Hello my dear ! THANK YOU SO MUCH for the amount of reviews I had for the previous chapter ^^ 11 reviews my top score haha
SO (serious tone), ahem... I will introduce a new character (sort of) in the story. I have to thank some friends who help me to find an appropriate name (thanks Meghan and Sarra ^^) for the character.
Here we come, I hope you will like this chapter as much as the previous one :D
And thank you again
Chapter 28: Welcome aboard Diam!
"How are you feeling?" Matt finally asked while he couldn't stop watching her as if it was their first meeting.
Gabby swallowed with difficulty, slightly frowning as she started sighing.
"Like I've been hit by a truck..."
Matt smiled, kissing her once again, despite his frozen lips. He liked this heat contrast. It gave him a thrill of intense pleasure he never had thought of feeling again. Discreetly, Kelly had called for a nurse, leaving Matt and Gabby enjoy each other and have an intimate moment, despite his presence. Several seconds later, Serena appeared in the room, surprised. Her eyes wide open, she couldn't talk for a while, gazed by the two lovers.
"Serena, meet Gabby", Matt then stated to get her out of her thoughts, which he'd managed for only a minute.
The nurse shook her head from side to side, then continued looking at Gabby as if she was a stranger, astonished. This scene made Kelly laugh.
"Look like you saw a ghost!"
This time, Serena managed to come out of this hypnotic state in which she was and focused again to do her job.
"Sorry. It was inappropriate for me", she apologized. "How are you feeling Gabby?"
"Not bad", she whispered as loud as she could. "For someone who had been hit by a car a month ago."
Matt slightly tilted his head backward, frowning and confused.
"How..."
"I heard you with the ophthalmologist", she interrupted. "I started being conscious when you were going to try your glasses."
A smile came to illuminate Matt's face who tirelessly kept watching every facial features of the woman he was in love with.
"By the way..."
As she could, Gabby lifted her arm, her muscular weakness present, despite Sacha's work on her, and she put her hand on Matt's face as to give him a slap.
"It was supposed to be a slap... For having said that I was stubborn."
Matt couldn't help but burst out laughing. She really heard that.
"But you are, aren't you?" he said between two laughs.
"You didn't have to say it..."
While the two lovers were enjoying each other, Serena checked all the machines hooked to Gabby, then did the same with Matt.
"What about you Matt? How are you feeling?"
"I feel better, now you're awake", he admitted with a blush.
"That's not what I meant..."
Matt had perfectly understood what she meant, but he simply wanted to show her how much she meant to him.
"I will get better. In no time."
"You really want to end your career as a firefighter?"
She also heard this, obviously. It hurt Matt to admit it, but there was no chance for him to get back to work as before this accident. He had adapted to this thought.
"Let's focus on you for now, okay?" he tried to change her mind off this. "You just woke up, so you need a..."
He stopped, unable to say this word in one shot. So, he decided to find an alternative.
"You need a complete overhaul."
"Matt is right", Serena continued. "Standard procedure."
"What did I have? Injuries I mean."
"Well... Your right vestibular system has been damaged due to the shock, you had some broken ribs, your right lung collapsed and your spleen had exploded. You also had a huge swelling in your auditory cortex region. And a broken right arm."
Trained as a paramedic and having a medical knowledge, she knew what it meant.
"My vestibular system is totally destroyed?"
"Not entirely. Just your ability to balance your vision and your location in space."
"I must learn how to walk with one vestibular system?"
"Yes. But Sacha and Emma will be here to help you."
"Who?"
"Our physiotherapist", Matt answered. "Don't worry, you'll love them", he assured.
"And you Matt? I... I remember you, covered in blood."
Matt also remembered. To tell the truth, he remembered almost everything now.
"Yeah, huh... I... Can't really explain", he admitted.
He then turned to Serena, who would be the best to explain to Gabby.
"Matt suffered great damage. He's suffering from a quite severe brain injury handicapping him: he can't see in colors with his right eyes, he had to relearn how to talk and walk, he had a ten years amnesia. He had two brain bleeds and had nearly been declared brain dead. His aorta ruptured twice, his left lung collapsed, one of his broken ribs punctured his stomach, his right femur and right arm had been broken. The force of the hit ruptured his diaphragm, but most of his injuries are healed now. And soon, he will be as good as new", she assured with a smile.
