Chapter 279

A few hours later a nurse removed Sara's NG tube before preparing her to visit her wife.

"I'm scared Mom" said Sara sitting in the wheel chair.

"I know honey. I'll come with you if you want?"

"Umm… yeah… thanks" said Sara looking petrified.

A nurse pushed Sara into Kate's room. Sax was busy listening to Kate's chest. She put her stethoscope around her neck and waved Sara over.

"I'll leave you to it. I'm right outside if you need me" she said softly to Sonia and left the room.

Sara stared at Kate's face. Even with cuts and bruises and a breathing tube in her mouth and a tube in her nose she was gorgeous. Sonia stood behind Sara against the counter to give her some privacy.

It was a full ten minutes before Sara took Kate's hand in hers and spoke.

"Kate… It's Sara. I'm right here okay. You're going to be alright, everything's going to be fine" she said and stayed quiet again for a minute listening to the heart monitor, ventilator and dialysis machine.

"So… They say I have some memory loss… but apparently I love you. They say I adore you… I'd really like the chance to… get to know you I guess?"

Kate's eyes fluttered opened for the first time in days. She heard Sara's voice in the distance, it grew louder. Her head felt fuzzy, her vision was cloudy. She tried to move but she was just too weak.

"Kate? Mom, she's waking up" said Sara as loudly as she could. She repeatedly pressed the button.

Kate blinked a couple of times to try and get things into focus. She had no idea where she was. Sara was there, it made her feel safe.

Doctors came rushing into the room.

"Hi Kate. It's Sax. You're in the hospital buddy just relax" she said as Kate tried to move.

Kate remembered the accident now. She looked at Sara and weakly held her hand out. Sara stared at it as if it was a bomb. Sara's okay… Sara's okay.

"Sara's here with you Kate, its okay" said Sax and gently put Sara's hand on Kate's.

"Hi" said Sara softly.

Kate wanted to speak but she knew she couldn't. She felt the breathing tube in her throat. She would have loved to fight it but she was just too weak so she allowed the machine to blow air into her.

"I'm here Kate" said Sara. Kate softly squeezed Sara's hand. Kate held Sara's gaze. She frowned. Something was off… Sara didn't look herself. She was injured but it was more than that. She didn't have much time to think about it before Sax spoke.

"Kate, I'm going to have to do a tracheotomy today. It's okay, you're okay but you're going to need the vent for a while longer"

Kate understood. She knew when trachs were necessary. She nodded weakly.

"I've got you alright. Keep fighting" said Sax. Sax looked stressed and tired. So did Sara. What was wrong with her? The Doctor in Kate wanted details!

"You in pain Kate?" asked Sax. Kate nodded. "In pain" was the understatement of the year.

"Alright Morgan we're going to give you something for that and put you back to sleep now. Stay strong"

Stay strong? She was everything but strong at the moment. She held Sara's hand tighter. Sara looked pale, she smiled weakly at Kate. Kate didn't need to know that Sara had no idea who she was.

-0-

Cameron has never struggled to finish a training run in her life! Today she was breathing hard and fast with her hands on her knees a mile before the end of her run. She vomited violently into a bush. It felt as if her heart was beating out of her chest. She looked at her training watch to check her pulse. 178. Sure she was running but this was way too high. Even when she was pushing like crazy her pulse hardly ever went above 150 and today she was taking it very easy.

"Hey Hart, you okay?" asked Chris coming up behind her.

"I'm fine" she lied looking white as a sheet.

"I don't think you are, you're shaking"

"I'm fine… go" said Cam and waved him away.

"Why don't you just sit down for a minute and have a sip of water?"

"Because… if I sit down I won't be able to get back up"

"Okay bud, let's get you to the finish line" he said and put his arm around her.

"Go or you won't make time"

"I don't care, I'm not leaving you here"

"Goooo, please just go" said Cam close to tears now.

Chris took off towards the finish. "I'm sending help"

"No… don't!" Cam yelled but Chris didn't indicate that he heard her.

Cam started running slowly towards to finish line. A few minutes later she was on her final approach. She was gasping for air now and so lightheaded that she was walking criss-crossing the road.

"Somebody help Hart, one too many Scotches over lunch time" the Captain laughed.

Chris ran up to his friend and put his arm around her. He guided her forward. Cam stumbled a few times.

"What the fuck is up with her. She's usually the first one over the finish line. She's been struggling all day" said the Captain.

When Cam put her foot over the finish line she collapsed. Her eyes rolled back in her head and she lost consciousness.

"We need the medics over here" somebody yelled loudly.

-0-

Erin and Alex were sitting with Kate when Sax came into the room.

"We need to take her to theatre now to do the tracheotomy. It's not a long or a dangerous procedure but we need a sterile environment and OR equipment. Why don't you guys go grab something to eat. We should have her back in her room in about an hour" said Sax.

"Okay… Kate, we'll be here when you wake up alright. Sax is going to take care of you. Stay strong little sis" said Alex.

"Take good care of her please" said Erin looking emotionally drained.

"You know I will" smiled Sax.

-0-

Alex and Erin were on their way to the cafeteria when somebody entered the elevator with them. The doors closed and the guy turned around holding up a recorder.

"Alex, Erin can you comment please on what happened. How are they? Who was hurt?" her rambled.

"Get out of my face" said Alex.

"Alex just a statement please"

"No comment" Alex mumbled looking shaken.

"Are they dying? They're dying aren't they?" the guy asked, obviously just keen to get a reaction out of one of them.

Rage built up in Alex like he's never felt. He wasn't a violent guy but he shoved the reporter against the wall of the elevator and held him there by his collar.

"Get the fuck out of this hospital. You stay away" he yelled and dropped the little man on the floor.

"Jesus man… calm down" the man yelled and scampered out of the elevator when the doors opened. Alex stood in the corner with his hands over his mouth. He was shaking. Tears started running down his face.

"Alex… Its okay. Its okay" said Erin just holding her husband.

"I don't want them to die E… I don't want them to die" Alex wailed.

"They're going to be okay babe…. It's okay"

The elevator doors opened again and some nurses and doctors entered. Alex quickly turned to the corner. The other people in the elevator gave them some curious looks. Two of the biggest movie stars on the planet were in their elevator looking frazzled. They all knew Alex was camped out in ICU. Management made it very clear to employees to leave him in peace.

"Can I help you?" asked a sweet, middle aged nurse.

"No thanks, we're fine" smiled Erin looking spooked.

"Stay positive okay" the nurse smiled and patted Erin's shoulder.

-0-

When Erin and Alex returned from the cafeteria Kate was still not back from surgery.

"Any news?" asked Alex.

"Nothing yet, it's only just been an hour. I'm sure they'll be done soon" said John.

A few minutes later Kate was wheeled back into the room. The ET tube that was in her mouth was gone revealing her beautiful plump lips that was now pale and cracked. A tube went into her neck and was attached to the ventilator. Alex gave an involuntary sob.

"She's fine guys. Procedure went smoothly. This is going to be much more comfortable for her in the long run" said Sax.

"How long will she need this?" asked Alex.

"We don't know yet, that's why we moved her to the trach instead of the ET tube. Her infection count is hovering around the same levels. That's not necessarily bad, right now we're just happy that she's holding her own and not deteriorating further. Her kidney function is about the same so we're going to be continuing with the dialysis. While we were in there we inserted the feeding tube directly into her stomach and we drained some fluid from the abdominal cavity. Pressure in there's much better now" said Sax.

"I can see my baby's beautiful face" said Kate's mom and touched Kate's bruised and scraped face softly.

A/N: Review please!