Heres my update. Ill try to update Reopened Wounds soon I'm just so busy lately. Its graduation time and I need to finish my resume, I'm moving, have to find a long-term job, its crazy! But I hope you like this chapter.
Herc had fallen asleep in a few minutes but Meg laid back against the pillows, exhausted, but refused to fall asleep. She narrowed her eyes as she fought to remember anything. Her vision drifted up towards the ceiling, fighting with her blurry memory but it seemed anything she could recall ended when she fell asleep, and began again with waking up in that filthy alley, surrounded by the smell of opium and the pain webbing through her entire body. Even that was a bit fuzzy. She thought back to waking up outside with aching legs, and waking up on the floor.
"What happens when I fall asleep?" She whispered. She looked over at Herc's sleeping form, noting the rhythm of his breathing. Hippocrates had brought in a small cot for him to sleep in and had placed it beside her bed.
Hours passed and Meg fought sleep, but as dawn approached she found her exhaustion lifted slightly and it was easier to force herself to remain awake. It wasn't until deeper into the morning that Herc began to groan and stretched, his back cracking loudly as he shifted from the stiff cot. An amused grin spread over Meg's face as she watched him, he obviously didn't have a very comfortable night's sleep.
"Mmm…" He groaned for a moment before rolling over, and fell back asleep. Letting out an annoyed huff Meg laid back against the pillows, staying awake would be a lot easier if Herc was also conscious.
"Net-Meg"
Meg jolted with a gasp, looking around and realized she had fallen asleep. She felt a shiver course through her at the thought and looked over at Herc again, tempted to wake him but she just ran her hand through her hair and laid back. Her abdomen was throbbing fiercely with the force of her jolt, and she did her best to keep herself from groaning and wiped her eyes to keep the tears from rolling down her cheeks.
Twenty more minutes passed, Meg drifting into another momentary brush with sleep before Herc stirred again and did not roll back over but sat up finally, rubbing his eyes and looked over at Meg and smiled.
"Good morning sunshine" Meg teased but he smiled nonetheless.
"Good morning. How'd you sleep? Did your… umm… stitches, keep you awake at all?" Meg shook her head at him, convincing herself that she wasn't lying, because technically the pain from her stitches weren't what kept her awake throughout the night.
"How about you" She croaked, wincing at the sound of her voice.
"Uncomfortable… I feel like I could have slept more comfortably in a hole." He twisted and his back crackled as if to accentuate his point. He stretched, causing his back to crack a bit more.
"It'll be nice to go home and sleep in your bed." She teased him, trying to stress how much she wanted to get out of the hospital.
"Are you sure you won't stay? I mean Meg, you were… s-stabbed." He faltered, barely able to choke out that unnatural phrase. Meg furrowed her brows, wanting to argue but she was busy trying not to cry out as her stitches felt like they were on fire. After a few moments she was able to collect herself.
"You promised."
"I did… I know. A-and I'll bring you h-home. I'm just worried Meg." She couldn't help but find it cute how he always stuttered when he was nervous.
"Don't be." She settled back against the pillows, curled slightly so she wouldn't pull her stitches so much. Herc frowned at her, reaching out and rested his hand on hers and laced their fingers.
"If you really want to leave we will. I just want to wait for Hippocrates to see you once more. Meg nodded slowly, finding that fighting off sleep was starting to get easier as more sunlight filtered through the window.
"Then go get him… I hate hospitals." Herc just chuckled a little at her,
"He'll come in once he's awake. Then we can go home just be patient."
"Well you did fine overnight, but I'd really rather keep you another day"
"No."
"In case of-"
"No"
"Complications…"
"No. Thanks for all your help, really, I do appreciate it but I really want to go home." Meg sighed, her hand still pressing against her freshly changed bandage. "I'm just not a hospital girl." Hippocrates chuckled lightly,
"Just come back if anything happens. You should do okay but if anything at all changes come back right away." Meg nodded impatiently, trying to hurry him along as he explained instructions on how to care for her bandages and gave some herbs for the pain before sending them on their way. The flight home felt like it was taking hours, but within minutes they were back at the villa, Meg giving the guard at the gate a rather dark look as Herc carried her inside after sending Pegasus back to the stables. Once settled in bed Meg hitched herself up so she was leaning against the headboard,
"See, we're back and I'm fine." the long silence finally broken by Meg's cracking voice.
