OoO (Riker) OoO
We all jerked our attention to Josie. She was awake and frantic. She had managed to disconnect her breathing tubes and was now struggling to pull the rest of the respiratory out.
"Shit! No Josie don't! Stop," I yelled running to her side.
Murphy ran to the other side and grabbed at her casted hand. Together we pinned both arms to her side. Ross and James worked on immobilizing her legs when a emergency team ran into the room. Doctors fought to connect her tubes as nurses fought to slip bed restraints on to her arms and legs. They managed 3 out 4 but I refused to let go of her left hand for them to slip the cuff on.
"Jo-Annika please look at me," I pleaded holding on to her hand firmly.
Josie thrashed about bewildered. Again I called out to her and squeezed her hand tighter. She opened her eyes and searched the room rapidly before stopping on me.
"Annika please," I whispered again.
Instantly all resistance melted away. Josie focused all her attention on me. I watched the panic drain from her eyes and adoration take it's place.
"There's my girl," I whispered lovingly.
Josie pulled her hand out of my grasp and gently touched my temple. I sighed in relief and encased her hand with my own while leaning into her touch. Her chilled hand slowly began to warm and color began to return to her face. Her perplexed expression deepened as she ran her hand over my stubbled jaw. I was well past the 5 o'clock shadow point. She lightly scratched at the scruff and subtle laugh lines creased around her eyes.
"I look like a bum huh," I laughed softly.
Josie nodded slightly wincing against the discomfort of her endotracheal tube.
"Easy sweetheart. Don't move around to much," I soothed softly, stroking her hair back from her forehead.
Josie straightened her head and focused on the other bodies in the room.
*ahem* Josie's doctor cleared his throat and stepped forward.
"Ms. Hagen. I'm Dr. Caleb Osborne. You're at Orange County Medical Center. If you understand I want you to blink twice for me, can you do that?"
Josie blinked twice.
"Good. Now we need to check a few things and then we'll get that tube out ok?"
Josie blinked twice again.
I reluctantly moved from Josie's side and joined the others at the foot of the bed as the medical professionals stepped forward to work on her.
Moments later Dr. Osborne was at Josie's side.
"Ok Ms. Hagen. I'm going to disconnect your tubes," he explained carefully.
He detached the tubes and passed them off to a nurse and she stored them away while shutting off the ventilation machine.
"Now for the hard part," Osborne continued, gently removing the tape. "I'm going to count to three and I need you to take a deep breath and blow out as I remove the tube, understand?"
Josie blinked twice yet again.
"Perfect."
Dr. Osborne moved into position and began to count.
"1...2.."
Josie took a big breath.
"And 3."
Josie blew out her breath as Dr. Osborne pulled out the tube.
Once the extubation was done Josie coughed and gasped harshly.
"Don't try to talk for a while," ordered Osborne. "Your throat is going to be extremely sore. I'll have a nurse come in with a gelatin type drink I'll need you to take in order to help coat and soothe your throat ok?"
Josie reached up and grabbed her throat gently with her left hand and nodded.
"Very well. I will be back shortly," Osborne announced patting Josie's knee before exiting.
The nurses removed the remaining restraints and unnecessary equipment then shuffled on out the room. Josie focused on us and smiled weakly.
Murphy was the first to speak.
"Glad you're ok love."
"Really glad," James added.
Josie made a move to speak but paused and nodded instead.
'She has no idea how glad we are.'
OoO (Josie) OoO
'Sonovabitch it feels like I gargled with shards of glass.'
I keep catching myself trying to speak. There's so much I want to say. It's amazing how emotional and sentimental a near death experience can make someone. I look around for something to write on or use as a way to communicate.
"What's wrong," asked Riker.
I imitated holding a phone in a makeshift attempt at sign language.
"What? But you can't ta-...oh nevermind."
Riker handed me his phone. I opened the notepad app and typed out a short message then handing it back to Riker.
"Where's Chloé and Declan," he read. "Whoa Declan was with her?"
I nodded and waiting for an answer from someone.
"We...we don't know where they are and they took Connor with them."
An involuntary growl grumbled through my chest. Inquisitive glances looked at me but I dismissively shook my head and pondered on the whereabouts of the traitors. A cell phone rang between the four men and Ross excused himself into the hall. I reached out for Riker's phone again asking another question.
"What happened to me," he read. "Oh *ahem* from what we gathered Chloé or Declan shot you and you fell over the second story railing. Broke a few ribs, your ankle and wrist."
I rolled my eyes in annoyance. 'Could it get any worse?'
"Um you had a partially collapsed lung and the bullet knicked your kidney," he added.
'I stand corrected.'
I glanced over myself to assess the damage first hand. My right ankle was suspended in a harness. It was wrapped in a soft cast just below my knee. My right wrist was plastered in a obnoxious yellow quarter cast stopping halfway up my forearm. I moved slightly and felt the bandages under my hospital gown crinkle with my. Carefully I ran my left hand over the outside of the gown. I could trace the outlines of two big bandages staggered on top of each other on my left side. Top was obviously where they repaired my lung and the bottom had to be the exit wound from the bullet. I'm sure if I reached behind my I'd find a similar bandage on my back.
I huffed in disgust.
'How could my own sister shoot me?! The heartless bitch, I'll kill her. Wait...No I can't think like that. She's my baby sister...a'right a'right. I won't kill her but I'm sure in the hell going to beat the fuck out if her.'
I glanced up to see Riker, Murphy, James, Ross and now Milo watching me skeptically.
'Oops.'
I guess my inner monolog became a little animated. I gave sheepish smile and zeroed in on Milo.
I reached for Riker's phone again but the entrance of the nurse with my drink stopped me.
"Now Ms. Hagen. You need to drink all of this before you try talking."
I nodded an ok and grabbed the clear jelly type drink. I gulped down the drink fighting against my gag reflex, determined to finish the glass in one take.
"Glah," I gaked, running my tongue against my top teeth.
My face was screwed up in disgust as the gelatin left a chalky residue throughout my mouth. I could hear the other men in the room suppressing chuckles and I glared at the playfully.
'Pains in the ass.'
"*Bí 'do thost," I croaked out.
My voice sounded as though I had been a pack a day smoker for 10 years mixed with Betty Boop. This caused the others to grin wider and fight harder not to burst out laughing. I huffed out annoyed and gazed at the ceiling ignoring the immature gimps surrounding my bed.
"Hey," whispered Riker. "We're sorry. Just glad you're ok and we tend to lean towards humor. Men are dumb that way."
He grinned down and me and I found myself smiling back.
"Aye a'right," I stage yelled back.
"What's next darling," asked Milo.
I looked at him, thinking.
'What is next?'
OoO OoO OoO
*Bí 'do thost- shut up