Chapter 59: The Figure

"Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence. True friendship is a plant of slow growth, and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity before it is entitled to the appellation." – George Washington

"A wonderful stream is the River Time, As it runs through the realm of Tears, With a faultless rhythm, and a musical rhyme, And a broader sweep, and a surge sublime, As it blends with the Ocean of Years." – B.F. Taylor


Sydney tried desperately to console Vaughn who launched into a new set of gut wrenching weeping. She moved to cradle his head and gently rocked him.

"Vaughn…I didn't call him…I didn't call him…" she chanted as Vaughn held on to her tightly. She realized that even if Vaughn thought she had called, she was the one he turned to; latched onto for support and comfort, just as he had in the bathtub mere moments ago. She understood, that even if he thought she had betrayed him in a sense, she was the only one he felt safe with.

"Easy…" she said as he tried to calm himself. She took his face in her hands and forced him to look at her.

"Michael, I didn't call him…I wouldn't do that to you…I think Will did…he's…he's worried too…I'm sorry…I know you're scared, but you have to believe me…I didn't call…"

He nodded and she spent several more minutes holding him and speaking softly to him before his grip lightened in the least. When she thought he was composed enough, she let go slightly, looking him in the eyes again, "I'm going to go out there…you stay here…and try to relax. Don't worry, ok? I'm not going to let anyone take you…ok?"

Vaughn nodded and reluctantly let go of her. "Syd?" he said in a voice just above a whisper and shakily.

"Yeah?" she said moving back to him.

"I don't want to be alone…"

"I know…" she smiled, "I won't let him come in without me…" She kissed him before leaving the bedside, giving him a reassuring glance before leaving the room and entering the hall.

Once she was in the hall, she came face to face with a person she very much disliked at the moment.

Tom was standing next to the door, "Would someone like to explain why my friend in there totally broke down into sobs when I came in the–" he got out before Sydney brushed past him, went over to Will, got right in his face and slapped him hard across the cheek.

Will's hand automatically went to the place where an angry red mark was already forming, and his look was one of utter shock.

Sydney moved away from him slightly, "You had no right…NO RIGHT! to call him," she said pointing to Tom. "It was not your decision!"

Will looked at her completely speechless, "I…I…only thought that someone needed to call…I…I was just concerned…he was really bad Sydney…" Will tried to reason.

"And who was responsible for that?" Sydney shot at him. "Us Will…US!" she said angrily. "We scared the living shit out of him! He was totally convinced that when you came into the bathroom that you were waiting there with him because I was calling the ambulance. He basically had a complete nervous breakdown in the fucking bathtub because we couldn't communicate!"

She realized suddenly that Vaughn's doctor was standing just feet away from her. Her head snapped in his direction.

He looked at her, "I think I can piece most of it together…I got a call from Will telling me there was an emergency and that I needed to get here as fast as I could…"

Sydney shot Will another glace full of anger.

"Look, Tom…I'm sorry he called you…he had no right to do that…we…I made a mistake…a horrible mistake…and now Vaughn's the one who's paying for it once again! It was just a bad night…that's all…I was just scared…it was just a bad night and a really bad morning…please, Tom…please don't make Vaughn pay for my mistake even more…he's so tired already…he's so scared…please…"

Tom held up his hand, "Just cool it…I think everyone in this house needs to chill…let's start over…what happened?"

Sydney tried to calm herself before starting, "Vaughn overdid it yesterday. When we woke up, we did his exercises and he had a muscle spasm…he rested awhile and everyone else had already left for the day…and Vaughn wanted to go out on the couch. Against what should have been my better judgment, I agreed to help him walk out to the living room. It started out ok, but he got really dizzy about halfway there. He said he needed to lie down and he spent the rest of the day on the couch, just sleeping. He got a fever again and he was really tired and weak. We went to bed, and he had a nightmare, but the fever was pretty high too and he was delirious. He fell out of the bed, but this morning he didn't remember any of it. I was scared, I didn't know if he was ok, and I contemplated calling you or the hospital. I felt horribly guilty in the morning and Vaughn picked up on my different attitude and called me on it. I really didn't tell him, but I think he figured it out anyway. However, I let Will go into the bathroom for a few minutes while I calmed down in the hall and Vaughn pretty much took the conversation with Will as though I was currently calling you to take him back to the hospital. When I came back in, he basically fell apart in the tub, because he was so scared. That's when he got sick…his vomiting had nothing, NOTHING to do with his injuries, it was all because Will and I failed to actually communicate what we really wanted to say. It's our fault…and I just had him calmed down when Will decided that I couldn't handle it all and called you. There was no emergency; I had it under control. And you can ask Vaughn, I just had him agree, I was going to call you tomorrow to have you come over and just double check to make sure he didn't hurt himself when he fell or when he got sick. Go ahead, ask him…he thought I'd totally lied to him when you came in…he's terrified of going back Tom, terrified," she looked to Will at the last part of her sentence, but his head was downcast.

Tom smiled slightly, "I don't need to ask him…I believe you…look, I'm going to say this for all of you present, so listen up: I trust Sydney completely. She's capable of handling just about anything, and especially if it deals with Mike. Will, I understand your concern, but I have faith in Sydney's capabilities. If she says she can handle it, she can. Sydney, Will was only trying to help, he thought Mike was in trouble, and any confidence issues that he has with your capabilities should be handled on the side and not in front of my patient. Francie, I really have nothing to say to you…you seem to be quite level-headed in all of this."

