned as she and Theo arrived in the hospital car park.
"At the shop, the twins ran into an issue," Derek answered, shooting a glare towards Aiden and Ethan who shrunk back into the corner.
'Here, you can tell him yourself,' Grace said putting Derek on speaker phone as they sat in the car, Theo's head leaning against the window. "Theo, Der has something to say," Theo raised his eyebrow at Grace, wondering if he was the reason neither of them had moved yet.
"T...I'm sorry, I know I said I'd be there..." Derek started to say but was cut off Theo grumbling at him.
'But you're running late, that's why you got Grace to take me,' Theo grumbled, he knew that Derek was trying but that didn't make it any better that he hadn't been there for the last two surgeries he'd had.
"I'll be there in forty-five," Derek said, he hated listening to Theo grumbling, that kid could make anyone feel guilty.
'His surgery is scheduled for five, they want to run a few more tests first,' Grace said, glancing at Theo before taking his hand and squeezing it. 'Der, just hurry up and get here before then,'
Grace sighed hanging up the phone with Derek before she and Theo went inside, Grace fixing up the paperwork work after it was discovered that she was indeed listed on Theo's papers. Once Theo was settled in the room they called up Laura so that Theo could talk to her.
"Hey sweetie, Cora and I are coming over in a few days," Laura said the second that she picked up after seeing Theo's name flashing at her.
'Hey Lore...who told you?' Theo questioned, looking at Grace and raising his eyebrow at her as she shook her head.
"Der called me last night," Laura said before she yelled at Cora to stop scaring the dog.
'When did you get a dog?' Theo asked, his breath hitching as he spoke.
"That was going to be a surprise..." Laura laughed, as Cora raced over to her and decided to hang off her shoulder.
"Hey Theo! Lore and I are coming so I can help," Cora grinned, she wanted to help like she had when they were kids. "And because we miss you guys,"
Theo smiled at Grace before he yawned, he wanted more sleep but knew he had to get more tests done. After Laura, Cora and Theo had finished talking, Theo had an influx of different doctors talking to him telling him what was going to happen during the surgery. At some point before the anaesthetist arrived, Derek turned up and had Theo swatting at him.
"Yeah, he's not impressed with you," Grace said as Theo pouted at her and then glared at Derek. "I'm not either to be honest with you,"
"I'm sorry okay? It took longer than expected," Derek said as Theo continued to glare at him. "It won't happen again,"
"It better not Der," Grace said stepping back as the anaesthetist walked in, she motioned for Derek to do the same before she noticed that Theo was starting to freak out again.
"Grace do you mind?" the anaesthetist questioned, Grace nodded and walked back to Theo taking his hand in hers.
"Sweetheart, you need to relax it's okay," Grace said before leaning down and whispering in his ear. "My dad and Doctor Young are the best ones qualified," Theo let out a whimper pouting before he relaxed and felt himself drifting off.
Five hours later and Theo was being wheeled out of surgery and into the ICU ward, with Grace and Derek following close behind. Neither was telling Liam about it until they'd seen Theo for themselves, they wanted to make sure that he was in the clear. Derek listened to what Doctor Young had to say, well he half listened while Grace took a couple of notes down. Theo was in the ICU until late in the afternoon, before he was moved into a private room.
When they finally let Liam go to the hospital to see him, he stopped short of the doorway as he didn't know what to do or what to expect when he walked into the room. Grace wrapped an arm around him from behind as she lead him into the room. Derek was quietly talking with him to keep him calm. Once they were inside the room, Liam desperately wanted to back out.
"Liam it's okay, do you want me to tell you what every tube is?" Grace asked, as she took Liam's hand and lead him over to where Derek was.
"Not really...but yes..." Liam mumbled looking at all the tubes that Theo was hooked up to.
"The one in his nose is a stomach tube, he's got a catheter in his bladder, chest tubes, an arterial line and IV tubes," Grace said pointing as she said each one, but not going into detail as she could already tell he was grossed out. "Some will get taken out soon,"
"It's okay Li," Theo mumbled, half drowsily as he looked at Derek who nodded and stood up letting Liam sit where he had been. "Don't get used to it," he smirked, he only vaguely remembered from when he was little how long he'd been in the hospital for.
"How longs he going to be in here for?" Liam asked, sitting down and then turning to face Grace who was talking quietly with Derek. "Gracie?"
"Up to a week, maybe a little a longer depending on how his body handles the operation," Grace answered, walking over to Theo and kissing the top of his head. "I'm not your doctor, but I'll keep checking on you,"
"What did they do? I know you told me it was artificial but what does that even mean?" Liam asked, as Grace smiled at Theo and returned her attention to Liam.
Grace explained about what it meant with Theo having artificial valves instead of having human ones, and that having human graft meant that it had to be a match and they would have had to wait for one to come available. The whole conversation left Liam confused and Theo tired and wanting to sleep.