Chris lay on the bed in misery. He could feel everything that was happening to him. He knew the doctors were checking to see if he could breath on his own. The respirator was still in place but it was allowing him to breath on his own. Weaver had explained things to him that morning and he’d also told him that they’d be treating his pneumonia as soon as he was off the respirator.
He worried about Vin and wondered when he’d be able to see him again. His men had explained things to him but with him being unable to talk he hadn’t been able to get the answers he wanted. He wanted so much to vent his anger but his restrained hands wouldn’t even allow for him to pound on the sheets. All he could do was raise his finger in a yes or no answer.
He’d been in constant pain since the nurses turning him on his side and draining the painful wound in his side had awakened him. They’d placed some medications in the IV line leading into his chest as well as draining the one that burned in his stomach. He felt as if he’d never be comfortable with his own body again. He closed his eyes and tried to sleep.
”When can I see Chris?”
“If you sleep tonight and behave yourself, I’ll let you see him tomorrow. That’s if you’re both up to it,” Dr. Mercer told her troublesome patient.
“Can’t I see him tonight?” Vin asked.
“Mr. Tanner, you’ve just had your ankle re-stitched and rewrapped. There’s no way you’re getting out of this bed tonight so you might as well just lie back and relax. I’m sure your friends here will make you listen to reason.”
“We will,” Sanchez said from the opposite side of the bed.
“Please, Josiah, I just want to make sure he’s ok,” Vin explained.
“Not until Dr. Mercer says it’s ok,” Josiah said as he watched the doctor place a needle into the IV.
“What was that?” Vin asked as he felt the pain in his ankle slowly ebb.
“Something for the pain and something to help you sleep, Mr. Tanner. Don’t fight it, just close your eyes and rest,” Mercer said. “I’ll be back in the morning and we’ll see if Mr. Larabee is up to a visit from you. Goodnight.”
“Damn, why do doctors do that?”
“They only do it to stubborn patients who won’t listen to reason,” Sanchez laughed.
Vin Tanner yawned in spite of himself and drifted into a drug induced sleep. Josiah sat by the bed and waited for the night shift to arrive.
Chris felt a hand on his chest and opened his eyes. A new nurse stood before him and he wondered how long he’d been out. There were no windows in the tiny room and he didn’t know if it was day or night.
“Good morning, Chris, my name is Nancy and I’ll be your nurse for today. Melanie said you had a pretty good night. Are you in any pain right now?” she asked and watched his finger rise in answer to the question. “I’m gonna give you a shot and then Susie and I are going to turn you on your back again. I know it hurts when we do this but if we don’t you’ll end up with more problems than you already have,” she explained as she placed a syringe in his hip again. She could see the bruising from each of the previous shots and knew this man must feel like a pincushion.
Chris felt the injection slowly take effect on his battered body. He wondered where Buck had gone as he felt the nurse begin to empty the tubes again. Even with the pain meds, he could feel the pressure from the suctioning. Tears came to his eyes and he wondered if it would ever end.
“Hi, Chris, I’m Susie. I’m going to help Nancy turn you on your back. It’s gonna hurt for a few moments but you’ll do fine.”
‘Sure I will,’ Chris thought as he felt the nurses begin to move his body. The pain grew worse as they shifted him onto his back and he panicked against the ventilator. His eyes grew wide as he struggled to control his breathing.
“Easy, Chris, we’re almost done. Let the machine breath for you until we finish up. That’s it. We’re almost done and we’ll let you sleep for awhile,” Nancy reassured the seriously injured man. They finished turning him onto his back and she replaced the IV fluids and antibiotics above his head. “Thanks for your help, Susie,” she told the departing nurse. She smiled as she watched a young man being wheeled towards the room by an older man. “Do you feel up to some company?” she asked her patient.
Chris tried to turn his head to see who was coming but the machines and tubes leading into his body obstructed his view. He wanted to tear the offending tube from his mouth but his hands were strapped down.
