AN: Anyone interested in reading the fourth draft e-mail me gossamersilverglow at yahoo dot com
Chapter Twenty-Five: Unconditionally
"Bailey!"
The scream startled her out of her daze. They'd been waiting so long she'd gotten lost holding Damien's hand and being stuck inside a box of metal with broken chunks of glass clinging to her skin. Bailey blinked rapidly, shifting as much as she could. Damien's grip tightened instantly at the movement and she knew his hand had to be asleep as that squeeze reminded her, with pins and needles, that the tingling light feeling had started on hers half an hour ago.
"Why is she still in there? Where's the ambulance?" Gale's voice was broken and frantic as she asked the questions.
"Mom?" Bailey's whisper was hoarse with disbelief, but when she tried it again she spoke louder because her mother was here and she would save Bailey. "Mom? Mom! Mommy?" Bailey tightened her grip on Damien's and winced when the pins and needles danced across her palms.
She saw Gale's scuffed white Sketchers when she kneeled down next to Damien. "I'm here, baby," Gale said, sniffling before shaking her head in disbelief, and covering her mouth to keep herself from sobbing any louder. "Oh, Wes, can't you make them come faster?"
Sheriff Lambert knelt down to stare at Bailey, his eyebrows drawn together, as he examined her with his deep blue eyes. "This is another county Gale, but I can try and make a few calls," he said, pausing to smile at Bailey. He placed a hand on the window. "Hey gorgeous, I need to ask you some questions okay?" He spoke smoothly, calmly, and Bailey instantly felt relief flood her as she realized she was closer to getting out of here.
Bailey sniffed and nodded slightly. "Okay."
"Can you wiggle your toes?" he asked, his eyes cool and calculating as he examined her face.
She frowned, confused by the question, but tried with successful results. "Yes."
"Good, that's good. Do you feel short of breath?"
She inhaled sharply and cringed as the burning pain followed.
"Okay, so you're feeling pain with deep breaths. Keep your breaths shallow as long as you can. How 'bout your arms, can you move them?"
"Not my right arm. I think it's broken."
He raised a charcoal eyebrow. "Considering your head is on the floor board where your feet should've been I'd say that's not surprising. Why weren't you wearing your seatbelt?"
She bit her lower lip. "I forgot."
He pursed his lips and gave her a disapproving look. "Well, you're very lucky. Alright baby, we're gonna get you out of there. Let me make some calls." He glanced over at Damien, who was still spread out across the street, damaged hand clutching Baileys. "Damien, could you..."
"No!" Bailey shouted, and then paused to reassess her tone of voice. "Please, can't he stay?"
"It's okay. I'll stay," Damien mumbled, sounding tired, but he gave her a reassuring glance. Bailey's eyebrows furrowed together in a frown as she watched the Sheriff Lambert's eyes shift between them before giving a tight lipped smile and stood up.
-------
When the firefighters finally came, in yellow and black gear toting a large chainsaw, she still refused to let go of Damien's hand, and they did what they could to work around him. When he had to let go so the firefighters could use that massive chainsaw, she focused on his feet in particular as he stood by.
The loud noise and sparks of metal cutting metal as the tool sliced into the mangled door on the drivers' side was something she'd never forget. It was like she'd been hypnotized as she'd watched it, even when the door was pulled away and a female fighter pushed towards her.
"Hello Bailey, I didn't think I'd meet you so soon," she said, a strange knowing twinkle in her startlingly violet eyes.
"What?" Bailey asked cringing as the female pushed at something that started pinching her skin.
"My name's Eliza. I'm gonna get you out of this okay?"
Bailey nodded, her eyes not leaving Eliza's face. "Do I know you?" she whispered, curious about the flicker of recognition she felt in the back of her mind.
Eliza lifted her face, meeting Bailey's curious stare. "No, this is the first time we've met in reality."
Bailey nodded. "Oh."
Bailey pondered what Eliza said as she was pulled out of the wreckage. It wasn't an entirely normal conversation given she was trapped underneath thousands of pounds of steel, but the first time they'd met in reality? And all Bailey had managed was an 'oh?' She felt ridiculous and she glad it was so dark out.
