13. Chapter 13
Maya woke up about two hours after she fell asleep when she heard the door open. Her entire body ached and just turning her head to see who had come in was a challenge, but she knew she wasn’t going to hurt anything by moving her head so she pushed herself, smiling when she saw Travis and Vic walk in.
“Maya,” Vic said, tears filling up her eyes, “You’re actually awake.”
“Yeah,” the blonde rasped out, “I am.”
“How are you doing?” Travis asked as they both came closer, Carina stirring a little in the bed next to her wife.
“I mean, I feel like garbage,” Maya said, “Every single part of my body hurts, but I am happy to be awake.”
Carina groaned a little, Maya reaching over carefully and grabbing her hand, rubbing circles on it to calm her back down.
“She’s been having a rough go of it,” Travis sighed, looking at the sleeping OB, “Although she’s back with you which is an improvement from what Ben and Andy told us about the last few days.”
“Yeah,” Maya sighed, “I feel so bad that I have been making her feel like this.”
“Do not go blaming yourself,” Travis said, shaking his head, “You did nothing wrong. And neither did she. It’s just how it is.”
Vic nodded in agreement.
“You guys can sit,” Maya said, “How are you both doing? I think I remember hearing about it at some point, but everything since the last incident we went on before the accident is a little fuzzy.”
“Hey, at least you remember the incident,” Vic said, smiling at her, “My concussion pretty much knocked out 8 or so hours before the accident. But I’m getting better. You know how concussions are. It comes and goes, but I’ve been pretty good the past day or so.”
“And I just had my first official follow-up with Dr. Lincoln for my crushed shoulder,” Travis said, “He said the stitches have to stay in for another couple of days, but everything looks good. I’ll start physical therapy for my lower arm in about a week, but I can’t do anything with the shoulder until the bone heals a little more.”
Maya nodded ever so slightly, memories of hearing what had happened to everyone coming back to her some.
“How are things at the station?” Maya asked, “I’m assuming you all are still keeping up with things there?”
“Things are good,” Travis nodded, “The new engine is coming in tomorrow I think so we are probably going to go down there and be there for that. Jack is keeping everyone together. Or at least that’s what they all say.”
Maya laughed a little only to realize that was incredibly painful.
“Ok, no laughing, got it,” Maya said, trying to breathe through the pain that was rippling through her abdomen, “God, who knew having major abdominal trauma and a full-blown septic infection could be so painful.”
“Do you want me to go get a nurse to get you some pain meds?” Vic asked, having literally watched Maya turn about three shades paler when she laughed.
“No,” Maya said, “No, I think it’s going away. Or at least getting less bad.”
“Bambina?” Carina said, stirring next to her wife, “Stai bene?”
“Si,” Maya said, “I’m ok. Vic and Travis are here.”
“Oh,” she said, rubbing her eyes as she sat up, “Ciao.”
“Hey Carina,” Travis said, smiling at her, “How are you feeling?”
“Eh,” Carina said, shrugging as she stretched a little, “Better than the past few days.”
“Strep is a bitch,” Vic nodded knowingly.
“Bambina, are you feeling alright?” Carina asked, turning her attention back to her wife, “Do you need pain meds or something to drink or anything?”
“Maybe another something to drink,” Maya said, “And can we sit the bed back up a little bit?”
“Si,” Carina nodded, “Let me just go get the nurse.”
“I can,” Travis offered, “You two look comfy.”
“Grazie,” Carina said, smiling down at her wife, just enjoying the fact that there were now crystal blue eyes staring up at her.
A minute later, Travis came back in with a nurse who brought with her a small cup of some kind of fluid for Maya to drink.
“This is just some electrolyte drink, kinda like a Gatorade,” the nurse said, setting the cup down on the tray, “It’s the same thing we gave you earlier. I’m going to get the bed into a slightly inclined position if you are comfortable with that.”
“Yeah,” Maya said, “Sounds good.” “Alright,” the nurse said, “Before I do, are you having any pain?”
“I mean, I think I am going to have pain for a long time,” Maya said, raising an eyebrow.
“Would you like something to help with the pain?” the nurse asked, happy to see that her patient who had been comatose for the past few days seemed to have some of her normal personality back.
“No,” Maya said, “I’m ok.”
Carina moved off the bed, allowing the nurse to sit Maya up ever so slightly.
“Alright,” the nurse said, “Now, your drink. Dr. Deluca, do you want to help her or I can?”
“I’ve got it,” Carina said, taking the cup, “And I will let you know what she drinks.”
“Thank you,” the nurse said, checking Maya’s vitals before leaving the room.
