Melanie had come back on duty after her four days off and was surprised to find the same patient in ICU four. Usually patients were in ICU for a couple of days and then moved to normal rooms. After reading his chart, she understood the need to keep him in ICU.
She’d spent most of the night trying to get her patient to rest. But even in sleep he’d cry out and thrash around on the bed. She’d been talking to him, hoping to sooth him out of whatever nightmare had him in its grips.
“How is he?” she looked up at the softly spoken words and recognized the young man sitting in the chair trying to manoeuvre into the room.
Melanie left her patient for a minute and walked over to the door. “You shouldn’t be here,” she said as she checked his IV, wondering just how he’d managed to hook it on the pole and get his body in the chair.
A cry from the bed sent both Melanie and Vin into the room and over to the bed, “Come on, Chris, it’s just a dream,” the nurse tried.
“Hey, Cowboy, you got to calm down now,” Vin said.
Melanie was shocked at the instant response from her patient. He went from heavy thrashing and crying out to quiet and resting. All signs of the torturous nightmares seemed to have disappeared as soon as the young man had spoken to him. The pain that had been etched on the blonde’s handsome features disappeared and he seemed to be sleeping peacefully. “He seems to know you’re here, Mr. Tanner,” she said.
“Please call me Vin,” he said as he reached out and touched his friend's shoulder. He hated seeing Chris so vulnerable. Hated all the tubes, IV’s, and especially the injuries he’d suffered during the plane crash. He closed his eyes for a moment savouring the feel of his brother's touch.
Melanie thought he’d fallen asleep and was about to call for an orderly to take him back to his room when his soft voice reached her ears. “Chris and I have a kinda sense for each other. It may sound strange but I can feel when he needs me. I felt it tonight,” he said.
“It’s not so strange, Vin. I’ve seen a lot in these rooms especially from patients in serious condition like Chris. Thank you for getting him to rest but I think it’s time for you to go back to your room. It’s almost four am and you’re not well yourself,” she said.
“Can’t I stay just a little longer?” Vin pleaded.
Melanie looked at the pale young man in the chair. He seemed tired but not to the point of exhausted. “Alright, Vin, you can stay for a few more minutes. I’ll let your floor know where you are in case they need you for something,” Melanie said as she spoke into the PA system.
“Thanks,” Vin said as he placed his head on the thin pillow next to his friend.
Melanie watched the two men carefully. Their chests seemed to rise and fall in perfect synchronization and she once again marvelled at the difference in her patient. ‘He’s better than any medication for Chris Larabee,’ she thought with a smile.
Melanie reached up and changed the IV bag on the second patient in ICU four. The nurses station had sent up the bag and meds for the younger man when they’d been notified of his whereabouts. Vin Tanner had fallen asleep not long after he’d placed his head next to his friend. She’d been tempted to make him go back to his room but could see the benefit of having him stay with his friend. She’d had the doctor on call come up and take a look at him and he’d agreed that it wouldn’t do any harm to leave them as they were, except that Vin Tanner would probably end up with a stiff neck. It seemed minor compared to what these two had been through the past week.
He opened his eyes and tried to move, gasping for breath as his wounds reminded him he should be still. His mouth felt like sandpaper, his tongue thick and dry as he tried to speak.
“Sh, easy, Chris, Don’t try to speak. I have some ice chips here for you,” Melanie said as she lifted his head to take the tiny offering.
“W...what h...happened?” he asked, his voice cracking. He felt movement and noticed the head lying next to his. “Vin?”
“Hey, Cowboy, how’re you feeling?” Vin asked, a grin lighting his tired face as he rubbed his stiff neck.
“Like s...shit,” Chris answered honestly.
“You kinda look like it too, Cowboy.”
“Thanks but have y...you looked in a m...mirror l...lately?”
“Can’t say I have,” Vin said the smile slowly leaving his face. “I almost lost ya, Pard,” he said seriously.
“What happened?”
“They missed something when they did the first surgery. Had to take you back in yesterday,” Vin said, swallowing the lump in his throat.
Chris tried to move and was overtaken with a coughing spurt. His chest felt terrible and his nose dry where the oxygen was being fed into his nostril.
“You ok, Pard?” Vin asked worriedly, his own ankle throbbing unmercifully.