Vin sat in the chair and wondered if he’d ever look into his friend’s intense green eyes, if he’d ever be able to see the Larabee glare turned in his direction. ‘Stop with the self pity, Tanner, at least you’re alive,’ he thought as Nathan Jackson pulled his chair up to the bed.
Nathan looked into the dull, pain filled eyes of the man lying on the bed, “Hey, Chris, good to see you awake. I brought someone to visit you,” he said.
“Chris,” Tanner said softly.
‘Vin,’ Chris thought. ‘Vin’s blind. I’ll be your eyes, Pard. If they ever get this thing off me or should I say outta me.’ He felt tears in his eyes and wondered if it was for his own pain or that of his friend. He wished he could voice his concerns but knew there was nothing he could do for now.
“I know you can’t answer me, Cowboy. Nathan told me you’re still hooked up to the ventilator,” Vin said as he reached out and searched for his friend's hands.
Nathan took the younger man’s hand and placed it over his friend's.
“Thanks, Nate,” Vin said as he gently massaged the hand he now held. He smiled as he felt the hand tighten in his own, “I’m glad you didn’t leave me, Chris. I couldn’t face this without you, Pard. I figure as long as you’re around I’ll have eyes watching my back. I love you, Chris. You’re the brother I never had and I can’t bare the thought of losing you. I know you’re in a lot of pain but I don’t want you to go. I heard Nathan say he was glad to see you awake. Well I can’t say I’m glad to see you’re awake. Lord knows I can’t see anything. But I can tell you I’m glad you’ve decided to stick around. I need you in my life, Cowboy, more than you’ll ever know,” Vin said as tears fell from his sightless eyes.
Chris could hear the pain in his friend's voice and wondered if things would ever be the same. ‘I wish I could tell you how I feel, Vin. I feel as if I found the missing piece of me when I met you. I’ll be there for you. I’ll be our eyes, I’ll watch your back for you. God, I want to tell you that you’re my brother,’ he thought as his own tears fell from his eyes.
“I think that’s enough for today, Vin,” Nathan said as he watched the two men shed unspoken tears.
‘Let him stay, Nathan, please,’ Chris wanted to scream against the torturous machine.
“Just a little longer please, Nate,” Vin pleaded.
“I think he can stay for a couple of more minutes,” the nurse said. “You’ll have to leave when Dr. Weaver shows up, ok?”
“Ok,” Vin said as he settled down in his chair. He kept his firm grip on Chris’s hand and listened to the ventilator keep his friend alive. He wondered how long it would be before they removed it. He hoped it wouldn’t be much longer. He wanted to hear his friend's soothing voice.
“Dr. Weaver’s here, Vin,” Nathan interrupted his thoughts. “It’s time to get you back to your bed anyway.”
“Can’t I stay?” Vin asked.
“Now, Vin, we made a deal with Dr. Mercer. You promised you wouldn’t stay long and besides Chris needs his rest,” Nathan said.
Vin felt Chris squeeze his hand before he pulled away. “I’ll be back, Cowboy,” he said as Nathan pulled his chair away from the bed.
Ezra stood outside the door as Nathan and Vin left the room. “How you feeling, Mr. Tanner?” he asked.
“I’ve been better, Ez,” Vin answered.
“I’m sure you have, Mr. Tanner, why don’t I take you back to your room so you can get some rest?” Standish asked.
“I’d rather stay here and see what Dr. Weaver has to say,” Vin told him.
“Sorry, Vin, but it’s back to bed for you. Besides that IV needs to be changed and it’s time for your medications. Don’t tell me you’re fine because I know you’d be lying. Ezra, see that he gets settled and I’ll come down as soon as Dr. Weaver finishes with Chris, alright?” Jackson said.
“I guess,” Vin said as Standish wheeled him away from his friend’s room.
