Chapter 3
Isit next to Alexa and watch her sleep, she doesn’t look at peace though and that worries me, I never want my little girl to worry that’s my job. She should be dreaming of days in the park spent reading under a tree in her Mommy’s arms, exploring all kinds of magical worlds, not being in car accidents, and in the hospital with her little body bruised.
Charlie Chief steps into the room, “Turn your Comms on Chief, Doc wants you.”
I do as he instructs, and hear, beeping and movement echo through my head.
:Alpha 7, this is Alpha 1, what’s the latest, is Lily, okay?”
:Alpha 1, this is Alpha 7, Lily is holding on. We got her back and her vitals are stable right now, I still need to repair her liver but I have some news that you’ll want to hear.
:Alpha 7, this Alpha 1, Great work, Doc, you are a legend. What’s the news?
:Lily’s pregnant.
Doc states, all formality gone.
My heart skips a beat, but before I get excited, I need to know if the baby is okay.
:Doc, is the baby, okay?
:We haven’t done an in depth ultrasound as yet; Lily’s injuries need to be addressed first but the bloods came back positive and with a high reading.
:Doc, when will you know if the baby is, okay? Lily is priority you know this, but if you can save them both, do it.
:I’ll wait till she’s in recovery and we’ll do an in-depth scan then so you can be there.
:Doc, how likely is it?
I shouldn’t be asking I know, he’s trying to save Lily’s life, but I need something. I can hear my own voice filled with worry but full of hope.
:A fetus this early in pregnancy is well cushioned in the womb, as long as there’s no further complications or another bleed, I’m hoping for a good outcome.
I breathe out a long exhale, I’m happy, sad, hopeful, and scared shitless.
:Do everything you fucking can brother, and thank you Doc.
:Congratulations, Daddy. I gotta go, we’ll be in here a couple of hours, get some rest man, I’ll let Charlie Chief know as soon as she’s being wheeled to recovery, turn your Comms off.
I do as Doc says, then look up at Davies, and see he has a small smile on his face, he heard the one sided conversation, but keeps his eyes closed.
“That’s good news, Chief, I can rest now.”
Alexa groans in her sleep then startles awake, she looks worried but also like she’s in pain her face is taught like she’s trying to hold it back.
“Is Mommy, okay?” She asks on a breathy sound.
I wrap my arms gently around her and move her to my chest and tell her, “Mommy is fighting hard, and Doc said it looks like she will be okay, he still has work to do but is more confident now.”
Alexa pulls back from my hold and winces when she grabs my face in her little hands, she lets out a heavy sob, tears streaming down her bruised face.
“I knowed Mommy will be okays, Uncwle Doc wiww fix hew, Daddy. Can I have some medichin, my chwest is huwting more, I’s don’t feel good.”
I reach across to the back wall and press the buzzer, I lower Alexa’s hands gently so as not to move her suddenly.
“Can I have a look at your chest, Princess?”
“Yesh, you needs to see my piwate mark, is so cool.”
She’s trying to be brave but I can tell she’s in a lot of pain with her breathy words, and when I raise her hospital gown the site before me is horrifying to see on her little body. The harness marks are extreme with heavy dark blue and red bruising, fucking hell.
“Chief, go get the doctor now!” I boom.
Charlie Chief moves fast, and Charlotte wakes with a start.
“What is it, is she okay?” Charlotte asks in panic.
“Charlotte, come look at these marks, they don’t look good can you tell if they are they worse than before? “
Charlotte rushes around the bed and takes a look, “There’s no spread, but they’re definitely darker in color, yes. Where is Lily? Did you find her?” Charlotte says looking up with tears in her eyes.
I shift my eyes to Alexa, “Not now, I’ll explain later Alexa needs us.”
A team of medical staff rush into the room to check on Alexa,
“Can I lift your cool fatigue gown, Alexa?” I like this dude already, asking a woman for permission shows a sign of respect and good character, even if she is a little girl.
Alexa nods, “Yesh, tis okay, you can looks at my cool X mawks the spot.”
“Absolutely cool, little lady I just need to check how cool, all the staff are talking about and I want to check it out for myself. They also said you’ve been a very brave little girl,” the doctor says enthusiastically.
“I’s twying but needs more medichin, pwease.” My princess says as her little lip quivers.
The male doctor raises her gown, inspecting her torso, and asks her how bad the pain is from one to ten. He’s pointing to a card attached to his jacket, and Alexa tells him it’s a four, and I know she’s holding back, she’s trying her hardest to be brave but that’s not always a good thing.
“Sir, are you Alexander Harrington?”
“Yes, Sir, is Alexa, okay? Or has her bruising started spreading?”
