Chapter 21 - Checking Out
Brittany's doctor came in early the next morning to check on her. When he entered the room he was looking over at her charts. He reached the end of the bed and set the chart down on the table. When he rounded the bed and finally looked up he was surprised at what he saw. There in the hospital bed was Brittany. Curled up next to her was the Latina he had seen the day before. A smile crept across his face at the site. The two of them sleeping contently. He thought it was sweet the way the two of them seemed to fit so well together in the bed. The brunette tucked into Brittany's side her hand resting across the blondes stomach. And Brittany with her right arm wrapped around the Latina.
The doctor went about his business trying his best not to wake them. He checked all the monitors. He checked Brittany's vitals. He wanted to check her surgical incision but that could wait until Brittany woke. After writing some notes down in Brittany's chart he exited the room. "Nurse." He called out as he approached the nurses station. "I want you to check the patient in room 411's stitches and surgical incision when she wakes up. Everything seems to be going fine with her. I expect she will be out of here by Thursday. You can let her know that. Ok?"
"Yes. Will do." The nurse responded.
"Alright I have surgery in 30 minutes I should be going. Have a nice day." He said walking away from the nurses station.
Beep beep beep beep…
It was all Santana could hear as she slowly woke up. What is that god awful beeping noise?She thought not fully awake yet. God help whoever is responsible for that damn beeping. I will rip them a new one for waking me up. She wiggled her fingers of her right hand waking them up. Upon feeling the warmth of a body underneath her fingers that wasn't her own she snapped her eyes open. What she saw was Brittany's chest and the window on the opposite wall. She lifted her head to look around the room. It was empty. She didn't know what time it was but the sun was up so it couldn't have been that early.
She rubbed her index finger around in little circles on Brittany's stomach in an attempt to wake the blonde. "Britt." Santana whispered. She didn't want to startle the blonde but wanted her to wake up. "Britt." She tried again. She took her hand and slowly walked two fingers up Brittany's body. Up her stomach and in between her breast. She tapped them against Brittany's collarbone. "Britt." She said while she tapped her fingers.
"Hmmm." Brittany hummed out.
"Britt wake up." Santana asked looking up to Brittany's face.
Brittany cleared her throat. "I'm awake." Santana could see the grimace on Brittany's face after she spoke. She didn't want to cause the girl pain but she wanted to talk to her. "Because of you. You woke me up." She said breathing in sharply at the pain that came from speaking more than a couple words.
Santana scrunched her face up at Brittany's reaction. "Ok ok you don't have to talk. I'm gonna go get a nurse. Let her know your awake." Santana practically jumped out of the bed and hurried out of the room looking for a nurse. As soon as Santana left the room Brittany reached down with her now freed right arm and pushed the button for the painkiller drip.
Santana hurried to the nurses station stopping abruptly once she got there. Two nurses looked at her with questioning eyes. "Yes." One of them said expecting Santana to say something.
"Brittany is awake." She spoke not sure what else to say.
"Ok. Good." The nurse returned. "Thank you for letting us now. I will be in in a few minutes." She said nodding her head in the direction of Brittany's room. Santana stood there for a few seconds. "Is there something else I can help you with." The nurse asked curious as to why the Latina was still standing there.
Santana shook her head. "Um- no. Sorry I'm kinda spacey." She explained her behavior. Santana turned and walked back to Brittany's room slowly reality hit her as to why she was in the hospital again.
She reached Brittany room and pushed the door open. She scanned the room but didn't see Brittany. "Brittany?" She asked wondering way the blonde wasn't in her bed. "Brittany?" She said a little louder becoming alarmed at the blondes whereabouts.
Bam. Santana jumped back at the noise that had come from behind the door. She pulled the door back towards herself. In the meantime Brittany was pushing the bathroom door open. Santana shut the door to the room so that Brittany could open the bathroom door fully. "What are you doing? You scared me when I didn't see you in bed." Santana asked the blonde.
"Had to pee." Brittany stated.
"Ok well lets get you back to bed. The nurse will be coming soon to check on you." Brittany hobbled back over to the bed and sat down on the edge. Santana helped her swing her legs up onto the bed. "You seem to be feeling better." Santana asked.
Brittany nodded her head. "Yep. These painkillers work wonders." She smirked over to Santana. Santana smiled back at the blonde. They heard a knock on the door and turned their heads towards it.
