Title: Come Tumbling Down

 

Disclaimer: All the usual applies, don't own them just using them.

 

Author: Eviefan

 

Summary: What happens when Alex falls out of a tree.

 

NOTES My stories come from life, and this story about Alex happened to me, and everything that happens to him, which would make you think 'No way he would survive it,' But I did, so he will too Now given that its 1920s, how he is treated versus how I was treated will vary, but... Anyway as usual here you guys read it and review it and enjoy.

 

 

 

 

Come Tumbling Down.

 

 

Chapter 1: Children and trees.

 

 

It was a cool fall day in London, and a dry day, so Nanna had sent Megan, and Alex, who was under her care for the day, outside to enjoy the dry weather. For a while, the two children played a game of hide and seek, however that soon became boring. Now they sat in a swing, which Megan's father had built, trying to come up with things to do.

 

"We could go ride horses," Megan said to her best friend in the world.

 

"We did that already," Alex said. He was 6, and wished they could go to the park, but Nanna was busy making pies for a dinner party Megan's father was having, so that left them to stay outside.

 

"We could climb trees," Megan stated. She was 7, and into adventure as much as Alex. His eyes lit up at that suggestion. They raced to the edge of the property, where the woods began, and found the perfect tree. It was huge, with large branches. Megan went first climbing higher and higher, with Alex right behind her. She climbed up as high as she could go, almost 2 stories, and settled on a branch. Alex settled on a branch a little below her, and they looked out.

 

"Lets pretend this is a ladder which leads to a castle of an Ogre," Megan said. Alex nodded.

 

"We have to fight him off." Alex broke a branch a little above him, and pretended to fight, making Megan laugh. He stood not holding on to anything fighting the invisible ogre.

 

"Alex your gonna fall out if your not careful," she warned.

 

"No I won't, and If I do, I'll think happy thoughts, and fly just like Peter Pan does," he stated, and poked at the air with his stick. His movements on the branch, which was thick, but also rotted where it was attached to the tree, was causing it to break away, but gradually so that he didn't know that he was in trouble. Then he heard something snap and felt the branch bending.

 

"Megan help," he said. She was looking up at some birds, and when she looked down, she noticed he was in trouble and told him to hold her feet. He did, still semi supported by his branch, and Megan held onto the tree itself. When the branch did break she felt herself start to slide.

 

"Alex you got to let go or I'll fall," she cried. He was holding on for dear life, and didn't want to fall.

 

"Think your happy thoughts like Peter Pan," She told him. He had forgotten that part, and closed his eyes, and thought about the time they went to the beach, and his dad had tought him to make sand castles. With that thought he let go. Then his legs hit a branch and he screamed. His body turned and his head hit several branches on the way down to the ground.

 

"Alex are you okay?" Megan asked. She had watched him as his head hit and broke branches, as it almost bounced from different branches. She was quick to climb down, finding Alex on his stomach. He wasn't moving.

 

"Alex., " she wined, and as she got closer she noticed his ear bleeding, then he julted, and started to cry. Megan was terrified and screamed for Nanna, for anyone who would hear her.

 

 

 

Inside the cozy home, Nanna had made snacks for the children, and after she put on a coat, she stepped outside and heard Megan's screams. Wondering what on earth was wrong, Nanna ran toward the woods, and as she came up the hill she saw

 

Megan then Alex, and ran faster.

 

"Nanna he fell out of the tree and he is bad hurt," Megan told her. She could see that he was, and hugged Megan first.

 

"Will you call Alex's mum at the Museam?" Megan nodded, and ran to do that, while Nanna took off her coat and put it over Alex who was still crying.

 

"SHh, I know it hurts sweet boy, but help will be here soon." She had helped out in a hospital before she became Megan's Nanna, and knew that you didn't move a person who had a head injury, which Alex did.

 

 

 

 

In her house Megan dialed the Museum and after three rings a guy picked up the phone.

 

"Daniel its Megan, is Mrs. O'Connell there?"

 

"In a meeting," he said annoyed. He hated kids, and wished the museum wouldn't allow them around.

 

"Go get her now," Megan yelled. She didn't care for him either, and he laughed.