Chris Larabee was tired. Tired of being tied down, tired of having a machine breathing for him, tired of all the shots, tired of all the tubes. But most of all he was tired of all the pain. It seemed like every part of his body hurt. But the worst was the pain in his side. It hurt no matter if he lay still or if he moved. It hurt when the nurses drained the tubes and he wanted to scream at them to stop. He wanted to cry out as another needle was pressed into his hip but was unable to do so. He closed his eyes as the shot slowly made the pain diminish.
“Good morning, Chris.”
Chris opened his eyes and looked up into the eyes of a smiling man. There was something familiar about him but he couldn’t quite put his hands on it.
“I can see you’re a little confused so I’ll explain things as I go along. I’m Dr. Weaver and I’ve been on your case since you were brought in four days ago. I’ve looked over your chart and I think I can give you some good news.”
Chris’s eyes opened wide as he listened to the doctor. He hoped and prayed the news was that Vin Tanner would regain the use of his eyes. He waited anxiously for the doctor to continue.
“How would you like to get rid of this thing?” Weaver asked, indicating the tube down Chris’s throat. He smiled as he saw the expressive green eyes go from dull to bright in the blink of an eye. “I see you’d like that idea. I’m going to have the ventilator turned off for a trail run. If you can breath on your own and your blood gases are good, we’ll remove the ventilator for good. Does that sound good?”
He smiled as the patient’s eyes seemed to dance. He patted the exposed shoulder before continuing. “I’ll be back this afternoon with a respiratory specialist named Gina Lawrence. There is a little bad news I’m afraid. As soon as we get you off the ventilator, we’re gonna have to start treating the pneumonia a little more aggressively. Have you ever had pneumonia before, Chris?” Chris shook his head slightly. “Well it’s not a lot of fun and with the condition you’re in right now it’s going to be ten times worse. I’ll let Dr. Lawrence explain everything to you when we remove the ventilator. For now, I want you to get some rest, alright?”
Chris nodded his head slowly and closed his eyes.
Weaver watched as Nancy Morgan emptied the drainage tube leading into the patient's abdomen. The fluid she removed was still pink and he wondered if they’d missed something when they’d repaired the nick in his intestine. He hoped that the cause was something simple and would clear up on it’s own.
He wrote the orders for the trial run on Chris’s chart and turned off the ventilator. He watched the patient, hoping that he’d be able to manage the chore on his own. When Chris seemed to be breathing on his own, Weaver left the room.
“Mr. Tanner.”
Vin and Buck looked up at the same time. “That’s right,” Vin answered the strange voice.
“I’m Dr. Beattie. I think Dr. Mercer told you I’d be seeing you?”
“I think so. She said you’d be looking after my eyes,” Vin answered.
“That’s right,” Beattie said as he looked into his patient's eyes. “I’ve ordered an MRI and the orderly will be here for you shortly. How does your head feel?”
“Not as bad as it did.”
“On a scale of one to ten, one being the easiest, ten being the worst, how would you rate it?”
“I’d say a five,” Vin said.
“That means it’s probably about a seven or even an eight,” Buck said.
“Buck,” Vin scowled.
“Is that true, Mr. Tanner?”
“Yes, Doc,” Vin answered honestly.
“When’s the last time you asked for something for pain?”
Buck laughed again, “Vin don’t ask, Doc, he waits till it gets to the point where he has no choice.”
“Mr. Tanner, I’m going to have the nurse give you a shot before they bring you downstairs. The MRI will take about half an hour from start to finish and I’ll get back to you with the results. Here comes your ride now. I’ll see you downstairs.”
“Thanks Doc,” Vin said.
Buck watched the doctor speak to a nurse and before the orderly took the patient away, she was in to give him a shot.
Vin grimaced as the nurse turned him and pressed the needle into his hip, deploying the painkiller. He felt the warmth flow through him and was grateful when the headache subsided to a more tolerable level.
“I’ll see you when you get back, Pard,” Buck told his friend.
“I want to see Chris when I get back,” Vin told him.
“We’ll see how you’re feeling when you get back, Vin,” Buck said as he held the door for the orderly to push the stretcher through.
“Mr. Sanchez,” Weaver said as he entered ICU four.
