Infinity Chapter 118 - Waking

[itztigress3]

Chapter 118 –  Waking

POV:  Emily

Word count: 4759



Friday, May 22, 2014

I woke up about the same time Zac did and found Max sitting in the chair beside the bed, just watching us sleep I guess?

“Ok Max that is creepy dude.” Zac said.

“Hey, it’s not the first time I’ve watched you both sleep. I came to check on her but I can’t because she’s tangled up with you. I don’t need your pulse I need hers.”

“Sorry. I wasn’t letting him go.”

“Not a problem. Do you feel better?”

“Yes. Sleep came really easily. Kind of worried that I’m not really feeling the pain though.”

“It’s morphine, we gave it to you yesterday when you came in. We also tried one sedative and I marked it down never to give to you again, you will not ever scare me like that. Concerning the morphine you’ll want to pump once and not give it to her before you resume feeding. It shouldn’t hurt her either way, but let’s be on the safe side.”

“Ok. So, doc tell me what the diagnosis is?”

He rolled his eyes at me. “Your blood work came back fine, so we are assuming that he did not give you anything abnormal. The last MRI we did before you woke up came back fine as well, no swelling from your fall. Cody said he thinks you stepped on a dildo or a vibrator?”

I felt some heat in my face. “Yeah, I think it was too. They had a lot on the walls but when he and Eliza were fighting they got knocked down.”

“Well, that can make for an interesting story later on. Your vitals have been stable over night so we’re going to move you to a regular room, that way everyone can see you. Beyond that it’s just letting the soreness and the minor things heal. None of the cuts were very deep either. The police are already here, so if you want to speak to them I can let them back.”

I nodded. “I’d like to go ahead and talk to them before everyone comes up.”

“Ok. I know you both don’t want to hear this but I think you both could benefit from counseling. It’s fine to talk to one another but sometimes it does more good to speak to someone outside that. What you’ve both been through the last year or so is just hard to handle. You may think your superwoman, but you’re not.”

“By whose definition? Look up Superwoman and you find me.”

He smiled. “I may find your picture there, but really. I think you’d both benefit from it.”

He did a check of my vitals and as he started to leave I stopped him.

“He’s dead right? There was no bringing him back or anything like that?”

“Glen Franklin is dead Emily. He could not be revived or brought back. The official report isn’t done but from what I heard it was a broken neck. You don’t have to fear him anymore, he can’t hurt you.”

“Thank you.”

He smiled. “You’re welcome.”

He left the room and came back with a pump, which I was grateful for because Glen hadn’t really pulled enough, it took some help from Zac to get them attached right and the milk was dumped. Two officers came in not even ten minutes after I was done. They had me walk through the events from the time I left the festival up until now and I did to the best of my abilities. Zac really didn’t seem happy about what had occurred in those days. I couldn’t blame him, I hadn’t been happy when he recounted what happen with Ian. When they were finished taking my statement they moved me to a third floor private room and sitting in the chair was Eliza.

“Have you been here all night?” I asked.

“I wouldn’t leave without seeing you and I couldn’t until the police were done. Max found me a vacant room, this one actually. Cody brought me a change of clothes so I could shower.”

“You could have gone to their house.”

“No. Alexander and Isabella were there and I was afraid them seeing me would upset them. I didn’t even know Zac was here until Cody came back, you snuck in on me.”

“Cody let me in through the ambulance entrance, avoided the front doors. There were news crews here then.”

“Yeah, there still here. They reported we were found.”

She came over and hugged me gently, held on for a longer period of time. I couldn’t deny that I was glad she was here as well.

“Are you ok? They wouldn’t tell me anything.”

“No swelling of the brain, soreness which I’m starting to feel a bit of. Beyond that it’s just healing.”

“When your all healed I may have to kick your ass for scaring me like that.”

“Join the club.”

“Scaring you?” Zac asked.

“She died on me Zac, scared the hell out of me. I knew I couldn’t tell you she died in my arms. No, she scared me and I screamed and yelled. I wasn’t letting her go.”

“She is quite stubborn sometimes.”

“Not that either of you aren’t. You beat him with a toilet seat.”

“He deserved it, but I don’t know how you do it. How you’ve managed to be this person that you are after everything they’ve done to you. The bastard showed me videos of the things they did over the years and I just…I couldn’t be like you if it were me. I’d either be a scared little cat or a cold-hearted bitch.”

I tilted my head some. “Videos?”

