Life Goes On, Or Does It? pt5-Mercy Hospital
Midget: Thanks to everyone who reviewed, I appreciate it. Now, about part five. This one is a bit different from the other four because it has more than one person's POV. It starts out with Joe, then it's Yolei, then Matt, T.K., Angemon, and back to Joe. Whew! Joe is an intern at the hospital, lucky him. Well, I hope you enjoy part five!
Joe-25
Matt, Tai, and Sora-24
Izzy and Mimi-23
Yolei-22
Davis, Kari, and Ken-21
Cody-19
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Joe, why don't you go check on him," my friend Sage says kindly. "Maybe you will be able to focus after you see him."
"Maybe you're right," I reply ruefully, having just come to the same conclusion. Rising, I head for the door. "I'll be back in a few minutes."
"Take you're time, we're in no hurry here," he replies wryly, gesturing at Jerry, the other young doctor there. "The physicians we're shadowing have us catching up on some of their paper work right now, anyways."
"If you're lucky, we'll have it all done before you get back," Jerry added with only a touch of envy.
"Sorry," I reply guiltily. I turn to head back to the table. "I'll stay and help ..."
"No you won't," Jerry retorted, waving one hand in a shooing gesture. "You're useless if you can't keep your mind straight. Besides, you can always pay us back later."
"I'm sure you won't forget it, either," I answer dryly as I walk out the door.
"Don't let that stop you from coming back as soon as possible, though," Sage called after me, only half joking.
Nodding absently, I walk toward the ICU unit of the hospital. On my way to Matt's room I notice my steps getting slower and my stomach begins warm ups for somersaults. Great, now even my stomach gets ready before doing anything. I realize I'm trying to think of anything but Matt, that's why my thoughts are so ridiculous. It's either that or too many late nights on call. Too much stress isn't good for a person. There's always the possibility that it could get you put in the hospital. Like Matt.
No, I won't think about it. Right now I need to try to come up with a way to help him. I've got to stop procrastinating and concentrate! Maybe I can find something in the archives ....
"Whoa!" I cry out as I take a step back, stunned. Blinking, I uncross my eyes to find Yolei there, looking at me with one raised eyebrow.
"What are you doing here," I ask in a gasp, staring at her as I try to still my racing heart.
A small, sad smile came across her face. It was a perfect match for the worry and pain in her eyes. "I came here to see Matt, of course," she replies, her voice lacking it's usual life.
"Sorry, it's just that I thought you guys had all gone home," I tell her softly, feeling a little embarrassed. "And I didn't really think you were that close to Matt. You two don't seem to be the type to hang around a whole lot."
"We weren't at first, but he and Ken are a lot alike. After the initial awkwardness, they became pretty good friends and since I hung around Ken a lot Matt and I became good friends, too," she explains quietly, her smile quickly fading. Worry and sorrow weigh heavily in her young eyes as they unfocus slightly. "We've all become pretty good friends in the last few years. Just like one big, happy family for a while there."
"Yeah, we were like a family," I whisper, my own thoughts going back to that time. The time when we were all young and idealistic enough to think that we'd all live forever. Things have changed a lot since then.
"I'm on my way to tell Davis that it's his turn," Yolei informs me, snapping me out of my daze. For a moment I just star at her dazedly, then what she's saying breaks through. "I'll take my time getting back to the waiting room so that you can slip in there for a few minutes."
"Uh, thanks," I reply, blinking.
"No problem," she answers with a shrug. "See ya later."
"Yeah, later," I echo absently.
I stare after her for several minutes, debating on what course of action to take. Should I go in there? The thought of seeing Matt laying on that bed makes me sick. But can I really walk away without checking?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After talking to Joe I continue wandering down the hall. Idly I peer into windows or open doors, not even seeing anything because my mind is far away. It's back in a room containing a young man with blonde hair and pasty white skin. A young man who is hooked up to an impressive number of machines, machines that dwarf his frail body and make him seem like a child instead of a grown man of twenty-four years. Just seeing him there, like that ...
A flash of movement distracts me, holding back the tears. Out of the corner of my eyes I watch, standing still, and it comes again. Whirling to my right, I blink as a nurse hurries over to stop the movement. Now I can hear a whimper rising from the tiny infant waving one hand. Fascinated, I watch as she tries to settle the little one before the other babies wake up. She was too late, though. Within moments most of the other babies had started whimpering or bawling. I guess they decided they wanted to have some attention, too. Something inside of me shifts at the sight, leaving me feeling lighter.