Francie smiled.

"Now…I've said this before…I want this to work. It's not a bad thing that Vaughn overdid it, I mean it's bad he overdid it, but he needs to know his limits for himself, and everyone else here does too. He needs to be able to push himself and yet to know when it's too much. I agree that the vomiting was probably stress induced, and Sydney's handled fevers before, so I'm not concerned there either. You said you were going to call me anyway to make sure Michael was ok from the fall, so I think you still have everything under control."

He stopped to make sure everyone was still listening, "That said…I want everyone here to also know that I will not be used as a pawn against Michael of for your personal opinions and feelings. I really could give a shit how you guys feel, all that matters is that man in there," he said pointing to the bedroom door. "And when my friend bursts into tears because he sees me in a doorway, there's a problem. I will NOT be used against him. I'm his friend, but I'm also his doctor, and if I think for one minute that the environment here is not conducive to his recovery, I will pull him out of here, not because I'm mean, but because I want what's best for him. Don't go over each other's heads again…TALK. Should I say that slower for you? T A L K to each other. I don't want another rabid call from one of you telling me that there's an emergency when the only emergency is a lack of communication on your parts. Got it?" Tom added for emphasis.

All three nodded their heads like children who'd just been disciplined.

"Good, now that my parenting is over, if you don't mind, I'm going to go in there and see if Michael is ok."

Sydney moved to the door with him and they entered slowly. Vaughn was still on the bed, but he tensed slightly when Tom entered. Sydney sat next to Vaughn on the bed and Tom stayed a safe distance away.

"Hey Mikey…"

Vaughn smiled weakly.

"You've had quite a time the last 12 hours haven't you?"

Vaughn nodded.

"Look…I've had a little chat with the other occupants of the house…Will called me…ok? It wasn't Sydney…he was worried and that's ok…but I told them all – I will not be used against you as some kind of boogie man who comes over to taunt you with the prospect of being taken back to the hospital. I've had no intention of doing that yet, but Mike, I will if they use me against you again. You do NOT have to be afraid of me…ok? I'm your friend Mikey…we go way back…don't let them scare you…I know you're scared and you don't want to go back to the hospital, but stop worrying about that. You're doing well here…setbacks are going to happen, I told you that before, and Sydney was handling everything fine. You two seem to be communicating a lot better than the rest of the household. Ok?"

Vaughn nodded.

Tom moved closer, "OK?" he asked again.

"Yeah," Vaughn said looking at Tom.

"Good…now let me look at you, make sure you didn't sustain any more injuries from all the fun you've had."

Tom moved slowly and deliberately so Vaughn wouldn't have to get jittery. He tried to be as gentle as possible. Vaughn pulled away from him at one point, but Tom didn't take any offense to it, he realized that at the moment, it was just an unconscious reaction to being touched.

"Ok…are there any spots that you think are hurt? Any new pains?"

Vaughn pointed to two points on his ribs, each on one side. Tom moved gently across the areas, but Vaughn started moving again in obvious pain.

"Just stay with me here…I'm sorry it hurts buddy, but I gotta make sure…"

He prodded carefully until he was satisfied, "Ok, I think they're just bruised and tender, could even be just aggravation from the vomiting. Anywhere else?"

"I think I landed on my shoulder when I fell off the bed…I don't really remember it, but it hurts…seems logical."

Tom moved to his shoulder, "I'm gonna take the sling off for a minute." Tom removed the sling and gripped Vaughn's wrist. "I'm going to rotate it…it's gonna hurt a little bit."

Vaughn gritted his teeth while Tom rotated the shoulder, pressing on the joint, making sure once again that no further damage had been sustained. "Nope, I think you just aggravated it when you fell…no new injuries. Did you hit your head?"

"I don't think so," Vaughn said turning to Sydney.

"I didn't see him fall, I just heard it and then I saw him on the floor, but his head wasn't near anything."

"I'll check anyway…" Tom took hold of Vaughn's chin and moved his head having him focus on his finger, then he got out the flashlight and did his standard test. "Looks good," he said, "I'm done…you seem fine, just shaken up. I agree with Sydney and I think the vomiting was just anxiety. I think you should eat something and he should definitely get his pills again cause I'm sure they came up…" He stopped looking pointedly at Vaughn, "Mike, I want you to rest today, and don't try the full-fledged walking until next week. Give your ribs a rest for today too, and start the exercises tomorrow. If you or Sydney thinks that six is too many, shave one or two off until you think you're ready. It's a guide, not a bible. Just go at the pace that's good for you…ok?"

Vaughn nodded and settled into the bed.

Sydney got up and walked Tom to the door. "Next time I get a frantic call from Will or Francie, I'll call you first, ok?"

"Thanks," Sydney said, hugging Tom.

Tom was somewhat surprised, but hugged her back too.

"Call if you need anything," he said winking as he opened the door. "Francie, Will…see ya later."

Tom walked out and Sydney stayed in the door jam, "Will, I'm sorry I slapped you, but we still need to talk. I'm going to take care of him first…"

Will nodded but he didn't say anything.

Francie smiled and gave Sydney a hug before pulling Will with her into the living room.

Sydney turned around and closed the bedroom door, heading back to Vaughn