Chapter 11: Snake Bite
Alex spends every waking hour by your side. The next day of your admission, they are still cautious about your left lung. Apparently, the infection wasn't declining as they'd hoped it would. So that meant more time in the hospital for you.
They moved you to a more permanent and fancier room and it was almost ok. You are now sitting on a really comfortable bed, reading a new book and trying to distract yourself. Alex went home to shower and grab clean clothes since the bag that was packed was only for you.
You are halfway through a page when Nicky bursts in your room like the hurricane she is, her signature crazy hair flying, mouth twisted in a stupid grin. She's carrying a huge, humongous bear and you immediately fall in love with it. It's silly stupid; a chagrined expression on his face. His left arm is in a cast, his right ear has stitches and he is holding a heart that says: I do hope you feel 'beartter'.
"Hey Nicky!"
"Hey, Chapman! I know Vause went home so I brought my charming self to visit you."
She grins at you and you can't help but grin back.
"I wanted to buy you something useful like a vibrator but they don't sell this here, so I thought I'd bring you this charming fella here to keep you company when Vause has to take a leak or something."
She hands you the bear and you chuckle, holding it close to your chest. You missed hanging out with Nicky at the bar, talking about everything and nothing at all and just being silly. Even though you haven't allowed her to get too close to you, somehow she has become one of the closest ones.
"It's as cute as you, Nicky, thanks."
"Pfff, I am not cute, Taylor Swift. I'm just charming as hell." She gives you one of her patented smirks.
You're about to say something funny back when a knock on the door turns your and Nicky's attention to the door. A cute brunette sticks her head inside with a smile on her face and you swear you can see Nicky's eyes turning cartoonish, popping out of her face as hearts thump out of her chest.
"Wow…"
The cute brunette comes inside and you can see it's a nurse. You immediately tense up, thinking of needles.
"Hey, Piper. I'm Lorna Morelo. Andrea's shift has ended and I'm going to be your nurse from now on. Is there anything you need?"
She's awfully sweet with her strong Boston accent, but you can't help feeling terrified. There's a small tub in her hands, filled with dangerous hospital apparatus, all of which were probably going to be used on you. You flinch.
"I'm sorry, it's just that… I've had some really bad experiences with hospitals. They used to hold me down… and… well, I don't like needles…"
Lorna approaches the bed and places a hand on your arm, rubbing up and down.
"I'm just going to draw some blood and check your vitals, okay? I promise I'll be as gentle and as fast as I can and it'll be over before you notice. I think it'll help if you keep talking to me."
She turns to Nicky.
"Are you her girlfriend? I think she'd feel safer if you held her hand."
Nicky looks gobsmacked. Her mouth is opened as she stares at the nurse, resembling a bushy haired, blondish trout. You laugh.
"Nope, she's not my girlfriend, she's a friend. My girlfriend is coming later."
Lorna nods at you, cocking her head at Nicky who is still staring at her as if she's seeing a ghost.
"Is there something on my face?" She runs a hand on said part of body. Nicky laughs nervously. You watch them like a soap opera. Lorna is quick to realize you're distracted by their interaction so she takes your left arm, ties the elastic band around your forearm and swabs the inside of your elbow.
"No, I'm just… You're so beautiful." Lorna opens a big smile, her red tinted lips widening prettily. It's incredibly weird to see your eloquent friend so tongue tied out of the sudden. Lorna looks down at your arm but you keep your gaze on Nicky, who is staring at you with a panicked expression.
"Thank you. You're very beautiful yourself, Ms…"
"Nicky…hmmm… Just Nicky."
"You're very beautiful too. And single by any chance as well as beautiful, Nicky?"
You snort. Apparently, Nicky found someone who was even more straightforward than her.
"Yeah… I mean… single. I am… single, that is."
"That's good. Perhaps you should ask me out then?"
Nicky nods dumbly and you laugh out loud. There's a tiny part of you that's rejoicing in seeing your friend so uncomfortable when she's usually so self-confident. You feel a small pinch on the inside of your elbow, you flinch a little but your attention is still on Nicky's gob smacked face.
"Nicky, you're starting to look like a fish."
Lorna winks at you.
"That's done. I'm just going to check your vitals now."
