No Air

Artie's Point Of View

***************************************Chapter 10***************************************

It's finally the weekend but I still have nothing to do. Tina and I set a routine that we really can't go off of because it depends on other people. In the morning Tina's mom comes so she can shower, change, and charge her iPod since we have been listening to it almost constantly.

While Tina is gone, my doctors, the one treating me now Dr. Nice, and my old doctor, Dr. Sherman come in. Dr. Nice talks about how I'm progressing and Dr. Sherman comes in to talk and help me work my legs. It boring but for the hour and a half that Tina is gone, it keeps me company.

When Tina comes back we study so we're not so far behind. For dinner my mom cooks it at home then brings it to the hospital and Tina eats with us. It's funny to see the nurse's reactions. After dinner Tina and I lie on the bed, find an old movie and fall asleep.

The rest of Glee Club keeps their promise on visiting again. Mercedes and Kurt come as soon as the bell rings on Friday and tell us that they will be shopping Saturday but will be back Sunday. Rachel and Finn visit on Saturday bearing homemade 'get well soon' cookies from under their jackets. The nurses talk about that too. Quinn come Saturday afternoon without Puck and although she is nervous but after we talk about elementary school days, she gradually calms down.

Did you know that she and I were really good friends in elementary school? And I mean really. We did everything together but after my accident things just kind of… fell apart. We were still friends but because I was out for so long and couldn't do most of the stuff we used to, we really didn't hang out much.

Brittany comes in Saturday night with a nurse who, and I quote, "found her wondering the halls of the second floor like a child who lost her mommy." It's funny how even people who don't know Brittany can tell the type of person she is. She gives me a teddy bear holding a little soft guitar and I love it. I hug her and on several occasions, I make reference to the fact that I had to be injured more so I could get hugs from more Cheerios. Tina elbowed me after each one. I put the bear onto my nightstand and smile. Brittany stays for a while longer and although our conversation don't make that much sense it's entertaining. And I mean REALLY entertaining.

Mr. Schuester came by on Sunday morning and when I see the sheet music in his hand, my smile is so big I think it reaches my ears. "These are some of the new songs we're going to be working on this week," he says, and hands me the papers. "I know you probably can't practice much in here, but I thought you'd like to at least look over it and get a feel for it so you're not completely unprepared when you come back." He puts his hand on my shoulder. "We can't afford to lose you before regionals; Mercedes is already threatening murder if she has to do another duet with someone else."

"Thanks, Mr. Schue, this is awesome," I say as I look at the papers. Mr. Schue stays and as I play the chords on the guitar, he and Tina sing along. Once Mercedes and Kurt show up, they join in too.

"Oh, you checkin' out the new songs," Mercedes says, eyeing the papers on my lap as she sits on the foot of the bed with Kurt sitting across from her. "Mr. S gave that one to White Boy, but I know if you'd been there it would totally have been yours."

"No, Finn's the male lead, it's right he gets it," I say with a shrug. I really don't care who sings it, just as long as I'm there with everyone else on the stage performing.

"Definitely not, I'm with Mercedes on this one," Kurt says, shaking his head. "As much as I appreciate Finn's talent, your smoky, soulful tone is much more appropriate for the music than his."

"Thanks guys, but really, it's cool," I say as smooth as I can. Truthfully just what their saying is making me feel the best I've ever felt including when I could walk. "This one's not really my thing. I like the other songs we've sung better."

Mercedes smiles and starts singing, "Rollin', rollin', rollin' on the river."

Tina nudges my side and I shake my head. "I dunno, guys, this is a hospital. They might not appreciate it much."

"Oh, c'mon," Tina says while Kurt and Mercedes sing another line also giving me 'dare you' looks. "Music is medicine for the soul, they can't say no to medicine in a hospital, right?"

Mercedes grins at me and starts off softly, "Left a good job in the city…"

I pause, but after a second I give in. "Working for the man every night and day."

Kurt and Tina clap to keep the tempo and take care of the back-up harmonies as Mercedes and I keep singing. It's a bit touch for me to catch my breath during the song but I don't care. It's my song and I have enough energy to make an entire show choir jealous. By the time the last notes come out, I realize that we're quite loud but suddenly there is clapping coming from the door.

We all look up to see several nurses and doctors watching and I blush so red I could give a tomato a run for it's money. I was having trouble catching my breath still, but I was laughing.

Yeah, you still got it, boy," Mercedes tells me, while giving me her classic Mercedes smile.

"Thanks guys, it feels good to be singing again," I say, but I still haven't really caught my breath so it comes out kind of wheezy. Tina notices and she touches my arm slowly. When I look at her I can tell she is concerned but I just smile. It's nothing.