“Y...yeah, g...give me a m...minute,” Larabee said between coughs. He finally got the coughing under control but the strains of pain on his face showed what it had cost him.
“Chris.”
He opened his eyes and looked into the compassionate eyes of his nurse. “What?” he snapped and regretted it immediately.
“I’m going to give you something for the pain and then I want you to go back to sleep. I think it’s time Vin returned to his own room as well.”
“No, please, I’d like to stay,” Tanner pleaded.
“I’m sorry, Vin, but you need to go to your room. I’m sure your nurses need to do things with you. I have to get Chris ready for Dr. Weaver and Dr. Lawrence,” Melanie told him as she signalled an orderly into the room.
Chris had closed his eyes as Melanie shot home the drug only to snap them open at the mention of the second doctor’s name. The panicked look on his face made Vin’s heart race.
“What’s wrong, Chris?” he asked worriedly.
“D...don’t need Dr...” he started but was overcome by more coughing. “Oh, God,” he said as he felt the agony in his side.
“He’ll be fine, Vin. You go with Jason and maybe I’ll let you come back after breakfast,” Melanie said.
“No! He needs me,” Tanner said as he felt someone grab his chair.
“I...it’s ok, V...Vin,” Chris said as he noticed his friend's tired pain filled face. “I...I’ll be ok,” he said as the shot Melanie gave him kicked in and he closed his eyes to sleep.
“He’s sleeping, Vin, and you should be too. Now go get some rest,” Melanie told him.
“Hey, Vin, how are you doing?”
“Buck,” Tanner said sleepily.
“Yeah, it’s me, Pard. You gonna sleep the day away?”
“What time is it?” Vin asked confusedly.
“It’s nearly noon. We’ve been here since nine but didn’t want to wake you. Jenny, that pretty little nurse of yours is coming in to give you your shots so I figured I’d wake you for her. Dr. Mercer is coming too and she’s a little upset about your trip to Chris’s room last night,’ Wilmington said as the door opened and Mercer strode purposefully up to the bed.
“Mr. Tanner,” she said as she read his chart.
“Doc,” Vin smiled sweetly.
“That smile won’t work on me, Mr. Tanner, so don’t waste it. I want your word that there won’t be a repeat of last night. Otherwise I’ll leave orders for a nice little shot to help you sleep. You’re in no shape to be going off on your own to visit your friend. You have to give your eyes and head a chance to heal totally and you have to stay off that leg! Understand?”
“B...but.”
“No buts, Mr. Tanner, you’re my patient and my first concern is for your well being. Now do you listen to orders or do I write up a new order?” she asked.
“I’ll listen,” Vin said avoiding her eyes.
“Look at me, Mr. Tanner,” Dr. Mercer said.
“I won’t stop you from visiting your friend during the day as long as your friends are willing to bring you back and forth when we need you here. Otherwise I’ll put a stop to even those visits.”
“Yes, Ma’am,” Vin said, still avoiding her eyes.
“Your lunch is just coming up. If you eat everything on your tray, you can visit your friend for half an hour. No longer than that. I want you to get some rest yourself. I’ll be back to check on you later,” she said as she turned to the door. “And by the way, the nurses will be checking to see if you’ve obeyed my orders. They’ll be writing everything down on your chart,” she smiled as she left the room.
“Damn that woman!”
“She seems to know you pretty well, Vin. Ah, here’s your lunch. Remember what she said. You be a good boy and eat all of it,” Buck laughed.
“Shoot. Buck, I ain’t hungry,” Vin said as the tray of broth, green Jell-O, tea, and juice was placed on the table.
“You want to go see Chris?”
“Buck,” Vin said as he picked up the cup of broth.
“That’s better,” Wilmington laughed.
“Have you seen Chris today?” Vin asked as he finished the warm broth.
Bucks face turned serious as he thought of the man on the seventh floor. “Yeah, Vin, I saw him.” he said quietly.
“Is he doing any better?”
“You know those damned pneumonia treatments are pretty rough on him.”
“I know,” Tanner said sadly. “How much longer will they be putting him through that?”
“Another day or so according to Dr. Weaver. Depends on if the medication and antibiotics work.”
“They gotta work, Buck. Chris can’t take much more,” Vin said as he sipped the juice on his tray.
