Emergency! Part 3
Summary: A woman comes back from her trip from Asia but isn’t feeling the best. And is rushed to the hospital. Her symptoms are that of the flue, but worse than. The virus spreads throughout the hospital, Jack falls ill collapsing in the break room. Dean falls ill on a rescue, Cas having to rescue the original victim and his partner. The reader, having to sit by and wait and pray for her friends pull through. But turns out the original patient with the virus got better, now her body has the antibodies to fight the virus.
Pairing: Firefighter!Dean x Nurse!Reader
Word Count: 4,262
Warnings: Scary Situations, Language, Mild Angst, Fluff.
Series Masterlist
Main Masterlist
Mobile Masterlist
a/n: I could use the corona virus or COVID-19 but decided to use the virus used in the Emergency! Episode of the same name. The virus being a strain of the Asian flu during a bad outbreak in the late 60’s. Also the drugs and measure mentioned are probably not accurate, I’m not a pharmacist.
a/n2: D.O.N = Director of Nursing, DOA = Dead on Arrival, BP = Blood Pressure, O2 Sat = Oxygen Saturation
~
“Dean,” Cas says, walking into the fire stations garage.
Dean was logging supplies in the squad truck when he heard Cas enter and got his attention.
“What’s up Cas?”
“When you started dating Y/N, when did you know she was the one?”
“What do you mean?”
“I really like Meg, and when she was taking care of me after that accident of mine I found that she and I have a lot in common and I want to know her more?”
“Well, Cas, it’s different for other people. Just ask Meg out. Talk to her, find out stuff about her that she likes, hates, and if you can find yourself still able to love her despite her flaws. Keep it going. Keep taking her out.”
“You make it sound so simple.”
“Nothing in life is simple man.”
Cas nods in agreement.
The alarm sounded in the station.
“Squad 51, someone sick. Respond. 226 south Jasper’s Avenue, cross street South Walker boulevard.”
“Back at it again.” Cas says.
“Let’s hit it.”
Dean getting into his usual spot in the squad, revving the engine to life and heading to the location.
When they arrived, another station had arrived originally.
Dean and Cas gathered their tools and headed into the residence.
“Chuck, what do you got?” Cas asked.
“Kelly McMeyers, 22, her dad said she was fine at breakfast.”
They followed Fireman Chuck through the house to the girl’s bedroom to find her on her bed, sweating, pale and in obvious discomfort and pain.
Dean placed a hand on her head.
“She’s burning up, Cas, get the thermometer.”
Cas did as told handing the thermometer to Dean.
Dean placed in the girls mouth, under her tongue. Cas handing him the blood pressure cuff.
Dean began checking her Blood pressure.
“Get the radio, we need to tell the hospital.” Dean orders.
Cas, pulls out the radio of it’s holster on his belt.
“Rampart, this is rescue 51. Rampart this is rescue five one.” Cas radios in.
It was a normal slow day at the hospital, y/n having finished her charting, getting reading for her lunch break.
“Rampart this is rescue 51,” she heard Cas’s voice over the radio. “Rampart this is rescue Five one.”
She picks up the hand piece to the hospital’s radio to respond.
“Go ahead 51.”
“Rampart we have a female, Kelly McMeyers, 22 years of age.” Cas transmits.
“BP is 129 over 80, O2 Saturation is…”
Dean places a hand over her chest, watching it rise and fall. Counting in his head. But scolding with the low number he came up with.
“Did you pack the pulse Oximeter?”
“I did.” Cas says, handing it to him.
“I got to double check before I give you the wrong number.”
Dean turned on the device, and placing it on her finger.
“Still reading low, O2 Sat, 85.” Dean says.
“O2 sat is 85. Temperature is coming up…”
Dean pulls out the thermometer.”
“105.” He reads.
“Temperature is 105.”
y/n was shocked she had a temperature that high.
“51, standby, a doctor will be with you shortly.”
“10-4.”
“I just don’t understand, she was fine at breakfast, it happened so suddenly.” The girl’s father expressed.
“Some of these things do happen rather quickly.”
