A/N: This fic contains potentially triggering subject matter including but not limited to: suicidal references, gun violence, sexual trauma, homelessness, drug abuse, depression, homophobia, and cancer. It may contain inaccuracies. No copyright infringement intended. Thanks for reading!
BOOK TWO - PART TWO - CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN
"So… mind telling me how this happened, exactly?" the doctor was asking. Sam was seated on an exam table, and he was in the process of re-suturing her incision. Cat was in a chair facing the other way, holding Sam's hand tightly.
"Uh… we were just…" Sam stammered.
"It was a bedroom accident," Cat mumbled. She blushed when she saw the look of surprise on the doctor's face.
"I… see. Well, until you're fully healed, I'd recommend that you or your partner avoid touching or grabbing your left breast—"
"She didn't grab me. I forgot about it and moved the wrong way," Sam explained. "It's fine." She managed a small smile. "And it was still totally worth it."
Cat giggled and gave her hand a squeeze. "Stop it."
The doctor looked uncomfortable. He quickly finished his work, tying off Sam's stitches, then covered her wound with a large bandage. "The numbness will start to wear off in a few hours. Go home and get some rest and keep taking your medication. You'll be alright, Sam."
"Thanks, Doc," Sam muttered, trying to force a smile.
"You're welcome to leave whenever you're ready," the doctor told her. "Have a good night, girls. Be safe." He stepped out of the room and closed the door.
Sam and Cat looked at each other as they both came to the same realization. "Oh, jeez. I forgot to bring a shirt for you," Cat admitted. The bloody towel had already been discarded in the biohazard bin and Sam was completely naked up top. She was clutching her arms to her chest to cover herself. "What should we do?" Cat asked. "Maybe we could ask for one of those hospital gowns and you can wear it just for the ride home." The look on Sam's face told her how she felt about that, so Cat reconsidered. An idea occurred to her, and she stood up. "I'll be right back."
"Where are you going?" Sam asked in confusion.
"To get you a shirt," Cat answered, and then exited the room and closed the door. She made her way out to the main area of the hospital, then out through the doors that they'd come in through. Then she pulled out her phone and dialed Robbie's number.
"Cat? Is everything okay?"
"Where are you parked?"
"Uh, Section C-7, not too far from the ER entrance."
Cat located the correct sign and ran in that direction until she spotted Robbie's car. She immediately went to the driver's side door and pulled it open. "Give me your shirt."
"Huh?" Robbie furrowed his eyebrows.
"Your shirt. Take it off. Please."
"Uh…" Robbie tentatively did as he was told. It was warm outside, so he didn't mind being shirtless, but it seemed a little unprofessional. Still, he handed his shirt to Cat.
Cat darted in and pecked him on the cheek. "Thank you. We'll be right out." She ran back towards the entrance. It took her only a minute or so to arrive back at Sam's room. She went inside and walked up to her. "Here."
"Is that Robbie's shirt?" Sam eyed it cautiously. It was fairly inconspicuous—a black and gray t-shirt with an alligator logo on the front.
"Yes. He doesn't mind being shirtless. Can I help you put this on, so we can go? You only have to wear it 'til we get home," Cat reminded her.
Sam was too tired to protest, so she muttered, "Fine." Cat helped her get her arms and head through the right holes. It fit surprisingly well, although it was a little too long for her. But she couldn't complain. "Can we please go home now?"
"Yes. Robbie's waiting in the parking lot. Come on." Cat took her hand and led her there.
They piled into the back of his car, and Sam chuckled weakly when she saw his lack of clothing. "Thanks for the shirt, man."
"Oh, it's no problem. Ready to head home?" Robbie asked, backing out of the parking spot and pulling out onto the road. "Everything went okay, then?"
"She had to get re-stitched," Cat explained. "But they said it's fine. Just told us to be more careful."
"Yeah, how did that even happen?" Robbie asked, smirking at them in the rearview mirror. "Just got too rough, or..?"
Cat bit her lip. Sam wasn't answering, so she said, "Sam got a little too excited and forgot about her cut. It was an accident."
"Well try to be a little more careful, would you? I don't want any more middle-of-the-night ER runs. We have to work tomorrow," Robbie grumbled.
"Sorry, Robbie," Cat answered quietly.
They drove past a 24-hour Freezy Queen with a large picture of a milkshake on display, and Sam offhandedly commented, "Oh, man, that looks so good right now."
"Really?" Cat asked hopefully.
Robbie sighed—he didn't need them to ask. "Should I turn around?"
"Would you mind?" Cat requested. Sam hardly ever had an appetite lately, and when she did, Cat wanted to take full advantage of it.
"I'll turn around."
Fifteen minutes later, they were pulling into the garage back at home. They were each drinking milkshakes—the lady at the drive-through window had given Robbie a strange look because of his shirtlessness, but served him anyways. Now the three of them were stumbling into the house sleepily—it was almost four o'clock.
"Goodnight, Robbie," Cat said to him. She gave him a peck on the cheek, then took Sam's hand. "C'mon."
"Hey, thanks for the ride, and… stuff," Sam awkwardly said as Cat dragged her away. "I'll give the shirt back tomorrow."
Robbie just waved her off. "Keep it."
Together, Sam and Cat returned to Sam's bedroom. Sam rubbed her eyes sleepily. "Mind if I head to bed?" she asked, sucking down the last of her milkshake.
"Of course not. I can't wait to sleep," Cat yawned. She started shedding her clothes. "Come on."
"Give me a sec, I gotta take a waz," Sam mumbled, going into the bathroom and locking herself inside. Two minutes later, she exited the bathroom, naked except for her bandages, and crawled into bed next to Cat.
Cat immediately snuggled up to her side. Sam grumbled at her, but didn't push her away, so she smiled to herself and stayed. "Goodnight, Sam."
"I'm sorry tonight didn't exactly go the way we wanted it to," Sam muttered. "I should've been more careful."
"Yes, you probably should've, but…" Cat bit her lip and whispered the rest. "What you did was really hot, so… I forgive you."
Sam chuckled sleepily. "Yeah? You really liked that?"
"I didn't expect it. You've never turned me over before," Cat playfully replied. Then she giggled and murmured, "Did it feel good, coming on my butt like that?"
Sam groaned lowly but didn't open her eyes. "Cat, I wanna sleep; do not get me turned on again."
"Do you like when I talk dirty?"
"Cat…" Sam whined, "Please; I'm tired and everything hurts."
"Okay, okay," Cat conceded. She angled her chin up and kissed the underside of Sam's jaw. "Goodnight."
"'Night." Sam's arms remained locked tight around Cat, and Cat fell asleep to the sound of Sam's heart beating.