You stare at her and then down at your arm. She places a tiny round band-aid on the inside of your elbow and you realize she took three vials of blood and you've barely felt a thing, distracted by her and Nicky's shenanigans. The smile that appears on your face is grateful and she gives you one back as Nicky and her start talking back and forth about silly things.
Apparently, she got her tongue untied and her mojo back. Lorna is laughing about something silly Nicky said when the door to the room opens again and Alex comes in, carrying a bag that smells wonderfully delicious.
Your heart immediately does a somersault, silly little thing. You are so in love with her that sometimes it physically hurts. Everything around you fades to a background blur and your single focus is Alex.
"It looks like you're having fun!"
She approaches the bed and gives you a kiss, nose brushing yours softly.
"And you've got yourself a new friend. Should I be jealous?" Alex touches the bear's ear, smiling.
"Nicky brought him. You should be very jealous because I'm seriously considering dropping you for him."
"Hmmm… I didn't know you liked them furry, babe…"
You choke out a laugh and she noses your hair.
"Awww, so THIS is the girlfriend… You two look too adorable together."
Alex titles her head at Lorna with a bewildered expression on her face, sticking her hand out. Lorna takes off her gloves and shakes.
"I'm Lorna Morello. Pleasure to meet you."
"Alex Vause. You're Piper's nurse?" Lorna nods, gathering her utensils.
"She is incredible, Alex. Very gentle hands."
"Nice hands, huh?" She offers you a bright smile then turns towards Lorna.
"Thanks a lot for this, Lorna."
"I was just doing my job, Alex, it's no problem. Piper was very sweet AND I think I may get a date with a very interesting woman out of it so it was totally worth it."
Alex looked a little confused, until Nicky smirked, at which she laughed knowingly.
That afternoon, Lorna comes back two more times with your medicine and the doctor shows up once to tell you she is probably going to release you the day after, if your lung continues to improve.
Visiting hours are almost over and Alex is on food run, since you're pretty sick of tasteless food and pudding. Someone knocks on your door. You are reading a very entertaining book about a tattoo artist and a girl with a rocky past so when you look up you're very distracted. You blink once as you realize Polly and Larry are standing there, kind of sheepishly. Polly has her arms around a bunch of flowers and Larry is carrying balloons, and you are suddenly very uncomfortable.
"Polly, Larry… Hi."
You close your book after making an ear on the top of the page you're in before placing it on your lap. Polly and Larry approach your bed and your treacherous lung chooses that moment to fail you and you start coughing.
It's raspy and uncomfortable; sounds as if you're an old woman who has smoked for all her life.
"S-sorry. Comes and goes."
Larry looks flustered. You grab the glass of water that Polly is handing you and drain it, feeling parched. The other girl is staring at you like you've just grown another head making you remember why it's so difficult for you to make friends at school.
You actually can't remember why Polly has befriended you and developed such an interest in your absent, closed-off self. You hang around at school but you've never shared anything with her. She doesn't even know you're emancipated or that you haven't seen your parents for as long as you've been at that school.
And Larry. What the fuck? He asked you out once, you wiggled your way out of the situation without giving him an answer and now he follows you around like a puppy. Polly was always trying to get you to go out, ever since she started a fling with Peter and Larry and him were quarterback buddies. He couldn't be less appealing if he tried actually. You hated his conceited ass. He reminds you too much of home and some of the guys your parents tried to pair you with.
"We were expecting your for graduation but Ms. Edwards told us you've been sick. We thought we'd come and visit. Right Larry?"
Larry gives a wolfish grin that creeps you out and nods. You have no idea how Ms. Edwards even knew you're sick in the first place.
You try to give them a little smile and start picking at the tape holding your IV in place.
"Thanks a lot, Polly. How was the party?"
Polly went on telling you about school's gossip and shenanigans and meanwhile Larry is now sitting pretty close to you, having placed the flowers on a glass vase that sat on a table on the corner of the room and the balloons somewhere close to your head.
She starts telling you about how Peter had asked her to prom when suddenly Larry clears his throat.
"So, Piper… About Prom… I was wondering… Well, I was wondering if since you missed the party, would you like to go out with me?"
