Chapter 21
Meanwhile at the hospital Horatio had woken up.
"Hey H, are you awake?" Ryan asked as he stood to greet Horatio.
"Mr Wolfe?" Horatio questioned.
"Yes, that's me." He replied.
"How're you feeling?" Ryan asked with a smile.
"A lot better, thank you." Horatio said looking up at Ryan.
"Where's Zoë gone?" Horatio questioned once he looked around.
"She went home to get a shower and something to eat." Ryan said softly.
"Ah good, I'm glad that she is actually taking care of herself and not here 24/7!" Horatio smiled.
"No, more like 23/7." Ryan said with a smile. Horatio laughed a little. Nathan walked into the room.
"Ahh Horatio, how are you feeling?"
"A lot better thank you."
"I think we're safe to take you off the oxygen now then. If you get breathless, you're going to go straight back on it though and I'll know when you get breathless." Nathan said with a smile.
"Finally." Horatio said with an almost excited sigh. Nathan stepped up and turned the oxygen off then took the oxygen mask off Horatio. Horatio took a deep breath.
"Are you okay?" Nathan asked.
"Most definitely." Horatio replied with a small smile. Nathan tested Horatio's motor skills again.
"You've got a lot more strength now." Nathan said with a smile.
"So when can I get out of here?" Horatio asked.
"In about 3-4 days, IF you rest constantly. If you push yourself too far, you could end up being in here for another week or two."
"Great. When get I get these out of me then?"
"When you've recovered to a certain extent and when I'm happy that you're well enough to have them out. That one though, will be in until all sign of infection is gone." Nathan said pointing at the IV line in Horatio's left arm. Zoë walked through the door and looked at them all and smiled. Zoë walked over to the bed. Nathan and Ryan both stared at her, she had her long chocolate wavy brown hair down and was wearing in a cream suit and white shirt. She flicked her hair back over her shoulders.
"What are you guys talking about then?" Nathan and Ryan didn't answer.
"Nathan was just telling me when I can go home." Horatio said admiring her.
"He told you that you have to get lots of rest before you can go too?!" Zoë said with a smile.
"Yes, he did." Horatio replied glancing up to Nathan and then to Ryan.
"Didn't you Nathan." Horatio said to try and snap him out of it.
"Yes… yes I did." Nathan said as he looked down at Horatio's notes.
"Yeahhh." Ryan said exhaling.
"What's wrong with you pretty boy?" Zoë said with a cheeky smile.
"Not…nothing." Ryan said as he came back to reality.
"Pretty boy? Each to their own I suppose." Horatio said with a smile. Zoë laughed at Horatio's comment.
"I'll have to tell you how it came to that… it's quite a funny story, isn't it Ryan?" Zoë said with an even cheekier grin.
"Yeah." Ryan said scratching his cheek with the back of his thumb and looking down.
"I'll leave you guys to it." Nathan said as he left.
"See you later." They said as Nathan walked out.
"You're dead." Ryan said to Zoë with a raised eyebrow. Zoë began to laugh at him, she calmed herself down and looked back at Horatio.
"How are you feeling?" She asked.
"A lot better thank you." Horatio answered.
"I can see that, and you've finally got that oxygen mask off too!" She said with a wide smile. Horatio smiled at her then stifled a yawn.
"I'm terribly sorry." Horatio apologised for yawning.
"Don't worry, I think you need some rest, go back to sleep. You're looking exhausted." Zoë said gently.
"What were you telling me about compliments?" Horatio said with a small smile.
"I need to watch my game around you, don't I?" Zoë said whilst smiling and placing a hand on her hip.
"That, you certainly do." Horatio replied looking up to her with a small grin with his eyebrows raised.