 

"No way..." she cut him off

 

"Alex fell out of a tree. His ears are bleeding and he is badly hurt go get her." Daniel dropped the phone and ran down the steps, to where Evelyn was meeting with the Bembridge Scholars who had come to see the work she had done on the Museum.

 

"Mrs. O'Connell, you have an important call," Daniel said. She knew he wouldn't come get her if it wasn't important, so she excused herself

 

"Daniel take these men to the Egyptian section, and show them the new

treasures." He nodded, and Evelyn went into her office, frowning as she found the receiver dangling from the desk, instead of on it. She picked it up and put it to her ear and heard a child crying.

 

"Megan?" she asked.

 

"Oh Mrs. O'Connell me and Alex were way way up in a tree, and he fell out, and I told him to think happy thoughts like Peter Pan, but he didn't fly and he got hurt." She continued to cry, and Evie sat down. She wanted to ask how bad, but right now she needed to get Megan to call the Doctor.

 

"Megan shhh. Be brave honey." On her end Megan took a deep breath and another.

 

"Now I need you to call Doctor Brown, Can you do that for me and tell him to come to your house and have a look at Alex. I'll be there as soon as I can.

 

"Okay." They hung up and Evelyn jumped up. After getting her purse, and finding the Bembridge Scholars, explaining that her son had been in a terrible accident, she left for her car, then was off to Megan's. She maintained safe speeds through the city, and once she hit the road just outside of London, which would take her to the country she sped up, not caring if she got a ticket, right now

Alex needed her. The drive was a 30 minute drive, and she prayed that Megan was over exaggerating how bad Alex was hurt.

 

"Oh I should have called Rick" she said to herself. She drove to the house first, where he and Jonathan were outside fixing some loose shutters on the top floor. Not bothering to turn off the car, she got out, and he came down the ladder. He was dirty and sweaty, but handsome, and any other time she would suggest they go and make love, but right now Alex needed them.

 

"Megan said Alex fell out of a tree, we should go over there and see how hurt he is." The tone of Evie's voice was panicy, and Rick got in the drivers side of their car. When she was in, he pushed the petal and they were off.

 

 

 

 

It was windy, and Nanna had managed to get Alex quieted, and to lay still.

 

"Tired," he told her again.

 

"Shh, I know honey, but you must stay awake, it's very important. Megan came with more blankets and had her favorite baby doll as well.

 

"Alex you may hold Lilly," she said. Nanna set the doll near him but he didn't move to pick it up. She placed the blankets over him.

 

"Put the pillow under Nanna." Megan told her not understanding that they couldn't move him.

 

"I would, but we might hurt Alex more if we move him,"

 

"I want to sleep," he told them.

 

"No sweet boy, tell me about the beach, can you do that?" He was slow to respond.

 

"I learned how to make sand castles, dad taught me," came his soft response. Megan heard a car pull up and ran up and over the small hill and down the bigger one. Doctor Brown had arrived, and brought a nurse with him. As he got out of the car, the O'Connells arrived, and Megan ran to them. She grabbed Rick's hand first, then Evies.

 

"Hurry up Nanna says he has a hurt head. He hit lots of branches on his way down to the ground. They ran with her, and the sight they found was enough to put fear in their hearts. Evelyn ran to her baby.

 

"Alex Mum is here baby." He was quiet.

 

"Mum sleep," he said barily audible. Rick came beside his wife, and Nanna moved.

 

"Hey buddy," Rick noticed the blood dried onto his ear, and that he was laying in vomit, and he wanted to move him, but he knew from the days in the Legion that you didn't move a person with a head injury. Doctor Brown came to the group, and Nanna coaxed Megan into the house, not wanting her to witness what they would have to do with Alex.

 

"Is he awake?" Both parents nodded.

 

"Alex, its Doctor Brown, I'm going to look in your ear all right?" He mumbled something, and the doctor took out some Gauze and cleaning solution, and poured it on there, then wiped the blood away. Alex flinched and started to cry.

 

"Nooo hurts." Evelyn settled near his head.

 

"Baby, shh, he has to help you get better, be brave okay." The doctor looked in his ear without to much fuss from Alex, and noticed that the eardrum had burst. The good news though was that the hairs that surrounded his ear drum were there, which meant that he could still hear.

