Tegan struggled to wake up. She groaned a few times trying to open her eyes.
"Hey sleepy head! Tegan, open your eyes honey" said Lindsey.
"Hey" Tegan whispered when she saw Lindsey's face.
"Are we there yet?" Tegan sighed.
"Yes! You're here safe and sound baby. You're in LA"
"Thank god… everything okay? Where's Sara and Kate?" Tegan mumbled.
"You and Sara have been upgraded to high care. She's in the room right next to you. Kate's still in ICU but Sax said it's just a precaution. Everyone's fine" Lindsey smiled.
"Love you" Tegan breathed.
"Love you so fucking much babe" said Lindsey still grinning. She kissed Tegan on the mouth.
"Hi there! How's our patient?" asked Sax striding into the room looking way more relaxed than that morning.
"So groggy, tired" Tegan grunted.
"That's normal, it's going to take a while for the sedative to work out of your system"
"Everyone okay?" Tegan asked rubbing her eyes.
"Everyone's good Tegan. You guys did so well. You just focus on getting better now so we can get you out of here" Sax winked.
"Sounds good" Tegan smiled weakly.
"Everything on the monitors looks good but I just want to give you a once over real quick" said Sax pulling out her stethoscope.
"Uh huh" Tegan grunted and closed her eyes.
"She really is still quite groggy and pale" said Lindsey looking worried.
"Just give it a couple of hours, she'll be fine. Anyway, she can do with the extra rest" said Sax checking Tegan's vitals.
Lindsey nodded.
"Alright, all good here so I'll be in my office if you need me. The nurses will page me" said Sax.
"You should go home to Jude, you haven't seen her for a long time. You look tired" said Lindsey.
"Thanks Lindsey. Jude's on a shoot, she'll only be home around 8 tonight so I might as well catch up on some paperwork. Tomorrow I'm back in the pit" said Sax referring to the trauma room in the ER.
"Thanks again Sax. You've been so amazing" said Lindsey.
"My pleasure" Sax smiled and left. Lindsey looked around the room. It was positively swanky compared to the ICU in Denver. It was a beautiful hospital. Wood laminate floors, beautiful paintings on the walls, a small visitors' area in the room with a leather couch and two chairs. It felt more like a hotel than a hospital. There was a large window to the nurses' station but it could be closed with blinds and it didn't feel like a glass box or fishbowl like the ICU did. Another window looked out over LA. Lindsey relaxed for the first time that day.
"Lindsey, hi. Has she woken up yet?" asked Sonia coming into the room.
"Hi Sonia. She has, briefly. She's okay, just still a bit groggy from the sedative. Went right back to sleep" said Lindsey.
Sonia let out a sigh of relief. "Sara woke up too. Same thing, groggy but happy she's in one piece. Spoke to Alex. Kate's still asleep"
"Okay… just a matter of time before she wakes up I guess"
-0-
Later that afternoon Sara was awake and mad as hell that Kate wasn't next to her.
"Mom, I have a right to see my wife"
"Yes Sara, calm down. The nurse will bring you some crutches in a minute, she's a bit busy right now"
Sax walked into the room.
"Just wheel me over there"
"We're going to keep the wheeling to a minimum from now on, you need to move more and learn how to use the crutches. Your ribs should be fine now" said Sax.
"Okay but right now I just want to see Kate. Please Sax"
"Alright alright… give me a minute" said Sax. She returned a few minutes later with the crutches.
"Shit…" Sara mumbled.
"Gotta do it some time Sara, it's almost time for the cast to come off and you're still not using the crutches daily" said Sonia.
"Yeah, I have most of my strength back by now. So… I guess it should be fine" said Sara.
"It's just down the hall Sara. You can do this" said Sax.
-0-
Twenty minutes later Sara came panting on crutches into Kate's private ICU room. Her family was with her.
"Hi my love" said Sara grinning out of breath.
"Baby! You're walking" said Kate looking delighted.