“Finish that off and I’ll take you upstairs,” Buck said.
“Not hungry anymore, Buck,” Vin’s eyes were wet with unshed tears.
“What’s wrong, Vin?”
“I keep thinking I almost lost him, Buck. I keep hearing him cry out when we were alone out there. He pulled something out of his side and then he removed whatever was trapping my leg. Hell I couldn’t even see to help him. He could have bled to death out there and I would have been unable to do anything about it.”
“He’s going to be just fine, Vin,” Buck told his friend.
“Is he, Buck? Is he really?”
“Yes, Vin, I know he will be. Now finish up and I’ll bring you upstairs and you can see for yourself.”
“Alright,” Vin said as he turned his attention to forcing down the unappetizing meal.
Chris was awake, awake and miserable. He’d undergone two pneumonia treatments and his chest and side paid for them.
JD sat next to the bed. He didn’t want to speak afraid the older man was sleeping. He watched the day nurse, Thelma, as she checked the patient's vitals and made sure the IV’s were running properly.
“JD,” Chris’s voice was soft and low.
“Hi, Chris,” Dunne said, relieved to hear his mentor’s voice. “How are you feeling?”
“Been better, JD. Everyone here?” the blonde asked.
“Yeah, they’re in the waiting room. I’ll go out in a minute so one of 'em can come in,” Dunne said.
“Is Vin ok?”
“Vin’s fine, Chris. Buck’s with him and he’ll probably bring him up when he’s done with lunch,” JD explained.
“Make him get some rest,” Chris said as he watched the nurse ready another bag of antibiotics.
“We will. I’m going to go let one of the others come in, ok?”
“That’s fine, JD,” the blonde said as he closed his eyes.
“You have some wonderful friends, Chris,” Thelma said as she drained the tube in his side.
“They’re the best,” Chris said as the pressure in his side grew.
“Almost done,” she told him.
“Ok,” he said as he forced himself to remain still. Finally the pressure stopped and his breathing calmed.
“Hello, brother Chris, I must say you’re looking better.”
“You’re not a good liar, Josiah,” Chris said as the older man placed a soothing hand on his shoulder.
“I won’t ask you how you feel then,” Sanchez said.
“No, I don’t think that’s a good idea right now, Josiah,” Chris said quietly.
“Feeling sorry for yourself, Brother Chris? That’s not like you.”
Chris opened his mouth and bit back the snide comment he’d been about to make. “Ah, hell, Josiah, I’m sorry. You're right I’m feeling sorry for myself. I’m so damned tired of all this stuff,” Larabee told him as he indicated the wires and tubes.
“You won’t have them much longer,” Sanchez assured him. “That’s not the only thing bothering you is it?”
Chris looked at the older man. He felt as if Josiah’s eyes could see deep into his soul. He was quiet for a few moments before speaking.
“I thought I’d lost my brother out there, Josiah. I don’t know if I could have lived with that.”
“You’re a strong man, brother Chris, you’d have found a way. I thought we’d lost you when Sarah and Adam were, I’m sorry,” Sanchez said as he bit his lip at bringing up the memories from the recent past.
“It’s ok, Josiah, it still hurts to think about but thanks to Vin, I’ve been able to deal with it.”
“Brother Vin has had a huge impact on your life since he joined the team,” Josiah said.
“He’s like the brother I never had, Josiah. Buck’s always been my best friend. He’s always there for me but Vin just seemed to fill something I’d been missing.”
“He is your brother at heart, Chris, and that is something special.”
“He’s something special,” Chris said as weariness took over and he closed his eyes to sleep.
“How is he doing?” Sanchez asked Thelma.
“Well, Mr. Sanchez,
if things continue to improve, we’ll be able to transfer Chris out of ICU tomorrow.
Dr. Weaver and Dr. Lawrence are very pleased with his progress since he underwent
the second surgery.”
“That’s great news. I do believe life will be simpler for all of you once Chris and Vin are in the same room.”
“You’re right about that, Josiah,” Vin said from the door. The smile on his face told Sanchez that he’d heard the news about Chris.
“I’ll go tell the others the good news,” Josiah said as Buck wheeled Vin into the room.
“I’ll be back in a little while, Pard,” Buck said as he left Vin alone with Chris.
