Who: Ethan and Elsie Sawyer What: Serum Sickness (log) When: (backdated) Monday evening, 3/16, after this Where: Their apartment, the hospital Rating: PG Status: Complete
Ethan had texted Elsie when he left work. He wasn't feeling so hot towards the afternoon. His stomach was queasy and he felt really achey so he knocked off early and headed home. Once there, he spent most of the rest of the afternoon in bed, curled up and feeling more than ready to just sleep forever. He wanted Elsie to come home, but he refused to seem like a weakling and didn't call her again.
Elsie didn't arrive home until the usual time, busy working on a story for the paper. She'd gotten the text from Ethan when he left early, but didn't have much in the way of time to reply to him. She assumed he left because he had nothing better to do; after all, he had said he felt fine after the injection. But when she arrived at their apartment and didn't see him in the living room, she was suddenly very confused. "Ethan?" she called out.
He heard her call out to him and forced himself to roll over to face the door. He looked sick. It was clearly written across his now pale face. "Bedroom." he managed to utter. It hurt to breathe, hurt to move. His arm where the shot had been given was swelling by now and red around the site of the injection.
She just barely heard him speak, he was so quiet. When she turned to the bedroom and saw him, her face went white. He looked like death warmed over. Dropping everything she had brought back with her from work, she ran to the bedroom, fear written on her face. "Baby?" she asked. "What's wrong?"
He didn't want her to look like that. Didn't want her worried. Didn't want her freaking out and really didn't want to admit that maybe he was wrong and the injection was the cause for all the pain he was feeling right now. "I think I..." he sighed and forced himself to sit up, hand brushing across her face as he shook his head. "I think I might have lied..." he said softly. "My arm is all... swollen..." He shifted his arm a bit to show her the red, swollen spot.
She looked at the swollen injection site and her face went blank. She had to get him to a hospital--now. Elsie had no way of telling how much pain he was in already, but she knew how bad it could get from stories she'd heard. "Can you walk?" she asked. If not, she'd be dialing 9-1-1 as fast as humanly possible.
"I... I don't know." he admitted. "Maybe..." Ethan shifted a bit and moved his feet off the edge of the bed. His hand went to her shoulder and he tried to get up from the bed, but he couldn't seem to get enough energy to do so. "Maybe not..."
There was no way she could carry him to his car. Ripping her phone out of her pocket, she dialed the emergency number and explained the situation as calmly as she could--even though inside she was hurting. She hated to see him this way. She sat on the edge of the bed next to him and held him close to her. "Don't worry about a thing," she whispered against his hair.
"How bout you don't worry?" he breathed, letting his eyes close just slightly. "I'll be alright." he promised, letting his fingers brush up and down her back.
She reached behind herself to grab hold of his arm. "You rest," she ordered. "It's probably going to get worse so you need to conserve your strength. There should be an ambulance here soon and we're getting you treated as soon as possible."
Ethan sighed and leaned back against the pillows again, pulling her down with him. His fingers rested against the back of her head and he closed his eyes. "Medicine and I'll be alright." he whispered. "No big deal. I'll be just fine." At least he hoped he would.
She nodded, sighing. At least, from what she had heard so far, this would not likely be fatal--except it would get very painful unless he was lucky. Elsie honestly had no idea what sort of pain tolerance her husband had, though unless he wasn't hurting very much it seemed to be decent so far. Still, as she heard the sound of sirens getting closer to their building, she wished it was herself instead; she knew she could handle it.
"You're not going to not worry are you?" he whispered. He could practically feel the worry pouring off the girl. "You're not the only stubborn one, gorgeous. Hurts like a bitch, but you're not gonna get outta the marriage this easy."
"No, I'm not worried," she lied easily. "Why should I? This mess isn't fatal to people as young as us." She hoped. "Besides, I'm not looking to be a widow so soon; they'll just put me right back on the registry and marry me off to somebody else." She was trying at some humor, though it was a weak attempt. She would have smacked him if she weren't so sure he was suffering.
