Happy New Year! Here's another one! :)
Emma and Ella
Chapter 13: Hospital Stay
A day later (7:30am)...
David came into Ella's room with something behind his back.
"Hey, Emma's going to be discharged sometime today. How much longer does Ella have to be here?" David asked, looking over at Ella.
"We don't know yet." Mary Margaret said, but was looking curiously at David holding his arm behind his back.
"I just came to visit and say hi." David said with a smile. "And Emma wanted to see if you would go visit her."
"Of course." Mary Margaret said with a smile.
Mary Margaret left the room and David came farther into the room to visit Ella.
"Hey sweetie." David said with a smile.
"Hey David." Ella said with a shy smile.
"I have something for you." David said as he pulled his arm out from behind his back to reveal a brown bear with a purple ribbon around its neck.
"For me?" Ella asked with a surprised look as David handed it to her.
"Yeah. I thought you might need a friend in here." David said with a smile.
"Thanks." Ella said with bright eyes.
David sat down on the edge of her bed. "How are you feeling?"
"Fine." Ella responded quickly as she looked down at the bear.
David smirked, that was the same response he got from Emma all the time. "You're fine? You sound like Emma." David said with a chuckle.
"I am. I should be able to go home too, but Dr. Whale won't let me go." Ella said with a frown as she fiddled with the bear in her hands.
David smiled at her believing she was fine. Just looking at her, you could tell she was anything, but fine. "Well you just listen to the doctor and stay in bed, no sneaking off okay?"
"It's not like I can go anywhere. I am kind of stuck." Ella said looking down at her leg.
David chuckled. "Maybe that's a good thing."
Ella smiled sheepishly and shifted in bed at the same time. She winced as she moved because it bothered her ribs.
"What's wrong?" David asked in worry at seeing her wince, just then Mary Margaret walked in to hear him.
"It's her ribs. She broke 2 of them and bruised at least 4 of the rest. She probably needs more of her meds." Mary Margaret said as started to the bed to push the PCA pump that would give Ella more pain medicine.
"Mom, no, I don't need more." Ella said as she tried to prevent her mom from getting the button.
"Ella, you do need more." Mary Margaret said as she got to Ella.
"But it will make me tired again." Ella said with a pout.
"Well you do need your rest." Mary Margaret said softly as she held her hand out for the button.
Ella looked at her mom's hand and then glanced over at David before pulling out the button. She started to hand it to her mom before pulling it back to her. "Do I have to?"
"Yes, now give it to me." Mary Margaret said firmly.
Ella gave it to her reluctantly.
Mary Margaret pushed it once and then pushed it again. Ella's eyes widened.
"Mom!" Ella whined.
Mary Margaret smiled softly. "Come on, we need to get you laying down."
Ella frowned, starting to get sleepy. "Why'd you push it twice?" Ella muttered grumpily.
Mary Margaret and David exchanged an amused look at her complaining.
"Hush, honey." Mary Margaret said as Ella clutched her teddy bear that David gave her. "Sleep baby."
"Can I go home when I wake up?" Ella asked as she looked up at her mom.
"You aren't ready to go home yet." Mary Margaret said as she covered her up with the blankets.
"Emma gets to go…" Ella muttered.
"You aren't Emma, baby. Dr. Whale hasn't cleared you to go home." Mary Margaret said softly. "Now close your eyes, it's time to sleep now. Love you, Ella."
"Love you, mommy." Ella said as her eyes closed and she drifted to sleep.
"She likes pain medicine as much as Emma." David said quietly with a chuckle.
"Yeah, she never pushes the button." Mary Margaret said and then pointed to the bear her daughter was holding tightly in her sleep. "You gave her the bear?"
"I figured she could use a friend. I got a similar one for Emma." David said with a shrug of his shoulders.
"Well I'm sure she really appreciates it. I haven't been able to give her all the toys and things that she has wanted with my salary so I'm sure she'll treasure it."
David nodded in understanding.
"I guess I better get back to Emma before she leaves without me."
"Yeah, she seemed ready to go when I was in there."