When she was finally out, the paramedics refused to let her walk herself to the ambulance that had finally showed. They laid her carefully on the board, strapping her head down, telling her not to move her neck, to be as still as possible. In Bailey's opinion it was a little late for that, she'd been moving, not very much, but she had been.
Bailey glanced up, starting to feel the absence of Damien and his calm reassurance as he'd clutched her hand. He was magnetic and she found him instantly, but he was farther away than she would've liked, speaking off on the sidelines with the pretty fire fighter Eliza. Bailey shifted, hoping to get a better look just as she noticed a white business card in Eliza's hand as she passed it on to Damien. She watched as his eyes scanned the card in his hand and with a disbelieving snort offered the card back to her. Eliza said something that caused him to give her a skeptical look, but when she spoke again Bailey watched as his eyebrows lifted with surprise. His head whipped around and his green eyes focused on Bailey's face. Bailey saw something, even in this distance. She saw something like recognition in his face, perhaps understanding even.
Hmm. What were they talking about?
Bailey sighed as she watched Eliza walk away from him. She'd meant to call out, but she'd been unable to figure who she'd wanted to call out too. Eliza was an elusive mystery, but Bailey felt like the woman had answers to something Bailey hadn't realized she'd been asking. And Damien she'd always wanted, well aside from the moment of cloudy judgment and the concussion she'd given him. What was it that she wanted from Eliza? Why was it important enough to stop her from calling out to Damien? It was like a worm was biting at the edges of her memory, refusing to let her remember where she'd seen this woman.
It was when Eliza was standing behind, yet off to the side, of the fire truck that Bailey remembered. How could she have ever forgotten those violet eyes? They'd been in her nightmares after all.
Bailey felt her breath leave and her vision clouded with the sudden gust of angry wind as Eliza and her haunting violet eyes disappeared. It was then that the paramedics finally decided to close the ambulance doors.
--
The loud noise of the massive chainsaw tool cutting into the mangled door on the drivers' side really was a noise she wasn't going to forget anytime soon. Every time she shut her eyes the noise consumed her. Every time.
Bailey's fingers clenched in the white linen of the hospital bed and her eyes shot open to an unwelcoming dark room with a needle jammed in her arm. Biting her lip to keep it from trembling, she scratched absently at her IV, glancing at the exit door cracked open. Nurses chattering echoed from the outside and dark shadows played against the wall of her room from the slips of light trailing in.
That antiseptic smell made her stomach roll. She heaved a sigh, dropping her head heavily onto the surprisingly fluffy pillow. Wiggling her hips, she sunk further down into the mattress.
"Bailey, are you awake?"
The deep voice startled her enough that a yelp gurgled in her throat, making a mouse like squeak. Cringing at the sudden pain, she clutched her middle at the suddenness of her movement. She shifted her head so that her cheek rested against the material of her pillow, while she stared at the dark figure sitting in the chair beside her bed.
She rubbed her fists against her eyes to make sure she was seeing correctly. Blinking rapidly to get rid of the white spots, she forced her eyes to widen so she could get a better look. It was him. The one who'd caused everything.
"What are you doing here?" She was too tired to be mean, so it came out flat, weak, and defeated.
Her father attempted to reach forward, as if he were going to smooth back Bailey's hair, but he stopped, and settled his hand at his side. "You were in a serious car accident, why wouldn't I be here?" He paused as he lazily leaned forward. He was trying to look casual and to an outsider it would have appeared as much, but Bailey knew Derrick Roberts better than that. The look on her face must have let him know it too because he cleared his throat and swallowed before continuing. "Aside from what I've done and, no matter what you think, I do love you."
"Wow, you know, I think there should be a law on how many times a parent can lie to their kid in two sentences," Bailey said sarcastically.
Derricks' jaw clenched and shifted, straightening his posture in the chair. "Bails, I'm sorry I hurt you. I'm sorry I disappointed you, but I'm not gonna do this. I'm not going to walk on eggshells around you anymore. You need to understand that I'm human. I'm not perfect, that I made a mistake."
