A/N: This is the last segment of being in the hospital before things are back to normal 'one-shots'. Thank you all for reading, favoriting, and reviewing! I'm glad you're loving this series as much as I love writing it!
I apologize for the delay in getting this out-work has been wonderful and taking up a ton of time. Not that I mind, because I'm learning so much, but it takes away from time to write and even post. In the next few weeks things will calm down and, hopefully, get back to "normal".
This picks up right after the previous chapter, there's no time jump.
Disclaimer: I own nothing, I'm merely writing about these lovely idiots because I love them as much as you guys do.
"Ms. Wheeler, Mr. Carlyle," Dr. Avery interrupted and they looked up to see him holding a manila folder, "I received the latest x-rays and I thought you would want to know the results as soon as possible."
"Yes, please," Anne nodded and Phillip tightened his grip on her hand. He took a seat on the bed next to them and placed the folder next to him, his hands clasped in his lap.
"We were originally worried the swelling had compromised the spinal column," he relayed and they nodded, knowing the original fears. "The new x-rays show swelling has decreased, but not uniformly."
"What does that mean?" Phillip asked looking between Anne and the doctor.
"Our new fear is excessive movement could push vertebrae out of place or cause torn ligaments as the swelling continues to decrease." Avery said. "To prevent all movement, we'd like your permission to use a general anesthetic to put you in a medically-induced sleep."
"That sounds...dangerous," Anne hesitated, glancing between Phillip and the doctor.
"It's a new idea and with constant monitoring, patients have a 60% recovery rate," Avery informed. "It is dangerous but without it, we fear you could do more damage and become paralyzed." Phillip looked at Anne as she looked at him and he could see the fear in her eyes.
"Can we have a minute?" Phillip asked and Avery nodded.
"The sooner we do the procedure the better," he said, "but I understand needing to take time to talk it over." He stood and Anne waited until he was several bed away to turn to Phillip.
"I'm scared," she confessed and he brushed a kiss to the knuckles of her hand he held, sweeping stray locks of hair away from her face.
"I know," was the only thing he could think to say. "I am too."
"I think I need to do it," she replied and he could only nod.
"I will agree with whatever you decide," he told her. "I won't leave your side and I know W.D. will do the same. We'll watch over you." Anne nodded and closed her eyes, setting her mind before nodding and opening them again with decision.
"Tell him I'll do it," she said and Phillip stood, gave her a kiss on the forehead, and left to find Avery.
^v^v^
Once Anne was unconscious, Avery had her transferred to another ward-this time for something called 'traction'. He had to explain it to Phillip several times before he understood, it was a better way to ensure proper alignment of the spine and would move Anne in the right way if she needed and keep her still in others.
The first thing he did was inform W.D. when he came back several hours later with a fresh change of clothes and food for Phillip. Avery explained, again, the use of the ether to keep her unconscious and in traction. He was understandably upset he wasn't able to be there for his sister when she went under, but glad Phillip was and took over watching Anne while Phillip grabbed a shower, changed his clothes, and ate while the food was still warm.
"Flip?" a soft voice called and Phillip turned to see Lottie approaching him slowly, carefully, almost afraid he would lash out if she moved too fast.
"What are you doing here?" he asked coldly, the encounter with his mother earlier that day fresh in his mind.
"Your father told me your mother was coming by," she grimaced, "and what they were going to offer."
"And you're here to talk me into it?" Phillip retorted harshly. "How many times do I have to say it: I'm not leaving Anne. I'm not asking you to understand why I love her, but have the decency to understand I'm not leaving her."
"I came here to support you," she whispered. "You're right: I don't know why you love her...but I'd like to find out." The words took the fight out of him and deflated him; he could only gap at his older cousin, mimicking a fish at his loss of words.
"Do you mean that?" his voice broke at the question and she nodded with a smile.
"I've never known you to choose hardship, Flip," she took a step closer, placing her hand on his shoulder, "so if you're defying your parents, choosing the circus and outcasts, and refusing to give up Anne for a comfortable life again, there's something we're not seeing. I'd like to know what that is."
"She's asleep right now," Phillip said, "but I'd love for you to meet her brother." Lottie nodded and Phillip took her to Anne's room, walking in first and talking with W.D. before motioning for Lottie to enter. Few words were exchanged between the group; they weren't strangers but they weren't quite family, not yet. Phillip took one side of Anne's bed as W.D. took the other and Lottie sat behind Phillip.
"Tell me about her," Lottie broke the silence several minutes later and Phillip and W.D. grinned-this they could do with ease.
^v^v^
Four days. She was kept in a state of unconsciousness for four days while the doctors continuously monitored her progress and made minute adjustments to the frame she lay upon. The contraption looked medieval but Avery assured them this was the best care Anne could receive-despite the torturous look, it was helping her heal.
