Seventeen
While he didn't know how long the clonazepam had robbed him of his consciousness, he did know that he had been bitterly fuming from the moment it was returned to him.
Dammit, Jadzia, just you wait until I can get up.
Just. You. Wait.
I'll teach you exactly how to read a damned EEG. Presence of beta waves doesn't mean a frickin' seizure! It means I'm here!
Bloody hell, she should be able to see that I'm conscious!
Now I see why they say locked-in syndrome is worse than death…
In order to occupy the time between periods of sleep, he found himself honing in on the surrounding audio stimuli to gain clues about his environment and current condition. This was, of course, when he didn't have someone constantly talking in his ear.
Dax was the main voice he'd been hearing, offering him brief updates of his current condition. She didn't usually address him when discussing his care, instead choosing to solely address Jabara with her quiet concerns.
He assumed this aversion was deliberate to keep her emotions at bay. Every time she did talk to him, her breath shuddered violently, and she'd leave with a kiss on his hand instead of speaking.
Jabara would mutter comforting words when she and another nurse were attending to his hygiene and observations. Although his knowledge of the Bajoran language was limited, Julian was almost certain that the nurses had been murmuring a few prayers, and despite not being religious himself, he still felt honoured that they cared enough for him to do so.
His thoughts continually strayed towards Garak. Despite all the comforting phrases that had been whispered in his ears, no one had told him anything about Garak's condition since Dax spoke to him a few days ago. Nothing about where he was, what his injuries were, or even if he was still alive.
If I live and he dies, I don't think I'll ever forgive myself.
It took him a moment to realise that the constant background chatter had disappeared, and his surroundings had been quiet for some time; he assumed Jadzia had finally been persuaded to have a proper meal or sleep.
He was starting to consider attempting to fall asleep when heavy footsteps approached his medical bed, followed by an awkward cough. The visitor sat their weight on the end of the bed, resting against Julian's feet. "Hey Julian. It's, uh, i-it's Miles here."
Miles! Julian was taken aback. Now this is a surprise. I must've been here for a while.
A brief silence fell before Miles inhaled sharply. "Come on, Julian, th-this is gettin' ridiculous. You've been in here for almost a week already. I need you back. This whole station is gettin' on my nerves, including how I've had to fix your damn stasis unit three times…Of course you don't need it fixed until you're the one actually in it!"
Oh Miles, please stop apologising. I don't even recall the last time that thing got used. It's a miracle it even still works, to be honest. Though I suppose I should expect nothing less from the sole repairer of this station.
Wait, what do you mean nearly a week?!
"I-I'm sorry, Julian, that…that was uncalled for. I just need to rant to someone…I don't have many options apart from you, a-and I mean, you…can't exactly talk back right now…Any other time I'd say that was a blessing."
You definitely sound overdue for a game of darts, my friend.
"I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm glad you're still alive, but…" Miles's voice faltered. "You're not doin' much living in this state, Julian. And I miss you."
Julian knew that if he was physically able to, he would've been wiping tears from his eyes. It was only in the most serious circumstances that Miles ever displayed this much emotion, and it gave him a good indication of just how dire his situation had been. I miss you too, Miles. I miss Garak and Jadzia. Hell, I can't believe I miss the simple pleasure of scratching my damn eye, of all things! This is absolute torture.
He was even more surprised when he became aware of a strange sensation spreading across his face. Was that an itch?! I haven't felt itchy once during this adventure…
His stomach dropped when he felt his eyelids twitch.
Not just one eyelid, but both.
Is it possible?…
Miles was still talking, but his words had become lost in the excitement in Julian's mind. He experimented with other parts of his body, attempting to flex his fingers and toes with no success. His neck remained firmly still, and his lips felt as though they were glued shut.
He decided to take a gamble, and activated his orbicularis oculi.
If he'd been physically capable of recoiling from the pain that the sudden change in brightness caused him, he would've fallen off the bed. His eyes had only been open for a second before he quickly screwed them shut. Oh, my Lord…I wasn't expecting it to hurt that much.
Then again, I suppose it would hurt to be exposed to light when your corneas haven't seen it for days on end…
"Julian?!" Miles's voice pitched up with surprise. "My God, Julian!" He blinked dumbly at his friend for a few seconds before quickly shouting over his shoulder. "Dax! Dax, he's awake! J-Julian keep your eyes open for me!"
For God's sake, Miles, keep your voice down! My head is hurting enough as it is.
He could hear rapid footsteps and excited shouts around him, but was too focused on attempting to fight the pain to listen. Julian manage to squint at his best friend, sighing with relief as Dax came into view with a tricorder. Finally, we're making progress.
