Come Wake Me Up

Chapter 4

That night when things were a bit calmed, Sharon Carter as promised had come into Steve's room to deliver the news he's been all but dying to here ever since they were hit by the car. He had taken to resting most of the day. Recently waking up, he had sent the others to go get some sleep, leaving him alone to be able to process what he would be told.

"Steve... Firstly, I want to assure you, James is in excellent hands, and we are doing everything we can to keep him comfortable and stable," she assured him.

Steve inhaled deeply before giving a light nod. "How is he?" He asked shakily.

Sharon looked down to the clipboard before lowering it at her side. "There was a lot of internal bleeding that kept reoccurring. Some near his brain and in his chest. His heart seemed to be over working itself-"

"He has anxiety..." Steve said softly.

Sharon looked to him. "That would explain things," she said. Taking a deep breath she looked down as she came to sit beside him. "He's... He is stable again..." She said slowly.

Steve was looking at her intently. "But...?" He pressed cautiously.

Sharon was quiet for a few seconds meeting his gaze. "He slipped into a coma after the last surgery... This is both good and bad. Good he will be resting and healing... But..." She trailed off trying to find the words for it as she looked away.

Steve's brows furrowed in concern. "But what?" he asked in a whisper, his voice cracked. Tears were making their way down his cheeks slowly.

"W-we don't know when he will wake up," she said finally. "Everyone's different. Could be days, weeks, months... Sometimes years... It also depends on the person..." Sharon said softly.

Steve felt like he had been hit by the car again as he processed this. The air felt like it had been stollen from him. Days? Weeks? Months? Years... "Can I see him?" His voice sounded hollow.

Sharon hesitated, "I'll see what I can do for tomorrow," she said softly. "He's being kept on close watch tonight to make sure he... Makes it through the night..." She said carefully. "Since he had been in critical condition..." She explained to assure him.

Steve gave a small nod. "Tomorrow..." He mumbled softly mainly to himself. His gaze dropped from her.

Sharon places her hand on his and gave it a gentle squeeze. "You should get some rest," she murmured softly.

He nodded some. "Can I have something to help me sleep?" He asked softly looking up to her.

She gave a nod, "Yes, of course..." she murmured. "I'll be back soon," she said and got up to get the medicine, leaving Steve alone.

Steve stared up at the ceiling. He knew good and well he wouldn't be able to go to sleep on his own. He would spend every minute worrying over Bucky, perhaps even making an attempt to get up and sneak out to find Bucky and sit at his bedside. No, Bucky needs his rest, he reminded himself. So did he, he added as an after thought. He stayed there for a moment as his thoughts cleared.

"I need to see him..." he murmured aloud to himself.

He then looked around to the equipment and monitors he was hooked up to. he traced the wires and tubes from him to the machines to the wall before forcing himself up, murmuring a quick, screw it. Pain erupted in protest as he forced his way to sit up. Holding his sides as he moved to the edge of the bed and swung his legs over while ripping the things attached from him from him before moving off the bed. He steadied himself on the bed, his breathing ragged and teeth clenched in pain. Hissing in pain trying to keep from shouting out.

As he mentally prepared for the pain that was yet to come, he caught sight of Sharon's clipboard. He looked up to the door, no sign of Sharon. Perfect, he thought grabbing the clipboard and slowly hobbled out as best he could. He looked out in the hallway and discovered it was empty. Glancing to his room number outside the door, he then glanced down to the room Bucky was listed in. 216, going to the ICU. He looked to the left and headed that way since he figured it was around where they had taken Bucky earlier after visiting the OR again.

He stayed close to the wall to use it for support that was getting to be greatly needed. He was wheezing through painful hisses. Seeing Bucky was the only thing driving him through the pain, out weighing the pain.

A hospital is almost like a maze, or a horror film, depending how you look at it. Some might say it's one in the same thing. Not knowing where to go. Not knowing what to expect. Steve's heart thudded loudly in his chest, everything around him seemed to go in slow motion -as if he wasn't going fast enough. Everything was quiet in his ears except for his pounding heart.

He paused in front of the doors of the ICU taking a deep breath before pushing his way through the doors and staggering in.

"Steve!" A voice had hissed from outside in the hall. Sharon.

Steve paused a moment before forcing himself to move faster. He made it this far and was this close to see Bucky.

He heard the flap doors open hurriedly as he hurried past glancing through the curtains that were barely opened. He paused after the sixth row, whipping open the curtains before he lost balance and pulling the curtains down as he fell. Pain taking its toll and causing him to black out.

Sharon ran to him with a few other nurses on duty. Another nurse came with a carry stretcher as the others surrounded Steve checking him before gently moving him onto the stretcher. Sharon had one of the workers in the ICU to fix the curtain as she went with the other nurses to take Steve back to his room and get him hooked back up to his tubes and machines. Sharon gave him the pain killers to help ease him into a better sleep. She ran a gentle hand through his hair before getting a doctor to check him out one last time for the night and leaving him to go check on James.

So close, yet so far...