 

"Okay Alex, I'm going to take your blankets away and feel your back." He did this, and Alex didn't cry out.. He felt around his head and neck and Alex did cry then. Upon feeling the back of his head, close to where it attached to the neck he felt a soft spot, that should not be soft. Alex was crying in ernest now.

 

"I'll need to get him onto a stretcher and Immobilize him so that we can get him to the hospital," He told his nurse. She got that ready, and while she did, Doc took something that looked like a cast and put it over Alex's Neck and when it was secure he eased Alex onto his side. The cast contraption kept Alex's head still, though he screamed when they moved him. With Rick's help, the nurse put the stretcher beside Alex and the Doc rolled him onto it. Alex started to retch

again, and Doc rolled him to his side He took a tube, a long one, and stuck it in Alex's right nostril, which got more screams from the boy. He pushed it in slow, and Alex started to gag.

 

"Swallow Alex I know its uncomfortable but in a moment I'll have it in, and you will be fine," doc reassured. Alex was too upset to listen, and Doc managed to get it down his throat, and in a moment the tube was filled with the retch. The Doctor had put it in to keep Alex from choking to death. Evelyn stroked his head the entire time they were securing him, and once he was ready they all left for the hospital.

 

 

TO BE CONTINUED

 

 

Disclaimer: They do not belong to me, but I do so enjoy borrowing them

 

 

Chapter 2 : Diagnosis

 

 

 

The hospital waiting room was small, and the atmosphere inside was tense. It had been several hours since anyone had come out to tell Rick, and Evelyn about Alex's condition. Right now they were seated on the couch, with Evelyn in the safety of her husbands strong arms.

 

"Why haven't they come to us?" Evelyn finally asked, breaking the silence. In response, Rick held her closer ,and kissed her head.

 

"I'm not sure, but I think its time for us to ask." As he stood up Doctor Brown walked in.

 

"Alex is stable for now. He has cracked his skull in three places, and has bruised his Brain in four. His right eardrum has burst, and right leg is broken.

 

I know this is all hard for you to hear, but his advantage is that he is young, and younger children are remarkable healers. Come I'll take you to him." Rick took Evelyn's hand in his, and gave it a squeeze, then they went with the Doctor up to the children's wing. Alex had a private room, and when they arrived at the door, Doctor Brown stopped.

 

"I'll let you go in, we still have the tube down his throat in case he retches, and you two will need to keep him awake for most of the night. The risk with his head injury is that he will slip into a coma, and with the damage done I'm uncertain that he would wake up. He left, and Rick opened the door. In a large hospital bed, or maybe average sized, lay their son. Alex had a cast on his leg,

and the tube coming out of his nose. He also had an IV in his arm, and looked frail. When they entered, the nurse stood, and left them.

 

"Hey buddy," Rick said walking over to his son, Evie behind him. Alex moved his head a little.

 

"Dad, won't let me sleep," he said, and the tone in his voice was that of being very unhappy about that. Evelyn walked to the other side of his bed.

 

"We can't let you do that yet," answered Rick as he held Alex's hand in his. Alex closed his eyes, and Rick patted his hand.

 

"Come on buddy. Do you remember when we went camping last year?" Alex mumbled still not opening his eyes.

 

"Alex baby open you eyes," Evelyn said rubbing his other hand. He wanted to sleep, and then screeched when his dad took hold of his arm and pinched him hard, at a pressure point. It wasn't a hard pinch, but since it was at a pressure point, it hurt worse.

 

"I want to sleep," Alex yelled, and then he started to retch. The tube did its job of taking what her retched into a container, keeping him from choking. When he calmed down Evelyn came with a wash basin and warm wash cloth. She wiped his face and his neck, while they talked about Egypt.

 

"Did it hurt born?" he slurred as he started to go to sleep again. Rick pinched him again, and again Alex screeched.

 

"Dad go out," Alex said getting upset at him. Evelyn kissed his forehead.

 

"Honey daddy has to help you stay awake," she told him. Most of that night was spent with Alex crying, he wanted to sleep, and anytime he did, and wouldn't respond, Rick had to pinch him. Right now he was yelling at his dad to get out, and Rick had moved away to go get a coffee, when a nurse came in to check him again.

