Kim grabbed another nap and awoke when the nurse was completing her morning rounds, "How is he?"
The nurse smiled, "vitals are nice and strong, his temp is normal. He seems to be a bit restless so I imagine he might be waking up soon."
"That would be wonderful. Do you think it will be okay if our daughter comes to visit? She's really starting to struggle and I think it's time she got to see her dad."
"That may be just what he needs."
"Oh my legs are so tired Aunt Trudy." Makayla grumbled from the back seat, she clutched a stuffed frog in her arms, "I had fun with you today."
Trudy glanced in the rearview mirror, "that makes me happy, I had fun too and my legs are super tired. We did a lot of walking today, didn't we kiddo?"
"We did. I bet it was lots of miles." Makayla offered, "what was your favorite animal?"
Trudy thought about it for a minute, "The baby chimpanzees, they were so cute and a bit silly."
"So silly! It was funny when the little one peed" Mack covered her mouth as she giggled, "it was kinda gross though that it peed on the bigger one."
Makayla yawned and her voice trailed off a bit and Trudy was sure she would be asleep within minutes, if not seconds. The kid falling asleep wasn't a bad thing and she decided to let it happen. They had planned to stop and grab dinner on the way home but after a long and hot day at the zoo, a nap was perfect.
Unbeknownst to Makayla, they would be making a stop at the hospital and a nap would keep a cranky Makayla at bay.
Kim watched as Adam's leg twitched a bit, followed by some movement in his hands and his eyes seemed to be darting from side to side beneath his eyelids. The nurse had mentioned that he was growing restless and Kim hadn't noticed it at that point but it was undeniable now.
"Adam, I'm here." She held his hand, "I would really like for you wake up now." She was suddenly very anxious, "Please, Adam. Open your eyes for me."
She stared at him, time seemed to standstill, she rubbed his hand between hers and waited, his eyes opened slowly and shut almost immediately. She felt the wind leave her sails, her disappointment was short lived as he opened his eyes again. They slammed shut again, only for them to open once more.
It had happened again, and then again.
"Kim?" Adam spoke his eyes opened again and remained that way, "….where…"
"Hey!" Kim brushed her tears away, "The hospital. Are you alright?"
Adam grimaced, "I dunno. You tell me?" He asked her. He was disoriented, he had no idea what was going on.
"You were shot. Twice. You hit your head. What do you remember?" The doctors told her that there was significant chance that Adam wouldn't remember anything that happened and that it was to be expected with the injuries he had sustained.
"The alley." He told her, "I remember the alley…" he struggled to remember, "…but that's it."
"The doctor said that might happen. Kevin was the first one to get to you. You were in bad shape, but you're okay now. You had to have surgery. Then you had a setback and it was scary as hell but none of that matters now." She no longer felt the heaviness in her chest, and the ache in the pit of her stomach was gone.
Adam ran his hand across his chest, wincing a bit in pain, "I feel so out of it. How long have I been here?" It was unsettling for him, he had no idea if it was morning or night, he didn't know what day it was. It was a bizarre feeling and he didn't like it at all.
Kim flicked a few tears away, "Please don't cry" Adam spoke up before she could, "I don't like it when you cry."
"Happy tears." Kim told him, "these are happy tears, we are almost at the two week mark." She pressed the call button for the nurse, as she had been instructed to do so as soon as Adam woke up.
"Sorry." Adam replied.
"For what? This isn't your fault." Kim grabbed his hand, "You were shot twice, once in the side" she pointed to the area, "it resulted in a very small fracture hip." She moved to his chest, "then you were shot here" she touched him lightly, "the bullet penetrated your vest, it wreaked all kinds of havoc, collapsed lung, your spleen was destroyed, a couple of broken ribs."
"That explains the pain." Adam shrugged.
"You also suffered what turned out to be a minor brain bleed, a very nasty concussion." Kim rattled the injuries off with ease, "a few days after surgery you came down with pneumonia and it was the one of the scariest times in my life."
"I know that feeling…." Adam felt the fog of confusion beginning to dissipate, "are you okay? I know how hard it is to be on your side of things."
Kim laughed, "You could've just told me that Adam, I think going out getting shot to prove a point was a bit extreme, and you had to one up me as well" She teased him.
Adam offered a small smile, "Noted." He enjoyed the feeling of her hand in his and tightened his grip in fear of her pulling her hand away, "How is Mack?"
"She's hanging in. She's struggled some but Kevin and Platt have been a tremendous help, they're alternating nights at my apartment and they've kept her busy for the most part. She misses you something fierce."
"Can you go get her?" Adam asked, "I would really like to see her."
"I'm not leaving you." Kim replied, "She's with Platt today, they're at the zoo but the plan is for her to swing by with Makayla before they go home."
"The zoo. I know Mack will love that."
"I'll text Platt and see what time they will be here." Kim pulled her phone off the desk and fired off the text, she paused for a second before hitting send, "are you sure you're up for it? Makayla has been here a few times since you were admitted but has never been in the room." Kim explained, "I didn't want to scare her."
"I'm sorry." Adam reached for her hand.
"It's not your fault." Kim reminded him, "I just…" she stammered a bit, "I was scared, Adam. I didn't want her to see how scared I was and you looked awful. I was trying to protect.."
"Hey." Adam interrupted her, "It's okay. I get it Kim. You were protecting your daughter, it's totally understandable." He reassured her, "When you had been hurt I was so torn on bringing her to visit you when you were in here. I just didn't know what was the right thing to do. She's been through so much and seen so much."
