Chapter 11
"They we-were a dream?" Zoë slurred softly and Horatio nodded as he lightly rubbed her sides, just hoping that she wouldn't flip or be too upset by it.
"It-it was a really nice dre-dream then. Ma-mak-make it a reality?" Zoë asked and Horatio nodded with a smile easing its way across his face. She reached up and began to play with a strand of his fringe as it hung over his forehead. He watched a gentle smile cross her face as she focused on his radiant red-hair.
"Yes sweetheart, there's nothing I would want more than to make the dream come true." Horatio said softly, a little surprised by her very relaxed reaction.
Her eyes met with his once more as she tilted her head. "But it fel-felt real though." Zoë mumbled softly, Horatio had to listen really carefully to what she was saying as her speech wasn't great, it was very slurred and she was mumbling a lot of the time.
"I know it felt real sweetheart, but it wasn't real." Horatio exhaled softly, just hoping that she wouldn't argue with him.
"W-Why aren't we wea-wearing our wed-wedding rings?" Zoë asked as she ran her hands up and down his chest after finishing with his hair.
"We aren't married yet, beautiful. We were due to get married yesterday, but we were too ill to make it." Horatio said softly as he took hold of her hands and stopped her from rubbing his chest as it hurt him. He watched her frown a little more and could see that she was thinking. She began to bite her lip as she looked to his mouth and focused on his lips. He briefly let go of one of her hands to free her lip from her teeth.
"But-but I don't understand. The dre-dream, I dreamt that 3 years had-h passed after our wed-wedding day." Zoë said confused as he took hold of her hand again just as she was about to place it back on his chest as she moved on his thighs a little. He quickly let go of her hands and physically moved her himself as she'd moved into an uncomfortable position for him, he could feel the bones in her bum digging into his thighs, so moved her so he was more comfortable.
"I know sweetheart, we were involved in the car crash last week, we've been in a coma since." Horatio said as he rubbed her thighs gently while she left her hands in their laps as she looked down at them and slowly took in the information. She pressed her lips together as she looked back up into his eyes before her eyes wandered his face. They rested on the gash at the side of his head as her eyebrows lowered. It had almost healed, but he still had his stitches in.
Her eyes connected back with his. "Are you okay?" Zoë mumbled softly and Horatio nodded with a gentle smile as he gazed back into her eyes as they began to skip around his face again, mainly studying his smile.
"I'm good sweetheart, are you okay?" Horatio asked and she nodded and then took a deep breath. She raised her hand to her forehead and rubbed roughly again as she continued to study Horatio's facial expression. She then stood up on the bed and jumped off, pulling the machines to the floor as some of the wires came off. Horatio sat up and reached out for her. "Zoë!" Horatio raised his voice just as she started to run towards the window. "Nathan!" Horatio shouted loudly as Zoë dragged the monitors with her along the floor. Horatio tried to get up as Nathan rushed in. Nathan looked to Horatio then saw Zoë making her way toward the window.
"Stay in bed Horatio." Nathan said as he quickly rushed over to Zoë and wrapped his arms around her as she punched the double-glazed window. He pulled her back when she tried punching it again. Eric and Joe stood there in shock as they watched Nathan take hold of her right wrist and pulled it in towards her stomach as he gently restrained her.
"You're okay, you're okay Zoë. It's Nathan. You're fine. Just take a deep breath for me." Nathan whispered gently against her ear.
"Are you okay, H?" Eric asked as he walked over to Horatio and Horatio nodded as he sat up straight, looking shocked. He glanced to Joe who looked shocked himself.
"She was fine, absolutely fine." Horatio said completely mystified as he frowned over at Zoë and Nathan as he continued to whisper to her as he held her still. He watched her fast and heavy breathing steady out as she relaxed her head back onto his shoulder. Horatio relaxed himself until Zoë lifted her head again and raised her leg to kick the window.