“Here Bambina,” Carina said, putting the straw between Maya’s lips, the blonde taking two small sips, “Is that ok?”
“Yeah,” Maya said, “But no more. My stomach feels kinda weird right now.”
“Ok,” Carina said, putting the cup down, hoping she could get a little more in Maya or else she was going to end up back on a feeding tube.
The blonde had been getting IV nutrition because of the infection in her small intestine, but now that it was healing she needed to start back on oral nutrition.
“What time is it?” Maya asked, feeling very disoriented ever since waking up.
“It is about noon,” Vic said, looking at her watch.
“Speaking of which,” Travis said, “I was going to grab some lunch and bring it back here for us. Carina, what would you like?”
“I just want soup,” Carina said, “I don’t care from where. And would it be ok if we ate it outside?”
“Yeah,” Travis said, jaw dropping, “You want to go outside?”
“Si,” Carina nodded, “My therapist thinks it will be good for me.”
“I’m proud of you,” Maya said, smiling at her wife. Carina smiled, leaning down and giving Maya a small kiss.
“Ok,” Travis said, “I am going to go grab food. Vic, what do you want?”
“I’m good,” Vic said, “My stomach is feeling a little blah right now. Joys of a concussion I guess.”
“Ok,” Travis said, knowing how his friend’s body had been recently, “Well, maybe I’ll pick up an extra sandwich or something for you if you get hungry.”
“Thanks, Trav,” Vic nodded, smiling as he left.
“Are you still feeling ok?” Carina asked, looking at her wife.
“Yeah,” Maya said, “I mean, I’m tired and achy and feeling gross, but I am ok.”
“Well, you look way better than you did last time I saw you,” Vic said, “I mean, you don’t have a tube in your throat and you actually have color back in your face.”
“Thanks Vic,” Maya said, smiling at her friend, “I still can’t believe I was out for days.”
“Si,” Carina said, sitting down next to her wife again, needing to feel close to her because her body was starting to feel overstimulated again, her mind starting to run, “But now you are back.”
“And I’m not going anywhere,” Maya said, feeling the anxiety rolling off Carina, reaching out her hand to grab her wife’s.
Carina nodded, kissing her hand.
“God, you two are so perfect for each other,” Vic said, watching the exchange, “Even when both of you are sick and miserable, you still manage to be adorable.”
“Stop,” Maya groaned.
“What?” Carina said, clearly worried.
“Vic, stop almost making me laugh,” Maya said, “It hurts.”
“Oh Bambina,” Carina said, shaking her head sadly.
“So how long are you stuck here?” Vic asked, finally sitting down in a chair.
“I have no idea,” Maya said, looking at Carina, “Babe, do you know?”
“Not yet Bambina,” Carina said, shaking her head, “It all depends on how you do and how you heal, but it will be at least another week, probably more.”
The three of them chatted for a while, Carina coaxing a little more of the drink into her wife, before there was a knock on the door.
“I’ve got lunch,” Travis said, holding up a bag from a deli that was near the hospital, “Carina, you ready to go downstairs?”
“Um…” Carina said, feeling her anxiety bubbling up.
“I actually need to go talk to Levi about something before we do,” Travis said, “Vic, didn’t you have something you needed to ask him too?”
“No,” Vic said before looking at Travis, seeing him urging her to come and realizing what was going on as she looked back to Maya and Carina, “Oh, you know what, you’re right. I forgot. Stupid concussion. Yeah, we’ll be right back.”
“Carina, come here,” Maya said, seeing her wife starting to spin out, “Hey, Car, right here.”
Carina sat down on the bed next to Maya, eyes struggling to focus anywhere.
“Carina, hey, look at me please,” Maya said, trying not to get frustrated with her own body that was preventing her from getting up and holding her wife the way she wanted to.
“Come here,” Maya said, lifting both her arms as much as she could to get Carina into them.
“I’ll hurt you,” Carina said, shaking her head.
“You won’t,” Maya assured her, “And if you do, I don’t care. Come here.”
Carina moved into Maya’s arms, careful not to put too much pressure on the injured woman’s body.
“Ok,” Maya said, running her uninjured hand up and down Carina’s back, “You can do this Babe. It’s just lunch downstairs with Travis. I am going to be right here with Vic, and everything is going to be fine.”
“I don’t know if I can,” Carina said, tears running down her cheeks as Maya continued to hold her, “I just…”
“I know,” Maya said, wincing a little as she tried to pull Carina closer only to have her own body protest, but she just ignored it for the moment, knowing she needed to be strong for Carina.
