Author's Note: Thank ya'll so much for reading! I'm so excited that people like my story. I'm trying to update as fast as I can. I appreciate everyone's feedback. Thank you for reviewing! I appreciate it so much, and it helps me out a great deal!

Special thanks to Bloodsuckers37 for reading and helping me get the medical 'stuff' right.

Bad to Worse

Chapter 5- Awake

8:00 AM ICU cubicle 4

Don's condition had improved greatly over the next few days, all of which Don slept. Dr.Andrews had come by earlier that morning, and he took the NG tube out. Terry never left Don's side during the night. She'd finally dozed back off when Alan and Charlie arrived. Terry snapped awake when they walked into Don's room.

"What's going on here?" Alan said when he saw fewer tubes that were there when he left.

Dr.Andrews chose the perfect time to appear.

"Good morning. I see that the gang's all here. The last unit of blood must have really helped. Don's blood counts are now about where I'd like to see them. Last night he started fighting the ventilator, so since his lungs were doing well, I went ahead and started weaning him off the ventilator."

"Won't doing that deter his breathing?" Alan asked looking very confused.

"Not really because the ventilator wasn't breathing for him; it was only supplementing his breaths. Since his lungs don't need that much help anymore, it was better to take him off of the ventilator. I also went ahead and removed the NG tube because Don has not shown any adverse reactions to the medications and since all of his meds are being given via IV, there's not going to be much stomach upset.

"Oh, okay."

"Normally we'd go ahead and send him down to the step-down unit, but with him still partially sedated and the severity of his wounds, I'm going to keep him up here in the ICU. Don can be monitored more closely up here."

"When do you think that he'll wake up?" Charlie asked, looking closely at his brother's face.

"It's hard to say. Some people come out quickly and others don't. I wish I had a more definite answer. Do you guys have anymore questions?"

"No," all three said in unison.

"Okay, I'll be back by later this evening. If you have any questions, just ask the nurse and she can get in touch with me."

Everyone nodded and Dr.Andrews left.

"Terry, did you stay here all night?" Alan asked as he took off his jacket.

"Yes I did," Terry said while standing up and stretching.

"Thank you for staying."

"No problem, well I have to get home and go to work."

Terry grabbed her things and headed towards the door. As Terry left, Alan and Charlie said their goodbyes and took up their seats in the room and waited for signs of life from Don. Both were discouraged by lunch time when nothing happened; even though they new how sick Don was they still expected him to jump up like everything was normal.

"You should go and get something to eat Charlie," Alan said breaking the silence.

"I'm not hungry."

"You need to eat, you didn't eat breakfast. I can stay here if you want."

Charlie sat there, and debated for a few seconds and got up. He took one last look at Don and left. About 20 minutes later, movement from the bed caught Alan's attention; he was squirming, trying to move.

"Mmmm," Don said opening his eyes slowly.

Alan was sitting on the edge of his chair. He grabbed his son's hand and gave it a squeeze.

"Donny?"

Don slowly turned his head towards his father. Don tried to say something, but the ET tube was still in Don's throat. Don started to panic when he realized this, and his gag reflexes kicked in. Alan paged the nurse, who came immediately, and she also brought a doctor. The doctor disconnected the ventilator and was satisfied to see Don breathing on his own. Alan stepped outside of the room, but he was peeking around the door frame. Watching his eldest son panic wanted to make him cry. The doctor was talking to Don.

"Mr.Eppes, I'm going to remove this tube. On the count of three, I want you to blow as hard as you can. It's going to hurt, but I need you to keep blowing. Okay?"

Alan could see Don's head nod. As Don was nodding, Alan saw a glistening on Don's cheek. Alan struggled to see what it was, a tear. Alan had to grip the door frame to keep from falling. The doctor put on gloves and the nurse put a hand on Don's forehead to hold him down. The doctor got a good grasp on the tube, and he prepared to pull.

"1, 2, 3, blow," the doctor commanded.

Alan watched as Don blew, but he failed to expel the tube.

"Okay, we'll try this again. I need you to blow harder."

Don nodded, and once again the doctor prepared to pull the tube.

"1, 2, 3, blow," the doctor commanded.

Don sucked in a deep breath and blew it out with all of his might. It worked because the doctor pulled hard and fast, and the tube was free. Don began to cough, and the doctor and nurse helped Don sit up. Once the coughing spell abated, they lowered Don back down to the bed. The nurse put a nasal cannula up Don's nostrils to give him oxygen. The doctor checked Don's lungs and heart, and left. Shortly after, the nurse left, and Alan went back in to the room.

"Dad?" Don's voice was raspy.

