A/N: Hooray! I made the 100000 words goal! What a ride it's been. Thanks for the comments and reviews. Keep 'em coming please.
Chapter 76
Lindsey helped Tegan get dressed and they sat patiently waiting for Kate to return. Kate entered the room with a wheelchair and parked it in front of Tegan without a word. Tegan didn't complain this time, careful not to upset Kate who took the IV bag and hung it on the chair's IV stand. Tegan sat down wordlessly and Kate started pushing her to the basement where the driver would be picking them up. They walked past Dr Karev who looked surprised to see Tegan in her normal clothes. "Dr Morgan? Am I missing something? One minute you call a Code Red on her and the next you're discharging her?" he asked surprised. "It was a mistake okay... she's fine to go home. I'll be there to take care of her" she said looking annoyed. "But, if you even considered a Code..." Karev got cut off by a now angry Kate "I know what I'm doing... Now drop it... for fuck sakes Karev... just drop it" she said in anger and started walking towards the basement shaking her head. "I'm sorry about that" she said softly to Tegan and Lindsey. Dr Karev's words made Lindsey feel a bit uneasy.
The driver with the body guards weren't in the basement yet and Kate walked up and down looking annoyed. Still nobody said a word. Lindsey put her hand on Tegan's shoulder. Tegan looked up, smiled and put her hand over Lindsey's. "Where the hell are they?" said Kate breaking the silence. "Let's just go in my car" she said and fished her keys out of her bag. "Kate I don't think that's a good idea" said Lindsey. "Why not?" asked Kate. "I... I just want to wait for security... I want security" she said but what she meant to say was that Kate shouldn't be driving. Kate started pacing again. She looked pale, tired and her hair looked messy from all the times she had her hands in there. Tegan's phone rang and she answered immediately "Hey Sar... we're on our way yeah... Kate said I'm okay to go home" said Tegan. "Yeah she's sure" she continued.
The guards finally arrived and Tegan managed to convince Kate that she needed to ride with them and that a guard will bring her car. The rest of the car ride was quiet. Kate had her head thrown back and her eyes closed. Tegan was seated in the middle and looked at her in silence and couldn't help feeling guilty, feeling that most of this stress was her fault. Tegan felt Lindsey weave her fingers into hers. She turned her head to her, smiled and kissed her hand softly. "I love you" she whispered.
Sara, Emy, Erin and Alex were waiting outside in the driveway as the SUV made it's way through the paps and some fans. They seemed to be more than usual. "I'm guessing we were in the news again yesterday?" said Tegan with a sigh. "Yup, you're heroic antics made front pages worldwide" said Lindsey. "How'd they get to know about it though?" asked Tegan looking confused. "If you don't know by now that hardly anything you do is private then I don't know..." snapped Kate. Tegan just shook her head.
Tegan was greeted with hugs when she got out of the car. Alex turned to Kate to give her a hug too but she turned around and walked towards the door. Alex looked at his little sister perplexed. "Guys... can we wrap this up... Tegan needs to get to bed" she said emotionless. Charles took a wheelchair out of another SUV. Tegan looked pissed. "What's this?" she said. "I don't want you straining yourself today. I discharged you on condition that you follow doctors' orders... now get in the chair" said Kate. "I thought I need to build my strength up" said Tegan and glared at her, starting to lose her cool but she got in the chair not wanting to get into a full blown fight. "Please take her to the pool house Charles" said Kate. "I just got here! Can I have a minute with them please?" said Tegan now obviously annoyed. Kate sighed and closed her eyes. "Tegan... I want you in bed today... I'm allowing you one cup of tea with them and then you're going to bed" said Kate trying to sound more accommodating. "Thank you" said Tegan after Kate who already started to walk into the house. "What's up with her? And why's she still in her scrubs? She never comes home in her scrubs" asked Erin. Tegan shook her head "Something's not right... but I don't know what... She freaked out and called a Code Red on me this this morning for no reason... scared the shit out of me, not to mention Linds. Something's off" she said. "We'll figure it out... let's just give her some space" said Alex.
