Slow and Easy

Chapter 17

Scott felt tears form in his eyes when he saw Mitch's still form in the bed. A tube snaked out of his mouth and over to a machine that breathed life into him. Numerous tubes, wire and bandages covered his body.

He walked next to him and picked up his limp hand and sat down.

A million things ran through his mind that he wanted to say, but he couldn't make his mouth cooperate.

"You can talk to him. Some people think that comatose patients can still hear things going on around them. I'm Nancy, by the way. I'll be his nurse." She said, checking Mitch's vitals on the monitor above the bed.

"I know the doctor said he was in grave condition, but are his vitals...Is he stable..right now?" Scott asked, not taking his eyes off Mitch.

"He's as good as can be expected. He's young and healthy, so he has that on his side. Some numbers could be better, but they could be a lot worse." She said.

Scott nodded, grateful that Mitch had made it as far as he had.

"Go ahead, talk to him." She said as she left the room.

"Mitchie, it's me. I don't know if you can hear me, but I love you. So much. I meant what I said, you know. I do want to marry you, as soon as you are out of here. I need you to do something for me though. I need you to fight Mitch. Don't give up on us. I need you and I see that now, I was dumb before. I'm sorry I acted the way I did. So please don't stop fighting baby. I know you're so strong, stronger than all of us combined." Scott said as he wiped the tears off his face.

He sat with Mitch for awhile longer before he told the nurse to let one of his friends back as well.

He looked up as Kirstie walked in. Her usual smiling and upbeat attitude was lost, and a look of sadness overtook her features. Tears formed in her eyes as she looked down upon Mitch.

She walked to the other side of the bed and picked up his other hand, gently rubbing circles on it.

"Even in a coma Mitch still looks angelic." She said.

"He's beautiful. I'm so lucky to have found him." Scott whispered.

"Hi Mitchie. It's Kirstie. You look beautiful honey. You keep fighting for us okay? We aren't giving up on you, so don't you dare give up on us. I love you Mitch." She said, bending down to kiss his forehead.

"Can I get you anything Scott? Some coffee? Food?" She asked.

"No, not hungry." He said.

"I'll let it go for now, but you need to eat something soon. Kevin had to go back to the station and I promised to let him know how Mitch was. I think the couch over there pulls out into a bed honey, maybe try and get some sleep. They will wake you if anything changes. I have to go. I'll be back this afternoon."

She hugged Scott and kissed Mitch's head again before leaving the room.

"I really thinks she likes you more than me." Scott joked. He could hear Mitch's response in his head, but in the room the only sound was the whooshing of the ventilator.

--

There was no change through the morning and into the afternoon. Kevin showed up but didn't stay long since he was handling the paperwork from the Henry Thomas bust. When Kirstie showed up, she brought food an a change of clothes for Scott.

"Have you moved at all?" She asked walking in.

Scott just looked up at her then back to Mitch.

"You need to eat this food, then take a shower and get some sleep. Mitch wouldn't want you doing this to yourself Scott. If the situation was reversed, would you want him acting this way?"

Scott sighed, knowing the answer. Of course he wouldn't want Mitch to act this way.

He gently laid Mitch's hand down and walked over to the couch and began eating.

"Has there been any change with anything?" Kirstie asked before popping another fry in her mouth.

"No, nothing. The doctor was in this morning, said he is still in grave condition. Not much really to do except to wait and give his body a chance to heal."

Scott took a shower once he was done eating and Kirstie managed to convince him to stretch out on the couch by telling him she wouldn't leave Mitch's side and promised to wake him if anything happened.

Kirstie sat with Mitch and talked to him over the course of several hours when Scott finally woke up.

"Anything?" He asked?

"No, no change." She said.

Scott was about to respond when an alarm on Mitch's monitor began going off, making Scott rush to his side.

Within seconds several alarms were going off causing the nurse to rush in.

"Please go to the waiting area. I will come get you as soon as he is stable." She said as more nurses rushed in to help.

Kirstie pulled a reluctant Scott from the room, and the last thing he heard was Mitch's nurse yelling to page the doctor and there was no pulse.

Fear gripped him as he paced back and forth. All he could hear in his mind was the doctor saying that If Mitch's heart were to stop it probably wouldn't start again.

"Kirstie..." Scott said.

"I know Scott. Everything will be okay. Have faith." She said, but she didn't know who she was trying to convince, herself or Scott.

Scott continued to pace for what seemed like hours before finally the doctor walked in and over to Scott.

Scott stood standing as the doctor sat down.

The look on the doctors face scared Scott and he thought his heart would beat out of his chest.

"Detective, I'm sorry-" he started, before Scott began hyperventilating and Kirstie jumped up.

"Scott, sit down."

Scott heard Kirstie but it sounded so far away. The doctor was going to tell him Mitch was dead.

Kirstie watched as Scott's eyes rolled back in his head and the doctor jumped up to catch him before he hit the floor.