Metro Man burst through the ceiling shouting "Don't panic Roxy, justice has arrived!" He leaped behind her chair and started opening the bindings.
"No, don't help me! Help him!" Roxanne wriggled furiously and nodded towards the figure in front of her lying on the floor.
Metro Man looked confused and glanced at the motionless body. "Little buddy?" He asked confused and took a step closer.
"Wh.. What happened?"
"You have to take him to the hospital, now!" Roxanne was screaming, eyes full of tears.
Metro Man kneeled beside him body and raised him carefully in his arms. He was perfectly limp and his skin was pallid. "Is he..?" he asked quietly but was interrupted when the door slammed behind them.
"Sir!?" Minion was screaming with a high-pitched and terrified voice and hurried towards them. "What's going on?" He was totally shocked.
"Metro Man, you have to take him to the hospital NOW!" Roxanne was screaming again frustrated.
Metro Man left quickly carrying Megamind with him, heading toward the ceiling whence he had come and they disappeared.
"What happened? What's wrong with Sir?" Minion stared at Roxanne perplexed.
"He attempted a suicide.." She said shedding tears, her sentence barely a whisper.
"What?" Minion asked puzzled and shook his head. "No, no, no.. I have to go to him." He turned around and hurried towards the door.
"Minion!" Roxanne shouted. He turned to watch her.
"Can you open the bindings? I'm coming with you."
Minion went behind her and released her. "You want to come with me Miss Ritchi? Why?" He asked astonished.
"I just have to. Please, can we go now?" She pleaded looking at him sorrowfully. 'I have to see him. He can't be dead!' She thought desperately.
"Let's go then." Minion said and they headed through the door and went downstairs taking the invisible car. Normally Roxanne would have taken a look around her and examine her surrounding but now she was too scared and want to see Megamind as fast as possible. 'He can't be dead..'
The drive was fast and quiet. Roxanne didn't care they were speeding and almost crashed couple times. 'He likes me.. He can't die.. Not before he knows I like him too..'
Finally they arrived to the hospital and Roxanne practically got out of the car before it had stopped and ran to inside.
There was a lot of media in the lobby and they surrounded her immediately when they saw her, starting to bombard her with the questions.
"Is it true he tried to kill himself? Is he dead? What happened? Did he hurt you? How do you feel now?"
Roxanne tried to push through them not commenting. Soon she saw a familiar and annoying redhead approaching her.
"Roxy, is it true he attempted a suicide?" He asked excited. "I hope he won't survive, It would be so right for this blue bastard. He's such a fre.." He hadn't time to finish his sentence when he noticed he was lying on the floor holding his bleeding nose.
Roxanne was standing in front of him, her right hand fisted and feeling it was aching because of the punch. She was feeling such a pure rage she hadn't experienced before in her entire life. Hal's words was too much. How could he say something like this? He was an unbelievable piece of shit!
"What the hell are you doing Roxaroo?" He asked puzzled and got up still holding his nose. "Oh, I know. You're amazed 'cause he won't hurt you anymore. You just don't know how to handle your feelings. You will feel soon better Roxy, you will see him never again." He explained nonchalantly.
"Don't you tell me how should I feel!" She shouted to him in front of all the cameras and microphones and then she ran away, tears streaming down her face. She run along the hospital's corridors, didn't know where she was going, she just ran. She found the desolate aisle and sat down leaning against the wall, burying her face for knees and cried endlessly. 'He can't be dead.. I need to tell him how I feel.. He must survive..'
"Hey?" Asked a soft voice beside her and she felt how someone placed a hand on her shoulder. She turned her weepy face slowly toward the voice.
There was Metro Man looking at her worriedly.
"How is he?" Roxanne asked seriously hoping Wayne wouldn't tell he was gone.
"They managed to resuscitate him." He told and Roxanne's heart flipped. 'He's alive..'
"But.." he continued. "His brain was without an oxygen over five minutes. He may have severe brain injury because of that. He also needs a blood transfusion as soon as possible but they don't know his blood group so they have to take some test before. It's also possible his blood type is an unknown 'cause he's not a human. Without transfusion he won't survive." Wayne told regretfully.
Roxanne felt her hope was wiped away as soon as it had appeared. 'This can't be true, he must survive.. There must be some way..' Then she realized something.
