HARRY'S POV:
After laughing so wonderfully, and telling her that everything would be ok now, I had Jenna roll over, so we could spoon. I could hold her more securely that way. I could hold her closer that way. I still felt the need to try and protect her. I needed her to be as close as possible. And I needed her as a sort of teddy bear, to hug and feel better with. At last, the security of being together helped us drift to sleep in no time.
We awoke to laughter and muffled giggles and squeals. It was early morning I could tell by the sunlight. A whole different round of nurses were working now. I was suprised no one went looking for me during the night, and found us and split us up. What a perfect night it had been. I know this, because I'd woken several times suddenly, only to find Jenna in my arms, and fell back to sleep with relief.
When the nurses noticed they woke me, they each said an awkward sorry, and rushed out of the room giggling.
Really??
A younger doctor came in after them. He apologized for the squirmy, star struck nurses. He said he could hear them talking all morning, peeking into the room whenever they could, to watch me sleep. Then they'd run back to the desk and swoon with the other nurses, and talk about how cute I was when I slept, and how adorable it was that I held Jenna so tight and never let go of her, etc etc etc....
He stopped talking and gave me a wink and a smile.
"That's why we left you here. It entertained the third shift nurses all night. And, because everyone figured you guys needed to be together, and there was no harm in it. AND, because you're a celebrity, and you get special treatment, right?" he told me with a grin on his face.
"Yes. That IS right. I AM a celebrity, and I'm BACK. So if you'll just have Jeeves move my stuff over to this room, that'll be great, thank you." I joked back to him.
"Ha ha haaa.....ok, maybe not THAT special of treatment......YET. But you have my permission to stay here as long as you like. We will need to examine both of you soon, and we'll ask you to be in your own rooms for that. But you've been through enough, and being together can only help you both heal, so spoon away. I'm doctor Murphy. It's nice to meet you both. I don't have any kids to use as an excuse for an autograph, but maybe when you're leaving...." and he raised his eyebrows in anticipation at my answer. "It'll just be one extra signature. All the nurses already have their papers and Sharpie markers ready, I warn you now. I told them all to wait till you were checking out of our fine establishment", he added in.
"I'd be happy to oblige, doctor Murphy. Nice to meet you. And thank you" I responded.
And then since he'd said it was nice to meet us both, I leaned over to see Jenna's awake face for the first time in the daylight, with no danger around us.
It was like seeing her in a whole different light.
And I loved what I saw. My heart skipped a beat in anticipation of getting out of here and starting REAL life with her.
The doctor finished looking over the charts at the end of the bed, and walked away.
How nice of them to put both charts here. I guess they sort of DID "get my things" for me.
Maybe I'd give them all tickets to a show...whenever that would be, that is. I knew I wasn't ready, and might not be for a while, to get back out there.
I just wanted to be home, and relax, and get used to life again.
Amazing, how 7 days with no outside exposure to the world can feel like I've been on a deserted island for years.
I wasn't ready for the world yet. I needed to be ME for a while.
Well, me with Jenna.
Jenna rolled over towards me and smiled. It was the most beautiful smile I'd ever seen. It hit me hard, with the warm, yellow sunlight shining on her through the hospital windows. Her still sleepy eyes, her messy hair, and the way she could smile so wide like that, after all that we'd just been through.
She'd be fine. I knew it. WE'd be fine. This would work.
I kissed her on the forehead and pulled her against me as I said good morning to my angel.
She managed a good morning my knight, with her mouth muffled against my chest.
Then the doctor from yesterday came in and ruined the perfect moment. It was ok though. There'd be plenty more to come.
"They told you we'd need to do some more exams, right?" he asked us.
"Yeah...right now?" Jenna asked.
"Yes. I'll be back in a few minutes. I'll give you both time to wake up and use the bathroom first. Ok?" he informed us.
"Sure", Jenna answered. I nodded yes to him.
"Time to split up, I suppose", I told Jenna in a sad voice.
"This better not be 15 minutes again", Jenna joked seriously.
"I'll make sure it's not. Don't you worry, my angel."
"Ok. I'll be waiting.", she said as she got out of bed.