Matt had trouble keeping up, but with the amount of medical vocabulary, he knew that it was bad. Kelly and Shay had taken the time to explain this to him with simple words when he woke up after his second aortic rupture.
"So... You didn't remember me?" she asked to Matt, turning her head to him;
"Nope. But... I draw your face without knowing you and... Kelly and Shay told me. I've learned to love you again. And it wasn't hard", he said, smiling and passing his right hand through her hair to move away one of her locks.
"I'm happy you're not dead. I was so scared when the car..."
"Don't think about it anymore Gabby, alright? We're here, we're alive. We survived and we'll get through this. Together."
Kelly got out for a while, leaving Serena and Emily take care of the two lovebirds to call Shay and Antonio, then Christie. He didn't say that Gabby was awake. He just told them that something happened, but nothing more, fears raised in their chest. What was their surprise to see Gabby fully awake and alert when they entered in the room. Leslie burst into tears in Kelly's arms, slapping him having scared her like this while Antonio came to hug his sister, crying as well. Christie had been more set back, happy for everyone and especially her brother, seeing him smile and laugh for the first time in weeks.
"I have to go. Something to do. Can you stay here?"
"Yeah, no problem", Leslie assured, kissing Kelly. "See you later."
Out of the room, Kelly went directly to the office of the ophthalmologist. He saw his secretary who explained that Dr. Bragidan was in surgery for two more hours. He told her that he would come by later because he needed to talk to him about something. He came outside, happy to see Gabby finally awake. But he had to do something now, something important: he promised Matt to find him a dog, and he wanted a special one. So, he went to the refuge to give a new start to one of them, a second chance to have a loving family.
"Hello and welcome to the Chicago refuge! May I help you, dear firefighter?" she asked, seeing his jacket.
"Hello, yeah. Actually, I'm looking for a dog."
"You're at the right place then! Any idea for the breed?"
"Not at all, I... I'm looking for a dog who fought to survive. The perfect dog."
The young woman welcomed him and smiled.
"I think I have the perfect one for you."
She invited Kelly to follow her in the hallways and stopped in front of one of the cages.
"Meet Diam."
It was a few month old dog, almost entirely white and slightly gray. He seemed playful, stirring quickly his tail, as if he was happy.
"Diam?"
"A short name for Diamond. This baby is a warrior. We found him almost dead, abandoned by his mother. My brother is a veterinarian and took care of him to get him back on his feet, and against all odds, he survived. We called him Diam for this, because diamond is the hardest stone in the world, almost indestructible. Diam is our survivor."
His story was fabulous, almost similar to Matt. It warmed his heart. And above all, it was a plus for him.
"We have a dog in our firehouse, same breed. A female. His owners abandoned her and we took care of her. I... May I take him in my arms?"
"Sure!"
She opened the cage, Kelly crouching to take him. The dog rushed at him, crazy and playful, jumping up and emitting small sounds, as if he was even happier. He was full of energy. He put forth his hand to see his reaction, and he began to feel his fingers and then licked them tenderly, making Kelly smile.
"I think he's perfect. How old is he?"
"We estimate that he's six months old. As I said, he's a fighter, but he still has trouble staying clean, but it's on the road. If you take him, go see my brother on the other side of the street, he will know what to give you and advise you", she said with a new smile.
"In that way, I take him. He's... Perfect."
"I give you his leash, what food we give him and his toys. And I call my brother."
"Thanks so much."
The little dog in arms, the woman came to help him to put everything in his car and show him where was her brother. Once there, the pet physician welcomed him.
"Hello! My sister told me you were coming!"
"Hi doc. Apparently you took care of him."
"Sara told him his story?"
"Your sister? Big lines yeah."
The veterinarian brought him into the back room, placing the baby on the table.
"We found Diam very weak, hungry and abandoned by his mother because apparently he couldn't follow her. After further tests, we realized that his heart was weakened because of a small and continuous tear."
"Like... A rupture?"
