Give Me A Break

[Anthony Bridgerton]

Tag: Kathani Bridgerton & Lewis Anwyl
Note: Better layout coming soon!

i will

ALWAYS PROTECT YOU

If there were a couple of things that one knew -- or quickly learned -- about Anthony Bridgerton it was the following. The first, was that he was over protective of his family, of his loved ones. There was nothing, he would not do for them or to protect them. So when one was hurt or harmed in any way, Anthony knew his emotions got the best of him. Today, was no exception.

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He had been frantic. His attempts to conceal the worry he felt for his wife were not all too successful. She had fainted when he'd finally managed to get her out of the carriage and he was both relieved and yet further worried. Relieved, only because then she would not feel any pain as they had to move her and bring her back home. Anthony had already called not one but three surgeons . . . and a physician to tend to Kate's injury.

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And what an injury it was. The sight of it had been what pushed Kate over the edge to her unconscious state. And Anthony was trying not to let that panic control him now that he had a few moments to process. He would not be helpful with widened eyes at the sight of her broken leg and fear for the pain she was enduring. So he did not waste a moment. He was in the room where he'd sent for the others to come, not wanting to leave her side for a moment . . . especially now that she was awake.

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The surgeons and physicians all arrived within moments of each other and they entered the room, one by one. There was some confusion among them. And that brought to light the second thing about the Viscount that one knew -- or quickly learned -- was that he was not a man who often accepted no for an answer, particularly when a loved one was concerned. Any challenge to his expectations was often met with a look that forced the other into silence and compliance.

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This look, was what perhaps initially kept any of the surgeons or physician from arguing or protesting the need for all of them. For while Anthony could see it on their faces, he refused to waste time having to justify himself to them. He moved from his position next to Kate's side, knowing that they would need space to work. "Well?" He asked expectantly, impatience in his tone. "Is the injury not apparent?" The following question both rhetorical and sarcastic as he expected the men to hurry up and get to work.

[Lewis Anwyl]

THE   CAUSE   YOU   ARE   SUPPORTING IS  NOT  OUR  CAUSE,  BUT  YOURS tagged Anthony Bridgerton & Kathani Bridgerton

If Lewis had been the sort of man who delighted in irony, he might have found it rather amusing to receive the urgent summons of another Bridgerton brother. Being, however, decidedly not the sort to find amusement in anything, Lewis' chief thought was that Anthony had better have summoned him for more than a few scratches. He was not necessarily annoyed at the summons themselves — men like Anthony always payed handsomely, after all, which made up for the inconvenience — but he did not relish the thought of having to race across London for the sake of some bruises and scrapes. 

In that, at least, he was not disappointed. The servants wasted no time in ushering him into the room, scarcely granting him the chance to hastily hand his hat and coat off to a waiting maid; once he was shown the patient, it was not difficult to see that this was far more than a case of a few bruises. Anthony, unlike Benedict, had been quite right to send for a surgeon. 

He had not quite been right to send for three. 

Lewis halted just past the threshold, thoroughly nonplussed to see three men already standing at Lady Bridgerton's bedside. The others, two of whom Lewis recognised instantly, looked just as confused as he felt: Bell was looking faintly amused, Abernethy looked annoyed, and a man that Lewis did not know (but took for a physician) looked positively bored. If it would not have damaged his standing with both his colleagues and the viscount, Lewis would have been inclined to turn right back around and leave. Calling for a second opinion was one thing, but summoning four medical men at the same time was absolutely ridiculous. Evidently, Anthony shared his younger brother's penchant for overreacting. 

He met Bell's gaze briefly; the man simply shrugged, as if to say, What can one do? Lewis, resisting the urge to sigh in open displeasure, finally moved to join his colleagues at her bedside. The viscount's impatience, however, earned him a sharp glance from Lewis. No one seemed quite sure who should address the man — and so the Welshman, taking it upon himself, turned aside to say coldly, "You may wish to leave the room, my lord. The setting of a bone will be a painful process." 

OWL

[Kathani Bridgerton]

The pain was great! Kate had to force herself to take deep and slow breathes, and to NOT look at it. To very much not in any way look at her leg! She feared she might never walk again! She was afraid that it would hurt so much more then it had when Anthony, Lord Bridgerton, her husband, had pulled her from the carriage. After Anthony, lord Bridgerton, her husband had said he loved her!

