Kacie had been gone for several hours, and Peter was ready to send out a search party by the time Dr. McClanahan reached his room.
"Doctor, have you seen Kacie?" Peter moved restlessly in his bed, wincing as the slowly knitting ribs protested.
"She was in my office awhile earlier today." Picking up the clipboard from its hook at the foot of the bed, he looked at Peter and informed him in a calm voice, "She came down with one of those nasty headaches of hers again."
Peter gasped sharply and winced. "Where-where is she? She's all right, isn't she?"
Continuing his examination of the young man, the doctor went on, "Relax, Peter. I gave her a shot for it and tucked her into a hospital bed for the night."
"You put her in the hospital? Why didn't somebody come and tell me?" He struggled to sit up, and fell back groaning as his chest reminded him that sudden movements were not wise.
"Now that you've learned that lesson..." The doctor eased him back in the bed. "Kacie was worried that you would get upset, so she sent me as a messenger to explain things to you." Making some notations on the chart in his hand, he added, "She said, and I quote, 'I don't want anything to set back his recovery'."
"She worries about me too much, and not enough about herself," Peter fretted.
"Exactly why she's spending the night here. We can keep an eye on her while she keeps an eye on you. She'll be back to see you in the morning. She said to tell you that, too."
Paul and Annie had been sitting silently through the exchange. Finally Annie spoke up. "Doctor, could we go see her? Peter, would you feel better if we checked on her?"
Both men simultaneously answered, "Yes."
Paul stood up. "I'll go, Babe. You stay with Peter." He ruffled his foster son's hair. "I remember Kacie saying something about making sure this one here didn't get any funny ideas. I'm leaving you on guard duty."
"She's in Room 518," McClanahan informed.
Paul nodded his thanks and left the room.
Peter shifted restlessly in his bed. "I hate feeling so helpless," he gritted through clenched teeth. "When can I blow this joint?"
"Don't like our hospitality, eh?" The doctor made a few more notations on Peter's chart. "Well, by the looks of you, I'd say by the end of the week. No sooner."
Peter started to protest, and the doctor halted his words with a raised hand. "You have been bathed in luck so far to have warded off infections and pneumonia, with your injuries being what they were. You had four ribs broken in two places, to say nothing of the punctured lung. The same lung you had problems with when you were shot a year ago. A flail chest is very dangerous, Peter. I'm not sure you understand how close you came to being killed in that accident. Kacie did -- which is probably why she literally worried herself sick over you."
The phone beside the bed rang, and the doctor answered it. A look of surprise crossed his face before he handed the receiver to Peter. "It's for you." {How the hell has she managed to stay awake after the shot I gave her?}
Peter took the phone and held it next to his ear. "Hello?...Honey?...Hi, Sweetheart, are you all right? You sound funny...The doctor said you were sleeping...Yeah, I wanted to hear your voice, too...Yes, I've been good all day...How's your headache?...I wish Pop was here, too...I love you, too, Kace...Kace?...Kacie?...Paul? Dad? What happened?...Fell asleep?...No, that's OK." He smiled mistily and then choked, "I'll kiss her myself in the morning."
McClanahan hung up the phone for Peter. "Satisfied now, young man?"
Peter stared at him searchingly. "You sure she's all right?"
"There's nothing wrong with her that a little time, and a lot of TLC from you, won't take care of," the doctor answered truthfully, even as he thought, {Oh, Son. If you only knew.}
Paul knocked softly on the door to Kacie's room
before entering. She was lying with her back to the
doorway, and he could hear her crying softly.
He sat on the edge of her bed and rubbed her back comfortingly as he spoke. "Not feeling so hot, Kacie?"
She sniffled and spoke in a small voice. "No. I guess everything kinda caught up with me today."
"Peter sent me to check on you. He's getting himself pretty worked up."
"I knew he would. I-I better talk to him. Would you get his room on the phone for me before I fall asleep? I think that shot is finally beginning to take." She rolled over onto her back, but kept her face averted.
"Sure, Baby." He spoke to the hospital switchboard and handed her the phone.
Kacie attempted to compose herself as she waited for the call to ring through. "Peter?...It's me...I'm feelin' kinda woozy from the shot...I couldn't sleep until I heard your voice again...Did you behave today?...It still hurts some. I wish your father was here...I love you, Peter." The drug in her system was finally able to overcome her tormented thoughts, and the receiver dropped from her limp fingers.
Paul picked it up and spoke into it. "Peter?...She's sleeping, Son...You want me to kiss her good night for you?" Paul laughed into the phone. "I thought you might want to take care of that little detail for yourself. I'll be back to see you in a minute."
After he hung up the phone, Paul straightened the covers around Kacie's sleeping figure and tucked her in. He kissed her forehead and murmured, "Sleep well, Baby. It's time for you to take care of you for a change."