Light- Clementine/Louis, Clouis, Louisentine

Chapter 17

People would flutter in from time to time. AJ was the most frequent visitor, besides him of course, spending hours sat with Louis by Clementines side, waiting for her to wake up. The others would do the same, though not as often, and partly to check on him as well.

It wasn't some movie cliche where he was sat by her bed all the time. If Clementine woke up and found out he had skipped on his duties to watch her, she would most definitely kick his ass.

So he fell into the motions. He would wake up and get breakfast, sitting by Clementines side as he ate. If he had hunting or lookout duty, he would do it just as he did before. The only difference now is when he returned, he wouldn't be lounging by the fire or practicing the piano. He was here, sat by her side, talking about nothing, not even knowing if she heard a word he was saying.

It was all he could do to cope. Pretend like everything was fine.

It wasn't hopeless, of course. Everytime Ruby came to check on her, she would give encouraging signs that Clem was recovering. The color had been steadily returning to her face over the past days, and her high temperature had dropped significantly, almost back to normal. She was fighting, she just had to wake up.

The door swings open out of the corner of his eye, Ruby making her way over to where he sat with a warm smile.

"Hey, hon. Just coming to check her bandages."

He smiles in return, standing from the bedside and stepping away to give Ruby room. He strolls over to the gramaphone he had dragged in earlier that day, leaning against the bookcase next to it as he watched Ruby work.

"How is it?" He asks, peering over Ruby's shoulder as she cautiously peels away the gauze.

"A lot better. No signs of an infection developing from what I can see, and the skin around it is beginning to heal and close up the wound. Will still take some time of course, but it's getting better."

"When do you think she'll wake up?"

Ruby sighs as she re-bandages the stump, changing out the old gauze for new gauze.

"I really don't know, Louis. Hopefully soon, but we don't want to rush this. If her body decides it's best for her to remain out while she's healing, then that's what'll happen. Frankly, its a miracle she's alive. If AJ hadn't cauterised that wound and tied it off...This would be a whole different story. "

Ruby stands from her work, turning to face Louis. She catches sight of the gramophone he's next to, raising a curious eyebrow.

"Fancied some music?" She asks with a smile

"Something like that"

It wasnt something like that.

It was too embarrassing to tell, really. He had just gotten this idea, might have been from a book he was reading, that familiar music might help wake her up. So he had dragged the gramophone all the way to her room, idea in mind and hope in his body.

"Well, I've got lookout duty. I'll leave you to it." She tells him kindly, heading towards the door and down the dormitory halls.

He waits until its all clear before pulling the record out of his coat, waking over to the gramophone and placing the record down. He cranks the handle, releases and steps back.

The song that played when they first danced together fills the room, bringing a small smile to his lips. He listens for a few moments before walking over to Clementines side, sitting down in the chair he had pulled from the basement and grabbing hold of her hand.

"Hey, Clem. It's been a few days since you've been out and... Uh... Shit. I just really miss you." He confesses, taking a deep breath before he continues.
"Thought you might like some music. I find that the silence can get a bit unnerving, probably why I can never stop talking...
Everyone can't wait to see you up and about. Because you will be. Even without that leg, I know you'll do it. AJ's already talking to Willy about making you a new foot" He chuckles at the end of his sentence, imagining the two boys working away to fashion a new foot out of the little supplies they had.