Danica's POV
I awoke with a start. Rodger was cradling me in his arms and bright lights were shining into my eyes as medics were poking at my wounds.
"Fuck… this must be hell." I swatted away the hands touching my shoulder and tried to sit up. I swayed slightly and placed a hand to my head as I fell back into Rodger's embrace. I felt warmer than normal and hurt all over like every fiber of my being had been smacked with a hammer then stretched like taffy on a hook.
"Banshee, how are you feeling?" I looked to the woman that spoke her face was one of sheer shock and terror as she finished wrapping a bandage around my arms where the Gatekeeper had sliced me. I winced.
"Like I was just pummeled by a wrecking ball…" My stomach lurched and I began to gag. The woman grabbed a bucket and offered it to me. I began to puke my guts up and could taste blood. After a while nothing else but bile began to come up.
"Take a few deep breaths." Rodger stroked my back. I winced and another round of vomiting took over. The woman that was attending to me waved for her team members to pass her a box as they finished with the dressings. As it was presented to her, the lid open, she pulled out a little bottle and snapped the plastic seal open. She gently tilted my head back.
"Drink this." She squirted it into my mouth and it felt like ice. With no energy left to fight her I did and felt a shiver settle into my stomach. "It's going to hurt like hell for the next ten minutes, but it'll stop you vomiting and boost your healing ability's a hundred-fold in that time." I winced as the strange cold took over me and I began to shiver uncontrolably. I looked up as more paramedics rushed in and ran over to the other side of the ring where others were working on the Bulldog.
"Fuck that… is he still alive?" Rodger smirked.
"Bearly... If he can make it through the night his chances will improve. If he makes it through the weekend, then he should live." I nodded.
"Why did that spell end?" Rodger smirked.
"The crowd voted to cancel the match." He looked to the paramedics that worked on me. "Can we move her from the ring now?" The woman frowned.
"I'd prefer her to wait ten minutes before moving to the gurney…" I winced and shook my head slowly.
"I'd rather be out the ring… I'll get myself to the gurney." With a wince I rolled onto my side then up onto my knees and I could hear the gasp from the crowd.
"Like hell you will." I felt the world shift as Rodger scooped me up. Slowly he began to walk to the ring side and ducked through the gate. I gave a wave to the crowd with my better arm and there was an eruption of wild cheering. My eyes went to the balcony, and I saw two little faces jumping for joy as Dean waved and cheered next to them.
As we stepped out the ring Bella took me from Rodger and put me onto the gurney. She ran her hands around my head and neck and nodded.
"Anything too painful?" I winced and gave her a look. "Where I'm touching babe. I'll put a collar on you if you don't answer." I winced.
"I think this is my least damaged area…" She slipped me around and I reluctantly let my legs and hips be tied to the gurney as someone adjusted the back to meet me as I definitely didn't want to lay flat.
I was wheeled away towards Rodger's section in a flurry of twinkling lights as various people snapped pictures all the while Bella stuck to me like glue. As I was wheeled to the medical room I could see the small team of eight set up trays and swabs.
I felt two people begin to open and unwrap my ankle wrappings and bandages before a warm wet cloth was moved over my broken left foot.
"Not the mask." Bella shouted as others began to work on my arms. "Leave it on for now." The man closest my head nodded and went to get a few things from a cupboard. Bella sighed and watched as my blackened skin was wiped. "Fuck, you must hurt…" I caught a glance of myself in the reflective surface of a kidney dish and winced.
"Yeah… it's manageable as long as I don't move." There was a strange buzz of conversation as the rest of the medical team around me worked and I felt someone cut away at my shorts and underwear then move up to my top. I heard the fabric rip as it was pulled away. It was not the first time I lay naked on a treatment table like this, but it had been years since I was this badly hurt. I felt warm water begin to wash over me as someone turned the little shower hose on.
My right leg was lifted up and off the gurney. After a few seconds I felt it settle into a cradle and warm water splashed on me. A gentle hand wiped a cloth over my darkened skin and I could feel the water running to my hips. There was a gasp, I tried to move my head to see what had happened but couldn't, my energy was spent and I lay looking into the kidney dish.
"What?" the man who had been washing my right leg grinned.
"Your leg's in good shape… there are a few little burns and a lot of bruising but… Your wounds look like they will be closed by tomorrow." One of his colleagues walked to his side to inspect my right leg and hip, her fingers running firmly over my skin as she felt at my bones. I winced slightly but heard positive news.
"You just need a few stitches, and this leg is done." Bella waved a hand.
"I'll do that. How about you see to her other leg. That was the one crushed by that monster." The woman nodded as one of the medical team members left the room. I looked around.
"I thought there were more paramedics around me?" Bella smiled as the man handed the hose over to a person on the other side of the table and began to pat dry my leg.
"Yeah, but since you're in a better position than we first thought the others went to assist with the Bulldog." She snapped on a set of gloves then prepared the first stitch. "Goddess knows how he's still alive after that beating…" I nodded and winced as she worked to place the stitches in my leg.