“Dr. Weaver,” Josiah said as he moved away from his friend’s bed.
“Can you please leave us for a little while? You can tell your friends I’ll be out to speak with them as soon as Dr. Lawrence and I are finished in here,” Weaver explained.
“You taking the ventilator away?” Josiah asked anxiously.
“We’re going to check the results of Mr. Larabee’s tests. If everything’s ok, we’ll remove it. I’ll let you know shortly.”
“Ok, Doc,” Sanchez said as he hurried from the room.
Weaver walked to the bed and touched his patient's shoulder, speaking softly as he did so. “Can you hear me, Chris?” he asked.
Chris’s eyes shot open at the doctor’s query and he looked at the man hopefully.
“Easy, now. Dr. Lawrence and I were going over the results of your blood gas tests. It looks pretty good so if you’ll relax for a couple of more minutes, we’ll get rid of the ventilator and that uncomfortable tube,” Weaver smiled at his patient. “This is Dr. Gina Lawrence. She’s a respiratory specialist and will be working with you after this thing is removed.”
“Hello, Chris.”
Chris turned his head towards the new voice.
“We’re gonna get this thing out of you right now. It may hurt a little but just remember how good it will feel once it’s gone. Ready, Dr. Weaver?” she asked.
“Ready,” he said. Between Weaver and Lawrence, they removed the tape that held the tube in the patient's mouth. Weaver deflated the internal collar that helped hold the tube in place. “OK, Chris, this is the hard part. You’ll probably feel like throwing up but try not to fight,” Weaver said as he began removal of the tube.
Jackson, Wilmington, Travis, Standish, and Dunne, stood outside the door to ICU four. Josiah Sanchez had told them what was about to be done to Chris and they all waited expectantly. Sanchez had left the others to go back and wait on Vin Tanners return.
Chris felt the tube leaving his throat and the gagging sensation that went with it. He panicked as he fought to breath even as the tube was removed.
“Almost, done, Chris,” Weaver told the struggling patient.
The men waiting outside almost cried in excitement as they watched the tube being removed from their friend.
“There all done,” Lawrence said as the tube cleared the patient's mouth. “Easy does it, just breath slowly,” she said.
Chris gasped in pain as the movement caused the wound in his side to stretch, pulling at the drainage tube still anchored there. He tried to move away from the pain but his hands were still tied to the bed.
“How long before his shot's due?” Weaver asked the nurse.
“Fifteen minutes,” Nancy replied.
“Give it to him now,” Weaver said as he tried to help the man ride out the new pain.
Chris’s throat felt as if it were on fire as he tried to voice his first word in over four days, “V...v...”
“No you don’t. Not a word, Chris. Your throat probably feels terrible right now and trying to talk isn’t going to help it any. Nancy’s going to give you something for the pain and I want you to relax for awhile. She’s also got some ice chips, that should help soothe your throat a little. Dr. Lawrence wants to get you started on meds for the pneumonia that’ll help open your lungs,” Weaver explained as the man continued to writhe on the bed. Weaver watched as Nancy delivered the shot to the already bruised hip. “We’re going to give you a one hour reprieve and then we’ll be back. If you promise to be quiet and not try to talk, I’ll let your friends come in to see you. No don’t try to answer. There’s to be no talking until we say. Nancy if he tries to talk to his friends make them leave.”
“Yes, Dr. Weaver,” Nancy said as she hooked up the nasal canulas Dr. Weaver had ordered to make sure the oxygen level stayed within the range. She reached for a cup filled with ice chips. “Try these, Chris,” she said as she placed the spoon by his mouth.
Chris opened his mouth and took the tiny offering. The cooling moisture on his lips and throat caused him to sigh. “V...” he tried again.
“Are you disobeying Dr. Weavers orders already?” Chris shook his head in consternation. “Good, because if I hear one word I’ll tell your friends to leave. Here comes one of them now,” Nancy told him.