"Try and rest Horatio, the more rest you get, the quicker you get out of here." She said with a smile as she sat down. Ryan walked back around to the seat by Zoë and sat. Horatio relaxed as his exhausted body fell asleep. Zoë sat back herself and lost herself in deep thought. When Ryan hadn't said anything in some time she turned her head and looked over at where he was sitting. He had fallen asleep too with his legs crossed at the ankles and arms lightly crossed. A small smile grew across Zoë's face as she sat back again. She took a breath and her eyes slowly closed. She quickly fell asleep. Nathan walked in a few times to check up on Horatio. Nathan finished work and he went home. Zak took over the care of Horatio for the night. But neither Ryan nor Zoë woke up. Zoë had curled up and was sleeping peacefully in the big chair. At about 10 at night Eric quietly walked in to Horatio's room and found them all asleep. Zak walked in and they greeted each other, Zak introduced himself as did Eric. Eric asked how Horatio was doing and then left once he knew that Horatio was okay. At 6 in the morning Ryan woke up, he looked up at the clock.
"Jesus Christ!" He said as he shot up which had woken Zoë up.
"Ryan?" Zoë asked confused and sleepy.
"Hi Zoë, I'm sorry, I'm going to be late for work, I'll see you later." Ryan said as he left, he rushed down the corridor. 'Oh no, I've got to have a shower before I go to work, Eric's going to have my head.' He said as he rushed to his car and drove home for a shower and change. He rushed into work and saw Eric.
"I'm sorry Eric; I fell asleep at the hospital and…" Ryan began to say when Eric cut him off.
"It's okay Ryan; you're not too late anyway." Eric said with a smile and a small laugh.
Back at the hospital Nathan's shift had started again and he brought Zoë a coffee.
"You're sleeping just as much as he is!" Nathan said with a smile as he handed Zoë the coffee.
"I must be catching up on all the sleep I've missed over the past few years!" She said as she sipped the coffee. Nathan laughed a little.
"How's Horatio doing?" Zoë questioned.
"Just as well as he was last night, he's slept throughout the night too." Nathan said as he wrote something down in Horatio's notes.
"I'll be back in a while okay?" Nathan said as he put Horatio's notes down and walked over to the door.
"Okay, thanks for the coffee Nathan." Zoë replied and Nathan gave her a nod. Zoë sat back with the coffee and began to read her book. Nathan popped in every now and again, he and Zoë didn't exchange many words as Zoë was engrossed in the book. Horatio quietly woke up and Zoë didn't realise. She was sat back in the chair with her legs pulled up under her, silently reading the book.
Horatio shuffled himself to make him more comfortable and then Zoë looked up.
"Hey you, how long have you been awake?" Zoë said as she put her legs down and sat up placing her book on the bedside table.
"Not long, I've just woken up actually." Horatio said as he turned his head to look at her sitting in the chair.
"Ahh, did you sleep well?" Zoë asked.
"Yeah, how about you?" Horatio asked looking at her intently.
"Yeah, I think I'm definitely catching up on all the sleep I've missed over the past few years! Ryan also fell asleep… it must be something about this room." She said as she looked around then back to Horatio.
"It must be." Horatio said with a small smile. Nathan walked back in.
"Hello, good to see you awake!" Nathan said to Horatio with a smile as Horatio gave Nathan a nod. Nathan looked up at Horatio's vitals.
"Horatio, I'm just going to put a nasal cannula on you, your oxygen sats seem to have dropped a little." Nathan said as he walked over to Horatio's bed. He picked up a cannula and gently put it on Horatio.
"Is this really necessary?" Horatio asked looking a little fed up.
"Yes, either that or I can put the oxygen mask on you again." Nathan said detecting the slight frustration in Horatio's voice. Horatio sighed.
"I thought not, it'll only be on for a little while anyway." Nathan said as he put the oxygen flow on.
"How are you feeling today?" Nathan asked.
"Better again." Horatio replied getting used to the oxygen blowing up his nose. Nathan checked Horatio's motor skills again.
"You're getting better by the minute!" Nathan said as Horatio pulled his right foot against his hand.
"I'll order a lumbar puncture for you later. I don't expect the infection to be completely clear yet, but I expect to see a definite improvement. I'll also get some bloods from you, just to make sure that sepsis is well at bay." Nathan said as he updated Horatio's notes.
"Do you want one as well Zoë?" Nathan said with a cheeky smile and winked at her.
"I'd rather not, thanks." Zoë said.
"I'll see you two a little later." Nathan as he walked out of the room. Horatio looked at Zoë confused.