"Wayne" She said and looked at him hopefully. "You're also from another planet. Do you think your blood type could be same as him? Could you save him?" She asked eyes filled with hope.
Metro Man looked at her sadly and shook his head slightly. "I'm sorry Roxanne" he sighed. "I'm invulnerable, my skin is impermeable. I won't help him although I'd like." He told apologizingly.
Roxanne heart was breaking down. 'No, this can't be true..'
"Where is he?" Roxanne asked sadly.
"Come with me." He said and Roxanne followed him to the door which lead to stairway. Wayne pick her up and they flied many floors upward. Finally he put her down and they stepped on the quiet corridor and saw Minion was sitting in front of one room.
Roxanne hurried to him. "Is he..?" She asked and pointed the door beside him.
"Yes. They're doing some tests and commanded me to wait here." He said looking worried.
Roxanne and Metro Man sat next to him and started to wait. It took about ten minutes until they heard steps behind the one corner and men discussing.
"I can't believe this. I've been his doctor since he was in diapers. Why didn't these morons called me immediately when he had been taken here. It's their fault if he won't make it. I'm the only one who knows his anatomy best."
They saw three person appeared behind the corner. There was two men both about between 50-60 years old. Their hair was beginning to grey and they both were about same height. The other has grey mustache, blue eyes and he was wearing a dark suit. The man walking next to him has brown eyes and he was wearing round shaped eyeglasses. He also had dressed doctor's white coat and was carrying a cooler which seemed to contain several blood bags.
Behind them was walking a young, about 25- year old, slender and tall female nurse with long brown color hair tied in a ponytail.
They walked past them and disappeared in the room next to group of three.
"Who are those people?" Roxanne asked from Minion staring at the door of the room.
"The man with mustache is Warden and the doctor is Hans Crawford from the prison. He is Sir's personal physician, has been since he was an infant. He's not very polite but he is a good and a professional doctor. The girl is a new nurse of the prison, I don't remember her name." Minion explained relieved.
'They had blood with them.. Wayne told Megamind needs a blood transfusion but the doctors of the hospital don't know his type..'
"Was that blood in the cooler? Roxanne asked looking at Minion waiting for his answer.
"Yes. Sir has donated blood regularly, just in case. You never know if you will need it. And he surely needs it now." Minion told waving his metallic hand.
Roxanne felt relief to hear that. 'Of course Megamind was smart enough he would donate his own blood for himself, just in case. Now there was still time, he could still survive..'
The door opened soon again and a group of doctors and nurses left the room muttering to each other. It seemed Dr. Crawford had shooed them away and taken the lead in the Megamind's ward.
They were waiting again and after one hour and a half which felt like an eternity the door opened and the three persons step out from the room.
Roxanne stood up promptly. "Can we go now?" she asked hurriedly and pointed the door.
Dr. Crawford watched her confused.
'He thinks I'm crazy because I want to see my kidnapper' Roxanne was thinking
"Yes. You can go but he's.." The doctor started to tell but Roxanne didn't hear his last sentence. She had already rushed past them and opened the door to Megamind's room. The sight made her paralyzed.
The room was small and the lights were very bright. There was a hospital bed middle of the room where he was lying, eyes closed and several beeping machines around him. They had set cannulas in his both back of the hands, the other dropping blood and the other sodium chloride. There was a catheter bag hanging on the edge of the bed and he had an oxygen mask over his face. He was wearing a worn, light green hospital gown, his both arms lying on the blanket and in both of his forearms were taped gauze pads which told they had took blood tests from him. There was a desiccated trail of blood in his left arm which had born when he pumped the poison into his vein.
"Megamind.." Roxanne whispered and approached him carefully beside the bed.
His skin looked sweaty and pale. Roxanne glanced the machine which told his heart was beating weakly and the blood pressure was very low. She heard how he was breathing shallowly. He looked so fragile and vulnerable without his usual suit and cape. She couldn't help but she felt how the tears were rolling down her face again.
Cautiously she brought her fingers of the left hand on his cheek and stroked gently. His skin felt cold and moist. He didn't react to her touch.
"Megamind.." Roxanne whispered again shedding tears.