“Could be the Asian Flu?” Chuck suggests. Playing with the girl’s pet monkey.
“Well, let’s not jump to any conclusions until a doctor can see her.” Cas says.
“Kelly, sweetheart, can you hear me?” Dean asks.
The girl nods groggily.
“She’s really drowsy.” Cas mentions.
“Kelly, are you in any pain at all?” Dean asks.
“My head hurts, my chest hurts too.” She whines.
“She threw up a bit before you got here Winchester.” Chuck mentions.
“51, this is doctor Singer.”
“Rampart, we have new information, patient is experiencing head and chest pain, she’s drowsy and vomited a few times before we arrived.”
“Alright, start IV, lidocaine, two milligrams. And just in case what she has is contagious keep contact with the patient to an absolute minimum.”
“10-4 Rampart.” Cas says.
“I’ll get the IV going, if you want to get the ambulance here Chuck.”
“Already ahead of you, they should be here by now.”
Sirens are heard in the distance, as if on cue.
“How about that timing?” Cas says.
“Alright, she’s set, lets get her to the hospital.” Dean says.
Just as more paramedics came in, Dean grabbed the equipment as Cas walked out with the patient.
Chuck still petting the monkey.
“I love monkeys, bet he’d be a cute pet to have.” He says.
“Yeah, but they’re not meant to be pets Chuck.”
“Yeah, I know. But, cute little guy, isn’t he?”
The monkey sat on his pole that stood in the room. And the monkey started walking over to Dean, walking on his shoulder, messing with his hat.
“Hey, stop,” he told the monkey while trying to shake him off gently.
The monkey got back on his pole as Dean walked out to the squad.
At the hospital, Y/N, Doctor Singer assisted in the patient, Kelly McMeyer, as Doctor Singer preformed a spinal tap.
Just as he pulled out the needle, gathering spinal fluid, Doctor Kline walks in.
“What’d you got Bobby?”
“Possible strain of the flu, her symptoms are consistent with that of the Asian flu, but the incubation period is too fast. Her symptoms came up quick, she was fine at breakfast.”
“Do we know where she’s been lately?”
“All over southeast Asia, Kelly and her friends were part of her church’s mission trip in assisting kids in orphanages, and adoption homes. Fixing them up, helping kids get adopted. And her dad took her camping when she got back. Took her to the Black Hills in South Dakota.” y/n explained.
“That opens us up to a whole array of fevers, and of course flus. China is always riddled with noval viruses we’ve never seen nor dealt with. And of course, there’s ones we’ve dealt with her, rocky mountain spotted fever, lymes disease, or even parasitic infections. Fungal infections that could have originated from her camping trip.” Jack explained.
“Did Kelly have any kind of protection on either trip?” Jack asked.
“Her dad made sure she packed, bug spray, tick spray, and they had nets around their camp to prevent nats and other flying insects from getting in the tents.” Y/N says.
“So, in which case, we’re back to, what did she catch when she was in China. Because chances of her getting anything on the camping trip are slim I’m guessing.”
“Her dad was pretty adamant that they were covered for their trip. He didn’t want anyone getting sick.”
Jack nods.
“Let’s get some blood work, see if we can’t find the answer in there.”
“You got it doctor.” y/n says, getting her hands sanitized, and ready to draw some blood.
“Dean, your shift was done an hour ago, go home!” His father ordered.
“Just finishing up the logs for the day.”
“Cas can finish it up for you, he at least goes home in an hour. Now go.”
“Yes sir, you sure you got this man?” Dean asks.
“Dean, I got it. Go home and rest. See you in two days.”
Dean handed Cas the papers for logging their day, what all happened, their end result. He grabbed the keys to his Impala and drove on home.
He could tell he was exhausted. At a stop light he had to really will himself to stay awake just a few more miles.
But as he got to another stop light, he knew he was too tired to be driving.
Y/N’s apartment wasn’t far. He moved lanes before her street came up and Dean drove to her apartment. Giving her a call to make sure she was either up or home.
“Hey Handsome, how was your day?” she asked.
