TOM

It's been close to 24 hours since Jane was done with surgery.

Throughout the night her oxygen levels remained stable, however there was still a bit of a problem keeping her blood pressure up. My sleep was often interrupted by nurses, beeping machines, or my own nerves that would wake me to check that she was okay. However, I did manage a few hours of sleep.

Ben and Sophie decided to take a day and leave Jane to recover a bit once she was up so as not to overwhelm her. They had just started to ween her off of the sedation. This was necessary before she was to have the breathing tube removed to be sure that she was alert and nothing went wrong with the anesthesia that would cause her to be intubated again.

Her transplant surgeon and Dr. S were in the room, watching the machines and watching Jane to see what would happen. I sat beside her on the bed, holding her hand in mine.

"Tom? Maybe try talking to her a bit, stimulating her might help her to wake up." Dr. S suggests from his place beside the surgeon.

You nod before turning to Jane, giving her little hand a squeeze. "Jane dear? Can you hear me? You did it, love. You're out of surgery, you've got a shiny new pair of lungs. Can you open your eyes for me?"

JANE
You feel like you're floating. You feel nothing.

Until, suddenly, you do.

You feel pain. You feel something down your throat. Almost as if you were choking. But you weren't choking were you? The pain was growing, it was all you could think about.

Until you felt a squeeze on your hand, and the voice you longed for...Tom. He said you were out of surgery. That would explain the pain, but what surgery this time? He asks you to open your eyes so you try.

Your lids are heavy so you give his hand a weak squeeze while you struggle to open your eyes.

"She squeezed my hand! Jane my love, can you try and open your eyes for me? I miss them so."

You hear the desperation and excitement in his voice. Finally, you see the familiar bright hospital light above you, until Tom's face blocks it. Tears in his eyes and a smile on his face.

"Hello there."

You try to talk but whatever is down your throat makes it impossible, you also aren't able to turn your head. What was going on? You look up to Tom with confusion and he senses it immediately.

"Jane don't try to talk. You have a breathing tube down your throat. You had your double lung transplant yesterday, remember? You're doing well. You've been sedated for a day to let your body rest."

Tears instantly build and spill down your cheeks. It happened, you got new lungs. You were going to get a chance at a life with Tom.

Tom wipes the tears from your face and kisses your forehead. Suddenly Dr. S, and a man you don't recognize, appear beside Tom.

"Hello Jane, I'm your transplant surgeon, Dr. James. Your surgery went well, besides a few blips here an there, but those are to be expected. Now, I'd like to take that breathing tube out and get those lungs working on their own. How does that sound?"

You aren't sure if you can nod, so you manage a thumbs up. Tom gives a chuckle, along with Dr. S. "Very good, I'll be back shortly with the supplies." And with that Dr. James leaves the room.

You want to tell someone about your pain, but it will have to wait until the tube is gone and you can speak again. For now you just wait for the surgeon to return and Tom strokes your hair, never taking his eyes off you. Dr. S hovers around the many machines and watches things closely, the nurse by the computer seems to be charting.

Dr. James returns quickly and he, Dr. S, and the nurse set things up for you to have your breathing tube removed. You were nervous, but more than that, excited to feel what it was like to truly breathe.

"Alright we're ready, Tom do you mind stepping aside a little?" Dr. S asks and Tom quickly moves from his seat on the bed to just standing beside you. His hand never letting go of yours.

"Alright now Jane, this shouldn't hurt, but it will not be the most pleasant experience." Dr. James says. You give Tom's hand a squeeze and then shut your eyes. You feel the tape holding the tube in place removed from your face, and hear a click from one of the tubes. You notice you aren't receiving the air anymore. And then in one swift movement you felt the tube being removed, up and out. It was quick and painless, but just like he said, not pleasant.

You cough a bit and feel the nurse placing a cannula under your nose, your throat felt sore but you expected that. You give Tom's hand another squeeze, and take a deep breath.

It was smooth. No crackles or wheezes, no need to cough, no feeling of sand paper scraping along the inside of your lungs, and it was a full and deep breath. Air getting into parts of your lungs that it wasn't able to before.

You begin to cry and Tom bends down to hug you, tears streaming down his face.

TOM

Seeing her be able to take a deep breath, and the smile that crossed her face afterwards, was indescribable. It brought tears to your eyes instantly.

Everyone gave you a moment to just hold one another and cry. Jane was trembling. "You did it." I just kept repeating into her hair.

After a minute, Dr. S comes and taps you on the shoulder and you stand up and step aside,wiping the tears from your face. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I need to ask a few questions." He says with a genuine smile.

He turns to Jane. "How does that feel? Are you able to take a deep and full breath?" He asks with a grin, as if he already knew the answer by looking at her face.

"Yes, it's incredible" She says with a grin and then a sudden wince crosses her face.

"That brings me to my next question, are you in pain?"

"Yeah I am quite a bit actually." She says with another small wince. You can tell she was in alot of pain.

"Alright, we'll up your pain medication dose and leave you to rest another day before we have you move around. It's not in your chest is it?"

"No no, it feels more like the incision and just overall pain from surgery."

"Alright, we'll write for a higher dose and then let you rest. We'll leave you be now, but we'll come and check in later or you can have us paged. Ok?"

Jane was already looking exhausted, but she managed a nod and a weak "Thank you" before they both smiled and left.

I quickly texted Ben and Chris an update before I returned to my place beside her on the bed while the nurse gave her more pain medication, I watched her relax instantly. Her muscles no longer tense. The look of pain etched on her features calmed. Her lids started drooping but she tried to fight it.

"I love you, Tom. I can't wait to start life with you." She mumbled, already mostly asleep.

I leaned in to give her a kiss before whispering. "I love you too, Jane. Happy day one."

Authors Note: Another thank you to all those who follow, favorite, and review! I look forward to it after every update!