Everybody was sitting in the large living room having tea. Kate was quiet, hardly saying a word. At some stage she put her head in both her hands and started rubbing her temples. "Are you okay Katy?" said Alex cautiously. Kate seemed to be a bit calmer now "Yeah... I just have a massive headache and I'm tired" she said. "You sure that's all it is?" he said as he sat down next to her and put his hand on her back. Everybody in the room was looking at her and she hated it. She's never liked being the centre of attention. She cleared her throat still looking down "Yeah... I'm fine thanks" she said. Alex stood behind her and rubbed her neck muscles that felt like rocks. Tegan looked wordlessly at Kate. She was worried about her. She really wanted to keep talking with her friends and Sara but she wanted Kate to get some rest. "Okay... I think I'm ready to go back to bed now" she lied. "Okay Tee, we'll pop by later today to say hi" smiled Sara. She missed having alone time with Tegan. "Feel better soon" she said. "I'm fine Sara. Just following doctor's orders" said Tegan and glanced at Kate.
"Get into your PJs please" said Kate as they got to the room. "Can't I just lie on the couch?" asked Tegan. "Tegan... let's get this straight right now. I want you IN bed for the rest of the day... in fact... until I give you permission to get out. I've cancelled the physical therapist for the day. You need rest. If you have any problem with that I'll gladly take you back to the hospital" said Kate looking irritated. "Okay... alright... I was just asking! Jeez Kate what the fuck is up with you?" said Tegan finally cracking. Kate just closed her eyes and swallowed hard "I'm sorry... I just... I really don't want to negotiate with you today" said Kate. "I wasn't negotiating I was just asking" said Tegan softly.
Tegan was in bed with her pyjamas on. Kate came walking back into the room. You could cut the atmosphere with a knife. "Happy?" said Tegan and pointed at her boxer shorts and tank top. Kate didn't reply but started unpacking medical gear. Tegan lay back against the pillows Lindsey propped up behind her. She hung Tegan's IV and added another small bag. She put the pulse ox meter on Tegan's finger and the nasal oxygen cannula in her nose. She wheeled over the heart monitor. "You've got to be fucking kidding me" said Tegan and rolled her eyes. "Relax... you won't' be stuck with it too long. I need to be able to monitor you remotely unless you want me in here the whole day" said Kate. She put a BP cuff around Tegan's bicep and another device around Tegan's wrist and connected to something that went around two fingers like a ring. "New toy?" Tegan asked sarcastically. "Cnap... It's a non-invasive continuous BP monitor. Either that or we put in an arterial line right now?" said Kate. Tegan didn't reply. "Okay... all good" said Kate. She rubbed her temples again and closed her eyes tight for a few seconds. "Lindsey... I really need to go lie down because it feels as if my head's going to explode. I'll be monitoring on my tablet and I've set some alarms. It should wake me if we reach these levels but I need you to help me out okay... Her vitals need to stay in these perimeters" said Kate. She wrote down some values on a piece of paper for pulse, BP and pulse ox. "Can you do this Linds or should I get a nurse to come?" said Kate obviously struggling with her headache. "It's fine... I've got it" she smiled. "Wake me up if you're uncomfortable with anything... Tegan, let me know if you're feeling light headed... anything strange... please... I'll only be sleeping for an hour or two though" said Kate. Lindsey looked worried. "Don't worry Linds... she's fine... it's just a precaution" said Kate trying to put her mind at ease. "Get some rest Tegan" she said. Tegan looked at her annoyed. "Do you know how much I slept last night!" I'm really not tired. I'm fine" said Tegan. "Humour me... stay in bed... watch a movie... read a book... but take it easy please" said Kate. "Got it... go to bed Doc" said Tegan. "I'm sleeping in the room next door. I want to be close by" said Kate. "Whatevs" shrugged Tegan. "Go... sleep!" she said loudly.
