TIATAAPFE: BTL
"Of… course… I am…" she forced out between breaths, "Did…you think… I was… dead?"
"At some points, yes."
"I'm…offended…"
He chuckled lightly, "Don't be, you scared the shit out of us."
She smiled faintly.
"How did you…?" he indicated, attempting to find out how she woke up exactly.
"Came…to about… three days…ago…"
"Physically?"
She shook her head. "I couldn't…move… Just… was…aware…"
"You knew what was going on?"
She nodded weakly. "Right when…they… stopped…"
He assumed she was referring to the doctors. "Then you heard Quatre?"
"Half… the hos-…pital did…"
He smiled again. "Are you feeling okay?"
"No…Can't… breathe… on…my…own…"
"Here, I'll call the nurse, she'll unplug the artificial respirator."
She nodded, her chest struggling with effort.
"Have you been able to breathe unassisted long?"
"Been… trying to…fight machine…for…three days…"
He nodded, pushing the call button.
"You… brought…me…to life…"
He smiled and raised her hand to his lips. "Good, at least I spared someone's life."
"You…saved me… from the…nothing…that I…had…become…"
He waited for her to say more, but she had lapsed into silence once more. "You were something, just not the something that you are now… You always were…" he replied, kissing her hand, turning it over to gently kiss her wrist, avoiding the various tubes protruding from her flesh.
Shortly, as the two sat in silence, smiling softly at one another, when the nurse came in, followed closely by Quatre.
"Yes, Mr. Maxwell, what is it?"
"She's awake."
The silence that followed his statement confirmed his prediction that she had been written off as a lost case.
"That's wonderful news!" Quatre exclaimed in wonder, quickly seating himself and taking her other hand. "Is she awake now?"
"Hey… Qua…How is… it with…you?"
"Oh my…" the nurse clutched her heart, gapping at the young woman, "How…"
"It doesn't matter now. She's been aware of what's been going on around her for the past three days, she's only just been able to physically react. Besides, she's fighting the respirator for control of her lungs…"
"So? I can't believe you. I need proof."
"Shut… the… fucking lungs… off…"
"How can I trust you won't suddenly have an esophageal collapse?"
"You… and… Dr. Romeo… have been… intimate… in that… bed…" she slightly indicated the only other bed in the room.
The nurse gasped. Obviously, she wasn't expecting such a blunt and accurate account of proof from the living dead.
"Just shut it off." Duo felt that he had to intervene, or otherwise she just might fall back into an unresponsive mood again. He wouldn't let that happen, not when she was back with him.
As if in a daze, the nurse recovered, reaching across him and flipping the switch on the little machine off. From the bed, Flame gasped, clutching he hands she was holding, as if her life depended on it…
*~*~*OWARI*~*~*
HAHAHAHA! A cliffhanger! *VEG* I've got a bunch of aces up my sleeve! Wait and see…
*~*~*~*Thank you*~*~*~*
Computer geek Michelle: You are a God send! You are too sweet in your reviews. I look forward to them like a child at Christmas Eve! ^ ^ I'm flattered you complimented my writing style, I've fucked up many times to get it just so… ^ ^' Your new computer sounds cool, make good use of it, it is the best asset a writer/reader/person nowadays can have. I'll e-mail or AIM you ASAP. If someone called RiElfHobbit AIMs you, that'll be me as well! ^ ^ TTYL
~~~Flame~~~
