CHAPTER 8
- Joes House -
Joe had gone home earlier that morning, he had rushed home, hoped into the shower and scoffed down a little food before collapsing onto his bed. Exhausted. He took a brief glance at the clock it read 11.20am. Joe just let his eyes close for a second....
*Bzzz Bzzz Bzzz*
Joe stirred opening his eyes slightly, he felt exhausted but the buzzing noise continued.
*Bzzz Bzzz Bzzz*
This time Joe forced himself to keep his eyes open and check his phone, which is where he assumed the buzzing noise was coming from. The time was now 3.42pm. Barry was calling. Joe suddenly snapped out of his sleepy trance and rapidly pressed answer on the phone.
"Barry! Hey!" Joe replied in excited to talk to his son.
"Joe. I was worried I've called you six times, why haven't you answered?" Barry asked concerned.
"Sorry bare i was asleep, Natalie has been bugging me for days to go home and rest!, whats wrong is everything okay!" Joe asked now fretting that something had happened.
"Who the hell is Natalie?" Barry questioned before realising that it must have been the nurse that he was talking too earlier. "...Joe I'm at the hospital, Iris-"
"IRIS, what's happened, I'm on my way" Joe said now scrambling to his feet, and grabbing his jacket and car keys.
"Joe calm down let me speak, they tried bringing her round and it worked but then something happened and-
-beep beep beep-
- At star labs earlier that day -
"Okay, lets go" Barry said removing his phone from his pocket. Barry hesitantly scrolled down to Joes number and pressed dial.
*Ring Ring* *Ring Ring* *Ring Ring* *Ring Ring* ...Voicemail.
"Voicemail again, what if something happened!" Barry said grabbing the bed rail to push himself up.
"Lets just head over to the hospital, and don't worry until you have to worry he's probably just sleeping or something" Caitlin said in an attempt to comfort Barry.
Cisco brought over the wheelchair, and Caitlin helped barry in. "Yeah I mean I spoke to Joe yesterday he rang to check up on you and he said that he's been sleeping at the hospital" Cicso added.
Cisco took the breaks off the wheelchair and started pushing Barry towards the car park. "What? he's been at the hospital since Thursday?" Barry asked surprised.
"Yeah he hasn't left Iris's side... he did the same for you, you know" Cisco said knowing he touched a nerve.
"I feel awful, I should have been there everyday, why was I so selfish!" Barry said resting his head into his hands.
Cisco laid a reassuring hand onto Barry's shoulder "Don't worry about that now lets get to the hospital" Cisco said wishing he hadn't said that to Barry. He felt bad, he knew he was sensitive when it came to Iris and Joe, it was the one thing that could distract him, and make him slip up, his love for his family.
Barry stayed silent the whole journey thinking about everything that had ever happened and gone wrong since he got his powers. Maybe he was the reason everything bad happened? the reason his mom died, the reason his father died? Eddie? Ronnie? Maybe the reason anything bad happened was all his fault. Barry couldn't help but wish it was him that died.
Barry was soon snapped out of his depressive state.
"Barry...Hello?, earth to Barry?" Caitlin said now worried flashing a small touch in Barry's eyes to check his responses.
Barry was quick to swat Caitlin's hand away when he realised what was happening. "What are you doing?" Barry said defensively. "Are we here already?" Barry said asking another question.
"Dude you zoned out or something" Cisco said raising an eyebrow, concerned for his friend.
"Im fine, i was.. just thinking" Barry said shoving his friends aside as nicely as possible. He wheeled himself to the entrance despite being exhausted, he wanted to feel as though he could do something for himself without anyones help or without messing things up. He couldn't help but go back into the darkness. It was all his fault. Everything.
Caitlin and Cisco followed Barry briefly before, realising that maybe they should leave him alone just for little, until he has a chance to probably see Iris, and get some time with her alone.
"Come on lets go wait in the car" Caitlin said ushering Cisco to follow. Cisco turned back to look at Barry momentarily before following Caitlin back to the Van.
Barry followed the signs to the ICU, he hated the way it made him feel, it was almost like he could feel the death, and sadness that this ward brought. He knew it wasn't the place most people come back from. He approached Iris room, hesitating before entering.
Barry hated how peaceful she looked despite the obvious head injury and cast on her leg, how could he let this happen. He inched closer towards the bed, and slowly took her hand in his. He gasped slighted and relased his grip when he felt how cold her hands were. "Iris, I don't know if you can hear me, but i hope you can feel me, I'm right here, I'm not going anywhere... I love you Iris West" Barry said letting a tear fall from his eye.