"Come in." Santana said. The nurse opened the door and walked into the room smiling at both of them.
"How are you feeling today Ms. Pierce?" She asked Brittany.
"A little better. Things are clearer today. Yesterday everything was a little fuzzy. And these painkillers are great." She said with a big smile.
"Well good. That fuzziness was from the surgery and from being unconscious for so long. That will go away." She made her way over to the left side of Brittany's bed. "Now the doctor came by this morning to check on you but you were still asleep. So he wants me to check your incision. After that I will change the bandage." She explained. Brittany nodded in understanding.
She looked over to Santana before she spoke. "I'm going to start now. If you want to leave the room now would be the time." Santana looked over to Brittany in silent communication then raised an eyebrow at the nurse.
Brittany watched the nurse as Santana spoke up. "I'm not going anywhere." She spoke calmly though she was becoming more angry by the second.
"Are you sure? I have to have Brittany raise her gown exposing much of her body." The nurse asked her.
"Yes I'm sure. Listen woman I'm not going anywhere. If you hadn't noticed I've been here since Sunday night. Even though you people wouldn't tell me anything." She scoffed before continuing. "And it's not like I haven't seen it before." She said with a confident smirk. "And I can handle a little wound or whatever. If that's what you're concerned about."
"Oh I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you. It just you never know what someone can handle and you never really know what the situation between patient and visitor is."
"Whatever. Do whatever you have to. I will just take a seat over here." Santana went and sat in the chair that was near Brittany's right side.
"Ok please lift your gown up now Ms. Pierce." The nurse asked politely.
"Brittany. Call me Brittany. Please." Brittany spoke to the nurse. "And don't take what Santana said to offense. She is very protective of me and she doesn't let anyone mess with her." Brittany said turning her attention to Santana. "And she loves me." She smiled at the brunette a huge loving smile.
Santana reached for Brittany's right hand and held it in hers. "That I do." She said kissing Brittany's hand. "I love you Brittany." She said sweetly. Both of them looking into each others eyes just taking in the moment.
"I don't want to interrput-"
"Then don't." Santana said not breaking her gaze from Brittany.
"But I have some good news for you Brittany. Well for both of you I guess. The doctor says you will probably be able to go home on Thursday."
"Oh good." Brittany stated.
"Yeah everything seems to be going well with you. And your incision looks good. The doctor will be by again later today to check on you and see if you have any questions but from what I can tell everything is going well." She finished dressing the wound. "If you need anything just let me know ok." She said as she made her way across the room to the door.
"Ok. Thanks." Brittany said.
Thursday afternoon
"Brittany I have all the release forms you need to fill out." Santana said walking into the room.
"Ok can you bring them over here." Brittany said from the bed. "Do you know what time Quinn is suppose to get here?"
"Not sure exactly. She said she was going to take the afternoon off and come get you."
"Us." Brittany corrected Santana.
"What?" Santana wasn't following. She was thinking about the paperwork.
"Quinn is coming to get us." Brittany said smiling up at Santana who was standing next to the bed now.
"Uh yeah. Us. Sorry." She leaned over and placed a kiss to Brittany's forehead. "Here you go. Just fill these out and I will bring them back to the nurses station. Quinn will probably be here shortly."
Brittany filled out all of the paperwork and Santana returned it to the nurse. All they had to do now was sign out when Quinn got there. Brittany had moved to sit in one of the chairs in the corner of the room. Santana was sitting in the other that was next to the bed. "Are you excited to get out of this damn place? I know I am." Santana chuckled.
"Yeah babe. I can't wait to leave. I can't wait to put some real clothes on. I hope Quinn remember to bring something."
"I reminded her to bring you a pair of sweatpants and sweatshirt. I'm sure she won't forget." Santana said to the blonde.
"Ok. So we have everything planned out then?" She asked Santana.
"Yep. Quinn will pick us up and we will go back to my apartment. Once we get you situated Quinn and I will go to your place and get the stuff you need. You have the list right?"
"Yep." She smiled at Santana raising the list in the air with her right arm. "Got it right here."
"Alright we will get your stuff and bring it back to my place and turn my bedroom into your personal recovery area. Where I will wait on you hand and foot." She finished winking at the blonde.
"Santana you don't have to do that. I'm sure in a couple of days I will be able to do things for myself. Its too much. I will already be staying at your place. You don't have to be my servant too."
