Storm Clouds// newtmas fanfiction

Chapter: 14~ It's too overwhelming

As it turned out, only thirty minutes after Minho had left the announcement came.

Nurse Jones walked in, her stride light and with a slight bounce. She had a half smile on her face as she walked towards Thomas and Mrs Wright, her eyes bright with the prospect of delivering the news. When Thomas saw her, he jumped to his feet, a lump in his throat that, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't swallow.

"N-newt..?" Thomas stuttered.

"It's good news. The surgery finished no less than ten minutes ago and it was a success."

There was a collective sigh between Newt's mother and the brunette boy and the nurse couldn't help beaming with happiness. However, her smile dropped only seconds later and worry lines formed on her chubby brow.

"But, " Nurse Jones started, "that doesn't mean everything's going to be fine. Until he wakes up, we won't know if there is any paralysis or further complications. I'm sorry."

Mrs Wright spoke for the first time in nearly four hours, "How long until he wakes up? How long until I can see my son?"

"Well, after a few checks and some other things have been sorted out, you can probably see him in about fifteen minutes but when he wakes up? That could be hours, depending on the effects of the anaesthetic."

Thomas nodded and fell back into his seat battling the exhaustion trying to take over, "C-can you get us when we're allowed to see him. If that's okay and everything," He said.

"Yes, of course, " she said politely, "I'll see you in a bit."

With that, the nurse turned on her heels and strode away, the sound of her heeled shoes the loudest noise in the hospital so late at night. She then disappeared down a hallway, the clip-clopping getting quieter each second.

"Thomas," Mrs Wright said gaining the brunette's attention, "I haven't really talked to you or thanked you much, so thank you. You've helped Newt a lot. He deserves a friend like you."

"Thank you."

"You're even polite, too, " she laughed lightly, a bright smile finally showing on her beautiful features.

Unable to stop himself, Thomas smiled as well, suddenly feeling the weight lifting from his chest.
At least he's out of surgery, Thomas told himself.

The fifteen minutes flew by for Thomas because he now wasn't feeling much despair anymore. Nurse Jones had come back into the reception many times in the quarter of an hour but for other errands. Each time she came past, Thomas' heart would thump against his ribcage and he would nearly spring from his seat, but to his disappointment, she never came over to deliver any news.

However, after the fourth or fifth time of the nurse passing by, she finally walked towards the patiently waiting woman and boy. She wore a kind smile as she spoke,
"You can see him now. If you'd just follow me this way."

Nurse Jones motioned in the direction of another hallway, before starting to walk down it, her stride moving her along quickly. Thomas followed instantly, not wanting to wait another second more and he could tell Newt's mom felt the same as she bolted to her feet too.

They followed down a long sterile corridor until they reached a set of white-tiled stairs, leading both up and down. Thomas really didn't want to know what was under them. A morgue? A lab? Or something much worse? Either way, he hoped they went up.

And they did go up, to Thomas' relief. Though he did have to take two steps at a time to keep up with the nurse. Once at the top, they were in yet another long white walkway, that led off in two directions. Nurse Jones led them left, as she focused on an area at the far end of the hallway.