Recovery: Chapter 13 - Change & Acceptance

[aviv_b_artwork]

RATING:  PG for language
CHARACTERS: Ianto, Owen, Martha; OCs-Saundra Bennett, Kelly O'Hara
WORDS: ~ 1820
SUMMARY:  Ianto transitions to the UNIT rehab center

Life can either be accepted or changed.  If it is not accepted, it must be changed.  If it cannot be changed, then it must be accepted (unattributed).

It was mid September when Ianto made the transition to UNIT’s London medical facility. Owen drove him over on a rainy Saturday afternoon. 

 

“I thought we should get you settled a couple of days prior to your surgery. If all goes well, they’ll do the lab workups on Monday and you’ll have surgery first thing on Tuesday. I’ll be staying over in London until after your surgery, OK?

 

Ianto nodded.

 

“Hey what’s the matter? You don’t seem like yourself today.”

 

‘Owen, I’m tired. Tired of being in pain, tired of not sleeping, tired of everything. I just don’t know how much more of this I can take.’

 

Owen didn’t know what to say. Ianto had appeared to go through everything without being much bothered, but obviously his stoic persona was covering up a lot of trauma.

 

“Why didn’t you say anything, if you were in pain and not sleeping?”

 

‘I’m afraid to sleep, every time I close my eyes, I can hear the screams and the Cybermen and the Daleks.’

 

“Ianto, you should have told me, you need to tell me things like this.”

 

Ianto sighed. He reckoned he should have told Owen, but Owen was clearly stretched to his limits and he didn’t want him to have more to worry about.

He shook his head at Owen.

 

“Don’t say you shouldn’t, I’m the doctor coordinating your care; I can’t help you if you won’t let me.” Owen could see that Ianto was almost in tears. That wasn’t the Ianto he knew…he must be having a really bad day. Best not to push him too hard.

 

They arrived at the facility and were directed to the long term care wing. They were met there by a patient care coordinator and the Brigadier’s attaché. Kelly O’Hara, the patient care coordinator explained that while the facility was designed on the typical hospital model, with rooms designed for short term inpatient care that the long term care wing was set up to care for patients who needed multiple surgeries or extensive rehab.

 

“We try to make it a little less like a hospital room and a little more like a guest room.” 

 

The room wasn’t bad. It actually looked a lot like a modest hotel room. A single queen size bed, a dresser and nightstand, a small table and two chairs and a TV armoire were the only furniture in the room. Owen smiled when he saw how the bed still had movable side bars that were hidden by the colorful bedding and floral comforter. A walk-in shower stall, sink and commode were in a separate room.

 

“Look Ianto, there’s a mini-fridge.”

 

‘I was actually hoping for a mini-bar.’

 

Kelly laughed. “We get a surprising number of requests for that. Sorry, alcohol and painkillers are generally a bad combination. I’ll leave you to get settled and I’ll be back later to go over your charts, OK, Ianto?

 

Ianto nodded. After Kelly left, Owen helped Ianto unpack. Ianto looked exhausted and Owen sat him down on the bed, pulled his shoes off and urged him to lie down. He didn’t want to in front of the Brigadier’s attaché, but Saundra put him at ease.

 

“You might as well get used to me; I’m going to be here with you a lot. So if there’s anything you want or need, you tell me. Dr. Harper won’t be here indefinitely so I’m going to be your advocate for as long as you’re here.”

 

They were interrupted by a knock from outside the room. “Come in,” Owen yelled. In walked Martha Jones. She took one look at Ianto and realized that Ianto was not his usual upbeat self. She went over and gave Ianto a hug and sat on the edge of the bed.

 

“Someone’s looking a bit off today. What’s the matter, don’t hold back.” Ianto sighed and brought back up the text he had typed for Owen earlier. “How bad is the pain, Ianto? On a scale of one to ten…”

 

‘7’

 

“That’s high, this is worse than usual.” Ianto nodded.

 

“Right, let me make a few calls and see what we can give you without throwing your surgery off track. I’ll be back just as soon as I can. Hopefully with some drugs.”

 

Owen approached Ianto’s bed and sat down. “Why didn’t you tell me you were in so much pain? You’ve never noted a number as high as seven since the first weeks you were in the hospital.”

 

‘They told me at the hospital they couldn’t give me anything more so I didn’t think there was any point in asking. I didn’t want to be a bother.’ 

 

Owen didn’t know what to do. Hug him and tell him he was brave, shake him and tell him he had to speak up, or maybe he and Ianto should just have a good cry together. Fortunately, he was saved by Martha coming back in with some medication and a glass of water.

 

“We’re in luck. I’ve got some different pain killers approved. They’re pretty strong but short lasting. You’ll be able to have them through tomorrow night.”

 

Ianto took the pills and within minutes the medication began to kick in. He tried to reach over to get his phone off the nightstand but missed by several inches. He tried again and managed to knock the phone onto the floor.

