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A/N: Hey guys! I'm so pleased you liked the last chapter =) So I hope you like this one too =) Thanks for the reviews an now to give you more... ;)
Fifty Degrees of Love – Chapter Twenty-One
Ana gripped the side of the bed even though she knew full well Grace had her hand, her father was behind her and the doctor was watching on warily. Her mother wanted to be there but, it was either Grace or her own doctor that had to help and Ana had much more faith in Grace.
She felt like Bambi on her legs and the pains that had been managed for the entire day before were now exploding throbs as her body realised that part of an organ was missing for sure and there was a six inch incision mark on her side.
With everyone urging her, Ana pushed herself to walk but, only seemed able to slide her feet along the floor in a slow shuffle. She was weak and scared to move. If her foot hit that floor a little too hard would the pain be unbearable?
"I only went to grab food," Christian commented as he came in to find Ana being steadied on her own two feet.
Ana grimaced for a moment, thankful for the break already, and stabled herself against Grace, "Trust me, having to carry my chest drain and catheter bag is not a job for anymore but, my dad insisted." She then looked up at the doctor, her eyes like puppy dogs, "Can you please not just remove them?"
"Sorry, Ana, they're still showing a little blood," He stepped forward and put her hands out, "I want you to stand straight, use me to help you so I can see how much pull there is on the incision." Trusting him, he watched as Ana took his hands and stood up straighter, even if it was shakier than he had liked, it was something. "That's good. How does you side feel?"
"You really want to know?" She quipped at him weakly and he nodded, not speaking, just waiting. "It feels like someone went at my side with an axe," Her words held no conviction, held no strength to them but, they rattled with truths. She heard everyone laugh and it was a sound so foreign after so many tense weeks that right now it perked her up. "I know it would feel better if I were allowed to just lay down."
Giving a sincerely apologetic smirk, the doctor shook his head, "I want you to go for a short walk with support. I know it's uncomfortable with the catheter-"
"And embarrassing," Ana whimpered pathetically.
The doctor gave an empathetic smile, "Soon you'll be mobile without that but, for now, we have to help your body however we can. So I need you to go for a walk just to get your circulation back properly and you can stay in bed for the rest of the day."
"Until tomorrow," she quipped at him and took back Grace's support.
"Until tomorrow yes," The doctor commented. "Now who's going to help? The sooner we do that the sooner you can be lying down."
"I just want to lie down now," Ana grumbled under her breath really not ready to face a longer walk than the two steps to the end of the bed she already done.
"I'll help," Elliot stepped up willing to get Ana's morale up from its low level, "We can walk up the corridor and back and then you can settle."
"I'll help as well," Christian stepped in, feeling a rush of jealousy light every fibre of his being. "She's my wife."
Elliot chuckled at the incredulous moment, "Shame that hasn't been the attitude you've had recently." He didn't mean his tone to be so bitter but, Elliot felt like he had been grieving for his brother when his brother had been right in front of his eyes. That stigma was finding it hard to leave.
"I'm trying to show I'm sorry!" Christian defended heatedly, his horns becoming locked with his brother's over Ana's welfare. They were both concerned for her and both wanted to look after her now. Christian, although jealous and angered, appreciated Ana having Elliot as a form of support. Especially since his memory deteriorated.
"Stop it," Ana stopped them, "I have two sides and I'm too tired for these squabbles." She looked to them both, "Now both help me out here so I can just get myself into bed and beg to get high."
Both men chuckled and began to help with the slow walk out of the room, her walking easing a little and she just focused on her goal – the bed. She should have laughed because she never expected to want to get back into a hospital bed so soon but, she guessed she had already accepted her stay at this medical prison.
"You better not go to the pee whilst we walk," Elliot joked sarcastically and could see the redness grow in Ana's face as they made their way to the door. "I know you have no bladder control but, for me you can try. For me?" He watched Ana's face literally turn beetroot red before his eyes and he laughed a little, "I'm joking, Ana."
"I don't care this is humiliating," Ana grumbled as they finally started to make it somewhere with this journey. She turned to her husband, "I bet when you first woke up not knowing me you knew you'd be doing this right?" Ana quipped sarcastically, "Helping me walk after surgery, holding my chest drain and seeing me at my worst."
"You're beautiful," Christian commented and saw Ana's blush turn shades to a lighter peak.
"Don't make me puke," Elliot jokingly spoke up. "You two are forever going to be my cause for an upset stomach."
Christian let out an inhuman growl, "Shut up, Elliot."
Listening to them too, Ana had to giggle at the brotherly rivalry but, the moment it began she caught a glimpse of red and had to stop. "Christian," She said and reached up, ripping at her side. She didn't care as pay exploded; she went to her husband's aid. She was grateful when Elliot moved with her and she panicked. "Grace!" She called out and looked to everyone coming out, "Grace, quick!"
"Mom!" Elliot called out, panicked by the sight. "Shit, Christian!"
"I'm fine," Christian lied and tried to catch the blood with the palm of his hand and felt his mother come to his size, pressing gauzes to his nose to help. He tried to push off the help but, he was feeling another headache coming.