She nodded. “The earliest was eight or nine, I presume it was after one of his spankings. The last video was 2010 when they had you.”

I hadn’t known such video existed but I made a point to request the FBI not keep such items. Zac sat quietly beside me and I considered it. After everything they’ve done and said over the years, after the heartache and the torture, I wasn’t like that.

“What they did doesn’t define who I am.” I said.

“I couldn’t have done it, I would be able to.”

“I didn’t want to be scared of them nor did I want to be some cold-person because of what any of them done. David was cold and I don’t ever want Alexander or Isabella or any of ours to grow up with that type of parent. I don’t want them to be afraid of me or afraid I’ll hurt them. It’s not who I am. It’s not who our mother was, I never met her Eliza but I’ve heard enough to know how she would be.”

“To be fair, you can be pretty cold when you’re mad, but only when you’re mad.”

“But that isn’t being cold hearted.”

“It is going to take me time to understand that.”

I nodded. “I should be shocked by this video but I’m not. I’m just glad he’s dead.”

“I second that.”

“I’ll throw in my vote and make it three. I’ve seen you and I know your ok and I know your safe with Zac here. I’m going to head to Max’s and
sleep a bit. No more scaring me.”

Zac smiled. “She’s not going anywhere, I’m going to call Casey in a few and ask for food and children.”

“Brave man! I am sure they want to be here too. I’m staying as long as you do, the doctor said something about a few days to a week.”

“Sounds about right.” I said.

She gave me another quick hug and I wasn’t naive to ignore her lips as they grazed my temple. She even hugged Zac before she left. He called Casey and even over the phone I could hear Isabella pitching a hissy fit, Alexander wasn’t crying but she sure was. He hung-up and looked at me.

“Um, Casey is bringing her on up here first. She won’t stop for them, he was already putting her in the car seat. Cody and Maddi will bring Alexander and breakfast as he was eating. You seem like your pretty ready to jump right back to feeding her, are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“It’s what she wants Zac, if she won’t take the bottle for me then it’s what she’ll get.”

Casey came into the room twenty minutes later, Maddi did live close to the hospital. I thought Alexander had gotten loud, she was screaming and already reaching a point where she was starting to choke trying to scream. Zac had to get her out because Casey sat the car seat down in front of him and walked out. She fought him hard as well.

“Isabella.” I said.

She turned her head but kept crying, so he reluctantly handed her to me. It hurt to hold her and especially since she was trying to twist and turn away, that one kick to the rib hurt like hell but I just ignored it. It took several minutes to get her where she knew who it was and it was who she wanted. At that point she just grabbed a hand full of my hair and held on. I held her tightly, because even though it hurt to hold her, I knew how Zac handled it, the feeling of being needed and wanted far outweighed that pain. I had a feeling that neither of them were going to get very far from me for quite some time.

“Is she asleep?” Zac asked.

“She is.”

“I’m going to go find Casey.”

“He’s right outside the door, he won’t be hard to find.”

He got up and came into the room, smiled. “Sorry, she kept me up most the night and then this morning Maddi held her for like five minutes so I could pee and she flipped the fuck out. I knew that the only person she wanted wouldn’t mind calming her down.”

“Not at all. But um, where is my son?”

“There on their way now, Maddi said Cody had some issues getting him dressed but telling him he was seeing mommy worked really well.”

“Do you want me to try and move her?” Zac asked.

“No. She has a handful of my hair. She’s not going anywhere.”

“She will probably be hungry very soon. She barely ate anything last night and wouldn’t take anything this morning.” Casey said.

“Yeah, she needs to rest a bit first and be calm, she doesn’t nurse well when she’s upset.”

About ten minutes later Alexander came running in, screaming Mommy, Zac had to lift him up and even with her laying on my left side he filled the remaining space on the right. Again, hurt like hell but not something I was going to give up, even the feeling of his tiny fingers digging into my back wasn’t enough to make me move him.

“Jesus he’s fast and I have no idea how he knew this was your room.” Cody said.

He’d come running in, huffing and puffing. I was pretty sure his grandmother showed him the way to the room.

“Mama boo boo?” he asked.

He touched the bandage wrapped around my head gently.

“Yes, mommy has several booboo’s.”

I about cried when he leaned up and kissed the bandage. “Kisses make better.”

I was about to cry, Maddi was crying as she stood at the door.  I kissed his forehead. “They do make it better.”

I looked over at Maddi. “Are you ok?”