Chris turned towards the door and smiled weakly at the man walking towards him. He was about to ask about Vin Tanner but was stopped by Nancy’s fingers placed on his mouth.
Nathan Jackson walked up to the bed and was relieved to see his friend's face without the tubes leading into his mouth. The skin around his lips looked red and sore from the tape and the tubing, causing the rest of his face to look even paler. “Hey, Chris, Dr. Weaver said you aren’t allowed to talk so I’ll do enough for both of us,” Jackson smiled at his friend. “I know you’re worried about Vin so I’ll tell you what’s happening to him. He’s having a MRI done right now. Josiah’s waiting for him. His ankle’s been pinned and should heal with the right exercises,” he said.
“E...eyes,” Chris’s voice was scratchy and harsh from the tube and misuse.
“I heard that. I’m afraid you’ll have to leave,” Nancy said as she replaced the IV bag on the pole.
“No, please ma’am,” Jackson said as Chris’s face took on a panicked look. “He’ll stay quiet, won’t you Chris?”
Chris Larabee glared at his friend but nodded his head that he would.
“Last warning,” Nancy told him as she emptied the drainage tube in his side and turned to the foley catheter.
“I think this’ll be a first,” Nathan grinned. “Chris Larabee with lots to say but not allowed to say it. I think Ezra will probably take bets on how long you’ll do as the doctor says.”
Chris turned his head back to his friend and glared at him and suddenly yawned as the meds the nurse had given him kicked in.
“Sorry, Chris, that don’t cut it. The glare doesn’t seem nearly as fierce with you such a pale shade of grey. Go to sleep. I’ll let the others know how you’re doing,” Jackson said as the patient’s eyes closed and his breathing slowed.
“He should sleep until Dr. Weaver and Dr. Lawrence return. Can you tell your friends they can see him later? Right now he really needs to rest.”
“I will, Nancy. Did Dr. Weaver say anything about treating his lungs for the congestion?”
“They’ll be starting the treatments as soon as they get back. He’s got a lot of congestion in his chest and the longer it’s left the worse it’ll be for him.”
“Shoot, nothing ever goes easy for Chris Larabee or Vin Tanner,” Jackson said as he left the room.
Vin was tired but even more he was frustrated. He’d returned to his room and been told he wasn’t allowed to visit with Chris because the doctor’s were once again running tests. He knew Josiah was in the room with him but he didn’t feel like talking. His head had started to pound and his ankle throbbed painfully.
Josiah watched the young man's face. He could see how hard he was trying to ride out the pain on his own. Vin Tanner was so much like Chris Larabee. Both men hated admitting they needed help and usually they only accepted it from one another.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Tanner. I’ve got some medication for you. Dr. Beattie has ordered that we keep you slightly sedated for another few days. He’ll explain it to you when he comes by to see you this evening,” the nurse explained as she added the medication to Vin’s IV line.
“Don’t want it,” Vin said a touch of anger in his voice.
“Is something wrong, Mr. Tanner?” she asked.
“What could possibly be wrong? My best friend is in ICU and I’m stuck here cause I’ve got a broken ankle and blind to boot. If I were a real friend, I would’ve been there for Chris. I would have been able to sit with him while they had him hooked up to all those machines. But, no, I got to lay in this bed because no one will bring me to his room and I’m too damn blind to find my way,” Vin said as his voice began to rise.
‘Easy now, brother Vin, I told you I’ll bring you up to see Chris as soon as the doctor okays it.”
“I need to see him now, Josiah,” Vin said. The past few days of not being close to Chris, not being able to see him, talk to him, were finally scaring Vin Tanner. He needed to talk with Chris, to tell him his fears, to tell him what it meant to him that Chris had believed in him when no one else had.
“I’m sorry, brother Vin, can’t do that. Why don’t you try to get some sleep and when you wake up, we’ll see about going to see Brother Chris,” Sanchez suggested.
“Can’t sleep, my damn head hurts,” Vin said as he stifled a yawn.
