Fake Fan Fiction ❯ Redefining Heaven ❯ Tiger or the Lady ( Chapter 2 )

Disclaimer: Fake and all characters relating to Fake are not my intellectually property, I just borrow them. All new characters are the sole property of me and cannot be used in anyway with out my expressed written consent. Don’t sue, I’m poor.   Redefining Heaven   Chapter two: Tiger or the Lady By: Irish   Rated R Warnings: Explicit Language,  graphic violence, adult situations   ~*~*~*~*~*~         &n bsp;     “Mr. McLean?” A younger man in a white lab coat called quietly from the entrance to the waiting room, a clipboard in hand.             &n bsp; “Yes?” Ryo sat up sharply. It had been nearly five hours since they arrived, and Ryo had been dozing against Dee’s shoulder.            &nbs p;  “Can I speak to you? I’m Dr. Weiss.”          &n bsp;             &nb sp; “Of course.” Ryo was on his feet in an instant, grasping Dee’s hand, drawing Dee after him, not that he really needed to, Dee was already on his feet. The doctor spared Dee a glance, but if Mr. McLean wanted him a long, then that was Mr. McLean’s choice.                Hands clasped tightly, like small frightened children, the two followed the doctor down a hall to a small room with five or so chairs.                “Please sit.” the Doctor said, indicating the chairs, identical to the ones they had just been trying to sleep on. They sat in unison, not letting go of each others hands, their eyes wide and glued on the doctor.                “Tell us what’s going on, please Doctor.” Ryo said as the doctor sat down across from them. “Please.”          &nbs p;    “Well Mr. McLean, I have been in the operating room with your sun for the past five and a half hours along with two other doctors. They are still working on him, but we have a better understand of what the damage is, and we have some things we need to discuss with you about his further treatment.” The doctor paused, watching the two men exchange worried glances. The Dark haired one had yet to speak. When no one said anything, Dr. Weiss continued.            &nb sp;  “The trauma to his head was fairly extensive. His brain is swelling. We removed a piece of his skull, to allow it room to swell without pressing against his skull, we also are apply some cool packing techniques to help keep down the swelling. We can’t tell you right now if there has been any permanent damage for sure, but the brutal truth is, his chance of survival right now, combined with his other injuries, is sixty percent at best.” he said gently.                He had expected the lighter one to burst into tears, having him pegged as the ‘woman’ of the two of them, but it was the dark haired one who turned sharply to his lover, bowing his head, a hand coming over his eyes.             &n bsp; Ryo wrapped an arm around Dee, holding him tightly. “Shh baby.” he whispered. “Let the doctor finish.” Ryo returned his attention to the doctor. “Continue please.”             ;   “Um, well.” the doctor cleared his throat, thrown off a bit. Ryo didn’t have a lick of sympathy for him. “If he does survive, there is a high chance that he will suffer lasting damage to his brain. Additionally, he has suffered a lot of other physical trauma. Both arms are broken, luckily neither of them are bad breaks, a couple months in casts should have them back to normal.  All the ribs on his right side had been broken, two punctured his right lung.” The doctor cleared his throat, this was a long list, if this boy made it... it was going to be a miracle. “We’ve repaired his ribs, and inserted a shunt to drain the blood from his right lung. His collar bone has three separate fractures, but again, they should heal with routine medical care.”            & nbsp;  Ryo grew paler as the list went on. Bikky’s spleen had ruptured, tripling his chance for infection, the right side of his face had been put back together, there were lacerations to his liver, his left leg was broken and in traction...            &n bsp;  “- and...” the doctor took a deep breath, as did Ryo, the tone in eh doctors voice bracing him for something terrible, though what could possibly be more terrible then what had already been listed. “His right foot was severed in the accident, from just above the ankle. The limb was recovered, but, the damage to his right leg is so extensive... We will have to completely reconstruct his tibia and most of his fibula, the muscle damage is extensive, nerve and vessel damage... I don’t think there is anyway we can reattach his foot, there is nothing undamaged enough to attach it too. Mr. McLean, it is very likely we will have to perform a trans-femoral amputation, that's from above his knee.” The doctor indicated on his own leg, about three inches above his knee. “Even if we manage to save the leg and by some miracle reattach the foot, it will almost certainly have limited function, it may bear his weight, but he will have a severe limp, very little sensation...”                “What are you saying Doctor?” Dee had finally sat up, his eyes hard on the doctor, feeling like they were getting the run around. “Just say it, nice and simple if you don’t mind.”