She wiped her eyes and fanned herself for several moments. “Yeah, I’ll be fine. I was already emotional and then I walked in as he kissed your forehead. Sweetest little thing I’ve seen him do, pregnancy hormones are no joke.”

“Oh, I know. Where is Riley?”

“She ran to Max as soon as she saw him. I should be asking if Isabella is ok, that girl has some lungs on her. She was throwing a mommy tantrum for sure.”

“She’s fine. She just wanted Mommy.”

“She was telling us about how horrible it was to be fed from a bottle for so long, oh the humanity of us adults trying to give her the bottles.” Cody said.

Casey snorted. “It was more like how horrible it was of us to keep her from her mommy, screw the bottle. We are the most evil adults ever because we denied her Mommy.”

“Funny.” Zac said.

Alexander sat down and just babbled non-stop for twenty minutes. I presume he was telling me all about the last few days. It was clear Isabella was a mommy’s girl right now though. Maddi kicked Casey out of the chair and took it, not long after Max dropped Riley off with us too, he had a job to do after all.

“You are not ever allowed to scare me like that again!” Maddi said.

“Everyone is telling me that today.”

“I don’t ever want to see your ghost again Mrs. Hanson. Ever. I only want to see this form of you. Is that clear?”

“Very, who am I to argue to with a pregnant lady?”

She gave me a go to hell look, knowing it wouldn’t do anything. “I’m serious Emily.”

“I don’t plan on dying anytime soon Mad’s, I think your safe. But um…how did you find us?”

She smiled. “Your mother showed me where you were by using the kangaroo that you and Eliza picked out. Cody knew the location.”

“I’ve been watching that asshole for a while, thanks to Emily we can nail his ass to the wall now and put him under the jail.”

“What asshole?” Zac asked.

“The person who owns the house, Charlie Mallory. We’ve been investigating him for a few months suspecting he was trafficking stolen property, I guess the truth is much worse. Because you were there we can claim the property and search it. We found enough evidence to charge him and bury him forever. So, don’t even worry about him.”

“Oh I’m not, the next fucker that sends me some threat I’m just killing them on the spot no questions asked.”

Everyone laughed but Cody and Zac, clearly they knew that wasn’t a joke. But the laugher kind of subsided as Casey realized I wasn’t kidding; as Maddi realized the words that left my mouth were true.

“You wouldn’t actually do that would you?” Casey asked.

“Yes. It’s been five years and I am very sick of stalkers and assholes that think either of us belong to anyone but each other. The next person will know.”

“Emily.” Maddi said.

“No. Ian came in and nearly ripped us apart from the inside. Glen wanted to rip us apart. I’m tired of it. Shoot first, ask questions later.”

“I’d like to say I disagree with her but I really don’t. It’s time to move on and not worry about random people coming in.” Zac said.

Alexander had sat down beside me and Isabella was stirring some. Riley was sitting with Casey babbling away, he was doing really good talking back though. The room grew quiet again and everyone just kind of got use to it. Alexander wouldn’t move more than a few inches from me and I couldn’t lay her down even if I wanted too. Max hadn’t lied the doses of morphine were much less now and I was feeling near every single movement either of them made.

When Alexander complained about being hungry around one, Zac offered to go with Casey and Cody to get lunch, Riley decided she wanted to go as well. Maddi’s request for mashed potatoes with caramel sauce was strange but who was I to judge?  Zac started to take Alexander with him, but he barely made it to the door before he started whining.

“He’ll be fine with me.”

He sat him back beside me and they left the room. It wasn’t too long after they left that Isabella sat up and blinked some.

“I can’t believe how much screaming she did this morning. It’s like she knew you were available. I don’t see how Zac handled that at all.” Maddi said.

“They don’t take to being away from either of us very well.”

“I see that.”

“Did either of them bring a diaper bag?” I asked.

“Cody and I brought them, think he sat them in the little closet.”

She started to get up but I gave her a stern look. “Don’t even think about it.”

Alexander moved to the foot of the bed so I could get up, which admittedly was probably the wrong thing to do but all they had hooked to me now was an IV, which I could move. I left her in my arms because she might crawl off the bed. I was about to move away when Max walked in.

“What do you think you are doing Missy?”

“Walking to the closet?”

He quickly walked to me. “You shouldn’t be trying to walk on morphine Emily. Especially not with her, what do you need from the closet?”

“Their diaper bags. He’s wet and so is she.”