Bailey let two tears slip down her cheek and for just a minute she let herself be a little girl. "You aren't supposed to be human."
Derrick frowned as he watched her cautiously. "What?"
"You're supposed to be super man. You're supposed to have all the answers to all my problems, but you're not supposed to be the cause of them," she whispered so brokenly her voice cracked and her heart ached.
She noticed then that he was crying when he leaned towards her. His hand fell heavily onto the top of her head as he pulled her towards him, resting his forehead against hers. "I'm so sorry." He cried softly into her hair before kissing her temple.
It was the bullshit moment she needed to realize what was happening. Of course he was sorry; he could no longer have his cake and eat it to. It wouldn't be that easy. If he was looking for forgiveness...she would never make it that easy.
"I don't want you to walk on eggshells around me. That would mean you'd have to be around me." She stopped, allowing him time to realize what she was saying, but he didn't pull away from her. He held her tighter, even when she tried to push him away. "I don't want to look at you. I don't want to be anywhere near you." Bailey was practically screaming at this point. "I want you out of my room before I-" The opening door caused her to stumble over her words as a male nurse walked in. Gale, Matt, and Amanda were trailing in behind him with a bag of what looked like white Chinese rice boxes and chopsticks.
"She's awake," Matt said.
"Captain obvious," Amanda mumbled, bumping her hand into his chest playfully.
He gave her a tiny glare as she reached down to ruffle his dirty blond hair. Shoving her away, he fixed his ruffled hair, looking highly offended at the gesture, and sauntered to the end of Bailey's bed. However, Gale's reaction was much less dignified as the older woman's blue eyes settled on her daughter.
"Criminal!" Amanda called happily at Bailey, giving her a smile so bright it would've been blinding had it been actual light. Her sister started to make her way towards her, but a sharp cry cut her off.
"My baby," Gale said as she shoved the boxes at Amanda and ran to the bed. "Can I get you anything?" She even pushed Derrick aside, who turned away from Amanda and Matt to hide his tears, as she smoothed Bailey's hair. "Are you thirsty? Are you comfortable?" She rambled each questions off, barely taking a breath.
The nurse rolled his eyes behind Gale's back, which caused a surprised snort of laughter to escape Bailey. Given the previous atmosphere with her father it was actually a surprise she had any bit of laughter in her. Mortified at the snorting, she slapped a hand over her mouth and her face burned with embarrassment. The audacity of this adult male nurse to roll his eyes at her mother was just perfectly hilarious but couldn't she laugh like a normal person? The corner of his mouth quirked up in amusement and he gave her a wink before he went towards the computer.
He typed a few things in and then went to a drawer, bending over slightly to pull out sterile alcohol swabs. Movement in the corner of Bailey's eye pulled her attention away from him and she watched as Amanda's eyes widened while she leaned over to get a better view of the nurse's posterior. Bailey sighed, shaking her head. She knew this was going to happen. She too had noticed how gorgeous the black haired, gray eyed nurse with coin bouncing muscles was the minute he came in, but it would be Amanda who openly ogled him. She had no shame.
According to his introduction, Nurse Andrew was the third shift nurse who was going to be checking in on Bailey. He explained that there would be another round of nurses in the night that would come and take some blood to check her white blood cell count for infection so she shouldn't be alarmed when they wake her up. The best part about his little spiel was that this particular surgical ward didn't allow anyone, not even family members, to spend the night in the room. Bailey had been so relieved by that bit of information that she almost started crying again.
All this crying was going to put her in a coma of exhaustion. She was never going to cry again.
"Why? She needs her mother," Gale said, interrupting him in mid sentence.
"You're welcome to stay...in the waiting room." He offered politely before continuing. "Every square inch of this room is accounted for and necessary if any complications arise. We're a small town Mrs. Roberts, with an even smaller hospital. If something happens, the best way to take care of Bailey, in the most efficient way, is to not have any family members frantic in the room demanding to know what's going on. It's our policy. However, seeing as she is a minor..."