"You are too, you liar." he said with a try at a smile. He moved his hand to catch her chin and move her face enough that he could look at her. "I'll be okay." he whispered. "Now you gotta go open the door for the paramedics and you get to ride in the big shiny ambulance. Aren't ya excited?"
Scowling, she rolled her eyes at him. "Oh, of course," she said, "thrilled." She didn't move from his side until she decidedly heard a knock on their door. Reluctant to leave him even for that short amount of time in his current state, she got out of bed and jogged to the door, throwing it open for them and leading them back to the bedroom.
Luckily it didn't take long for the paramedics to get his vitals checked and get him out of the apartment and into the ambulance. Elsie was told she could ride with him if she wanted or she could meet them at the hospital.
Of course, the worried wife chose to ride along with her sick husband. She held onto his hand with both of hers at the risk of being in the paramedics' way. "I love you," she whispered seriously to him.
"I love you, too." he told her. He squeezed her hand and let his eyes flicker up to hers. He gave another weak little smile. He wished he could take away her worry, but for the moment there wasn't much of anything he could do. The smile moved off of his face, mostly because it hurt to smile. His body was aching all over.
She stayed at his side even as he was taken into the hospital, stubbornly remaining in the way of the professionals. She didn't care; they could find another spot around him. He was tall enough. "It hasn't gotten any worse, has it?" she asked cautiously.
"It's been getting worse all day, baby." he told her. "It's gonna get worse. You can't help that, alright. I'll be fine. I'll deal, okay? Rela-..." he made a face as another sharp pain moved through him. "Relax." he breathed.
"Yeah, you'll be fine," she snorted. "Very convincing when you're so obviously suffering. Can't you give him a pain killer?" she snapped at one of the medics. She didn't get a decent response from him, but she didn't care. Let him glare.
"I will be fine. Suffering or not, it doesn't matter." he told her, letting his eyes close. "I'll still be fine. It's supposed to hurt remember?"
"You're not supposed to hurt," she growled. "Because this wasn't supposed to happen. Damn it, if we hadn't gotten married you wouldn't have had to take that serum and you wouldn't be in this position right now..."
He groaned as he lifted a hand and took her chin, forcing her face close to his. His eyes opened and he gave her an almost glare. "Don't you ever... ever question us." he told her. "You didn't do this to me. I could have gotten paired to someone else and still ended up with a shot and still been where I am now. You didn't do it."
"You might not have gotten paired last time," she argued angrily. "There weren't a lot of pairings. Your name might not have gotten called." She was blaming herself for it whether he liked it or not. She took his hand from her chin and placed a kiss on his palm. "Even if we'd waited..."
"You didn't do this to me." he repeated, catching her chin again and pulling her close enough that he could kiss her. "I love you and I don't regret it and you sure as hell better not. So stop. There's no going back, no one to blame. I'll be okay."
She wanted to blame marriage for this. Really, she did. Elsie sighed. "After this is over--don't ever get sick like this on me again. Ever, okay? I don't like feeling worried about anything."
"I'll try." he said with a light little smile. He bit back the groan that wanted to come forth. "I'll be alright."
She finally moved aside as someone approached with some painkillers for him. If the person hadn't announced what the fluid was, Elsie would never have let them close to her husband. "Some way to end a day, huh?" she asked him conversationally, now wanting to distract him from the pain.
"I know right? Maybe it's karma for wishing such awful things on that woman who asked about the damn aliens or whatever she said." he muttered. He winced through the pain and clenched his teeth.
"I doubt it," Elsie said with a roll of her eyes. "If anything, karma should be going after them for lying so blatantly. False rumors my ass. And the unprofessional tone she took with you--she shouldn't be allowed any more press conferences."
"It was kinda sexy..." he whispered, fingers wrapping around hers again. "The way you nearly bit her head off with your next question."