“Relax and let the medication help you, Mr. Tanner. I’ll see when your next pain meds are due,” she said as she replaced the almost empty IV bag.
“Don’t want any more drugs,” Vin told her.
“It’s a standing order until Dr. Beattie says otherwise. It seems he doesn’t trust you to tell us when you need it,” the nurse chuckled as she left the room.
“Damn doctors,” Vin said.
“They catch on to you fast, Brother Vin,” Josiah laughed.
“Only when that damn turncoat Wilmington blabs on me,” Vin said softly as he turned onto his side.
The nurse returned ten minutes later to find Josiah reading quietly from a book of poetry and Vin Tanner curled on his side. Josiah watched as she stepped up to the bed and lowered the side rail. “It’s time for your shot, Mr. Tanner,” she said.
“I said I don’t want it,” Vin told her.
“Too late,” she said as she sank the needle into his hip. “Now get some rest and I’ll be back with something for you to eat shortly. Dr. Mercer says you can have a nice liquid lunch today. Hope you like Jell-o,” she said as she left the two men alone.
“So we have damn nurses, damn doctors, and damn turncoats. Seems to be a pattern here.”
“Shut up, Josiah,” Vin tried to sound angry but was unable to hide the smile on his face.
“Do you want me to read some more?” Sanchez asked.
“Please,” Vin said through another yawn.
“Moonshine, moonlight, and serenades, the perfect way for two lovers to spend an evening,” Josiah began reading.
“That don’t sound like the same book,” Vin said sleepily.
“It’s not. Sometimes poetry just doesn’t cut it,” Sanchez answered and began reading again.
Chris feigned sleep as the nurse continued to drain tubes, check vitals, take blood, and change IV’s. He felt tired and frustrated and wouldn’t have been surprised to know that his friend was feeling the same things three floors below. He’d slept, he didn’t know how long but he was sure it wasn’t long. The constant pain in his side and the renewed coughing made him feel miserable.
His chest hurt and every time he coughed the wound in his side cried out in anger. He wanted to see Vin, wanted to tell him he was sorry about his eyes but they wouldn’t let him out of the bed let alone the room.
Nancy knew her patient was awake even though he’d done everything to hide the fact from her. She didn’t miss the grimace when she drained the tube in his side. She took a cloth and washed his face for him, hoping her touch would give him some comfort. His eyes opened and she saw the sadness and pain in them.
“It’ll be alright, Chris,” she soothed.
“T...thanks,” he said but her fingers were placed over his mouth.
“Still not allowed to talk, I’m afraid. Here have some more ice chips,” she said as she took a spoon from the glass and placed it near his mouth.
He opened his mouth and took the tiny offering, savouring the small amount of moisture as it cooled his throat.
“How’s he doing?” Weaver asked as he entered the room followed by Gina Lawrence.
“I...I.” his injured throat croaked out.
“Don’t, Chris,” Nancy warned.
“Listen to your nurse, Mr. Larabee,” Gina Lawrence warned.
Chris looked at the female doctor and wondered what she held in her hands. She began hooking tubes into the available connections and then poured something into a small bowl shaped vial. Weaver saw the fear in his patient's eyes and turned to the specialist.
“I think you’d better explain what’s going to happen before you start, Gina,” he said softly.
“Ok,” she said as she smiled at the man in the bed. “I’m going to tell you exactly what I’m going to do as we go along. Your lungs are full of congestion from the pneumonia and we have to get it loose and get it up. I’m going to place this tube in your mouth and you're going to try and breathe in as deeply as you can.”
She watched as the patient's face became panic stricken and he tried to talk.
“No, don’t talk. Just listen. I’m not going to lie to you, Chris, this is going to hurt and hurt bad. But left untreated, your lungs are going to get worse and they’ll get to the point where you’ll be hooked up to that ventilator again. That’s not just an idle threat I assure you. Now the faster we get started on this, the faster it’s finished. Nancy, put his head up a bit.”
Chris moaned as his head was raised and his pain-ridden body protested the movement. Nancy stopped the bed when he was semi reclined.
