Several hours had passed and they had not had an update yet on what was happening and how he was. They had all grown tired of talking to each other and were all sleeping, reading or watching the TV. Dawn was fast approaching, and Chris yawned loudly and stretched up her arms, making Luca jump and open his eyes beside her.
"Oh, sorry" Chris mumbled through her yawn as Luca gave her a look that said "Geez, are you right?"
She stood up and moved her stiffened legs, twisting to stretch out her back.
"Good Morning" a voice from behind her said. She spun around as the group all stood up.
"Doc" Hondo said standing and glancing quickly at the team. Doctor McGuinness stood in the door way. Chris noticed he looked tired, and she was desperately searching him for any indication for what he was going to say. Logan stood and kicked Tans foot to wake him as they all gathered around.
"How is he?" Hondo asked putting a reassuring arm around Chris's shoulders. Chris swallowed, clenched her jaw and held her breath.
Doctor McGuinness blinked slowly and then smiled slightly, "Jim came through the surgery well," Chris let out her breath in a loud exhale and glanced at Luca and Hondo with a smile and a small nod, before returning her focused attention to the doctor.
"He is in recovery and is stable for the moment…"
Deacon jumped in "Will he be ok? …. I mean…... what is he looking at now?"
Doctor McGuinness nodded slowly at Deacon, he could see how worried the team was.
"We have fitted an external pacemaker that will hopefully only be temporary. We need to stabilise and regulate his heart rhythm at the moment to give him the best chance at recovering to 100%"
"What are those chances?" Commander Hicks asked furrowing his eyebrows.
"Well we replaced the damaged valve with a new state of the art artificial one." The doctor looked at Chris. "All of this combined means we have done absolutely everything we can to allow him the best chances. He is strong, stronger than we thought, and he is a physically fit young man so I am very hopeful that in time he will recover fully."
Chris smiled and the team began to hug each other and smile with the good news.
"What about his burns?" Chris asked stepping back to the doctor.
"We were able to do some work on them today while he was in surgery and they look good too. He will have some minor scar tissue, but with the new techniques and spray on skin they should heal nicely and cause him no issues mobility wise down the track"
Chris smiled and nodded. "Can we see him?"
"He will be in recovery for an hour or so, and he really needs his rest, but I will allow you all to see him quickly once he comes back to his room."
Chris closed her eyes and smiled. 'Thank god' she said in her head…. 'He made it!' Hondo patted her back and pulled her in for a hug. The other team members were high fiving each other and being rowdy. Chris couldn't get the smile off her face.
Nurse Jamie came by not long after to let them know he was back in his room, still groggy from the sedation but they could begin to go see him a few at a time if they wished. Commander Hicks and Cortez went in first as they were still on the clock and needed to get back to HQ. Tan and Luca went next, followed by Logan and Deacon. They all began to leave once they had seen him and make their way home after the long night, they had all had. Hondo stayed with Chris till last.
"Hey, I know you are gunna fight me on this Chris, but you really need to go home and rest now. You need to sleep…..." He said, clearly worried about her.
"Yeah ok" she said holding up her hands to surrender to Hondo "I just gotta see him for a bit, then I'll go get some sleep." She knew deep down that Hondo was right. Her eyes were stinging with tiredness and she ached everywhere.
She followed Hondo back to his room. Rounding the corner and seeing him her heart raced. He was sleeping, or at least he had his eyes closed. He looked peaceful and she smiled enjoying seeing him again and the amazing feelings that just that one glance of him had made race through her body.
Hondo walked in quietly…... "Hey kid" he said approaching the bed and touching his shoulder gently. Street managed to slightly open his eyes and murmur. "Hey… hey…. don't strain yourself" Hondo said with chuckle, "just rest"
Street managed to smirk, "hard to do much else" he replied in a strained whisper.
Chris walked around the other side of the bed and sat on the end. "Hey" she said leaning over and picking up his hand gently, her fingers gently stroking his hand.
"Hey" he said smiling at the site of her. He managed to squeeze her hand a little. It made her feel better. Chris swallowed hard as she traced her eyes over his burns and dressings. She was worried for him, worried about him recovering, but she knew like Hondo had said, she needs to be strong for him.
"Street" Hondo said patting his arm, "we aren't gunna stay long…you have to rest…. But damn I am glad you are ok… you had us all really scared you know…" Street smirked again and nodded slightly his eyes heavy.
"Have the doctors talked to you?" Chris asked holding his hand tightly. Street nodded, blinking slowly,
"Yeah, all went well" he managed. Chris smiled, but she sensed something in him that made her worry. She sensed his fear about the recovery ahead, she sensed he had doubts that he would recover 100% and be able to re-join the team.
"The doctor told us that you did amazing and because you're such a fighter he thinks you will recover fully" Chris said in a positive tone, trying to comfort and reassure him.
"Yeah" he said nodding "hope so"
It was still there, she could still see and hear the fear and worry in his voice. Hondo gave her a knowing look, before saying "Look, I'm gunna go, I gotta few errands to run but please let me know if you need anything, I'll pop back tomorrow"
"Thanks boss" Street murmured. Trying to smile at him as he left.
As the door slid closed and Hondo disappeared from sight, Chris looked back at him. He had closed his eyes again. She knew he was tired and in pain, but she had a sick feeling in her stomach. A sick feeling that he was already starting down that road of giving up.
Chris hesitated, she wasn't sure what to say to him, butterflies were going wild in her stomach.
"Hey…." She finally managed, her voice quivered. "Are you ok? … I mean…. Are you in pain or anything?"
He didn't speak at first, he slowly opened his eyes to look at her, "I'm ok" he said closing them again.
Chris slowly closed her eyes and exhaled. 'Shit…... here we go…he is giving up' she said to herself.
She got off the bed and moved closer to him. Sitting at his side, she gently leant over and put her hand on his face. She saw him flinch, not expecting that contact.
"Hey…." She said softly "Jim?" she waited for him to open his eyes and look at her. It took a minute, but he did.
She could see sadness, fear, worry and pain in his eyes. It broke her heart. "Hey…..." her hand tracing down his face. "Don't you dare give up on me" she said putting her face down closer to his. "I need you, I need you to be ok, and I need you to fight for me" She whispered.
He closed his eyes slowly and frowned in the corners of his mouth. "I'm not what you signed up for anymore" he whispered. Not looking at her.
The words hit Chris like a punch in the chest.