"You're okay sweet." Nathan said softly with his chin making contact with the side of her head. He pulled her back more and began to whisper to her again. Horatio, Joe and Eric all watched him calm her completely as she put her head back against his shoulder. Nathan looked over to the monitors on the floor and sighed softly. "She's okay." Nathan said tenderly as he looked to the 3 others. He began to pull the leads off her with his right hand as his left arm held her tightly against him when he deemed it safe enough to.
"Joe, can you pass me those wipes and plasters please?" Nathan asked as he pointed to some draws. Joe quickly handed him the items and Nathan wiped the blood from her arms and then put plasters over the small bleeding wounds where the IV's had been pulled out. He continued to hold her up with his left arm around her chest and under her arms, feeling her steady breathing as he threw the wipes away.
"You're okay sweet, keep taking those deep breaths for me." Nathan said softly as he unattached the rest of the leads that hadn't been pulled off. He dropped them to the floor and then loosened his grip on her.
"Can we get you back into bed with Horatio?" Nathan asked and she nodded, silently. He let go of her completely and then placed his arm around her shoulders as he walked her round to Horatio's bed, making sure to steer her clear of the fallen equipment and wires. He sat her on the bed and then pulled her hair out from her face, tucking it behind her ear. He gave her and Horatio a gentle expression as Horatio placed his hand lightly on her back.
"Don't worry sweet, you've done nothing wrong. You probably just experienced an outburst of some sort, it's linked with the head injury, okay? I'm not blaming you for anything." Nathan said warmly. She looked round to Horatio with furrowed eyebrows as her bottom lip trembled slightly.
"It's okay sweetheart." Horatio said as he placed his palm against her cheek. She reached out and placed her hand on his shoulder as she completely turned around and rose to her knees. Nathan turned around and quickly picked the equipment up, he then sorted it out and made sure that it still worked. She bit her lip as she blinked a few times before looking down. "It's okay sweetheart." Horatio repeated warmly as he lifted her head and held her gaze with his eyes. He gave her a small reassuring smile as he rubbed her cheek with the back of her hand. He watched a small uncertain smile develop on her face as she moved to sit beside him and sat back against the bed once Horatio had put the head of the bed up so they were able to sit. She continuously looked up at him as Joe walked around to her side as Horatio took her hands in his. Joe placed his hand on her knee as he wanted to know that she was okay. She looked around to him and then moaned loudly as he studied the haunted expression fleet across her face. He quickly removed his hand and stepped back as he raised his hands in submission.
"It's just me Zoë, it's Joe." Joe said softly as she relaxed slightly and then looked back to Horatio.
"It's just Joe sweetheart, he's not going to hurt you." Horatio said softly as she pulled her knee's up and then placed her head on his shoulder as she looked round to Nathan, completely looking past Joe. Nathan turned back to her with a sweet facial expression and then gave her a gentle smile when he saw her studying him. He moved closer to the bed as Joe moved away to stand by Eric, hurting inside because he couldn't even touch her and couldn't get her to look at him for more than a second. Nathan crossed his arms as he stood beside the bed.
"You may experience some more of those outbursts, okay? Joe, Eric you need to listen too. This sort of thing isn't uncommon in patients with head injuries. You may say some hurtful things to people, but it isn't you talking Zoë, it's the brain injury talking. You may lash out at us, we're going to remain calm if that happens but we may have to restrain you Zoë. None of this is your fault, I want you to understand that now, Horatio, the same goes for you. You could quite possibly experience similar things. Whilst I'm confident that neither of you will hurt anyone, if I perceive a threat, I will have to sedate you. For that reason, I need to keep the cannulas in your hands, but I am happy to take off the wires and things. Zoë, I need to keep the few wires on your head though, I need to keep an eye on the pressure." Nathan said softly and clearly as he looked from Horatio to Zoë and back a few times. Horatio gave him a nod and Zoë did the same after taking a few seconds to think about what he'd said.
