Short chapter, I know, there's only going to be one or two more to this story, I'll have to see how things pace out. This will be the last update for all my stories until next week sometime, I'll be out of state, having some fun with the rest of my family. I thought you guys deserved a quick something with a little bit of lightness in it.
Chapter 14: Here for You
Greg was alone when he first woke up. Blinking slowly a few separate times, he finally managed to keep his eyes open, glancing about the room. Something was different, as he realized for the first time in quite a while that he no longer felt sick. Tired, sore, weak…yeah, he felt quite like that, but not sick.
He couldn't quite remember what exactly had happened, his last few memories a blur. People were talking to him, doctors, that was it, doctors were talking to him. Constantly, keeping his awake when all he wanted to do was sleep. Why was he so tired though? Greg closed his eyes as he remembered why. He was dying. Opening his eyes, Greg shook his head, it didn't make sense, he felt better today than he did before…was he already dead maybe?
Greg laughed quietly at the idea, the heart monitor's constant beep telling him otherwise. No, he was definitely alive. Testing his strength, Greg slowly pulled himself up into a sitting position, collapsing against the pillows once reaching a comfortable position. He closed his eyes, groaning as his vision swam. Maybe that wasn't the best of ideas.
His eyes snapped back open as he heard someone walk in, surprise lining his face at his surprise visitor. "Sara?" he mumbled softly, not even sure she had heard him.
He watched as she looked up at him, from the book she held in her hands. "Hey," she responded with a smile. "Looks like you're awake," she commented, sitting down on the end of his bed. "And up."
Greg's laugh was short. "Yeah, looks like it." Greg glanced up at the wall, frowning when he saw there was no clock. "What time is it?"
"Eight," Sara told him, following his gaze to the bare wall.
"You should be working," Greg licked his dry lips as he crossed his arms in front of him, drawing his knees up.
"I'm on vacation," Sara responded, watching him. She leaned back, placing one hand behind her to support her weight. "The doctors say that you shouldn't be alone during recovery. I told you that once, don't you remember?"
Greg stared at her a moment, baffled as he shook his head gently. "What exactly happened to me?"
Sara sighed, dropping the book closed on the end of the bed before glancing back up at him. "They found a match," she explained, never taking her eyes off of him. Greg glanced away as she continued, feeling somewhat uncomfortable.
"You were really sick by the time they got it in though, they took a pretty big risk performing the operation, but did so anyways. They kept you in quarantine for two days then moved you back here, in ICU. You've been in and out for the last week now, you had a pretty bad fever to top it off."
Greg bit his lip, doing the math quickly in his head. "I've been here for seventeen days?" he asked quietly, not quite believing it himself even as Sara nodded.
"It's been a while, everyone's been worried, been stopping by a checking in on you. Archie was here earlier, you talked with him for several minutes."
Greg turned to her, still processing the information she was telling him. "No, I didn't," he said slowly. Surely he would have remembered that, wouldn't he?
Sara gave him a large smile, one that was nearly a grin. "I've told you, you've been in and out. Mostly out, the doctors still have you on heavy meds, as well as antibiotics, until they're sure you're immune system can take care of itself, you still have a bit of a fever."
She laughed at the look on his face, turning to examine the room. "And look at all the stuff you've gotten; flowers, cards, balloons, chocolates," she paused glancing back at him. "I ate some," she told him quietly, "I hope you don't mind."
Greg raised an eyebrow, nodding slowly, "Uh huh," he muttered quietly.
"Okay," Sara confessed, "I ate most of them, it was only one box, from Catherine, and I got hungry."
Greg laughed, shaking his head, "I don't care," he grinned, "I don't think the doctors would actually let me eat them anyways."
She smiled back at him, before leaning forward. "Once you're able to keep up with things," she said quietly, "the doctors want to put you on a strict diet…" she laughed mildly at his groan. "Greg, your diet consists of lots of food, in small amounts. It's not all green things."
"Good," Greg commented, rubbing his forehead with his hand. "I don't like the green things."
Sara laughed again, becoming more serious. "You've lost a lot of weight, too much weight. The doctors want you to put on a few pounds before you leave. You've lost over twenty pounds in the last month. That's not healthy."
Greg rolled his eyes as he turned to her, "In case you haven't noticed, I haven't exactly been all that healthy."
Sara nodded in understand, growing quiet at his blunt comment. Greg glanced away, now staring at his hands. "I'm sorry," he stated quietly. "I know you're trying to help, this just isn't easy for me."
"I know," Sara told him, "But I am here," she added. Greg nodded, giving her a small smile.
"I know."
TBC
