Of Insects and Illness Ch. 10
Disclaimer: See chapter one
Author's Note: I am soooo overdue with this one….SORRY!
Previously: Pulling up the reclining chair between the boys bed's once again, Jeff felt like he could finally close his eyes and get a few hours rest. He drifted off to sleep with a smile on his face as he thought about the possibility of being able to take his boys home soon once again.
Trying to fight off the effects of grogginess and unable to open his eyes because of the lead weights that seemed to be holding them down, Scott started to become aware of the sounds and smells around him. He knew he was in a hospital because of the overwhelming scent of antiseptic cleanser and wondered what had happened to put him there. He didn't remember hurting himself in any way, but something must have happened with the way he was having trouble just opening his eyes. Maybe he had suffered a head injury and that was why his brain felt so sluggish and he couldn't open his eyes.
Hearing the sound of paper crinkling to his right, he knew he wasn't alone. Someone was definitely in the room and it unnerved him a little not to be able to see who they were. He didn't like the thought of being stuck in the bed helpless and unable to defend himself. Knowing that he had to do something, he tried to move. Maybe if he could just get his hand on the call button, he could get a nurse or someone in there to help him. "Please, what's wrong with me? Why can't I think clearly?" He thought as he tried command his brain to open his eyes or move his hand to the side of the bed where the call button was located.
Just as he was about to panic, another smell assaulted his senses, once that he knew well since it was that of his dad's aftershave. He started to calm immediately knowing that his Dad was here and he was safe. That feeling was soon confirmed as he felt fingers tugging through his hair gently. He remembered this from when he was little. His mother had done it when he was just a little tyke and was sick or irritable. It had always managed to make him feel better in just a short amount of time. Taking comfort in the feeling once again, he was about to drift off when he heard the sound of his father's voice talking to him, telling him that everything was okay and he could rest easy, that Alan was going to be fine.
"Alan" Scott thought with alarm as he suddenly remembered why he was at the hospital. His baby brother was desperately sick. He needed to wake up and he needed to do it now. Alan needed him.
Hearing the sound of movement coming from the bed to his left, Jeff opened his eyes and looked up from the magazine he was reading to see Scott shifting around on the bed restlessly. He knew his oldest would soon be waking and was glad that Robert had been in the room about an hour earlier to remove the endotrachael tube from Alan's throat. That was something he didn't want Scotty witnessing. Hell, it had been hard enough on him watching the scene and he could only imagine what it would do to Scott's psyche to witness his baby brother going through it. Glancing at his blonde haired child, he thanked God that Alan had still been deeply sedated for the removal, though he had been showing miniscule signs of coming out of the medicated coma for a few hours now, such as his pulse rate rising slightly.
Pushing himself to his feet, Jeff walked the few steps over and stood next to Scott's bed and ran his fingers through his hair. "Shhh, everything is okay Scooter, you can rest easy now. Alan is going to be fine." He soothed as he heard the mumblings indicating that Scotty was becoming anxious.
His words had the opposite effect however as he watched Scott beginning to toss and turn even more. "Scotty, calm down, I promise, everything is okay." Jeff voiced with concern, wondering what had Scott so agitated. Taking one Scott's hands in his own, he gave it a light squeeze, hoping that it would have the desired effect of calming his oldest. Watching his son closely, Jeff soon saw the sight of cobalt blue eyes peeking up at him through barely opened eyes.
"Da'ad?" Scott questioned as he peeked through small slits to see the concerned look on his father's face.
"Yeah, it's me Scooter." Jeff stated softly as he smiled as his first born son.
"Alan?" Scott queried, unable to form a coherent sentence since his brain was still so foggy.
"Alan's fine son. He's doing well enough now that Robert was able to take him off the ventilator. You can stand down now Scotty. Your baby brother is going to be just fine, I promise."
"M'glad" Scott mumbled just as his eyes shut and he drifted off into limber once again.
"Me too Scotty, me too." Jeff responded as he carded his fingers through Scott's hair once more, not willing to break the connection with his oldest just yet.
Early the next morning found Scott sitting up in bed and eating his breakfast, the effects of the sedation having worm off over night. Scattering the food around on his plate as he looked over at Alan, Scott was ecstatic to see that Alan was finally breathing on his own, albeit with the help of a nasal cannula hooked up to his small nose. Now, if onlu his baby brother would wake up.
"Scott, you're supposed to be eating, not playing with your food." Jeff admonished upon noticing the way that Scott had yet to take more than two bites of his food.
"Yes Sir, it's just not very appetizing." Scott replied as he wrinkled his nose in disgust at the bland scrambled eggs and what he thought was supposed to be a few strips of bacon.
"I think we can help with that." John announced cheerfully as he walked into the room followed by his younger siblings and the Malaysian couple watching over them. Since Alan was in a private room, Dr. Robert Singer had given his permission for the whole family to visit. "Onaha was afraid you might be hungry this morning, so she made you a couple of breakfast croissants." John informed his brother as he tossed a small paper bag onto the bed.
"Fantastic, thanks Onaha." Scott enunciated as he opened the bag and pulled out one of the breakfast sandwiches. Talking a large bite, he relished in the taste of sausage and melted cheese, mixed with Onaha's special seasoning.
"You're very welcome child." Onaha answered with a motherly smile towards the oldest of her charges. She couldn't wait to get the boys back home so she could take care of them the proper way. Turning her attention towards the Tracy patriarch, Onaha said, "Master Alan looks like he is doing much better today."
"Yes he is, Robert was finally able to take him off the ventilator last night since he was triggering the vent on his own. He also stopped the medications that were keeping Alan in an induced coma, so hopefully he will start to wake up sometime soon, but it could take days.." Jeff responded with a smile.
Ignoring the others as they talked, Gordon walked over to Alan's bed and climbed up on the side of it. "Hey Allie, when you gonna wake up and play with me huh? You've been sleeping for a really long time and I want to have some fun. If you wake up, we can play a prank on Scotty or anybody you want. I promise to let you choose if you'll just wake up." The green-eyed nine year old told his brother as he rubbed Alan's sheet covered leg.
Feeling sorry for his copper haired child, Jeff was about to explain to Gordon that it could be a long time before Alan woke up when he saw a minute movement of his baby's hand. It was just a little twitch of the finger, but it was enough to give him hope that Gordon was actually getting through to Alan. "Keep talking Gordy, I think Alan can hear you." Jeff voiced just above a whisper as he focused his full attention on the two boys on the bed.
Hearing his Dad's words and praying they were true, Scott threw the blanket off his legs and climbed out of the bed to stand beside his father. He had waited for this moment for so long and would willingly allow his two youngest brothers to play any prank on him without worrying about payback. "Come on Sprout, you can do it." Scott prodded, hope evident in his voice.
Suddenly, everything in the small hospital room grew quiet as Alan and Gordon became the focus of attention, everyone waiting with baited breath to see if Gordon could actually pull Alan towards consciousness. The two were definitely the little terrors of the group when it came to playing practical jokes and if anybody could wake Alan up, it would be Gordon
"Come on Allie, please wake up so you can tell me who you think we should prank first. I was thinking it should be Scotty since he's so bossy most of the time, but if you want it to be someone else, then that's okay with me." Gordon stated as he scooted in closer to Alan. "You know I can't do this alone since everybody calls us the terrible two, and besides, it's no fun if I do it on my own."
Holding their collective breaths, everyone in the room waited to see if Alan would respond to Gordon's plea to wake up.
TBC Another short chapter, but I hope you enjoyed it anyway.