Also Minion and Metro Man had arrived around the bed. It seemed Minion was trying to hold his tears back and Metro Man looked like he was deeply sorry.
"When will he wake up?" Roxanne pondered quietly, still stroking Megamind's cheek, not letting her eyes from him.
"We don't know" Minion said seriously. "Dr. Crawford told he has fallen into a coma."
"Into a coma?" Roxanne blurted out in shock. 'Would he wake up any ever again? And if he would then when? Would it take days, weeks or years? This is bad, this is really bad..'
She sighed heavily and turned her gaze towards Minion and Metro Man, not letting her fingers from his cheek.
"What can we do?" She asked looking at them pleadingly.
"I guess all we can do is just wait." Metro Man said blankly staring at Megamind who was lying on the bed and struggling to stay alive.
And so they started to wait again.
…
It had gone five days since the terrible episode in the Lair and Megamind was still at the hospital. He hadn't given any sign about waking up or wasn't reacting on the touch or speech.
On the third day Dr. Crawford had decided to experiment was he able to breathe without the oxygen mask.
Roxanne had been so tensed when she watched from beside the bed how the doctor set a pulse oximetry on his finger, removed the mask and studied the indication on the screen. Also Roxanne could see it and her heart sank when she saw the count was dropping rapidly. Dr. Crawford was intending to set the mask back on his face when abruptly the count stopped and started to rise gradually until there was reading 96 % on the screen.
Roxanne's eyes moistened with happy tears. 'He's breathing himself, he's breathing with his own lungs. Will he wake up soon?'
But he wasn't and now it was the fifth day at the hospital.
Roxanne had been there all these days. She had refused to leave although Minion and Metro Man told they would take care of Megamind alternately. She know it was true and she could trust them but in her heart she was feeling her presence was the most important reason he was still struggling against the death. She was afraid if she would leave he would give up. She was afraid someone could come and hurt him if she wasn't there. He was so fragile and helpless.
'He didn't let anything hurt me during those encounters, now it's my turn to take care nothing will hurt him.' Roxanne thought while she was cleaning his face with the hospital's washcloth. His skin wasn't pale anymore, there was even a hint of purple shade on his cheeks which Roxanne found very pleasant. She remembered how he always blushed deeply when he saw a part of her underwear during the kidnapping or if she said something sexual. The memory made Roxanne smile. She hadn't realized before how cute and shy he was.
She placed the washcloth aside and examined his face. There was a stubble and his goatee was a little overgrown. 'He needs a shave' Roxanne thought but she wasn't sure she could trim his goatee, it was his trademark, so she decided Minion could do it.
She stretched and felt how her muscles were aching. She had slept on the chair next to his bed all these nights or practically she had only snoozed. The hard chair didn't feel pleasant and she needed to beware not to fall on the floor. She felt so tired.
She was looking like a mess, she was sure about it. She had dressed same clothes five days, she hadn't taken shower or washed her face or brushed her teeth, she didn't remember when was the last time she ate a proper meal. She hadn't slept great. She had never before felt so miserable.
She had called to her boss four days ago and told she wasn't coming to work for a while. She didn't pay attention what the boss was saying, she didn't care was those days paid or unpaid. She didn't care would she get fired. All she know was that she need to be here, with him.
The ward's door opened and Minion stepped in. He was carrying two cups of coffee, a box of donuts, cd-player and some CDs.
Roxanne stared at him confused.
"Good morning, Miss Ritchi" he wished happily and set the items on the table next to his bed.
"Morning Minion, mmm.. what are you doing?" she asked baffled, looking at the items suspiciously.
"Oh, I read the familiar scents and sounds could help the coma patients wake up sooner so I brought something Sir likes to eat and drink as well as the music he likes to listen." Minion explained nonchalantly and put one of the CDs into player. Soon the room was filled with the sounds and rhythms by AC/DC.
Roxanne smiled a little bit. It was a good idea. Maybe it could work and he would wake up soon. She yawned and felt how her eyes were closing even though she tried to keep them open. Soon she was dozing, sitting on the chair, drifting off to sleep, feeling her muscles were relaxing but just then she almost dropped and was fully awake again staring at her surroundings little caught off guard.
