Chapter 42
Duncan pulled on his coat as he walked out into the cooling, late afternoon air he didn't know where he was going but all he knew was he needed to do something, he felt so helpless in that room watching and waiting. He walked through the car park towards the small wrought iron gates of the park, there were several people walking dogs and on a secluded bench two young lovers sat locked in their own world where nothing existed except each other. His paced slowed as his mind started to calm, the sound of the birds singing lifted his mood and he started to regret how he had spoken to Fitz, it was only a momentary lapse and he knew deep down that Fitz wouldn't have let anything happen deliberately. That was just how Fitz was and maybe it wasn't Fitz he was mad at, maybe it was himself, he should never have allowed them to persuade him to leave. Duncan found that he had walked to the edge of the stream that ran through the park, he sat down on a bench that was under a willow tree that dangled it branches into the glistening water of the stream.
He leant forward placing his elbows on his knees, his hands covering his face, the sound of the water gently flowing past filtered through his thoughts, he sighed deeply as he gave himself a moment to rationalise how he was feeling before getting to his feet, he didn't want to leave Methos on his own in case Lazarski took advantage again. Duncan walked slowly through the car park back into the hospital; the hospital entrance was busy with people as they visited their loved ones, some with happy faces others told the tale of a loved one being lost. Duncan wondered what they saw in his face. When he opened the door to Alex's room he found Methos sitting with his legs over the arm of the chair reading, Methos closed the book and smiled "Feeling better?"
"Yeah, just needed to clear my head, all this waiting is getting to me I guess" Methos stood up putting the book back into the pocket of his brown rain coat that was laid over the back of the chair "He'll make his move soon enough I'm sure. Look I have some things I have to take care of, will you be all right here alone?" Methos said as he pulled on his coat. Duncan scratched his eyebrow and smiled "I'm sure, you go". Methos put his hands in his pockets as he walked passed Duncan, his hand on the book, he stopped before he reached the door and pulled the book back out of his pocket "I think it's going to be a long night, here this will help pass the time" Methos said as he walked back handing the book to Duncan. "I'll be back in the morning" he looked over at Alex "She's a fighter Mac and stubborn, a bit like someone else I know, she won't let him beat her" he said as he opened the door. Duncan wished that he was a confident as he turned the book over in his hands, he was in no mood to read so he placed it on the wheeled table at the end of Alex's bed, he stood there a while just watching her, laying there fighting a battle he had no way of helping her with.
It didn't take Methos long to get to his apartment building, he didn't go to his apartment straight away, first he went to his neighbour. He knocked lightly, a young woman with a slim figure and brunette hair answered the door "Ah Adam Pierson, why is it you only come to my door when you want something, only it's never what I want" she said as she reached out a hand to his cheek, he took hold of her hand and pressed it lightly to his lips "did someone leave something for me?" he said as he moved her gently to one side giving him enough room to enter her apartment, he then saw the two cardboard boxes in the hall "I'll just take these and be out of your way" Methos said as he bent down picking up the two boxes. The young woman closed the door "Oh no you don't escape me that easily Adam Pierson, one good turn deserves another" she said moving closer to him "What did you have in mind?" Methos asked a rye smile on his face, she had caught his eye the moment she had moved in but he had never made a move and here she was doing it for him "I think you owe me an intimate dinner for two, say Saturday night"
"Ok you win, Saturday night it is, you make the arrangements and I'll pick you up at 8. Now can you let me out?" Methos asked, the young woman smiled as she opened the door "Don't you stand my up Adam remember I know where you live" she said as she stood on the tips of her toes to get over the boxes Methos was carrying to press her lips against his, Methos didn't pull away he enjoyed the warmth of her touch and now he was looking forward to Saturday even more. "Don't worry I'll be here" he said as he backed away to his apartment smiling, he knew that he was in for a lot more than dinner and a kiss in the hallway.
Kicking the door closed behind him Methos walked down his hall towards the kitchen, as soon as he had placed the boxes on the counter he grabbed a knife from the block and sliced through the tape sealing the boxes. Carefully he lifted the microscope out of the first box, brushing off the polystyrene beads that had held it safely packed during its transport. The rest of the equipment didn't take him long to unpack, he then shrugged off his coat taking out the small vial containing Alex's blood, he placed the vial in the wooden stand with one hand while throwing his coat into the other room with the other. "Right, let's see what we have here" he said as he rolled up his sleeves.
The room was in darkness except for small light above Alex's bed; Duncan was stood by the window just watching what little activity there was at this time of night, suddenly the sound of Alex gasping for breath brought Duncan's attention back into the room, Duncan had just reached her side when the alarms sounded at the nurses station, seconds later the door was pushed open as the duty nurse and the doctor rushed to Alex's bedside, the doctor moved Duncan away from the bed as he filled a syringe before injecting Alex's with it, a few moments later Alex's breathing started to ease, Duncan sighed with relief. The doctor went to walk past but Duncan grabbed his arm "What happened?" The doctor moved towards the window and Duncan followed "Monsieur, she is weak from the surgery, this virus is making things worse, the drugs I am using seem to be holding it a bay but I don't know for how long".