"Dear sweet Kristin Chenowith, if you two act any sweeter I'm going to go into insulin shock," Kurt says to us, and Tina and I just look away embarrassed. "But it's about time you realized you were meant for each other. You were both incredibly slow about it."

I look at Tina surprised. Neither of us told anyone about us being together. When we first started staying away from each other they noticed but no one told them about now.

I shrug slightly and give them a looks that say, 'well, guess the cats out of the bag.' Tina just smiles in agreement.

"So whaddya say, Wheels, got it in you for another song before Kurt and I gotta head?" Mercedes asks, quite happy about the fact of a solo without Rachel. "I miss singin' with you. I had to duet with Puckerman Friday and it was awful. His voice does not sound good with my chocolate thunder."

"I agree," Kurt says his face twisted with disgust. "His voice does not suit chocolate. His voice is more like – bacon."

"But Mr. Schue says bacon and chocolate taste good together," I note think back to the assignment none of use could do.

"It doesn't," Tina says when we all look at her she blushes. "It was a dare," Tina explains and everyone laughs. She grabs my hand and tells me "Go on, you know you want to." but I'm not sure that's true. Do I want to go on or does she just want to hear my voice.

I contemplate it for a while but then smile. I really have no choice in the matter. "Some times in our lives, we all have pain," I start and Mercedes' smile grown even bigger. "We all have sor-row."

I'm fine during the beginning of the song but towards the end it gets really difficult. I can't really draw a full breath in but that doesn't stop me. The final note finally draws out and suddenly a thunder of claps erupts from the door and I just wave shyly, unable to stop smiling.

"Alright, we gotta roll," Mercedes says as she and Kurt get up off the bed. "School night. My dad'll kill me if I don't get home soon."

"Thanks again, you guys," I say, giving both of them hugs as they get ready to go. "See ya later."

"Get better, Artie," Mercedes says kindly, surprising me when she uses Artie instead of wheels. Normally she doesn't call anyone, except Kurt, by their name. As they walk out the door they wave over their shoulder call 'see ya,' and walk out of the room and down the hallway.

"That was fun," I say, leaning back into my pillow still smiling. Tina lies down next to me and I turn my head to face her. "Thanks for convincing me. It felt good."

"It did," She agrees. "Glee's gonna be weird without you. I don't think I've ever been to a practice without you."

"Except that one when I was trapped in that janitor's closet," I remind her and she just nods and frowns. I begin to laugh remembering the moment but I start to cough.

"You okay?" Tina asks anxiously, looking at me with worry in her eyes.

I nod until the cough settles and then smile. "Yeah, just winded," I tell her. "It's nothing." I can tell that she's a little suspicious but I quickly change the subject. "So when's your mom coming to get you?"

"She's not," Tina laughs and shifts on the bed to look at me.

"I thought you had to go home to go to school tomorrow," I say now completely confused how she threw her routine out the window.

"Kurt is going to pick me up here in the morning on his way," Tina clarifies. "I don't want you to have to stay here by yourself overnight."

"You are amazing, Tee," and I gently give her a little kiss.

"I know," She say in almost that 'well duh I am' kind of way. She settles her head down on my chest and slips her arm over my stomach. I grab the remote with my other hand and turn the TV on trying to find a good channel. I find an old 80's comedy and we settle on that.

We watch that for a while and Tina starts to doze off. I can tell because her head is slowly becoming heavier on my chest than before. But... Each time that I laugh I wake her up. I don't want to wake her but the show is actually funny. I rub her back trying to make her fall asleep but it doesn't work so well.

Suddenly I find something very funny and I laugh so suddenly and loudly that Tina bolts upright nearly falling off the bed.

I laugh a little more then I feel the same sledge hammer feeling in my chest and I can't get a full breath. I push my hand to my chest and with the other, I grab Tina's arm.

I struggle to get a breath before I look up at Tina. I'm completely terrified and I know that it's written all over my face. I can feel tears threatening to spill over my eyes as I realize what's happening in front of Tina.

"Tee…" I manage but it comes out as a breath more than a statement. I tighten my hand around her arm, scared, "Breathe… can't…"

I see Tina's eyes suddenly light up like it just hit her what's going on. She breaks out of my grip, that has now grown weaker, and jumps off the bed to run to the door. "Doctor!" She screams into the hall. "We need a doctor!"

Suddenly there are doctors pushing Tina out of the way and I make a mental note to run them over with my chair later for doing that. The form a circle around me and I can't even tell where Tina is.

Suddenly I can't breath at all and one of the doctors puts the breathing mask over my face and forces air into my lungs but it's like my lungs don't want to expand.

I can feel myself slipping into unconsciousness and suddenly there is a long drawn-out beep but it's drowned out by a scream that I instantly recognize as Tina's. I try to stay awake but as Tina's scream dies out so does my mind and I can't do anything to stop it.