“Thanks, Buck,” Tanner said. “He’s really going to be ok?” he asked the nurse.
“It’s going to take some time but yes he’s going to be ok,” Thelma said with a smile.
Vin closed his eyes and said a silent prayer. Chris was going to be alright. They were both going to be alright and as soon as Dr. Weaver said it was ok, Chris would be in the same room with him. He’d rest easier knowing his friend was close by and he could watch out for him.
He sat in his chair thinking about his life before Chris Larabee. A life where he chased dangerous criminals for the bounty on their heads. Where he didn’t care whether he lived or died.
He smiled as he recalled the bounty he’d been after just before Chris had offered him a lifeline of hope. He’d been chasing down a bounty named Bickham and had managed to get himself injured in the process. Larabee and his team had helped him and taken him to the hospital. The team had accepted him and he’d been with them ever since.
Vin smiled as he recalled calling Larabee a nursemaid among other things that day and the deep friendship that had started with that meeting.
“W...what’re you thinking about, Vin?”
Tanner smiled at the man on the bed, “Thought you were sleeping,” he said.
“I was. T...tired of sleeping,” the blonde told him.
“You need your sleep, Chris,” Thelma said from the opposite side of the bed.
“Seems like that’s all I’ve been doing.”
“Would you like to try some water?” Thelma asked.
“Real water, not ice chips?” Chris asked.
“Real water, Chris,” Thelma laughed as she placed the straw in his mouth.
He sipped slowly from the glass, savouring the moisture in his arid mouth. He swallowed and felt the trail of moisture as it made its journey down his throat. “Thanks,” he said as she pulled the glass away.
“Let me know when you want more,” she said and just had time to reach for the small kidney shaped boat.
Chris’s face lit with pain as his stomach lost the meagre amount of water he’d been given.
“Chris,” Vin cried as he watched his friend.
At his panic stricken look Thelma smiled, “It’s ok, Chris, you’re stomach has been empty for so long that it’s just not ready to accept anything yet but if you’re willing to try again in a little while it might be better. Ok?”
“Ok,” Chris said, grateful for the moisture in his mouth in spite of the loss of the water.
“You scared me there, Cowboy.”
“Sorry, Vin,” Chris said. “How are you doing?”
“Better than you,” the younger man laughed.
“Your eyes?”
“Almost back to normal. Dr. Beattie said I may have some dizziness and a few headaches but that’ll go away eventually.”
“Your ankle?”
“Hurts like a son of a bitch,” Vin laughed.
“I bet it does,” Chris laughed and coughed weakly. “Sorry,” he said when he saw the worried look on Tanner’s face.
“You ok?”
“I think so.”
“Good afternoon, Mr. Larabee.”
“Dr. Lawrence,” Larabee said harshly.
“I came to give you some good news.”
“No more back beating?” Chris asked sarcastically.
“Not quite,” Gina Lawrence said. “We’ve got some of the results back and it looks like the pneumonia is beginning to clear up. You’re not done with it but there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.”
“What light?”
“I’d say two more days of the breathing treatments and as you call the back beating treatments and we should be able to stop them. You’ll still have to take the antibiotics but things will start to improve.”
“Two days,” Chris said.
“Think you can last two more days?” Lawrence asked as she set up the tube and medication.
“Do I have a choice?”
“No,” she said simply as she raised the head of the bed.
“Vin,” Chris said before taking the tube in his mouth.
“What?”
“Why don’t you go sit with the others till I’m done here?”
“You don’t want me to stay?” Vin asked.
“I hate this, Vin, and I hate having you guys see it.”
“It’s ok, Chris. I don’t mind being here with you.”
“I don’t need a nurse maid.”
Vin startled him by laughing, “Seems to me I said those same words a while back and you didn’t listen. I’ll stay with ya, Cowboy. You can even hold my hand if you want,” he said.
“All ready, Mr. Larabee,” Lawrence said as she placed the tube in front of his mouth.
Vin smiled reassuringly as Chris took the tube into his mouth.
“So they’re going to let Mr. Larabee out of ICU tomorrow,” Standish said.
“I said they may let him out, Brother Ezra, it all depends on whether he continues to improve.”
“Can you imagine the two of them in one room? It may be best for them but I pity the poor nurses,” Wilmington said.
