Who knew going home from the hospital could be so exhausting...


Sorry it's taken so long to post new chapters... Real life keeps getting in the way...


Getting Mike home wasn't as easy as Ginny had thought it would be. He couldn't walk on his own yet and still required 24 hour care for at least another week or two. As a nurse was helping to Mike into another of Mike's cars, Ginny fumed… "Can we pleeaaase talk about this later?"

"No, Baker. No we can NOT. You need to be out practicing today and back in the game ASAP. I told you. We can afford home health care for me. Have fun with all the 'old Man' jokes you want, but I got someone to help me so you can get back out there."

The discharge nurse said a polite, but awkward, good-bye and shut his car door. And Ginny slid into the drivers seat. "Buckle up. Saved your life last time. I really hate driving now, you know."

"I know Gin. You focus on driving. I need to make a call to call the agency to let them know I've been discharged and we should be home in 20."

"How do you always get your way? If I wasn't head over heals in love with you… ugghhh…" And with that she leaned over, kissed his forehead, checked his seatbelt, put both hands on the steering wheel and sighed. "Make your call, then no talking. And no radio. I hate driving right now."

The ride was silent the rest of the way home. There was clearly a disconnect between them. Mike's season was obviously done, but Ginny hadn't even considered her season. Mike on the other hand wasn't gong to bring her down with him. The team had left for Boston that morning. Al had called before take-off, assuming she would stay on the DL for the Boston series. Should they win this series, Al hoped to have her back in the line up for the next round of play-offs. She had become one of his best closers. She made the mistake of taking the call on speaker-phone and Mike heard every bit.

They pulled up to their house to be greeted by a tall beautiful brunette nurse standing in the driveway. Mike immediately shouted "Oh, hell no!"

"Babe, I don't care how pretty the nurses are, I trust you."

The nurse opened his door as soon as Ginny put the car in park. Mike just kept saying "No… no…. nooo….." again and again.

"Hi Mikey… Nice to see you. I was so excited to see your name come up."

"This isn't going to work, Vicky I'm calling the agency as soon as we get inside."

Ginny's head snapped over, 'Mikey?' 'Vicky?' No intro's needed? Who was this lady?

"But Mikey, we'll have so much fun together." Vicky wasn't exactly a bubbly bimbo type. On first glance, a person would assume she could hold a decent conversation. But the way she was looking at Mike, and referring to him… Mikey?

"Vicky, I don't think you've met my fiancé, Ginny. Which is why you can't be here."

Yup, she was a former groupie… just awesome.

"Well at least let me help get you inside." Vicky said. "I have to say, I thought the Ginny/Mike stuff was all just a media ploy."

"No." Mike and Ginny both yelled in unison. Then Ginny proudly flashed her engagement ring.

They gingerly helped Mike into the house. His ribs were sore. His stiches, not yet healed from his spleen being removed. Body covered in bruises. But he was alive.

They sat him on the couch, rather laid him down. It was funny how much energy it took him to get into and out of the car. He was already tired and wanting to sleep.

"I guess I'll leave." Vicky said. "Sorry it didn't work out."

"Good idea…" Ginny didn't bother seeing the woman to the door. She didn't mean to be rude, she was just more concerned with Mike. "See, I need to be here with you and not at Petco practicing."

"Give me my damn phone… and go get ready. The gym at Petco will be open for a few more hours. I bet we can have someone here in two hours. I'll sleep for most of the afternoon anyway, so it won't be a problem."

Ginny tossed his phone on his chest. "I'm not going anywhere if there isn't someone here to look after you. You heard what the doctor said… not for the next week until we go back for your check up. You are to have someone with you 24-7, Mister!" Then she stormed off to take a shower.

About 30 minutes later she emerged back downstairs fully expecting that whatever "agency" Mike had on speed dial wouldn't be able to help him out on such short notice. Mike was asleep on the couch with the TV on a low volume.

Ginny went to grab something from the fridge. The sound of bottles clinking together when the door pulled open must have woken Mike. "Good Luck Baker. Someone should be here in… what time is it? Soon."

"I'm not comfortable with this… leaving you."

"Well I told them to make sure they screened to make sure none of the nurses they send over had ever had any dalliances with me. Geez, I'm so sorry Gin."

"It's not that… Well yeah, I hate being reminded of just of many women you slept with in between Rachel and I. And for the record… NEVER tell me how many… NEVER! But I almost lost you. And do you realize I haven't left your side for more than 30 minutes at a time since I got to the hospital. So to leave you for even a hour to practice… That means I'm back in the game."

"You should want back in the game Baker!" He winced because of the pain from nearly shouting. The conversation had definitely escalated.

"If the Padres win, the next series is likely at home. But then what? If we win that series, I'm on the road and you're not. You're here."

"Yeah, I'm here. I'm alive and not six feet under… So get your perfect pear-shaped ass back out there and play. When we first got together, I was so worried I was going to be the end of your career. And here we are… You not playing because of me. I'll be fine… Get. Back. Out. There." Mike said defiantly as though he was back in the club house talking to a Ginny Baker from three years ago, not his battery mate and fiancé. Now Ginny was pissed at the way he just spoke to her. She sat herself down and chose not to respond. He was in pain. They would talk about it later.

The next 15 minutes were filled with silence. Mike lay half asleep on the couch and Ginny sat on a barstool in the kitchen reading on her phone until the doorbell rang. Ginny jumped up to get the door.

"Hi, I'm here to help Mr. Lawson. My name is Tina Montes." A petite but muscular woman, in her mid 30's held her hand out. "Yes, I know I'm small, but I've had many clients who were much larger than Mr. Lawson. I'm stronger than I look." Ginny knew she'd like this lady. Not one to be underestimated.

