fanfic_name = Two Sides
chapter = 5
author = Dwparsnip
dedicate = Spersian and k71...who once again asked me some very interesting questions.
Thanks ladies.
Rating = AP15
Type = Angst
fanfic = He stood there in the near total darkness, listening for her voice and feeling for her presence. He turned his head carefully from the left to the right, and when his lips throbbed with another electrical charge as he turned to the right, he kept his eyes closed and started to walk.and walk.and walk.and as he walked the darkness lifted.
Rick felt as though he were being lifted into the air, and after several seconds, 'Or is minutes or hours', he wondered again, he felt himself being lowered onto some kind of table or bed. 'This feels nice and.' His thought was interrupted by the sudden feeling of her lips against his, and the feeling overwhelmed him so much that he could feel a tear slip slowly down his cheek. He tried to open his eyes, and when he got them to open for a second he saw a flash of light, then another flash of light, and with one final effort he opened them totally and saw the prettiest sight he ever did see: his wife leaning over him, looking at him with what seemed to be all the love in the universe.
He watched her smile and then turn away. She was saying something, but he couldn't make it out, and she tried to let go of him, but he refused to release her hand. A moment later Jean Grant was looking at him. "Can you hear me, Rick?"
'I can hear you, Jean.' He tried to speak, but it was very difficult. Jean came closer and he whispered.
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She nearly fainted in relief and happiness when she felt his lips respond to hers, though she dared not move away from him, lest he stop give up and go back into a slumber. A minute went by when she finally decided to stop and look at him. She was surprised to see a single tear rolling down his cheek, and happily amazed when she saw that he was trying to open his eyes.
She reached over, her hand trembling in anticipation, and pressed the call button to summon the nurse. She turned back to him and encouraged him to wake up. "Come on, Rick, you can do it.come on, Rick, please." She saw a flash of blue, then another flash of blue, and finally she saw his eyes clearly.
Lisa turned towards a noise at the door, and said excitedly as Jean rushed in, "Jean.he's awake!"
Jean moved over to his bed. Lisa let go of Rick's hand so that she could move out of the way, and her heart swelled when he wouldn't let go of her hand.
Jean looked at Rick. "Can you hear me, Rick?"
Lisa watched as he tried to speak, but it was barely a whisper. Jean leaned in closer and Lisa waited nervously. Nervousness turned to surprise when Jean's face broke out in a huge grin and she laughed. As Jean stood up Lisa asked, "What's so funny, Jean?"
Jean adopted a scornful expression and asked, "What were you doing in here with him?"
Lisa felt a rush of pink on her cheeks, and when Jean saw it she smiled. "He said, and I quote, 'Lisa.more.kisses.'"
Lisa looked to Rick, and noticed a glimmer in his eyes, which she saw were no longer the faded, hurt eyes she had seen when she talked to him on the hangar deck. They were almost their usual bright blue. The weight on her heart started to slowly lift.
"Well", said Jean in a commanding voice, "just don't stand there. Kiss him!"
Lisa laughed as Jean said, "I'll be back in a few minutes. Try not to send him into cardiac arrest."
Lisa was about to say something to her, but she couldn't tear herself from watching Rick. She moved closer to him and said, "Hey there. You scared me."
He tried to say something, but she couldn't hear it. She held back her hair and leaned in so that she could hear him.
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He was still woozy, and while he could tell that Lisa and Jean were talking and even laughing a little, he couldn't tell what they were saying. Then he noticed Jean leave and Lisa was beside him again. He watched her green eyes sparkle as she looked at him, and it gave him strength.
"Hey there", he heard her say. "You scared me."
His heart fluttered with guilt. He had put her through so much, all because he let his emotions get the better of him, because he wouldn't listen to her, because he made terrible, terrible assumptions and because he was so incredibly stubborn. 'You were right, Big Brother.being too stubborn will get you in a lot of trouble, or worse.'
He tried to speak again, and when she leaned in he mustered all the strength he could and whispered, "Sorry."
She leaned down to kiss him, and he could taste the salty flavor of her tears on her lips. His guilt skyrocketed and he was on the verge of hating himself with a passion.
"Don't be. You came back, and that is all that matters."
Lisa closed her eyes and he waited for what he expected to be some sort of apology. "I'm so sorry, Rick." She opened her eyes and looked down as he inwardly smiled and thought, 'I'm good.'