Which she still had not gotten around to talking to him about and the wait for that was painful in a completely different manner. Drat the man! And what had he meant, it should have been me?! That made so little sense that she needed to ask him about it!

And yet, she could not ask him about it. She could not ask the many doctors in the room about her leg. She could not even speak right now because the pain hurt, and now they were talking about moving it back into place--AND THE NEW ONE WANTED ANTHONY TO LEAVE???

Panicked, her eyes flew to his (his being her husband's) face and silently begged him not to leave her! She did not want to go through this alone!

🌷🏑🐝💕
^{Anthony Bridgerton Lewis Anwyl}

[Anthony Bridgerton]

Tag: Kathani Bridgerton & Lewis Anwyl
Note: Better layout coming soon!

i will

ALWAYS PROTECT YOU

Anthony did not need to look at the panicked gaze of his wife to be convinced or for his mind to shift. In fact, he was rather irritated by the mere suggestion of leaving her when she was in so much pain. Perhaps there were husbands who did not love their wives, or who did not care enough for them to be willing to vacate a room while leaving the surgeons to their work. But not Anthony Bridgerton. His family was everything to him and Kate was his family. So instead, he stared with a deadpan look of seriousness, the same tone of voice he previously used -- just, less sarcastic. "I am not going anywhere." His tone holding a finality that left little point for anyone to attempt to argue with.

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"She is already in pain," he added on, as if that should be the most obvious thing in the world. "So instead of worrying about my presence, perhaps you all should tend to her injury." The sooner they did, the sooner she could rest and no be in further intense pain for it caused his heart to ache to know that she was. It was at this point, he moved towards her, standing beside the head of the bed so that room around the lower half of her body would be left open for the surgeons to get to work. "I'm right here," he assured her, taking her hand in his and giving it a gentle squeeze. He knew he would have to let it go eventually, but for now, it was all the comfort he could offer her.

[Lewis Anwyl]

THE   CAUSE   YOU   ARE   SUPPORTING IS  NOT  OUR  CAUSE,  BUT  YOURS tagged Anthony Bridgerton & Kathani Bridgerton

It did not take long for Lewis to realise that suggesting Anthony's departure had been precisely the wrong thing to do. The words were scarcely out of his mouth before Lady Bridgerton flung her gaze pleadingly in her husband's direction; Lewis was far from an expert in body language, but it did not take a genius to guess that she was wordlessly imploring him to stay. The viscount, of course, complied, rather rudely rejecting Lewis' proposition as he moved to Lady Bridgerton's side. Perfect. Not only was he intent on staying, he was determined to put himself in the way. 

To most onlookers, it might have been a touching sign of devotion. Clearly, the viscount cared a great deal for his wife, more than most nobleman might — that much, Lewis did not doubt. It was precisely because of that love that Lewis had suggested he ought to leave in the first place: it was always traumatising to witness a loved one in pain, and Lewis had thought that the viscount might as well save himself the unpleasantness of that. Evidently, Lord Bridgerton was more stubborn than Lewis had anticipated. 

There was little sense in arguing further. The sooner they reset the bone, the sooner they could get Lady Bridgerton comfortable again. Biting his tongue to hold back the urge to sigh, he turned to his fellow surgeons, shrugged, and circled around the bed to take a better position to stabilise the leg. Abernethy, being the most senior of the three surgeons, took the lead, directing Lewis and Bell with small gestures until he was satisfied. At last, he gave the nod, and with a loud click, the men snapped the bone back into place. 

OWL

[Kathani Bridgerton]

Anthony took her hand, and Kate knew the worst was about to come. She gripped it, trying to focus on the heat from his hand, or the fact that he would not leave her, or even his words from before--anything--to try and not think about what the doctor was about to do. Anything!

She could feel the hands on her leg, and she braced for it, tightening her grip on Anthony's hand, and holding her breath. They turned her leg and she felt green and ill with pain--but it was nothing compared to what would come next. The pain, a sharp stabbing of pain that was somehow loud with sound and feeling, took over her body for a few moments. She had meant to hold her breath, but instead a painful scream broke from her lips for a moment, before it slide away, and she was left breathing rapidly.

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^{Anthony Bridgerton Lewis Anwyl}