"Isn't there anything else you can do for her?" Duncan asked as he looked past the doctor to Alex, the doctor followed his gaze "I've sent some blood samples to a specialist laboratory, they have the best experts in rare diseases working on it now. All we can do is hope they find something I can use". The doctor wished he had some better news but he didn't believe in giving false hope, Duncan extended his hand "I'm grateful for all your doing" Duncan said as he shook the doctor's hand. The doctor left leaving Duncan alone, the doctor's words made his heart heavy, as he walked over to the bed, he let his hand run over the bed clothes until his hand touched Alex's, it was colder than it had ever been before, he worked his fingers under hers closing them around her hand, he marvelled at how small it looked in his. Slowly, he sank into the chair as he pressed her cold hand to his lips. "Oh Alex, there are so many things I want to show you, to let you know that life isn't all about darkness and pain" he rubbed her hand on his cheek "It still amazes me that a child could survive what happened to you" He leant forward gently brushing her cheek "You know sometimes I forget how fragile human life is, you have so little time and there is so much I want to share with you, you've got to fight" Duncan fought back the tears that were clouding his eyes "I'm not going to let him win, you can't either".
Methos pinched the bridge of his nose he had been working for 10 hours straight; he got up stretching as he walked over to the window, pulling the cord on the blinds. He covered his eyes as the light from a new day caused him to screw up his eyes, he then reached for the coffee pot but as the last trickle of stewed coffee dropped into his cup he decided that he didn't really want one. Methos decided to take a shower to revive his tired body, he had hit a block nothing he did gave him the answer he was looking for, and he needed time to think. The hot water cascaded over his tired muscles as he soaped his body trying to wash away his fatigue he let his mind drift. He wasn't sure how long he was in the shower but suddenly the water ran cold making him jump out, as he reached back through the cold water to turn it off, a memory sprang into his mind, quickly he grabbed the towel hanging by the shower. He hurried out of the bathroom to his bedroom, throwing open the wardrobe he grabbed a clean pair of jeans and sweatshirt dressing quickly, he pushed his feet into his sneakers as he walked across the living room picking up his coat and car keys on his way out the door.
Duncan pulled on his coat as he walked out into the cooling, late afternoon air he didn't know where he was going but all he knew was he needed to do something, he felt so helpless in that room watching and waiting. He walked through the car park towards the small wrought iron gates of the park, there were several people walking dogs and on a secluded bench two young lovers sat locked in their own world where nothing existed except each other. His paced slowed as his mind started to calm, the sound of the birds singing lifted his mood and he started to regret how he had spoken to Fitz, it was only a momentary lapse and he knew deep down that Fitz wouldn't have let anything happen deliberately. That was just how Fitz was and maybe it wasn't Fitz he was mad at, maybe it was himself, he should never have allowed them to persuade him to leave. Duncan found that he had walked to the edge of the stream that ran through the park, he sat down on a bench that was under a willow tree that dangled it branches into the glistening water of the stream.
He leant forward placing his elbows on his knees, his hands covering his face, the sound of the water gently flowing past filtered through his thoughts, he sighed deeply as he gave himself a moment to rationalise how he was feeling before getting to his feet, he didn't want to leave Methos on his own in case Lazarski took advantage again. Duncan walked slowly through the car park back into the hospital; the hospital entrance was busy with people as they visited their loved ones, some with happy faces others told the tale of a loved one being lost. Duncan wondered what they saw in his face. When he opened the door to Alex's room he found Methos sitting with his legs over the arm of the chair reading, Methos closed the book and smiled "Feeling better?"
"Yeah, just needed to clear my head, all this waiting is getting to me I guess" Methos stood up putting the book back into the pocket of his brown rain coat that was laid over the back of the chair "He'll make his move soon enough I'm sure. Look I have some things I have to take care of, will you be all right here alone?" Methos said as he pulled on his coat. Duncan scratched his eyebrow and smiled "I'm sure, you go". Methos put his hands in his pockets as he walked passed Duncan, his hand on the book, he stopped before he reached the door and pulled the book back out of his pocket "I think it's going to be a long night, here this will help pass the time" Methos said as he walked back handing the book to Duncan. "I'll be back in the morning" he looked over at Alex "She's a fighter Mac and stubborn, a bit like someone else I know, she won't let him beat her" he said as he opened the door. Duncan wished that he was a confident as he turned the book over in his hands, he was in no mood to read so he placed it on the wheeled table at the end of Alex's bed, he stood there a while just watching her, laying there fighting a battle he had no way of helping her with.