"The other morning, I woke up with a stiff neck from sleeping awkwardly and a headache. Nathan got worried and ordered me a lumbar puncture to make sure I hadn't contracted the infection. I haven't so it's all good. I gave him some stick about it and now he's teasing me." Zoë said with a smile.
"Ahh, well I'm glad he did check up on it! I would have done the same if I were in his position." Horatio said over at Zoë still sitting in the chair.
"Yeah, I know you would have, which is why I didn't argue too much, just a little. That and he was genuinely concerned, so I went along with it." She said with a cheeky smile.
"Well I'm glad you did!" Horatio said with raised eyebrows. A nurse slowly walked through the door, Zoë's eyes immediately met the nurse. Horatio saw the expression on Zoë's face change.
"Sorry, I've just got to collect the cooling blanket." The nurse said as she casually walked over to the table to pick it up. Zoë's eyes were fixed on her as she picked the blanket up. Horatio studied her and tried to pull himself up. Zoë's attention was then all on Horatio. She stood up and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.
"What are you doing?!" She said as her voice was filling with concern. The nurse walked out.
"Sitting up." Horatio said looking at Zoë trying to keep her attention on him. 'Well, at least I got her attention off that nurse.' Horatio thought to himself.
"You should have said; there's a control here." She said as she passed him the bed control.
"Thanks." Horatio said as he pushed the button to pull the head of the bed up slightly. He shuffled himself up.
"Are you okay?" Zoë asked.
"Yeah, just getting comfortable." Horatio said as he shifted himself and then looked down at his open shirt. He slowly brought his right hand up and ran his fingers over the barely visible rash.
"It's gone down a lot now; you had it all over your chest." Zoë said as she watched him look at it. Horatio brought his left hand up and buttoned his shirt up; he left the last one undone like always.
"I really need a shower." Horatio said with a not so happy face.
"I can't help you there, sorry. I could get Nathan to give you a sponge bath, well; he'd probably get someone else to do it." She said with a cheeky smile knowing that he'd refuse and would want to take his own shower.
"No, thank you. I'm well enough to take my own shower." Horatio said.
"How did I know what you were going to say? I can ask Nathan if he thinks you're well enough, but somehow, I don't think he's going to agree to it." Zoë said with a small smile.
"It's worth a try." Horatio said.
"I'll be back in a moment then, don't you get up." She said with a small smile. Horatio nodded at her as she walked out. She found Nathan.
"Hi Nathan."
"Is everything okay?"
"Yeah fine, Horatio just wants to know if he can go and take a shower."
"No." Nathan bluntly said.
"I told him that you'd say that." She said with a smile.
"I can get a nurse to give him a sponge bath?" Nathan said.
"He's refused that, he's adamant that he can take a shower perfectly well."
"Let's go and see how he's feeling." Nathan replied as they walked back to the room. A nurse was walking down the corridor towards them when Zoë began to slow down.
"Hey, walk on this side of me." Nathan said as he swapped sides with Zoë. They walked slowly towards Horatio's room, the nurse passed and Zoë sped up. They walked into Horatio's room, Zoë looking stressed. She walked around to the right of his bed as Nathan walked around to the left.
"You're not going to be taking a shower." Nathan said looking down at Horatio.
"I'm perfectly well enough to." Horatio said a little frustrated.
"You can have a sponge bath." Nathan said to him calmly.
"No." Horatio said sternly.
"The nurses do it all the time; you've got nothing to worry about it."
"I said no." Horatio said looking at him a little more frustrated.
"Okay. Look, if you're well enough tomorrow; and I decide if you're well enough, you can possibly take a shower then." Nathan said looking at Horatio with a stern look. They were both the 'alphas' of their profession and neither of them liked being told what to do. Horatio let out a long exhale.
"Fine." Horatio said.
"Horatio, Nathan is only helping you." Zoë said looking at Horatio calmly.
"If you got up and had a shower now, you're going to make yourself a lot worse and end up in here longer. I know you want to get out of here as soon as you can, so just listen to him, okay?" Zoë said with a hand on his lower arm. Horatio calmed himself.
"I know; I'm sorry." He said with a calm face.
"No problem." Nathan said calmly.