Life is Fluid Part II

Chapter 18: Next Morning

Jay opens his eyes, glancing around the dim-lit room. He notices Mouse lying on the couch by the window first, before seeing the chair alongside him with Will curled up there?

Had they stayed the whole night? That couldn't be as there was no way either could be comfortable with how they looked right now. 

There was no way he could think about their predicaments any longer with the pain that was coursing through him. He bites his lip as he looks down at his own body, not needing to remove the blanket to know what lied beneath. It all came crashing at him at once as he thought about the bruises that covered his left side, the burns on both sides of his body, cracked ribs, and the pesky headache that would not totally go away. No wonder he could barely see out of his right eye right now as he knew the bruise had to have grown since yesterday. 

He had hoped to wake up feeling better in the morning. He had hoped some of the pain would have been gone. He was hoping he could have put the events with Derek behind him and totally forgotten they had happened. But yet, every breath and pain that coursed through his body reminded him of every single moment. Just like the pair of nightmares he had woken up from during the night. One of them being a reminder of what happened in the basement, the other a throwback to what happened while overseas. 

"Can I please go home?" He asks out loud in hopes either of room companions were listening. He had been a good boy and listened to the recommendation in staying there overnight for observation. He had followed their directions in trying to get as much rest as possible. Now he was ready to bust out of there as soon as possible. Besides, he would be more comfortable lying in his own bed at home. "Can you get Ethan to discharge me, please? I just want to go home. I am ready to get out of here." 

"Ethan needs to check you out and make sure you are okay to do so first," Mouse answers, as he watches his best friend closely. He could see the slight bite of the lip despite Jay trying to put on the strongest appearance possible. He knew there was still significant pain that remained that morning. "You were tasered, kicked, punched, beaten, hung - tortured for 24 hours. They need to make sure you are okay before they release you to go home."

"I'm fin-"

"Your liver needs to be scanned to ensure that it has not gotten worse and actually starting to look back," Will cuts him off in knowing what he was going to say before the words escaped his mouth. He knew his brother well. He would do whatever it took to leave the hospital early. "Your head needs to be scanned thanks to the growing bruise above your eye. The concussion symptoms need to be checked to ensure they are manageable outside of hospital care. Your pain needs to be a certain degree. Let them take care of you for once, please. Let them make sure you are okay." 

"Will is right man," Mouse comments as he sits up on the couch to get a better look at his best friend. He almost did not want to say these words, in knowing what he would be saying and feeling if he was in Jay's position right now. "We were both worried sick when we heard you were kidnapped. At least give us the comfort in making sure that you are okay." 

"I'm going to be fine," Jay assures them both in his calm demeanour they were used to hearing him say regularly. However, Will could see every thing he was hiding on his face as he wanted to take a peak at his side immediately in wondering just how that was doing. 

"Fine - let me see your side, please..." Will begs as Jay looks at him with a bit of confusion. He knew if Will was asking to see something, he had some concerns and the pain he was feeling there probably was for a reason. He could already see something being said, Ethan being called into the room, and his stay extended. Why couldn't they just let him go home as requested? 

"I was kicked there repeatedly and there's bruising, Will. Of course it's going to be sore for a few days..." Will gives him a look in knowing the excuses and avoidance techniques were only going to last for so long. If Jay did not show him, he knew it would be shown as soon as Ethan showed up to check on him. "It's not as bad as you think it is. It's just a little sore..." 

"Let him see it, Jay," Mouse now requests, his own worry increasing. When they thought he was sleeping, he had heard the conversation in the middle of the night between Will and Crockett when he had come in to see how Jay was doing. He heard the nerves in regards to his liver, and the function there. Now seeing Jay was still in considerable pain, he began to wonder if Crockett's worries were truthful. "Let him take care of you. You are going to want them to do something before it gets worse. The sooner they help you, the less time you have to spend here." 

"Mou-" Jay begins to plead, as Mouse stands up and makes his way over to the bed. 

"I know it's hard and difficult and the only thing you want is to go home. But you need to take care of yourself, and that means allowing these doctors to take fine good care of you." Jay lets out a sigh, finally moving over to his right slightly to allow Will to move the blanket first, followed by pulling up his gown slightly. He looked at the colouring the bruising, rubbing his hand on it to a little wince from his brother, before putting the gown back down. 

"No change since yesterday," was the response that he got from Will who lets out a sigh. He was not sure if that was a good thing or not, considering the discussions shared with the other doctors and his own opinion.

Was he paranoid about this more than he should be?