I followed, planted a big, wet, sloppy kiss on her forehead, and rolled my IV pole out of the room with me. I heard her laugh at me as I went. I smiled to myself, knowing exactly why she was laughing. My as.s was probably showing.
Teeth brushed. Hospital toothpaste. Gross. Morning pee. Check. As.s not sticking out of hospital gown. Almost check. I now had undies on, which felt better. Even if they were tighty whities.
The doctor from yesterday came into my room first. He closed the curtain and a nurse popped through at the last second. She looked very eager. And she looked triumphant, like she won the lottery of getting to help examine the celebrity in the hospital. There was a time, not so long ago, that I would have been just as excited as her. So I wasn't one to judge. I remember how it felt, being a fan.
I still had my "fan" moments of being star struck. I reckon I'd have them forever, probably. But seeing all my idols being themselves at parties and in their own houses, definitely changes your outlook. You know they're just normal everyday people when you're a fan, but seeing them BE normal everyday people takes a lot away from the "omg fan thoughts".
"So, you remember me from yesterday, right? I'm doctor Travis. This is nurse Becky. I'm sorry to say we'll be doing a rectal exam today. Just a quick check for any trauma to the area, as I have on my notes from yesterday's account of the past week, ok?" I nodded my head. This nurse really DID hit the lottery. Yikes.
"And your head scan from yesterday came back fine. Nothing going on there. No concussions or anything", he said as he put on a fresh pair of exam gloves. If you'll remove your gown, you can leave your underwear on for now."
And he got to work. Starting from my head, where I had a few bruises, to my face, where there were a few more, down to my shoulders, he moved my arms about, listened to my heart and lungs, checked my back, listened to my heart and lungs there again, felt each leg for anything amiss, then ordered off my undies.
I had a quick semi flashback of that one time....but I shook it out of my head and breathed deep once or twice, and did what I was told. The nurse was suprisingly courteous to me. She turned away and stood up near my head to give me my privacy. It was probably killing her not to look, though.
Ouch. Ouuuuch. Not fun. Not liking rectal exams. Ow. Nope. Not at all. Didn't think I'd have to have one of these till I was like 50. Awesome. But, it WAS way better than the other day.......
"We've gotten your blood test back. Everything looks normal." The doctor gave the nurse a nod, and she promptly left the room. "We had them do an extra toxicology report on your blood sample after you told us about the injected drugs. We found two separate drugs in your system..." He said two strange words that I've never heard before. And I'd been around, so I thoght I'd recognize them. But I didn't. Totally foreign. "The first drug is almost like bath salts. Have you heard of bath salts? Right. Well it sort of has the same effect as that. Which is probably what made you so violent and angry. The second drug was sort of like a sexual mood enhancer. So both of them together, obviously made you basically.....horny and angry. Which is how you acted. They obviously wanted that exact result.
The problem is, both drugs together, could have been very dangerous. They both have heart effects, so you were very lucky. There are no lasting effects, mental or physical, that we know of from either drug, so you'll be fine. They'll be out of your blood in a few weeks."
I could feel my cheeks get hot. They could have killed me that night. Just another "I almost died" moment to add to my list. Great. As.sholes. I was sooooo glad they were now gone from this Earth.
"We also did tests for STD's, including AIDS. Everything came back clean so far. You will need to get retested every 3 months for the next year, just in case something pops up yet. Some diseases don't show up until later. Even in the blood. So you'll want to make an appointment with your doctor for January, when you get home.
We don't know what they did to you to make you bleed out of your mouth and have the severe abdominal pains. We can't figure that out. But your abdominal scan also came back perfectly clear". I didn't even know I'd had an abdominal scan. Maybe they did that when they scanned my head. "You've been VERY lucky on all accounts, Mr. Styles. You definitely had an angel watching over you..." My eyes darted right to his. I suddenly felt dizzy when he said that. I wanted to run to Jenna right then. Just to make sure she was real. Because SHE was my angel. And I know she was real, right? I didn't just make her up to get through this, right? I didn't totally lose my mind, right? I was suddenly feeling scared, like maybe she WAS an angel, and when I looked in the next room again, there'd be some old man in there with a bad cough, and no one would know what I was talking about when I asked where Jenna was, and they'd admit me to an insane asylum.....
