Station 19: The Unbreakable Team

Rubble of Skyhigh Collapse - Chapter 7

The party went on well past dark, it was now very late, I am still "dancing" next to Maya, Ryan, and Jack. When suddenly someones arm hit my side, an enormous wave of pain hit me, and I stumbled before collapsing to the floor. Maya was at my side rolling up my shirt she said "no bleeding, stitches are still alright." Jack said "Andy, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean-." Ryan cut him off stating "I think you've done quite enough." Jack gave him a glare before he nodded. Maya was in the process of gently probing my side. I gasped in pain and said "Maya! Stop please, your just making it worse." She pulled away immediately, rolling down my shirt she said "I'm so sorry, I was just worried that, I mean it looked like he hit you pretty hard-." I grabbed her arm and started pulling myself to my feet. Gritting my teeth at the creeping agony that spread through my torso. Warren said "This is the que for the party to end, guys let's wrap things up."

Everyone trickled out, providing well wishes, and promises that they would visit often. My dad retreated to his bedroom after giving me a quick kiss on my forehead. Maya was sitting next to me on the couch she said "Would it be alright if I spent the night here, I don't want to leave you all alone with your dad. I know Ryan is right next door, and that you could call him if you needed anything, but I'd just feel more comfortable if you-." I finally cut her off after several repeated attempts, I said "Maya!" She looked up deeply concerned I said "I wouldn't mind at all, I actually think it's really nice of you, offering to stay here tonight and look after my dad and I." She smiled, and looked down as she said "You would do the exact same for me." I nodded and said "Damn right I would." I paused before I said "I really do appreciate it Maya." She said "I know, now let's get  you to bed before your dad comes out and nags you to death." I let out a slight laugh as Maya helped me to my feet, and began helping me to bed.

I opened my eyes to find sun filtering in from behind the curtains, I rolled onto my back, wincing in pain as I did so. I realized there was a light weight across my body and looked to find Mayas arm draped over me on top of the cover. Maya laying on top of the covers to my left, sound asleep. I sighed and got out of bed careful not to wake her, or strain myself, I then got up and walked into the bathroom, where I quickly brushed my teeth before I started making my way to the kitchen to make breakfast. I got about halfway down the hall when I had to stop and lean against the wall, pain and exhaustion setting in. I gritted my teeth, frustrated at my own weakness, if I could just get to the damn kitchen I could get my pain medication and I could make breakfast. I stayed there hoping for the pain to pass so I could keep walking. After several minutes I heard footsteps approaching and glanced to see my dad he said "Andrea, what are you doing, up and out of bed so early, you up late last night, you should be sleeping." He then said "Andrea What's wrong?" I spoke unintentionally harsh, my pain making me irrational I said "Dad just stop talking, get Maya, hurry, she's sleeping in my room."

 He nodded and rushed off towards my room, I started to slump to the floor, unable to stay standing. Maya came sprinting out of the room, she skidded to a halt at my feet, she said "What's wrong, what do you need?" I only had to look at her before she said "Okay just breathe okay, breathe, embrace the pain, and breathe, I'll be back in a minute with your meds and a glass of water." She got up and said "Sir, please yell if her condition changes." Before she ran off toward the kitchen, He nodded and said "Andrea, the doctor told me that you shouldn't be moving around as much as you have, you know you can't force recovery." Maya was back in seconds, she crouched down and handed me the pills and the glass, I downed the pills and handed the glass to my dad. He took it and Maya said "I'm going to help you back to bed and then I'm never leaving your side, you hear me from now on we are attached, where you go I go." I shook my head and said "Shift should be starting soon, what about the station?" She let out a laugh and said "I took the day off because I knew you would be you and be too stubborn to listen to the doctor about resting and not doing physical activity, now seriously you are going to bed and staying there."   

I put my arm over Maya's shoulders and she helped me up, I stumbled and she said "We'll take it one step at a time okay, your medication will take a little while to kick in, so until then just hang in there. We can do this, you and me." I nodded and said "Okay." I took one step and almost collapsed in the shear agony of moving, but Maya caught me and said "I got you, I will not let you fall." I realized I was leaning more and more of my weight on her the closer we got to my room. When we finally reached the bed Maya helped me to lay down before she pull the covers over me and said "Don't you ever pull a stunt like that again, you hear me, your dad practically gave me a heart attack when he said you were-." Maya couldn't finish her sentence as he voice failed her, I grabbed her hand and said "Hey, I'm sorry, I never meant to scare you, I was just trying to go make breakfast, I honestly didn't expect-." I cut myself off as I saw that Maya was crying I said "Hey it's okay, I'm okay."

Maya took in a shuddering breath before she said "What if you weren't what if you had hurt yourself and no one was awake. What if you were just in the hallway alone, in pain and no one knew, did you even think about what would happen if your dad hadn't woken up when he did." I closed my eyes and said "Maya I-, I didn't even-." She cut me off and said "No! You didn't." My dad walked into the room and neutrally said "Breakfast will be ready soon, eggs and toast sound okay?" I said "Thats great dad, thank you." He nodded and walked out of the room, Maya said "I'm sorry for getting so upset, but you just worry me so much, I don't want to lose you Andy." I sighed and said "I understand Maya, I don't want to lose you either, it's just difficult for me to just so willingly depend on other people for everything when I've always been so independent, it's hard to sit back and be helpless."

 She looked me in the eyes and said "Sometimes all you can do is accept that you can't do everything and that other people will be there to take care of you, until you can take care of yourself." I let out a laugh and said "Words are easy, the acutallity is always harder." She sighed and said "I know Andy, and I'll be here whenever you need me, but you have to promise you won't do anything like that again, at least for the next several weeks." I closed my eyes and said "I promise, and you should probably go help my dad make breakfast, he tends to burn the toast." She smiled and got up, I opened my eyes to watch her walk out of the room, and I smiled when she cast a worried glance back at me from the door, before she walked down the hall to the kitchen. I closed my eyes and sucked in a frustrated breath, this is going to be a long, difficult recovery, but at least I know I won't be alone.