Clear Blue Sky Ch. 17
Waking up hurt, it felt like someone had glued her eyes shut. Giving herself another moment to let her body start to wake up, Evie let her brain fire up instead, maybe that's what her body needed, a reboot. Letting anything pop in her head, she wanted to latch on to something so she could have something to focus onto. Eventually, her mind locked onto the night that Donovan left and then the morning after.
FLASHBACK
The shutting of the door caused her to buckle down to the floor, wrapping her arms around herself, all she really wanted to do was cry, but instead of screaming like a crazy person, she just laid there, letting the tears fall down her face. It wasn't until morning she picked herself up and headed to the shower.
Once she was showered and dressed, she replayed his conversation over and over again, trying to find a clue to what happened to their relationship.
It's not safe with you with me. He said to her. It's different now, people are coming after families, I don't want to be responsible for something happening to you.
It was an epiphany, he was scared of something happening to her, and he thought he was keeping her safe by staying away.
Dressing quickly, she made her way to HQ, she knew that 50 Squad had the day off, she needed to talk to Wendy, she would either confirm her thoughts or tell her the truth that it was over, either way, she needed it.
Pulling into HQ she greeted people as friendly as she could, but honestly her heart wasn't in it. Grateful to be standing in front of her door, she knocked lightly, smiling at the friendly "Come in."
Evie found her at her desk, "Wendy, I have something personal I want to get your opinion on, if that's OK?" she asked, unsure if that was something that Wendy was able to provide since it wasn't SWAT related.
Indicating for her to take a seat across from her, "Hit me." She said in a teasing voice.
Letting out a deep breath, she explained everything that happened last night, once she was done, "My instincts are telling me it wasn't just an excuse to end the relationship, but I could be wrong, and I knew you would at least tell me the truth. No matter what."
Wendy couldn't help but smile, Evie was very observant and perceptive to the things around her, "You're not wrong, in his man mind he's keeping you safe." Pausing cause this is the part that would cause the pain, "You can't talk to him about this right now, or maybe ever, he has to come to you about it. He needs to realize that he made the mistake, anything else it's going to be talking to a brick wall."
Evie's eyes filled with tears, "So, he could essentially hold out forever before he realizes that he was a dumbass?" she asked.
A grim smile, "Yea, that can happen."
Grabbing a tissue, "And how long am I supposed to wait for him?"
Holding her hand, "That is something only you can answer, Evie." That was the hardest part of her job, letting people know that there are a million things that are will be out of control.
Wiping the tears that slid down her face, "Well, that sucks." She said with a little laugh in her voice.
Smiling back at the young woman, "Tough decisions usually do."
END FLASHBACK
She remembered opening her eyes last night, seeing him there, and him talking to her, he said he loved her, and she said it back, and called him a dumbass, but now as the fog of her sleep started to lift, she was wondering if that was real, or she just imagined it.
Making another attempt to open her eyes, Evie found that they weren't glued anymore, looking straight up, she could see the unmistakable ceilings of a hospital, OK, so I am not dead, just hurt. Blinking her eyes again, trying to get the last bit of the medications out of her system. Letting her eyes stay open, she started to take a mental inventory of the pain in her body. Everything felt like it was on fire. Evie was unable to keep the thought out of her mouth, "Ow." She muttered.
Donovan slept with his head on her bed through out the night, not even bothering moving when the RN's came in during the night. The sound of her moaning out in pain made him start the process of waking up.
Looking up at her, he could see that she was looking at him with a confused look on his face. "Hey baby. How are you feeling?" he asked her.
Blinking slowly, she was torn, Wendy did say that he could come around, but she didn't want to misunderstand why he was here, that would just cause her more emotional pain. "I'm OK." Looking around she could see a few balloons and a few bouquets of flowers, "Is Street OK?" she asked.
His answer was stalled by a RN coming in. "Oh good, you're awake, how are you feeling?" she asked, her voice soft and filled with concern.
Taking an inventory of her pain, "Like I was hit by a semi." She joked, "but seriously my side is really itchy and it feels like it's on fire."
The RN who's name tag read Rebecca, smiled at her, "From my understanding you did get hit by a truck, and got into a fight right after. But it's probably the dry blood on the bandages that are itchy, and the surgical wound is tender." Grabbing some things to change her dressings, she looked at the man next to her, "I need some privacy please."
Evie could see that he didn't want to leave, "It's fine." Turning her head towards Rebecca, "Can I shower? Cause that would make me feel like 100x better?" she asked hopefully.
Giving her a weird look, "You want to stand?" she asked.
Nodding, "Yes please, I feel if I don't I won't. I promise to go slowly, I just need to know I can move. That makes me sound weird?"
Donovan snorted, "No. It doesn't." Turning towards the nurse, "Can she?" he asked.
"Of course, let me get somethings set up, and I'll be back." With that she headed out of the room to get some shampoos and such for her patient.
Evie watched her shut the door, "So, is Street, OK?" she asked again. And thinking on it, "Why are you here?"
His eyes turned towards her, smiling, of course she would want to know about Street, "He's fine. From my understanding he annoyed them to be discharged last night. And I'm here, because I'm a dumbass. And I don't care how long it takes Evelyn, I'm going to do whatever I can to show you how much I love you, and that unless God takes me from you, I'm never leaving again."
Her heart fluttered, but she didn't want to forgive him too easily, or he'd never learn that he was a dumbass, at least that's what Mandy said. "After my shower and stuff, we'll talk, there is a lot to discuss."