“Yes, she is okay. She has no internal bleeding and the bruising hasn’t grown, see this line here,” he points out a faint line outlining the bruising which I hadn’t noticed before, “this is marked and is still inside the border. Alexa was extremely lucky and was well cushioned in her child safety seat, which I want the brand and model of too by the way. She will be sore for a while and we will continue to monitor her, but what this little lady needs is some pain relief and rest.”
“Can she have some stronger pain relief, Doc? Alexa is a very brave girl and I think she is masking how bad she is.”
The doctor looks at her and asks, “Alexa, I know you’re being a big brave girl for everyone and you have all these big strong men around, but it’s okay to not be so brave sometimes and do need to tell us when the pain is bad, it’s very important.”
“Am I in twouble?” She asks will tears pooling in her eyes.
“No, sweetheart, but it is always very important to tell a doctor or nurse the truth, we are here to help you.”
“I’s huwting bad, my X mawks the spot is cool but it huwts so bad, I’s sowwy.” Alexa starts crying, and I gently stroke her hair as I hold her close.
“It’s okay, Alexa. Can you tell me the real number, I need to give you the right medicine to help with the pain.”
“Se-seven, I’s wants the pain gawn, pwease.” Alexa cries out.
“Okay, Alexa, I’ll give you some stronger medicine to help with your pain and thank you for telling me the truth.”
It’s breaking my heart that she’s been hiding her pain so she appears brave, she’s learning too much from us frog men and I’m not sure that’s always a good thing. Don’t get me wrong I want to raise a brave, capable little girl so she will grow to become a happy, strong, and accomplished young woman but she also needs to learn to listen to her body.
The doctor addresses me next, “I’ll give Alexa some morphine, she needs relief to heal, it will put her to sleep but at the moment that is what’s best for her.”
“Yes, if she needs it, give it to her and thank you.”
The doctor draws up the morphine into the syringe and injects it into Alexa’s IV cannula bung, and I feel her body relax instantly.
“I love you, Princess, Daddy’s got you,” I whisper as I kiss her forehead.
Alexa is already asleep and I gently lay her onto the bed and pull the blankets up over her. I turn to the doctor and he gives me a run-down of what to expect in the coming days, Alexa’s bruising will intensify before it starts to recede, which I’m well aware of, but the main thing is that she is okay, all her scans came back clear and she has no cognitive impairment. She just needs to heal and that will take time.
The doctor fills me in on Davies condition, and the stubborn man is also hiding the severity of his injuries, it’s a miracle he’s alive. The two brain bleeds were extensive, and he is lucky to still be breathing himself, he is not out of danger and needs to remain resting as much as possible because he has a long road to recovery. That’s going to be a battle in and of itself, but I’m so fucking thankful, they’re both alive and just need time to regenerate their bodies.
I’ve spent the last hour filling Charlotte in on what happened with Lily’s rescue, and what we found upon entering the basement of the fishery.
“Where the fuck is he?” Charlotte’s voice low and deadly.
“The rest of the team have him and are being picked up as we speak, I’m sure he’s in a world of hurt right now, my men are savage when they need to be.”
Charlotte scoffs, “Oh, they fucking need to be, Harrington, I want that cunt to really suffer before you kill him, and I know it will be you who ends him and I’m glad.”
“Yeah, I will do the honors with pride. But he needs to remain alive for now, we need more information on Rob. The three bullet holes I already gave him and the beating I’m sure my boys are doing will keep him real comfortable till his time comes. But it will come Charlotte, and I will make him wish he never laid hands on my angel.” I promise.
“Good, the fucking scumbag deserves everything you’re about to give him, and don’t you let his death tarnish you, he has earned his place in hell.” Charlotte grins wickedly.
To say that Charlotte wants a piece of Trickle would be an understatement. Charlotte is seething mad and shaking she is that fucking riled up, but she also has tears streaming down her face now that she’s said her piece, and I can see her softer side shining through. I am eternally grateful that it was Charlotte’s doorstep Lilly crashed into, Charlotte has been protective and Lily’s strength when she needed it most. Davies would have been called obviously but Lily needed Charlotte by her side too, and I think Charlotte really needed a piece of Lily also.
Charlotte has four of her uncle’s detail manning the entry points to the hospital but I also know that he is a cold man, being a U.S Senator makes a person distant and everything regimented there’s no real affection. I know she lost her parents when she was young and has fought the world alone. I can see that Charlotte really loves Lily just as much as we all do, Lily opened her heart just like she did the rest of us, and she needs to know she is now a part of our family unit, and that we have her back.
“Charlotte, I want you to know you are family now and we have your back.”
Charlotte nods, “Thanks, Harrington, you weren’t getting rid of me anyway, but I do appreciate being welcomed into the fold.”
I laugh because I know she wouldn’t have allowed her Lily to be taken from her, but I sure am glad she is accepting of our family and can see that my angel is happy.