2 weeks later
Gabby and Kelly walked into the hospital after shift. They were exhausted as there had been many calls but they both wanted to see Matt's physical therapy class. Kelly knew he had asked him not to come, maybe because he was afraid it was not going to work out and he would see him failing. But he was sure he was going to do great.
They walked through the hospital, buying a bottle of drink he liked at the shop and walk on, waiting by the physical therapy room. both looked by the window as Mike helped Matt in the braces and Kelly felt bad, as his legs had deteriorated a lot already in the past month. Then, the therapist helped Matt up and supported him in his back, Matt grabbing the bars and in the mirror, Gabby could see he was gritting his teeth, but he was not able to make any step, instead he tried to sit down again, it seemed.
''It hurt so much.'' Matt said against Mike and Mike nodded.
''Come on, try it.''
''I can't.'' Matt said. His legs felt almost stable with the braces securing them, not making it able to move them actually made them stable, but without any support for his pelvis and lower back, he felt like he was going to slump in and fall.
Then he suddenly saw Gabby and Kelly standing by the window and he gritted even more, but finally, he managed to get his leg forward a tiny bit. He made another step before he was afraid to fall over again and Mike pulled the wheelchair closer and helped Matt sat down.
''That was so great!'' Mike said and at first Matt wanted to cry because it were only two tiny steps and he had hoped on so much more but then he realized that it were two whole steps.
Mike helped him lay down on the floor and instead of looking out of the window, Matt was looking at Gabby now as Mike was getting the braces of his legs and he smiled proud at Gabby. It had been two tiny steps and it wasn't even more than a feet he had been able to walk, but it had been a few steps and that more than he had hoped for when the doctor had told about his injury. He was so excited to go see Gabby he could hardly wait until he could talk to her, although he had asked her not to come to see him, but somewhere deep down inside he was also happy that she had been here to see him taking these steps.
Mike helped him up in his wheelchair and Matt turned the chair skillful now he was getting used to his own wheelchair, that was a lot lighter than the big hospital wheelchairs and after saying bye to Mike he wheeled outside.
''Hey you.'' Gabby said as she opened the door for him and handed him the bottle and he drank it, grateful and hugged and kissed her then.
''That was so great, you are going to be walking so fast again, I am sure!'' Kelly said and Matt smiled.
''Yeah I hope so…I am sure I will.'' He said then, determined and Gabby hugged him again and she walked to his room with him where she helped him freshen himself up after sweating and in clean clothes. Kelly left for him but Matt really appreciated he had been there. After that he laid down on the bed and pulled her down right next to him. He could only hope that the sooner he would walk, the sooner he would be able to leave the hospital but because he couldn't care for himself and there were stairs in his house and neither could anybody of his family take him in, he was still here. The therapists thought it was better too, now his body was still unpredictable with gaining feeling. but he also longed to leave the hospital. The only thing that was good about the hospital was that it kept him safe from the snow.
''I was thinking of going out to the pier today and all the other guys are there too, especially for you because it couldn't go on last time. But this time we will have a great afternoon, I am sure.
''No, I can't go out this afternoon.'' Matt said. ''My back is really sore from the walking. I would love to meet up with the guys and I would love it so much but if I would do that this afternoon I am afraid that I won't be able to go to physical therapy and I don't want to miss an hour, not now things are progressing.''
He said it very smart, but he also knew that most of it was a lie. The only reason that he did not want to go out with the others today was because of the snow that was laying outside and he could only hope that it would melt soon.
''Matt, just come with my please. Everybody wants to see you and we are just going to have lunch with everybody and I am sure you will enjoy it. We will go with the car and I can push you if you are tired, I just want you to go out of the hospital for once, because you are only in here and that is bad for you too. It is just for a few hours.''
''I don't know.''
''Come on, everybody wants to see you.'' Gabby said and she was almost begging him and he knew he owed to the others to go but the grey clouds made him afraid that more snow would come when he was out.
''Is there any snow expected this afternoon?'' Matt asked worried and Gabby nodded.
''But that is not so bad right? I thought your body temperature didn't have any problems with the injury so it shouldn't be bad for you to go out, even in the snow.''
''Right.'' Matt said as she had just shut down his next argument. He tried to think of another reason why he would not able to go with her but there nothing he could think off and soon after he found himself going to the exit with her and he checked out, promised to be back before six and she helped him in her car again.
They drove to the pier and Matt enjoyed seeing the city after barely being outside for so long. But when she parked the car by the pier, it was starting to snow and she got out of the car before she could stop her. She got his wheelchair from the trunk and opened the door and wanted to lift him out but he stopped her.
''I can't get out of the car.'' Matt said as he looked outside, the snow falling down next to the car door and she sighed.
''Why not?''
''I just can't,'' He said, trying to crawl back now the snow was almost being blown into the car.
''What is wrong Matt?'' She asked worried as all color seemed to be gone from his face and
''Please, please take me back, I can't…I can't.'' Matt stammered panicked, looking at the snow falling right in front of him.
NOTE: Matt ended up in a really worrisome situation. Will he get out and go to the guys or does he had to tell Gabby about his problems with the snow?
Thank you so much for reading this chapter. In the upcoming chapters we will also read more about the gang and Matt dealing with the fact what they did to him and more problems at the firehouse, but first this! Please leave a review with what you thought and what you want to see and I hope to see you back next chapter.