"I don't want to burst her bubble, but she probably won't get discharged until after lunch." David said with a grimace.
"Oh good luck with that." Mary Margaret said with a chuckle.
"I'm going to need it." David said seriously and Mary Margaret just grinned, but then Ella groaned in her sleep which shifted both of their attentions to her.
"She's in a lot of pain. I wish I could take it all way." Mary Margaret said softly as she stroked Ella's cheek.
"I know." David said. "I feel the same way with Emma." David said, but was also feeling the same with Ella as well. He didn't like seeing her in pain either.
Mary Margaret nodded as she looked down at her daughter.
"Hey is there anything you need? If you needed to go home, I could keep an eye on her." David said after a few minutes.
"Well she should sleep for a good while and I do need to go home to get a few more things. You wouldn't mind?"
"Of course not. I'll just need to go in between their rooms." David said.
"Ok that would be great. I'll leave now so that she will probably be asleep most of the time." Mary Margaret said as she grabbed a few things and her purse before kissing Ella's head.
She then looked over at David with a worried look. "Are you sure your okay with this?"
David smiled, "yes. I don't mind."
"Ok. Thank you." Mary Margaret said as she started to the door and gave him a quick kiss as she passed.
"I'm going to miss you while you are gone." David said with a charming smile.
Mary Margaret chuckled as she looked back at him, but didn't respond. She then continued leaving with a grin on her face.
David turned to look back into the room to see that Ella seemed to be sleeping soundly. He then headed over to let the nurses know he was watching her with Mary Margaret gone. If Ella would need anything they could get him.
He then started back to Emma's room, but as he did Emma came out of the room looking behind her shoulder.
"What do you think you are doing?" David asked, startling her.
She jumped and looked at him in surprise before a stubborn look came on her face. "I'm going home."
"Emma, you have to wait to be discharged." David said as he came up and started to guide her back into her room.
"But they are taking forever!" Emma whined.
"Well it is going to take a little while." David said as he got her in bed. "Why don't you take a nap while we wait? You still need your rest."
"No." Emma whined.
"No? Why honey?" David asked as he sat on the edge of her bed.
"I just don't like sleeping here." Emma told him with a frown.
David frowned too and lightly stroked her face. "Have you been having bad dreams?"
Emma looked down and nodded.
David smiled sadly at her. "Do you want to tell me about them?"
Emma shook her head no.
"It might help." David said softly as he ran a hand down her head.
"I just don't have good memories in hospitals." Emma told him with sad eyes.
"Oh. I'm sorry, sweetie." David said kindly.
"So can we leave then?" Emma asked hopefully.
"Yes." David started and Emma looked hopeful at him. "When you are discharged." David finished with a smile.
Emma scowled. "But Dad they're taking forever." Emma whined.
David gave her a sympathetic look. "Why don't I read to you for a little bit? It might help the time go by faster." David said as he picked up the book he had been reading to her while she had been in the hospital.
"I guess." Emma said as she relaxed a little at not having to go to sleep.
David pulled her blanket up a little so that it was covering her shoulders before sitting back in his chair and starting to read from where they left off.
After a chapter and half, David noticed that Emma had closed her eyes. He finished reading the chapter just in case she was still awake before closing the book and kissing her forehead.
*****OUAT*****
9:15am
"Um Mr. Nolan?" a nurse popped into the room and David looked up from his chair by Emma's bed. "Do you think you could help us with Ella?"
"Um sure." David said quietly as he got up from his chair to come to the door. "Is something wrong?" David asked worriedly.
"She woke up in a bit of a panic and we can't get her to calm down. She is having a hard time breathing so they tried to put an oxygen mask on her, but then she started to fight them causing her panic attack to continue. We need help to calm her down."
David nodded as they got to the room and he saw Ella struggling to get away from the nurses and the on call doctor. He walked over to the bed and they made room for him to go to the head of the bed by Ella. "Ella, sweetie." David said softly as he put a hand on her head.
Ella looked up at him as he spoke to her. She was having trouble breathing and her eyes were full of panic and fear. When she realized who it was, she reached over and hugged him.