"I just want to be careful… do you umm… want anything to eat. I-I mean if it hurts… you don't have to… but food helps umm healing…" She couldn't help but find his stammering cute.
"I think I can handle something simple, like soup." She smiled, and he blushed as he fumbled out of the bedroom and once he was out of sight she turned onto her side, curling up clutching her bandage, "Gods damnit!" gasping a bit she took a hand and pushed her hair out of her face and tried to collect herself before Herc got back, "you can handle this, come on." groaning some she sat up, reaching on the end table where Herc left her packet of herbs. Grabbing one she ate it, not bothering to wait for Herc to come back so she could ask for him to make it into tea. "Ich, tastes terrible…" Hearing footsteps she turned slowly, trying to avoid giving her stitches any reason to scream and smiled as Herc came in with two bowls of soup.
"Here, I hope its okay" With the bowl on her lap Meg smiled up at him genuinely and thanked him, beckoning for him to sit beside her so they could enjoy the soup together. "Do you like it?"
"Its very good, don't worry." She assured him, taking the next mouthful. The pain was starting to ebb, and she was surprised at how quickly the herb was kicking in. It wasn't helping a lot, but it took the edge off which was enough to make it easier to function.
"How are you feeling?"
"You keep asking and I keep saying fine."
"Meg… you were stabbed." He cringed at that word, the entire phrase just sounded too surreal.
"I know, and I'm doing about as good as I can given the situation. Lets just enjoy the soup and relax together, hmm?" Blushing, Herc couldn't help but chuckle and nod as he took another mouthful of soup. Halfway through the bowl Meg sighed, setting it aside and laying back, feeling her fatigue come back and she rubbed her eyes trying to fight off the desire to sleep. Noticing her sudden change in demeanor Herc gave her a look and Meg shook her head as if to tell him 'don't ask'
"You seem tired…"
"I'm okay. I guess I didn't sleep as well as I thought. Why don't we go outside for a little bit? Maybe the fresh air will wake me up a little bit."
"That sounds good." After Herc finished his soup he got up, walking around to the other side of the bed to help Meg up, and she found she still wasn't able to stand up strait because it felt like she would tear her stitches so Herc lifted her up carefully, despite her protests, and made their way outside. It was sunny and rather hot in the July heat.
"Its really hot out today." Meg commented, noting that the skin around her stitches seemed to feel much more sensitive to the heat. Herc nodded his agreement and leaned back on the bench, draping his arms over the back and tilting his head back.
Rubbing her eyes a bit, Meg had to try again and fight her fatigue and found herself developing a headache. Finding it hard to remain awake while sitting still she stood up carefully, leaning over slightly and took a few hesitant steps forward before Herc leapt up and pulled her back.
"Come on, relax… you're still hurt." She sat down reluctantly, feeling sticky from where Herc had grabbed her.
"Its so hot." She noted again.
"Maybe we should go back inside?" Meg sighed and nodded, then shook her head.
"No. Why don't we walk a little? I'm sure I can handle that." He looked about to protest but Meg tilted her eyebrow and he shut his mouth, getting up and helped her to her feet. She looked at Herc, feeling bad about her harsh attitude and gave him a smile as she squeezed his hand a bit,
"I'm sorry I don't mean to be so bitchy."
"You're not being bitchy." He replied almost instantly and she couldn't help but giggle,
"I have been. But in my defense its been … a hectic week." A gentle smile overtook her features and one spread across Herc's face as well.
Night arrived and Herc fell asleep quickly, obviously exhausted from stress but Meg refused to sleep, holding her arms as her eyes flicked around the room. Knowing that she wouldn't be able to stay awake the whole night if she stayed in bed she got up, trying not to disrupt Herc and traveled to the kitchen to make herself some tea, and hoped that she could read in the den . Settling down she lit a candle for some light and pulled a scroll off the shelf to read, but found it only made her drowsier.
"I cant sleep" She scolded herself and found herself giggling. "Sleep, heh… funny word." She blinked repeatedly, and slumped over on the couch.
Meg jolted, looking up and noticed that light was filtering in through the window. Rubbing her eyes she sat up, "Damnit!" She shouted, about to sit up when her eyes fluttered and she collapsed.
"My my Megara." She spun around all to slow and saw a flash of blue before falling back on her bottom by the edge of the river styx, empty-handed.
A hand ran through her hair coolly, shivering a bit "Lets go see if Jercules is awake."