He could hear the background of the hospital.
“Exhausting. Are you still at work?”
“Yeah, another late one. Why? Are you in the area?” she asked. Sounding concerned.
“I’m really exhausted, and I don’t think I’m gonna make it home. I was thinking on crashing at your place.”
“You can stay there Dean; my key is by my hanging plant. I think your clothes from last time are still there.”
“Thanks baby, where would I be without you?”
“Dead in a ditch because you’ve run yourself ragged, now hurry to my place and get to bed. I’ll home when I can.”
“Love you sweetheart.” He says with a tired smile, pulling into her apartment complex.
“Love you more Winchester, sleep well.” She says.
He parked his car near where she parked. Walking up tiredly up to her apartment he found her key easily.
He headed inside, placing the key back but also locking up behind him as he got himself settled.
She had since gotten a new apartment since the plane crash; sure she was farther away from the hospital, but she was closer to him by several blocks.
He had gotten out of the shower, feeling a little bit better, but he climbed into his side in her bed. Pulling the covers over him, and falling fast asleep once his head hit the pillow.
She had hurried with her charting, her replacement nurse coming in late. But at least she showed up.
She hurried to her car to get on home.
She saw Dean’s car parked next to her spot on the street. She parked her car right behind his.
She quietly entered the apartment. Leaving the lights off she navigated to her room seeing his sleeping form in her bed. Sound asleep.
She made her shower quick and simple, washing off the stress of the day and relaxing enough so she could fall easily asleep.
She climbs into bed beside him. He tossed, turning towards her, wrapping his arms around her.
Poor dude was exhausted. But Dean was no fool, he loved being the little spoon. Maybe too much. But when it was her, he didn’t care too much.
Days followed, and the original patient began to go downhill. Her fever wasn’t breaking.
Y/N had finished getting Kelly’s vitals, updated her chart. She headed back out to the nurses station when she saw an ambulance dropping off a new patient.
“What do we have?” she asked.
“Fireman, Chuck Shirley. Stricken with a fever, 104 temp, slightly elevated BP.” One of the paramedics informed.
“He was fine at lunch time.” His wife said behind the paramedics.
“Are you his wife?” Y/N asked.
“I am, my name’s Becky.”
“Okay, I’ll escort you to the waiting room. I’ll keep you informed of your husbands situation.” y/n told her.
Becky nodded, and she was lead to the waiting room. Y/N walked back into one of the exam rooms.
Hours passed as the doctors looked over Chuck, they learned one thing in common.
He responded to Kelly McMeyers.
“I want everyone who responded to get checked out. Clearly we are up against something contagious.” Jack orders.
“I’ll get right on it.” y/n says.
As the day wore on, Y/N had called all the stations that responded, the ambulance and even called up her boyfriend personally.
“Afternoon beautiful.” Dean answers.
“Hey babe, you responded on the Kelly McMeyers right?”
“I did, me and Cas both, why?”
“Chuck Shirley is sick with the same symptoms as Kelly, and Dr. Kline has ordered you two to come in and get checked out.”
“Is it really that bad?”
“Dean, Chuck looked bad. Come in, please.” She practically whined.
“Okay, I will. Don’t worry sweetheart. I have to come down for supplies anyway, I’ll bring Cas along.”
“Thank you. See you soon.”
Just as Dean and Cas left the hospital after giving their blood samples to be checked for any virus or uprising in white blood cell count. Questions rose to how and where the original patient got sick.
“Whatever this Kelly chick has must be bad.” Dean says as he drove back to the station.
“Must be, if she didn’t get while camping then where?” Cas asks.
For a beat there was a pause.
“The same place where she got her pet monkey.” Cas says.
“You really think that monkey is the carrier?” Dean asks, unsure.
“Think about it Dean. It’s always animals in other countries that carry all these scary viruses. Swine flu came from pigs. Avian flu came from birds. The Asian flu came from, well, Asia but it was ducks. What if, this monkey one of those viruses and was somehow able to transmit it overseas?” Cas explained.
“You should really be a doctor something, damn Cas.” Dean says, impressed with the information Cas was able to share.
