He slowly turned his head to the left, watching the room spin out of focus and feeling blood rush up into his head as he did so. When the word settled once more he recognized the form of Abby, sitting peacefully with her head turned to the side, looking out the window. The soft morning light brightened her contemplative features.
Sighing, she removed her fist from under her chin and turned back towards Dave, suddenly smiling as she saw him awake and looking at her.
"Hey, look who decided to finally wake up."
Dave smiled but didn't yet have the command of his body to speak.
Abby understood this and instead of letting silence linger looked about the room and started explaining what Dave probably didn't' remember.
"John found you in the supply room and we treated you in the ER. I pulled a piece of glass out of your stomach that apparently nicked and artery. You had to go into surgery. We're in the ICU… and I've been waiting for you to wake up." She smiled again, a weight lifted off her shoulders that showed through the sparkle in her brown eyes.
Dave moved his hand up to his oxygen mask and as Abby noticed what he was trying to do pulled it off for him. "Must get kind of annoying," she wrinkled her nose playfully.
Dave smiled, then licked his lips, trying to speak. Abby heard a husky voice whisper "thank you."
She smiled again and ruffled his hair, careful of the butterfly bandage above his left temple. Dave's smile slowly faded as he drifted off to sleep, not yet fully ready for the sights and sounds of the real world.
When Dave next awoke it was to the sounds of softly conversing voices. He turned his head to see who they belonged to and drew attention to himself.
"Hey Dave," Mark's goofy face scrunched up in a smile. Dave smiled back. Abby and Kerry were there also. "You had a long nap," Abby smiled maternally. "It's ten-o-clock; you've been sleeping for four hours."
"How are you feeling?" Kerry leaned casually on her crutch.
Dave cleared his throat and pulled off the oxygen mask that pressed against his face. He could have sworn he'd pulled it off earlier.
"Okay I guess… kindda' sick."
Mark nodded his head. "Well, I don't know if you remember but you had surgery. That's probably left over from the anesthesia."
Dave slowly nodded and felt something soft and fuzzy touch his temple. He reached up and pulled down the soft form of a squishy teddy bear.
Abby smiled. "Jing-Mei left that for you."
"Dave looked up in interest at the remark and laughed inside as he looked at the teddy bear with a new eye.
"If you'll excuse me, I have to make a call," Kerry stepped out of the room.
"Do you remember waking up earlier?" Abby casually rested her hands on the small of her back.
"Yeah…" Dave looked over. "You were sitting by the window." Abby smiled as she nodded.
"Hey," Mark lightly punched his shoulder playfully as he had moved to the other side of the bed. "Don't do that again. You scared me. If my brain tumor comes back I'm blaming you," Mark chuckled and Dave felt the tingle of laughter for the first time since he'd awoken.
"So…" Abby rested her elbows on her knees as she sat down. "You really think it was your dad who jumped you?"
Dave looked at her a few seconds, his brow furrowed. "Yeah," he sighed.
Sticking his hands in his pockets and not knowing what else to say Mark opted for "What a jerk." He didn't know if it would make Dave feel better to tell him that he had tried to save his father's life, or something like 'what goes around comes around.'
Dave looked at the teddy beat for a moment, fingering its paws.
Kerry re-entered the small room and approached Dave's bedside. "Dave, there's a police officer who'd like to speak with you about what happened." Dave was still watching Kerry as Officer Brown opened the door and stepped in. He smiled at the small crowd as they stepped aside.
"Seeya Dave," Mark lifted a hand as he walked out with Abby and Kerry.
"Dr. Malucci," the man extended his hand, his aura calm. "I'm Officer Brown. It's a pleasure." Dave shook his hand. "I'm just gonna ask you some questions about what happened. I understand that you may not remember everything but try to give me as complete a picture as possible." Dave nodded. "All right, then," Officer Brown pulled out a pen and pad. "So… where were you when you were attacked?"
"I was in the supply room, downstairs."
"Umm hmm, and, what were you doing there?"
"We ran out of Amoxacillin up in the ER and the nurses were too busy to remember my request, I guess."
Officer Brown nodded, scribbling on his pad. "And this was for a patient?"
"Yep. Then the lights went out. Someone… or something… hit me in the head…" his gaze was distant, searching the past.
"Most likely the glass bottle we had to clean up."
"Huh- yeah, probably. The rest was just… fear. I panicked and hardly fought back. He just kept hitting me. I couldn't get up. Couldn't get away…"
"He?"
"It was my dad."
Officer Brown nodded, still writing furiously. "Dr. Weaver informed me. How did you know it was your father?"
"I knew his voice… he told me he wanted to kill me… it seems like he always has."
After a few moments of quiet scribbling Officer Crown looked up. "Why would he want to kill you, Dave?"
Dave sighed. He was tired of being awake and being forced to relive his pain. "He, um… he joined this weird group when I was a kid. Some Neo-Nazi thing. My mother was half American Indian. After she died he used to get drunk and say terrible things about her. About me."
"These were racist comments? Because you're also part American Indian?"
"Yeah. He'd go on forever about how he was a discredit to the white race for marrying a red-skin and how he needed to fix his mistakes."
"White supremacist's, gotta' love 'em," Brown chuckled, causing Dave to crack a smile that tugged on his healing split lip. Officer Brown cleared his throat. "In your father's car- which was pretty totaled- we found a downed bottle of liquor, some personal items, a crowbar…"
Dave gingerly touched his side. "Yeah, I felt that."
Brown's eyes turned kind. "I'm sorry for what you've been through. We've sent your father's personal effects to your apartment. I've taken the liberty of writing down your cell phone number in case we need to get in touch again."
"Okay."
"As long as everything you've told me checks out with your volunteered alibi's you should be fine. I truly hope your recovery is swift and you have my deepest condolences. Thank you for your time."
Dave smiled weakly and inclined his head as Officer Brown left. "No problem."
As soon as the door closed he sighed and draped an arm over his eyes. He knew that how he was feeling wasn't normal. 'Damn. I hate being the patient. Medicine. Nothing like it to make you feel like shit.'
"Hey," came a quiet voice and Dave moved his arm to look at Abby.
"Hey."
"You look better."
"Humph. Then why do I still feel like I got run over by a backhoe?"
A smile tugged at her lips. "You just need your sleep," she hoped she sounded like she knew what she was talking about. "I'm gonna go home now. Do you need anything?"
"Yeah," he cleared his throat. "Could you tell Carter that I want to see him?"
"Of course," she held her coat in the crook of her elbow. "You get better- I'll see you later." She kissed her index and middle fingers and touched them to his lips before leaving in search of Carter and her comfortable bed.