Gina Lawrence closed her heart to the man on the bed. This was the worst part of her job. She hated causing anyone pain, especially someone who’d already suffered enough. Stealing herself, she placed the tube in front of his mouth and waited for him to open up.
Chris wanted to fight, he wanted to tell her to go to hell, or to take it herself. He was so tired of not having any choice in what he could or could not do. His eyes showed his anger as Gina Lawrence continued to hold the tube in place.
“Chris,” Weaver said. “You want visitors this afternoon. I know there's a young man downstairs who’s anxious to see you.”
“B...black...mail,” Chris croaked out.
“I’m not adverse to blackmail when it comes to stubborn patients,” Weaver laughed.
Chris finally opened his mouth. Gina smiled as she placed the tube in his mouth.
“Breath in as deeply as you can,” she said as she pushed a button on the machine.
Chris felt the strong tasting gas go into his throat and tried to pull away.
“No, not yet, a few more deep breaths and we should be all done,” she said as he was again forced to breathe in the gas.
Finally, she turned off the machine and Chris closed his eyes against the urge to cough. He knew what it would do to his side and he vowed to do anything to keep from doing it.
“We’ve got one more thing to do, Chris,” Weaver said. “I’m going to sit you forward. I know you don’t want to but it won’t be for long,” he said as he lifted the weak man up.
Chris bit back his outrage at being forced to endure more torture. Without warning, something thumped into his back just below his lungs. His scream of rage and pain were barely audible as it was forced through his injured throat. “N...no m...more,” he cried.
“Just a few more, Chris,” Lawrence said as she continued to thump her patient on the back.
“Oh, God,” he cried as tears formed in his eyes and rolled down his cheeks.
“Last one,” Gina said as she helped lower the man to the bed.
“Do...don’t e...ever d...do that ...gin,” he rasped.
“I’m afraid there’s no choice. We’ll be repeating this process every four hours until your lungs clear,” Lawrence told him.
“No,” Chris said as he dissolved into a fit of coughing. He was in misery and his anger showed on his pale face.
“You don’t have a choice, Chris,” Lawrence said as she placed the breathing apparatus on the table by the bed. “Hopefully this’ll only take a day or two and then you’ll feel better. Nancy’s going to give you something for the pain now,” she told him as she patted his right shoulder. “I’ll be back in four hours,” she told Weaver.
“D...don’t b...bother,” Chris told her. He felt Weaver turn him slightly and Nancy gave him the shot.
“Now that’s enough of that, Chris. I know you’ve been through a lot but you’re going to have to buckle down and take the rest of it. In your condition, left untreated, the pneumonia will kill you,” Weaver said as he watched the patient fight the urge to cough. “Don’t fight it, it’ll help bring up the mucus. The faster it clears up, the faster these treatments stop. Now if you promise not to talk, I’ll send one of your friends in.”
Chris nodded his head and tried to turn on his side. Weaver looked at the restrained hands and took pity on him, “I’m going to take these off for awhile. Just make sure you don’t touch any of the tubes or Nancy will put them back on. Ok?”
Chris nodded again and was relieved when the straps were removed and he could move a little more. He opened his mouth to say thanks but stopped at the look on Weaver’s face.
“Make sure he doesn’t overdo it,” Weaver told the nurse as he left.
Buck Wilmington walked into the room and up to his friend's bed. He knew what Chris had been forced to endure and he wondered if he could have done it. Lines of pain marred the handsome face. His mouth was drawn in a tight grimace.
Buck looked at the nurse expectantly.
“He’ll be fine,’ she mouthed. “Talk to him.”
“Hey, Pard,” Buck said.
Chris opened his eyes and looked at his oldest friend. He wanted to talk but between the sore throat and the coughing, he knew it wouldn’t be a wise idea.
“You look like shit, Chris,” Wilmington said and was relieved to see a hint of a smile on his friend's face. “Dr. Weaver told us what you have to go through. Would it help if one of us were allowed to come in with you?”
