#i am so lucky got an e.r bed after only five hours

[arctic-hands]

I spent FOUR DAYS in an E.R bed because there were NO beds open anywhere in the hospital proper. I get discharged after a week of being dangerously dehydrated despite the constant heavy duty electrolytes being pumped into my veins round the clock and in the third worst pain of my life, only to watch on the news at home a report about the days-long wait times in hospitals and hear that the reporters have the audacity to wonder why hospitals are overcrowded again

It's covid. Stop being wilful idiots

[starchasertonight]

Is this maybe more angst but Kat getting hurt and Adena rushing to be by her side after Sutton or Jane call her. Or something happens and it solidifies their relationship

tw: angst, hospitals, injury

—

Sutton tells Adena when they’re in the cab, pinches thebridge of her nose and tries to keep a calm voice when she says, “Kat’s been hurt. She’s in the hospital,”and hears the confusion and then the panic in Adena’s voice.

Jane grips at her free hand while she tells Adena as bestshe can, that they don’t know much of anything, other than that a car hit herwhen she stepped into the crosswalk, that she was taken in an ambulance. Thatthey’re on their way to the hospital now, and yes they’re taking her to MountSinai, and yes they’ll meet Adena in the E.R. waiting room.

Adena gets to the hospital almost forty-five minutes laterthan them, rushing over from Brooklyn, and Sutton spots her at the entrance.She waves her over and there are tears in Adena’s eyes, panicked, when shesays, “Where is she?”

“With the doctors,” Sutton explains, calm as she can, andJane paces. “She’s not conscious. She hit her head and she was bleeding a lot,so they’re trying to get that under control and then they need to do a scan tosee if there’s any internal damage. Her arm is also fractured pretty bad, butthey’re focusing on her head injury.”

Adena squeezes her eyes shut, tears tracking down hercheeks, and Sutton doesn’t think twice before pulling her into a hug.

Adena is clutching at her back, desperate, and Sutton holdsher tighter. “Breathe, Adena. Kat’s afighter, she’s gonna get through this.”

They wait, together, receiving scraps of news here and therethat do little to calm them, and Adena becomes more and more withdrawn. She iscurled in on herself, knees drawn to her chest and face bowed, and Sutton feelshelpless to comfort her.

Then, finally, there’s, “she’s lucky she shielded herselfwith her arm” and there’s, “the swelling in her brain is minimal, she doesn’tneed surgery but she’s got a moderate concussion,” and “she’s asleep right now,sedated pretty heavily to help her heal, but you can see her.”

They all go in to see her, sit with her, but a couple hourslater it’s Adena who says she’ll stay the night and only one of them is allowed,so they head home together.

She and Jane both share a bed that night, needing thecomfort, and then they’re back at Mount Sinai as soon as visiting hours resume.

They’re all crammed into Kat’s room together, a little past9 AM, and Adena is holding Kat’s good hand when she stirs, lashes fluttering.

Kat groans, and Sutton swears it’s the best sound she’s everheard in her life. Kat blinks her eyes open, slowly, squints around. Then,voice coarse, asks, “what happened?”

Adena is crying again, they all are, but this time they’resmiling and Adena leans forward, strokes Kat’s face.

“Some asshole ran you over when you tried to cross 42nd,”Sutton says, and Adena chokes on a laugh.

Jane meets her eyes, shakes her head even as she smiles.

“That sucks.” Then, “Fuck,my head hurts.”

Jane stands, says, “I’ll go let the nurse know,” and Suttonnods.

Adena is crying harder now, releasing all the pent-upemotion and fear of the past fifteen hours, and Kat reaches up, holds her face.

“Adena, shh, babe,it’s okay,” Kat soothes, still groggy, and Adena’s tears keep falling. “I’mokay. Hey, c’mere,” Kat pulls, until Adena’s head is resting in the crook ofher neck, at the seam of her hospital gown.

She feels like she’s intruding, like she definitely needs togive them a moment. So she stands, gives Kat’s calf a squeeze where it’sblanket-covered, and says, “I’m gonna go get some coffee, give you both aminute. I’m so glad you’re okay.”

The last thing she hears before she shuts the door behindher is Kat, whispering to Adena, “I loveyou too.”