''How is he?'' Gabriela jumped up as the doctor finally walked out of the hallways towards her. ''Was it another stroke?''
''A mini stroke, he is doing fine.''
Gabriela sighed and it was as if all the worries were falling off her shoulders. Matt was going to be okay!
''It was a TIA. He should be fine within a few hours. We will keep him here for observation tonight.''
Relieved Gabriela sat down in the chair again. She had been so scared it had been a second, possibly lethal, stroke. It had been another stroke, but a small one and she knew that the symptoms should be gone within a few hours.
''Could this be the symptom off a bigger second stroke?'' She asked then, knowing he wasn't out of the woods yet.
''We prescribed him different medicines, which should prevent that. Ofcourse we cannot be totally sure, we are sure enough to say that chance is less than minimal.''
''Can I see him?''
The doctor nodded and showed the way. Matt was asleep and Gabby kissed him goodnight, happy to hear he was okay. Her heart had been racing up till the doctor finally told he was doing okay.
''I have to say he looks a lot better than when he left the hospital, even with the TIA.'' The doctor nodded and Gabriela look at him, only realizing it was the same doctor as whom had treated Matt in here before/
''I hope this was the last time he will be rushed in here.'' The doctor nodded as he left the room and Gabriela sat down next to the bed. Although he still looked fragile in one f the large hospital beds, he looked more asleep than sick and Gabriela caressed his hand.
''Never worry me again like that, Matt!'' She mumbled as the tears started to drip down her cheeks, not because he was doing bad, but the emotional load of worry finally fell from her shoulders. He was doing okay, he wasn't going to leave her.
''Bonjour Monsieur! bienvenue á France!'' The lady took his passport and looked at him. Her eyes went from the picture in his passport to him and after a few minutes and she laid it down.
''Can I see your visa?'' She asked with a french accent and Matthew nodded, grabbing the papers from his bag. She checked the papers and the pc, finally handing him the papers and his passport back after a few minutes.
''Enjoy your stay!'' She greeted him and Matthew walked past the customs, ready to get his luggage back. All he had taken for another larger backpack with few clothes and the documents he would need and money. A French family passed him and he couldn't understand them, but it seemed the parents were fighting. Would that also happen if he would have been here with his pa- No! These weeks he was not going to think about his parents. He grabbed his bag from the conveyor as he left the arrival area and people were standing with signs, waiting for their loved ones or passengers to walk out and Matt passed them, as he was all alone in this. Suddenly he saw the bus to the city centre was almost leaving and he ran to the bus as he got in the last second before the doors were closed.
''C'est le bus a Louvre?'' He tried in his broken French and the girl that was sitting behind the driver started to giggle.
''Yes, yes it is.'' She answered his question as the driver didn't seem to notice him. She was American he could hear by her English. probably one of the southern states.
''Do I have to pay him?'' He asked as the man still didn't even look at him.
''Yeah, all the way to the Louvre is 15 euro's.'' She said as she held up her ticket.
''I only have Francs?'' Matt said surprised, grabbing one of the poles as he almost fell as the bus started driving and he just sat down next to the girl.
''In what year do you live?'' She said with a surprised laugh.
''2002. April 17th to be more precise.'' He mumbled.
''Great, than you also are in same year with me, which means you also should know they have euros here now. Don't worry, I know a place were we can change them in for euros. If you have any more money like that -'' She looked as he opened his wallet.
''Guilders? You are not going to stay in France?'' She mumbled as she saw the old Dutch currency.
''I am not sure yet. Matt'' he said as he stretched his hand out.
''That rhymes, I am Hilda.''
''Were we on the same flight from New Orleans?'' He asked as she saw her luggage.
''Yeah, but you are not from New Orleans, right?''
''I had an inland flight from Chicago.''
''Oh, a wild Chicagoan.'' Hilda chuckled and Matt looked out of the window of the bus, past her as the bus stopped for the first time and people got off the bus.
''So what brings you to Paris?'' Hilda asked.
''I really wanted to make one of those tacky touristy pictures at the Eiffel tower.'' He smiled and Hilda laughed.
''Well if the wild Chicagoan needs a place to stay with partly view on the Eiffel tower, he is welcome with this student studying French.'' Hilda smiled at him.
''Can you remember anything from last night?'' Gabriela asked as he was back at the centre now and she laid the clothes she had washed from the trip the cabin in his closet.
''Not m-much, just Molly's.'' He mumbled as he looked at her from the bed.
''How are you feeling now?''
''Just worn out.'' He mumbled as he pressed the TV off. ''B-but i didn't mean you had to go.'' He added as she grabbed her bag and coat.
''Oh, I had to give you this.'' She handed him a large envelope.
''The twins made it for you.''
Matt laid it on his chest, pulling the 2 sheets of paper out and he looked at the first, which showed a soccer player and a football player. The football player was s mall boy while the soccer player was a taller bigger blond stick figure that said Matt with sloppy handwriting. 'Revenge, soon! Diego' it showed as well and Matt smiled. The other one showed a really well drawn couple that resembled him and Gabby. 'Get well soon! Eva' was in girly handwriting beside the couple.
''That is s-so sweet.'' Matt smiled looking at both the drawings and he handed them to Gabriela as she grabbed the tape to past them both on the wooden closet on the doors that were nearly covered in cards and pictures.
''You can thank them yourself if you want. We are invited for the twins birthday next week. Poor nurses will have to miss you again.''
''Yeah, I am n-not sure if I am allowed to go again.'' Matt said very serious.
''It's an inventation, not an obligation.'' Gabriela said as she pasted the drawings on the wooden doors and walked back to the bed.
''Should I get my mom to buy them p-presents?''
