"How long have I been out?" I asked as I tried again to open my eyes and focus on my surroundings. "Where am I?"
"You're in Chicago General in the ICU," the voice replied. "You've been out for two days, and we were beginning to really worry."
"Eh, I'm fine," I said as I struggled to try and move my arms. I wanted to sit up. I wanted to open my eyes and see what was going on around me. I wanted to know whose voice that was.
"No, no, no," the voice said, gently holding my shoulder to the mattress. "You are not in any shape to be getting up, Mr. Connor."
"Alex, I need to find Alex," I said, suddenly remembering the events that had led to this point. "Where is Alex?"
"I'm right here, Cam," Alex whispered in my ear as she squeezed my hand. I opened my eyes and focused them on the face next to me. Her blue eyes were bright with tears as she gripped my hand more tightly and smiled. "I'm right here."
"Oh, thank God, you're okay." I sighed as I felt the pain in my side begin to throb intensely.
I groaned as Alex tucked the button that released pain medication in my other hand and said, "Press it when you're in pain, it'll ease it."
I pressed the button, and a few minutes later, I felt the pain begin to ease as I fell back into a groggy, half-wakeful state. I could feel Alex's hand tucked in mine as I drifted back to sleep.
Chapter Forty
Alex
Liz and I were checked out in the ER and kept overnight for observation despite the fact that I pointed out I hadn't been hurt and protested loudly. Mrs. Rikka had been summoned to the ER to tell me that I didn't have a choice in the matter, and her word was final. I grudgingly accepted the edict but requested that they put Liz in the bed next to me, which they quickly did.
Liz didn't talk much as she began an intense process of detox, but it was nice to be near her while the police questioned me and got the whole sordid story before filing me in on the details of the aftermath. Victor had survived the shooting, but was down in the ICU under lock and key. They weren't sure he'd come out of the coma, but they weren't taking any chances.
"What about Cam?" I asked every person who came in the room. He'd been in surgery for most of the day and the doctors said it was touch and go. I nodded when they told me he had a slim chance of surviving, but that he was strong and healthy, so that tipped the odds in his favor. I desperately wanted to see him, but they wouldn't let me visit until they were sure he was out of the woods.
"Someone needs to check on Tesla!" I said to the nurse who came in to do my vitals.
"What are you talking about?" she asked as she wrapped the blood pressure cuff around my arm and pressed the button.
"Cam has a dog, someone needs to go check on her," I said. The nurse assured me that she'd let the firefighters down in the waiting area know.
When they released me the next day, the first thing I did was go down to the ICU and ask to see him. They agreed to a short visit but told me that I couldn't stay. Cam looked very pale under the fluorescent lights. I held his hand and spoke quietly, telling him that everything would be all right but that he had to wake up. When my time was up, the nurse kindly told me that I could come back the next day, but that visiting hours would be limited to short periods until he regained consciousness.
I went down to the lobby and found Newsome sitting in a chair in the corner staring at the television set mounted to the wall.
"How's he doing?" Danny asked.
"He's still out, but they said that's normal considering the amount of damage and the length of surgery," I said. Danny looked like he hadn't slept, and I suggested that perhaps he go back to Cam's house and take care of Tesla.
"Already taken care of," he said as he ran a hand through his hair and then rubbed his eyes. "The chief drove over and brought her back to the station. We'll take care of her until Cam's up and about again. I gotta get back to the station."
"Thanks, Danny," I said, giving him a hug and then watching him head out the door. There were a number of things I needed to take care of, not the least of which was finding out whether Liz and I had been cleared of the cheating charges.
Chapter Forty-One
Cam
It took a few days, but I finally came out of the drug-induced sleep to find Alex sitting next
to my bed holding my hand.
"Hey, you're here." I smiled as she stood up and leaned over me.
"Of course, I've been waiting for you to wake up so we could talk." She smiled back.
"Where's Tesla?" I asked, suddenly worried that no one had checked on her and unsure of exactly how long I'd been out.