His puppy eyes are soft and expectant. You open your mouth to answer and nothing comes out but a wheeze. Coughs rack you again and even if they are uncomfortable as hell you're grateful they've just prevented you from answering. Larry rubs your back softly, whispering some nonsense you can't understand very close to your ear and you really just want him to stop touching you. You try moving out of reach but coughing seeps all your energy and there's not enough space in your bed to really back off from him.
"Baby, they were out of Kani so I couldn't get your Sunomono but I brought a sea worth of sashimi…"
Alex comes in looking down at the bags on her hands and freezes when she looks up and catches sight of the scene before her.
"What the fuck?"
You're still wheezing and trying to catch your breath. Unfortunately, Larry is still rubbing your fucking back like the movement is going to unlock your lungs out of sheer will.
"Who are you?" Polly asks, sending Alex a dirty look. You are still trying to move away from Larry's grabby hands and coughing so you miss pieces of the interaction but suddenly Larry's hands are off you, replaced by Alex's much calmer ones. She raises your chin and stares into your eyes, one hand moving to the button next to your bed to call a nurse.
"Baby, breathe deeply for me, yeah? If you don't breathe you'll pass out and we don't want that. Go ahead, deep breaths."
You try matching her breathing through the coughing but it's like your lung is sunken. White spots cloud your vision and you catch a glimpse of Lorna bursting into the room before passing out.
When you come to, all you can hear is Alex's angry voice and Polly's shrieking one. Someone is touching your arm softly, something stings the back of your hand and you open your eyes with a grimace.
"What…?" Your voice is muffled by the oxygen mask that's now on your face. Lorna's face appears on your line of sight with a smile. Alex's frowny one comes after followed by Polly's and Larry's. Goddamnit WHY are they still here? One would think that passing out was a good way of letting people know it was time to go.
"Kid, you scared the shit out of me!" Alex brushes a kiss on your hair.
Lorna is still doing something to your left hand and you let out a loud ouch when she reinserts the IV.
"Sorry, honey. You pulled your IV out."
Crap. Goddamn Larry and goddamn Polly. What a bothersome. Alex was running her lithe fingers through your hair and your classmates are giving you the weirdest looks.
"Piper, what the hell is going on?" Polly crosses her arms and frowns.
You lick your lips and get rid of the oxygen mask, trying to breathe slowly to avoid another panic attack.
"Polly, this is Alex, my girlfriend. Alex, this is Polly, she's a friend from school."
Polly's chin is somewhere on the vicinity of her belly button now. Larry, a silent presence until now, gives you a weird laugh.
"That's why you've been avoiding and doesn't want to go out with me. Because you're a lesbo?"
You send him a dirty look and Alex titles her head down to stare at him above the rim of her glasses.
"Excuse me?"
Polly stills stares dumbfounded, which makes you want to just slap her senseless.
"No, Larry. I actually refused your invitation before meeting Alex. I know it's a bit of a shock but I actually don't like you. You're conceited and mostly a big pussy. And to top it off I'm beginning to think you're also a big fat homophobe."
You watch as his face starts to get a nasty tone of red. His ears and neck are tinted, eyes bulging and angry. Alex laughs, green eyes mocking.
"Piper, that wasn't nice!"
Seems Polly has found her voice. You sigh, rubbing your aching eyes.
"Polly, look. I'm sorry. I like you but… we are very different."
She sends you a dirty look, mutters a very angry "obviously" and then drags a sputtering Larry out the door. You are very glad that part of your life is over; you can't move on.
"Gonna tell me what was that all about?"
Lorna is still checking your vitals, hands soft against your skin.
"Damn girl from my school and the boy she's been trying to hook me up with. One of those damn clichés I hate so much. She's a cheerleader with a quarterback boyfriend and Larry is Pete's friend so she has a crazy notion it would be fun to "double date". He asked me out, can you believe it?"
Your face is tinged red from outrage and it doesn't help you that Alex is smirking at you as if she's finding your predicament funny somehow.
"I've forgotten how much drama High School has. So, a date, huh?"
You roll your eyes at her.
