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Janet apologized for lying to me. She said that the Chief called her and told her to stall because he knew Kate was on her way, but not to tell me.
I told her not to worry about it. Actually, I think I snapped at her about it. I can’t remember. I’m sure I owe her an apology now.
The nurses brought me back to the staff lounge to wait for Reid to come tell me what’s going on. They didn’t want me to have to hang out with the general public in the waiting room, and I appreciate the gesture.
“What’s taking so long?” I pace the room.
“It’s only been forty-five minutes. Let them do their job. Reid’s the best in the area.” Declan tries to calm me down but keeps coughing.
“Why are you covered in soot?” I’m staring at him and realize he’s been coughing a lot.
“Just got some soot on me. I’m fine.” Declan tries to cover up his next cough, unsuccessfully.
The door to the staff lounge opens up and a blonde woman in blue scrubs walks in. “Hi. I’m Sunni, one of the nurses and Kate’s friend.”
“I remember you from the kickball game yesterday. How’s Kate?” I skip the pleasantries.
“She’s in guarded condition, but that’s only because of the smoke inhalation. Her oxygen levels are coming up. She inhaled a lot of smoke, so we have her on a hundred percent oxygen, and we’ve bandaged her shoulder where she has a second-degree burn, likely from the oven that was on top of her. She has a concussion, so we’re going to admit her.” Sunni looks at Declan. “You saved her life, you know that, right?”
Declan doesn’t answer her. “Is she awake? Can he see her?”
Sunni shakes her head. “She’s waking up. Dr. Larson said you can see her in an hour. He wants to monitor her levels before exciting her too much.”
Declan coughs again.
“Have you been checked out yet? Rescue said you were in that fire for a few minutes.” Sunni asks Declan.
“What is she talking about, Declan? You went in the fire?” I turn to watch Declan bend at the waist as he tries to cough again.
“Your lips are turning blue.” Sunni shakes her head and mumbles, “Fucking heroes.” She opens the door and yells. “I need a gurney in here!”
“Declan! Sit down.” I grab his shoulder and push him into the chair he was sitting in just a minute ago. The nurse is right; his lips are turning blue.
“Move!” Sunni says to me as an orderly wheels in a gurney and the two of them lift Declan out of the chair and onto the gurney.
“Bring him to trauma bay three and let Dr. Larson know we have another one.” The orderly nods his head as Sunni yells at another nurse that was passing by, “Go find me an officer out in the ambulance bay. I need someone to take possession of his weapon.”
The young nurse nods and runs out as I follow Declan’s gurney into the trauma bay. He’s coughing a lot more now.
This day just gets better and better.
“What’ve we got?” Reid says as he walks into the trauma bay. “Ah. Okay, same thing, people. A hundred percent oxygen, labs every half hour, get a line in him, and get X-RAY back down here. And who is taking possession of his weapon?” Reid asks the room.
“I’ve got it,” Jax says as he walks around the curtain. With a snap of a button, Jax takes Declan’s weapon, and the nurses all jump back to complete Reid’s orders.
Reid walks over to me but is watching Declan’s monitors. “If you promise to not excite Kate, you can go in and be with her. I want her oxygen levels to keep going up and excitement will only deplete them. Got it?”
I only nod but look at Declan. “He’ll be fine. Just needs some oxygen to counteract all the carbon dioxide he’s inhaled. Go be with your girl,” Reid assures me.
“Go.” Declan coughs out.
“I’ll hang with him.” Jax says as he slaps me on the back. “Go.”
I leave my friends to go find my girl.
They’ve moved Kate out of the trauma bay and into a private room, but still in the emergency room. I quietly open the door and find a sleeping Kate.
She’s off the backboard but has an oxygen mask over her nose and mouth, EKG wires all over her, IVs coming out of both arms, and a bandage on her left shoulder.