“Also think of the movie Outbreak.”
“Dude, that wasn’t even a real virus.”
“No, but it was a real situation that can really happen. It’s the worst case scenario. But it was a monkey carrying a mutated version of the virus.”
“I think you’re onto something Cas.” Dean says, digging around in his pockets.
“Here, call my girlfriend, tell her what you told me.”
“Okay.” Cas says.
“Hello?”
“Y/N, it’s Cas, you got a minute?”
“How’s Dean?” she asked concerned right away.
“Oh, he’s fine, we were just talking about the victims. She brought home a pet monkey from China. And Chuck was playing with it.”
“That is actually something Cas, thanks. Is there anything else we need to know?”
“Not really, but just for the fact that this monkey might carry a virus that could kill Kelly and our friend.”
“And you’re spot on, on that. I’ll tell Jack and Bobby. Thanks Cas.”
At the hospital, the two doctors were at the nurses station when Cas called. Their attention on her when she seemed surprised with the information he given her.
“Cas of squad 51 just told me Kelly brought home a pet monkey from China. And that Chuck played with it.”
“That’s something, Bobby, get someone to go with Kelly’s dad back to his house. Get the monkey and bring the little guy in.”
“You got it Jack.”
Cas had handed Dean his phone back.
“You know, Cas,” he says.
Cas doesn’t say anything but has his attention.
“I kind of played with the monkey too.”
The next following day, Kelly was slowly getting better. But Chuck was taking a turn for the worse. His fever wasn’t breaking.
Jack goes into Kelly’s room to talk to her about her monkey.
A nurse was already in the room taking care of her.
“Abaddon why aren’t you wearing your mask?”
“Oh, sorry Doctor its just—”
“No excuses, you’re taking an unnecessary risk. Not only would you be putting your life at risk, you’re putting everyone else’s lives at risk as well.”
With that she put her mask over her mouth and nose.
“Kelly,” Jack says.
She opened her eyes slowly giving the doctor his attention.
“We got your pet down in the lab. Now, was he ever sick when you had him?”
“Yes, just after I bought him. He had a bad cold, and threw up a bit too.”
“Well in order to help the fireman, and you as well, we may have to put him down so we can perform an autopsy.”
“No, you can’t!” she cried. “I don’t know what I’d do without Oreo!”
“Kelly, it’s the only chance we have at saving lives.”
The tears that built up in the girls eyes fell. Jack took his gloved finger by her cheek, brushing away the tears that fell.
“If you’re right about that,” she swallows thickly. “Then you can take Oreo.”
“Could help you too Kelly.” Abaddon says.
“I know.”
Jack gave a sad smile through his mask.
He doffed off his PPE by the door and left her room to give the go ahead.
“Dean, we have a group of kids from Jefferson Elementary School to come in for a tour, can you help Gabe clean up the garage real quick.”
“Dad, I’m really exhausted, can you get Cas to do it?”
“It’s not like you to complain, come on now. He’s busy with the logs, come on it won’t take long.”
The alarm sounded.
“Never mind.” John says.
“Station 51, medical emergency. At the top of the Wells Fargo bank at 5535 Woodland Boulevard. Cross street Jackson Avenue.”
The men and women at station 51 jumped into action.
At the location they climbed up the stairs after they reached the max floor the elevator would allow to go.
“What happened?” John asked one of the men working on the roof.
“Jimmy was over the edge cleaning the windows and he let out a yell, and I saw him collapse. I tried getting him on this thing but it’s jammed.”
“We’ll get him, we’ll hoist one of my paramedics down to get a line on him and we’ll bring him up.” John assured.
“I’ll go.” Dean says.
“Why don’t we just swing the lift through a window?” Cas asks.
“There wouldn’t be a safe way to do it. Just, get me down to him. Drop a line for him and he’ll be up here before you can say Bobs your uncle.” Dean says.
“Just be careful man.” Cas says.
“I will dude.”
Dean has the ropes around him, his harness, Gabe, Michael and Raphael anchored his rope as they helped lower him down.