Jesus Harry. Stop it. Jenna's real. She's your angel. And the doctors don't know that my angel wasn't looking down on me. She was right there WITH me....
"Mr. Styles?" I came back to reality and shook my head. "Sorry doc...I was just....everything that happened....all the times I almost died....it just all hit me, is all..." I lied to him.
"I can certainly understand that, Mr. Styles. And let me give you this card now, instead of later, so I don't forget. It's a psychiatrist that deals specifically with post traumatic stress syndrome, should you feel you need to call him. Even if you don't think you need to, you should probably call anyway, and just have a session or two...with or without your girlfriend. That's your choice. But you both should be seen at least once, to make sure you can adjust back into society and deal with everything that happened. I know seven days seems like not much, but given what you two have gone through, I'm sure seven days seemed like a long long time. So be sure to call this doctor...or if you have your own you'd prefer to call, that's fine too. Just please, see someone at LEAST once, maybe twice. Doctor's orders. Heh." He joked, in a serious fashion.
I understood. Just that little "is Jenna real" episode my brain went into, was enough to make me want to call a shrink TODAY.
WOULD we be fine afterall? Was I starting to get looney already? I can't have this. This can't happen to me.
I started to panic a bit. I could do this. I know I could. The sooner we got out of here, and stopped having to relive it all the time....the better. We'd be fine. I'd be fine......
"So a nurse will come back and take out your IV soon. You both were pretty dehydrated, so you should be feeling better after a few bags of fluids."
"Doctor....what about what I......did.....when I was drugged? Did Jenna mention that when she told her story? Will I be in trouble for that? Will that leak to the public? Is there a way to keep it private? What happens about that?" I finally asked nervously.
"Miss Riley did NOT mention it in her statement, no, suprisingly. We had to ask her about it after you told us about it. I suppose she was trying to protect you. But that incident wasn't your fault. Not at all. It was directly the cause of the men who kidnapped you both. It was a direct thought out mixture of drugs to produce the exact behavior you exhibited. You will never be held accountable for those actions. They weren't YOUR actions. They were someone else's.
Should Miss Riley even TRY to hold you accountable now, or in the future...nothing would become of it. But again, you might both benefit from seeing soneone about your entire struggle and the things that went on in that building, because reaction to traumatic events like this can come out when you least expect them to, and in ways you wouldn't realize. So again, I urge you to call someone, preferrably this week after you've rested a day or two. And as for privacy, nothing you don't say to the public will ever be made public. So relax and focus on recovering", he reassured me. Made it sound a little better in my mind. Not that I could still, ever forgive myself....and hearing that Jenna didn't tell them about it....God, I love that girl. Protecting me to the very last second.
"Is Jenna....ok from...everything?" I asked awkwardly.
"Jenna will be fine. She's been lucky, just as you have. But I can't give you any more details than that. You'll have to ask her, if she wants to answer that" he told me. "Any other questions?' He lowered his chart and reached out to shake my hand. "You've overcome many dangerous odds, Mr. Styles.
You'll overcome this. So will Jenna. And here's my own card. If you have any questions, or concerns at any time, please, call me. Both of you. I'll be giving her my card too", then he broke from serious, into a smile, "I'll see you in the autograph line...I have teenagers at home. I know your music. A little too pop for me, some songs...but the acoustic stuff, very well done Mr. Styles. Congratulations on your success."
"Thank you doctor Travis. If you want to have your kids be here, I would be happy to give them autographs in person. As long as they are tight lipped, of course." I laughed, trying to be my usual nice public self, but I was still in a daze.
"That would make me a hero, Mr. Styles! Thank you! I'll see about that. Have a nice day", he said as he walked out.
Jenna. That was my first thought the second he walked out my room door.
I walked into the hall to see where the doctor went. I caught the very last part of his doctor coat going into her room. Her turn. I'd have to wait.
What the heck am I supposed to wear when I leave here? The thought suddenly hit me. And Jenna? She came here NUDE! Jesus!
I went to the desk, but nurse Becky told me she was just coming to see me to take out my IV, so I followed her back to my room.
As she did her thing to my arm, I asked her where a man could get pair of pants around here.
