Chapter 14: Alive
The ride in the ambulance was grim he sat as still as possible trying not to get in the way as the CPR continued on the drive to the hospital, he refused to believe Sherlock was right, Scarlett was not going to die.
"I have a pulse" shouted the male paramedic to the female who was driving through the heavy early evening traffic.
As they arrived at the hospital the paramedics moved fast and soon were rushing her through more and more door.
"I'm sorry sir you can't come through here" said a nurse stopping John as he went to follow Scarlett through the next set of double doors.
"I'm a doctor" said John weakly and the nurse smiled sadly and John simply nodded and allowed her to lead him to a waiting area.
He watched the clock for nearly 5 hours.
A doctor in scrubs approached him. John stood to address him.
"She's stable, for now. She's out of surgery and we have isolated and stopped the bleeding, but she's not out of the woods yet. She has 3 broken ribs, a broken wrist and extensive bruising. She won't be awake for a while, but at the moment she is stable, she will stay in Intensive Care until I feel she is able to be moved. She needs to rest now so go home, get some rest and we will call if anything develops"
John just nodded.
He made his way home by foot, he couldn't get his brain to function enough to hail a cab it was 1am when he go in. Sherlock sat in his chair staring at the wall, when John walked Sherlock didn't even look up.
"She's had surgery for her gunshot wound, she stable but she had 3 broken ribs and a broken wrist as well as a load of bruising, but she's OK" said John slowly as he sat down in his chair and looked to Sherlock.
The taller man said nothing he didn't even look at John and John could see the tear stains on his face. For a while that sat in silence before John spoke.
"Do you love her then?" he asked quietly and finally Sherlock looked at him before blankly his gaze turned back to the wall.
"Yes" was all he said and John was happy with that reply he didn't need any more. For the rest of the night the two men sat in silence, until around 5 without a word, Sherlock stood and went through the kitchen and to his room.
Over the next two weeks Sherlock refused to go with John to the hospital, Mrs Hudson went a few times and John tried to contact Scarlett's brother who was serving in Afghanistan but had yet to hear a response.
"Scarlett's parents were their today" said John as he returned to the flat that afternoon.
"Nice people, she improving" John continued thought Sherlock made no sign he was even listening.
"I'll go tomorrow" said Sherlock suddenly.
"What that?" John question from the poking his head round the door way to the kitchen to look at the taller man.
"Tomorrow I will go to see Scarlett, I want to see her" said Sherlock and John just looked at him astonished
"Sure OK, the visiting times are 2-4 so we need to leave here at about 1:30" but again the detective made no sign he was even listening.
John led him through the halls of the hospital and toward the Intensive care unit. John stopped at the door of a private room and allowed Sherlock to go first. She lay in the bed her eyes close, her wrist was covered in a plaster cast and she had a drip in her other arm. The heart monitor beeps quietly along with her heart and Sherlock moved further into the room.
A doctor entered and looked to John who smile.
"A new face today, clearly she is a very popular lady" said the femal doctor to Sherlock as she picked up the chart from the end of the bed and check over a few things.
"How is she?" John asked the doctor.
"Better, she's stable and improving more quickly than we had anticipated which is very good. She hasn't woken up yet but its still early days and she has suffered a great deal. But I'm confident she will pull through and may be out of here in a few weeks or so if she wakes up soon" said the doctor before she replaced the chart and with a smile to John she left.
Sherlock didn't really listen as he sat next to bed and looked at Scarlett's bruised and battered face, and he was sure as he looked her, that he truly did love her. She slept, her chest moving up and down slowly under the covers. Her lips were cracked and sore and her face was slightly more thin than before but she was still the most beautiful creature he had even seen. He smiled as he looked at her, and then like she knew, her eyes cracked open and she looked at him.
"Sherlock" she said her voice cracking and then she smiled.
John went to fetch the doctor and Sherlock just looked at her.
"Hello" she said to him and he finally smiled that crooked smile.
"Hello" he replied.
"I'm not dead" she stated and he smiled and shook his head.
"No you're not dead"
"Ahh Miss Monroe, you had decided to grace us with your presence" said the doctor, Scarlett looked to the doctor and smiled.
"Now lets have a look over you" said the doctor and she began to look over at the heart monitor pressing button, before taking Scarlett's blood pressure and blood oxygen levels.
"All seems good, now don't try to move around to much, you can sit yourself up but be careful not to pull out your stitches or hurt yourself" the doctor said handing Scarlett a remote for the bed, slowly and with three sets of eyes on her Scarlett sat her self up a little.
"Hello John" Scarlett smiled and he smiled back.
"How long have I been here" Scarlett asked him.
"Just over two weeks" said John sitting down on the chair the other side of the bed, the doctor took this as a chance to slip out and did so quietly.
"Do my parent know" she asked
"Yes they visited yesterday" said John and Scarlett simply nodded then she turned to Sherlock.
"Are you OK now" she asked slowly and he looked at her strangely.
"I'm not the one in the hospital bed" he said and she laugh slightly.
"That's true, but last time I saw you, you seemed a little upset" She said and Sherlock simply shock his head at her.
She smiled before her face turned.
"I mean what I said, or what I hope I said in time" she said to him and he nodded
"I know" he replied simply.
After an hour of idle chat Scarlett began to get tired and two men decided to leave. As she finally fell asleep the made there move, John made his way out quickly and Sherlock began to follow as something warm touched his hand, he looked down to see here hand clutching at his, he looked at her and she smiled.
"Thank you" she said quietly and he turned his body to her.
"Any time" he replied and he gripped her hand tightly and she smiled. He leant down to her and heard the beeps on the heart monitor increased causing him to grin. He did love the hold he had over Scarlett and she equally enjoyed it.
His body leant over hers slightly and he smiled that strange smile she was sure was only for her eyes.
Slowly he ghosted his lips over her and she let out a whimper and he smiled, before he pressed harder and kissed her fully, she kissed back but it was soon over. He looked at her sternly for a moment and then a smiled ghosted his face.
"I love you" she said barely above a whisper and he grinned.
Before he turned and without another word left.