David smiled softly as he put a hand on her head. "Shh. It's okay, Ella."
"Can't…breathe." Ella told him in a panicked voice.
"Try to relax, Ella, just breathe in and breathe out for me. You are going to be just fine." David started to coach her as he rubbed her back.
Ella breathing continued to get better over the next few minutes. David continued to rub her back and encourage her.
"We need to put this on her." The on-call doctor told David as he showed him the oxygen mask that they wanted to use to give her oxygen through.
David nodded before looking back down at Ella. "Ella, the doctor needs to put this oxygen mask on you to help with your breathing." David told her gently.
Ella looked up at him and then over to the doctor with a weary look. "I don't need it." Ella said. She was wheezing as she talked even though her breathing had improved.
"Yes you do." David told her softly and Ella frowned. "Can you do it for me?"
Ella looked up at him and could see that he looked worried about her. She didn't want him to have to worry anymore. She nodded her head reluctantly. She didn't want the mask, but she would do it for her Dad.
"Ok, Ella. We are just going to put this mask over your mouth." The doctor said as he slipped it over her head and over her mouth and nose. "Now just keep this on and we will come back to check your breathing."
The nurses and on-call doctor left and David looked down at Ella. "Feeling better?"
Ella nodded, but then reached up to try to take the mask off.
"Uh uh. That stays on, remember?" David told her quickly.
Ella frowned.
"I know it's not fun, but you have to listen to the doctor. He knows what he is doing." David said sympathetically.
"Who knows what they are doing?" Mary Margaret said as she came in the room, but then saw the mask on Ella's face. "What happened?" She asked as she dropped her things and rushed over to Ella.
"She had a panic attack and her breathing got bad. They have her on oxygen for now." David informed her quickly.
Mary Margaret frowned as she cupped her daughter's face. "She'll be okay though?" She asked in worry.
"Yes, they are going to come back to check her breathing in a little bit." David reassured her.
"Good. Thank you so much for watching her while I was gone." Mary Margaret said gratefully.
"It was no problem. I'll see you both later." David told her kindly.
"Please don't go." Ella said after she took the mask off her face.
"Honey, he has to get back to Emma." Mary Margaret said, knowing that David would want to get back to Emma by now.
Ella looked down sadly.
"I'll come back and visit you later, okay?" David said kindly.
"Ok." Ella said with a little smile.
"Put the mask back on and I'll see you later, honey." David said as he patted her head with a smile.
Ella put the mask back on and nodded.
David smiled before leaving the room. He wished he could be with both girls, but he just couldn't.
*****OUAT*****
11:00am
Emma woke up and saw that her Dad had fallen asleep in the chair by the bed. She smiled mischievously. She could finally sneak off to Ella's room. He caught her before she had made it to her room.
Emma clamped up her IV and unplugged it. Last time, she just brought it with her, but not this time. She could go faster without it. She quietly got of the bed and tiptoed to the door and snuck down the hall to Ella's room.
She peeked in the room to see that Mary Margaret was also sleeping. Ella was too, but she could just wake her up. She frowned when she saw the state of her friend and the oxygen mask on her. Was she worse than her Dad and Mary Margaret led her to believe?
She snuck up to her bed and lightly shook her shoulder. "Ella." She whispered, afraid if she spoke any louder that her voice would wake up Mary Margaret.
Ella moved her head and slowly opened her eyes, looking confused. "Emma?"
"Shh." Emma put her finger up to her mouth to signal Ella to be quiet. "Your mom is sleeping and I'm not supposed to be here."
Ella smiled. "You snuck out of your room? I wish I could sneak out, but I'm stuck."
"Yeah, you are." Emma said with a chuckle and then got serious. "Hey, I am sorry for calling you crazy the other day. I didn't mean it. I just can't believe what you want me to. I am sorry."
Ella looked down sadly, but then back up at Emma. "It's okay. I'm sorry I was pushing it on you. It's just really important to me." Ella said softly.
