Title: Green Apples - Part 9
Author: Angie
E-mail address: [email protected]
Category: Pacey/Joey
Rating: PG13
Warning: Touches on the very touchy subjects of death and religion.
Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to Kevin Williamson, Paul Stupin, and the WB.
Summary: The gang is finally graduating! Everyone is planning on attending college together...except Pacey. Joey is upset, but love can withstand anything, including separation, right? But when the unthinkable happens in the lives of these six friends, will it cause Pacey to rethink his situation? Find out the answers in this new fan fiction series.
Author's Note: Thanks to Evie, Jennifer, Amy, Holly, and all the rest of my encouragement. I really do appreciate you guys. The more feedback I get, the more anxious I am to write more! So keep it coming! And I hope you all are still enjoying it!
It had been one week since Joey got the call from Dr. Andrews. Joey was laying in a hospital bed, once again, with her stomach in knots. 'What if I reject the kidney,' she thought. 'What if they get it all mixed up and take out something I need?' She looked over at Jen, who was laying in the next bed. They had specifically asked for a double room so neither would have to lay there and dread surgery alone. It was the night before surgery and Dr. Andrews had suggested the girls check in a day early so they could go through pre-op and surgery could be done the first thing the next morning.
"Jen?" she whispered. "Are you still awake?"
Joey looked at the clock on the wall. It was 11:00.
Jen cleared her throat and opened her eyes. "Yeah, Joey," she said in a sleepy voice. She gave a small smile. Any other time she would have beat the life out of the sorry soul who woke her up, but she knew Joey was apprehensive about the operation. "What's up?"
"Um, not much. Just Jay Leno," she said laughing a little and gesturing to the TV on the wall above the beds.
"Ah, I see. Somehow I get the feeling you have more on your mind than just Leno," Jen told her.
"I guess I am just a little nervous about tomorrow. What about you?" she asked.
Jen struggled to find the bed control and sat the head of the bed up a little. "I don't know. Maybe a little. But I feel sure everything will be fine. Dr. Andrews said he was shocked at how closely we match up."
"I guess you are right." Joey told her. Jen had no idea how grateful she was. But how can you tell someone thank you for giving you one of their internal organs. "Jen, I just want to um...thank you...for letting me...uh, borrow one of your kidneys." She said, knowing she sounded stupid.
Jen laughed. "Joey I am happy I could help you. After all I feel completely responsible for you being in this shape. I was the one driving the car that night. I should have been more careful. But, don't worry about borrowing my kidney...I don't expect you to return it." She laughed again.
Joey started giggling as well then turned serious again. "Don't feel responsible, Jen. This could happen to anyone. And you are a good friend. And I know it is surprising that we would be this close considering we started out as arch enemies, but you really and truly are a great friend to me."
"Thanks. You are too, Joey."
"You know, with all this mushy talk, I feel as though the theme to the Andy Griffith show or something should be playing in the background."
They both laughed out loud. Just then someone knocked on the door. "Come in," Joey said.
"You again!" the nurse said, entering the room.
"Linda!"
"Hey!" Jen said, remembering the nurse from Joey's stay in the hospital.
"Hey kiddos!" she said hugging Joey then Jen. "I hear we are fixing to take you two apart and put you back together again."
"Oh, yeah, we can't wait," Joey said rolling her eyes.
"Well, you girls can't have anything to eat or drink after midnight, which gives you about forty-five minutes. So, can I get you anything?"
The girls look at each other and nodded. "Ice Cream!" Joey told her.
"Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough!" Jen added.
"You girls are picky. But I will see what I can do." Linda said smiling at them. Then she left the room.
She returned about 20 minutes later with two pints of ice cream. "Y'all had better appreciate me," she told them laughing. "I had to track down someone with a key to the ice box in the cafeteria to find chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. I almost gave up after checking every freezer at every nurses station in this building."
"Oh, we appreciate you, Linda," Joey told her ripping the top off of the ice cream.
"However, my hips do not," Jen added.
The girls finished up and Linda left the room. Soon after she left, Jen and Joey fell into an uneasy sleep knowing that morning was coming soon.
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"I changed my mind," Joey told Pacey, who was sitting on the edge of her bed.
Pacey laughed. "Sorry, Potter. No can do."
The people from the O.R. had taken Jen down about 10 minutes ago, and told Joey she would go down in 15-20 minutes.
"Why didn't they take you both at the same time?" Pacey asked her.
"I'm not real sure. I heard somebody say they were going to get her started on some anesthesia and get her to sleep, then put me to sleep while they take her kidney. By then I will be asleep and then they will do the transplant. I always thought they did both procedures at the same time, but oh, well. I guess they know more about what they are doing than I do. I am just their guinea pig."
Pacey laughed. "Well, you are the cutest little guinea pig I ever saw." He leaned down close to her ear and whispered, "And you are gonna do fine." Then he kissed her cheek sweetly.
Joey blushed a little. "Well, I hope so, because I get a feeling we only get one shot at this thing."
There was a knock on the door and Bessie peeked around the corner. "They are on their way to take you down, sis. So I just thought I would come in and tell you how much I love you, and I will see you shortly," she said kissing Joey's cheek and hugging her.
Her dad was standing behind Bessie. Bessie moved to one side and he stepped up beside the bed. "I love you, cupcake. You are your dad's angel, and I will see you as soon as you wake up."
"Ok," She said smiling. "I love you too, dad. And I love you, Bess."
The stepped outside the room as the people from the O.R. approached Joey's room. For a moment only she and Pacey were left in the room. He leaned down and placed a kiss on her lips. "I love you so much, Joey."
"I love you, Pace."
"Ok, Joey, are we ready?" the young male nurse asked her.
"As ready as I'll ever be," she answered, laughing nervously, and moving from her bed to the stretcher. He placed the pillow behind her head and covered her with a blanket.
"Well, let's get going then," he said giving her a sweet smile.
She looked once again at Pacey and he smiled. "Bye," she said softly.
"See ya, Potter."
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Joey awoke from her deep sleep and wiggled around a little to try and get comfortable. "Ouch, that hurts!"
"Oh, hey, honey. You're awake already!" the woman sitting beside her bed told her. "My name is Mary and I am your anesthesiologist."
"Am I ok?" Joey asked groggily.
"Oh, baby doll, you did great." She looked up at the clock hanging overhead in the recovery room. "You should be going back up to your room in um...about 15 minutes or so."
"What about Jen?" Joey wondered out loud.
"She's great also," another lady in the recovery room told Joey. "She went back to her room about 20 or 30 minutes ago. Joey just smiled and nodded.
'Thank you, God,' she silently prayed. 'Now, please keep my body from rejecting this kidney.'
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End of Part Nine.
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You can e-mail me at [email protected].