"Seriously, Cody – that nurse has been extremely unpleasant since the moment I woke up," Serena heard Damien complaining. She smiled to herself; down, but certainly not out. Serena could only imagine how crazy Damien had driven the nurses in the hours since he had been awake. She wondered how many of them could understand Damien's vocabulary, and she could imagine Cody sheepishly apologizing and trying to explain what he was getting at. He was undoubtedly sore, confused and angry about what happened. The guilt and sympathy Serena felt for him was beyond any words she could muster.
Serena approached the doorway, holding a flat of coffee and a giant bag from a nearby bakery. She leaned against the doorway, listening to their conversation politely and waiting for them to acknowledge her. Finally, Cody looked up and gave her a reassuring smile. Damien's head turned, his eyes lighting up as they rested on Serena.
"Good morning, Serena," he greeted with a smile spreading across his face. His voice was raspy. He still looked quite pale. "You are a sight for sore eyes!"
"You are too sweet, Damien," she said with a laugh, walking into the room. "I brought coffee and breakfast. I was pretty sure the two of you didn't want to touch the hospital food."
"Good timing. I was thinking about running out for something," Cody admitted.
"She knows me well," Damien told him. Serena put everything down on the little table. She handed Damien and Cody cups of coffee. "There's creamers and sugar in the bag. I don't know how you guys take your coffee."
"There are creamers and sugars in the bag," Damien corrected. Serena shot him a look.
"Back to normal, are we?"
"I take my coffee black, thank you," Damien informed her.
"How are you feeling?" she asked, pulling donuts, fritters and bagels out of the bag.
"I feel quite unpleasant," he told her. The IV in his arm was giving him a saline drip to keep him hydrated, along with other things Serena didn't know about. She felt so helpless seeing her friend in the state he was in. "The nurse told me they were forced to void my stomach of all its contents."
"I'm sorry, Damien." Serena had a million questions she wanted to ask, but she didn't want to bombard him. She handed Cody a blueberry fritter and a bagel. "There are –" she shot a look at Damien, who nodded in approval, "cream cheese packets in the bag."
"Thanks, Serena."
"You look exhausted, Cody. How long has it been since you've slept?"
"I got about an hour or two," he confessed. "Sleeping in a chair isn't exactly comfortable."
"If you want to run home for a few hours and sleep and shower, I could stay with Damien," Serena offered.
"Could you? I don't want to leave the nurses to deal with him." Damien shot him a look. Serena nodded.
"That was uncalled for," Damien informed him.
"You've been testy from the moment you woke up," Cody informed him. He stood, chewing on his bagel. "Thanks for breakfast, Serena. The coffee should help me get home."
"I'll see you, Cody. Drive safe." With that, Cody gave her a quick hug and was gone. Serena sat down in the chair that Cody had been sitting in. "I'm so sorry about this, Damien."
"Why? It certainly is not your fault," Damien informed her, his tone matter-of-fact. "Serena, do you know what the worst part of this entire situation is? It is the fact that everyone is looking at me as if I were some sort of degenerate drug addict. Despite my claims to the contrary, nobody believes me!"
"I believe you," Serena assured him. "I know Cody, Dean, Roman, Seth, Wade…we know it."
"Everybody has been asking me where I got the drugs from. One nurse insinuated that it must have been a suicide attempt because I apparently ingested so much. This entire situation is pure madness."
"I know. Have the police talked to you?"
"Not yet. Has foul play been suspected?"
"I'm assuming so, if they ruled out food poisoning and suicide," Serena told him. She reached over and brushed a strand of hair from his face. His skin was cool and clammy. "Do they plan to release you soon?"
"If they refuse to, I intend to release myself," Damien informed her. Despite the pale complexion and the tired eyes, he was still full of the familiar fire and determination. "I have no desire to spend another hour in this cesspool."
"Do you need a ride home?"
"That would be lovely, Serena. You have always been so thoughtful." He motioned towards the half-eaten bagel and the coffee on his tray. "Cody is worried about me, you know."
"We've all been really worried about you," she told him. "Dean, Seth, Roman."
"Where are they?"
"They're on the road. I kind of got sent home…" She gave him a very thin outline of what happened with Alicia Fox. He wasn't happy to hear she wasn't sent home as well. He reached out and put a reassuring hand over his.
"How are things with Mr. Ambrose?" Damien inquired. She smiled.
"They're going all right. We're both really stressed out about what's been happening, first with Seth and now with you…" Damien smiled. She had to admit that he had a nice smile, even though he didn't do it very often. It wasn't that he was moody like Dean; it was just that he wasn't amused by much.
"You do not need to worry that pretty little mind of yours with my affairs," Damien assured her. "I am a big man, and I can certainly take care of myself." Serena shot him a look. "Well…life is not without its curveballs."