"I know." Emma said with small smile and looked over at Ella's mom. "What should we do?"
"We could watch TV?" Ella said as she looked at the TV and Emma nodded excitedly. "Come sit up here." Ella said as she tried to shift over in the bed as much as she could and Emma got up next to her carefully. Ella held up the covers for her to get under them.
Ella then turned the TV on and turned the volume down.
"Friends. Let's watch that." Emma whispered quietly.
"My mom doesn't let me watch that." Ella said as she bit her lip.
"Your mom is asleep…." Emma said with mischievous look.
Ella smiled mischievously as well. "Ok."
*****OUAT*****
11:40 am
David headed down the hall quickly to Ella's room. He had woken up and saw Emma's empty bed. He hoped she was just in Ella's room, but he didn't know for sure.
He walked in quietly and saw Emma laying in Ella's bed with her. They were both watching TV as Mary Margaret slept in the chair. He sighed before clearing his throat causing both girls to look over. Both of their eyes widened at seeing him.
"Emma. What are you doing in here?" David asked as he came closer to her.
Emma bit her lip. "The nurse said I could…" Emma lied.
David narrowed his eyes. "Which one?"
"Oh she left already…" Emma said as she avoided his eyes.
"That's convenient." David said with a knowing look. "Now you want to tell me the truth?"
Emma grimaced and shook her head no.
David sighed. "Alright then, let's get you back to your bed."
"Can't I stay for a little while longer?" Emma complained.
"No. Not when you are lying to me." David scolded her.
"Ok. Ok. I snuck out while you were sleeping." Emma told him quickly. "Now can I stay?"
"No, kid." David said.
"But I told the truth." Emma whined.
"Yes, I am glad you did, but you only did because you thought you could stay."
"What's going?" Mary Margaret asked as she woke up and saw Emma in Ella's bed with Ella. "Emma, when did you get in here? And what are you two watching?"
Ella bit her lip.
"Ella, turned it off now. You know you aren't to watch that show."
"Emma snuck in here and will be going back to her room now." David said with a disappointed look at Emma who was now pouting. "Let's go, Em."
"Can't you just let her stay?" Ella asked David.
"Ella." Mary Margaret warned and Ella backed off, but also started to pout. They had been having fun while their parents at been sleeping. Now they were ruining their fun.
Mary Margaret and David exchanged an amused yet frustrated look.
"Come on, Em. We need to get you back to bed." David said as he helped her out of the bed. "Wait, where is your IV pole? Did you take it out?"
Emma grimaced and David looked at her arm to see that at least she didn't pull the IV out of her arm, she just disconnected it. David guided Emma out of Ella's room and to her own room to see a nurse coming out of it, looking flustered.
"She's right here, she snuck out." David said.
The nurse nodded in understanding. "I came to actually take her IV out. Dr. Whale will be in after lunch to examine her and decide if she can leave today."
David helped Emma into bed without saying a word.
Emma looked up at him. "I'm sorry I snuck out." Emma told him sincerely.
"Thank you for apologizing, but don't do that again. Not that you will have a chance since I won't be taking my eyes off you this time." David said with a smirk.
"And because I'm going home, right?" Emma asked with a cheeky smile.
"Yes, but you will be following the doctor's orders which is probably going to be to rest. I don't appreciate you sneaking out and I'm not going to stand for it here or at home. Understand?" David said.
"Yes." Emma said.
"Good." David replied.
"Can I watch some TV?" Emma asked after the nurse left the room.
David frowned at her without saying anything. Emma knew that meant no. She smiled sheepishly as she sunk a little lower in her bed. She probably shouldn't push him anymore. He wasn't necessarily mad, but he wasn't exactly in the best mood after waking up to her not being in the room.
David hid a smile at her seeing her sink lower into her pillows. She had some nerve trying watch TV after she snuck out and watch TV with Ella. Although he didn't like her sneaking out and scaring him like that, he did find it rather cute that they were laying in Ella's bed together watching TV. They were lucky to have such a great friend in each other. They seemed as close as sisters.
Thanks for reading!