''We are an engaged couple now, we can do these things together.''
''Hmmm w-what have you bought for them?''
''I was thinking...maybe you could go to a football match with Diego and I will go to ballet with Eva after their birthday. Or the other way around.''
''You w-want to go to football?'' Matt said happily, to be honest he would prefer to go to ballet over football but he also knew Gabby would prefer to go to football. It was not that he didn't like to go to a football match, but now he would prefer to sit in a calm theater watching dance than between screaming people in a stadium.
''Aren't we the perfect couple?'' She laughed as she wrote the birthday down in his agenda and kissed him on his cheek.
''Hilda! Qui est ce garçon?'' |Hilda! Who is that boy?|
Matt stood in the tight hallway in the small apartment in Paris as Hilda's roommate was looking at him from the bathroom, only wrapped in a towel.
''Il est un ami!'' |He is a friend!|
Hilda grabbed Matt's wrist as the roommate started to look at Matthew and she pulled him back in her bedroom.
''Are you really going to leave me again today mr. Firefighter?'' She mumbled and pouted as she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him back on the bed as she kissed him again.
''Yeah, I want to be in Amsterdam before the night.'' After six days of Paris he had seen enough of Paris, but he didn't want to leave Hilda. Although he wasn't sure if he truly loved her, she gave him love and that was all he needed now.
''I can come with you.''
''What about university?'' Matt said confused.
''You don't want me to come with you? We could rent a car and go everywhere in the EU we want.'' She laid her hand in his neck, kissing him again.
''Oh yeah.'' He smiled, kissing her again.
Matthew ran to the shower as Hilda walked to the kitchen where her roommate was having breakfast and Hilda grabbed a glass of orange juice.
''Un ami?'' Armelle shook her head, looking up from newspaper. Hilda leaned against the counter, drinking the juice. |A friend?|
''J'ai une ideé.'' |I have an idea|
''une idée?'' Armelle frowned as she dropped the newspaper. |An Idea?|
''pour payer la loyer.'' Hilda smiled triumphantly. |About how we are going to pay our rent|
''Hey, glad to see you training secretly again. Or does Gabriela know this time?''
Kelly had walked to Matthews room but had been surprised that he wasn't in his room this late in the evening. Matthew let go of the walking bars and sat down in the wheelchair.
''Gabriela d-doesn't know.'' Matt panted as he pressed a towel in his face.
''I heard about the TIA after Molly's. That was only two days ago, shouldn't you take it easy?'' Severide said worried, handing him a bottle of water.
''I am f-fine.'' Matt mumbled as he tried to stand up again.
''Are you in pain?'' Kelly mumbled worried.
''No, but m-my arm is too weak to hold my weight.'' He mumbled as she sat down again.
''You want to try?'' Severide said. Matt nodded a little uncertain and Severide pushed the chair so the bars were on the left of them.
''Hold that bar.'' Matt did so after putting both his feet on the floor again.
''Got it tight?'' Severide made sure as he kneeled down and laid Matt's right arm around his neck.
''Are you sure you can h-hold me?'' Matt made sure as he grabbed the bar.
''Kidding me? lifting you isn't even something to brag about.'' Severide laughed as he slowly started to raise again, holding Matt's arm tight with his right hand and supporting him with his left.
''Come on, make the magic happen!'' Severide encouraged him as Matt standing up, although he was leaning a lot on Severide. Kelly felt kinda bad on how easy it was to hold Matt, as his friend had become so light and weak.
Matt's right leg finally made a small step as his friend started to grit his teeth.
''I thought your right leg was the problem.'' Severide mumbled worried as his left leg didn't do anything.
''it is b-but I am afraid I will fall if I lift my s-strong leg.'' Matt panted.
''You won't fall, I got you and I am not going to let you fall! Trust me and you leg.'' Severide mumbled and finally Matt lifted his leg. His right leg almost gave away and for a second Matt was afraid he would fall forward, but Severide made sure he couldn't fall and finally he put his foot down again.
''See.'' Severide said proud.
''T-teamwork. I c-can't...'' Matt started to pant and Severide let go of his right hand and quick he swayed his arm under Matt's knees so he could lift him up.
''Oh yeah, c-carry me to the bridal suite.'' Matt panted and chuckled at the same time.
''Sorry I had to grab you like this, I was afraid I would hurt your arm if you fell.'' Carefully Severide put Matt back in the wheelchair.
''Bedtime, bride Matty?'' He laughed then.
''Absolutely, Kelly. S-still you should be bride.''
''I think I should be the BFG.''
''T-the what?'' Matt asked Severide pushed him back to the elevator.
''The big friendly giant. The BFG, it's a children's book.''
When they reached his room a nurse was already ready to get Matt ready for bed so Severide said goodbye to his friend.
''Just tell me if you ever want to practice like this again, feels like I am actually helping you.''
''Y-you are. But I don't want to be burden.''
''Kidding me, you are doing this for your wedding.''
Matt looked surprised, how did Severide know?''
''Well, that is what I guess but your face kinda gives it away. I just want to see you and Gabby married together soon, happy.''
NOTE: Okay, I won't scare you like that again! So, will Gabriela is getting back to work, but how long will it be before Matthew hears he won't get back to his old job? And how did Matthew lose his his passport and money in Europe? Will we get to know more about his father's death as well?
I hope the way of translation was clear in the second flashback and people who are better at French than me (Probably everybody who speaks a little French) please don't be mad I really killed the language. Sorry! I had French for 3 years and I was awful at it but I trust google translate even less.
Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter! Tomorrow there will probably be no update because I am at work all day long and after that I am finally going to see the Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug in the cinema! Thank you for reading and please leave a review!