"I don't fit in that school, never did. They bored me out of my mind. I may be eighteen but we are worlds apart. Poly talks about third base with Pete and I think about you and all the different ways we've fucked. They talk about curfews and I think about my shifts at Red's. I mean… They have classes about how to manage our money and bake cakes and I'm already paying bills and living on my own since I was fifteen. I have nothing to talk to this people about, no common ground. I saw Larry talking to this sweet boy from my English class about this club he was going with his parents at the weekend; his dad had a business meeting there and he was bragging about it to this kid whose mom is a maid that works her ass off to try to give her son a better life than hers. He's not even friends with him but he needed to feel important, see what I mean? And the funny thing about it is that I've been a member since the day I was born. I still am. He was very embarrassed when I told him that and that as a visitor, he would have limited access to the club."
Alex grins. "I can only imagine the look on the poor kid's face. Please, tell me you showed him your membership card."
You can't help but smile as well even with all your frustration.
"I did. It's gold."
You could definitely say that Alex was an incredible room companion. She played cards with you, she read to you, she cuddled you, she pampered you. And you soaked up the love like a sponge, not used to feeling so relished. At some point during the day you get an email from Stella asking for forgiveness, saying she was going back to Australia with her brother and wishing you and Alex a lot of happiness.
It feels like a nice closure to a very fucked up situation. The doctor releases you from the hospital on the next day and despite the hospital being downright amazing you are definitely ready to go home. You have to keep taking the antibiotics for another week and it's still hard to do strenuous activities because you start to feel out of breath.
Alex takes you to her apartment, even under your feeble protests and the first thing you do is take a long, very hot shower, letting the water fall on your aching back. Your lungs feel achy and rusted. You have to do inhalations and take a lot of pills until you're finally done with this pneumonia crap. Alex is filling out your prescription and getting some clothes from your apartment and by the time you're out of the shower you feel so sapped of energy that you just crawl into bed, under the covers, butt naked and fall asleep.
Piper's prescription is easy enough to fill and after quickly packing a bigger bag for her from her apartment, you head home, hoping she's feeling well enough to go to the place on the corner of your street that has an amazing onion soup, served with hot, homemade bread.
When you get home though, the apartment is dark and quiet.
"Piper?" Your voice echoes through the rooms and for a moment you wonder if she left. Your heart goes to your throat and you rush to the bedroom, halting to a stop when you catch sight of her naked form on top of your bed. She's belly up, her perky tits rising up and down as she breathes; her nipples are rosy and tightened against the somewhat chilly air. One arm is thrown above her head and the other resting on your side of the bed, palm up. Her legs are making a four and your eyes can't help but stray to the apex between her thighs.
She's pink and soft there; like a Pavlov dog, you immediately feel the taste of her on your tongue, as if you've just went down on her, licking the moisture from her skin, her thighs. You can ever hear the sighs and moans with such clarity that you're wet in seconds. It's been too long.
You walk towards the bed slowly, remembering she has a nasty case of pneumonia, has just left the hospital as shouldn't even be naked, let alone doing all the things you are picturing doing to her in your head. The duvet is somewhere on the foot of the bed which tells you she was covered at some point and kicked it off as her temperature rose, like she always does.
You gather it up and throw it over Piper's naked body again while you search for one of your T-shirts to dress her in. You choose the one that has Linus sucking his thumb and hugging his blanket because it's warm and long-sleeved and a personal favorite since Linus is your second favorite character from Charlie Brown cartoon.
You sit on the bed next to Piper's head and brush your fingers through her blonde locks. They now fall in soft waves, like a halo around her head. You remembered how tangled and dead it felt two days ago when you found her feverish and sick on her bed. Her cheeks are flushed and you run your fingers through her brow to check her temperature. Her body is all sharp angles and curves which makes something in your belly twist and turn. For the first time since you went away you could study her without interruptions. She's lost a lot of weight in very little time and it pained you to know she suffered. Maybe you should've been more understanding and just… handled things differently. But it was no use thinking about it now. You're just glad it's over and done and you two are in very good terms now.
She kicks the duvet off again which makes you smile. Her head turns toward you and you take your sweet time admiring her features, t-shirt still clasped on your lap. Her eyelashes brush the high curve of her pink cheeks and move softly as she dreams with her lips are slightly opened, the air rushing in and out of them with a little wheezing noise, like a kettle. Her breathing still concerns you a little, the space between her ribcage sinks awfully low every time she draws breath so you make a mental note to keep close attention to this and take her back to the hospital (kicking and screaming if you have to) if this doesn't get better. There's no way you're neglecting her again.