He helped me back down onto the bed and Maddi just smirked from the chair but Max was my nurse and as much as I wanted to tell him to get out of my way he would know what was best and he also knew how much and what side effects the low dose would have. He went to the closet and retrieved their bags and brought them back.

“You shouldn’t really be doing this.”

“Well, they don’t want anyone else right now.”

“Are you going to try to feed her?”

“I was planning too. Casey said she didn’t eat much last night and apparently nothing this morning. I am sure I can handle that.”

He smiled. “I’m sure you can too but you do need to lay down or something, morphine can make you weaker and I don’t want you to fall or her to be dropped. So, lie on your side.”

Since Isabella was closer I started with her diaper and clothes, putting a clean pair of pajamas on her, the bed rail was up on one side so I sat here there while I changed Alexander.

“Can’t believe I’ll be doing that again, those newborn diapers were no joke and I get twice as many this time!”

I giggled. “Twice the smell but twice the smiles.”

Max giggled. “Twice as many slobbery kisses too.”

“Have you started potty training Riley yet?”

“She is actually trained for the daytime, we still have occasional accidents. Nighttime is what we’re working on now.”

I sighed. “Feel like I’m being a bad mother since we haven’t really even bothered with Alexander.”

Again, Max giggled. “You are not a bad mother for that. Alexander just isn’t ready yet and boys take longer anyway. For him the best course is really having his dad and uncles take him for a bit, let him know what the little thing is for and what to do.”

“Yeah, he’s gone with Zac a few times and even Casey. But, we just have been more focused on keeping him safe and out of the hands of criminals than we have getting him out of diapers.”

“Understandable Ems, his life and safety are far more important and he’s really not behind or anything.” Maddi said.

“Ok. You should lie down to feed her, but I gotta jet.” Max said.

He made sure the IV was fine, checked the morphine dose and my vitals and then left the room. Isabella whined and I went ahead and followed directions and laid down. Adjusting was harder than it should have been but once we were finally settled she latched on easily and was content to nurse.

“I don’t know how I’m going to manage two.”

“Are you going to try at least?”

“The plan is yes at the moment, not sure how long. I mean, you only planned 6 weeks with him but you kept on. I guess it depends on adjustments and if I can handle it.”

I kept quiet as my reasons were my own on why I didn’t really stop.

“You don’t have to say it Emily, you didn’t think you’d be a good mother and feeding him meant you were. Truth is, you are a great mom no matter what. Just the attention and care you give them even while working. Look at Natalie and Nikki, neither of them breast fed and neither of them work. You work full time, travel most the time, watch them both and managed to feed them both. Your mother is proud of you, regardless to whether you believe it or not.”

“I wanted what was best for him and that was it.”

“Are your brother’s even coming down?”

“Honestly, I don’t even know if Zac’s told them I was here. But I have no idea where my phone is, it was in my pants pocket but I never heard or saw it.”

Isabella nursed for what felt like forever but I was sure it wasn’t, I covered up when the other’s came back, because she was still nursing. I watched Maddi dig into the mashed potatoes with caramel sauce and was glad I never craved anything like that. I sat up and ate lunch when she was done.

“Did you call my brothers and dad?”

“I’ve talked to them all, more than once and they’ve talked to Eliza a few times. They were going to pack up and come down but I reminded them the hospital room can’t hold 14 children, so Jason and Sophia are on their way but the others are staying in Tulsa unless something dramatic happens.”

“Your brothers?”

“Staying home at my request although Avery said she was coming down late this afternoon or tomorrow, she’s closer.”

“Ace and Nathaniel?”

“Ace was fully aware of what was going on this time he was home, he is coming up in the morning. He wanted you to have today to get woken up well and to visit with Alexander and Isabella. He knows how they were. But, I am to text him more often and let him know. Jason and Sophia met Taylor at the house to get clothes for us for a few days.”

I nodded and just enjoyed having them here, despite the pain. I think Zac noticed the one time Alexander hit the sorest spot on my leg because he told him to be easy. Sometime after 3 I laid back to feed her again, I wondered if they even fed my poor daughter at all. She was acting like they hadn’t.  Alexander and Riley were asleep at my feet and before she even finished I was asleep.

I woke up around 5 and found the room quiet except for the noises of them playing. I turned and saw Zac sitting in the chair, Isabella and Alexander were playing with toys right in front of him. Jason and Sophia were sitting on the couch watching the TV, which was news. I turned slightly and watched the news cast of the house. The media was already claiming it was some house of horrors. I blinked as they showed them bringing me out of the house, covered in sheets.

