Chapter Text
Cold air breeze hitting Max face as soon as he stepped up from the helicopter, the airlift process took fifteen minutes and Charles body still cant get back to the normal temperatures. Somewhere along fifteen minutes on his delirious state, Charles calling Max's name. Thats enough to make himself sober. The paramedics keep pushing the oxygen bag, while Charles staying still, unmoving, eyes shut, hands limp on the warmer blankets. His dark long lashes standing out on Charles pale features.
"BP and temperature keep dropping, we need to move as soon as possible. We were not able to do skin to skin, there is possible internal bleeding and spine injury."
They tried, when Charles body start shivering, the state that show Charles is aware that he is cold. That his brain could tell his body to do a proper response to the cold. Andrea trusting Max to do skin to skin, but they stopped once seeing a huge bruise on Charles shoulder leading all the way to Charles neck. Theyre too focused on getting Charles temperature back that they forget the injury he sustained.
The crowd buzzing, pushing Charles gurney to the emergency room. Max saw a glimpse of people taking picture and he did his best covering Charles face. Thats the least thing he want Charles to see when he is awake, he is aware on how many pictures of Charles they took along the evacuation process. He took his padding jacket of, shielding Charles head and body along the way. He nodded to Andrea, signing that he can take care of Charles while he is taking care Joris body.
Max looked at the body bag in silence, hands squeezing Charles's.
"Code blue, Code blue."
Its like Max cant slip away just for one seconds. One of the nurse shouting something while looking at the monitor placed on Charles gurney.
"Male, 26 years old with possible head trauma. Blood pressure dropping since 15 minutes ago—" there is a pause. Hands all over Charles body, one poking his neck trying to feel his heartbeat. They look at each other throwing an understanding look which Max cant understand. "On three?,"
"One.."
"Two.."
"Three.."
Max still can't process what is happening right now but now Charles body is on the emergency bed. Several nurse changing whatever stick to Charles body, hands still latched to Max.
A loud beeping sounds coming to Max ears.
"No pulse, no pulse."
Max doesn't need to be doctor to know what is the sentence means.
Suddenly theyre aware of Max existence.
"I am sorry, but you need to wait outside this area. We will come back to you later." One of the paramedics, the one who did the airlift before ushered Max before he cant protest. His body feels like floating. Feet dragged along the way.
The last thing he remembered, he saw Charles body lying lifeless on hospital bed, nurse and doctor all over him trying to restart his heart rythim.
"Mr. Leclerc will be okay. He will be okay."
"He is in a good hands."
"We got a pulse, we got his pulse back."
Max is warm, the hospital air felt warm, but a shiver fell down on his spine.
We got his pulse back.
Max cant get over the feeling of hearing the last sentences.
He almost lost Charles.
The warmer is now dead cold on Max hands, its been three hours since Charles moved to the operating room for his shoulder and back injury. The nurse came outside to inform him awhile ago that Charles is responding good to the treatments, got a few stiches on the back of his head, once his body become warmer, the blood starting to flow normaly causing the external damage on Charles body is showing. There is also internal bleeding and broken ribs everywhere that now visible after the xray they can conclude that somewhere along the time he is missing, Charles fall on his back. Injured most of his body causing him being unable to move freely
The authorities also found some snow trace that Charles is dragging himself alone to the cave. Trying to survive as much as he can.
"He is a fighter, we sure Mr. Leclerc will go back in time. We need to monitor him closely from possibble complication during his recovery time." Thats sounds like a bullshit to Max.
"Can i see him?," Max asked, with no hesitation. "After the surgery."
"Not yet, Mr. Leclerc body still prone, we were afraid that the air or contact from the outside will make the recovery process longer. We will see in 24 hours if his body reacting good to the IV treatments and antibiotics. We can allow family to see him."
Max fell dead silent.
Its bad, its fucking bad.
Charles is fighting for his life Max started to blame himself. He remembered what happened to his uncle. The doctor keeps giving sweet talk, encouraging words, but in the reality, his uncle is barely surviving and fell into a long comatose. Max suddenly sense a deja vu. His gut wrenched by something invisible and he feel that he needs to puke.
"Is he awake?," Max asked. Hands rubbing his face, frustated.
"No. No but we will monitor his condition closely, if there is a good news, you will be the one hearing first."
Max feels like crashing himself to the barriers now.
If only he stopped Charles enough, all of this wont be happening.