Everything in her body was screaming at her to just tell Carina she could skip lunch with Travis, that she could stay here with her as long as she needed to. However, she knew from the time the Carina had initially began dealing with PTSD that that was not what was best for the Italian. It had taken a lot for Maya to learn that often, Carina didn’t need her to be the one there comforting her, but rather there for her, cheering her on and reassuring her she could do the things that seemed impossible.
“Carina, you can do this,” Maya said, “I believe in you. Just go down to the picnic benches outside, eat lunch with Travis for fifteen minutes, and then come back up here. I will be right here, and I have a whole floor of nurses right here and Vic is going to be sitting with me. I’ll have her give me my phone so you can text me if you need to, ok? But you can do this.”
Carina took one more deep breath in Maya’s arms before pulling back, the blonde putting on a full-on poker face so her wife had no idea that that hug had been excruciatingly painful.
“I believe in you,” Maya said, “And once you come back, you can lay right here and I will hold your hand, ok?”
“Si,” Carina nodded, wiping at her eyes, “Thank you for always knowing exactly what to say.”
Maya smiled as Carina leaned back down, pressing a kiss to Maya’s lips.
“You can do this,” Maya said, “I love you, ok. I am going to be just fine.”
Carina nodded, taking another deep breath, “I love you too.”
“Trav, Vic, you can come back in,” Maya called loudly.
“They said they went to…” Carina started before the two other firefighters walked in, “You said you went to talk to Levi.”
“We thought you two needed some space,” Travis said, shrugging, “Are you ready?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Carina nodded as Maya gave her hand one more squeeze.
“I’ll text you if anything changed,” Vic offered, knowing Carina was anxious about leaving. “Grazie,” Carina nodded, “I love you Bambina.”
“I love you too,” Maya said, smiling at her wife, “Now, go eat.”
Once they left, Vic looked back at Maya, seeing that she was looking miserable.
“You ok?” Vic asked, going to her friend’s side.
“I need you to go get the nurse and ask for pain meds,” Maya said, finally allowing her body to feel the pain that the moving around to hug Carina had caused, “Please?”
“Of course,” Vic nodded, going out into the hall, coming back a minute late, “Someone’s coming. What happened?”
“I hugged my wife,” Maya said, trying not to take too deep of breaths because her chest was so achy, “She needed it, and I’ll be fine. I just need something to take the edge off.”
“I was about to bring you more pain meds,” the nurse said, coming in, “I can make a note to up your dose if you are having bad breakthrough pain.”
“I think I just moved around a little too much,” Maya said, “I’ll be more careful.”
“Alright,” the nurse nodded, “Well, I am going to be back to do a dressing change in about half an hour, ok?”
“Sounds good,” Maya said, already feeling the pain starting to fade a little, “Thank you.”
“Would you like some more to drink?” the nurse asked, looking in Maya’s cup, seeing it had about an ounce gone.
“Maybe,” Maya said, “My stomach is feeling…weird, I guess. Kinda sick, but also not quite.”
“That is pretty normal,” the nurse nodded as she brought the straw to Maya’s lips, the blonde taking a few sips, “You are on a lot of medications and you had pretty big trauma to your abdomen which could contribute to it. Would you like me to get you something for nausea?”
“No,” Maya said, “I don’t think I’m nauseous. Just not feeling quite normal.”
“Ok,” the nurse nodded, “Well if it gets worse or you decide you want something for it, just let me know. Oh, also, I wanted to let you know, Dr. Bailey put in an order for some physical therapy for you starting this afternoon as long as everything is still going well.”
“What kind of physical therapy am I going to be doing?” Maya asked, “I can barely move.”
“They are just going to get you sitting up, maybe get you in a wheelchair,” the nurse said, “It will help you start feeling better and start waking your muscles back up. We won’t do anything that isn’t comfortable for you though, ok?”
“Ok,” Maya said, nodding, “Thanks for the heads up.”
“Of course,” the nurse said, “Do you need anything else?”
“No,” Maya said, “Thank you.”
“Just call if you do,” the nurse said, walking out.
“Wow,” Vic said, “You are going to be on the move soon.”
“I can’t even imagine how that is going to go,” Maya said, “I have like 5 tubes coming out of my body at least, I think I can’t walk on one of my legs at the moment, and my abs are sore just sitting like this.”
“They’ll help you,” Vic reassured her, “Plus, you are Maya Bishop, queen of pushing your body past its limits.”
“I mean, true,” Maya nodded a little, “Ok. Tell me something that had been happening since I have been in here.”
“Well, I don’t think you heard about this because, you know, coma, but Jack lived with Trav and I for a few days after we got home from the hospital, and I am sorry, but I do not know how you ever dated him. He is a horrible housemate.”