She laughed a giggly laugh and flicked her hair back with her hand. I knew that move. That's a flirty move. Oh how I couldn't WAIT to get out of here. I was hating being "attractive because of my music" even more right now. I just wanted to be with the one person on this entire Earth, that I knew loved me for ME, and not for being Harry Styles. (Well, besides my family.) That thought made me glad I didn't tell Jenna about me right away. I know it hurt her, but it was what I needed to do, and I don't regret it. Hopefully she'll learn to understand that someday soon. She wouldn't know what it's like to always wonder if the people around you are there for YOU, or for the celebrity, rich you. It wakes me up at night sometimes.
"Your mom was in here early this morning, and left you a bag of clothes, and some sneakers. She also left Jenna a bag of clothes.
"Are you kidding me? Huhhh! I love my mum! Isn't she great?" I asked the flirty nurse.
"I could definitely tell she loves you very much Har....uh.....Mr. Styles."
"You can call me Harry. It's ok. Tell all the nurses, too, please", I told her. I hated "Mr Styles". It made me feel old. It sounded like they were talking to my dad.
She patched up my IV hole, and wrote some stuff on my chart. "I'll bring you the bags from your mom. Someone will let you know when discharge time will be. Oh, and there's quite a huge crowd outside the hospital, so security will let you know what the plan of escape is. I believe your parents are coming back to get you, along with your manager, I heard."
"Thank you. For everything. Oh, hey...someone mentioned autographs....if anyone wants one after I'm dressed, I can come out to the desk..."
"Yes....thank you, Harry!. That would be wonderful. No one had the heart to bother you while you were still a patient. If you don't feel up to it though, that's fine. We totally understand. No pressure", she laughed nervously.
"I'll do it. It's fine. I'm feeling better. It'll just be hospital staff, right?" I asked to make sure.
"Oh yes. No one else. Security has been hard at work. People have been finding many ways to try and slip into this ward the past two days. It will just be us. Thank you again, Harry", and she turned to leave the room.
I sat on my bed and waited. And thought. And waited.
Finally another nurse came in and put two bags on the bed next to me. She seemed too nervous and shy to talk. Probably star struck. And I was too tired, so I didn't try to bring her out of her shell. I'd see her when I gave everyone autographs, I'm sure.
I thanked her and I looked eagerly through the bags. I found a white tee, black jeans, and brown boots. And socks and black boxer briefs.
Perfect.
I quickly got dressed, and grabbed Jenna's bag, and went to her door. It was opened, so I tiptoed in. She was standing at the windows looking out.
She heard the bag wrinkle against my leg, and turned, saw me, and rushed over to me. She was all free of her IV also, with just a bandage as a reminder.
She gave me a huge hug, and I hugged her back tightly. We were almost totally free.
I knew there'd probably be more questions, meetings with police, let alone doctor appointments and shrinks to see, etc....but we'd be FREE. DONE with all of this. On our way HOME.
"Is that the bag from your mom?", she asked after our hug. "Yep. My mum rocks. I might have mentioned that before", I bragged to her. I felt immediately bad for saying that, because her mom had died two years ago. And her dad had left them when she was 19, and she didn't really talk to him much. He probably didn't even notice she was missing. He lived far away with his new wife, anyway. She was just happy not to have any step siblings. She didn't have much of any family, actually, I remembered from our "get to know eachother" night. A few cousins, an aunt and uncle who didn't have time for her. Pretty much it was her, and her friend Brooke. Her only visitor the entire time we were here in the hospital.
I saw Brooke in a different light, now. I had never thought about it really, how Brooke is her ONLY "family". That's a lot to live up to for a person. It's hard enough to be just a friend....
Well, I'd gladly share my mum with Jenna if she wanted. There was enough love to go around. I hoped they'd be close...get along good...go shopping together when I'm busy all day...
I handed her the bag. She looked excited. I knew that feeling. CLOTHES. Ahhhh, clothes.
She got right to it, and dumped it all on the bed. I gave a short laugh at her. She smiled at me.
There was a grey tank top, a small, pink zip up hoodie, pink panties, a pink matching bra, faded boot cut jeans, and a pair of gray flip flops.