Nathan turned to Eric and Joe as they stood at the end of the bed. "Don't take anything personally if either say something that is hurtful or mean. It's not them talking, okay?" Nathan said to Joe and Eric and they nodded, Joe's eyes didn't move off Zoë, he could see her becoming distressed again as she pulled at the gown again after pulling her hands from Horatio's grip.
"Zoë, do you want some scrubs? Will you feel better if I get you some scrubs?" Nathan asked and she stopped pulling at the gown and looked up at him. She tilted her head and opened her mouth before closing it again and rolling her lips together as she studied his eyes. "Would you like some scrubs?" Nathan asked clearly again and she nodded a few moments later. She gave him a gentle smile as he gave her a gentle smile. She turned back to Horatio and smiled at him as Nathan quickly walked out. She turned and sat on the bed with crossed legs and faced Horatio.
"So, I'm still Zoë Chambers?" She mumbled and Horatio nodded as he felt her lift his hand as she began to play with his fingers. "I want to go back to the dream." Zoë murmured softly as she watched Horatio's fingers delicately play with hers too.
"I know sweetheart, but we'll make the dream come true." Horatio said softly as he gently pulled her down and kissed the left side of her forehead.
"Mmm" she moaned as she placed her hand against the right side of her forehead and shook her head, she took a deep breath and then placed her hands in his hair with a content smile appearing on her face.
"Are you in pain?" Horatio asked and she shook her head and then exhaled again as she stuck her tongue out at him. He chuckled slightly and then ran his fingertips down her left cheek, causing her to close her mouth after she'd pulled her tongue back in. Eric smiled softly, glad to hear a small chuckle coming from Horatio, whilst Joe remained silent. Nathan walked back in with a pair of blue scrubs. Zoë looked around to him when she heard him enter and her eyes focused on the scrubs he was holding.
"Do you want a hand getting changed?" Nathan asked softly and she looked at Horatio. "Horatio needs to stay in bed sweet, I can give you a hand if you'd like, or I can ring Alexx, if she's busy then there's a lovely female doctor that I can have come in." Nathan said clearly and she looked back at him and bit her lip as she glanced back down to the scrubs.
"It's alright sweetheart, Nathan can help, or we can another female doctor in as Alexx is working." Horatio assured her softly and she looked back to him and then placed her hand over his thigh, looking uncertain. Nathan could see her uncertainty and placed his hand on her back to get her attention again. She looked back over to him as she continued to bite her lip gently.
"I'll go and get the female, doctor, yeah?" Nathan said softly and she frantically shook her head and began to cry. 'A female doctor is better than something? There is no way I could get a female nurse in here. Perhaps she'll react better to the female doctor?' Nathan thought to himself.
"No!" She raised her voice as she moved closer to Horatio and looked up at Nathan as she sobbed.
"Okay, no female doctor." Nathan said before he glanced to Joe and Eric and they quickly made an exit. He looked back to Zoë with a tender expression. 'Horatio is of sound mind and is thinking clearly. But he's still a patient, what am I going to do? I can't get another female doctor or nurse in here. I could try giving Alexx a call.' Nathan thought to himself as Zoë stopped crying.
"I'll try and give Alexx a call, okay?" Nathan said as he pulled his phone out and dialled for Alexx.
"She'll be busy." Horatio said but Nathan thought it was worth a try, but Horatio was right, she didn't even answer the phone.
"Horatio needs to stay on the bed, Zoë but it's not exactly professional if I dress you as Horatio is still a patient, it would be okay if he wasn't. I need a female in here, can I get a nurse just to stand in?" Nathan asked the both of them but Zoë shook her head again and began to cry once again. Nathan ran his hands through his hair. "Horatio, would you mind if I helped her to dress?" Nathan asked warmly.
"No, I don't mind… I'd rather do it myself, but you're the doctor." Horatio said lightly and Nathan nodded.
