That Blue Gibson

CH 69

The next day her doctor made his rounds again, checking Liz's reflexes and speech before dropping more heavy news.

"You can leave in a couple days," he said brightly. "But you'll have to hang around jolly ol' London for the foreseeable future. No flying, no long distance car or train trips."

"Okay," Liz said slowly. Dave could see the wheels turning in her busted head, trying to figure out how this was going to work. The doctor finished his instructions and moved on, leaving an exhausted Dave and Liz in his wake. He had slept in the chair at her side despite the extra cot that was placed in the far corner of the room for him. "I'll have Andy get a hotel room nearby," she said quickly, trying to calm the worry on Dave's face. "I'll hang out there until I can travel again."

Dave stayed quiet, not sure what he could even say to her. He would be all over Europe that summer and then back in the States by September, he could only hope she'd be better by then.

"Will you sit with me?" she asked weakly. He dropped into the chair next to her bed, but she frowned at him. "No, I mean with me," she said, scooting to the edge of the bed.

Dave eyed the tubes and cords surrounding her suspiciously, "You sure about that?"

"Yes," she replied, adding an exaggerated, "Pleeeease?" when he hesitated.

He carefully climbed into the bed beside her, letting her situate the lines so he could put his arm around her. She curled up against him, resting her head against his shoulder and reached across him to grab the remote attached to the bed. As she flipped through the channels on the TV across the room, he quietly examined the gashes in her scalp. The one above her ear was jagged, angry and red where the surgical one along her hairline was clean, gracefully sutured and only a little pink.

"Stop it," she whispered, knowing he was looking her over. "I'm okay."

"Yeah, you absolutely look it," he teased.

"Shut up," she smiled and stifled a yawn, wincing at the pain when her skin pulled tightly.

"Go to sleep."

"Yes, sir," she muttered, settling further into his shoulder.

He waited until her breathing slowed before pulling his phone out and scrolling through his texts. Just as he finished replying to the most urgent ones, specifically his mother's and one from Nate, a terrified looking nurse rushed into the room. Dave braced for more bad news. Fucking hell, now what?

"She has a visitor," the nurse whispered, her eyes darting from Liz to the door.

"She just fell asleep," he protested, checking the clock on the wall. It was damn near midnight and visiting hours were long over. Maybe her parents decided to come over after all...

"No... no, it's...," the nurse stammered as the light from the hallway darkened. A massive security guard appeared and scanned the room before stepping aside to reveal Paul McCartney.

"Don't," Paul said, waving Dave down when he tried to get up. "They already filled me in. She did a number, didn't she?"

"She's not really one to do anything half-assed, I guess," Dave said quietly, watching the nurse skitter out of the room.

Paul chuckled at that as he looked her over. "No, she's not. I won't stay long, I just wanted to see her breathing with my own eyes. I've got a flat on Cavendish just round from here. It's a house, really. Nancy sent someone to ready it for you both."

Dave felt as if he had been punched in the gut. "I have to leave in two days, I can't..." He couldn't just leave her alone in some unfamiliar house.