As I turn to go my mind wanders back to Matt, lying helpless in that bed with machines hooked up to him. From the moment I heard I've been sure that we would lose him the way we lost T.K. and I would lose another great friend. But now I can feel optimistic again. I can actually allow myself to hope that he will be able to pull through. Happier now, I quicken my pace. Somehow, things will work out. I just know it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nothingness surrounds me. It's a void, empty of anything and everything. Ironically enough, it's just what I'd been hoping for.
"Are you sure about that," a familiar voice asks, sadness and worry making the tone heavier than normal.
Numb, I don't even bother to turn around. Why should I when I already know who it is? Besides, I would only be blinded if I looked. "Yeah, pretty much," I answer softly, letting my weariness seep through. I don't feel like hiding it. "There is no pain, no sorrow, no guilt or regret. There aren't any eyes to confuse me or stare accusingly at me, filled with anger, fear, caring, desperation, and a bunch of other emotions. I'm completely alone."
"Yes, you are," the voice agreed harshly. "And if you choose this path, you will be that way for eternity."
"Good, it's better that way anyways," I say mildly. "This is true peace, after all. And all I want is peace."
"You can't be serious!" the voice states incredulously. "Before you used to love being with your friends! After the digiworld you didn't like doing things alone. You even used to say it would drive you crazy if you spent too much time alone. And now you want to spend eternity that way!!! That isn't the Matt I know!"
"You're right, it's not," I answer indifferently. "That Matt died when he buried you in the ground. This is all that is left."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This isn't good. He's sunk farther than I anticipated. I honestly thought moving in with Izzy would help, but it only seems to have made things worse. Maybe Angemon can help me figure out what to do. ^Angemon, I need your help. I'm not sure I can save him.^
^What seems to be the problem, T.K.?^
^I don't know how to reach him when he's like this. Matt just closes himself off and goes cold. He doesn't seem to care about anything at all. Angemon, he won't even look at me and he doesn't show any emotion. I might as well be a brick wall for all he cares.^ As I tell my friend this I keep an eye on Matt. His absolute stillness worries me.
^Let me talk to him for a while,^ Angemon suggests calmly. ^The others need your comforting presence. Some are struggling to keep their hopes up.^
I'm about to protest when I realize that he's right. Besides, with the way Matt is acting
I'll be a lot more useful to the others. ^All right, I'll leave this part to you, then.^
"Matt, I'm leaving now, but Angemon is going to come talk to you so you won't be alone," I inform him calmly. "I'll be back in a little while."
"Whatever," he replies listlessly.
Sighing, I fade away. I only hope that later he will understand why I have to leave. Although he may ignore it, he's not the only one going through this ordeal. Hopefully I'll have a better time with our friends.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"So, Matt, what's up," I ask lightly, trying to test the atmosphere. I have the feeling that I'm treading on very thin ice here.
"Angemon," he says in disbelief. To my surprise he turns around to look at me. I make sure the light isn't too bright.
"How did you get here," he asks incredulously. I have to smile at that.
"When T.K. was sick I digivolved to Angemon and stayed that way until he died," I explain quietly. "Then I followed him here."
"Then you have a better idea of what I'm going through than the others do," he tells me calmly, sounding slightly relieved. "You know what it's like to want to protect him and then follow him when you can't."
I blink, astonished. I hadn't thought of it that way and I doubt anyone else had. It makes sense, though. If T.K. was in trouble, Matt would always follow him. Gabumon would say it was because he wanted to be there so that he could do whatever it took to make sure T.K. was okay. Perhaps if I could make him understand that T.K. will be fine without him ....
"Your dad was here to greet us when we arrived. T.K. cried when he hugged him and told him how sorry you both were that you hadn't been with him that night. He told him how you both blamed yourselves for going out and making him go out after you. Your dad explained that it wouldn't have made a difference if you had stayed. He needed to go out anyways because his work called."
