Blue Eyed Beauty {Hawaii Five-O}

Chapter 17

FLASHBACK

The faint beeping of the heart monitor continued along with each rasping breath. My feet curled under my small, frail body as I repositioned the book in my lap. Every position caused my body to burn. Even the slightest shift of my clothing sent sensations of fire underneath my skin. The wire and tubes emerging from every part of my body added to this irritation.

The door to my hospital room pushed open, and Nurse Riley walked in, carrying a tray of medical equipment. She gave me a disapproving look before setting the tools on a table. "Kasey. What are you doing out of bed? You know you need to have someone with you to help you get out of bed." My innocent blue eyes met hers, and I gave a small smile. After four months in the hospital, I had come to know and love each of my nurses. However, Nurse Riley was my favorite.

"I'm sorry, Riley. I just know how busy you get. Plus it's only like a two feet walk to get into the chair. I wanted to see the sunset." She moved to my side and helped me back to the cardboard bed I had been sleeping on.

"You know. Most kids going through as much chemo as you barely have the energy to talk, let alone walk to a chair and read a book." She said. I grinned cheekily and adjusted myself to a more comfortable position.

"And that's why I'm so awesome."

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I woke up with a jolt, covering my mouth as I started coughing up liquid. My mother's hand calmly rubbed my back while placing a bucket under my chin. Dark blood spilled through my hands and into the container, covering my sheets and gown.

"John, get the doctor."

It only took two weeks for me to take a turn for the worst. Eight months ago, I was a happy 12-year-old playing sports and going camping, ordinary things. Then came the cold that wouldn't go away. For weeks, doctors told us I was fine and sent us away until I started coughing up blood. Before long, the C-word was first mentioned in the hospital room. Talks for treatment and rates of survival. They called in T lymphoblastic lymphoma. I just called it cancer.

Now, almost five months in, my body was starting to shut down. I couldn't walk with how bad body felt and I barely talked with the sores in my mouth. Most days were spent sleeping while doctors shuffled in and out of the room. Sometimes I stayed awake to listen to what they said, while other times the voices just faded into the background with all the other white noise.

Dad's voice was evident as I laid back down and shut my eyes. I swam in and out of consciousness, but the worry in my parent's voice perked my ears enough to listen. "We still waiting for confirmation but as of right now it doesn't look like the mass in her chest as decreased and with how she's responding to the chemotherapy right now, we're running out of options. Her body is weakening." My mother's faint sobs echoed through the hallway and into my room. "We can make her comfortable, but until she starts to improve, there's nothing we can do."

"What do you mean, nothing you can do? We came to the best goddamn hospital in the nation. You expect us to pay thousands of dollars out of pocket and make donations to your hospital so that you can tell me there's nothing you can do? No. I want to speak to a different doctor. Or we can just go somewhere else."

"John." My mother whispered. "Let's just go in and spend time with our little girl. Yelling at the doctor is not going to help. He's doing everything he can."

My father sighed. "I just-- please. Find a way to save her." He pleaded.

"I'll do everything in my power, sir." The shuffling of feet made their way into my room and next to my bed. I peaked my eyes open, looking at my parents. My mother brushed my hair back and kissed me on the forehead.

"Go back to sleep, baby girl. Get some rest. You'll be feeling better in no time." I nodded, letting the heaviness of sleep wash over me. But not before hearing another set of footsteps enter the room and a male voice booming, "Mr. and Mrs. Gordon? I know a way to save your daughter."