"Yeah, if you want. I operated him, I repaired the damage, I took care of him. He didn't ever think he would survive because he was very weak, we could see his bones. But he had been very brave and valiant. Hence his name."
"Yeah, your sister told me about his name."
The doctor did a full check-up, as if the dog was one he didn't know, professionally.
"Can I ask you why Diam? Usually, nobody chose him because of his story."
"Precisely for his story."
Kevin, the veterinarian, turned to him, frowning.
"I don't understand."
"I explain. My best friend has been hit by a car a month ago, as well as his girlfriend. They almost died, especially Matt. But they're still alive. They held on, and while he was in a coma, I promised to buy him a dog if he was recovering. I was looking for a dog who had a similar story."
Kevin smiled, nodding.
"I get it. Diam will be perfect for him."
"We have a female dog in our firehouse, same breed. Maybe they'll become best friend."
"If she's not sterilized, maybe you will have some little warriors as well", Kevin joked, making Kelly laugh. "Sara warned you that he wasn't clean yet?"
"Indeed."
"I give you this special diapers. Diam is supporting them well. I guess your friends are still in hospital?"
"Yeah, Gabby just woke up today! So, I thought it was good to give them a gift."
Kevin ended his check-up and stood up.
"So, our little warrior is in a good shape! He gained some weight, which is very good, he's very playful and active. You have an advantage with Diam: when he rolls into a ball and starts crying, then something's wrong with him. I noticed this, when after the surgery, his sutures hurt him."
"So, if it happens, I bring him to you immediately?"
"With his papers, you can bring him to any pet doctor, you know."
"But he's used to you. Even though you're at the other end of the city, I'll bring him to you."
The two men shared a smile, putting Diam to the ground.
"How much I owe you?"
"Nothing. It's a pleasure to see Diam useful for someone who suffered the same problem."
"Thank so much", Kelly thanked, shaking Kevin's hand.
He came back to the hospital to present this new companion to his new family. Kelly took him in his arms, Diam licking slightly his face again. He hardly put a diaper on him, because he knew that he would stay in the room for a while. If Gabby and Matt was awake. He climbed the stairs of the ICU with the dog, soon stopped by Emily.
"Seriously? A dog?" she asked, laughing.
"I promised", he justified himself.
But he didn't have to : the nurse was in the same room when he made this promise, the one that Matt heard while Kelly didn't think it was possible.
"Gabby and Matt fell asleep. In the arms of each other. Leslie is still inside, Christie left and Antonio had a call from his boss."
He nodded, anxious to know what wanted Voight when it was Antonio's day off.
"I can enter?"
"Yeah, sure! No problem. What is your name beautiful boy?"
"His name is Diam. And he's also a fighter."
"Diam? It's original!"
"Short name for Diamond, because he's strong as a diamond."
"I get it. In that case, welcome aboard Diam!" she announced, caressing him.
Kelly entered the room, asking Shay to make any noise, but smiling, taking the dog off his arms to hug him. As they learned how to sign, they started signing.
What is his name?
Diam, Kelly spelled. A short name for Diamond, because he's a fighter, he's a warrior.
Matt will love him! He looks like Pouch in a masculine mode!
That's also why I took him.
They kissed, saying 'I love you' to each other while Gabby and Matt woke up. Surprised, they opened their eyes while Kelly was taking Matt off the breathing machine.
"Who is this buddy!"
Matt smiled, remembering what Kelly promised while he was in a coma but heard perfectly. Kelly smiled back, understanding Matt's smile.
"Matt, Gabby. Meet Diam. Your new companion!"
Leslie then placed the puppy on Matt's legs. The god felt immediately that his new father had some troubles. So, he slowly climbed his leg to go to his stomach. Feeling that he wasn't hurting him, he approached his nose to Matt's face, inhaling his fragrance then licking his chin.
"Hey, you! Hello Diam!"
"Welcome aboard Diam! Welcome in our big family!"
A/N: Yes, this character is a dog, it was a promise made by Kelly at the end of chapter 20. His name is Diam, and it has to be pronounced like the name Liam (Hemsworth, for those who know him), or like you say to someone that he's a liar.
I hope you like :D