Seeing Mat jerk slightly, I pause. Maybe I'm on the right track, after all.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I watch the others from my position beside Mimi, my hand holding hers. Tai and Sora are across from us, holding hands. On Tai's right is Kari, who looks like she's in shock, the poor thing. In the closest chair to Kari, which is diagonal to hers, is Davis. He keeps watching her with a worried expression, but she hasn't even glanced at him. Izzy is sitting in the chair one away from me on the right. His eyes stare vacantly at the wall as he mutters softly to himself, probably trying to think of ways to help. That's Izzy for you. Ken sits in the seat on the right next to him and Yolei sits on his right. They lean against each other, their heads almost touching.
"I can't believe this is happening," Tai announces in a whisper, his voice choked. His eyes are red with ruthlessly suppressed tears. "How could something like this have happened?"
"Ken, are you sure it was Matt they were talking about," Sora asks hopefully. There's a hint of desperation in both her tone and her expression.
"We asked twice to be sure," Ken replies wearily. He looks like he's aged a lot in the last few hours. All of us do, even Cody.
"Isn't there some way they can undo whatever was done," Davis asks, looking away from Kari for the first time since he entered.
"It's not as simple as that, Davis," Yolei answers, a faint hint of irritation in her voice. "They can't just prescribe more medication or perform surgery, you know."
"Maybe there is a way to reverse the effects ...," Izzy says softly, too softly for anyone else to hear. I glance over at him to see him with his head in his hands. He's still staring straight ahead, only now that means staring at the floor instead of the wall. "But how could we do it without causing more harm?"
*Don't we all wish there was a way? Medicine just isn't advanced enough yet.* With a sigh, I push such thoughts aside. There isn't anything I can do about it right now. Glancing at my watch, I realize that my break is up. Turning to Mimi, I shake her gently. "Darling, I have to go now. I'll see you later, okay," I whisper quietly. Her nerves are stretched so thin that I'm afraid to speak any louder.
Mimi gives me a vacant look and nods her head. I'm worried about what will happen when she goes to see Matt. It was hard for me, but it will be worse for her. I wish I could be with her when she goes, but only one person is allowed at a time.
The others don't even look up as I leave. Just as the door was about to close I hear Cody say, "Who would have thought that aspirin and cold pills could cause so much damage."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well, what do you think? In the next chapter I'll explain what kind of damage was done. We'll also get to see how T.K. tries to reach beyond death to comfort his friends.
Midget: Thanks to everyone who reviewed, I appreciate it. Now, about part five. This one is a bit different from the other four because it has more than one person's POV. It starts out with Joe, then it's Yolei, then Matt, T.K., Angemon, and back to Joe. Whew! Joe is an intern at the hospital, lucky him. Well, I hope you enjoy part five!
Joe-25
Matt, Tai, and Sora-24
Izzy and Mimi-23
Yolei-22
Davis, Kari, and Ken-21
Cody-19
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Joe, why don't you go check on him," my friend Sage says kindly. "Maybe you will be able to focus after you see him."
"Maybe you're right," I reply ruefully, having just come to the same conclusion. Rising, I head for the door. "I'll be back in a few minutes."
"Take you're time, we're in no hurry here," he replies wryly, gesturing at Jerry, the other young doctor there. "The physicians we're shadowing have us catching up on some of their paper work right now, anyways."
"If you're lucky, we'll have it all done before you get back," Jerry added with only a touch of envy.
"Sorry," I reply guiltily. I turn to head back to the table. "I'll stay and help ..."
"No you won't," Jerry retorted, waving one hand in a shooing gesture. "You're useless if you can't keep your mind straight. Besides, you can always pay us back later."
"I'm sure you won't forget it, either," I answer dryly as I walk out the door.
"Don't let that stop you from coming back as soon as possible, though," Sage called after me, only half joking.
Nodding absently, I walk toward the ICU unit of the hospital. On my way to Matt's room I notice my steps getting slower and my stomach begins warm ups for somersaults. Great, now even my stomach gets ready before doing anything. I realize I'm trying to think of anything but Matt, that's why my thoughts are so ridiculous. It's either that or too many late nights on call. Too much stress isn't good for a person. There's always the possibility that it could get you put in the hospital. Like Matt.
No, I won't think about it. Right now I need to try to come up with a way to help him. I've got to stop procrastinating and concentrate! Maybe I can find something in the archives ....
"Whoa!" I cry out as I take a step back, stunned. Blinking, I uncross my eyes to find Yolei there, looking at me with one raised eyebrow.