"I don't know how I could let that happen. I feel like." He wanted her to stop blaming herself, apologizing and hurting, so he did the only thing he could.he gripped her hand as hard as he could. Much to his delight, it worked and when she looked at him, he gave her the best angry look he could.
He opened his mouth, and when she was close enough to hear his whisper he said, "Don't.no one's fault.love you." He watched her move away to look at him, and when he could see her emerald eyes shining he couldn't help but smile.
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"Sorry." His voice was still raspy, and just for a second she remembered how his voice sounded just after he had been hit.
She turned to look face him, leaned in and kissed him again. When she backed off, emotion filled her voice. "Don't be. You came back, and that is all that matters."
She closed her eyes. "I'm so sorry, Rick." She opened her eyes, looked at his hand in hers and continued, "I don't know how I could let that happen. I feel like."
She stopped when he squeezed her hand, and when she looked at him his eyes were narrowed and he looked like he was trying to look mad.
She leaned in to listen to him. "Don't.no one's fault.love you."
She looked at him again, and to her great joy, he smiled.
It was then that Jean returned, bringing with her nurses, doctors and equipment.
Lisa stood up as Jean approached her. "We need to examine him and run some tests, Lisa. Why don't you go and rest, let everyone know the good news."
Lisa looked at Rick, leaned in and whispered, "I won't be long. I love you." She kissed his lips lightly and stood up. She released his hand and moved off to let the medical staff gain access to him. "Jean."
Jean moved to stand beside her. "Is it good news, Jean.I mean is he out of the woods?"
Jean looked thoughtful and replied, "Out of the woods.no. But a few hours ago I would have only given him a twenty-five percent chance of coming out of this." She looked over to her colleagues, then back to Lisa. "Now I would give him and ninety percent chance. He's awake.he's cognizant. He loves you. That, along with time, is the best medicine he could have."
Lisa gave her friend a grateful hug and whispered, "Thank you, Jean."
Jean leaned back and said, "My pleasure. Now get out of here so we can torment your husband."
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A moment later Lisa stood up and was joined by Jean, who was telling Lisa that they needed to run some tests on him. He didn't relish the thought of being poked and prodded, but he would grin and bear it if it helped him to get well enough to take his wife in his arms like he so desperately wanted to.
Lisa came next to him and said when she moved in close, "I won't be long. I love you." He felt the familiar touch of her lips against his and then she as gone.
As the medical staff moved in, he noted with interest that Lisa had pulled Jean off to one side and started to talk to her. 'What are they talking about?', he wondered. A couple of moments later he watched Lisa move to the door, and when she turned to look at him she seemed unsure as to whether or not she should leave. To ease her mind, he gave her a wink.
His mind eased when she smiled, and a second later she was gone. He tuned out the nurses and doctors going over the machine readouts, their conversations and medical mumbo jumbo.
Instead, Rick focused on what really mattered, his friends and his family, and as he thought about them, he remembered Roy.
He closed his eyes, relaxed and thought, 'Thanks, Roy. Thank you so much.'
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Lisa smiled, walked to the door and hesitated, and when she looked at Rick, he winked at her. She smiled again walked through the doors, out the corridor, and through the infirmary doors to the waiting area. Max was sitting in one of the chairs with his hands folded in front of him, and he hadn't noticed that she had come through the doors. Miriya was nowhere to be seen.
She regarded Max for a moment and then said, "Max."
She watched Max nearly fall over himself as he rushed to get up. She couldn't help but laugh a little, and when he finally straightened himself up he asked, "Rick?"
"He's awake, Max." She held out her arms as he walked towards her, and when he reached her she threw her arms around his neck. "He's awake. Jean and her people are going to examine him and run some tests."
Max picked her up and spun her around and exclaimed, "That's great, Lisa!" She laughed and he put her down. "That's wonderful."
They released each other and Lisa looked into Max's eyes. "Jean says he's not totally free and clear yet, but she's confident that he'll be okay." She sat down in the chair and said, "He kissed me, Max."
Max sat next to her. "That's just.it's great, Lisa. I was really worried."
Lisa looked straight ahead and whispered, "Me too, Max.me too."
She leaned back into the chair, and for the first time in what seemed to be forever and a day, relaxed.
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Well, what do you think? Yes you. No you over there, the one reading this.yes you!
Please let me know. Bad.good.ugly.confusing.??????
All right.this looks like the end.but it may not be. I may have a plan.
We'll see. :)
State = Continuará/To Be Continue
feedback = Sí/Yes
email = dparsnipAThotmail.com