Rebecca came back and started the shower, it was a slow process but Evie, with the help of Rebecca and Donovan, she was able to get to the bathroom, this is where she told him to wait in the room, she didn't want to have their reunion start with her peeing blood and having a RN measure her output.
Standing up, after she used, she went to wash her hands. Looking over at the RN, she smiled as she helped strip her. Her eyes didn't want to look down, but her brain wanted to inventory the damage. Looking in the mirror that was there, she was bruised over 80% of her chest and ribs. "Jesus." Looking at Rebecca as she undid the bloody dressings, "What did they need to do surgery on?"
Putting her hand in the water, finding it a nice warm temp, her eyes found the patients, "You had a liver laceration, several broken ribs, and concussion. You needed surgery for the liver, and you have stitches in your head as well from the accident." Gently putting her on the seat that was in the shower, Rebecca slowly and carefully washed her hair, and her body. It took a good 30 minutes, but she didn't want her to pop her stitches and cause more bleeding.
Carefully drying off, Rebecca put her in a new hospital gown and socks, "Compression socks aren't sexy, but helps prevent blood clots." Holding her hands, she led her to the room and placed her in the chair new the window, "I'm going to change your sheets, so they are clean too."
Evie looked at her, "Thank you." She watched as Donovan came and sat next to her, holding her hands.
Before she left, she took her vitals and smiled, "So far, you're good, I'll check you every 30min to 1hr, if everything stays the way it is, you'll be moved off ICU." Looking at the couple she smiled, they were beautiful together.
Now that they were alone, Evie looked at him, he looked tired, "Did you sleep here?" she asked him.
Nodding, "Yes, I've been here since Hicks brought me. I refused to leave you alone."
Taking a deep breath, "I never was mad at you, but I was hurt that you made this decision about my future, our future without really talking to me." Looking out the window, "That can't happen again," turning her eyes back to him, "you were a dumbass, and you broke my heart. I know you weren't being a jerk about it, and it was out of misplaced sense of protection, but it still crushed me." She felt his hands on hers, "I think we need to start slow; I can't just pick up where we left off. I have to trust you again." Looking at their hands, "Are you OK with that?"
Tucking a wet strand of hair behind her ear, "Whatever you need. I will do. If you want to go back to day one, then it's what we do. I don't care, I just want to be with you, show you that I was a dick, dumbass. Whatever you want to say to me, I will walk through fire to show you that I am sorry and earn every ounce of trust back."
Nodding at him, "Thank you. I do love you." Not letting go out of his hand she let out sad sigh, "I killed a man yesterday." Her voice soft, but her eyes looking outside the window, "It's strange, I feel sorry that I had to, but I don't feel guilty," turning her eyes back to him, "Is that normal?" she asked him.
He wanted to hold her, but knew that she was injured, "Yes, it's normal. You had no choice, so the logical part of your brain knows that, but it still is a heavy thing to take a life. Regardless of if it's justified." Bringing her hands up to his lips, he gently kissed them. "I saw the video. You were strong, brave. I'm very proud of you."
Her eyes finding his, "Thanks, turns out you and Chris were good teachers." She said.
They talked for hours, it felt good to him to finally be able to speak, the more he talked, the more he realized that she didn't need protection, she wasn't some helpless girl, but soon it was time for him to get out, Rebecca said that while she appreciated his loyalty he smelt and that he needed a shower, Evie couldn't help but laugh at his face.
He looked at her, "Why didn't you say that I was a little rank?" he asked her.
Shrugging her shoulders, "Because I didn't care, I was just happy you were here. Plus, I mean I've smelt all of you SWAT guys at one point or another so, perhaps I'm nose blind." She teased.
Bending over, he kissed her forehead, "Smartass. I love you, Evie." Gently tucking her hair behind her ear, "I'll be back tomorrow."
Watching him walk out the door, "I love you too." With that Evie asked for a little pain meds to help her sleep, and soon she was dozing off.
Rocker made his way to the motel he was staying at, jumping in the shower, he quickly washed himself, and jumped out of the shower, without even bothering to put on some clothes he fell into the bed, for the first time in a couple weeks, there was hope.
Evie looked at the doctor in her room, "So, when can I get out of here?" she asked hopeful.
Rolling her eyes, "Ms. Powell, I have a feeling if I don't release you, you'll do what you can to escape?" she asked her.
Smirking at her, "I've only been here 24 hours, am I that predictable?" she teased.
Putting in her chart information, "I have a 6th sense about these things. OK, here's the deal, I'm only allowing you to leave because your BP and vitals are stable, and you've had no issues since you got out of surgery. No work for at least a week, relax only, no sex for at least 2 weeks," giving her a smirk, "I saw that mountain of a man here. Good job by the way."
Blushing a little bit at her comment, "No sex 2 weeks, that's fine. How about my stitches?"
"Do not drench them, soap and water, towel dry, gauze. Other than that, it's self-explanatory." Looking at one the RN's, "I'm going to discharge this patient, now. Get her papers, I want this troublemaker out of her in 30 minutes or less." Walking out the door she walked around the giant man that made her patient blush a moment ago.
Entering her room, he could see that she was wearing a pair of pink scrubs looking excited. "What's going on?" he asked.
"Breaking out of here." Looking up at his face, "Doctor's permission. So please can you bring me home?" she asked.
Sitting on the bed with her, "Of course." He tucked a hair behind her ear, "Always." Feeling a little unsure of what she was willing to allow, or what she would be uncomfortable with.
Leaning over, she gave him a small kiss. "I said slow, I didn't say no."