 

"No more," he cried. His parents stood with him as she took his temperature, then she checked his hand where the IV was, and found a wet spot. "Oh dear," she said.

 

"What's wrong?" Evelyn asked very worried, the nurse was quick to reassure her.

 

"I just need to change his IV to a different part of his body." Alex protested to that.

 

"No, your not poking me anymore, dad don't let her do it." he begged. He was tired, and not willing to be tortured any longer. Rick lowered the bar on his son's hospital bed, and settled beside him, and Alex held onto him hiding his face against his fathers chest.

 

"I want to sleep," he started crying, and Rick just held onto him.

 

"I know buddy, shhh." The nurse removed the tape from his right hand and Alex tried to pull away but Rick held onto him.

 

"NOO dad no I don't want another stick in me." he got sick again, all worked up as the nurse put the IV in his other hand, and as she was finishing Dr. Brown walked in. While he spoke with the nurse Evelyn and Rick worked on getting their son to calm down.

 

"I want sleep," he said still crying against his fathers chest.

 

"I know baby. Dr. Brown is here, maybe he will let you sleep now." Evelyn said. For the Dr. Alex was calm. Doctor Brown shined a light in Alex's eyes, and did a few other things.

 

"Well Alex, you still need to stay awake, but only for a few more hours. Are you still feeling Dizzy?"

 

"Yes,' he said

 

"I'll give you some more medicine for that in your IV." He left and both parents settled on either side of him. The night went by slowly, and by morning the Doctor gave Alex the okay to go to sleep.

 

 

 

 

A few days passed, and Alex was much better. He was able to sit up, and was eating regular meals, and was tired of being in bed, which Dr. Brown said was a very good sign. Today Uncle John was sitting with him, as his parents had gone to get a bite to eat. They were playing poker, and Alex was kicking butt.

 

"Full house," Alex said. Jonathan grumbled.

 

"I think that knock on your head made you a better player." Alex laughed.

 

"I've always been better than you Uncle John." The door opened, and the nurse that Alex didn't like walked in. He grabbed his pillow and threw it at her, which stunned Jonathan.

 

"Alex, behave," he said to his nephew.

 "No make her get out she likes to make me hurt. She sticks the thermometer up my butt," Alex said panicked.

 

"Oh now, I don't like to make you hurt, but its more accurate to take the temperature that way," she told him.

 

"You a witch," he said trying to get out of his bed. Jonathan held onto him.

 

"Let go don't let her touch me," he yelled.

 

 

Having lunch had been nice, and now as Rick and Evelyn headed toward their son's room. When they heard him yelling, and saw Jonathan walking out, and they ran to him.

 

"His favorite nurse is there," Jonathan said. Rick pushed past him, and walked in finding that Alex had managed to get out of the bed and was waving a crutch at the nurse in effort to keep her away from him.

 

"Dad get her away," he had tears streaming down his face, and the nurse turned relieved to see him.

 

"Let me get him calmed down first?" Rick asked. She nodded and left, and Rick went over and lifted his son into his arms.

 

"Why do they like making me hurt," Alex asked, sobbing.

 

"Oh Alex, I don't think they like that at all, but they have to make sure your healing the right way, and sometimes what they do isn't comfortable," Rick said as he settled Alex back in the bed, then lay next to him.

 

"But she sticks it up my butt, and the other nurses don't" Rick hugged him as she came back in.

 

"When you take his temperature do it by his mouth," Rick told her. She nodded, and the exam went a little better. When she finished Evelyn walked in and behind her was Megan.

 

"Megan," Alex called happy. She smiled, and ran over to him giving him a present.

 

"Me and Nanna felt bad about you hurting yourself in our tree." Megan told him as Rick lifted her on to the bed next to him.

 

"It wasn't your fault, you told me not to stand on the branch, but I'll be all better. Dr. Brown said I can go home in a week," Alex told her as he opened his present. What they had gotten him ,was a battleship for his bath.

 

"Mum dad look, its a destroyer," Alex said. He handed it to his father.

 

"You will have a lot of battles with that," Rick told him. He nodded and yawned.

 

 

Megan rested her head against his side.