"Zoë, are you sure you want me to help you with this?" Nathan asked and she nodded as she stopped crying again and looked up at him with a gentle expression. 'I don't know why I'm asking her because she's not thinking clearly, I know that.' Nathan thought to himself. 'I don't know what else to do, she'll only get more agitated with the gown if I leave it on her. It's a no win situation.' He thought to himself. He walked over to the curtain and drew it around the bed.
Nathan gently rubbed her back gently with a gentle smile and nod. "Can you stand up for me sweet?" Nathan asked softly and she stood, but she stood on the bed. Nathan chuckled lightly as he looked up at her. He held his hand out to her and she took it as she tilted her head, looking at him confused. "I mean on the floor." Nathan smiled at her, he then helped her to sit back down on the bed and then helped her off. She looked to Horatio as he sat up straight and gave her a smile as he stretched his aching back.
"Can you turn for me please?" Nathan asked Zoë clearly. He then placed his hands on her waist and turned her physically, gently. She offered no resistance and looked out of the window while Horatio watched Nathan untie the tight knot at the back of the gown. He turned her again and then pulled it off and slung it over to the bin. He picked up the top half of the blue uniform and she stepped back as she shook her head as he held it out for her to put her arms in.
"Zoë, it's just a t-shirt sweet." Nathan said softly as he stepped forwards with a calm, relaxing expression. Horatio quickly rubbed his mouth as she stood there in front of Nathan and himself in nothing more than a pair of plain hospital underwear.
"Horatio" she said quietly as Horatio's eyes wandered her body, slowly, looking at all of the bruising. He swallowed and knew his body probably looked very similar.
"Do you want Horatio to put it on you?" Nathan asked and she shook her head as she clasped her hands together in front of herself.
She tilted her head as Horatio's eyes connected with hers. "Horatio" she said again as she looked at him and exhaled violently.
"What do you want Horatio to do?" Nathan asked softly and she shrugged as she looked down at the floor. Nathan pulled at his hair a little once he'd run his hand through his hair from frustration. "Do you want to put the gown back on?" He asked and she shook her head as she began playing with her fingers as she focused on the floor and took another deep breath. "Do you want to put the scrubs on yourself?" Nathan asked, trying to guess what she wanted because she wasn't giving him anything to go on.
"Ho-Horatio" she said loudly and Nathan looked to Horatio to see if he could decipher her as Horatio frowned slightly, trying to read her body language.
"Do you want me to put it on?" Horatio asked and she nodded as she looked back up at him with an easy expression. Nathan handed the top to Horatio with a small smile and nod, thankful that he managed to get somewhere.
"I'll wait outside." Nathan said warmly as he turned to step outside of the curtain to allow Horatio to dress her.
"Come here then sweetheart." Horatio said softly and she shook her head as she stepped back again.
"You." She said as she began to rub her arms with the opposite hand and began to side step on the spot. 'This isn't Zoë at all.' Horatio thought to himself when he saw her rocking on the spot, he could see the confusion in her eyes. He took a deep breath to calm himself down as he could feel himself becoming rather frustrated. He began to move closer to her when she stepped back again as she shook her head. "You Horatio" she said as she began to rub her forehead roughly.
"You want me to put it on myself?" Horatio asked and she nodded as she stepped forwards again as she bit her lip, looking excited.
"You need to wear this, Zoë. Come here sweetheart, I'll help you." Horatio said softly as he exhaled, feeling his frustration grow a little more.
"No" she raised her voice as she pulled at her hair and glared at him as she bared her teeth at him when she screwed up her face slightly.
"Horatio, Zoë, may I step back." Nathan asked, hearing the frustration in both of their voices.
"Yes" Horatio replied quickly and he then stepped back around and looked over to Zoë, she looked like she was about to hit something again.
"Okay, okay sweet. You need to wear something though." Nathan said softly as he stepped forwards with a hand held out. She looked from Nathan to Horatio and they could see a tick forming. They could see her twitching her head to the right. She looked down to the floor as her head jerked to the right as she let out a small distressed moan. Nathan took a deep breath while Horatio just watched Zoë, very confused.