     &n bsp;      “Dee...” Ryo chastised weakly.                “It is my professional opinion that the best thing to do for Bikky is to amputate now.” The doctor said evenly. “He is still in surgery, it is better we do it now, then have to put him back under in a couple days. If you choose not to amputate, it is going to be literally dozens of surgeries to not much result. Besides, the likelihood of infection and gangrene is almost probable. Without his spleen, plus all the other physical trauma, a local infection could quickly become systemic.” The doctor paused looking between the men, looking to see how much of this they had absorbed. Their hands, all four of them were tightly clasped. The doctor had seen this before with married couples, married straight couples. Every time he felt like he had pegged down who these men should be, they did something counterintuitive, to the doctor anyway.                “So, basically, we can have you try to reattach a foot that hasn’t been attached for six hours now to a leg that is hamburger-”           &n bsp;   “Dee, please.” Ryo said, turning slightly green, he struggled with his stomach on the job, hear things like that about his son was close to unbearable. Dee didn’t flinch, continuing.            &n bsp;  “- more or less, with what, a seven in ten chance that not only will his leg get infected and have to be amputated, but there is what, at least a five in ten that it will get him sick all over?”            & nbsp;  “That about sums it up.” The doctor nodded, shifting uncomfortably at the blunt speech.                “Now, option B is that we give you the go-ahead to hack his leg off from above the knee, so he can what? Hop around on one leg the rest of his life?”            & nbsp;  “Damnit Dee!” Ryo said a little more sharply. “A little tact, please!”             ;   “Those are the facts Ryo. Just because they aren’t pretty doesn’t change what our choices are.” Dee had finally turned his attention to Ryo. Ryo had released on of Dee’s hands to put a hand to his mouth, feeling his stomach churn. Dee’s free hand rubbed his back tenderly “I’m sorry baby.” he said more quietly. “But we can’t shy away from this.”            & nbsp;      “I know... I know that.” Ryo took a slow deep breath before lifting his eyes once again to the doctor. “What about prosthetics? Didn’t some guy with a prosthetic leg just break the women’s sprinting record?”             ;   “Yes, I don’t remember the gentleman’s name, but yes. One of my colleagues, Dr. Kerry O’Seanaughsey is nationally known for his skill both in performing amputation for the best possible outcome and in helping his patients transition into prosthetic use. I would have you speak with him, but he is currently in surgery with your son, he’s already been trying to repair blood vessels and nerves to lessen tissue damage.”             ;   Dee and Ryo were looking at each other, though they heard the doctor clearly, trying to communicate between them what should be done. It was Ryo who finally looked over at the doctor again.             & nbsp; “Doctor, Bikky is a real active boy, basketball, roller blading, he’s constantly moving. What would be the choice that is most likely to allow him to continue being athletic and active?”             ;   “Amputation. I know it seems counterintuitive, I wish I could better explain the advances in prosthetics, but its not my field. Dr. O’Seanaughsey has made it very clear though, reattachment of the foot is nearly impossible, and the leg, were he able to save it, would be stiff, he would probably need a cane to keep his balance.”           &nbs p;   “Do we have to decide right this second?” Dee asked, his voice a little raspy, he cleared his throat before meeting the doctors eyes.             &n bsp; “No. Bikky will be in surgery for another two hours at least. But I can’t give you more then an hour, and the longer you wait, the less chance there will be of saving the leg or foot if that’s what you decide.”             ;   Dee looked at Ryo, holding his gaze a long moment. They had already reached a decision, Dee was sure of that. He knew what his heart was telling him, and Ryo seemed to agree, but he wanted time, just fifteen minutes. After a moment, Ryo nodded.                “I only need a few minutes doctor.” Dee said, clearing his throat again, glancing at Ryo again. Ryo patted the back of Dee’s hand reassuringly, knowing his lover wanted a few minutes to double check with God. Ryo didn’t understand how Dee felt there was an involved and loving creator in his life, not with all the hardship Dee had suffered, but he had learned not to question it. Dee’s faith was Dee’s faith.             & nbsp; “I need to get back to the operating room. But Nurse Granger will be near by, if you tell her your decision, she will relay it to us in the operating room. We are looking at two to three hours more in surgery. After that, he will be brought to recovery, and someone will come and get you.” The Doctor’s expression suggested that he doubted it would be a decision made in a few minutes. He stood and shook Ryo’s hand. “Mr. McLean.”             ;   “Doctor.” Ryo nodded. There was an awkward pause as the doctor tried to decide if he should acknowledge Dee or not. It was Dee who finally broke the pause, rolling his eyes, he stuck out his hand, not giving the doctor the chance to ignore it.             &nbs p; “Doctor.”          &nbs p;    “Mr... Um, I didn’t catch you name?”            & nbsp;  “You didn’t ask for it. Laytner.” Dee didn’t blink. He knew he had no legal right to be making medical decisions for Bikky, but he also knew that Ryo wanted him here, and that if this Doctor was going to be someone they had to deal with for a while, he had damned well better get used to having Dee around.                “Right, Mr. Laytner.” The doctor shook Dee’s hand, before turning rather abruptly and leaving the room.             &n bsp; Both detectives watch him go, listening as his footsteps fated down the hall, neither moving until the sound had disappeared entirely. Both were on their feet, having stood when the good doctor did. Finally, Ryo touched Dee’s hand, turning to him, waiting until Dee was facing him before he spoke.             & nbsp; “I...” Ryo started, but got no further, a lump the size of a tennis ball knotting in his throat. He felt hot tears fill his eyes, and he dropped his head, taking a deep shuddering breath, trying to regain his composure.            &nb sp;  “No, don’t do that.” Dee said softly, his hands coming to rest on Ryo’s shoulders, drawing him close, against his chest. “Don’t try and be strong.” Dee  wrapped his arms around his lover, holding him close. Ryo didn’t fight it, pressing his face to Dee’s chest, a hand fisting in his t shirt, hot tears flowing from him like fountain as he shuddered with repressed sobs.             &n bsp; Ryo was utterly unaware of time, he felt like his soul had cracked. The doctor had only given Bikky a sixty percent chance of survival, he had made no comment about the likelihood of long term brain damage, but Ryo knew you didn’t have part of your skull taken out and wake up doing algebra logarithms. The idea of Bikky in one of those wheelchairs that tipped back because the person in them was too retarded to sit upright made Ryo almost felt like death was a better option. Bikky would never want to live like that, never. Even if he was perfectly mentally aware, especially if he were. Ryo had seen the kids at Mother’s orphanage, some of them seemed mostly normal, but there were three who couldn’t even chew. Another half dozen that still wet themselves on occasion despite being nearly the same age as Bikky. Bikky, like Dee, had never been the best student, he had his learning challenges, but he wasn’t retarded for Christ sake! Now? Lord only knew.             &n bsp; Dee looked down when Ryo half chuckled, half sobbed, which sounded a little bit like a violent hiccup. Ryo looked up at him, a rueful smile hard and bitter on his face.             &n bsp; “What baby?” Dee asked tenderly, smoothing Ryo’s hair out of his wet face.             &n bsp; “I was just thinking about... about what the head trauma could mean... as far as long term damage. I thought ‘lord only knows’, but that’s what you want to go check on, don’t you? What the Lord knows.”                Dee bit his lip a moment, knowing Ryo had never really been a good Buddhist, and that he and God had agreed to disagree about... just about everything. He knew how bitter faith made Ryo, almost irrational about it, really.                “Yeah baby, I do.”            &nb sp;  “You think He’ll tell you?”            &n bsp;  Dee couldn’t tell if it was a sincere question or not, the cracking warble in Ryo’s voice made it hard to discern sarcasm, but the answer was the same either way.             &nb sp; “When He’s ready.” Dee shrugged a little. There were a lot of things that God never had got around to explaining to him. But God certainly didn’t have to answer to the likes of him.             &nb sp; Ryo sighed and nodded, smoothing Dee’s shirt where he had bunched it in his hand. “Okay, koi, okay. I understand. Well, no I don’t, but what matters is that you do.” He took another deep breath, continuing to straighten and smooth Dee’s shirt, though after a full days work, five hours in plastic hospital chairs, and Ryo’s abuse of it, the only thing that was going to get the wrinkles out was a hot iron and a bottle of starch water.             & nbsp; “Thank you.” Dee said softly, smoothing Ryo’s hair again. “Are you okay, for a few minutes anyway, I won’t be long.”            & nbsp;  “Yeah, yeah, I’m going to go wash my face, take off my tie, try and not feel like I’ve been wearing the same clothes for-” he paused to check his watch “- fourteen hours.”                “All right.” Dee bent and kissed Ryo’s forehead. Ryo caught the back of his neck gently, not letting Dee draw away, capturing his lips briefly for a tender kiss.             &n bsp; “I love you.” he whispered, resting his forehead against Dee’s            &n bsp;  “I love you too.” Dee whispered back, kissing him once more before straightening. “We will get through this.”            & nbsp;  “We always do.” Ryo agreed, watching his lover. “We’ve got that whole teamwork thing down to a science.”           &nbs p;   “Sure do.” Dee smiled a little. “Thank God for that. I will be right back.”            & nbsp;  Ryo nodded, waving Dee off, watching him leave, listening to him walk down the hall as he had the doctor. Once he was sure Dee was well down the hall, he stepped out of the room as well, heading to the men’s room to wash up.         Arthur’s Note: So if I had any self control what-so-ever I would stretch out chapter postings a little, you know, doing one a week or whatever, but I figure especially since this is only a couple chapters, I should get a chunk of it out there so you all are nice and addicted before I start spacing things out a bit :D I do have the next chapter done, but I am going to try really hard to hold it until next Thursday. Keep watching!