Minion looked at her worried and slightly shook his head. "Miss Ritchi, you really should go home." he sighed not letting his gaze from her.
"I can't.." She whispered looking at unconscious Megamind lying next to her.
"Miss Ritchi, you've been here five days. You haven't eaten or slept properly, Miss Ritchi, that's not good for your health. You really should go home." He pleaded.
"But what if something happens? What if he wakes up or.." She couldn't say it aloud.
"I will call you." Minion told sincerely. "I'm sure Sir wouldn't like to see you like this." He motioned her appearance with his hand smiling knowingly.
Roxanne let out a deep sigh. He was right, she looked like a mess. Maybe she really should visit at home.
"Maybe you're right Minion." She said quietly and sadly still looking at Megamind.
"It will do good for you." Minion spoke softly. "I'm here taking care of him." He nodded towards Megamind. "I promise to call you immediately if something happens." He smiled to her.
Roxanne stood up and walked at the door. She glanced over her shoulder one last time before she left the room. 'I'll come back soon' she motioned silently with her mouth and shut the door behind her.
…
Roxanne opened her home door and stepped inside. It felt like an eternity she had been here before. Lazily she let the purse drop from her hand and kicked off her shoes. She headed into the bathroom taking off the blazer and the other clothes. She took a long and hot shower, washing her hair, body and face, relishing the fresh feeling. She really needed that. Only the shower made her feel like a reborn.
She dried herself and put on only a pair of black lacy underpants and a white tank top. Then she went to the kitchen, opened the refrigerator and took a Thai chicken microwave meal out. She warmed up the portion and ate with gusto. She didn't remember when the food was last time tasted so good.
The full belly made her feel tired so she decided to go to sleep right after brushing her teeth.
She collapsed on the bed relishing the feel of soft mattress below her. She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep immediately.
She was dreaming.
She was walking along the hospital corridor which leads to his room. She opened the door and was shocked.
The bed was empty and the machines were gone. Roxanne gaped the sight before her until she turned around in panic and started to run along the corridor. She ran until she saw a nurse ahead her and shouted "Where is he! Where is Megamind!" She was totally upset.
The nurse turned to gaze at her and said blankly. "He's dead. They take him to the morgue cold storage while ago." Then she turned back continuing what she was doing like nothing had happened.
'He's dead, no no.. It's not true.. It can't be.." She wouldn't accept it.
She turned around and was running again. She found a stairway and leaped quickly towards the downstairs. She didn't know but her instinct told he was there. Finally she found the door which leaded to morgue and threw it open. 'Where is he, where is he?' she wondered desperately but the noise behind one corner disturbed her.
She headed towards the noise and when she saw from where it was coming she screamed in horror.
There was Megamind lying on an autopsy table, his chest and stomach cut open and the pathologist separating his organs and weighing them.
"NO, NO, NO!" Roxanne cried in panic, ran to him and collapsed onto him, on his open body, pushing her face against his bare unbeaten heart and crying hysterically.
Desperately she tried to pull his skin together, tried to cover his open body. Her face, hands and clothes were on blood and all she could do was crying.
She wrapped his head in her arms and was holding possessively, pushing her forehead against his cold one, sobbing loudly.
Then she felt how two hands grabbed her and pulled her from him, starting to drag her away. She tried to struggle against them but for nothing, the grip was too firm.
"Megamind!" She cried desperately when the distance grew between them until she couldn't see him anymore.
The hands guided her to sit on the back seat of some car which drove her away.
The drive was long and bumpy. She cried all the way they were driving until the car stopped suddenly.
The hands grabbed her again and leaded inside of some white brick building. Roxanne saw a sign on a yard where was reading Metro City's Mental hospital.
There they dressed a straitjacket on her and tossed her in a padded room never letting her away. She was there till death. Her last memory Megamind's open body in front of her.
Roxanne snapped awake panting, cold sweat covering her. 'It was just a dream, it was just a dream..' she tried to calm herself down. She glanced an alarm clock on her nightstand, it was 2:42 am. She had slept over 12 hours.
Rapidly she got up and put on a dark jeans. She undressed the top, dressed a bra and put the tank top back on. She also dressed a lilac jacket, put on a white sneakers, picked up her keys and left the apartment.
