Riley lifted her head off the pillow of her hospital bed, bringing it forward slightly, allowing her eyes to survey her body. First thing she noticed was that her leg had several large rods sticking out of it. It was wrapped and bordered by what appeared to be cardboard. She then preceded to lift her good arm (the one that's wrist wasn't in a brace) as she did so she seemed to notice the tubes and wires connected to her for the first time. She couldn't help wonder how she hadn't noticed them before. She slowly brought her hand to her face, touching the stitches and the little pieces of tape holding, what seemed like, much of her together. Her neck quickly grew tired and she let her head fall back onto the pillow.
Within minutes it felt like someone had flipped a switch on Riley's pain for it all came rushing back. Riley winced and grit her teeth. She quickly grabbed the little remote at her bed side and squeezed the button on top; allowing the prescribed dosage of pain meds to flood her body. Within moments she felt relief.
...But only from the pain... there was no relief for her mind however, as it searched for the memory of what happened.
"Knock knock" Came a cheery voice from the other side of Riley's hospital room door.
Riley recognized the voice just as the door opened, reviling the person behind it.
"Shay" Riley smiled.
"Hey girly." Shay smiled back; coming across the room to give Riley what was a slightly awkward, given all the tubes and wires, yet meaningful hug.
"Hey! And what am I? Chop liver?" Gabby Dawson said, appearing in the doorway.
"Hey Gabby." Riley greeted with the same smile she gave Shay.
"That's better." Dawson said with a wink.
"What are you guys doing here? Riley asked.
They were both in their EMT uniforms and it was mid day.
"We're here to pick up a special package." Shay said.
Riley gave them both a confused look.
"Good news girl.. We're taking you back to Chicago. You're being transferred to Med." Shay finished with a bit of flare.
"Wait, really?" Riley said, a bit of excitement creeping its way into her voice.
"Really really." Gabby said. "Between us, and your friends in blue-"
"We had some stings pulled, got ya transferred. And closer to the people that care about you." Shay finished
"And further from the ones that don't." Gabby added.
Riley smiled as big as she could without creating tension on the stitches in her face.
"Well, shall we?" Shay said, giving her best bow towards the doors. "Your chariot awaits."
Riley giggled, and nodded.
Without opening her eyes, Riley awoke slowly. The first thing her attention was drawn too was a warmth wrapped around her hand. As she slowly became more conscious Riley distinguished it was a hand.. someone gently yet secruly holding her hand. Riley opened her eyes expecting to see Erin, but instead was greeted with the presence of a woman she didn't know. A woman with dark hair, wearing maroon scrubs and a long white lab coat.
A doctor, Riley surmised.
She was siting in a chair by Riley's bedside, reading. One hand holding a book and the other holding Riley's hand. The doctor shifted, aware of Riley's return to consciousness.
"Hi sweetheart, I'm Dr. Manning." The doctor said with a soft smile and a warm voice.
"Hi," Riley whispered in reply. She looked around. "I made it to Chicago Med?" Bit of a question, bit of a statement.
Dr. Manning nodded. "The EMT's that brought you in gave you a mild sedative to help you mange the trip. You've been asleep for a couple of hours. Detective Lindsay didn't want you to wake up alone in a new place." Dr. Manning finished, giving Riley's hand a squeeze.
"Erin was here?" Riley asked.
Dr. Manning nodded. "Yep, about an hour or so ago. Don't worry, she'll be back later." She then got up and began to examine Riley before messing with the IV bag and then sitting right back down and writing some notes into Riley's chart.
"How long do you think I'll be in the hospital?" Riley asked.
"At least a couple weeks I'm afraid." Dr. Manning told her sympathetically.
"That's okay, I'm not in any rush." Riley said quietly.
"Hey," Dr. Manning said, taking her hand again. "Its gonna be okay."
Riley smiled and nodded but in her mind she still held doubts.
"Hi I'm Sarah Reese." A young curly haired doctor said coming into Riley's room. "Dr. Manning asked me to come check on you. How are you feeling?"
"Mmh, okay.. my leg's starting to hurt though." Riley said gesturing as best she could to the one with the equipment sticking out of it. "It feels like a different hurt from the other times its hurt."
The young doctor came in to examine it. "How long has it been hurting?"
"About-" Riley suddenly cut off and grasped her chest with her good arm and cry out a bit.
"Riley what's wrong?" Reese said.
"My chest," Riley gasped. "The pain, it moved. It's in my chest, it hurts."
The monitors connected to Riley began going off.
"Someone get Dr. Manning!" The young doctor yelled out the door before a nurse joined her at Riley's side.
"What's going on?!" Dr. Manning said, rushing into the room.
"She was complaining of leg pain and now the pains in her chest." Reese informed her.
Dr. Manning looked at the monitors. "She's thrown a clot. We need to get her upstairs now. Page Dr. Rhodes and tell him we're on our way."
As the door swung open as people moved in and out of her room, Riley saw someone talking to one of the people at the front desk. He was wearing a suite and as she gasped for air, Riley recognized him. It was her father's lawyer.
"Alright, let's move!" Dr. Manning said, as she grabbed Riley's hospital bed and prepared to move it.
Riley reached out and grabbed her wrist. "Wait," she said desperately.
Dr. Manning stopped in her tracks and looked at Riley.
"Let me die, please.. don't save me. Let me die." Were the words that came out of Riley's mouth. The young girl's eyes were filled with fear and panic.
Dr. Manning didn't know what to say so she told the girl that everything was going to be okay and that she had her and was with her.
And with that, they wheeled Riley up to surgery.
"Nat! I got your call, how is she?" Erin Lindsay said coming through the doors of Chicago Med.
"She's okay, we were able to remove the clot in her lungs, before it caused serious damage or moved anywhere else. " Dr. Manning said.
Erin nodded. "Can I see her?"
Dr. Manning hung her head a bit. "In a minute or so.. Dr. Charles is with her."
"Dr. Charles? Wait, why?" Erin said.
Nat took Erin aside. "He's assessing her for suicide risk..."
Shock covered Erin's face. She opening her mouth to reply but no words came out. That's when Dr. Manning explained what Riley had said to her.
Dr. Charles came out of Riley's room. "Erin," he greeted.
"Hey Doc." Erin said, still feeling over whelmed.
"Riley and I have talked." He said briefly before turing to Erin again. "She's very bright, has a lot of insight and perspective for her age. It's refreshing."
Erin smiled, looking down for a moment as she did so before looking back at Dr. Charles. "That's Riley."
"She speaks very highly of you I might add." The old doctor finished.
Erin smiled a little bigger. Dr. Charles smiled back before turning back to Dr. Manning.
"So as I said, Riley and I chatted and I don't believe she is a danger to herself or anyone else at this moment. She is simply a very young woman, who's afraid of being sent back home. One, who in a moment of pure fear would rather have had the somewhat quick death of a blood clot than the one she feels is waiting for her at home."
"Well that's never gonna happen. I'm gonna make sure of that." Erin stated determinedly.
"I know you will." He said placing his hand briefly on the detective's shoulder.
Dr. Charles then nodded to them both before departing.
"Can I see her now?" Erin asked.
Dr. Manning gestured to Riley's room door. "I think she'd like that."
"Thanks for everything Nat. I really appreciate it." Erin said before moving in that direction.
"You're welcome." Natalie said.
Hey Riley fans! Hope you enjoyed the update! Sorry it took so long... R&R! :)