Ch. 13 Healing
The next morning, he went down to the lab. Dani met him at the door. It was clear neither of them had really slept. "Please tell me you have something."
"I do have an idea. But it's not going to be fun."
"What is it?"
"I'm going to talk to her about it."
"Let me go with you."
"No, you're going to influence her."
"She's part of my team! I need to be there for her!"
"It's her decision and I will throw you through the ceiling if you don't back off."
"Fine, but I'm waiting right here."
"Fine." She whirled around and swept fuming through the door.
He leaned against the door frame. He could hear talking, but couldn't make much out. The conversation sounded like it should, tones of caution. But towards the end, Savannah said something that got Dani irate.
"I SAID I WANT ELIOT!"
Well, that he heard.
Dani said something that sounded like an exasperated "Fine." She pushed through the door and told him, "She wants to see you."
"I heard," he quipped, slipping past her and into the lab.
"Don't get smug with me," Dani snapped, and the door closed, leaving Savannah and Eliot alone, to talk, for the first time in weeks.
Eliot tried to act casual even though seeing Savannah, pale and weak in a medical lab killed him. From the moment he saw her, even just her picture, he wanted to protect her, and right now it looked like he failed. For weeks it'd had been about wanting Savannah to tell him how she felt. Now he just wanted her alive. Whether she was with Dani, or anyone, he just wanted her to be okay.
"How're you doin'?"
"That's a stupid question," she croaked. That was a good sign. Her voice may be weak, but her spirit had gone nowhere.
He laughed. "It is. So, you wanted to see me?"
"Dani said they can pull me out of stasis if I go through one of the lab treatments."
Eliot started to feel disconnected. "You mean the treatments at the Academy, the ones Dani modified?"
"Yeah."
"Oh."
"Yeah."
"What...what do you want me to say?"
"I don't know. I wanted to talk to somebody about it that wasn't Dani. And I knew you were probably here."
"I don't see how you have a choice. It's go through the treatment or..."
"Die. Eventually." He flinched. "It's not your fault, Eliot." He started to argue, but she stopped him. "No. It was a freak accident that could've happened to anyone." He just shrugged and stared at his feet. He looked up so see her glassy-eyed, near tears. "I'm scared, Eliot. It's stupid. I should want to do anything to stay alive, but getting into one of those chairs again is a nightmare. And then I think about the fact that I never finished the treatments, and if I had maybe I could be going home with you now instead of having to go through...I could still finish. I could be better."
He knelt down next to the bed and took her hand. "It's not stupid. You're fine the way you are. But it's up to you, if you think you'll be better. Whatever you pick, I'm going to be here. Whatever you pick."
Savannah sobbed hard an openly. She grimaced as breathing still hurt. "I've put you through hell, and you're still here."
Eliot pressed his forehead against hers. "I thought you'd have figure it out by now. That's the thing about this team. You put up with with a hell of a lot for each other. You know, Hardison and I didn't always get along. And since Sophie likes to talk so much, you should ask her about her and Nate."
She laughed and he finally felt like he could breathe. "I will, when we get home. And then...we can talk about that other stuff we've been meaning to talk about."
He kissed her hand. "Whatever you want. I'm gonna go get Dani. The longer we sit here, the longer it'll take to get home."
"Not yet. Just five more minutes. Those treatments suck, and as much as I'd like to get it over with, I also want to delay it, just a little bit."
"Okay, whatever you want."
"The bright side is, I'll be as good as new in a day or two. Even the broken ribs."
"That's good."