"What are you doing here," I ask in a gasp, staring at her as I try to still my racing heart.
A small, sad smile came across her face. It was a perfect match for the worry and pain in her eyes. "I came here to see Matt, of course," she replies, her voice lacking it's usual life.
"Sorry, it's just that I thought you guys had all gone home," I tell her softly, feeling a little embarrassed. "And I didn't really think you were that close to Matt. You two don't seem to be the type to hang around a whole lot."
"We weren't at first, but he and Ken are a lot alike. After the initial awkwardness, they became pretty good friends and since I hung around Ken a lot Matt and I became good friends, too," she explains quietly, her smile quickly fading. Worry and sorrow weigh heavily in her young eyes as they unfocus slightly. "We've all become pretty good friends in the last few years. Just like one big, happy family for a while there."
"Yeah, we were like a family," I whisper, my own thoughts going back to that time. The time when we were all young and idealistic enough to think that we'd all live forever. Things have changed a lot since then.
"I'm on my way to tell Davis that it's his turn," Yolei informs me, snapping me out of my daze. For a moment I just star at her dazedly, then what she's saying breaks through. "I'll take my time getting back to the waiting room so that you can slip in there for a few minutes."
"Uh, thanks," I reply, blinking.
"No problem," she answers with a shrug. "See ya later."
"Yeah, later," I echo absently.
I stare after her for several minutes, debating on what course of action to take. Should I go in there? The thought of seeing Matt laying on that bed makes me sick. But can I really walk away without checking?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After talking to Joe I continue wandering down the hall. Idly I peer into windows or open doors, not even seeing anything because my mind is far away. It's back in a room containing a young man with blonde hair and pasty white skin. A young man who is hooked up to an impressive number of machines, machines that dwarf his frail body and make him seem like a child instead of a grown man of twenty-four years. Just seeing him there, like that ...
A flash of movement distracts me, holding back the tears. Out of the corner of my eyes I watch, standing still, and it comes again. Whirling to my right, I blink as a nurse hurries over to stop the movement. Now I can hear a whimper rising from the tiny infant waving one hand. Fascinated, I watch as she tries to settle the little one before the other babies wake up. She was too late, though. Within moments most of the other babies had started whimpering or bawling. I guess they decided they wanted to have some attention, too. Something inside of me shifts at the sight, leaving me feeling lighter.
As I turn to go my mind wanders back to Matt, lying helpless in that bed with machines hooked up to him. From the moment I heard I've been sure that we would lose him the way we lost T.K. and I would lose another great friend. But now I can feel optimistic again. I can actually allow myself to hope that he will be able to pull through. Happier now, I quicken my pace. Somehow, things will work out. I just know it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nothingness surrounds me. It's a void, empty of anything and everything. Ironically enough, it's just what I'd been hoping for.
"Are you sure about that," a familiar voice asks, sadness and worry making the tone heavier than normal.
Numb, I don't even bother to turn around. Why should I when I already know who it is? Besides, I would only be blinded if I looked. "Yeah, pretty much," I answer softly, letting my weariness seep through. I don't feel like hiding it. "There is no pain, no sorrow, no guilt or regret. There aren't any eyes to confuse me or stare accusingly at me, filled with anger, fear, caring, desperation, and a bunch of other emotions. I'm completely alone."
"Yes, you are," the voice agreed harshly. "And if you choose this path, you will be that way for eternity."
"Good, it's better that way anyways," I say mildly. "This is true peace, after all. And all I want is peace."
"You can't be serious!" the voice states incredulously. "Before you used to love being with your friends! After the digiworld you didn't like doing things alone. You even used to say it would drive you crazy if you spent too much time alone. And now you want to spend eternity that way!!! That isn't the Matt I know!"
"You're right, it's not," I answer indifferently. "That Matt died when he buried you in the ground. This is all that is left."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This isn't good. He's sunk farther than I anticipated. I honestly thought moving in with Izzy would help, but it only seems to have made things worse. Maybe Angemon can help me figure out what to do. ^Angemon, I need your help. I'm not sure I can save him.^
^What seems to be the problem, T.K.?^
^I don't know how to reach him when he's like this. Matt just closes himself off and goes cold. He doesn't seem to care about anything at all. Angemon, he won't even look at me and he doesn't show any emotion. I might as well be a brick wall for all he cares.^ As I tell my friend this I keep an eye on Matt. His absolute stillness worries me.