“Would anyone care to wager how long it takes for them to demand their release?” Ezra asked.
“No way, Ez,” Dunne said. “I think we all agree the only reason Vin hasn’t asked is because of Chris.”
“That’s right, JD, but when they’re placed in the same room they’ll both start asking,” Jackson said.
“We’re going to need to keep someone here at all times. Those two will try to make good their escape as soon as Chris is up and around,” Travis said.
“I think you may be right, Mr. Travis,” Standish said. "We could take shifts and have someone here at all times like we’ve been doing. I mean these doctors don’t know Mr. Larabee and Mr. Tanner the way Dr. Midland does.”
“Yeah, Ez, it’s too bad she ain’t here,” Wilmington said. “She’d make sure they stayed put.”
“Now that Chris and Vin are both getting better, I’ll be going back to Billings tomorrow. There were some unfinished files when we left and I think I’d better go back and soothe some ruffled feathers. I’ll send the Firm's private jet to pick you guys up when Chris and Vin are released.”
“I don’t know if they’ll want to fly back after their last flight,” JD said softly.
“You could be right, JD, but the plane they were in was a twin engine job. You know Vin loves the jet,” Buck said.
“What about Chris?”
“Oh I think he’ll be ok because he’ll be going home,” Buck said.
“I feel sorry for you, Cowboy,” Vin said as Chris finally brought his breathing under control.
“T...thanks,” Larabee said as he closed his eyes and held his side.
“Time for that shot, Chris?” Thelma asked.
“I t...think so,” Larabee said as he struggled against the pain.
“Let’s turn you a little,” she said as she pulled back the blanket. “There you go,” she said as she pulled the syringe out. “Feel like trying a little water again?”
“Yeah,” Chris said as she helped him turn onto his back again.
She placed the straw in his mouth and he sipped gratefully. “Thanks,” he said and fought to control his rebellious stomach. Once again Thelma placed the bowl in front of him as he lost the fight.
“Shit,” Chris said causing Vin to smile.
“It’ll get easier, Chris. I’ll ask Dr. Weaver about giving you some Gravol to calm your stomach before we try again, Ok?”
“Ok,” Chris said tiredly.
“I think we should let him sleep for a while, Mr. Tanner. I’ll have an orderly take you back to your room,” Thelma suggested.
“That’s alright, Ma’am, I’ll take him,” Buck said as he entered the room.
“Just a little longer,” Vin said.
“Remember our deal, Vin?” Buck asked.
“Go get some rest, Vin,” Chris said through a yawn.
“Alright, Cowboy, but I’ll be back later,” Tanner promised as he left the room.
Chris waited anxiously for Dr. Weaver to complete his rounds. The morning had been filled with his pneumonia treatments, blood tests, and portable x-rays. None of his friends had come to see him yet because in the tiny room with the added equipment there was just no room.
Now he lay with his head back and his eyes closed. He’d been able to keep the water down after they’d given him the Gravol and he was hoping he’d be free of at least one tube today.
“Hi, Chris how are you feeling today?”
“Better, Dr. Weaver,” Chris answered.
“You are looking a little better than you were yesterday. I have some good news for you.”
“Good news?” Chris asked.
“How would you like to get rid of some of those tubes?”
Chris couldn’t suppress the smile that broadened on his face. “I’d love to. What about the Foley?” he asked.
“I think that one can go as well. You’ve made remarkable strides in the past two days. If things go well with the removal of the tubes, we might even spring you from this constant surveillance.”
“Really?” Chris asked hopefully.
“Really,” Weaver said. “I have a couple of more stops to make. Dr. Lawrence will be here to assist me. We’re going to give you a local while we remove the tubes. It might be uncomfortable but it shouldn’t hurt.”
“I can deal with uncomfortable,” Chris said as he closed his eyes and sighed with relief.
Buck Wilmington spotted Weaver coming out of ICU four and moved to intercept him. “Well Doc, how is he?” he asked as the doctor came to a stop in front of him.
“Chris is doing very well, Mr. Wilmington, better than any of us thought at this point.”
“Does that mean he gets sprung from here today?”
“Well, we’re removing some of the tubes and IV lines. If all goes well he should be moved in with Mr. Tanner before dinnertime this evening.”