"Barely," Bailey said and Nurse Andrew graced her with another sexy smirk.
"...I'm willing to look the other way if one of you wishes to stay."
Bailey cursed silently the minute he finished speaking. "Amanda," Bailey said swiftly.
Gale's mouth dropped slightly. "Bail-"
Bailey turned her best pleading eyes towards her mother. "She's leaving in a couple of days. I won't get much time with her. Please?"
If she had to deal with overbearing family members it would be Amanda. Besides, she needed to see what Amanda had managed to get out of the officers.
"I suppose it's settled, Amanda may stay, but in an hour, the rest of you must go. Now, if you'll excuse me, Mrs. Roberts, it's time for Bailey's pain medicine."
So that's what he'd been doing with the alcohol swab and needle. Bailey hummed with delightful pleasure as she watched him flick the tube of the shot and then inject the needle into her IV tube. "Lovely," she said.
Amanda chuckled. "What a little criminal."
When the nurse left, Matt climbed on the bed and started drumming his fingers against the side railing impatiently. "Can we eat? I'm starved."
"Of course. Baby, I got you Mongolian Beef and rice," Gale said to Bailey, getting out two white boxes and a pair of chopsticks.
Bailey's mouth watered and her stomach rumbled. She hadn't realized just how hungry she was. She'd eaten some of Oliver's food at the karaoke bar, but apparently not enough. She nodded her thanks and reached for the contents just as Derrick decided to intervene. Bailey scowled up at her father and tried to dodge around his hands, but to no avail.
"I'm sorry, but she can't eat. What if she needs surgery?"
"Oh, sweetie, a little bits not gonna hurt her." Gale tried to reason with him.
"Are you willing to take that chance with our daughters' life?" Derrick asked.
Amanda walked over to the side of the bed with a large egg roll and stuffed it in her mouth happily chomping it in Bailey's face. "It's so good, you crazy woman driver."
"Did you just quote 101 Dalmatians? What are you? Eight?" Bailey sneered as the fried smell of cabbage, peanut butter, and pork filled her nose as Amanda chuckled.
"101 Dalmatians is quality," Nurse Andrew commented as he came back into the room giving Amanda a suggestive wink before he started swiveling an 'oh no you didn't' finger at Gale and the food she was holding out to Bailey. "I don't think so. No food Ms. Bailey, not for the next twenty-four hours."
"Twenty-four hours? Mom!"
Derrick folded his arms across his chest and stood at an angle in front of Gale and Bailey, successfully blocking Gale from her daughter. "I'm starving. I feel like there's a creature gnawing at the remains of my stomach."
"You sure do have some drama queens on your hands," Nurse Andrew said to Matt who was shaking his head with disgust.
"Don't I know it and I've had to deal with it for a year now. Ever since Dad..." Matt paused, never finishing his sentence.
Nurse Andrew seemed to take pity on Bailey and the awkward silence by bringing over something that had a green sponge on the end of a white stick. In his other hand he had a Styrofoam cup with ice water in it.
"What the hell is that?" Bailey asked, scowling at the objects that had just been placed in front of her.
Nurse Andrew shrugged. "Dinner, I suppose. Now, you can't drink this, but you see this sponge at the tip?" He held it up. "Go ahead and dip it in the water. You can suck the water from the sponge."
"Ah nuts."
:Here's a scene that was cut from this chapter:
Amanda let out a low whistle as she darted her head out the door to watch Nurse Andrew walk down the hall no doubt. "Damn, I would tear that up."
Bailey quirked an eyebrow. "Really?"
"What would you tear up?" Matt asked with confusion.
"I'm not hearing this," Derrick plugged his ears as Amanda started to explain to him what she'd meant.
"Amanda!" Bailey and Gale shouted, stopping her in mid sentence.
"What? He's gettin' around that age. He'll know eventually. Women can look at men like they're meat too."
"I'm scarred for life," he mumbled, plopping on the end of the bed.