“Hey, we never lived together,” Maya defended, “Andy is the one who was stupid enough to do that. And Inara.”
“True,” Vic nodded, “Well, he was supposed to be taking care of us, but him being there just ended up stressing both of us out more so we kicked him out as soon as we were able to semi-function without help.”
“Oh Gibson,” Maya sighed, “He has such good intentions usually, but such bad execution.”
“The worse execution,” Vic laughed, nodding, “He tried to make us lunch one day and the kitchen literally looked like a bomb went off and he didn’t clean it up for hours. The amount of stress it caused Trav was insane.”
Maya laughed a little before she groaned, her abs burning.
“Sorry,” Vic said, “I forgot. No more laughing. Man, I am so happy you are awake. We were all pretty scared for you for a while because, oh here’s another Gibson story, he decided to look up statistics on sepsis and tell all of us the mortality rate and a bunch of other terrifying statistics about what could happen to you which Andy quickly shut down, but still. He even talked about it with Carina which…”
“He did what?!?” Maya said, eyes wide as she almost sat up only to have her entire abdomen protest, forcing her back down with a groan, “I am going to murder him as soon as I can move. That is completely unacceptable. He, of all people, should know about triggers and…”
“Hey,” Vic said, “I took care of it. I let him have it and so did Travis and Andy, who, by the way, is scarier now that she is pregnant. He has also been informed he is not allowed to be alone with Carina anymore.”
“Thanks,” Mays said, relaxing a little, “I’m still going to kill him.”
“I might help you,” Vic said, “Carina was…I know you told me what it was like after Andrew died, but I guess seeing her like that in real life was not something I ever want to do again.”
“God, I wish I was there for her,” Maya sighed, trying not to start crying, “I feel so bad that I triggered another severe episode and then went into a medically induced coma so I couldn’t help her.”
“She was never alone,” Vic told her, “Ben told us about the crazy rotation of doctors who were sitting with her and bringing her food and making sure she slept and was taken care of and then when she got sick, someone sat with her and someone else with you to try to help. They even had a tablet set up so she could see you the entire time you were here and she wasn’t allowed to be. People really care about you guys, Mai.”
Tears were running down Maya’s face when Vic finished.
Just then, the door opened and Travis and Carina walked back in. As soon as Carina saw the tears on Maya’s face, Carina ran to her, climbing into the bed.
“What’s wrong Bambina?” Carina asked, worried she was hurt.
“Sorry” Vic said, “I think I caused this.”
“What?” Carina said, looking back at her wife.
“I’m ok,” Maya said as Carina wiped the tears off the blonde’s pale cheeks, “I’m just realizing we have the most amazing group of friends in the entire world.”
“I was just telling her how people were staying with you two since Maya got here.”
Carina smiled, wiping a tear off Maya’s face before pressing a kiss to her lips, “Si, we do have the best friends ever.”
“Do I still get to be. Part of the best friends ever if I say that we need to go home soon?” Vic asked, “Sorry. My head is starting to hurt again and I want to get ahead of it.”
“You guys are amazing friends,” Carina assured her, “Go take care of yourself. Travis, thank you for lunch.”
“Of course,” Travis nodded, “I’ll bring lunch again later this week. Thank you for joining me.”
“Thanks, Trav,” Maya mouthed as he looked at her.
He offered a small head nod, understanding what Maya was thanking him for.
After some goodbyes, Tavis and Vic left just as the nurse came in to do a dressing change on Maya. Carina watched the change, knowing that there was a good chance she was going to be doing this once they got home if Maya went home with any unhealed incisions.
“They are looking really good,” Carina said, making mental notes of what the wounds all looked like.
“Alright,” the nurse said as she finished, “Now, get some rest. Physical therapy will be up here around 3.”
“Thanks,” Maya said, yawning a little.
“Physical therapy today?” Carina asked, noticing how sleepy her wife was, lowering the bed so she could sleep.
“Yeah,” Maya said, reaching for Carina’s hand as the Italian sat down on the bed, “I get to sit up with assistance and maybe sit in a wheelchair.”
“Wow,” Carina said, brushing a piece of hair off her forehead, “That is huge Bambina. I am so proud of you.”
“Don’t be proud until I actually do it,” Maya said, “Because right now, I’m not sure it’s going to go well.”
“I’m sure you will be fine,” Carina said, “But that is a problem for later. For now, why don’t you close your beautiful eyes and get some rest. You had an eventful morning.”
“Love you,” Maya said, letting her eyes slip shut.
“Love you too, Bambina,” Carina said, “So much.”