"Nathan, please explain to me what is going on." Horatio said calmly as he peeled his eyes from Zoë and looked at Nathan. Nathan looked around to Horatio and opened his mouth to talk to him.
"Dick" Zoë raised her voice as she looked at Nathan, both Nathan and Horatio looked back round to her. Horatio eyes widened as he frowned slightly. 'Did I just mis-hear her?' He thought to himself as he watched her fidget constantly. Nathan took a deep breath and glanced to the floor, readying himself for more insults.
"I need you to wear something, Zoë." Nathan said softly as he looked back up to her with gentle eyes. He crossed his arms and pressed his lips together as he looked at her tenderly.
"You're a-a dick" Zoë raised her voice and the door began to open. Horatio's mouth fell open, he was shocked; he'd never heard Zoë use that sort of language and direct it at anyone other than criminals.
"Out!" Nathan raised his voice as he heard the door open while Zoë's twitches got worse. The door quickly shut again and Nathan trained his gentle eyes back on Zoë.
"Dickhead!" Zoë raised her voice louder at Nathan.
"Zoë, language." Horatio said softly after releasing his pressed lips.
"Fucking dick" she said as she looked away and down at the floor before she pulled down her underwear.
"Zoë-Mae!" Horatio raised his voice, shocked as she kicked the underwear away. "Zoë!" Horatio said loudly with wide eyes as he tried to get off the bed but Nathan stopped him. Zoë looked at Horatio with a panicked expression as she took a step back.
"Horatio, calm down, let me handle this." Nathan said softly as he placed his hand on Horatio's shoulder. "Tell me what you want Zoë." Nathan said clearly and she looked back to him as she furrowed her brow and tilted her head. "You want something, can you point it out to me?" Nathan asked as her ticking decreased and Horatio glanced up at Nathan, seeing an improvement in Zoë. She took a deep breath as she looked at Nathan intensely. "She want's something, I don't think she can tell us though. Can you enlighten me?" Nathan asked Horatio and Horatio looked back to Zoë. She looked back to Horatio as she began to rub her hands.
"Do you want a shower, Zoë?" Horatio asked and she looked up at him and nodded as she stepped forwards and placed a hand on the end of the bed.
"You want a shower?" Nathan asked and she nodded as she looked over to him. A small smile developed across her face as her eyes softened and she physically relaxed. "Okay sweet. If you put these scrubs or this gown back on for me, I'll go and get you some soap and a towel." Nathan said softly and she looked away again. Nathan looked over to Horatio with a pleading expression, needing him to talk her round.
"Zoë, if you put this gown on, you can have a shower." Horatio said softly and she looked up at him and then walked over to him with an unreadable expression. Nathan handed him the gown and she stepped away again as she shook her head.
"Horatio" she said as she pointed to his gown.
"Do you want my gown?" Horatio asked and she nodded as she looked into his eyes and furrowed her brow with a sweet expression.
"Okay sweetheart, only if you wear it though?" Horatio asked and she nodded as she bit her lip and looked down to the gown. Horatio sat up and then pulled the gown off after Nathan quickly took out the lines then put them back in once Horatio put a new gown on. Horatio held it out of her and she put her arms through the sleeves and then turned as Nathan turned her and tied it up at the back.
"I'll be right back, okay?" Nathan said and she nodded at him, he left after quickly picking up the underwear she'd kicked across the floor and discarded of them in the bin with the gown.
"Are you okay?" Horatio asked gently and she nodded at him, he noticed that the tick she had developed had completely disappeared now. She leant against her bed with a sweet expression, seemingly to have forgotten about anything that had just gone on. He reached over and placed his palm against her cheek as he looked into her eyes tenderly. "What was that about sweetheart?" Horatio asked softly and she shrugged as she looked down. Horatio moved his hand into her hair and moved over to her to place a gentle kiss on her cheek, he thought about going for her lips, but wasn't sure how she'd react to it. She bit her lip repeatedly as she looked into his eyes with a small smile after he'd kissed her cheek. "You like that?" He asked softly and she nodded with a sweet expression as she leant over towards him and then lightly kissed his cheek with a small natural smile forming. She stood back and then watched his smile grow. She bit her lip again as she looked down and pulled his hand from her hair.