"Everything is okay. How do you feel?"

"Like I got shot in the neck and chest. Everything hurts. I remember someone shouting…Charlie!" Don said trying to sit up.

"Whoa, take it easy," Alan said while pushing Don back. "You've been out of it for awhile."

"Where's Charlie?" Don speech was slurring as he was getting tired.

"He went to go get lunch. You need to rest some more. I'll be right here," Alan said soothingly.

Alan began to rub his son's arm trying to ease his pain. It seemed to work because Don was asleep when Charlie returned. Alan decided that it was best if Charlie did not know that Don had woken up, and told him that the doctor went ahead and removed the ventilator. Alan got up and went to lunch.

3:29 ICU cubicle 4

All of the Eppes were asleep when Erin came in to check on Don. Partially graded papers were scattered in Charlie's lap. Alan woke up when Erin came in. Erin and Alan said hello, and she went about her business. Alan got up and stretched. He grabbed his things and headed for the door. He paused to write a note on Charlie's notebook.

"Erin, I'm going home in case someone asks."

"Okay, Mr.Eppes. I'll call you if anything changes."

"Oh, uh Erin, Don woke up for a minute about three and a half hours ago. I would have called except he went back to sleep almost immediately."

"That's great. I'll tell Dr.Andrews. Did Don say anything specific about how he was feeling?"

"Uh, he said that everything was hurting."

"Thanks, I'll let Dr. Andrews know."

"Thank you Erin," Alan said before leaving.

Erin went about her business and left. Charlie was still fast asleep when Don woke up again.

"Charlie," Don said without opening his eyes.

Of course Charlie heard that and woke up immediately. He put his papers aside and scooted up to the bed. He grabbed Don's hand and gave it a squeeze.

"I'm here Don."

Don opened his eyes and turned his head to face Charlie, while wincing in the process.

"Are you okay?" Don said with his raspy voice.

"Yeah, that was scary though," Charlie said with a faint smile.

"I'm sorry; it wasn't like I planned for it to happen. Where's dad?"

"That's a good question," Charlie said while reading the note his father left him. "Looks like he went home to take a shower and rest."

"How long have I been out?"

"A Couple of days."

"Was anyone else hurt?"

"Nope, just you and the gunman."

Dr.Andrews knocked softly on the door and came in.

"Hey, it's nice to have you back Mr.Eppes. I'm Dr.Andrews; you probably don't remember me, but I was with you in the ER and OR."

Don just shook his head 'no'. Dr.Andrews shook Don's hand and went right to business.

"First of all how do you feel?" Dr. Andrews said while listening to Don's heart and lungs.

"Tired and everything hurts."

"You had us worried for a little while. I know that these next questions are going to sound stupid, so just bear with me."

Dr.Andrews quizzed Don on his surrounding, name, dates, and other random questions. Dr.Andrews also checked Don's reflexes, nerves, and muscles.

"Well, you don't seem to have any neurological damage, that's good. Your blood work is looking a lot better than what it did. You are looking much better than when you came in here."

"How long until I can leave and go back to work?" Don said tiredly.

"Everything depends on how fast you heal, and if you take things easy. I wish I could tell you more. Well, I'll come back by later to change your dressings. Please get some rest; that is the best thing for you right now. I'm going to go ahead and give you an extra dose of Morphine."

Dr.Andrews took a pre-filled syringe out of his pocket, and injected its contents into an IV port. Don nodded and Dr.Andrews left. A few minutes later Don was resting peacefully.

7:59 PM Step-Down Unit 352

Dr.Andrews had decided that Don was well enough to be moved to the step-down unit. Alan was scared when he came back and found that his son was no longer in his room in the ICU. Alan was relieved when a nurse said that Don had been moved down to room 352 on the step-sown unit. Don had slept most of the afternoon and evening. He woke up briefly when Dr.Andrews stopped by to change his dressings. Confident that his son would live through the night, Alan took Charlie home. Terry came by soon after Alan and Charlie left. Terry just stared at Don before taking his hand. Terry must have had the magical touch because Don woke up.

"Hey, nice to see your eyes again," Terry said while rubbing her fingers through Don's hair.

"Hey to you too. Did you just come back from work?"

"Yep, someone has to do your paperwork."

Don smiled at Terry's comment.

"How do you feel?"

"Useless," Don said with a smirk.

"That's okay, you should rest."

Don had just fallen back asleep when David Sinclair rushed into the room, and he was out of breath. Don immediately awoke when David arrived.

"What's wrong David?" Terry said standing up.

"Chris O'Brian has escaped."

"Who's that?" asked Don, who was trying to sit up.

"The guy who shot you."