Hey guys! Sorry for the delay but school just started and I'm trying to get organized for this semester. I've gotten fantastic reviews that I thank you all very much for! Definitely having fun writing this piece. Let me know what you think!
Kensi was rudely awakened from deep sleep by the alarm she had set on her phone. She slowly sat up, stretching her tight body. Maybe falling asleep on the couch hadn't been one of her best ideas, but she did find herself a lot more emotionally stable and ready to face whatever Deeks' nurses would throw at her (so she thought).
The agent quickly arrived at the hospital.
"Good morning, Miss Blye." Hetty had kept vigil over her partner all night as promised.
"Morning, Hetty. I'm assuming no changes, considering I didn't receive a call?"
"Only good changes. It appears your partner has been effectively fighting off the infection in his chest and will be awake within the hour. His body temperature is slowly returning to normal and the doctors have high hopes for recovery."
Kensi brightened at the news. Her Deeks would make it. He was a fighter and although he still could come across serious complications in the next 18 hours, things were looking up for the first time since early the morning before.
"Keep in mind, Miss Blye, Mr. Deeks is still considered critical, but if anyone can press through it is our Detective." Hetty wanted to make it clear that the struggle was not over.
Kensi nodded in agreement, but couldn't shake the small hope rising in her chest. She slid up to her partner's bedside and once again swiped her hand over the golden locks that covered his eyes.
"Time for a haircut there, partner," Kensi whispered.
The fever had definitely dipped as a soothing warmth spread to her hand from Deeks' forehead, which was no longer clammy. She noted that a bit of color had returned to his face overnight and that his expression seemed more relaxed.
Hetty decided to leave Deeks in Kensi's care for a moment and stepped out to inform the team of Deeks' encouraging condition.
Kensi took a seat and pulled the chair to the bedside.
"Deeks, you have to wake up, okay? You gave us all a scare. We need you…I need you," she quietly admitted to his unconscious form. Tentatively cupping his hand in both of hers, she brought it to her mouth planting a small kiss on his fingertips. The agent then rested her forehead on their intertwined hands.
A small noise caused Kensi to lift her head. At first she thought it was imagined, but then she heard it again. A low groan. And then a series of rapid eye movement from her sleeping partner.
"Finally," she jokingly chastised.
Tightening her grip on his hand, Kensi reached out with her other to stroke the Detective's hair.
"Come on, Deeks. Haven't you had enough sleep? Wake up." Kensi hoped that returning to their usual banter would allow Deeks to feel more comfortable and not alarm him as he woke.
Nurse Jenna soon came to the door, having been notified by the increased heart rate that her patient was waking.
"That's good. Keep talking to him. A familiar voice should help keep him calm as he comes to. Mr. Deeks will most likely experience disorientation and immense pain, as we had to lower the morphine to force his body to regain consciousness."
Kensi did as she was told, "Hey, Deeks. Come on. Open your eyes. I know of someone who has missed you…Monty." The brunette let out a small laugh at her own joke, "Yup. Monty definitely misses his daddy, Deeks."
The heart monitor began to pick up pace at a furious rate and Deeks' once smooth features scrunched into a grimace.
"Should it be doing that?" asked Kensi in alarm.
"He is still at safe levels, so long as he can force himself awake in the next minute or so."
Kensi tried a different tactic, "Detective Deeks, you will open your eyes—NOW!"
At that, Deeks' eyes shot open and he gasped for air. He was always one for following orders, never wanting to disappoint.
Kensi let go of her partner's hand only to grab his face gently, "Deeks. Deeks, listen to me. You are okay. You're okay. Calm down." Recognition soon lit his eyes as they met her beautiful multi-colored orbs and relief washed through the achy Detective.
"God, everything hurts, Kens. What the hell did you do to me?" Deeks tried to smile but the pain was too much and he collapsed back against the bed clutching his chest, trying to suppress a moan.
"I didn't do anything. You had to go get yourself shot by Crustoff," although Kensi was impressed by her hard tone, her face dropped at her partner's words. She was still blaming herself for his condition.
"Shot, huh? It didn't feel this bad the last time, Princess." The detective's breaths were slightly laborious as pain took over his body. Kensi rolled her eyes, even seriously injured he was the same ole Deeks.
"Mr. Deeks, I would like to take your vitals now," the nurse who had long been forgotten finally spoke up.
Deeks turned his head to see the mousy woman who was trying to get to his bedside.
"Sure," Deeks added a cheeky grin that didn't reach his pain filled eyes. Once he was cleared by Jenna, she left the room to the partners.
"So what happened that I feel as though I've died and come back as the living dead, Kens?" Kensi felt the blood drain from her face. Nausea suddenly taking over, she bolted to the attached bathroom. Deeks' brain was still groggy from the medication, but found the reaction to his simple question a tad odd for his usually oh so put together partner.
A few minutes passed until Kensi returned still looking flushed and refusing to meet the cerulean eyes she had missed so much in the past 30 hours.