"I'm sorry." She murmured quietly as she began to play with her fingers again. He frowned slightly, confused as to what she was apologising for as he watched her eyes studying her fingers.
He placed his hand over hers and looked up at her tenderly. "Are you sure you're not in pain?" Horatio asked softly and she nodded. "Yeah" she said quietly as she looked down at the blanket on the bed. Nathan quickly entered with a towel over his arm with soap, shampoo and conditioner also with Alexx on his tail.
"Joe and Eric are in the waiting room, and Alexx has perfect timing." Nathan said softly and Horatio nodded as Zoë turned to face him as he gave her a sweet smile.
"Come on baby, let's go and shower." Alexx said softly and Zoe followed her into the en-suite, happily. Alexx left the door open and then turned the shower on as Nathan put a sign on the room door. Alexx turned to her and then pulled her gown off gently but Zoë stepped back from Alexx and shook her head at her. "Zoë, you just said you wanted a shower." Alexx said lightly and Zoë nodded as she stepped to the side.
"Horatio" she said as she looked at Alexx with her eyes hardening.
"Horatio can't do that baby, he needs to rest. It's me, Alexx." She said warmly.
"Nathan" she said as she began to glare at Alexx.
"Nathan can't do this either baby. It's Alexx, Zoë. You know me baby." Alexx said warmly and Zoë shook her head. "You work with me honey, if you don't want me to do this then we'll have to get some nurses in or something." Alexx said warmly.
"No!" Zoë said as she frantically shook her head and wrapped her arms around herself as she looked down.
"How about I get Nathan to stand in? He can do that as long as I'm here." Alexx said warmly and Zoë looked up at her as she stopped crying in an instant and she nodded. "Okay baby." Alexx said softly.
"Nathan, can you join us please?" Alexx called and Nathan looked to Horatio.
"Is that okay?" Nathan asked and Horatio nodded. Nathan then walked into the en-suite and looked at Alexx curiously.
"Zoë, want's you here too." Alexx said warmly and Nathan nodded as he leant against the wall as Zoë looked up at him as she began to relax. Alexx stepped closer to Zoë to put her hand under the water to check the temperature but Zoë lightly pushed her away and walked over to Nathan.
"Zoë, Alexx needs to do this for you sweet." Nathan said warmly Zoë scowled up at him. 'It's not her fault she's being difficult, perhaps she isn't fully aware of who Alexx is? Maybe she's a little more comfortable with me.' Nathan thought to himself.
"You can trust Alexx, Alexx is lovely." Nathan said softly as he gave Zoë a sweet expression as she placed her hand on his chest and looked back to Alexx. Zoë bit her lip and studied Alexx a little before walking back over to her. Alexx checked the water was a comfortable temperature before getting her to step under the water with a little encouragement. Alexx lifted one of Zoë's hands and turned her palm up and squirted shower gel into her palm.
"Pink!" She smiled as she looked at the pink shower gel.
"Wait a moment." Alexx said softly before she quickly stepped back and pulled her jacket off and placed it on the basin with her back to Zoë for a second. "Zoë!" Nathan said quietly but sharply when he saw her about to taste the shower gel. Alexx quickly turned back and pulled Zoë's hand away from her mouth. 'I must admit, it does smell like it would taste lovely. Then again, I love strawberries and cream.' He thought to himself with a small smile. "Can you rub it in to your skin, Zoë?" Alexx asked softly and she nodded and began to rub the soap into her skin. A few minutes passed and Horatio got up when he heard Zoë moaning. He pulled the lines out and quickly and headed over to the en-suite.