This Is Us - Chapter 78: Chapter 78

*LUCA POV*
"Don't bring...babies here...too many...germs,"
Matthias tries to tell me in between his gasps for air as he breathes into the oxygen mask. His heart rate beeping off the charts and cold patches surrounding his forehead in an effort to keep his fever down.
"Matthias please stop talking and get some rest," I try to coax him, wishing I had brought a blanket from home as he continues to shiver with just the stiff cotton sheet they call a blanket.
"B-B-But I n-n-need baby updates and m-m-make sure Jayde does her school work. I know she doesn't like US History but it's required for her to pass elementary school," Matthias shivers and I couldn't take it anymore.
I crawl into the hospital bed with him and carefully wrap my arms around him in an attempt to regulate his body temperature. We used to do this all the time with Jayde and we do it with the quad squad so it has to work on adults too. Matthias continues to shiver in my arms as his strength reaches his breaking points and he starts to whimper uncontrollably in pain with tears slipping down his red cheeks.
My husband didn't need to tell me he was in a lot of pain for me to do something. I pushed the nurse button and seconds later an android walked into the room dressed in a nurses scrubs.
"How can I be of assistance?" She asked and I angrily narrowed my eyes at her.
"Don't you see how much pain my husband is in? Do something! Please!" I begged her and she came closer to examine Matthias' charts on a small tablet beside his bed.
"It looks like the doctor already pushed pain medication but since it's night, I'll administer a sedative to get him to relax," She says and unlocks a drawer beside his bed, pulling out a large syringe.
"This won't hurt a bit, Matthias Jackson. I'm just going to insert it into your IV," She said with a small smile but he wasn't paying attention. He was in so much pain that his eyes were squeezed shut and he couldn't move.
She inserted the sedative and Matthias started to relax as soon as it hit his bloodstream. His jaw unclenched and his stiffened muscles slowly melted away in my arms as he pressed his head against my chest,
"He should sleep for five hours but the doctor will have better medication before he wakes up. They're still working on their action plan." The android nurse announces before leaving us alone. I kissed the top of Matthias' head and snuggled him close as my phone started to ring. I looked down and instantly picked it up, knowing it was my duty to update Thomas.
"Hey honey, how is everything going?" He asked over facetime and I could hear the babies screaming in the background.
"Not so good, his c-section scar got infected so they might have to open him back up. I was hoping it would be in and out but it looks like he's going to be here for a few days at least. The nurse just came in and knocked him out so he's finally resting," I inform him and snuggled Matthias closer to my chest. His breathing was steady now but he was still whimpering a bit.
"Oh my god, do you guys need anything? Mika can bring it to you, We've got the whole family over here helping with the babies but they're being super fussy, I think it's because they sense you two are missing." Thomas suggests and I lay back in the hospital bed, thinking.
"I left in such a hurry I wasn't thinking. We need blankets, something super warm. Clothes, the usual survival stuff but he misses the babies and Jayde like crazy. Think you could send something along the way for him from them in a way?" I asked him and he nodded with a slight yawn.
"Yeah, I'll get started on it and send it as fast as I can," He sighs, rubbing his temples from the stress.
"Hey, don't worry too much hon. I've got him, he's in good hands, and we'll be fine, just focus on the babies," I remind him and he nods.
"I will, It's just...nevermind it's really stupid," He sighs and I wanted nothing more than to be there with him so I could figure out a way to make him less stressed.
"Nothing you ever say is stupid Thomas. If that's not a fact I don't know what is," Said and Matthias shifted a bit, wrapping his hot arms around me. He was so fucking hot that I was sweating like crazy but I didn't care.
"It's nothing. I just...I don't think I've spent a night without you two since Matty came back from New York," He admitted and my heart faltered a little bit. Cooper even let out a small whimper from the floor as he could sense that I was pained by something.
"Oh love, I'll miss you too. Did you want to switch out every night?" I asked him but he shook his head.
"No, the babies and Jayde need stability right now with you two gone so I'll stay here and you can stay with him. I'll send a few things just keep me updated." Thomas says and I lean into the bed. Wishing there was a fan of some kind.
"I love you, sweetheart," I told him and he smiled a bit before someone called out to him.
"I love you too honey,"  He replied and I puckered my lips to send him a little kiss through the screen and he hangs up. I put my phone down on the nightstand and snuggled my sick husband. Taking a small wet rag and wiping the sweat off his brow as he continued to shiver.
As I took in just how sick he really is, I started to get scared, in fear for his life as he was burning up and the beeping behind me was nonstop.
"Please get better love...please, I can't...we can't do this without you," I teared up a bit and kissed his forehead, just wanting my sweet sarcastic smart ass to come back to me.
"Matthias," I sighed his name and tucked his head under my chin as I gulped down my fears.
"You gave me five absolutely beautiful babies. You can't tell me now that you won't live to see them as beautiful adults too," I sniffled a bit and tried to stay strong, but I'm not as strong as Thomas and just break down instead.
"Mr. Jackson, we need to take your husband into surgery now. There's no time to waste," An android announces as she walks into the room with a team of doctors behind her.
"Huh? Oh yeah, let me just..." I kissed him one final time before pulling away from him, and letting them take my husband from me.
Then it was just Cooper and I by ourselves, the beeping had ceased with him gone and the sound silence ensued.
"He's going to be okay right?" I asked Coop, who just tilted his head and whimpered a bit. I pet my lap and Cooper rested his head between my legs and I burried myself in his fur for comfort.