OK guys here you go! Hope you enjoy it. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
Kara had made her way down to the ICU after change into DEO standard issue sweatpants and hoodie. Kara was not found of the black but she did have to admit they were quite comfortable. Apparently she was quicker than Nurse Beth had expected and they had not quite finished getting Alex settled into her room so she asked Kara to just give them a few more minutes to get Alex settled. Eliza! Kara thought. Her Foster Mom needed to know. She pulled out her cell phone and dialled.
"Kara sweetie is everything alright?" Eliza picked up on the second ring, it was not normal for Kara to call in the middle of the day during the week
"Eliza it's Alex." Kara tried to remain calm and in control but it was tough at that the sound of her foster mother's voice.
"What happen?"
"She seems to have an infection from a scratch she got last night. The infection is quite bad. They are not sure what has caused it and are running tests. She collapsed in her lab running a high fever." Kara's voice was starting to crack. "Eliza I'm really worried."
"Kara I'm going to be on the next flight out. I will text you the flight details as soon as I have them. Kara your sister is a fighter." Eliza tried to comfort Kara while trying to calm her own fears.
"I love you."
"Love you too, I will see you soon." Eliza replied.
Kara sighed heavily as the call ended and she looked into Alex's room as they appeared to be almost done getting everything hooked up. She placed her cell phone back into her pocket and she wiped the tears from her cheeks. Her heart ached seeing Alex look so small and fragile lying in the bed.
"Kara." Hank called as he approached her.
"Hank did you find anything?"
"No we confirmed all the information from the database and there is nothing suggesting that the alien was poisonous. I informed Dr. Hamilton that we had no information that could help with a diagnosis. She said the labs should be back in the next hour or so. Hopefully they will be able to tell us what is going on."
Kara sighed at news. "Would you be able to have someone pick Eliza up at the airport? I called her and she is catching the next flight."
"Yes of course just let me know the arrival time and I will get someone there." Hank replied turning his attention to the activity in Alex's room. "She's tough she is going to fight this and be back on her feet in no time." Hank offered as he wrapped a supportive arm around Kara's shoulders. Kara leaned into Hank trying to absorb as much comfort as she could from him.
"OK guys you can go in and sit with her." Nurse Beth said as she approached Kara and Hank.
"Thank you, Beth." Kara replied.
"Kara you go ahead I'm going to go check on a few things and then I will come back to check on Alex." Hank said as he watch Kara head into the room.
Kara stopped just inside the room, it was a lot to take in. Alex's bed was surrounded by machines, tubes and wires running from them to Alex. She looked so small under the cooling blanket that covered her from her shoulders down to the foot of the bed. Her oxygen mask had been switched out for a nasal cannula. Kara moved to the side of the bed and sat in the chair the team had left for her. She reached under the cooling blanket and found Alex's hand taking it in hers intertwining their fingers. Kara was sure that she could noticed a difference in Alex's temperature to the touch, she seemed cooler. Still warm but not buring like she was only a short time ago. Kara smiled knowing her sister was indeed a fighter.
"Hey Alex they got you all settled into your room." Kara whispered as she reached up and tucked a piece of hair behind Alex's ear. A soft groan came from Alex at the touch and her head leaned into Kara's hand.
"Ka...ra." Alex's voice was dry and barely above a whisper.
"Hey Alex, it's me." Kara smiled as she gently squeezed Alex's hand.
Alex's eyes slowly opened and she smiled slightly as Kara came into focus. "Thirsty." Alex said horsely.
"Oh yeah of course, sorry." Kara said jumping up and filling a glass of water from the side table and then helping Alex sit up a bit higher in the bed and offered her the straw. Alex greedily sucked the water back. "Easy Alex go slow."
Alex release the straw from her lips and laid back into the pillow. "Thanks." Alex's voice not as hoarse now. "You OK?
Kara smiled "You're the one lying in the ICU."
"Well are you?" Alex squeezed Kara's hand.
"I'm just worried about you, Alex. How are you feeling?"
"Better." Alex tried to muster a smile to reassure Kara.
"Liar."
"I do feel better than I did. My head is not pounding and I'm not as hot, just tired." Alex shifted slightly in bed wincing slightly as her shoulder was still sore. "I'm sorry I scared you Kara."
"Just promise not to do it again." Kara took ALex's hand into both of hers. "I hate seeing you sick. All I could think of was when we were kids and you got pneumonia."
"And just like that I will get over this as well." Alex reassured her.
"Agent Danvers glad to see you awake." Dr. Hamilton walked into the room carrying Alex's chart in her hands.