"He's a tough nut to crack." She giggled and placed the next stitch then covered that area with a wound dressing.
"Indeed. Just like you." She worked quickly to close the rest of the little wounds with paper stitches then gave my leg a final glace over before wrapping it in a towel. "I don't have anything else to keep you warm. We also still need you naked until we finish your examination." I gave her a smirk.
"Why Bella, I didn't know you wanted to sneak a peek." There was a chuckle as someone began to feel my belly with a firm roll of their hand.
"She's still got a sense of humour. Good sign." The man with his hand on my stomach nodded. "I can feel a little fluid in there but no air." He began to press down the sides of my ribs. "Anything here worse than the surrounds?" I shifted to allow him to pat up into my armpits.
"Yeah… to the left." His hands slipped down again and when I winced he nodded.
"I can feel two broken ribs." The examination and treatment went on for another fifteen minutes and slowly one by one the size of the team shrank to three, one paramedic two nurses one of them Bella.
The woman who had treated me in the ring pulled another little bottle out of her medical bag and placed it to my lips.
"I can give you one more of these today and something to help you get a little sleep. This will increase the healing potential of your body." I opened my mouth a little and she squirted the same strange cold feeling liquid into my mouth.
Derick's POV
We were driving to the hotel and the boys were still hyper from the match. Seeing the Banshee sit up in the ring, albeit with help, had put everyone in better spirits. Since the Banshee's match was so destructive the last match of the night had to be postponed for another day. An announcement had also been given naming the Banshee the winner.
After a short celebration a strange tall guy had come to escort us to the exit. He barely spoke much after giving us the explaination that Rodger was busy dealing with the fallout from the wildcard and the match cancellation. He had also confirmed that the Banshee was going to recover.
We arrived at the hotel I parked in our reserved spot. After a short walk to the reception, we went directly to the Alpha's sweet. We took the VIP elevator that needed our room key to access our floor at the very top. Once inside I felt like a wait had been lifted from my shoulders and my strength began to fade.
"Anyone hungry?" I looked around. "I could go for Chinese food." The boys giggled and shouted out their orders. I grabbed the phone on the wall and called reception to put in an order and have all the food delivered to the main room. Jeff yawned and gave a little stretch.
"I will get a shower." He turned and walked down the hall to one of the side rooms. I took a sniff and sighed.
'Fuck it, I'll shower in the morning.' I looked to the boys as they ran around crazy with Mathew. 'Tomorrow…' I thought and relaxed sitting onto the couch and letting myself flop. I looked to the other's then frowned as Dean kept his phone in his hand.
"Waiting for someone to call?" He looked up startled by my question.
"Something like that." He rubbed his neck. "I'm going for a shower." I nodded.
"Jeff's already in bedroom two." He nodded and waved over his shoulder as he walked away down the corridor. I turned when I heard a thump and frowned. Mathew was now on the floor. "Oi you lot! Be careful. I don't want to have to take you to the hospital." The boys looked up.
"Do you think the Banshee is there?" I frowned.
"Even if she is you'd end up in the children's ward nowhere near her." Their faces fell and Mathew gave a giggle.
"Turning into little stalkers already." He sighed. "Just like their dad." I frowned as the boys questioned him.
"What do you mean?" He pushed himself up and into a sitting position.
"Well, it took your dad six months of following your mother before he finally had the nerve to ask her out. That was before the mate bond happened." Aden nodded and looked at me.
"You liked mum even before the mate bond?" I nodded and he jumped up onto my knees then lay his head on my chest as he hugged me. "You should talk to Danica… she makes me feel better when I think about mum." I bit my lip. She would be the last person I wanted to talk to about that sort of thing. Her telling off came back to my mind and I clenched my jaw.
There was a knock on the door and Chad opened it. The hotel staff came inside the large open lounge area pushing a cart filled with food.
"Just leave it here." Chad said and tipped the staff. They nodded and did as he asked then retreated quickly. He looked through the plates then set the boys up at the dining table with two heaped portions. I watched as they ate like starved animals then took my plate as Chad brought it over to me. Everything I had ordered had been scooped onto it. I ate then saw Jeff returning wearing only a towel.
"Oh food!" He went to the cart to get a plate ready, but Shawn stopped him making him sit with the boys. I smirked.
"I'll get you a plate dad, now sit down." Defeated Jeff sat at the table with a mutter.
After dinner I tucked the boys into their beds and, as soon as their heads touched the pillows, they were out like little lights. I sighed and retreated to my room. Sitting on the large bed I frowned. A wave of sorrow rolled over me. This was the first time I had stayed in this room since Lily had died. I lay on the bed looking at the roof as waves of sorrow passed over me. I thought of Lisa and the tingles I got then Danica. I frowned in annoyance and rolled over hugging a pillow close.
'Why does it have to be so complicated?' I heard Murfy whine. Alone in the bed I let a long sigh leave my lips and I rolled over onto my back. After what seemed like hours, I finally fell into a dreamless sleep.