"She completely had it coming," Elsie said, unashamed. "If it hadn't been in the middle of a press conference, or if I hadn't been working, I'd have actually let her have it. Spokespeople for an agency in the spotlight for screwing up so badly can't afford to be bitchy to the people painting a picture of that agency for the audience."
He was glad that her train of thought had moved far away from him and his situation and onto the woman that she was annoyed with now. "Yeah." he nodded slightly. "Well, it was still hot. Whether she had it coming or not."
"Yes, well, don't get too hot and bothered because there's nothing you'll get to do about it tonight. Once you're better we can make up for everything you've missed." Her accompanying smile was forced.
"Wouldn't wanna get a boner in my hospital gown. Everyone would know." he smirked.
"More importantly, people might see more than I would want them to see. Besides, you don't have the energy--and what if that area ends up hurting when the blood flow increases there? Wouldn't want that."
Ethan laughed lightly at that. How could he not? And it hurt a little, but damn that was more than a little funny. "No boners then."
"Not tonight," she amended. "But soon." Although, she had no idea how long it would take him to recover. Just because they had a way to take care of this problem didn't mean it was instantaneous.
The last thing on his mind was sex at the moment. He knew he was in pain. Knew that he couldn't have moved if he wanted to. "Mhm." he said softly, eyes closing again.
Her hand moved to stroke his head, fingers trailing through the dark strands of hair. "Get some rest," she said softly. "The painkillers should kick in soon and I can take care of everything while you sleep." Hell, she was his wife now, she could make any important decisions.
"Mhm." he murmured. He knew she'd do what needed to be done. Knew she'd step on whoever she needed in order to make sure he was well taken care of.
Elsie sat in the uncomfortable hospital chair, waiting for her husband to wake up. He'd been out of it for a little while, which she didn't mind so much if it meant he was no longer in pain. She shifted positions; hospitals ought to have better chairs, considering how long family members and other visitors usually waited in them.
Ethan came to not long after that. Eyes opening slowly as he turned his head. Even that slight movement still had a little pain moving through him. "Els?"
"Right here, babe," she replied instantly, sitting up in her chair. Deciding that was stupid, she stood up and walked to his bedside, taking his hand in hers. "Did you sleep okay? How do you feel?"
His fingers twined around hers and he gave a little squeeze. "Like I got ran over by a train." he admitted. "But better since you're still here."
She bit her lip. "I don't think it's been long enough but do you need more painkillers?" she asked, frowning. "I can call a nurse if I need to."
Ethan shook his head. "No, no, I'm alright." he told her. "Better than I was earlier, honestly. Just... groggy and I feel shitty and kinda like I wanna puke or something. You've been here the whole time I was sleeping weren't you?" he questioned. "Baby, you should get some sleep or something. I'll be alright."
"It wasn't that long," Elsie said, waving it off as nothing. "What else was I supposed to do? Go home to an empty apartment while you suffered here, alone? I don't think so. I'm all you've got, baby, I'm not going to abandon you when I think you need me." She added a wink.
He gave her a little smile and shifted over enough that she could lay beside him on the tiny bed. "Well, I'm glad you stayed, even if you should get some sleep." he whispered. "The doctors say anything?"
She got up on the bed next to him, settling herself in carefully so as not to accidentally hurt him. "They're going to try some antibiotics on you to see if they work, first."
He brushed his fingertips through her hair slowly. "I love you." he told her as if he'd never said it before. "Thanks for staying..."
"Did you really think I wouldn't?" she asked with a sad smile, touching his cheek. "I love you, too, Ethan. Of course I stayed for you."
"I knew you'd stay..." he said softly. "I think I know you well enough to know you wouldn't leave me. Not here..." He gave a little smile.
"Not a chance," she whispered with a little smile. "I called the chief while you were out of it, told him what happened. We both have tomorrow off. If we need more time he'll give it to us."