As soon as Kate left the room Tegan pulled Lindsey onto the bed. "Finally we're alone... Come here sexy" she said and started kissing Lindsey. Lindsey let out a small moan "baby" she said softly and her voice changed pitch. Lindsey relaxed into her lover's arms and returned the kiss with vigor. Tegan's lips tasted sweet from the piece of cake she had earlier. Lindsey could hear the heart monitor pick up speed. "No... Tegan hang on... we're not supposed... you should be taking it easy remember" said Lindsey pulling away. Tegan looked up at the monitor that had dropped back down to 70. We still have a whole 50 beats to play with before I go over 120. Plus I've been told it pushes your BP up so..." winked Tegan. Lindsey giggled and put her legs over Tegan's body straddling her hips. She slid her hands under Tegan's tank top and made her way over electrodes up to her breasts. She softly rubbed them as Tegan put her arms around her waist and pulled her closer. Lindsey could feel Tegan's hands moving to her hair and pulling her head even closer to her face. Tegan's lips danced over Lindsey's face and found their way back to her mouth where her lips were open in anticipation. Tegan softly sucked her bottom lip before letting her tongue slide into Lindsey's mouth. Tegan's heart monitor pick up significant speed. Lindsey found it a weird but incredible turn on. Tegan pulled away and took a gulp of oxygen through her nose. Lindsey looked up at the monitor 105. They suddenly heard a loud knock on the bedroom door. "Ladies... if you're going to be making out instead of following doctor's orders and taking it easy I feel I need to let you know that I can see exactly what's going on with your heart monitor" laughed Kate outside. Tegan's eyes were wide and she didn't move a muscle. "Fuck..." she whispered. "Excuse the pun" whispered Lindsey and giggled. "We're not... um" said Lindsey. "Only one thing you can do in a bed can push your pulse up that quickly... and it ain't watching Golden Girls. So it's either that or you have a serious heart condition and you need to be in ICU with a pacemaker..." said Kate from behind the door. "Ehem... sorry Kate... we were just... um... okay yeah we were making out... I'm sorry... I just couldn't resist my fiancé's hotness" said Tegan. "Cool your jets Quin" said Kate. "I'm going to bed. Stop your shenanigans now" scolded Kate like a school teacher. Tegan smiled "well at least she's laughing again" She pulled Lindsey in for another quick kiss. "Naughty" said Lindsey and got off Tegan. Tegan slapped Lindsey's bum before she lay down in Tegan's arms. "You better get well soon baby because I can't wait to fuck you silly" she grinned. "Tell me about it..." Tegan sighed. "Kate needs a holiday..." she said sounding concerned as she kissed Lindsey's head. "We all do" said Lindsey with a sigh. "Then let's take one" said Tegan and smiled. "Let's all go somewhere fun" said continued. "We'll discuss it with the others... and try and get it past Kate... let's not forget she has you back in a home ICU here... but I love the idea" said Lindsey. "She's just being paranoid... she'll get over it when she sees for herself that I'm fine" said Tegan and held Lindsey's hand tighter.
Kate closed the curtains, kicked off her shoes and fell onto the King sized bed in the spare room still wearing her scrubs. She was exhausted and the headache made her feel nauseous. She took a few deep breaths where she lay on her stomach clutching a pillow. Tears started seeping out of her eyes and it only took a few seconds before she was sobbing. For the first time that day she let it all out, the fear, the anger, the confusion, the sadness. Her body was shaking with emotion... her head throbbing. She cried herself into a deep sleep.
Lindsey lay quietly in Tegan's arms for a while listening to the heart monitor. "How are you feeling sweetie?" she asked softly. "Okay... I'm just really tired suddenly" she sighed. Lindsey untangled herself from Tegan's grip and sat up to look at the monitors. She smiled when everything looked okay. "I'm fine baby... just fine" said Tegan sleepily and closed her eyes. Lindsey stared at her beloved as her breathing and heart rate slowed indicating that she had nodded off. She couldn't resist and she gently touched her perfect face. She felt her warm, soft skin under her fingers. She looked at her longer than normal hair falling over her one eye and pushed it away gently. Her hair felt soft and silky and Lindsey held it between her fingers for a second. "You make me so incredibly happy Tegan Quin... I can't believe you're mine" she smiled.