"Our daughter." was all Kim said, "Our daughter." She repeated herself.
Adam smiled, "Our daughter."
"Kiddo, wake up." Trudy nudged Makayla's shoulder, "We're here."
"Where are we?" Makayla rubbed her eyes and groaned a bit, "I'm so sleepy…"
"We came to see Adam." Trudy told her, Makayla went from sleepy to excited in the blink of an eye, "I thought that would get you moving."
She still hadn't been in the room with Adam, merely watching him sleep through the window that looked in his room.
Kim met them in the hospital lobby, "Mommy!" Mack yelled as soon as she spotted her, running as fast as her little legs would allow, she catapulted into her outstretched arms.
"Daughter!" Kim greeted her, "Did you have fun?"
"Oh, yes. It was tons of fun. I get to see so many different animals and I got to pick out something from the zoo shop."
"Nice!" She turned to Platt, "Thank you for taking her. I hope she was good for you."
"She was perfect as usual." Trudy replied, to be honest she wasn't the best person to ask because no matter what Makayla did, her reply was always the same.
In Trudy's eyes she was perfect.
"How's things upstairs?" Platt asked her. She noticed a twinkle in Kim's eyes that she hadn't seen in a long time and she knew something had changed and that it was most definitely a good thing.
"Why don't you come up and see for yourself." Kim suggested.
Trudy knew in that moment that Adam was awake, "I'm exhausted and I think the three of you need some privacy, you need some family time. It's long overdue and I don't want to intrude, nor do I want to be subjected to the sappiness. It'll be so sweet my teeth will hurt."
Kim smiled, "Thank you."
"You're welcome."
"Not just for today, but for everything. Everything you've done for me, and everything you've done for Mack and Adam. Thank you for being you." Kim dropped hold of Makayla's hand and embraced Trudy.
Hugs weren't something Trudy enjoyed and they often made her cringe but this was one hug she was happy to accept, "I'm happy for you. I really need you two to figure it out, you belong together and not as friends, or co-parents. You and Adam have something special, don't let it slip through your fingers again."
"I won't."
"Now let go of me…people are staring." Trudy teased.
"Do you remember my very first shift at the 21st?" Kim asked her.
"How could I forget." Platt laughed, "you were so green and drove me to drink most days."
"Did you ever in your wildest dreams, think we'd be here?" Kim asked, "that you'd be helping me to raise my daughter? Being one of the most important people in my life?"
Trudy laughed heartily, "hell no."
"Me either."
"I wouldn't change a thing. You, Makayla, and Adam, you're my family." Her voice cracked slightly, "and here I thought all the sappiness would happen upstairs, not here in the lobby for all to see." She waved her hand around at the people going about their business oblivious to their conversation, "I think it's time for you and Mack to head upstairs.
They stopped outside Adam's hospital room, Kim crouched down in front of Makayla "Just remember to be gentle with Adam, okay? His injuries still hurt so we need to make sure we aren't too rough."
"Is he done sleeping?" Makayla questioned her, "I think he should wake up, he's had so much sleep." She whined dramatically.
"Go on in and find out."
The door creaked open slowly and Mack stuck her head in the room, "Well, hello beautiful girl." Adam welcomed her with a smile.
"Adam! You're not sleeping!" She ran to his bedside, "Are you better now?"
Adam adjusted the bed so he was sitting upright a bit, "I am now that you're here. Did you have fun today?"
"I did. The zoo was fun but this is way more fun. I've missed you so so so so much." Makayla was smiling from ear to ear and Kim couldn't help but tear up over the scene unfolding before her.
"Do you think I could get a hug?" Adam asked her.
It was a stupid question, Makayla loved handing out hugs and Adam was one of her favorite people to hug.
Makayla stood on her tippy toes and wrapped her arms around his neck, "I love you Adam."
Adam was in a decent amount of pain but the pain was worth it, "I love you too Makayla. More than you know."
They spent the next few hours shutting out the rest of the world, Kim sent out a group text letting everyone know that Adam was awake and that the doctors had examined him and had plans to discharge him within the next day or two.
Makayla had passed out on the couch that had become Kim's bed, and Adam was dozing off every so often despite his claim that he wasn't tired.
"Hey…" Adam noticed Kim struggling to keep her eyes open as well, "Kim, you're exhausted, you should go home. Sleep in your own bed for once." She had told him that she hadn't been home much since he'd been shot.
Kim waved her hand to dismiss his suggestion, "No. I'm not leaving. I can have Kevin come get her. I don't want to leave you. Not now, not when you're finally awake."
"You know as well as I do that I'm about thirty minutes away from falling hard and fast asleep. I know you've barely slept. Mack is out cold, she needs to sleep in her bed and so do you. She needs you at home with her. Please Kim."
He wasn't wrong, Kim was exhausted and the thought of climbing into her own bed was very inviting. She mulled it over, "Okay I'll go. On one condition?"
"What would that be?"
"That you will call me as soon as you wake up. Mack and I will bring you breakfast." She stood at the foot of his bed, she tugged on his toes, "I mean it Adam, as soon as you wake up"
"You got it. Breakfast in bed sounds perfect."
It took a few minutes to rouse Makayla and she wasn't pleased to learn that they were leaving, it was a tear filled good bye and she required three hugs and four kisses before she'd leave.
"Call me when you get home please, just to let me know you made it."
"Will do." Kim kissed the top of his head and ran her fingers through his hair, "I expect a phone call as soon as you wake up. Don't forget."
Adam winked at Kim as she pulled the door closed.