Ethan nodded a little and let his fingers trail slowly through her hair. "Alright." he said softly. He wasn't about to complain about time off, even if he had to be sick in order to get it.
She placed a kiss on his cheek, smiling at him sadly. "I'm going to stay with you here, however long it takes. Chief owes us since we haven't taken our honeymoon time yet." Whenever he fell asleep, she'd make a quick trip to their apartment for clothes and other belonings for overnight trips.
"Mhm." he whispered. "You don't have to look at me like that." he pointed out. "I told you... I'm gonna be fine."
"Can you blame me for worrying anyway? You'll know exactly how this feels once we have a baby, you know," Elsie pointed out.
He gave a little nod and pulled her against him. "I don't blame you for worrying, baby." he told her, kissing the top of her head.
"That's what I thought," she said, though there was no fire in her words. She sighed. "I just never thought I'd see you in a hospital--not so soon, at least."
"Well, hopefully you won't have to see it again." he said softly. "Everything'll be just fine, Els. Like I said before, you're not gonna get rid of me this easy."
"I'd better not. I didn't marry a wimp, unless I sorely misjudged you," Elsie teased, kissing him. She rested her head against his shoulder. "The sooner they get you patched up and good to go, the better."
"And why's that?" he questioned with a little smile. "Miss me that much already?"
"I'm not much of a fan of hospitals," she said with a shrug. "I don't go to them unless it's absolutely necessary--like a missing limb." Not quite so severe, obviously, and she had no real reason to avoid hospitals besides the fact that she just didn't like them.
"Or having my baby? he questioned with a little smirk moving across his face. "We'll get outta here soon enough, Els."
"You sound just a little too happy about that idea, Mr. Sawyer," she said with a mock scowl. Really, though, if it made him happy at that moment she would have let him talk about anything.
"You know you wouldn't mind the idea of having one of my kids." he whispered. "Even if you act like it's such a god awful thing."
If she had to have somebody's kids, then she wouldn't mind them being his. But she wasn't going to say that. "One?" she asked, amused. "I think the painkillers might be messing with you, babe. The government wants us having more than one."
"Fine... fifteen." he murmured, eyes closing. His fingers continued slow trails through her long blonde hair. "Maybe more."
"Ugh," she said, cringing at the thought. "My poor body. One of us had better win the Nobel before then if we're going to afford fifteen or more."
"All that sex. I don't know how we'll ever manage. Creating all that life." he teased. "I hope they look like you." Ethan whispered. "Blonde with a fiery temper..."
"Yes, and all that sex isn't going to be so great after the first few," Elsie commented drily. She tilted her head to the side, contemplating it. "Really? I wouldn't want them all looking like me. I don't think even I could handle that many carbon copies of myself running around. I'd want some of them to look like you, or a combination. A little blonde-headed boy, a brunette girl..."
"Sex with you is going to be perfect no matter how many babies you have." he told her. "A mix could be deadly." he grinned. "Our tempers combined? My hair your eyes and lips. A girl? The man she ends up with wouldn't know what hit him."
Elsie let out a snort. "She'd have to find a pretty amazing man, because he'd not only have to put up with her, he'd have to pass her standards, mine, and yours. I pity anyone who ever hits on her, really."
He grinned at that and nodded. "Yeah, I can definitely see the look on his face already." he chuckled. "All the tests and little things he'd have to pass just to get a date to begin with."
"If he even made it that far. If she's anything like me, he'd have to be pretty fantastic just to get her to notice him." She beamed, already proud of a daughter they didn't have yet.
"So what'd I do to get you to notice me?" he questioned. "I had to have done something pretty fucking spectacular."
"Yeah, you were as good as I was in class and you didn't take my shit lying down. I give credit where it's do, and people who can handle me deserve credit." She smirked.
"Oh I can handle you." he grinned. He made a bit of a face through a little wave of pain, but quickly let it move away. "I'm glad you didn't go get your injection yet..." he whispered. "Glad it was me and not you."
