vigorli

Title: ONCE
Author: obvmluver
Type: RPS
Pairing: Orlando/Viggo
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: These events never happened. I get no profit from this.
Beta: Not betaed
Summary: Orlando falls ill. Can he and Viggo survive through it together?
Author’s Notes: I read a wonderful story in the 90s that was in the Reader’s Digest. I can never thank the real people behind the original story enough. Send feedback to my address. Thanks.

I have a surprise for you coming... Not necessarily in this chapter but...Yeah... :D

On Tuesday evening Orli asks me to go and have a bath with him. “Warm water feels so nice.” I’m very happy as I prepare everything. I love those moments we share in a steamy bathroom. Sick Orli lies in the tub being skinny but oh, so beautiful. He whimpers as a soft knock hits the door. “Who’s there?” I ask. “Susan Marshall.” “Vig! Let her in.” Orli urges. This is Susan’s last day on our ward before she goes to work on the Intensive Care Section. Although she has promised to come and see us every day Orli doesn’t like her leaving. I open the door and ask: “Shouldn’t you be at home with your husband?” “He’ll come late and I just knew you’d like some tea.” She hands me a cup of mint tea and sits on the floor. We marvel at Orli’s new skin. The atmosphere is high. Then Susan strokes Orli’s baldy head and says: “Good night.” To us. I escort her to the corridor where we embrace each other in a hug. “I know that the worst is over” she says. “I believe so.” “Lift me up!” Orli yells. “Yes, your Highness.” I say in a singsong voice. Susan and I hug once more and huge tears of happiness run our cheeks between our laughter.
On Wednesday Orli suffers nonetheless. His diarrhea is really bad and we need a bedpan. I’m so afraid. Doctors stand outside our door their expressions very serious and they are studying Orlando’s files. They are not coming in this morning so I grab Ralph’s sleeve and pull him aside. “What do they think? I’m so scared.” “We’ll do everything we can. I wish I could assure you that everything’s fine but I’m not sure.” Those familiar cold waves are shaking me as dr. Jackson places his hand on my shoulder and says: “I’d like to talk with you two.” Orli smiles at his favourite doctor. “How are you, mister? You seem a bit tired today. You’ll get through it. I will make a weeklong trip to the St. Jude Hospital in Memphis. I hope you’ll take everything easy.”
I call Beanie using a payphone so Orlando won’t hear me. I’m desperate. “Everything is so messed up!” I cry. “Orli is in a bad shape, very bad shape.” “He can’t be! Yesterday you were so happy. You told me that Orlando has gotten over the worst.” “I was wrong!” I say crying. “Vig, I’m worried about you. You can’t help Orli if you are not able to pull yourself together. I’ll come over.” “You don’t have to. We’ll manage somehow.” After the call I head back to Orli. BJust before I go to the shower dr. Hoshi crouches next to Orli’s bed. “I’ll make for you.” He whispers and pulls out a piece of paper. He folds it and it resembles a bird. “These bring good luck in my country.” “Thanks. This is beautiful.” “Maybe this is even more” dr. Hoshi laughs and hands Orli a small, skilfully made kangaroo. “His name is dr. Jackson, by the way. Rest now.” Tonight we don’t sleep. Orli is restless and urinating is painful. There are only four nurses on the nightshift and Orli fills the bedpans faster than his urine can be tested.
On Thursday Orlando needs a platelet transfusion. It is a completely new hit to our faces. The quality of Orli’s blood has stayed stable – a positive sign according to dr. Jackson.
It is Saturday. “Orlando’s temperature started to rise at 4:00 AM and his blood pressure is low,” Karen, who has been awake and watched Orli the whole night, says. “The doctor will be here soon.” Beanie comes. I sit next to Orli while Beanie talks in the bathroom. “Oh, Vig, I’m dying.” He whispers sadly. “No, darling. This is just another hard phase like we’ve seen in the past. We have survived this far. We are tough.” Then he says in a calm and fearless voice: “No, Vig. I really feel I’m dying. I really am.” Shush. Don’t talk like that.” I say to him. He smiles at me and closes his eyes.
Elijah and Sean arrive just when Karen is whirling around Orli. Beanie is shaving and I dress up. “My hair looks hideous. I’ll go and shower. Won’t take long.” I say as if we’d be at home.
As I return a medical student looks like he doesn’t know what to do an Orli throws up again. I position myself beside Orli and I look into his wise brown eyes. I realize his cheeks are red again. Hos breathing is quick and shallow. I sit there and think of things. Doctor Niebrugge is talking with Beanie and dr. Nugent is standing at the end of Orli.s bed. “Hi, Orlando. We need to X-ray you. We will give you oxygen so you’ll breath easier.” “Does he have a pneumonia?” I ask whispering. “It’s possible.” Dr. Nugent answers. “But his colour is good.” I say placing my hand on Orli’s cheek. “I’d wish that the blood in his cheeks would run in that place it belongs to.” The doctor says. “We will give him Dopamine to make his blood pressure higher.” As nurses settle the X-ray machine Beanie and I stand next to Orli.
I take his clothes off for the X-ray, put a lead apron on and I move him to every position needed. Then the oxygen tanks are brought in. In the middle of all this Orli suddenly asks: “How did you know to come?” He means Susan. “I didn’t but I’m glad I came.”
Suddenly Orlando starts to cough and the bowl I hold under his jaw is filled with blood. His eyes fly open from amazement. “He needs platelets. Quickly!” Dr. Nugent says. Nurse Marshall runs away to order them. Orli is hiccupping small amounts of blood and I wipe his face. “We have to move him to the Intensive Care.” “We have to give him antibiotics. There were no sings of pneumonia in the tests but something is wrong and we have to try to cure it.” “Vig! I’m scared!” “What scares you? The Intensive Care Section? Or that what will happen in there?” He just looks at me into my eyes. “Honey…” I caress his hand. “I will be right beside you. Remember that whatever happens, you’ll be safe.” “I know, Vig.” He says and smiles at me. That beautiful and radiating smile soon turns into a sad grimace and he closes his eyes. Orli is still hiccupping blood and I wipe his mouth. “Vig, I don’t feel pain anymore.” He says being surprised. “I feel fine!” Finally dr. Nugent says: “The Intensive Care is ready.”

I work with the curtains when new nurses plug Orli in the machines. Beanie is standing on the other side of the bed. Dr. Nugent is listening to Orli’s lungs. The anesthetist starts to make preparations. Orli opens his eyes and his weary eyes scan the Fellowship. “Don’t worry about me.” He says. “I am safe now.” Then he closes his eyes again. “May I ask you to move?” the anesthetist asks. I step aside as she cuts Orli’s skin. Buzzers start to howl and I run to Beanie. I realize that people are walking past me and pushing me out of the room. I look back at Orli. He lies there naked, only grey boxers on. I break down. I see the nurses shut the machines. His journey has ended.