Here's the next chapter everybody! It continues off the previous scene because wkgreen made an insightful comment about how the last scene seems odd after Holly just woke up. I think this chapter will explain the reasoning for that. Let me know if this works! Sorry it's not longer, but I wanted to concentrate on just this scene rather than adding another with it (and I'm not 100% sure what I want to put next)
I also wanted to warn everybody. This week is going to be hell for me, so I can't promise that a chapter will be up tomorrow. I'm moving soon, and there's so much I need to do. Still friends…til the end of time?
Minutes passed as we continued to kiss before Holly abruptly pulled away failing to control a deep, unyielding yawn. Stretching like a cat, I noticed her winch slightly before laying a hand gently on top of the stark white casting contrasted greatly from her tanned hand. Holly tried downplaying the obvious pain in her thigh, making me realize I forgot to do the most important thing when I realized she woke up. Hardly for the first time and definitely not the last, Holly effectively distracted me.
"Not that I don't enjoy making out with you, but I never got the chance to ask you how you are doing." Holly's eyes waived slightly away from mine toward the hand playing with the textures of the cast.
Shrugging her shoulders as if it didn't matter, Holly gently replies, "Gail, I didn't really give you the chance. I kind of threw you off, so don't worry about it."
Holly was avoiding this that much was clear. I couldn't let her pretend what happened wasn't a big deal because it was. Just because it was Holly didn't make a huge, but because it always is when someone gets shot. Not wanting to confront her head on, I tried to figure out a way to get her to tell me how she really was. No one is this okay. "I just want to know that you're okay after everything. Do you even know what all happened to you? You passed out pretty quick."
Narrowing her eyes, Holly took a minute or so to evaluate the cast, the IV drop, and her body in general moving around to feel any sore spots that needed counted. "Based on the cast on my leg, the itching, tight skin on my thigh, the stinging in my mouth, and the medication dripping from my IV, I'm believe the bullet went into my thigh, most likely hitting the femoral artery in some way which accounts for the passing out. Since I can't feel the same itchy tightness matching the angle of the first one, the bullet remained in my thigh. There's stinging in my mouth suggesting that I bit something when I fell. So," an eyebrow rose in challenge as Holly locked eyes with mine, "How did I do?"
She sounded as if she were recording everything for an autopsy, not as if it actually happened to her. I didn't fully process that fact instead letting the first comment tumble out of my mouth. "My god, you're even nerder than I realized. Although, you didn't get the exact location of where the bullet lodged itself. FYI, it almost went through your femur." The sentence ended with more bite than I intended, hoping that Holly realized how serious this actually is.
"Damn. I didn't realize how good these drugs are then because I don't even feel that part." Inspecting the IV bag again, Holly sighed and leaned back against the bed. "That should be fun to heal."
Holly couldn't see how much this bothered me, and I couldn't stop myself from snapping. "Take this seriously, Holly. I know you are trying to make this less of a big deal, but it is. The doctor didn't need to explain just how serious this is. I watched it happen. I watched you fall to the ground. Watched as your blood came out of you. When you passed out, I-" I stopped to take deep breath, trying to get my hands to stop shaking at the memory. "I thought I lost you. When you woke up, I was only asleep because I'm exhausted. Every time I closed my eyes, the scene kept replaying." Tears threatened to fall, but I stopped them by willpower alone. This wasn't about me. "So, don't. You may not be a living people doctor, but that doesn't mean you don't know the how much damage was actually done. And, it didn't happen to someone else." By this point, Holly's head dropped down to her chest hiding her face from me, but the shutter of her shoulders made it obvious she was crying. I knew that I shouldn't. I just needed to get closer and hold her. Pulling the side bar up, I carefully eased myself into the small space between the bar and Holly, turning to face Holly once I settled. Resting one arm along her stomach, my fingers gently drifted along her check until she faced me. Kissing her softly until she kissed me back. "I know you don't want to talk about it let alone think about it, but trust me, it will only make it worse." Briefly flashing back to my time in the hospital hiding from Traci after Jerry's death, I knew I waited too long. I wasn't going to allow Holly to do the same thing. Holly's eyes were closed, so I closed mine waiting for her to be ready.
"I'm going to have rehab for months," Holly suddenly broke the silence, her voice tired and broken. "After waiting even more months for the bone to heal correctly, which I won't be surprised if they need to put a metal pole in because of how weak it might turn out. And, it hurts like a bitch. The medication is merely dulling it right now, but I can still feel it all. Feel as if it's all happening again." Her eyes filled with fog making it harder and harder for her to focus on me. "I woke up panicking feeling the bullet bite into my skin. All the pain." Frustrated, Holly rubbed her eyes to clear away the fog and crackle left after the tears. "Not only will therapy be required, but it's necessary," sighing heavily as her head dropped to my shoulder.
Running my fingers through her hair knowing it will calm her down, all I could do was nod in agreement. "You won't be alone, though. If you haven't noticed, Doctor, I'm just as weird as you." The soft chuckle from Holly made me smile. We'll be okay. "Now, I can go find the doctor to see if we can get stronger meds for you since you're still in pain, or we try to sleep some more. We both need it, but you pick."
"I don't want the strong drugs. They'll just make me groggier and probably as crazy as you were on oxy." Smirking playfully, I knew my Holly was back.
"So sleep it is. Are you okay how you are, or do you want help moving?" Holly waved off the help, so I shuffled under the blanket and moved closer to Holly taking way any space that was between us. Still needing to feel closer, I hooked my leg over the uninjured one. "Wake me if you can't sleep, Holly."
Reaching up for a kiss, Holly held the sides of my face, deepening the kiss. Lips forcefully met before our tongues met in a dance. It still amazes me how right this feels with Holly. How much it made me crave Holly more. I felt my hips creeping forward and struggled to keep them still. I needed to stop kissing Holly before losing it all, but I didn't want to. She should know just how much I want her. However, I don't think grinding on her functioning leg when she's all but tied to a hospital bed is the proper way to do it.
Slowing down the kissing, I gradually brought the kiss to an end. Catching my slightly increased breathing, I couldn't help but smirk at the dreamy expression left on Holly's face. "Holly?" Snapping her attention back to me, she waited for me to continue. "You are extremely distracting. Sleep time." One last kiss before I laid my head down on Holly's chest just under her chin while my hand rubbed circles on her stomach. Holly's arm wrapped around my back gently rubbing up and down my spine, and I felt myself drifting off to sleep.
Yet again, an extra special thanks for FaBbEr0oZ (trying to figure out what exactly you found attractive in her, then again I have a hard time getting around that voice. And the fact that she would probably constantly try to kill me...), BSwiftly1997 (gail's the type of girl to spread rumors about Nick having an STD so no one else will hit on him. it felt right), ragingscooter (i'm thinking about that...), wkgreen (did this chapter make up for the weird timing?), and annabanana6 (i wouldn't call it being unfair. it's my fault for giving you something everyday in the first place. sorry i might not be able to this week :( ) for their continual support of this story. You are the reasons why I try my hardest to have a new chapter daily.