"Sorry, um," Kensi cleared her throat, "Well, Crustoff got a couple shots off at you when you released his weapon. I took him down fast but—not fast enough I guess."
"Kens…"
"He got you in the chest and thigh. Bullet broke your collarbone, which thankfully deflected away from your heart, but unfortunately collapsed a lung."
"Explains why breathing is a bitch right now."
"He hit your artery in your inner thigh and you lost a lot of blood." Kensi had carried on mechanically, as though repeating information on an impersonal case to the man lying in front of her.
"I'm sensing that's not it considering how you ran from the room just now, Kensi."
Brown eyes glanced up sadly at his, shocking Deeks when a wet sheen of tears covered their beautiful discoloration.
"You died."
"I did what?" The answer caused the detective to sit up straight in bed, which he soon discovered was a very bad move. He grasped onto his shoulder feeling a hot pain shoot through his collarbone. Shocked by the insurgence of pain, he too quickly tried to inhale deeply causing his body to react with violent coughing.
"Deeks! Please calm down. I need you to calm down." Seeing her partner's wracking form caused the tears she had been holding at bay to stream down her pink cheeks. "Please. Please." She begged but Deeks' body wasn't responding. He couldn't stop the cough.
Kensi reached over for the call button and Jenna immediately appeared in the door.
"What happened?!" Jenna turned on Kensi as she approached Deeks.
"He was surprised then sat up too quickly. I—I don't know what to do." Kensi's tears were upsetting Deeks more and worsening the situation. Suddenly red was staining Deeks' lips. Blood.
Try as he might, he couldn't get his body to calm itself, the sight of the blood sending the Detective into a panic. His coughing had turned to gasps as he struggled for air.
"Mr. Deeks, I need you to sit forward. I know it hurts but we need to clear your passageways." Jenna pulled Deeks forward and wiped his mouth of the blood.
Kensi screamed at the nurse, "What is happening to him?"
"Ma'am, I need you to stay calm," pushing Kensi toward the door.
"Stay calm? My partner is coughing up blood!"
Jenna ignored the woman and continued to treat her patient. "Mr. Deeks, I need to try and remove the blood from your lungs. In order for this to happen I need to place a suction tube down your trachea."
Deeks eyes lit up with fear and his already raspy breaths, began to completely clog, inhibiting the oxygen he craved so much.
"On three," Jenna said, leaving Deeks no choice, "I need you to try and exhale, okay? One, two, three."
Deeks did as he was told and exhaled what precious, little oxygen was in his lungs as the nurse forced a small suction tube down his blocked air passage. Red immediately filled the device. Jenna removed the tube in order to allow the Detective to breathe.
"I am going to put this oxygen mask on you, okay." Jenna helped lower her patient back to the bed and firmly placed the mask over his face.
"Breathe with my counts. One. Two. One. Two." The nurse created a slow, calming cadence. After several minutes Deeks' was able to breathe more easily.
"Very good." Jenna commented soothingly, wiping the remnants of blood from his face. "Lie still and no more coughing," she commanded. "Now that you are awake, I am going to deliver pain medication to let you rest more at ease, Detective." Deeks gave a small nod feeling a burning sensation in his injured lung.
Jenna left the room, only to be followed.
"You want to tell me what the hell just happened," an angry, but crying Kensi approached the small nurse.
"He coughed too hard and ripped the stitching in his lung. I will keep an eye on it but he shouldn't start bleeding again unless another fit occurs."
"And what about the damaged stitching?"
"A doctor will need to do a partial endoscopy to ensure no repairs need to be done. We will have to place him under mild anesthesia to ensure he doesn't wake during the short procedure. But I do not foresee a need for surgery. The amount of blood was minute compared to some cases, not enough to cause extensive damage. He will probably experience several fits like this one, but the key is to keep him calm so I can do my job."
Kensi noted the nurse's tone and looked at her apologetically, "It just scared me. I can't lose him."
At the defeat in the other woman's voice, Jenna softened, "Okay. Just next time help me, don't hinder me." With a small smile she turned and walked towards the sinks to wash her hands.
Kensi returned to the hospital room, where Deeks lay slightly trembling, face still covered by the oxygen mask.
"Hey, it'll be okay," Kensi ran a soothing hand over his hair. Surprised at the gesture Deeks stilled, but then sunk into the comforting strokes. His mom used to do that when he was sick as a kid.
"It's all okay, Deeks. Just ripped a few stitches. No biggie. The nurse said it may happen a few more times during recovery, but that it's just part of the healing process, okay?"
Deeks nodded slightly, but couldn't stop the scared trembling.
"Deeks, I promise you will be alright. The doctor is going to come in and give you a tiny anesthesia and check your lungs while you rest, okay?"
The detective could already feel himself slipping into sleep between the exhaustion from his coughing and the soothing hand his partner kept running through his hair.
Kensi continued to speak softly to Deeks, reassuring him that he was going to be fine and promising she would be there the whole time.
With those comforting thoughts, Deeks' body once again slipped into unconsciousness, not twenty minutes after he initially woke.