Kristopherson declines comment on cold case investigation, says "even dead people have a right to privacy".
Health problems cause almost half of all relationships to end.
Luca could not believe Sario had brought him to the hospital. He wanted out, and he wanted out now. Immediately. As soon as humanly possible.
But the pain had a different agenda. Any time he tried to sit up or even just lay comfortably, a sharp stab straight through his gut sent him curling up and whimpering like a kicked puppy. It hurt so bad he could barely process the fact that Sario never left his side, even when Noah said it might be better if he did.
His stupid, stubborn husband.
Luca finally gave up ignoring Sario and gripped the hand he had not stopped offering. He was soaked in tears and sweat, surrounded by doctors and nurses who all had the same pinched expression on their faces, and stuck in a loop of pain that had lasted multiple hours at this point. He could not get much lower.
Finally, Noah came back in after running tests. "Can you lay on your back?" he asked gently, motioning for all but one nurse to leave the room.
Luca tried. He really did. But it hurt so much and he was so exhausted.
Sario's hands carefully helped, even though Sario winced every time a new tear streaked down Luca's face.
Noah plugged something in and then settled an already warm heating pad on Luca's stomach. He pulled one of Luca's knees up so his foot was flat on the bed and motioned for Sario to do the same on the other side. "I think this will calm the pain for now. Give it a couple minutes."
Luca felt so weak and lightheaded that he just shut his eyes. He did not even have the strength to clench his jaw when the pain rose like a wave. But then it subsided. Slowly. Like an ebbing tide. Still flaring every once in a while, but less and less painful each time. He exhaled shakily, letting out a breath he had not realized he was holding. He opened his eyes again and stared up at the vaguely fuzzy ceiling.
"Better?" Noah asked softly.
Luca nodded.
Before he could say anything, Sario snapped, "What the hell is going on? And don't tell me you don't have answers! You know something, so spit it out!" Well then. Sario could get heated and defensive and protective. It was kind of hot.
Noah sighed. "I do know some things for certain. His bloodwork is clean. It's not a toxin or anything like that doing this. When we did a scan…" He hesitated.
"What?" Sario demanded. "What about the scan?"
Luca tiredly ran his thumb over Sario's knuckles. "Do you think we could keep the volume down, babe?"
Sario instantly clammed up, though it was likely more from the shock of Luca calling him babe than his actual request.
Noah sighed again. "The scan showed extreme damage to the uterus and connecting nerves. My guess is the pain flares up with the arrival of a heat, since your body is trying to get ready to have a baby but you're…incapable at the present moment."
Luca shut his eyes again. He had known he was damaged physically, but he had assumed the pain came from his—
Fuck. That was probably what had messed everything up.
"I'd say it comes from extreme physical trauma, both external and internal," Noah continued. "This sort of damage usually only occurs after a violence-induced miscarriage."
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
Luca kept his eyes shut. He did not want to deal with whatever quizzical expression was currently on Sario's face.
But Sario just kept holding his hand and spoke to Noah in a quiet voice. "Okay, is there some sort of treatment option?"
"Yes. Surgery," Noah replied bluntly. "It would be at least two, possibly three, surgeries to repair all the damage. Allowing for adequate healing in between each surgery, that's almost a year-long treatment. It is the only option, since I would not recommend going back on suppressants. They've done far more damage than good, especially to the nerves and lymphatic system."
This day just kept getting worse.
"For now, though, just let him rest here for a while. The shortest turnaround would be tomorrow morning, though I'd recommend staying here for the duration of the heat. Then we can monitor him and construct the most accurate surgery and recovery plan."
"Okay." Sario's voice was strangely husky. "Thanks, Noah."
Noah must have nodded because then his and the nurse's footsteps went out the door and the door clicked shut behind them.
All was silent for several minutes except for the beeping of the machines hooked up to Luca's body. Then Sario said softly, "I know you're awake. If you don't want to talk, just say so. I don't know what to do when you close your eyes and shut me out."
Luca cautiously opened his eyes and looked over at Sario. "I know what you're thinking," he began, the words ridiculously hard to get out for some reason. "I—"
Sario gently interrupted him. "No, Luca, you don't know what I'm thinking. I know how that brain of yours works. You always think people think the worst of you. You think everyone sees you as weak and pathetic. That's not what I'm thinking. That's not what I see you as."
"So you know what I'm thinking, but I don't know what you're thinking? That seems unfair." Luca was so tired that his voice had zero bite to it.
Out of nowhere, Sario's hands pushed Luca's sweaty hair back from his forehead.
Luca was surprised with how much he liked the feeling of Sario's fingers running through his hair. And he was too wiped to maintain a facade of dignity. "Keep doing that please."
Sario blinked, looking as shocked as Luca felt, but obediently continued carding his fingers through Luca's hair.
Luca closed his eyes and enjoyed the sensation. "I might fall asleep."
"Go ahead." Sario's voice was a cross between stunned and affectionate. "I'll stay right here."
So he did. The hours of pain made it easy to slip into sleep once he was comfortable again.
When he woke up, Sario's fingers were still tracing a path against his scalp. The instant Sario saw he was awake, he visibly brightened. "Hey," he greeted, still keeping his voice down, "how're you feeling now?"
Luca lifted a hand to scrub the sleepiness from his eyes. "I'm okay. I'm not in pain right now."
"Did you sleep okay?"
He nodded. It was true. He had not even been disturbed by a single bad dream.
"Good." Sario's whole body seemed to deflate with relief at the confirmation. "It's morning, so we could technically go home if you want or we could stay til the end of your heat and they'd monitor you and stuff and do the first surgery immediately afterward. If we went home, we'd have to come back for more tests and then again for the surgery. But it's whatever you feel most comfortable doing."
Luca had reached up and patted Sario's cheek before he realized what he was doing. "You're so sweet." Damn, who was this alternate persona coming out? He quickly jerked his hand back and stared down at the white sheet covering his body. "I'd rather go home. But it's smarter to just stay here and get it over with."
"You don't have to be a martyr about it," Sario replied after a moment of recalibration. "Do what's best for yourself, even if it might not seem like the logical choice. This isn't about logic."
Luca flexed one foot and then the other. "And I'm saying that I'd rather err on the side of logic. You need to go back to school tomorrow, and you won't go if you have to take care of me. I'll be taken care of here, so you don't have to worry. I'll stay here," he added firmly, seeing Sario about to protest. "End of discussion."
Sario pouted at Luca's harsh tone like he was a kid instead of the husband. "Fine." He sighed. "I did say it was your decision. But you can't stop me from coming back here at night."
"I can and I will," Luca retorted. "You have homework to do, and you need sleep. You're not coming back here to spend the night. Focus on yourself. I'll be fine." And he was fine. Until Sario was gone and the pain came back and there was no steady hand he could hold.
Fortunately, the nurses caring for Luca had been given instructions by Noah, and the pain soon went away, but it left him utterly worn out and close to tears.
Sario came by every day, despite Luca's fierce insistence that he go home and do his homework like a responsible student. He brought snacks with him every time, as if he knew Luca could not be mad at him when presented with a handful of chocolate. He left soon after dinner, always looking reluctant to get up and walk out. But he did. And then came back the next day after class had ended.
It lasted five days, and then they were doing some last tests and scans before a mask was placed over his nose and mouth and he dropped back into darkness.