Natalie stood at the doorway, she watched Barry have his moment with Iris before entering to administer more medication and adjust a few IV's. Barry noticed Natalie and let go of Iris's hand, and quickly wiped away his tears.
"Its okay, I'm just giving her some medication, please don't stop on my behalf" Natalie said offering a small smile. Barry smiled back.
Barry watched as Natalie pushed some liquid into Iris's IV then hung up a small bag of Intravenous fluids and connected Iris to it, along with some more bags of fluid.
"What are they? what are they for, why does she need so many" Barry said all of a sudden realising how many drips and machines that Iris was connected too. All the IVs in her arms, even one in her neck.
"Barry hunny its okay, its not as bad as it looks, that big one is saline to keep her hydrated, then she's on antibiotics to keep any infection at bay and then some blood thinning medications to make sure she doesn't get any clots and the doctors are even talking about trying to bring her round today" Natalie said reassuringly.
"How did you know my name?" Barry asked.
"Your father, he talks about you" Natalie paused before continuing. "He was waiting for you to come, visit, I sent him home to rest, he's barley slept in three days" Natalie said worried.
"Oh.. I W-wanted to come, but I just wasn't ready to see her like this" Barry said his voice cracking with sadness.
Natalie saw the distress on Barry's face and stopped what she was doing in an attempt to comfort him. "It can be hard for someone to see there loved ones in this state, its not something you see everyday and takes some getting used to" Natalie said offering another small smile.
Barry once again smiled back, this time looking up at Natalie, mouthing the words "Thank you" before looking back at Iris, letting more tears escape.
"Your welcome" Natalie replied "Ah Dr. Fitzbery, this is Barry Joe's son" Natalie said this time acknowledging the tall dark skinned doctor that had just entered the room.
Barry quickly turned his attention to the doctor, a million and one questions running through his mind but the only one that really mattered "Is Iris going to be okay!" Barry blurted out. "Sorry" he then added not meaning to sound forward or rude.
"Thats alright Barry, and your sister is it?" Dr. Fitzbery asked.
"...my girlfriend" Barry replied sheepishly. "Were not actually related Joe fostered me as a child, I lost both my parents" Barry said now looking back at Iris.
"Oh son I'm sorry, but Miss West is doing much better, I'm going to call the medical team in, and were going to attempt to bring her out of the coma, her blood work looks much better and her vitals have been stable for the past 24 hours so I'm quite confident we can bring her round today" Dr. Fitzbery said clicking his pen a few times and scribbling something down on Iris's chart.
Barry didn't respond just smiled but the doctor knew how much he thanked him. Barry stood back and let the doctors assemble there team Dr. Fitzbery mumbled some stuff about medications and bossed a few nurses about to fetch some medical supplies. "Right is everyone ready and is the crash cart near by?" Dr. Fitzbery asked drawing back some fluid in a syringe.
"Yes Dr Fitzbery" Natalie replied.
"Alright then" Dr. Fitzbery said now injecting the liquid into Iris's arm.
Barry sat closely and watched for a few minutes but nothing happened. "How long will it take for her to wake up?" Barry asked nervously, scared that maybe Iris wouldn't ever wake up.
"Shouldn't be too long now Barry, all patients react different and different patients have different waking up times, but with the type of sedation that we have been giving Iris, this medicine I've just injected should counteract it pretty quickly and she should wake up within the next few minutes" Dr. Fitzbery said flashing Barry another empathetic smile.
A few more minutes passed everyone was silent in fact it was so quiet you could here a pin drop. Barry was about to say something but a horrible gurgling and gagging sound stopped him in his tracks. Iris was choking on the intubation tube.
"Ahh Miss West welcome back, lets get this awful tube out shall we" Dr. Fitzbery said remaining almost too calm.
Iris hadn't yet opened her eyes which made Barry anxious, but she was still choking on her tube which made Barry feel little better because at least she was responsive in a way. The doctor carefully pulled out the tube and replaced it will nasal oxygen.
Iris lay there moaning and groaning for a little while before the doctor gave Barry the all clear to approach Iris and ask her a few basic questions.
"Now Barry she might be little confused so just speak very slowly, and just ask one question at a time" Dr. Fitzbery said once again in his calming tone.
"O-okay" Barry stuttered out. "I-iris can you here me? Its me Barry" Barry said fighting the tears that were threatening to fall.
Iris briefly opened her eyes before scrunching them shut again.
"Iris open your eyes for me" Barry said trying to remain as calm as possible.
"B-B-barry" Iris whimpered her voice hoarse and sore from the tube.
"Im here Iris it's okay, I'm not going anywhere!" Barry said letting the tears flow freely now that he knew Iris was safe again.
...Or so he thought.
END