“Okay, more slack!” Dean shouts as he got closer to the victim.
He got safely on to the lift and began to work the rope around the victim so they could lift him up.
But Dean’s vision began to spin. His hands came up to hold the support of the lift.
“Dean, you okay!?” Cas shouts from the ledge.
“Yeah!”
Dean hurries to get the rope around the victim and tries to work on tying the knot.
His dizziness got worse, and worse. Just as he was about to ask for help, Dean passes out.
His body falling off of the lift, and hangs by his harness off of the ledge.
“Try lifting him up a bit!” Cas ordered.
The three brothers tried pulling the rope slightly.
Cas could see Dean wasn’t getting any higher.
“No, stop, he’s tangled. I’m gonna have to head down there.” Cas says.
He heads over to Charlie who handed him some rope, getting the lopes around him, and working his harness on.
Cas hurries over the ledge.
Gabe, Michael, and Raphael tied Dean’s rope to hold him steady as they lowered Cas down to the lift.
“More slack!” Cas ordered as he got closer.
Cas removed his work gloves to check the victims pulse.
“He’s in full cardiac arrest!” Cas shouts out, communicating.
Cas finishes what Dean had going. Connecting the loops around the victims arms and legs making a makeshift harness.
“Okay, lift him up!” Cas calls out.
The victim slowly rising as Gab, Michael and Raphael pulled the rope lifting the victim up.
“Dean, can you hear me man?” Cas asked, trying to lift Dean onto the lift.
He didn’t respond. He was out cold.
Cas furrowed his brow as he grew concerned for his friend.
“Okay, lift him up!” Cas ordered.
Cas seen the original victim made it over the ledge safely. And Dean began to slowly rise up to the top.
Once everyone was safely up, they got Cas up as well.
Cas helped with the cardiac victim while Charlie and the others assisted with Dean.
Y/N sat at the nurses station charting her days work about ready to head home when an ambulance and squad approached the door.
She quickly typed up her report, saving it and sending it to her Director, she went to assist the paramedics.
Her heart dropped when she saw one of the patients being wheeled in.
“Dean.”
“Patient one was DOA, heart attack. Dean has a fever of 104.” Cas says.
“Okay, there’s an exam room open, lets get him in there. I’ll page Dr. Singer.”
“Where’s Jack?” Cas asked.
“He’s sick too. He was about to treat Kelly and Chuck when he collapsed. His fever is 103 and climbing.”
“How is Chuck?”
“Not doing well. Let’s focus on Dean please.” Y/N said, keeping the tears of fear at bay.
Dean was all settled in a room later that night.
“Y/N.” Bobby says as he entered Dean’s room.
“Dr. Singer.”
“Your director doesn’t want you treating him. It’s against ethics.”
“I know. I’m off the clock.”
“Then what are you still doing here?”
“Oh, forgive me for staying by my boyfriend’s side.”
“Y/N, you’re D.O.N is on the other side of the this door. Relax.” He whispered.
“Bobby, I can’t think straight right now. I want to stay by his side, if that’s alright.”
“You can’t just stop everything because he’s sick. The CDC got back to us on the virus, you know this. It’s a strain of the Asian flu, a newer mutated strain. We have a drug we can use.”
She sighs, rubbing her face hard, trying to not get frustrated with herself.
“I know. I just want to know he’s going to be okay is all.”
“You love him. I know. But you have to still live life. Because that don’t stop. You got to keep going kid.”
She nods. “I’m guessing I can’t stay with him due to isolation protocol.”
“You got it. but once he’s better, you can.” She nods again.
“Please, keep me in the loop with him.”
“I’m sure Meg will. Cas was already on her case about him.”
She chuckles with a nod.
“Go home and rest. He’ll still be here tomorrow.”
She nods, leaving with a slump in her shoulders. Heading to her car. Driving quietly home.
It wasn’t until she got out of her shower, and laid in her empty bed did she let her walls come crumbling down.
A sob escaped from her, shaking her to her core.
“God, Dean. Please be okay.” She sobbed.
The next day, she heads into work trying to focus on her patients.
