Righteous - Bradley Bradshaw

~Side Effects

It has been two days since Oakley St. James has been awake. It has been two days since Bradley Bradshaw has talked to Oakley. It has been a long two days without her. 

Everyone has tried to get Bradley out of the hospital room to get changed, to have a shower, to move his legs. The only ones who were sucessful were Jake and Natasha. But it didn't last long because as soon as he got changed and had a shower, he went right back to the hospital. 

He never thought he'd ever sit bedside in a hospital ever again, but he's okay as long as it means that Oakley is okay and will be okay. The monitors have been steady this whole time, but nothing has changed. She has been lying still with what is left of her leg wrapped up, her cuts sown shut, head bandaged. 

They think she might have head tramua which might be the reason she hasn't woke up yet.

But Bradley is trying to be positive and not over think it. The last thing anyone needs is someone else to worry about. Every so often when he looks at Oakley laying there, he can see his mom, when she was in the hospital dying of cancer. Holding her hand, hearing her talk about his dad, and the life Bradley was gonna have after she was gone. 

Bradley Bradshaw hates hospitals and death, you can imagine why.

Everyone has come by and checked on the couple, wether its sitting with them, bringing food for Bradley, or simply sticking their head in because they can't bare the thought of seeing Oakley hurt. 

"Hey bradshaw, have you eaten today?" Jake opens the door to her room. 

"I'm not hungry." 

"But you have to eat buddy." 

"I'm not leaving her." 

"I'd thought you'd say that so I brought food to you. Well for both of us really." 

"What did you bring?" Bradley moves his eyes to Jake standing there holding up Mcdonalds. He motions for Jake to sit down before looking back at Oakley. 

"How are you doing?" 

"You know before we landed, I was so scared. That missile was coming for us, we couldn't get out, and that was gonna be it. And I feel gulity." Bradley moves his hand on top of Oakley's hand. 

"Why?" 

"Because i was almost relieved that we were going to die. That Oakley wouldn't be in pain anymore. That we could just peacefully fall asleep. I don't got any family here, so it was a comforting thought that no one would miss me." 

Jake looks down at his lap, processing what Bradley had just said. At one time or another, every pilot has that thought. Just one missile, just one shot, can give them peace. After all, everyone who files planes with missiles on them, never follow peace, they follow the destruction and war.  

And the side effect of choosing this life, is those missiles? They follow you. 

A few beats of silence go by only interrupted by the beeping from the machines keeping Oakley alive. 

"Don't feel gulity. It's naturel to wish someone to not be in pain anymore. And that was all you could do. In fact, if I was late, we wouldn't be sitting here, we would be sitting at your graves. But, despite your best efforts, the both of you refuse to die. If you haven't died in our work, doesn't mean you are doing it right or wrong. Everything is literally up in the air. It just means that, you know I don't know where I was going with that. But moral of the story, she's gonna be okay, you're gonna be okay. Sure, add some more trauma in there and some recovery time on her end, maybe yours, I don't know where your head is at, but it will be okay." 

Bradley sat in slience listening to Jake. 

"When did you get so wise?" 

"I don't know, I must have smacked my head a bit to hard." Exchanging a small smile, the two pilots enjoyed their Mcdonalds in silence. 

Nobody knows what to do now, how do they return to normal life when one of their own is laid up in a hospital bed. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It has been five days since Oakley St. James has been awake. It has been five days since Bradley Bradshaw has talked to Oakley. It has been a long five days without her.

Everyone had gathered in Oakley's room, just to keep each other company. To keep Bradley company. 

"I say, when Oakley wakes up we all go to the Hard Deck for a beer." Mickey tries to lighten the mood. 

"I agree, i could use a beer." Natasha chimes in. 

Making light conversation, the only two not engaging were Bob and Bradley. Bob couldn't belive that she is here but not here. That he can talk to her, but she can't talk to him. Their dream was to continue on as pilots, as friends, as family. 

Bob was worse for wear than Bradley was at some moments. His glasses are smudged from wiping his eyes and his face from his tears. Nobody knows what to say, because they don't know if she will wake up. 

"I need a minute." Bob annouces as he stands and walks out of the room. Everyone watches him walk out, wiping his face. 

Natasha goes to follow him, but Jake stops her. "Just, let him be for a bit." Jake pulls her into a hug. 

"I know, I'm just worried." 

A few minutes go by and Bob still hasn't come back. "I'm gonna go find him." Jake says, walking out of the room. Walking down the hallway, he checks each room and hallway when he gets to the waiting room and he sees Bob on the floor, holding his knees and a fist sized dent in the wall above him. 

"Bob!" Jake runs over to him, and he looks at his hand, which is red and bleeding. 

"Hey, you're bleeding." 

"It doesn't matter to me." Bob says. 

"Hey hey. Talk to me. What's going on?" Jake asks, moving to sit beside him. 

"That's my best friend in there. I just want to talk to her, have a conversation with her. I don't know what to do without her." 

"Hey guys! She's waking up!" Natasha yells out, running down the hallway.