“That’s great!” Buck said excitedly. “Can I see him?”
“I’d rather you didn’t right now, Mr. Wilmington. He needs to get some rest for what he’ll go through this afternoon. If all goes well, you’ll be seeing him when everything’s done,” Weaver said.
“What do you mean if all goes well?” Buck asked worriedly.
“Chris has still got a long way to go, Mr Wilmington. Just because he may be released from ICU today doesn’t mean he’ll be waltzing out of here tomorrow and then he’s going to need a long recovery period. He has to realize that as well.”
“We’ll make sure he does,” Buck said.
“Good. I have to go finish my rounds and then I’ll be with Chris for a while. You go stay with Mr. Tanner and we’ll let you know what’s happening as soon as we’re done. But, Mr. Wilmington don’t expect to hear anything till later this evening.”
“Alright, Doc, but are you sure we can’t visit Chris?”
“If you do, it’s just going to take us longer to get things done.”
“Alright, Doc, I’ll keep the others away,” Wilmington told him.
“Thank you,” Weaver said as he walked away.
Buck walked past his friend’s room and looked in. He could see Chris’s face and could tell he was sleeping. ‘Rest easy, Stud, we’ll see you soon,’ he thought as he hurried to tell the others the good news.
“Chris.”
Larabee opened his eyes slowly; he’d been reliving the plane crash and the terror of seeing Vin trapped. He shook his head and immediately regretted the movement.
“Are you alright, Chris?”
“I’m fine, Dr. Weaver.”
“Sure you are. All my patients in ICU are just fine,” Weaver laughed. “Are you ready for this?” he asked as he indicated the tubes in the patient’s side and chest.
“Yes, hell yes,” the blonde said.
“Ok, Dr. Lawrence is going to help me. We’re going to start with the one in your chest. I’m going to give you a local so it shouldn’t hurt. It may feel uncomfortable but that won’t last long. Alright?”
Chris nodded his head as he watched Dr. Lawrence prepare a syringe.
“This might hurt for a minute,” she said as she swabbed the area and began injecting the local anaesthetic.
“We’ll give that a minute before we remove the tube,” Weaver said and Chris nodded.
“I think we’re ready to begin. As Dr. Weaver said, you may feel some pressure. Ready?”
Chris nodded and felt the tube being pulled from his body. The pressure was almost unbearable but he breathed through it with the help of the nurse.
“All done, Chris,” Weaver said as he dropped the bloodied tube into a tray. He cleaned the tiny wound and placed sutures over it to help it heal.
“T...thanks,” Chris said tiredly.
Dr. Weaver glanced at the chart and smiled at his patient. “Looks like the one in your abdomen can go as well. The last three notes say there was no sign of bleeding. What do you say? Want to get rid of that one as well?”
“Yes,” Chris nodded as Dr. Lawrence prepared another syringe. He held his breath as she injected the local into the tender area of his abdomen.
Chris closed his eyes and waited for them to begin.
“Ready, Chris?” Weaver asked and watched as the patient nodded his head.
The blonde gripped the blankets tightly as Weaver began to remove the tube. He groaned as the pressure built but he remained still.
“All done, Chris,” Weaver said as he again cleaned the area around the wound and again placed sutures on it. “ I think we’ll let you get some rest before your next scheduled pneumonia treatment.”
“What about the damned Foley?”
“Oh, I almost forgot about that one,” Weaver laughed as he removed the final tube from his patient's body.
“Thank you,” the blonde said with a grin.
“You’re welcome now try to rest.”
“When can I get out of here?”
Weaver and Lawrence both laughed but Gina was the one to answer. “If all goes well with the next breathing exercise, we’ll move you down to Mr. Tanner’s room.”
“Ok,” Chris said.
“Thelma’s going to give you your pain meds now and I want you to try to sleep,” Lawrence told him.
“I will,” Chris said as he watched the doctor’s leave.
“Which one?” Thelma asked.
“Huh?”
“Which hip. Now that you have that tube out, I figured I’d give you a choice.”
“I don’t need it.”
“Your eyes tell me you’re lying, Chris. Besides it’s doctor’s orders,” Thelma said. “Now which one?”
“The left,” he told her as he shifted slightly. He felt the warmth of the medication and closed his eyes while it soothed his pain-ridden body.
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