Chris nodded his head, wanting the comfort of his friends through this part of his treatments. He wanted, no he needed to see Vin Tanner.
“I have a surprise right outside the door, Chris, feel like some company?” Buck asked.
Chris nodded and Buck left his side. He turned his head slightly and from the elevated position spotted his friend being wheeled in.
Nancy saw her patient smile, a real smile, for the first time. She was amazed at the difference it made to his pale, gaunt face. She could see just how devastatingly handsome this man would be when he was well. She’d already decided he was one of her handsomest patients already.
“Hey Cowboy, I know you can’t answer me but I needed to see you,” Vin said.
“V...Vin,” Chris gasped, forgetting the warnings from his doctors in his happiness at seeing his best friend.
“Once more and your friends will have to leave,” Nancy warned.
Vin sat in the chair, his face showing his surprise. No one had told him the ventilator had been removed. They knew him well enough to know he’d demand being brought to Chris’s room.
“You should have told me, Buck,” Vin said, the smile on his face belying the anger he tried to portray.
“Sorry, Pard,” Buck said as he smiled at his two friends. “We knew if you found out Chris was off that machine there’d be no stopping you from coming up here. Now you can talk to Chris but he’s not allowed to talk to you. His throat's still sore from the ventilator so he’s only allowed to nod or shake his head. So if you want me to, I can be an interpreter for you both.”
“Thanks, Buck,” Vin said. “You feeling ok, Cowboy?”
Chris looked at the bruised face before him. One hand still had an IV in it so he reached through the rails of his bed and gripped the other hand. He nodded his head at Buck.
“Says he’s ok, Vin,” Buck said.
“Hell, Chris, you can’t even lie through an interpreter,” the raspy laugh from the bed sounded like music to his ears. “You had us mighty scared there, Pard,” Vin said seriously.
Chris mouthed the word sorry to Buck.
“He says he’s sorry, Vin,” Wilmington relayed.
Suddenly the room filled with Vin Tanner’s laughter. It wasn’t long before the infectious laugh caught both Buck and Chris.
“What’s so funny, Vin?” Buck asked as he tried to suppress his laughter.
“This must be someone’s idea of a practical joke. I’m blind and Chris can’t talk. I wonder if Nathan would see the humour in that?” he said.
Chris couldn’t help but laugh at Vin’s comments. He held his side and groaned as the pain flared and the laughter turned to coughing. Nancy was at his side in an instant and helped him to sit up. As the coughing subsided, Chris lay back against the pillow, exhaustion evident on his face.
“What’s going on, Buck?” Vin asked worriedly.
“Chris has pneumonia, Vin. The doctors are treating it aggressively,” Buck told him.
“Damn, that hurts. What about his side?” Vin asked.
Buck was about to answer when Chris shook his head. “It’s getting better,” Buck lied.
“You can’t lie any better than Chris,” Vin said. “He wouldn’t be in ICU if it wasn’t serious.”
“Mr. Tanner, my name is Nancy and I’m looking after Chris. Hopefully he won’t have to be in ICU much longer. If the doctors can get the pneumonia cleared up and the fluid in the drainage tubes clears up, he should be in a regular room in a couple of days.”
“I want him in with me,” Vin said adamantly.
“I’ll talk to the doctors,” Buck told him. “I think Chris is asleep, Pard and it’s time to get you back to your room. Dr. Beattie is supposed to come see you soon.”
“Ok, Buck, but I want to come back when he leaves,” Vin told him.
“Not today, Mr. Tanner. We’re going to give Chris a bath, he’s going to have another treatment and then hopefully we can get him to settle down and rest. From the looks of you, you could use some rest yourself,” Nancy told him.
“I’m fine,” Vin lied.
In truth, his head hurt and he was beginning to see tiny lights flickering in front of him.
“Sure you are, Vin,” Buck laughed as he wheeled the chair out of ICU four. He nodded to Josiah as the older man took his place in with Chris Larabee.
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