Authors note: - This is a follow on to the previous episodes of Becca XXX Double Trouble. Please read them before reading this or you will not understand the plot or characters
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Becca XXX. Double Trouble.
Ch 17
It's funny how things have a tendency to go full-circle. Light turns to dark and back to light again. I had no idea just how full-circle things were about to go today as we arrived at the private military hospital.
Lexa had driven us from London, straight to the hospital that Natalie was in. We were killing two birds with one stone. Not only could we visit Natalie, who was still unconscious, but we could also get my injuries checked out by a medical professional.
I'd slept for a few hours on the long drive back and had gotten changed back into my normal clothes. It didn't seem appropriate to turn up at the hospital wearing ripped stockings and a flasher-coat with nothing underneath. I could have done with a hot shower and some clean underwear, but I had to make do for now.
The military doctor had examined me with a lot of frowning and concerned groans. He'd given me a chest X-ray and had then sat me down to discuss my prognosis.
"You have two broken ribs on your left side, a black eye and superficial injuries to your face," he explained. "You also have a bruised sternum, but none of your injuries are life threatening. What did you say happened to you?"
"I was in a car accident," I replied, telling a half-truth.
"Hhmmmmm, these injuries are not usually associated with that sort of incident," he mused. "Is there anything you wish to tell me? Everything you tell me here is private and confidential."
"No, I'm fine," I replied, knowing he probably already knew the truth.
"Are you sure? I noticed the red marks on your wrists which are indicative of being tied up," he said. "If I didn't know better, I would say that you'd been beaten or raped. I can get a female rape counsellor to see you, if you wish?"
"No, thank you doctor. Just give me some strong painkillers and point me in the direction of Natalie's room," I smiled.
"Ok then, that's entirely up to you. Your ribs should take around six weeks to heal. We don't strap them up, they will just heal on their own. Your facial injuries will go down in time. There'll be no lasting scarring from what I can see. Try to avoid any further trauma to the areas."
He wrote me a prescription for pain relief and told me that Natalie was in a private room on the second floor.
"How's she doing?" I asked.
"She's got swelling of the brain due to her accident and she's still asleep. She's breathing on her own, but she's still unresponsive I'm afraid. The next few days will be critical for her," he explained. "She also has a broken tibia which has been set in a cast."
"Will she recover?" I asked.
"It's fifty-fifty at the moment."
I could have cried. I was hoping for better news.
"When you go to see her, try talking softly to her," said the doctor. "Studies have shown that coma patients do respond well to familiar voices, sounds and smells. Hold her hand and just chat to her, it might help to bring her round if you stimulate her senses."
"Thank you, doctor," I said.
"Take care out there," he gave me a knowing look.
He knew what I did for a living, he wasn't stupid. I gave him a slight nod and left the examination room. Lexa was waiting for me outside in the corridor.
"She's two floors up," I said to her.
"I know, I asked at reception," she stated. "What did the doctor say about you?"
"I've got superficial facial injuries from being punched. Two broken ribs from being kicked and a bruised sternum from being shot through a flak-jacket. Apart from that, I'm peachy," I giggled.
"You look like death," she smiled.
"Thanks a lot. That makes me feel so much better. It's nothing compared to what Natalie's going through. Let's go and pay her a visit and see if she responds to a friendly voice. Then we'll head up to the safe house and put this whole sordid episode to bed."
We took the lift up to the second floor and found Natalie's room. I was full of trepidation about seeing her, but we both entered her room and tried to remain positive. I saw her lying flat on her back with the top half of her body slightly raised. She had an intravenous drip in her arm, to give her fluids and she was covered in wires and pipes.
I was welling up seeing her in such a state, but I fought back the tears and stayed strong for her. I needed to act as normal as possible in case she really could hear me.
"Wake up, bitch face," I said in a jokey tone. "You can't stay in here laying in bed all day, you lazy cow."
As I got closer to her, I looked down at her angelic face. She looked peaceful; despite all the monitoring equipment she was plugged into. Her eyes were closed and she was breathing normally. Her leg had a huge white plaster-cast on it, which stretched from her foot to the top of her thigh. She was wearing a medical gown under the sheets and she was alone.
As I watched her breathing, I thought about the cycle of breath. When we are born, we take a deep in-breath; the breath of life. When we die, we breathe out one last time. I always thought that so long as a person kept breathing in; they were winning. Natalies breathing was steady with her chest rising and falling under the sheets. She was still winning, but I could see why the doctor thought it was fifty-fifty.
"The missions pretty much completed, Natalie," said Lexa. "We just need you to wake up."
"Yeah, come on Natalie, can you hear us?"
There was no response. I'd never had a one-way conversation before and it felt weird to talk to her and not have her reply with some sarcastic comment. We just carried on chatting to her anyway to try and bring her back to the land of the living.
"I see you've got some sexy clothes on as usual," I giggled at her green medical gown. "You look like my grandma dressed like that."
"Don't listen to her Nat. You should see the state of Becca," added Lexa. "She looks like she's gone ten rounds with Mike Tyson."
"Yeah, you'd probably say it's improved my looks," I laughed.
I held her hand and leaned down and kissed her forehead.
"Wake up babe. We've got one last thing to do before the assignment's over."
I looked for a faint glimmer of eye movement or a murmur, but she was motionless. I moved lower and kissed her on the lips. It was a long lingering kiss, but it felt awkward due to the lack of response.
"I see your kissing has improved," I joked.
As I pulled away, Lexa's phone rang in her pocket.
"Sorry, it's Ethan," she said, showing me the screen. "We need to tidy things up with the two dead Russians from the car. I'll be right back."
"No problem. I don't think she even knows we're here," I replied.
"Keep trying," said Lexa, leaving the room. "If anyone can get through to her, it's you, Becca."