 

“Oi look who’s stoned,” Owen teased. Ianto didn’t respond. He gazed at the nightstand for another minute, slid down on the bed and closed his eyes.

 

Owen, Martha and Saundra quietly left Ianto’s room. Martha noted that Ianto really looked worse than the last time she had seen him. Thinner, tired, unhappy. Owen agreed and explained that the pain and long recovery were taking their toll on Ianto’s attitude.

 

“I think he’s just getting worn out from everything. On the drive over, he questioned whether it even worth going on. I don’t think he’s a suicide risk, but I think the reality of how hard everyday life is going to be for him even with optimal results is finally sinking in.”

 

Saundra had given some thought to Ianto’s present circumstances. “I think what Ianto needs is some friends his own age. You know, someone to play cards with, to talk to about whatever young men talk about, watch videos, that kind of stuff. Since Charlie died, he’s really not had any friends.”

 

“Just don’t be asking me to sneak any tall, leggy blonds in here, OK?”

 

Saundra laughed. “No, I think it’s a bit too soon for that, but I do know some young men who I think would get along well with Ianto. Dr. Harper, I have a son who is in his late twenties and just finished his second tour in Afghanistan. He has a shrapnel wound in his leg and is just getting back into a normal routine. He still comes here twice a week for therapy.  And the Brigadier has two sons, one in his mid-twenties and the other just turned thirty who are very outgoing, smart, spend a fair amount of time chasing girls, and are generally still giving their father grief.”

 

“Sounds perfect. Just what Ianto needs. Guys to take him drinking and hitting on girls.”

 

“You know Owen,” Martha said carefully, “it may be just what Ianto needs.” Owen thought she was daft. “No really. He needs to be 24 years old, do stupid stuff that young men do, drink too much occasionally, chat up some girls, fall in love and get his heart broken. To feel alive. He’s just existing now, not really living. And I’m pretty sure Saundra wouldn’t be recommending Hamilton’s sons if they were delinquents or something.”

Saundra laughed. “No, by anyone else’s standards they’d be fine sons. But to the Brigadier the fact that his two youngest have no interest in a career in military service is a great disappointment to him. But they’ll be fine. They just need to grow up a little and figure out what they want to do with their lives. His oldest son is from an early marriage. He’s probably close to forty now. Oddly enough, though he’s a Major in the Royal Marines he and the Brigadier never had much of a relationship. They gotten a bit closer the last few years, but for many years, they were barely on speaking terms.”

 

“Probably was a much stricter father with the oldest,” Owen guessed.

 

Saundra just shrugged her shoulders. “Who can say for sure. But everyone has disappointments in their lives. And while Ianto certainly has more than his share, he doesn’t have to carry it by himself.”

 

*******

 

Ianto felt a bit better when he woke up Sunday morning. The pain in his hand was back to a dull throb and he was able to ignore it in large part. He ate breakfast and even watched some TV.

 

Owen showed up around Noon with Kelly. “Ms. O’Hara is here to go over your paperwork. And if you behave yourself, I’ve got some more of Dr. Jones’ wonderful painkillers for you when we finish.”

 

“Dr. Harper, he’s behaving just fine. He’s entitled to have an off day just like everyone else. And let’s stop with the Ms. O’Hara, its Kelly, OK?”

 

Both men nodded. It took about an hour to review all the paperwork. Once all the forms were completed and signed, Owen handed over the pain killers to Ianto.  Kelly gave Ianto a hug and said she would stop by later and see how he was doing. After she left the room, Owen teased him about Kelly. 

 

“Oi, I think someone has a crush on you. Every girl you meet has their hands all over you. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

 

Ianto yawned. ‘Don’t be ridiculous, not my type.’

 

“You should seriously consider expanding your thinking. She’s got a body to die for. Sparkling green eyes, freckles. Lovely, lovely lady.”

 

‘Yeah? Why don’t you ask her out Mr. Horndog?’

 

“It wasn’t me she was mooning over.”

 

‘Too tired Owen, let me sleep, okay?’

 

Owen stayed the afternoon in Ianto’s room while Ianto slept. Finally, Owen woke him up when a dinner tray was dropped off. Despite Owen’s cajoling, Ianto managed to eat only about half of it. They watched television for about an hour and then Owen prepared to leave.

 

“I’m giving you some more pain killers now, and if you wake up later, the night nurse can give you a half dose. That’s it until after surgery. Tomorrow’s going to be a tough day Ianto, you’ve got your pre-operative blood work and scans and Martha and the surgeon will be by at some point to review the surgical plans. And if you start to feel overwhelmed, for piss sake, tell me alright?”

 

Ianto nodded. Owen watched him take the medication, and within minutes Ianto began to relax. Just before Owen left the room he leaned over and whispered “sweet dreams of green-eyed redheads, Ianto.”

Chapter 14 is here: http://aviv-b.livejournal.com/6119.html