 

"What did it feel like when you fell? she asked sleepy herself.

 

"I can't remember, but they had to keep me awake all night long and I got really mad at my dad for that, didn't I dad?" Alex asked. Rick smiled at him.

 

"You sure did." Alex yawned again, and Megan already had her eyes closed.

 

"Do you get to eat ice cream?" she asked. He had closed his eyes as well

 

"Yep all I want to have." Before long both of them had fallen asleep, and Evelyn put a blanket over them. The hospital had a policy about no children aloud, but Alex had needed to see his friend, so they had snuck her in.

 

 

TO BE CONTINUED

 

Disclaimer: They are not mine. Megan, Marie, and Nanny are mine, but the others are all Stephen Sommers and Universal Studios.

 

Chapter 3 : Healing

 

 

 

A week passed, and today Alex was going home. Dr. Brown had said they could take him home, but that he still needed to stay in bed for at least another week. Now Evelyn was helping him get dressed, while his dad packed his things to go home. He had gotten allot of presents, almost like having a birthday.

 

"Now your all set." He was tired, just getting dressed made him tired, and he leaned back against the pillows watching his parents get the last of his stuff gathered. Uncle John came and took the last of his things, and it was time to go. Rick went to him, and lifted him into his arms. Alex yawned and rested his head against his fathers chest, and before they even got out to the car he had fallen asleep. After Evelyn got in, Rick eased his son into her arms, and Alex only opened his eyes once, before he fell back asleep.

 

 

 

 

At the manor, Marie had Alex's bed ready for him, and Megan had come by to see her friend, though Marie had told her he would most likely need to rest for the day, so the little girl waited in the parlor playing with his trucks. She had just made a tower when she heard the door open and ran down the hall, into the front entry. Mr. O'Connell had Alex, who was asleep, which made her frown. Evelyn came in and put her finger over her lips, and Megan nodded, and got one of his bags helping to take things to his room. Upstairs, Rick eased his son

onto the mattress. Alex sighed, but didn't wake up, and after pulling the covers over him, he turned finding Megan frowning.

 

"Do you want to lay with him?" she nodded, and he helped her onto the bed, then left them, to get the rest of his son's things Megan snuggled up to him, and Alex opened his eyes.

 

"Your dad said I could rest with you." He nodded, and closed his eyes, as did she, and soon they were both asleep.

 

 

 

Downstairs, Evelyn had settled in the parlor with a cup of tea and a book. She was relieved that they had their baby home with them, and that he was on the mend. Though the Doctor had told them that Alex may experience bad headaches for a while. So far they had been lucky with that. As she read, Rick went into his office and made a few calls to business associates he had put off calling, while

 

 

Alex was in the hospital. He worked independent, and sometimes for the British Museum, but as an independent he was a consultant on treasure, and people came to him to ask him to sell things they had found, and he usually got a very good commision from it. What he loved about his job is that he could do as little, or as much as he wanted. His calls found everything running smooth, so he went out

to the Parlor, and settled next to his wife, who wasn't really into her book, it was upside down.

 

"Evie, it might help if you held the book up right," he said lightly. She sighed and set the book down.

 

"I'm just so glad he is safe Rick, but I'm so afraid for him now. When he gets better, how do I trust to let him go out into the world alone." He pulled her against him and kissed her cheek.

 

"Just like when he fell, when he was learning to walk. We were both afraid of that happening again, but he did it on his own a few days later" She nodded remembering that well. Their son's first real boo boo, with stitches and all. It had been a terrible experience, but they had moved him, and themselves beyond that, and in time Alex had learned to walk.

 

"Well he won't be climbing anymore trees," she stated."

 

"I'm not sure he will agree with you on that one honey," Rick told her. Her response was just to snuggle against him and close her eyes, and for once enjoy a time of being home with very little to worry about.

 

 

 

It was his head feeling like it was splitting into which woke Alex. He squinched his face, which made it feel a little better, but not much. He felt Megan shift against him, and woke her.

 

"Tell my mum that My head hurts," he told her, once she was sitting up. She left, running out of his room, and down the steps where she found his parents asleep. She was about to wake them, when Jonathan put a hand on her shoulder. He led her into one of the halls.