One of the nurses came back into the room, a stout redhead. "Hello, Mr. Sandow. We're ready to release you now. You got a ride home?"
"Yes, I have procured myself a ride," Damien told her, his tone indifferent. She shot a look at Serena, who shrugged. The nurse set about unhooking Damien's machines, removing the oxygen tube. Serena could tell the nurse couldn't be happier to cut Damien loose. She was probably even wondering how Damien maintained any friends with his condescending attitude. He rubbed his hand when the nurse pulled the IV out, releasing a cry of shock at the quick jolt of pain. "You know, if you were a good nurse, I would not have felt such a thing."
The nurse huffed and left. He looked at Serena, who had her head in her hands. She was struggling not to giggle. Sometimes he was too much. She sighed, straightening her face. "Damien, for a guy who preaches good etiquette, you sure aren't very nice sometimes."
"It hurt!" he insisted, his eyes widening. He motioned to his hand. It was bruised. Serena sucked in a breath. He had a point; a good nurse wouldn't have left so much damage. "Serena, would you be a dear and hand me my change of clothing?" She nodded, grabbing the black cloth bag and handing it to Damien. He got up, holding the back of his hospital gown closed. Serena graciously averted her eyes until she heard the bathroom door close. Her phone vibrated.
How is he?
It was Dean. She smiled. He's been released. I sent Cody home to get some sleep. I'm going to take Damien home. How is life on the road? She sent the reply, resting the phone on the table. Damien was taking forever; she was pretty sure he was taking a quick shower. She straightened up the area, throwing out the half-eaten food and the empty coffee cups. Her phone vibrated.
It sucks without you and Seth. Roman's funny, but he's not Seth funny. Serena bit back a giggle.
I won't tell Roman you said that, she replied. After another five minutes, Damien emerged. He still looked fairly pale, but more put-together than he had been when Serena arrived. "Dean sends his well wishes," Serena told him with a smile. Damien was dressed in a pair of slacks and one of his You're Welcome T-shirts. She thought he still looked like he was going to be sick. "Are you all right?"
"Yes, Serena, I am fine," he told her. "The doctor told me that it is just everything working its way out of my system." She picked up her purse and approached him. Together they walked out of the hospital. "Thank you for giving me a ride home," he offered.
"It's the least I can do." He stopped, grabbing her by the shoulders.
"This was not your fault," he told her. "I know you have been through some things, and I know you have been a little on edge about Seth. But this was not your fault. I know that. You saved my life. I do not want to hear one word placing blame on those pretty shoulders of yours. I won't stand for it." He let go of her and they continued walking to her car. "I cannot wait to sleep in my own bed." She unlocked the door with the click of a button and they both got in the car. Serena's phone went off again. It was Wade. How is Sandow?
Fine. Just driving him home. You and I need to talk, Serena texted back. She looked up at him. "Wade Barrett. He wants to know how you're doing. You scared everyone to death."
"Dean still lets you speak with Wade Barrett, does he?" Damien inquired. She shot Damien a look.
"I'm a grown woman, Damien. Dean is not my father," Serena informed him. Her phone vibrated.
We could meet for dinner tonight. Serena blinked.
I thought you were on the road. She sent the text and started the car. "I know he is not your father, Serena. But we both know he does not like nor trust Wade Barrett." She looked at him.
"I almost liked you better when you were sedated," she told him. He laughed.
"You don't mean that."
"You're right. I didn't. I'm sorry."
"It's fine. I know you meant it in jest." Her phone went off again. "Are you going to answer that?"
"Not while I'm driving," she answered. There was a beat. "If you have to know, Dean wants me to talk to Wade. He would do it, but he knows Wade won't listen to anything he has to say."
"Your life sounds complicated."
"My life is what I make it," she told him. He smiled. "That sounded awfully wise, didn't it?"
"It did," Damien concurred. She turned onto his street.
"Did you want me to help you get settled?" Serena asked, pulling into his driveway. He shook his head.
"I plan on sleeping," he told her. "I will call you tonight."
"Thank you." She leaned over and hugged him. He got out of the car and she watched him until he was safe and sound inside the house. She pulled out her cell phone to see the text Wade had left.
Yeah. I banged up my elbow pretty good. I'm spending my morning getting some tests run.
I'm sorry to hear that, she replied. After a couple moments, she got a reply.
You should have seen Miz's face. She bit back a laugh. Another text came through her phone. Would dinner at seven be all right, love?
It sounds fine, she answered back. I'll see you then.
She dropped her phone in the passenger's seat and drove home, trying to ignore the queasy feeling of uneasiness that was setting up a home in the pit of her stomach.
.