AN: Hey guys wow has it been a while. I am so very sorry I thought I posted this weeks ago and apparently I didn't. Please forgive me, but the good news is that I have the next chapter ready to go and will post it first thing tomorrow morning. I decided to set up a poll as to how my story will end at some point. Thank you for sticking with me through all this.
Eliot quickly stood up and greeted the doctor. "Doctor Patterson, are you Melissa Waterson's father?" He said shaking Eliot's hand.
"No, but her father isn't here right now and I am a good friend of Melissa," Eliot replied.
The doctor nodded and looked down at his clipboard. "Ms. Waterson has severe blood loss. The knife also nicked the radial artery in her wrist." The doctor paused at Eliot's worried look. "Don't worry, we have her on antibiotics and I gave her a blood transfusion, she needed twenty stitches in her wrists but other than that it looks as if she is going to be ok." The doctor smiled at Eliot's sigh of relief. The hitter collapsed into his chair from exhaustion.
"When can I see her?" Eliot asked wearily.
The doctor smiled at him, "You can go now she should be waking up in about an hour, room 136." Eliot smiled for what felt like the first time in hours. He rose quickly and almost ran down the hall. After about 5 minutes Eliot finally found room 136. He stopped outside the door, his hand on the door knob. The hitter sighed slightly, trying to prepare himself for what was on the other side of the door. He slowly opened up the door and looked at the sleeping figure on the white bed.
Melissa was so pale that at first glance Eliot was worried she might be dead. That thought was quickly banished from his head as he saw the rise and fall of her chest. She looked so small among all of the wires surrounding her that she almost looked like a little child. Eliot let out a gust of air that he had unknowingly been holding. He walked slowly to the side of the bed and sat in one of the hard chairs. He looked at Melissa slowly, taking in every detail of her face. She was pale, so pale that she looked almost like a ghost, and the expression on her face practically radiated exhaustion and pain. Eliot shifted into a more comfortable position, preparing to sit and wait for Melissa to wake up.
An hour later Melissa started to shift in her sleep, mumbling slightly. Eliot went over to her just as her eyes were opening.
"Hey, hey it's alright, Melissa, it's me, Eliot. Look at me," Eliot started to whisper as he saw the panic in her eyes. "You're in the hospital Melissa. You passed out from blood loss. Everything is fine; in fact, you should be cleared to leave within the next two days." Melissa slowly calmed down at the sound of his voice.
"Wa-" She said trying to sit up.
"Hey, hey take it easy there, you want water?" He said, putting a hand on her chest to prevent her from getting up. She nodded slowly. Eliot walked across the room and grabbed a plastic cup full of ice chips. "Here you go, take it easy now." He said striding across the room, handing the cup to Melissa. She took the cup with a slight nod, and swallowed a few of the chips. The hitter slowly looked at the girl beside him and was immediately filled with an emotion that he hadn't felt in a long time for someone; guilt. He felt sorry for Melissa, for what she had gone through at only 16.
"How long was I out?" Melissa said, her voice slightly rough from the hours of sleep.
"Bout 4 hours, it's almost twelve thirty now." Eliot said taking the now empty cup from her.
"Wait, where's my dad?" Melissa said slowly looking around, and if Eliot didn't know better he would say there was fear in her eyes.
"I didn't call him, I figured you wouldn't want your dad here while you were like… this." Eliot finished lamely, gesturing to her with his hand. She chuckled lightly, her eyes twinkling with amusement.
"Well your right you know, I really would prefer if he never knew about this little incident. Please." Melissa said slightly pleading.
Eliot sighed and looked away, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. She looked slightly pleading and hopeful too. "Alright, alright fine, fine you win, I won't tell." Melissa looked happy at that and also slightly relieved.
"Thanks, that really means a lot," She said nodding her head, "So, blood loss? That's it? That's why I passed out?"
"You sound almost disappointed"
Melissa snorted, "I don't know, I guess I was hoping for something a little more-"
"Serious?"
Melissa raised an eyebrow. "I was going to say dramatic." Both of them exchanged looks then burst out laughing.
"I suppose that is more your style." Eliot said still chuckling lightly.
Melissa simply sorted at that. "I really am grateful you know, for you caring for me and everything. I really can't thank you enough; in fact, I think I would probably be dead if you hadn't been there." Melissa said her eyes flickering down to the sterile white bed sheet. Eliot smiled sadly,
"Anytime, although I would appreciate it next time if you waited until morning to call me with your deadly wound." Eliot didn't know if it was the relief or the exhaustion but they both took one look at each other and burst out laughing again. Every time they tried to stop they took one look at each other and it set them off again. Eliot was curious, here was a girl who had been hurt by her own father, who should be sad and yet here she was laughing her heart out. He just shook his head at her face as she tried to stop laughing.
"So when can I get out of here?"
"Restless aren't you?" Melissa simply raised an eyebrow as an answer.
"You should be able to leave here in a couple days as soon as the paperwork is cleared." Melissa sighed in relief, "Don't like hospitals do you?" Melissa shook her head, "There is too much white and all of the nurses are overly cheery that it makes me feel like I am going to start barfing rainbows, I swear they are worse than hippies." Eliot chuckled at Melissa's outburst. "Don't worry you aren't the only one."
Melissa smiled up at him and began to try sit up until a voice stopped her and made her go pale, "While hello there Mr. Smith would you care to explain what happened to my daughter, or perhaps I should call you by your real name Mr. Spencer."
Eliot slowly turned around and let out a gasp at the sight he saw.
P.S you guys are Fantabulous! and check out my new story The Eulogy if you guys are Sherlock fans!