Author's note: I made a guess at the hospitalization period and stay tuned for the epilogue
Chapter 35
It was an hour or so before Don and Terry decided they were going to go back to their apartments (well that's what they said, what they really did was go back to Don's and cuddled, after a day like that all they wanted was each other), Charlie however insisted on staying with Amita. Amita still held the porcelain look but there was a little bit more color to her cheeks. Dr. Peters wasn't kidding when he said that there was a lot of gauze, her whole upper body was wrapped in it. Tears came to Charlie's eyes when he laid eyes on her again. He willed them not to fall. He knew she wasn't dying anymore but the sight of her paler then she ever should be and the amount of gauze and tubes and machines…it made him lose it. When it reached around midnight, Charlie carefully curled up next to Amita in the bed. He kissed her goodnight and fell asleep, glad for the reprieve from thinking, glad to just be with Amita. The first time the night nurse visited she was very tempted to wake Charlie. Visiting hours were over, and that couldn't be very comfortable. However, they looked so peaceful and it wasn't hurting her, so she let him be. Charlie woke the next morning, a little stiff but that was to be expected. Opening his eyes, he looked over at Amita's pale face and found her deep brown eyes looking back at him
"Amita!" Charlie exclaimed after a moment's shock
"You're here" Amita whispered. The last thing she had expected to see when she opened her eyes was Charlie's sleeping face
"Of course. I haven't left your side, well except when they kicked me out of the trauma room and they obviously wouldn't let me into the OR but other than those times…" Charlie trailed off realizing he was babbling
"How long have I been out?" Amita asked a little stronger. She was almost fully awake now
"Not longer than a day" Charlie not knowing the exact amount of time for the first time in his life
"That's a relief" Amita said awake now. The room went silent neither knowing what to say even there was so much to be said. They were spared when the morning nurse stepped into the room. She blushed slightly at the intimate setting but continued walking, when she saw that her patient was awake
"Oh you are awake, I'll get the doctor" The nurse said rushing out of the room still blushing
"Think she's new?" Amita asked laughingly gently
"Probably but I don't think many nurses would know how to handle the me curled up next to each you" Charlie smiled and the slow blush that crept across Amita's face. Good, its still as new to her as it is to me
"Glad to see you're awake Dr. Ramanujan" Dr. Peters spoke not looking up from her chart. When he did he added "and good morning to you too Dr. Eppes"
"Good morning and please it's Charlie" Charlie replied rolling out of bed. The doctor needed to examine her and with him in the bed it would impossible
"I thought you would have gone home by now Charlie" Dr. Peter's said surprised. He walked over to Amita's bedside. As the doctor pulled down the gown to examine Amita, Charlie averted his gaze. Charlie was still shy around women, especially Amita. He wanted her to be comfortable when they had that intimate of a moment, not lying in some hospital bed. Dr. Peters was a little curious on why Charlie averted his gaze but didn't say anything. He made some notes on her chart and closed it
"So how am I doing Doctor?" Amita asked a little afraid of the answer
"Amazing. I see your color has returned and all body functions have relatively stabilized. You'll have to undergo physical therapy for your shoulder"
"When will she be able to leave?" Charlie asked from his place at the other side of her bed
"In a week or so. We need to watch her for complications and infection" Dr. Peters answered, glad at the relief that showed on Charlie and Amita's face
"A week that's a lot faster then I thought" Charlie commented smiling, breathing for what felt like the first time since the doctor came in
"Well Amita is getting better faster then I thought she was. I didn't expect her to wake up until at least this afternoon" Dr. Peters paused for moment and regarded the scene: Amita all her color back, no pain showing. At her side a man who clearly loved her beyond belief "I'm going to leave you alone because well I have patients who are sicker then you"
They all laughed for a moment but the joke ended when Amita spoke with the most sincere look she had ever had "Thank you Dr. Peters. Those words come nowhere near the thanks I wish to express but they'll have to do"
"Yes, thank you so much Dr. Peters" Charlie added rising to shake the doctor's hand "I couldn't tell you what thoughts were running through my head while I was sitting in that waiting room. There were so many things I needed, well need, to say to her and you gave me the chance to say them"
"Well then I won't keep from saying them any longer by standing here" Dr. Peters smiled a smile that let them both know that their gratitude was accepted. He left and closed the door behind them
"So what are these things you needed to say to me?" Amita asked quietly. Charlie walked back to Amita's side, sat down at the edge of the bed next to her and thought for a moment. How do I word this in a way that won't scare her? I don't want to rush things and scare her off by telling her I love her after first date but I just…here goes nothing
"Amita, there aren't words to describe what went through my mind when I heard your voice on the other end of the phone. The fear I felt when I heard you get shot consumed me, I cried thinking 'oh my god I've lost her'. When Joe told me you were pale, I conjured an image" Charlie's voice broke and he paused until Amita's hand found his and gave it a gentle squeeze "It made me sick. Statistics were running through my head and it was too much. The relief when Don finally brought me to the coffee shop was immense. I paced outside the ambulance, and my heart dropped when I saw your rolled out. You were too pale, and" Charlie's voice broke again as the image of Amita lying on the gurney swam into his line of vision. Amita squeezed his hand again and he continued, "I urged the ambulance on with my mind as if it would make a difference, we were almost there when you went into v-fib-" Amita gasped. Charlie looked at her confused
"No one told me that" Amita whispered. She knew that she had lost a lot of blood but no one told her that she was that bad as to go into v-fib
"I'm sorry that I told you so ungracefully but all of this previous conversation has been leading up to this: when they lost your pulse, I lost it. It was too soon lose you. I couldn't stand it…I started to pray. The second shock they gave you brought me to my senses, I didn't have time to waste, and I needed to say what I needed to say before I lost you. I'm so sorry its taken me so long to say the words I'm about to say. Amita Ramanujan I love you" Charlie finished talking looking down at there hands. That didn't come out sounding they way I wanted it too. That came out sounding scary. Oh god she's going to run away! Damn it, I've blown it. Right now she's probably formulating how to get away from-
"I love you too" Amita said squeezing his hand. Charlie looked up and appeared to be so startled, Amita almost laughed
"You do?" Charlie asked amazed and startled. Now Amita just had to laugh
"Of course I do. I've loved you since I started reading your work. I came to Calsci to work with you. My dreams came true when you became my thesis advisor. I love you Charles Eppes" Charlie leaned over and kissed her softly. The kind of kiss Amita had dreamed about. It may be the hospital but there was no other place she'd rather be then in Charlie's arms.
THE END