She was running along the nightly streets heading to the hospital. She hastened her pace thinking she shouldn't have leave. She would never forgive herself if something had happened.
Finally she reached the hospital. She ran to the elevator and picked a right floor.
'Please, let everything be alright, let everything be alright.' She begged quietly when she hurried to the door of Megamind's ward.
She opened the door carefully and let out a relieved sigh.
He was still there, alive, lying on the bed and the machines beeping around him, Minion sitting next to him on the chair and snoozing.
Minion awake when he heard the door opened.
"Miss Ritchi?" He asked surprised and glanced a clock. "It is 3:15 am, what are you doing here?" He yawned.
Roxanne hurried to sit on her own chair. "I.. I had a nightmare, I couldn't sleep anymore so I decided to come here. Is everything alright?" She explained examining Megamind.
Minion had shaved him and trimmed the goatee. He looked good and peaceful. Roxanne smiled a little and took his hand in hers. She was so happy the horrible vision was only a dream.
"Yeah, Everything fine, I think the music and scents didn't work." He confessed also staring at Megamind. "I was sure it would work." He said sadly flapping his fins.
"Maybe he needs just some time." Roxanne tried to cheer him up but didn't sound very convincing.
"Miss Ritchi." Minion sighed. "Have you think about if he won't wake up? I mean it can take years and.. You can't be here forever. You have a job and family et cetera. I think you should get ready for let go.. I mean life goes on.. You should go on.."
Roxanne didn't know what to say she was totally taken aback. This was his best friend telling something like this but when she think about it she made a conclusion Minion was a man and men was always thinking with common sense.
Minion stood up and Roxanne turned her gaze on him.
"Will you be fine if I go run some errands? I should feed the alligators among other things."
Roxanne nodded. "Yes, I'll be here." She said quietly and turned her gaze back to Megamind still holding his hand.
Minion walked to the door but before he left he turned around and said: "Miss Ritchi, think about what I said" and then he was gone.
Roxanne sighed and let go his hand.
Maybe Minion was right, maybe she should think about what if he wouldn't wake up? It really could take years. She had read about coma patients who had woken up after ten years or more. His brain had also been without an oxygen during several minutes. What if he would have a brain injury because of that? How bad could it be? Could he remember her or Minion or Metro Man if he would wake up? What if he wouldn't? What if he wasn't able to talk or walk? What if he wouldn't understand what was happening around him? What if.. What if he was a brain-dead?
The thought made Roxanne weeping. She shoved her face in her hands and sobbed quietly. 'Why I didn't tell to him when I had a chance? What If he won't wake up? What if he does and won't remember me.. This is my fault.. If I had told to him times ago we wouldn't be here right now..'
She didn't notice the figure next to her was moving his fingers.
"Is.. is this an evil heaven?" Asked a dry and faint voice beside her. Roxanne froze and turned her head cautiously at him.
His eyes were half lidded and he was observing his surroundings.
"Where am I?" he asked wearily.
Roxanne stood up and leaned against the edge of the bed.
"Megamind?" She whispered and placed her hand on his cheek.
Slowly he turned his gaze at her. "Miss Ritchi? What is this place?" He asked softly staring at her.
Roxanne's heart skipped a beat. 'He's awake, he remembers me!'
"We're at the hospital" She said gently and stroked his cheek.
He pushed his cheek against her palm relishing her touch and closed his eyes. "At the hospital" he whispered.
"Yes. Everything will work out." Her eyes filled with happy tears. "You will recover. I promise."
"Miss Ritchi, why are you here?" He asked weakly, eyes still closed.
"Megamind, in the Lair you told you have always liked me and still do.. I.. I have to tell you something.. The feeling is mutual.. I like you too.. I was afraid I couldn't tell to you but.. I like you Megamind.. I like you a lot.." She confessed sincerely with all her heart.
She wasn't sure had he heard her last sentence because his breathing had deepened and he didn't answer. Soon Roxanne noticed he had fallen asleep.
Roxanne smiled. "Sleep tight Megamind." She spoke softly still stroking his cheek. "You need to rest. Everything will work out. I won't let anything bad happen to you, I love you." She whispered listening his soft, deep and peaceful breath.
Roxanne found just then it was the most beautiful sound in the whole world.