“You know now that I’m awake anything else would be appreciated.”

Zac glanced my way and flipped it to the cartoon channel. “Better?”

Considering it was Scooby doo, it really wasn’t but I couldn’t hate the show just because of Ian. So I nodded.

“You aren’t looking so good there sis.” Jason said

It was a teasing tone, I knew he wasn’t being serious or anything, but honestly he wasn’t very wrong.

“Not feeling so good either.”

All three of them looked at me. “What do you mean?” Zac asked.

“Maybe the greasy hamburger was just too much at once. I mean he did nasty shakes like 2ce a day.”

“Maybe. We’ll go a bit lighter on dinner. Which Casey is bringing up about 7.”

I nodded. “Sorry I missed dinner with you guys. I was rather looking forward to it.”

“No need to apologize Emily, it wasn’t your fault. Are you ok? I have to report back as soon as I know, or else I risk bodily harm myself.”

“I’m ok. It’s gonna take time to stop hurting.”

“Well, you’d be happy to know that Craig has a solution for that as I think he and Christopher are kind of moving in with you two for a few weeks.”

Zac and I both looked at him strangely. Clearly, neither of us had heard anything about that.

“Um, first I am hearing of this.” Zac said.

“There lease us up at the house and the construction crew said three weeks minimum before there done. The FBI came out and wanted to use ground penetrating monitors to check the property, they agreed. Nothing was found but because it was the FBI they had to stop all work on the house. Since you two live next door they just figured you wouldn’t mind.”

“They just want help with Jazzy.” Zac said.

“Jazzy? Seriously Zac?” I asked.

“He called Isabella, Bells.”

“Oh good grief, you gonna kick Casey’s butt now for starting that?”

“Already have.”

Jason and Sophia laughed. “I guess we won’t be calling her Bella either.”

“No. Her name is Isabella. Not Bella from Twilight or Bells or Izzy, or Iza. Right now the only one that gets away with it is Alexander.”

“So, you want us to start calling you Zachary all the time?” Sophia asked.

“Nope. Zac is fine.”

I didn’t sit up but laid. Jason handed me his phone and I called everyone reports from me were better anyway and I even called Zac’s family. Craig even had to do face time to be absolutely certain. Casey showed up at 7 and I sat up and ate, but I still felt bad.

“So, what happen to Glen?” Jason asked.

“No one has told you?”

“I mean the media said he was dead when they arrived, do you know what happen?”

I picked at the cover. “Eliza saved my life, that’s what happen. She busted through the glass and tried to get him to leave me alone. Took quite a few hits herself. From what she said she went to choke him and he pulled away too hard, hit the edge of a chair and got his neck broken.”

“It’s what she told me.” Zac said.

“She did seem a little understanding when we saw her earlier.”

“Was she here?”

“No. We’re bunking with Max tonight. Ryan was at home with her and we saw her when we dropped our bags off. She was just waking up and kind of disoriented a bit.”

“I guess I can definitely say she’s not going anywhere.”

“That is true.”

“What about Amanda?”

“She knows you’re here and I’ve sent her updates. Her job is being a bitch and wouldn’t let her go because you weren’t a blood relative. She
started looking for alternative employment today.” Zac said.

“I bet.”

I laid back down after eating but I still felt pretty off. Max was already off and the nurse that came in didn’t take my complaints very seriously, said it could be the morphine. Isabella ate again before going to bed, the baby bed would sleep both of them. Alexander and Isabella were asleep really quickly once they were laid down.

“Have either of them slept much?”

“No, not really. None of us have honestly. Monday they were ok until bed time, then the rest of the week was just a big no. Screaming, yelling, crying and because there both there if one started the other one joined.”

“It explains why there both just out cold so early.”

He sat down and kissed my forehead but then he felt my forehead and he frowned.

“Baby you feel really warm, did you have the nurse check your temperature?”

“She said it was slightly elevated, but not badly and could be the morphine.”

“You feel like it’s very warm.”

“I just feel tired.”

“Well, now that all you have is an IV it should be easier to hold you.”

“Wasn’t planning to sleep any other way.”

He got ready for bed and laid down with me, I was hoping for really good sleep and then to go home. I wanted familiar feelings and familiar places. I fell asleep before he did, but I was sure that was his plan.