 

"Alex says his head hurts him." Jonathan had been there when the doctor said he would likely have episodes of bad headaches, and went up to his nephews room. Alex had his head covered with the pillow and was sobbing.

 

"Hey partner." Jonathan said, settling down beside him.

 

"My head hurts," Alex sobbed.

 

"All right let me go get some of your medicine for that. Megan will you sit with him?" She nodded, and lay next to him.

 

"What does it feel like?" she asked curious.

 

"It hurts." he kept crying. Then his Uncle came with a glass of water and the aspirin, and set the glass down.

 

"All right partner." It was dark in his room, and very gently Jonathan helped him sit up and Alex took the pill and managed to swallow it, still crying.

 

"I want mum," he said, as Jonathan eased him back to the pillow.

 

"I'll get them," Jonathan replied, and left them, realizing that Evie probably had a way to make him feel better.

 

"I should go now," Megan told him. He didn't seem to hear her, and as she walked out, both of his parents came in. Evelyn settled on the bed with him, and began to massage over his forehead, gently. When she was younger she used to have bad headaches, not from a fall, but on their own, and her mother used to massage her forehead, and temples, which always made her feel better. As she did this, Alex's crying lessened and he went back to sleep. She was still tired so she

snuggled beside him and went back to sleep holding him in her arms. Rick settled on the other side, and together they all slept.

 

 

 

 

The headaches were a part of life for the next few days, and Alex was in more pain than when he had been in the hospital. Dr. Brown came by one day, and told them that his reflexes were good, and that the pain was just due to his healing.

 

 

As a result of the pain , Alex also got sick to his stomach, and his appetite was very limited to mostly bland soups and water. As morning on his fourth day home began, he woke up in his parents bed expecting there to be pain, but there wasn't. He was snuggled in his mum's arms, and turned to face her.

 

"Mum? I'm hungry mum," he said. Evelyn came awake instantly.

 

"You are? How is your head today?" he sat up slowly, and smiled

 

"Better." Their talking woke Rick.

 

"Hey Buddy, good to see you up," Rick told him.

 

"I feel better but I'm hungry," he responded. Then a knock at their door caught all of their attention. Rick called out for whomever to enter, and Uncle John came with breakfast in bed. Food for them, and Alex's special diet, though today he would eat normal.

 

"Hey there is my nephew." Alex grinned.

 

"So Uncle John want to go climb a tree with me today." Evelyn hugged him.

 

"Alexander O'Connell, that won't even happen again," she said ,and lightly tickled him, while they guys set up the breakfast trey. Once the food was ready Alex took some toast, and started to eat very fast, but Evelyn told him to slow down.

 

"I know your hungry, but you will make yourself sick if you eat to fast." He nodded and ate at a slower pace, and oddly enough the toast was all he could manage.

 

"I want to learn to walk on my crutches," he told them. That was something Evelyn had not expected, and she looked at her husband who nodded. Once breakfast was finished, Alex got his first lesson, and Rick demonstrated though the crutches were really too small for him.

 

"All right already I want to do this," Alex said. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, and Rick came over and held him up placing a crutch under either of his arms, then stood away a little ready to catch him should he fall. His first couple attempts he did fall, but Rick held him steady, and it wasn't long before he was all over.

 

"This is soo cool," he told them.

 

"I want Max to come see me today." While Alex was experiencing those awful headaches, his other best friend, Max had been by, but had not been able to stay.

 

"I think that should be all right, but first lets get you in a bath," Evelyn said.

 

"Aww mum, I don't need a bath," Alex complained. In the end he got one anyway, more of a sponge bath with his cast wrapped in plastic as Rick held him up in the tub.

 

 

 

 

A little later the two boys were settled in the parlor playing with the trucks.

 

"Everyone at school thinks your never coming back," Max informed as he pushed his car around the carpet in the parlor.

 

"Not till they are sure my head is okay," Alex said. He was making a building.

 

"Do you remember falling?" Max asked. Both he and Megan had been very curious about that.

