Private - Tracey and me only

As Jamie got there, the nurses woke him up again, warily. Chad opened his eyes, looking grumpy and exhausted, then noticed Jamie as his eyes focused. "Hey, baby," he said, opening his arms for her. "Told you I'd be okay," he yawned.

She nodded and hesitantly hugged him, she didn't want to hurt him.

He kissed her cheek softly. "You won't hurt me, hun. Not if you don't touch my leg. Come lay down with me. I need some sleep."

"I thought you said you cracked a few ribs..." she said gently sitting on the edge fo the bed.

"Just a couple. They don't hurt, honey, I'm fine. Just really tired. Bed's uncomfortable and the damn nurses keep waking me up every forty five minutes," he griped.

She got in next to him and laid her head by his being careful not to hurt him.

He took her hand and kissed it, then her lips softly as he closed his eyes, holding her hand in his.

She smiled and laid there with him watching him sleep, thanking god he was okay.

A nurse came in, then blinked, seeing the young girl in bed with her sleeping patient. "Should I come back later," she asked in a whisper. "We've got his papers ready to release him, whenever he's ready."

When he wakes up would be best." she said quietly "He needs his rest."

The nurse nodded and put the papers on his tray. "I'll leave them here for you. There are prescriptions in that stack of papers for him to get. Pain meds and antibiotics," she explained quietly. "Just come to the desk and get us when you're ready to go," she smiled softly and left.

Jamie nodded reaching over to the where she put them ans started to look them over quietly.

Chad woke up after a couple hours and sighed. "Hey," he kissed her cheek. "I thought I was dreaming when you walked in," he chuckled softly.

She woke up a little after dozing off "Yeah, I'm here." she said kissing him back.

"Didn't mean to wake you up," he yawned, feeling stiff. He couldn't move very well, though.

"Oh no, thats alright." she said gently sitting up and stretching. "You want to leave now? All I have to do is check you and stuff."

He nodded. "Yeah... Where's Hope," he asked, rubbing his face to wake himself up more.

"She's at the dorm with my roomate." she said gently.

He nodded and called the nurse it, telling her he was ready to go home when she came in. The nurse nodded and went to go get him a wheelchair and a pair of crutches. "Since his ribs are cracked, he'll have to use a wheelchair for a while. About a month, then he can switch to crutches," she said when she came back.

Chad groaned but otherwise didn't complain as she unhooked the annoying IV and helped him into the wheelchair so he could get dressed in the bathroom.

Jamie sat there patiently waiting on the edge of the bed while he dressed. Being in a wheelchair for a month, that wasn't good. He wouldn't be able to go to work or anything. She'd have to take care of him and Hope. She sighed burrying her head in her hands. She still had to go to school. She needed to. She groaned a little and fell back on the bed realizing who she'd have to contact for help.

Chad came back out, not wanting to think about the sudden realization of the cost of the hospital bill or the cost of the insurance on his car. He looked up at Jamie and took her hand. "Ready, babe," he asked softly. "You okay to drive?"

"Yeah..." she said sitting up and hopped off the bed putting a smile on her face, pretending for a second that the situation she knew she'd have to encounter in the next few hours wouldn't be comming for a few years yet. She kissed his head and started to wheel him down to the elevator.

He put his hand over hers, holding onto her hand gently as they go out to the car to go home. He didn't want to be completely dependant on jamie and stress her out, but as of now, he really didn't have a choice...

She opened the door and helped him into the front seat carefully. Afterwords she folded up the wheelchair, took the crutches and put them in her trunk. Before she closed it she lingered there just thinking how in the world she'd approach her parents about this.

He pulled the seatbelt over his chest and inced as he buckled it, the way his body turned hurt his ribs. He sighed, leaning back in the seat. He just wanted to get home and sleep, holding Hope or Jamie. Maybe both his girls.