Work Text:
The first thing that hit him when he opened his eyes is pain, a lot of pain that came from his chest. Rogers lied on the hospital bed, breathing slowly, and smiled to himself.
The heart transplantation succeeded.
He looked around the room, a little disappointed when he found no one. He was expected his teenage daughter, Tilly, or some of his friends to be here when he woke up.
Still, he was happy. He got a new heart, after the wound healed, he could come back to the force. He can’t wait for his old partner to hear this wonderful news.
Weaver would be shocked, happy but shocked. Rogers was sure about that. He was partnered with the ol’Croc for years, they become best friend despised all that happened in the ‘test of loyalty’, as Weaver like to put it. The younger detective known his partner better than anyone, maybe not as well as his daughter but she didn’t have to work with the old man, they work well with each other.
When the result came out that he had congestive heart failure, Weaver was the one that really sad to see him get forced to retired.
Rogers was sure that his partner would be happy to have him back at the precinct. He couldn’t wait to meet Weaver again, he really missed his partner.
Suddenly, the room’s door opened. Tilly was there, looked at him.
“Papa!” she shouted and rushed toward the bed side, “you’re awake!!”
Rogers let out a little laugh and looked at his beautiful daughter; “Yes, starfish.”
“You’re okay,” Tilly said, tear in her eyes and big smile on her face, “you’re awake.”
“Yes, sweetheart. I’m okay now.” He gave his daughter a small smile.
“You’re asleep for two day after the surgery, I thought I will lose you”
“You’ll never lose me, I’m always be with you, my little rook.”
They talked a little more after that, everything really seemed to be alright. Rogers couldn’t stop smiling. His heart was now on the way of getting better, his daughter is by his side, he couldn’t ask for more.
His chest hurt.
It shouldn’t hurt this much anymore since the surgery. This was a new heart beating in his chest right now, not that old poisoned one. The surgery and the recovery went fine, he could go back to the force in a couple of weeks. The heart shouldn’t hurt.
Though, when Rogers thought about the former owner of this heart, it hurt more than any heart attack he had since he diagnosed with congestive heart failure.
It was his partner’s heart. Weaver’s heart…
His partner is dead.
Killed in the line of action, they said.
And with some twisted fate, Weaver seem to decided that he wanted to do some more good things from beyond the grave and signed up for organ donation program before went on the mission.
Rogers let out a bitter laugh every time he thought about that move of his partner. Who would know that the heart of the ol'croc would ended up in his chest?
“Oh, maybe you know this would happen,” Rogers quietly said, “you manipulative bastard.”
Oh, it was a good feeling when he woke up in his hospital bed with anonymous donor’s heart helped him to continue living. It was a very healthy heart that could last until he grown old. He now didn’t have to worried about whether or not if he would survive to see his 7 years old daughter grow up.
It hurt when he thought about his partner.
You’re a survivor, Rogers. He remembered Weaver used to said that to him.
“You planned this all along, aren’t you?” another bitter laugh, “this way and be a hero while help me like you promised Tilly…”
Oh, Rogers known his partner well enough to realize this is just a backup, end of the bottom kind of plan. The save net to kept at least one promise to be uphold after the mission went wrong.
“It wasn’t like I’m not grateful for the chance…” Rogers muttered, “I just want you to be here too…”
His heart gave a little tug, and he felt a drop of tear ran down his face… His hand came to touched his chest, where the scar from surgery is.
“Tilly miss you a lot. You know, she looks at you like another father. It makes me a little jealous at first, but you’re so good to her…losing you is really wasn’t what she wanted when you said you would find a way to save me…” Rogers trail off, let the silence filled the room for a while, before spoke again.
“I miss you too. You’re the best partner and best of friend, even if you are being an ass, which is a lot.” Rogers let out a laugh “I used to hope I could get on the field and work with you again…but it’s a bit silly now, isn’t it?”
Rogers let out a breath he didn’t know had been holding.
“You’re gone,” he said, a sad smile on his lip, “but you give me a chance…and I hope you won’t be disappointed by my life’s choice after this, Weaver.”