Measured
How could this happen?
Fry's palm lay heavily on his abdomen. A slight depression under the bandage was the only sign that a Space Bee had stung him.
But the woman he loved...
"Come on, Leela," he whispered urgently, "wake up. All you have to do is wake up."
He had done this many times in the past week. This time was no better. She did not stir.
Fry released his own, healing wound lifted his hand and took hers. Those hands; they had the power to injure. They had hurt him more than once. But as he rested his forehead against her hand, he thought of his love for her and wondered if she would ever know. How could modern medicine heal his battered body, stick a lost limb effortlessly onto a stump, without stitches, and yet fail to counteract the powerful venom that had invaded her?
He was furious: with Doctor Zoidberg, for not being able to help her; with those stupid doctors in this hospital, who were dumber than the crustacean, if that was possible; but mostly with himself. Trying to shield her, he had made it impossible for Leela to use her own skills to defend herself. It was... his fault.
"Leela, please. I don't want to be the one to tell your folks..." His voice cracked and he looked away. Recovering his composure with an effort, he said, "Look what I brought you. It's a stress toy. I know you like to squeeze stuff. Maybe the noise..."
Squeak.
She did not stir.
"Maybe you're cold." He took his jacket off, draping it around her shoulders.
He bit back panic. She was so still, so quiet and pale. Never had he thought of her as weak or helpless. But there she lay, vulnerable. Closer to death than he could have imagined.
What would he do if she died?
He sucked in a desperate breath.
"Wake up, Leela. Please, wake up...."
The doctors had informed him that if she didn't wake up soon there was a chance that the venom had fatally damaged her heart. With all his strength, he willed her to move.
But she didn't move.
She just didn't move.
And the only sound in the room was the frantic beat of his heart, out of time with the faint, mechanical beep of the monitor.