She smiled bigger now. She must approve.
"Isn't it a bit late in the season for flip flops?" I asked her.
"It's never too late, or too early for flip flops", she said. That settles that, then!
I told her my mom had said sorry if she didn't like everything or if it didn't fit. But she said everything was absolutely perfect, and the correct sizes.
I felt happy for her.
She walked past me and slid the curtain closed around her bed area.
"Oh...right....I'll go....come out when you're dressed then, ok?"
She had already started picking up the bra, but then stopped. "Right. You shouldn't see me undressed. We haven't even had a first date yet.", she laughed.
"Exactly", I laughed with her, and I walked out of the curtain and stood in the hallway, watching the nurses, who seemed nervous, as they tried not to watch me.
I noticed the lunch cart being pushed room to room. And it stopped at my door. I took the one for my room and the one for Jenna's room and put them both in my room.
When Jenna came in, I was taken back by her beauty. This was the first time I saw her properly dressed since that night in the alley. She looked beautiful with her body covered...leaving the rest to my imagination....which I didn't really have to use now, but...I had never gotten to "be with her" yet, like I'd like to be. We sat on the bed together, Indian style, and had lunch together.
She stopped chewing and gave a funny smile everytime we heard a strange giggle from one of the nurses out at the desk. It always seemed to happen after one of them walked by for something.
Girls. They're so funny, I thought to myself. Of course, we must have looked funny, sitting on the bed, facing eachother, having a "picnic" sort of.
Soon, Doctor Murphy, Doctor Travis, my Mom, my sister, Steve, my manager, and a security guard came into the room. It was discharge time. Yessssssssssss. At last.
Steve and I hugged and said our joking bromance hellos and all that. Said he'd catch me up on everything whenever I felt up to it. His eyes looked a little teary when we got done our back slapping mate hug, which made my eyes get teary for a second. But I was able to hold it back and focus on getting the fvck OUT of here.
The security guard explained the plan. We were going out where the trucks unloaded in the back. It seemed clear there. Steve already had the car waiting there. Doctor Travis explained some papers he gave to us, and then my mum said "autograph time....let's get this done" as she pulled me out into the nurse's station area. All the nurses were standing there waiting anxiously. Pens in hand, papers, cell phones ready for pics....I noticed two teens also. They must have been Dr. Travis's kids.
There were a few more nurses than I thought there'd be...also a few extra doctors...female ones. Must be from other wards.
I put on my public smile, took a breath, and walked out to the uniformed crowd.
They were very calm and patient, letting each one before them take as long as they needed.
I smiled for pics, I signed stuff, I hugged and got hugged. I got compliments on my music. I received a lot of "welcome backs". And even a few get well cards and three bunches of flowers. And every few seconds, I'd look over and smile at Jenna, who was watching me in the corner of her doorway, next to my mum. She seemed amazed watching me with everyone. And the nurses kept melting into "awwww's" everytime Jenna and I would smile to eachother. A few nurses even gave Jenna flowers and a card. And some hugs and congrats on scoring me. Ha ha. How nice. My fans are so supportive, I had to admit that.
Everyone was so nice. It felt good to be "back". I was still so tired, but I was as bright and cheery as I could be, for my fans. They are number one, after all. Without fans...there's nothing! They make or break you, really.
When I was done, I thanked them all for taking such wonderful care of me and my girlfriend. And then I sort of paused after I said that. I hadn't officially asked Jenna to be my girlfriend. But...to me, she was. We'd have time for labels later.
And luckily, my mum pulled me away, so I didn't have to give any more speech.
She took me to Jenna's room, Steve grabbed our papers, and we followed the security guard out of the ward, and into a stairwell, where we went down several levels, and into the loading area, where I could see the black SUV waiting, backed up to the loading dock as if it were a Mack truck.
The back hatch was open, and me and Jenna jumped down from the dock into the back area.
Everyone else went down the steps, and got in quickly.
And we were officially in the real world again. FREE.
When we got settled in the far back seat, and got on our belts, I looked over at Jenna, and she looked up at me. We gave eachother huge smiles, and huge kisses.
NOW, we could have a real relationship. I really liked this girl. This Angel of mine.