"I'm Ginny, should I go over his meds and discharge papers with you? He's half asleep right now. And he's insisting I get to practice."

"Sure thing. His team of doctors faxed over his discharge papers, but I always like to go over things with those that have spent time with the patient. Only so much makes it to paper."

Ginny and Tina got to work going over everything. Tina would be at their house pretty much anytime Ginny couldn't be there and then some. Ginny also offered her a guest bedroom in case she wanted to stay the night instead of driving home late if Ginny had a night game.

Once Ginny felt okay with Tina, she went over to wake Mike. "Old man…" Ginny took his hand and kissed his forehead, much the same way she did when he was unconscious in the hospital. Mike woke gently. He slept a lot these days, but not very soundly. Hospitals are noisy, even in the middle of the night. "Since you are trying to get rid of me, I'm going to go. My replacement is here." And Ginny motioned over to Tina who smiled back.

"You know I love you and it's for your own good, right?" Mike said

"Yeah… Yeah…. Go back to sleep. Tina WILL call me if anything is wrong or if she has any questions." Ginny leaned over to kiss him again and got up to leave, still noticeably concerned about leaving him behind.

Tina followed Ginny to the door. "It's hard to leave a loved one behind, especially when he just got home from the hospital today. Here is my card and cell number. Stay at the gym for 3 hours or just 30 minutes. What ever you are comfortable. I won't take offense if you come home early. That is your loved one in there."

Ginny lasted two hours at the gym. She pitched a little, but ironically it was the batting cage that helped work out some of her frustration. But Petco was lonely with limited staff and no teammates there to keep her going. She picked up dinner on her way back to the house, enough for three just in case Tina stayed. Frankly, she was hoping for the extra company. It was an odd juxtaposition… Ginny didn't want to be away from Mike, but she was furious with him at the moment.

As luck would have it, Mike was back asleep when she arrived back home. Tina caught Ginny up on the 30 minutes that Mike actually spent awake. Tina shared dinner with Ginny, then headed out. She'd be back the next day to help out for several hours to allow Ginny to practice again and run a few errands - their fridge was empty.

Ginny grabbed a blanket from upstairs and settled into a chair nearby Mike. It was then she was so very grateful she had insisted on changing out the furniture in the living room a while back. As much as she would love to be upstairs in her bed, their recliner chair was leaps and bounds better than the recliner chair in the hospital.

Ginny nodded of herself. If nothing else, she had learned in the hospital, it was to sleep when she could, don't waste an opportunity to get some rest when you have meds to deal with throughout the night. She'd been asleep about 45 minutes when she heard Mike attempting to get up on his own.

"You know you're not supposed to walk without someone near you yet." And Ginny jumped into action. "I brought dinner home. I can bring it to you so you don't have to walk."

"No, I need to move. I'll walk the whole 15 feet to the kitchen. It's only stairs I have issues with." Mike said sarcastically. "Plus, I've been thinking about our bed all day. Think we can get me up those stairs?"

"That is the first thing we have agreed on all day. I can't wait to sleep in that bed!"

Mike had been on steroids to help his lungs, which had increased his appetite significantly. He plowed through the food and Ginny cleaned up after him. No words were exchanged. Then they moved to the stairs and took one step at a time, very slowly up the stairs.

"Remember the first time I stayed the night here?" Ginny asked as they hit the third step of the journey up.

"I'll never forget. You were drunk and kicked out at least a dozen women, then jumped into my pool to sober up because you didn't want our first kiss to be, well… drunk."

"And then we made out like teenagers for the next several hours. Until about 2 in the morning when we were close to falling asleep on that horrible couch you use to have. Then I.." Ginny chimed in smiling for probably the first time that day.

Mike interrupted… "You stunned me when you just got up and headed up the stairs." By now they were at the half way-point. "You stopped about here and looked down at me. And asked if I was coming to bed. I was so afraid that you would wake up the next day and regret everything."

"Is that why you waited another several days to have sex with me?" Ginny asked.

"Of course. Kissing your best friend is one thing. But sleeping with her? I couldn't risk losing your friendship… As much as I wanted to, and did I ever, I wanted it for the ling run, not just one night." Mike took her left hand and rand his thumb over her engagement finger.

"I've got no regrets old man… I loved you before I could say it out loud. You are my best friend and my lover. But you talk to me again like you did earlier, and you will have regrets. In the clubhouse, you're the 'Captain' and can boss me around. But here, at home, we're equals."

They had made their way to the top of the stairs and were rounding the corner into their bedroom. They stopped and looked at the bed like it was the Holy Grail. Ginny continued, "You get a pass because I know you are in pain and think you are looking out for me. But you don't get to bark orders at me here. Got it?"

"Got it." Mike said with his head hung just a little lower now. He hadn't realized the tone he'd used earlier.

Ginny helped him into bed. She ran back downstairs to get his meds. She set an alarm for 4 hours later to get up and give Mike his next dose. By the time she settled in herself, she was exhausted. But she was in her, their bed. She had nowhere to be in the morning. They had no hospital staff checking vitals hourly. Then she felt Mike take her hand.

"Rookie?" He asked laying flat on his back. Moving about really wasn't an option for his beaten up body right now.

"Yeah…"

"We good?"

"Yeah, we're good." And she squeezed his hand.

That night they sleep better than they had in days. When the alarm went off to give Mike his meds, it was barely noticeable… It took only a few minutes and they were both back to a deep slumber.

Figuring out how to get back to business wouldn't be easy. Things were going to change. It was inevitable, as Mike was going to retire in a few weeks time anyway. Their timeline had been escalated, and Mike wasn't able to leave on his terms, so it made for an unfortunate situation. Or did he really have to leave. But that was a question for another day…