Santana knit her eyebrows together. "I don't have to but I want to."
"Ok fine but promise me you will go back to work next week. Monday."
Santana stood and crossed the room. She placed one hand on the blondes shoulder and kissed the top of her head. "I promise. Don't worry about me. It's all about you for a while now." Santana rested the side of her head on the top of Brittany's head and closed her eyes sighing in the process. Brittany smiled and put her hand on top of Santana's that was on her shoulder.
"Am I interrupting something?" They heard from the doorway. Santana lifted her head off of Brittany's and turned in the direction of the door.
"Hi Quinn." Brittany said cheerfully.
"Hi Britt. I brought those clothes you asked for." Quinn said crossing the room and handing the clothes to Brittany.
"Good. I'll just go and change in the bathroom." Brittany moved to get up from the chair but winced in pain and sat back.
"You ok. Here let me help you." Santana said moving in front of the chair holding out both of her hands for Brittany to take.
"Here Quinn can you hold these?" She handed Quinn the sweats before taking Santana's hands with her own. "On three?"
"One, Two, Three." Santana counted down before pulling Brittany to her feet.
"Thanks San." Brittany smiled at the brunette.
"You sure you can handle changing by yourself?" She asked as Brittany made her way to the bathroom.
Brittany turned her head once she reached the bathroom door. "I got it. If I need help I'll let you know." She smiled at Santana then at Quinn and entered the bathroom.
Quinn turned her attention to Santana. "So I bet you're happy to be getting out of here?"
"Hellz yeah. If it were anyone else I wouldn't have stayed in the hospital for four freakin days. I am so glad we will be home soon. I've been wearing the same fucking clothes since Sunday and I smell terrible. I can't wait to get out of here."
"So what's the plan? I know we are going to your place. But then what?" Quinn asked the Latina.
"Well you and I-" Santana pointed between the two of them and rolled her eyes at the thought of spending time with Quinn. "Are going to go to Brittany's and get some things together for her and bring them back to my apartment. She's gonna be staying with me for awhile so yeah-"
"Oh ok." Was all Quinn said in response.
Brittany emerged from bathroom changed in her sweats. "You two ready to go?" Santana picked up the plastic bag that had Brittany belongs from when she entered the hospital. She looked around the room to make such they didn't forget anything.
"Yep I'm ready. We just need to stop by the nurses station and sign out. Then we can leave."
The three left the room and slowly walked down the hallway at a pace that was comfortable for Brittany. When they reached the nurses station the woman behind the desk asked if they were ready to sign out.
"Yep. I'm ready to head home." Brittany said as the nurse handed her the sign out sheet. Brittany signed her name and handed it back to the nurse.
"Alright you are all set then. Best of luck to you." The woman said politely trying to not sound rehearsed.
"Thank you. And thank you for everything you have done for me over the last few days." Brittany smiled before turning to Santana and Quinn who wear standing a few feet away. "Ok lets go." She said to the two of them.
Santana held out her left elbow for Brittany to take. Brittany slipped her right arm through Santana's and they proceeded to exit the hospital.
"Where do you park Quinn?" Santana asked.
"Uh over in the west lot. I'll go get the car and pull around to the front door and meet you guys there." Quinn said as she hurried off towards the exit.
Santana and Brittany made their way to the main entrance to wait for Quinn. They stepped outside into the crisp late November air. Brittany took in a deep breath. "Ahhh fresh air." She exhaled. Santana let out a hearty chuckle at Brittany's actions.
"It is nice to get away from that stale hospital air isn't it." Santana added.
Brittany nodded taking in another deep breath. Santana on the other hand was looking for Quinn's car. She didn't actually know what kind of car Quinn had so she was looking for Quinn. "Brittany what kind of car does Quinn drive?" She asked after a few seconds.
"Hmm. I don't know." The blonde responded. "I don't pay attention to things like that."
Santana rolled her eyes. "Well what color is it then?"
"Red." Brittany said quickly. "Oh there she is now." She pointed in the direction of a red car that was approaching them.
Quinn pulled up next to them and Santana helped Brittany get into the front seat before climbing into the back seat. "Ready?" Quinn asked shifting the car into drive. Brittany nodded looking over at Quinn. "Ok homeward bound." Quinn said with a smile.
"You did not just say that." Santana scoffed out. "Ugh I can't wait to get home." She said turning her attention to the scenery passing by outside her window.