Suddenly Hook was distracted by a soft sobbing sound. "Chris?" He muttered. That sounded like Chris but why would she be.... What in the world had he done last night? If he had done something that had hurt her in some way, he would never forgive himself. "Chris?" He tried to roll over once more so that he could see her, could comfort her and offer what he was sure was a much needed apology only to find himself suddenly falling.
"What in the...." Hook muttered as he suddenly found himself on
the floor looking up at what was obviously not his own bed but a hospital
bed. How did.... "What in the world did I do last night?" Something bad,
it had to be something bad. Chris was sitting there with an expression on
her face that he could only describe as heartbreaking. "Chris, honey, it's
okay. I'm really sorry for whatever stupid thing I...." As he started to
speak, Hook pulled himself to his feet, starting to move in Chris's
direction, wanting to just hold her close until he could convince her how
sorry he was and how badly he felt for whatever he had done to upset her.
Suddenly, he caught sight of a figure in the hospital bed and stopped
abruptly, his eyes widening with shock as even with the swollen, distorted
facial features he recognized himself.
"What in the world?" How could he be down there in that bed and
yet.... Hook shook his head, trying to clear it. A dream. This had to be
a dream. Had he volunteered to help Lona out or something last night
because if he had, it was definitely going to be the last time! "Chris"
He called for her once more, hoping that she would hear him somehow, would
do something to snap him out of this dream. "Chris, honey...." He reached
down, pinching his arm hard. Wasn't that what they always tried on
television?
"Sally's on her way." Chris said softly as she reached out,
stroking Hook's cheek. Okay, his face was horribly swollen, puffed to the
point where he was barely recognizable but he was still the man that she
loved and she would do whatever it took to help him. "She was able to help
us reach Peter Rickman. I'm sure she'll figure out how to reach you too.
I know you're still in there, Sweetie, no matter what Stegman did to you.
You just have to hang on for me, okay? Hang on until I'm able to find a
way to fix this."
"Chris?" Hook reached out, still not believing that this was really happening. He tried to touch her face, to wipe away the tears, only to find that his fingers passed right through. "Chris?"
"You don't know how happy you've made me these last few weeks"
Chris whispered softly, her hand drifting up to touch her cheek. Although
she knew it was impossible, she could have sworn that Hook had touched her.
She reached down, taking his hand in hers and holding it tightly, stroking
Hook's fingers. Strong, skillful fingers. Surgeon's hands. Would he be
able to operate again after this? She wouldn't let herself think about him
not waking up, about him remaining in a coma forever but.... No, she shook
her head firmly, forcing any thoughts of a less than complete recovery
away. Hook was going to be fine and she wasn't going to let herself
believe anything else. He needed her to stay focused on getting him
through this.
"I told you a little about what happened with my last relationship,
with how weird it was but I didn't tell you how he ended up making me feel,
like I was worthless, like no one would ever love me, like I didn't deserve
to be loved. I honestly thought I was never going to try again with
another man after that. I didn't want to be hurt anymore and I was sure
that's what would happen. After all, that's what I thought I deserved
so..." Chris brushed away a tear, raising Hook's hand now, pressing it
against her cheek in the place where she had imagined that he had touched
her. "Then you came along and.... I was so scared. Did you realize that?
I was so scared to try again but somehow you got through before I even
knew what you were doing. You always were a sneaky one, weren't you?" She
laughed slightly at that. "You made me so, so happy that I can't even
describe it. You loved me and you made me feel like I deserved to be
loved. I...." She bit her lip, trying to hold back tears. "I love you,
Hook. You're the man I want to spend the rest of my life with. I can't
lose you now. Please, you have to try to come back to me. Please!"
"Chris?" The rest of her life? Was Chris saying that she wanted
them to get married or.... Hook leaned down over the now sobbing Chris,
wrapping his arms around her although he knew she couldn't feel it.
"Chris, I love you and whatever it takes, I'm going to come back. You can
count on it. You just be strong for me right now, okay?" He gently
pressed a kiss against her forehead before standing and heading for the
door. He still wasn't sure of how he got into this state to start with and
he had no clue how he was going to get out of it. He did have an idea for
where he should start looking for answers, though. Peter Rickman's room,
the center of much of the hospital's current strangeness. "I'll be back,
Chris. Just be strong, okay? I love you."