 

"I don't know why, but I don't. I remember me and Megan up in the tree, and she told me to stop standing on the branch, and I remember holding on to her foot and thats all. But I hated the hospital. There was this one nurse and she kept taking my temperature up my butt, then dad told her she had to do it the proper way, and I think she was mad, but it was very good. All done," he said of his tower. They ran their cars into it, and it tumbled to the ground.

 

"You and me need to be architects when we are older," said Max. Alex looked at him, a rather puzzled look on his face.

 

"Whats that?" he asked.

 

"They wreck buildings and make new ones." That sounded good to him.

 

"Hey maybe we can go outside," Max told him. Alex frowned.

 

"Mum's a little worried about me doing that yet."

 

"We can sneak," Max told him. He did miss going outside, and that sounded fine to him. After Max helped him with his coat and his shoes, they went out the back way. Alex took it slow, and Max stayed next to him ,as they went out to the garden, finding Jack there pulling weeds.

 

"Hi Jack," Alex said. He waved with one crutch and that put him off balance, and he started to fall back. Strong arms caught him, and he was lifted up, and turned to face his father.

 

"Oh hi dad, just thought I would take a little walk," Alex said.

 

"Without your mum or I to say yes, and you would have fallen. " Alex sighed.

 

"I'm tired of being careful." He was carried back into the house where Evelyn waited ready to hug him, but Alex got mad at that.

 

"Mum quit it. I'm not hurt anymore. I have a owie leg, and my head is better just leave me alone." He pulled away from Rick and fell, but caught himself.

 

"I hate this,"he yelled. Max took that as his cue to leave, and ran out, which only served to make Alex feel more isolated. Despite his protests Rick picked him up.

 

"Why did I fall out of that tree," he was crying now, tired they both knew, and for that Rick carried him up to his bed.

 

"It wasn't anything that was your fault baby," Evie said as she pulled back the covers. He was resting his head against his fathers chest now.

 

"I'll never ever climb anymore again," he swore. Once he was in bed sleep came fast. His parents sat with him, until he was in a more peaceful state of sleep, then left to start dinner, and to pick up the toys he had played with. It would be nice when he could do normal things, but for now he just had to learn to take thing easy.

 

MORE SOON

 

 

 

Disclaimer: They aren't mine.

 

 

Chapter 4 : Back to the way things Were

 

 

Two weeks passed, and today Alex was going to the hospital for tests on his head, and to get his cast off. Now he sat with Megan in the parlor, while his parents finished getting ready.

 

"Are you afraid to go back there?" He shook his head, although truthfully he was a little afraid, but he would never tell her that. He wanted to be brave.

 

"Well I would be," she admitted.

 

"Thats because your a girl," That was obviously not the right thing for him to tell her. Megan stood.

 

"Well find then," She ran out and Alex sighed. Sometimes she got to silly like most of the girls he knew, but she was still his best friend.

 

"All right pal, lets get this show on the road," his dad said, coming in with his coat. It was very cold out today. With little effort Alex stood balanced on his crutches, and his dad helped him put his coat on. Once they were ready, Rick knelt down.

 

"I know you don't like help, but its been raining and a little snow and might be slick." Alex nodded and his father lifted him into strong arms. As they head to the door, Evelyn came out of the entry which led back to the kitchen, and when she was ready they all went out to the car, heading for the hospital.

 

 

 

 

It was in a little room that Alex sat with his parents, waiting to be called back. The first thing was to have X-rays done of his head. He was reading his copy of Jungle Book, when a nurse called them back. She led them to a small room, and took his temperature, the way Alex didn't mind. When she took it out, all was fine.

 

"Dr. Brown will be in shortly. She left, and Alex walked around, looking at various things. There was a bottle full of cotton balls, and some other things, then his Dr. arrived, and Alex went and sat with his parents.

 

"Well Alex its good to see you up and about," said his Dr. Alex nodded.

 

"The first thing I want to do is look at your ears." This was done without any protest from Alex, and what the Doctor found was very pleasing.

 

"Good Alex, your ears have healed nicely." He wrote some things down.

 "Now we are going to go get some pictures of your brain. He looked at both parents.