Carrick rushed over, "Ana let's get you back to bed." He said as he took the chest drain from Christian and allowed his wife to help Christian wholly. "Let your mother help."
"We'll go and get you seen to again and see if there are any changes and then we can come back and settle down again," Grace tried to give Christian an end result. "What harm can it do?" Grace asked and saw that Christian wanted to get his seen to now.
"Baby, let's get you help," Ana tried to step in, not willing to leave him.
Christian turned to his wife, "Ana, go back to room. I'm going to let mom get me seen to. I will be back soon and we will get to the end of this."
"Let me come with you," Ana tried, not caring for her health. If something went wrong, she was in the right place, right?
"Looking like you do? You need resting, not trailing around a hospital," He chuckled eyeing her up and day in her hospital outfit not too stable on her own feet, "You need to be back in bed, Mrs Grey." He watched her lips widen and he felt his heart swell in his chest, "That sounded good."
"Yeah it did," Ana laughed nervously, her tears coming as she heard him call her by a frequented nickname. "Oh, it really did."
Christian moved closer to her, one hand holding the tissue to his nose, the other grabbing Ana's, "You need to get resting so please do that and I will be back."
"C'mon, little lady," Elliot pressed for Ana to move and finally she relented as Grace let Christian in one direction and she went back to her room, everyone waiting to fall into the room. She noticed the doctor and nurse still hovering and she just wanted to be left alone until Christian was back.
No such luck apparently.
Ana painfully got back into bed and laid her aching body down. She quickly found her mother covering her with the starchy sheets moments later as if she were still ten years old and home from school with the flu. That one piece of creature comfort made her settle a little but, her mind was running loops around her and she was beginning to panic.
"Do you think he's going to be okay?"Ana asked, her tone biting at so many emotions as she tried to settle upon one – angst, fear, loss, love. She was alive with all of the wrong emotions.
Carla took a moment to sit on the bed, "Annie, he's in the right care at the moment and I bet you he will come back here and tell you he's fine." She covered Ana's hand took on her mothering role, "Now, how you feeling? Do you need anything?"
Giving a nod, Ana spoke miserably, "Christian. I just need Christian."
"I know," Carla said as the nurse sorted Ana out, making sure the tubes weren't tangled and that her blood pressure was skyrocketing after exerting herself. Carla watched both the nurse and her daughter diligently and even she couldn't mistake the sickening rush in her stomach when she saw the blood coming from Ana's chest drain.
"How are you feeling after that?" The doctor asked, "Are you feeling any light headedness or nausea?" He asked and Ana shook her head at him. "No abnormal feelings at all?"
"No," Ana replied honestly, "I'm just exhausted."
"Well we'll leave you to rest. Do you need anything for the pain?" He asked and Ana nodded. He ordered the nurse to get some morphine and gave Ana a smile, "I'm sure your husband is okay, Ana but, please remember you need to rest as much as possible to aid this recovery."
When the doctor left she felt the tears bubble and her mother instantly gave her a tissue to use until she calmed. Which she did and then watched the door. Ana's hands tore through another tissue as she waited for Christian. Everyone was sitting waiting and talking but, Ana just wanted to be with her husband. She should be with him. She should be glued to his side not trapped back in a hospital bed.
It felt like forever and a day before Grace and Christian entered the room and everyone held the breath in wait. They had been gone hours already and Ana was near the point of passing out now but, as Christina took a seat, she forced herself to wake up enough to hear the new truth.
"There's no explanation for the nosebleeds," Grace started exasperated at the results of the tests. "It could psychological with his memory coming back but, his scans are thoroughly clear. There are no signs of lasting physical damage from the attack. Christian, physically, is healthy. We just need to keep an eye on him and watch for any abnormal changes."
As everyone absorbed the new influx of Christian's injuries, Ana turned her head away from the conversation, phasing it all out so she could take in her husband sitting beside her. He was silent himself, withdrawn, worried, hell he was scared and she knew it.
When he finally looked at her, she could see her husband there. Could swear to God that there was no damage, no injury, no memory loss. He gave her a brief smile, leaning towards her, pulling his seat even closer to her bedside so to close the distance.
"Are you okay?" Ana asked, her voice a low tone as she tried keeping the moment between them whilst everyone else carried on listening. She did care for what Grace had to say but, she cared more for how her husband was coping with it all.
"I love how much you care for me," Was all Christian replied to her, giving a small curved smile.
It felt like one step forward, fifty back every time he made a note of something that was so prevalent in their day to day life's but, Ana had to remember this was her fifty shades of hearts and flowers coming back to her – trusting her, appreciating her, knowing her, loving her.
"I will forever," She told him sincerely, "Now are you okay?"
For the first time Christian smiled at the prospective future ahead of them, "I am now."
As everyone settled into conversation, Ana felt her hand suddenly become occupied. Slowly she lowered her head and allowed her tired eyes to look and see her husband's hand sitting in hers, fingers entwined, and a habit he seemed to have picked up – his fingers were playing her piano melody.
She couldn't help believing he was here to stay.
She just didn't give bad luck a chance to snatch it away.
She revelled in it.