On the morning of the fifth day, they stopped administering ether, letting her wake as naturally as possible. Lottie arrived for a few hours every day, as did P.T. and Charity, and Lettie stopped by a few times with flowers (to keep the room "fresh" she stated and though Anne couldn't see them, Phillip could sense she knew). The doctors warned it would take a while for her to wake because she had been under for so long and Phillip thought they were being overly cautious-it was when they were entering the sixth day of her slowly waking and moments of consciousness followed by her falling back to sleep did he realize it could be days before she was awake enough to be alert.
"Mr.'s Wheeler and Carlyle," Avery announced excitedly, "I have wonderful news-the latest x-rays show the treatment worked-the swelling has significantly reduced and there appears to be no lasting damage to the spinal column." Phillip looked at a stunned W.D., shouting with joy before pulling his future brother-in-law in for a hug.
"So she'll be able to walk?" W.D. asked.
"I can't say with 100% certainty," Avery clarified, "but there doesn't appear to be any reason she can't."
"That's wonderful news," Phillip beamed, shaking the man's hand. "Thank you very much." Now they had to wait for Anne to wake up to tell her the news. The doctors unhooked her from the traction contraption a day later, declaring her recovered enough to lay in a regular bed, and that night she was back in the original ward under the watchful eye of Dr. Avery, W.D., Phillip, and Lottie.
Three days after she moved wards, Anne woke early in the morning and looked around groggily. W.D. was passed out in the bed next to her, Phillip was slumped over the side of her bed, her left hand clasped in his, and a woman (she would swear it was Phillip's cousin Lottie but what would she be doing here?) was in the bed Phillip usually occupied. Without thinking, she lifted her right hand and ran her fingers through Phillip's hair, waking him gently. He stirred under her touch without thinking and smiled.
"Hi," she whispered once he opened his eyes and looked at her.
"You're awake," he hummed with happiness and she nodded but the words registered in his mind. He sat up straighter and caught her hand in his-it froze and he felt the strength of it and grinned madly. "You're awake!" he almost yelled, leaning forward to kiss her quickly before hitting W.D. awake and shaking Lottie, repeating the phrase over and over again. W.D. sat up, confused for a moment until he saw his sister smiling at him and he fell out of bed in his excitement to be next to her.
"How are you feeling?" W.D. asked, gently placing a hand on her arm and Anne twitched at the sensation.
"I can feel that," she grinned in amazement and W.D. laughed and wept with joy, placing a kiss on her cheek. Phillip returned to stand to her left and carefully, she lifted her hand and reached for his; taking his hand in hers -each grinning like mad as her fingers wrapped around his. He bent over and placed a kiss on her forehead before touching his forehead to hers in a moment of intimacy that caused W.D. to look away.
"It's been over a week," he breathed, "but it worked, baby. The treatment worked." Anne wrapped her free arm around his neck and pulled him down for a scorching kiss.
"I knew you were here," she whispered. "I could hear you; both of you." She looked up to her brother and squeezed his hand.
"We didn't leave your side," W.D. said, kneeling on the floor next to her bed.
"I can attest to that," a female voice interrupted. Phillip turned and stood, ushering her in to the small reunion and Anne looked at her quizzically, realizing she did recognize her.
"L...Lottie?" she asked, and the woman seemed surprised to be recognized but Phillip nodded with a grin.
"She's been spending several hours with you if W.D. or I needed to go anywhere," he said. "It's a long story and I'll tell you all of it later," he promised.
"I can't wait," she grinned at him before turning to his cousin and offering her hand, surprised the woman took it without hesitation. "Thank you," Anne said, looking the woman in the eye, "for everything."
"I'm glad you're awake," Lottie beamed, giving her hand the tiniest squeeze. "These two have been worried sick about you." Anne opened her mouth to respond but the sound of a clearing throat turned all their heads.
"I hate to interrupt this reunion," Dr. Avery apologized, "but seeing as the patient is awake, we need to perform a few tests. It won't take long, but why don't you three go get breakfast and by the time you return we'll have Ms. Wheeler back?"
^v^v^
Two weeks after waking, Anne sat in a wheelchair as Phillip pushed her through the doors of Bellevue. The weak sunlight that trickled through the windows of her ward was nothing compared to feeling the sun on her face and the breeze blowing through her hair for the first time in over three weeks. W.D. walked next to her, beaming down at his sister as he held the door for Phillip, sending the man a knowing grin. Before Anne could ask about it, she turned to see P.T., Charity, the girls, and Lottie and her husband standing with balloons, flowers, and cheering for her as Phillip wheeled her out.
"What are you all doing here?" Anne asked in amazement as Helen and Caroline ran up to give her hugs.
"Phillip told us you were getting out today," Charity said, walking over and giving the younger girl a gentle hug, as though to show her children it could be done.
"And we couldn't miss seeing you walk out of this place," P.T. grinned. The darker thought of her not walking out passed through their minds for a moment but that was only a nightmare-a dark dream during the night. And this, as Phillip watched over Anne while she stood to thunderous applause, was a brand new day.
A/N 2: I hope you all enjoyed that! I tried to keep things as historically true to time as possible but, again, I'm not an expert so if I made a mistake, let it ride.
As always, if you feel the need to flame, please flame responsibly :)