 

"You will be able to stay with him while they prepare him for this, but then only the technician will be able to stay in with him." They nodded and he led them down the hall, and into a large room. There was a metal table, and a very big machine, and Alex was beginning to think he would like to be gone. A pretty nurse came in with a gown, and asked that he put that on, and everyone but his parents left. Evelyn helped him out of his cloths and into the gown. He was

doing his best to be brave, though he had begun to shiver. When Dr. Brown came back in it was with a few other people.

 

"All right Alex this next part I'm going to need you to be very brave for. Can you do that?" He nodded.

 

"Mr. O'Connell, if you will lay him on the table." Rick lifted his son into his arms and placed him on the table. It was cold, and Alex held on to his dead, bravery ending right then and there.

 

"No I don't want to do this dad." Rick lifted him back into his arms, and Evelyn came over.

 

"Shh, this is the worst part okay, then when we get done, and your cast is off we will go to the park, and get your ship and sail it in the lake." Alex sobbed.

 

 

Try as he might to be brave and strong like his father, he was still just a boy.

 

"Alex we will stand right here," Evelyn told him. After a moment, he let his dad put him on the table, and they stood by his head while the technicians got him covered with a thick lead blanket. One nurse wet a cotton ball with some solution, another nurse came and told him that they had to tape his chin down. He held to his dad's hand eyes closed as they did this.

 

"All right Alex, your going to feel something cold and wet on you neck," The pretty nurse told him. He just held his dads hand tighter, as she rubbed his neck with a rusty substance, that was to sterilize his neck for the next step.

 

"There. Now you need to hold very very still," the nurse said as she took a long needle out. Evelyn held his other hand and she inserted the needle into his neck. He cried but held still. What she had done was to insert a tube into his neck. His blood spurted out, but not for long, as another nurse attached the small tube to a larger one. It was all taped down.

 

"This is the part that you two need to leave." a nurse told them.

 

"Noo don't go." Neither had any intention, so they were fitted with led robes, then they did have to stand back as the room darkened and the machine turned on.

 

 

It was loud, and Alex screamed from the noise, more than anything else. It was all over soon, and once he was unhooked from everything, Evelyn held him, wrapping him in a blanket.

 

"I don't want to do that again," Alex said still sobbing.

 

"Well thats all over baby," she said swaying. In a moment he had relaxed, and they were led back to the little room to wait for a while. The next part was to get his cast off, and that wasn't nearly so traumatic for him. They took an Xray of that, but it wasn't but a simple little procedure, and an hour later Doctor Brown came with the pictures.

 

"Alex you are an amazing little boy," The doctor said putting up one set of pictures.

 

"These dark spots on your brain are where you were bruised when you came in." He put up another set.

 

"There aren't any dark spots," Alex said noticing that right away.

 

"No, and thats very amazing, because it takes most people a long time to heal from such an episode as you experienced. Your leg is all healed as well. So this means that you are aloud to go out and play, just as you want to. Though you still need to wear ear plugs when you take your baths, to make sure we don't hurt anything." He told this to both Alex and his parents. Then he left and they took him to the park as they had promised.

 

 

 

After such a bad experience with the tree, Alex decided to stick closer to the ground. He still loved to ride horses, both his own and Megan's, but as far as trees went, he stuck to what he had promised, and even when he was much older the thought of climbing trees never crossed his mind. For now though he was happy to be back to normal, back at school, and back to being a little boy with out limits set on the things he could do.

 

 

NOTE You all may be thinking that there is no way he could heal that fast, but in truth a month after I fell out of the tree, they couldn't find any trace of injury. The part I did with the head xray, was taken from watching the Exorcist, when they did that To Regan. Now granted that was in the 70s, and they may not have even have been able to do it that way, but I just pulled it from that. Anything else they did I just made up as to how I guessed it would have been

done. Hope you still liked it.

 

ADDED NOTE. Anyone who has an idea on and Alex story, or a Rick And Evie story, can post it in the R&R, and I will try and write that out. So another words this author is now taking Requests, but only sticking with the main plot.and no Bringing Christina back, those are my only limits. I want to take time out to thank everyone for reading my stories. I love writing them and I love the response, even the negative is welcome, though I may hold a grudge...no just kidding keep reading them. and Check back on my older ones like Jonathan get a Life, and Rick's past story, I'm going to try and start posting updates on those. Again thanks for stopping by

 

Shell