Chapter One - Part Two of Two

"You’ll never guess who’s in three."

"Who?"

"John Grenada with that physicist that got hit by the car. He was here all night."

"All night?"

"Yes, he never moved from that chair."

"Since when, I wonder, has she been fucking him for a raise?"

Mike stepped around the corner.

"I would think in an Intensive Care Unit that you ladies would have something to do other than engage in petty gossip."

The nurses blushed and one spoke up.

"I was just getting ready to give report."

"It sounds like it," Mike replied, "I’m assuming Ms. Peche’s chart is available for my review."

"Well, actually I need the chart to give report." the dark-haired nurse gestured to the desk.

Mike picked it up and flipped up the metal cover, "Well, I guess you’ll just have to wait."

He gave both a leveling gaze and turned toward Room 3, then stopped and turned.

"Oh, and for the record," both nurses looked at him and he smiled, "Nah, never mind, you don’t deserve to know."

Turning, he went into Room 3. John was slumped in a chair, a shadow along his chin, matching those under his eyes.

"Hey," Mike nudged him. His eyes came open, confused for a moment, then he slid up in the chair.

"Hey."

"You know, were you not Co-Administrator this would have been such a big no-no. This is still a hospital and still an Intensive Care Unit."

"Fuck you."

"No, I doubt you’re any good."

John cracked a grin.

"Let’s take a look at the lady here."

"Niels was in earlier."

Mike looked over at him.

"I’m not surprised. The man never sleeps," he looked at the chart, "looks like she rested pretty well."

"She woke up a few times but just, you know, in and out."

Leaning against the bed, Mike turned to him.

"The nurses are talking."

"Let them talk," John answered, picking at a small hole in his jeans, "I asked her to marry me again and she finally said yes," he sat back in the chair, "and I’m going out the door to buy a ring," he rocked in the chair, "and I get a call from the ER," he leaned back and ran his hands through his hair.

"Do you know how long I’ve waited for this?" he went on, not waiting for an answer, "Fifteen years. Fifteen years almost shot to hell because some cokehead blows a red light and breaks my fiancé into a 100 pieces."

Rubbing his nose, Mike said, "It was more like 20 pieces, but who’s counting, right?"

John chuckled, "You fucker."

"Twenty pieces?"

They both jumped and looked Nanon.

Mike bent over her, "Hey girl. Welcome back."

"Hey, " she whispered, blue eyes searching over his left shoulder. Mike moved aside and let John next to her. She tried moving her left hand towards him but it was tied to a block along with several IVs.

"J.G.?"

"Yeah, baby?" He put his hand over her’s.

"What happened?"

"You were hit by a car at five corners, " John replied, "Do you remember?"

Nanon’s eyes closed and she shook her head.

"I don’t know. Hurts, God it hurts," she whispered as tears fell from the corners of her eyes. She drew in a shaky breath and Mike could see the pain overtake her face and hands as the rest of her began to shake too.

"Its okay. You have a right to hurt," Mike touched her right foot.

"Can you feel that Nanon?" She opened her eyes and closed them again but nodded. She tossed a little and moaned.

"Try not to move too much honey. You’ve got broken ribs and," John blew out a breath, "more than a few other things."

Gritting her teeth, Nanon moaned again and more tears leaked from her eyes. John rubbed her hand as she broke down, her body hitching, and she sucked in a breath of air, tensing, almost screaming.

"Okay, let’s get you calmed down a little," Mike said, leaning over, he pushed a button on the morphine pump. He did not realize he was also shaking until he pulled his hand back. They watched as Nanon relaxed and slid into a forced peacefulness, as though her body fought her mind, which fought her body. To escape the pain meant giving up consciousness for a while; she would learn that all too soon.

Drawing a breath, Mike eyed her left leg in its wire cage. It looked good, swollen, but not too much.

"What did Niels say about her leg?" John did not answer. He sat staring at Nanon, rubbing his thumb over her hand.

"J.G.?" John turned and rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands.

"Jesus, I am beat."

"Yep, you need to go home and get some rest. You know the drill, man. You can’t help her unless you’re okay yourself."

"I know, but I’m all she has."

Mike contemplated that statement before answering, "John, she has us too. I bet if you asked Jamie Plomme he’d be down here in a heartbeat to sit with her."

"Jamie Plomme? Dear God could you imagine waking up to that?" John and Mike burst out laughing and Nanon flinched. John covered her hand, soothing her again.

"Shit man, I know I need a shower and some food."

Mike started toward the door, "Well, let’s go."

Waving him on, John said, "Be there in a minute."

Mike nodded and stepped out the door into the nursing area. The two nurses he had left before were still waiting for him.

"Here you go ladies," he handed them the chart. The dark-haired nurse sneered at him. He raised his eyebrows and grinned.

"Its about time. I’m late leaving the floor," she said then turned as she heard John’s voice. He was talking to the charge nurse and then came over to them.

"I’m going home for a bit. My number is on the chart. If my fiancee’ wakes up, I’d like to know."

Both nurses stared at him for a moment before the dark-haired nurse said, "Fiancé?"

"Yes, my fiancé."

Stepping forward the heretofore silent blonde nurse said, "I’ll make sure to call you if anything happens, Mr. Grenada."

"I appreciate that and I know she’s in good hands."

Mike smiled at the floor and when he raised his head he caught the eye of the Unit Clerk who was also smiling. A blush crept up her face and then she dipped behind the desk but Mike had caught her name tag: Violet.

"Hey, Mike, you coming?"

"Yeah, I’m coming." He turned and walked away with John. Sneaking a glance back, he saw Violet watching him from the desk


Nanon shivered. Why was it so cold? She tried to pull the covers over her but she could not find them. Her mind felt thick and heavy. Every shiver made her bones ache until she clinched her teeth. Why was she so cold? She felt like she was swimming through slushy ice water, trying to make sense of the sounds. Burning spread through her leg and she shivered again. Sounds swirled above her, like a record playing backwards.

"Its bad... infection in the bone."

"... gotten worse... two fasciotomies."

"May have to amputate... infection is deep."

It must be bad, she thought, if they are thinking of amputating. Nanon’s inner eye opened and swam through the fog. Oh God, they’re talking about me. They’re talking about me! I’m so cold. Why am I so cold? Fever, I have a fever, they said I had an infection, I have a fever, that’s why I’m cold. I have to open my eyes. I have to tell them no.

A scream welled inside of her. It escaped as a deep moan and she tried again to pull the covers over her but she could not move her arms. She thrashed her shoulders feeling her broken ribs grind together. Her teeth chattered and she forced her eyes to open.

"Nanon? Nanon?" John, its John, she thought. Where is he? She could not focus her eyes and turning her head hurt. His face appeared and she tried to say his name but she did not have the strength.

"Nanon, they have to take you back to surgery. Your leg is infected," John said, cupping her face with his hands, "You’re going to be okay."

Nanon let her eyes slide closed. John, don’t leave me, she thought and then she knew nothing.