"About time I guess. The few steps during physical therapy in Denver didn't really count" said Sara and kissed Kate.
"How are you feeling gorgeous? You okay?" asked Sara and kissed Kate again.
"I'm great thanks. But I miss you! The room is so… empty without you and Tegan" said Kate.
"You'll be out of here in no time baby. Sax said so"
"Yeah… soon" Kate smiled.
"At least you're walking to the bathroom on your own!" said Sara.
"Damn if there were ever tubes I was ready to get rid of it's those two" said Kate and suddenly blushed.
"I love you" Sara smiled and kissed Kate.
"I love you more! Can't wait to be home with you and Amelia" said Kate.
Kate looked tired. "We should let you get some rest now or Sax will have our asses" said Sara.
"Stay a bit longer… please" said Kate holding Sara's hand in both of hers.
"As long as you want my love"
-0-
"Hello guys. Who's up for a little trip?" asked Sax the next morning after breakfast. Sara was back in Kate's room.
"I just got here, took me forever" said Sara.
"Don't worry we'll give you a lift" said Sax.
"Isn't that a bit counterproductive?" joked Sara.
"Where are we going?" asked Kate.
"It's a surprise" said Sax.
Sara shrugged and sat down in the wheelchair the nurse provided, leg propped up on a support beam.
A few minutes later Kate and Sara got wheeled past Tegan's room. She sat in a wheelchair at the door feeling a lot more lucid than the previous day.
"Heeey! How are you guys? We're alive! Best flight ever huh!" said Tegan.
"Yay! No crashes" said Kate.
"Where are we going?" asked Tegan.
"No idea. Probably some ploy to get us into the MRI machine or something" said Sara.
The girls were wheeled out to a patio. Their families were already there. It was a warm, windless California morning. It felt amazing to be out in the fresh air and get some sun onto their arms.
"Oh this is nice…. California sun how I've missed you" said Tegan holding her healthy arm out and throwing her head back.
The kids were suddenly all over their parents. Sax gave them a few minutes to say hi.
"What's this? A party? Where's the tequila and cake?!" Tegan joked.
"Okay, you lot will probably want to stand for this" said Sax as they were wheeled to the concrete railing.
The girls were all helped to their feet. They were all on portable monitors and wires and IV tubes were flying everywhere.
"What did I get myself into?" muttered Sax shaking her head.
"Um… nice view" said Tegan.
Suddenly "Stand by you" by Rachel Platten started playing loudly from downstairs and fans started filing onto the lawn in front of them. They were dancing with the same moves looking up at them. A couple of people unrolled a huge banner with "Get well soon Tegan, Sara, Kate and every other patient! We love you" on it.
"Oh my god a flashmob!" exclaimed Tegan excitedly. She waved her healthy hand grinning from ear to ear. She looked careless and joyful.
A minute in all three girls were in tears.
"It's amazing" Tegan whispered and put her arm around Lindsey's waist.
"You truly are loved beyond measure" said Lindsey.
The family were grooving to the music. Little kids and some pediatric cancer patients were on the ground floor dancing. Patients were hanging out of their hospital rooms and other balconies but it was clear that every fan only had eyes for their idols.
Sonia handed them some tissues and wiped some tears herself.
Tegan and Sara were pointing and waving excitedly. The kids were all in an adult's arm and grooving too.
"How on earth did they organise all this? We have the best fans" said Tegan to Sara.
"Awesome" said Sara.
One floor up Cameron stood at the window of her Cardiac Care Unit room grinning. They deserve this – she thought to herself. She looked down and watched Tegan, Sara and Kate looking better than she'd personally ever seen them. She listened to the rhythmic beeping of her own heart monitor that went everywhere she went for now.
"Ms Hart, we need to get you to MRI please" said a nurse coming into the room.
"Ironic isn't it…" said Cam still watching the flashmob.
"What's that?"
"My last name… Hart… and I have a fucked up heart" Cam snorted and then burst out laughing.