It didn't take Methos long to get to his apartment building, he didn't go to his apartment straight away, first he went to his neighbour. He knocked lightly, a young woman with a slim figure and brunette hair answered the door "Ah Adam Pierson, why is it you only come to my door when you want something, only it's never what I want" she said as she reached out a hand to his cheek, he took hold of her hand and pressed it lightly to his lips "did someone leave something for me?" he said as he moved her gently to one side giving him enough room to enter her apartment, he then saw the two cardboard boxes in the hall "I'll just take these and be out of your way" Methos said as he bent down picking up the two boxes. The young woman closed the door "Oh no you don't escape me that easily Adam Pierson, one good turn deserves another" she said moving closer to him "What did you have in mind?" Methos asked a rye smile on his face, she had caught his eye the moment she had moved in but he had never made a move and here she was doing it for him "I think you owe me an intimate dinner for two, say Saturday night"
"Ok you win, Saturday night it is, you make the arrangements and I'll pick you up at 8. Now can you let me out?" Methos asked, the young woman smiled as she opened the door "Don't you stand my up Adam remember I know where you live" she said as she stood on the tips of her toes to get over the boxes Methos was carrying to press her lips against his, Methos didn't pull away he enjoyed the warmth of her touch and now he was looking forward to Saturday even more. "Don't worry I'll be here" he said as he backed away to his apartment smiling, he knew that he was in for a lot more than dinner and a kiss in the hallway.
Kicking the door closed behind him Methos walked down his hall towards the kitchen, as soon as he had placed the boxes on the counter he grabbed a knife from the block and sliced through the tape sealing the boxes. Carefully he lifted the microscope out of the first box, brushing off the polystyrene beads that had held it safely packed during its transport. The rest of the equipment didn't take him long to unpack, he then shrugged off his coat taking out the small vial containing Alex's blood, he placed the vial in the wooden stand with one hand while throwing his coat into the other room with the other. "Right, let's see what we have here" he said as he rolled up his sleeves.
The room was in darkness except for small light above Alex's bed; Duncan was stood by the window just watching what little activity there was at this time of night, suddenly the sound of Alex gasping for breath brought Duncan's attention back into the room, Duncan had just reached her side when the alarms sounded at the nurses station, seconds later the door was pushed open as the duty nurse and the doctor rushed to Alex's bedside, the doctor moved Duncan away from the bed as he filled a syringe before injecting Alex's with it, a few moments later Alex's breathing started to ease, Duncan sighed with relief. The doctor went to walk past but Duncan grabbed his arm "What happened?" The doctor moved towards the window and Duncan followed "Monsieur, she is weak from the surgery, this virus is making things worse, the drugs I am using seem to be holding it a bay but I don't know for how long".
"Isn't there anything else you can do for her?" Duncan asked as he looked past the doctor to Alex, the doctor followed his gaze "I've sent some blood samples to a specialist laboratory, they have the best experts in rare diseases working on it now. All we can do is hope they find something I can use". The doctor wished he had some better news but he didn't believe in giving false hope, Duncan extended his hand "I'm grateful for all your doing" Duncan said as he shook the doctor's hand. The doctor left leaving Duncan alone, the doctor's words made his heart heavy, as he walked over to the bed, he let his hand run over the bed clothes until his hand touched Alex's, it was colder than it had ever been before, he worked his fingers under hers closing them around her hand, he marvelled at how small it looked in his. Slowly, he sank into the chair as he pressed her cold hand to his lips. "Oh Alex, there are so many things I want to show you, to let you know that life isn't all about darkness and pain" he rubbed her hand on his cheek "It still amazes me that a child could survive what happened to you" He leant forward gently brushing her cheek "You know sometimes I forget how fragile human life is, you have so little time and there is so much I want to share with you, you've got to fight" Duncan fought back the tears that were clouding his eyes "I'm not going to let him win, you can't either".
Methos pinched the bridge of his nose he had been working for 10 hours straight; he got up stretching as he walked over to the window, pulling the cord on the blinds. He covered his eyes as the light from a new day caused him to screw up his eyes, he then reached for the coffee pot but as the last trickle of stewed coffee dropped into his cup he decided that he didn't really want one. Methos decided to take a shower to revive his tired body, he had hit a block nothing he did gave him the answer he was looking for, and he needed time to think. The hot water cascaded over his tired muscles as he soaped his body trying to wash away his fatigue he let his mind drift. He wasn't sure how long he was in the shower but suddenly the water ran cold making him jump out, as he reached back through the cold water to turn it off, a memory sprang into his mind, quickly he grabbed the towel hanging by the shower. He hurried out of the bathroom to his bedroom, throwing open the wardrobe he grabbed a clean pair of jeans and sweatshirt dressing quickly, he pushed his feet into his sneakers as he walked across the living room picking up his coat and car keys on his way out the door.