^Let me talk to him for a while,^ Angemon suggests calmly. ^The others need your comforting presence. Some are struggling to keep their hopes up.^
I'm about to protest when I realize that he's right. Besides, with the way Matt is acting
I'll be a lot more useful to the others. ^All right, I'll leave this part to you, then.^
"Matt, I'm leaving now, but Angemon is going to come talk to you so you won't be alone," I inform him calmly. "I'll be back in a little while."
"Whatever," he replies listlessly.
Sighing, I fade away. I only hope that later he will understand why I have to leave. Although he may ignore it, he's not the only one going through this ordeal. Hopefully I'll have a better time with our friends.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"So, Matt, what's up," I ask lightly, trying to test the atmosphere. I have the feeling that I'm treading on very thin ice here.
"Angemon," he says in disbelief. To my surprise he turns around to look at me. I make sure the light isn't too bright.
"How did you get here," he asks incredulously. I have to smile at that.
"When T.K. was sick I digivolved to Angemon and stayed that way until he died," I explain quietly. "Then I followed him here."
"Then you have a better idea of what I'm going through than the others do," he tells me calmly, sounding slightly relieved. "You know what it's like to want to protect him and then follow him when you can't."
I blink, astonished. I hadn't thought of it that way and I doubt anyone else had. It makes sense, though. If T.K. was in trouble, Matt would always follow him. Gabumon would say it was because he wanted to be there so that he could do whatever it took to make sure T.K. was okay. Perhaps if I could make him understand that T.K. will be fine without him ....
"Your dad was here to greet us when we arrived. T.K. cried when he hugged him and told him how sorry you both were that you hadn't been with him that night. He told him how you both blamed yourselves for going out and making him go out after you. Your dad explained that it wouldn't have made a difference if you had stayed. He needed to go out anyways because his work called."
Seeing Mat jerk slightly, I pause. Maybe I'm on the right track, after all.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I watch the others from my position beside Mimi, my hand holding hers. Tai and Sora are across from us, holding hands. On Tai's right is Kari, who looks like she's in shock, the poor thing. In the closest chair to Kari, which is diagonal to hers, is Davis. He keeps watching her with a worried expression, but she hasn't even glanced at him. Izzy is sitting in the chair one away from me on the right. His eyes stare vacantly at the wall as he mutters softly to himself, probably trying to think of ways to help. That's Izzy for you. Ken sits in the seat on the right next to him and Yolei sits on his right. They lean against each other, their heads almost touching.
"I can't believe this is happening," Tai announces in a whisper, his voice choked. His eyes are red with ruthlessly suppressed tears. "How could something like this have happened?"
"Ken, are you sure it was Matt they were talking about," Sora asks hopefully. There's a hint of desperation in both her tone and her expression.
"We asked twice to be sure," Ken replies wearily. He looks like he's aged a lot in the last few hours. All of us do, even Cody.
"Isn't there some way they can undo whatever was done," Davis asks, looking away from Kari for the first time since he entered.
"It's not as simple as that, Davis," Yolei answers, a faint hint of irritation in her voice. "They can't just prescribe more medication or perform surgery, you know."
"Maybe there is a way to reverse the effects ...," Izzy says softly, too softly for anyone else to hear. I glance over at him to see him with his head in his hands. He's still staring straight ahead, only now that means staring at the floor instead of the wall. "But how could we do it without causing more harm?"
*Don't we all wish there was a way? Medicine just isn't advanced enough yet.* With a sigh, I push such thoughts aside. There isn't anything I can do about it right now. Glancing at my watch, I realize that my break is up. Turning to Mimi, I shake her gently. "Darling, I have to go now. I'll see you later, okay," I whisper quietly. Her nerves are stretched so thin that I'm afraid to speak any louder.
Mimi gives me a vacant look and nods her head. I'm worried about what will happen when she goes to see Matt. It was hard for me, but it will be worse for her. I wish I could be with her when she goes, but only one person is allowed at a time.
The others don't even look up as I leave. Just as the door was about to close I hear Cody say, "Who would have thought that aspirin and cold pills could cause so much damage."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well, what do you think? In the next chapter I'll explain what kind of damage was done. We'll also get to see how T.K. tries to reach beyond death to comfort his friends.