"Why?" she asked sharply, but instantly regretted her tone. She softened the rest of her words considerably. "I could handle this sort of thing."
"It's not you handling it that I worry about..." he explained, fingers tightening around some of her hair and giving it a slight little tug. "I just don't think I could handle seeing you in that much pain and not being able to do anything."
"How do you think I feel?" she asked, a tight, sad smile on her face. "This isn't easy for me, either, even if you've got it so much worse. But don't worry, soon enough the roles will be reversed and you can worry and I can be in pain. I'd honestly prefer it that way; physical pain is nothing for me."
"Well hopefully you won't have to go through that at all." he said softly. "I'll get better and we'll go back to normal. Everything'll be just fine."
"Are the medicines kicking in yet?" she asked, though she doubted that they were. It was likely still too soon to tell.
"I don't know." he told her. "I still feel like my insides are all fucked up. I don't even know how to explain it. Everything just... hurts."
"They offered to bring you a sedative if it gets too bad," she offered. She couldn't understand what kind of pain he was in, since there were so many different kinds.
"That'd just knock me out again." he sighed. "I'd like to be awake. At least I can talk to you. That's better than sleeping."
"You really are a glutton for punishment, you know that?" she asked with a sigh. "Rather than sleep off this pain and recover, you'd prefer to stay awake and deal with a bitchy wife and a ton of pain."
"You're not as bitchy as you think." he whispered. "And right now, you're too worried to be bitchy, even if you wanted to be." Ethan tilted his head enough to lightly press his lips against her forehead.
"I'm only not being bitchy to you right now because I'm worried about you. Believe me, if there were anyone else in here I'd be taking this all out on them, I'm sure."
"I think it's cuz you love me." he murmured. "Like a lot." A teasing little smirk moved across his face.
"And I think the pain is messing with your mind," she countered softly, teasingly. She ran her hand through his hair. "I still bitch at you even though I love you--just not right now. You don't need that right now."
"Thanks." he breathed. "I wish I could tell you how much it means to not be alone here..." he murmured.
"I think I know," she said sympathetically, kissing his forehead. "I'd hate to be alone in a place like this. It would drive me nuts."
"Mhm." he nodded, wincing a little and stopping the movement of his head. He groaned a little but covered it up with his voice when he started speaking. "I'm sorry..." he told her. "For scaring you."
"It's not your fault," she said quickly. "You didn't do any of this on purpose. This was all a big, horrible fluke." And while she wasn't sure it was the work of terrorists, she did hope that someone would be held responsible for it.
"Well I still didn't mean to worry you." he told her. "It all just sucks and now I'm going to hate needles even more than I already do. You know they'll still have us getting fucking shots, even after this bullshit."
"Or send us to an adjustment center," Elsie said with a sigh. Her hand came up to stroke his hair softly. "You're afraid of needles, are you? Big baby," she teased gently.
"Not afraid, just hate." he told her. "Two different things. Like you. Not afraid of you, just hate you." he teased, giving her a smile.
"Oh, I see, so you really love needles you only pretend to hate them. Obviously you hate me so much that you just had to marry me." Elsie smirked. "If that's the new definition of hate, then I hate you, too."
"Mhm. That's what I thought. You better hate me." he murmured a bit tiredly as he curled up closer to her on the tiny little hospital bed.
"Don't worry, I do," Elsie responded with a quiet chuckle. She closed her eyes and held her husband close to her. "Are you tired?" she whispered, stroking his hair.
"Kinda..." he said softly. "I just don't hurt as much when I'm sleeping... when I make it there. Feel like shit when I get up but..." he shrugged a little and rested his head against her shoulder, pressing his lips lightly against her neck. "Stay with me tonight?" he whispered.
"Of course," she whispered back immediately. "Haven't I always?" she teased. At least, since they'd gotten married. She kissed him on the forehead. It would be interesting trying to keep both of them on the small bed, but she would find a way to manage.