"Did you get the lab results?" Kara questioned immediately standing to face Dr. Hamilton but still held Alex's hand.
"We did." Dr. Hamilton replied and took a deep breath opening the chart. "You seem to have developed a staph infection."
"That's good then now that you know you can treat it right?" Kara interjected.
"Not exactly. It appears to be Staphylococcus aureus but different, mutated somehow." Dr. Hamilton explained. "The lab suspects that bacteria was on the alien and must have mutated with another bacteria that was already present on it."
"But you can treat it right?" Kara questioned.
"We are not sure."
"What do you mean you're not sure!" Kara's frustration getting the better of her.
"Kara." Alex pleaded trying to get Kara to calm down. "It's going to be OK just let the Doc finish."
Dr. Hamilton stepped forward and placed a hand on Kara's shoulder. "We are going to do everything we can. We have Alex on our strongest antibiotic which works well against Staphylococcus aureus. We just have to monitors her closely to make sure the mutated version still responds to it." She paused and looked to Alex. "The good news is that you seem to be responding, your temperature is down and all your vitals seem to have stabilized."
"Doc I'm sorry I did not mean to snap, it has just been a long day." Kara apologized.
"Kara it's OK I understand." She rubbed Kara's shoulder. "Would you mind waiting outside for a few minutes so I can examine Alex now that she is awake?"
"Yeah of course." Kara smiled and looked to Alex and leaned down and kissed her forehead. "I will be just outside."
Alex smiled. "I love you."
"I love you too."
As Kara reached the hallway she pulled out her cell phone to check her messages. She had one from Eliza with the details of her flight. She thought about going to find Hank to give him the information but really did not want to be far from Alex so she just texted him the info. She would land in 5 hours. Kara felt a sense of relief knowing that Eliza would soon be there.
Kara's phone buzzed just as she was going to put it back in her pocket. It was James. "Shoot Friday game night." Kara exclaimed. She had totally forgotten that she was to meet James and Winn at James' loft for games night.
"James, I am so sorry."
"Kara are you OK?"
"Yes I'm fine, it's Alex. She is sick and in the med bay."
"Oh no, is she alright?"
"She is doing better she developed an infection and had collapsed in her lab."
"Oh Kara I am so sorry."
"Thanks James. But I'm going to have to pass on game night."
"Yeah of course don't even think twice about it. If you need anything just let me know, OK?"
"I will. Thanks, James. Bye."
"Kara?" Dr. Hamilton exited Alex's room.
"How is she doing?" Kara questioned.
"She is doing well. I have removed the cooling blanket as her temperature seems to have stabilized. Her wound is also looking much better. The red streaks are not as bright and have reduced in size. These are all good signs." Dr. Hamilton explained. "We will be keeping a very close eye on her. You can go back in and sit with her if you like."
"Thank you." Kara smiled and headed back into Alex's room.
Entering the room Kara noted that Alex didn't look quite as small in the bed now that she wasn't dwarfed under the cooling blanket. "Hey you." Alex smiled at her sister.
"Hey, doc says that you are doing better." Kara sat back down in the chair.
"See I told you it would be OK." Alex replied groggily her eyes becoming heavy.
"You need some rest, close your eyes. I will be here when you wake up." Kara took Alex's hand in hers again.
"K" Alex managed before sleep pulled her in.
Kara smiled as she listened to Alex's heartbeat slow as entered sleep and as a calm settled across Alex's face. Kara reached up brushing some stray hair from Alex's forehead. It had been a long emotional day. Kara pulled her chair closer to the edge of the bed and laid her head on the side of the bed close to Alex's mid section, their hands still in one anothers. The rhythmic beat of Alex's heartbeat had soon lulled Kara to sleep as well.
The wailing of the alarms ripped Kara from her sleep causing her to bolt upright in the chair trying to get her bearings. What was going? Why are the alarms going off? "Alex!" Kara looked to the bed where Alex's body was violently convulsing in the midst of some sort of seizure. "Alex!" Kara jumped to her feet. "I need help in here." she yelled then noticed that Alex's hand was clamped down on her own hand. Kara reached for Alex trying to stop her from thrashing around the bed potentially hurting herself. She noticed that Alex was covered again in perspiration and that her skin was on fire again. "Help!" Kara called out again just as the med team ran into the room lead by Dr. Hamilton.
"Please help her." Kara pleaded.
"Give us some room Kara." Hamilton directed.
Kara tried to back up but Alex's hand was clamped tight down on Kara's. Kara had to actually use her super strength to pry Alex's finger open so that she could give the team room. Kara backed up watching the scene that unfolded. "Alex, please." Kara pleaded tears streaming down her face.
TBC