She learned from one of the over night nurses that Chuck passed away.
Her anxiety already being high enough with her boyfriend being sick with the same virus, but the same virus that killed a fireman.
She headed up to Dean’s room where Meg walked out. Sweating after being in her PPE for some period of time.
“How is he?” she asks.
“Not good. His fever is not even breaking. He had the first 100 Milligrams of Idoxuridine.”
“Has it been two hours?”
“Close, it’s been about an hour and fifty minutes since last dose.”
“Give him another dose of it. Same for Jack if he’s not getting better.”
“Sure thing, I’m sure Bobby will understand.”
Y/N nodded as Meg went back inside to give Dean another dose of the drug.
Y/N headed back to the nurses station to chart her first half of the shift when her D.O.N approached the desk.
“Y/N, I was told you were by Dean’s room yet again. This time on the clock.”
“Sorry Jody, I just—”
“It’s okay, really. Bobby can be a hard ass sometimes, and I know I can be too. But my husband gets sick really easily. And I’d do the same thing you’re doing.” She says.
“Thank you…” she hesitates.
“I have your replacement coming in so you can see him and be with him. Once Donna gets here, go to him.”
“Thank you, thank you.” She says, as tears rise to the surface.
“It’s not a problem.” Jody smiles.
Days pass as the doctors and nursing staff cared for Dean and Jack for the virus.
Y/N stayed day and night, her D.O.N giving her the week off on FMLA.
She had lost track of the days when she finally allowed herself to sleep.
Kelly was fully recovered and the doctors and nursing staff encouraged her to donate some blood so they can use her antibodies in her blood to donate to Dean and Jack so they have a fighting chance.
His fever finally broke, he was getting better. She could close her eyes and he’d still be there.
She woke that night to a hand on her head, playing with her hair.
She stirred awake to find Dean awake and well.
“Hey.” She says tiredly.
“Hey.”
“How are you feeling?”
“Like I’ve been hit by a truck.” He answers. “Babe, did you stay here all day?”
“Dean, it’s been a week. You’ve been out for a week.”
“Damn…but still, you’ve been here all week?”
“Yes. You scared me.” She says. Taking his hand and placing it on her cheek.
His thumb brushing against her cheekbone. Catching a tear that fell.
“Well I’m sorry for scaring you. But you’re worrying me, did you take care of yourself while you were here?”
“Not really. Haven’t been hungry. I’m not sick or anything.”
“I know, you’ve told me that you’ll get this way. Either in a good way, like an innocent way of binging your favorite show and forgot to eat. Or in a bad way, like this.”
“Let me get Meg and tell her you’re awake.”
Just as she says that, Meg comes walking in.
“Jack’s awake…oh Dean’s awake too.” She says.
“Yeah, he is.” Y/N Says tiredly.
“I’ll get Dr. Singer so we can see when you can go home. And get Y/N to a bed, she hasn’t slept much since she stayed here.”
“Really, not eating or sleeping.”
“She was worked up. who could blame her?” Meg asked.
“True.”
Meg left the room to get Bobby.
Dean not saying a word, pulls Y/N’s arm guiding her in the bed with him.
She happily got in, curling into his side.
He felt a residual tremble shudder through her body.
“Shh, I’m here baby. I’m not going anywhere.” He says.
Not even a tiny virus would tear up this team.
~
A/N: Did you enjoy? How are you liking it so far? Favorites yet? Feedback is fuel and much appreciated. :3
~
Dean Girls:
@pandazombie69, @luci-in-trenchcoats, @supernatural-jackles, @becs-bunker, @winchesters-favorite-girl, @jayankles, @jeaniespiehs20, @mlovesstories, @akshi8278, @flamencodiva, @anotherspnfanfic, @megzdoodle, @lyarr24
~
Copying and reposting someone else’s content is plagiarism and illegal. This work is property of supernaturallyobsessedchic. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. These works contain material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of these works may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author / publisher. An electronic reference link to the original posted work may be provided for purposes of promotion or assistance of publication by the readers discretion, if proper credits are given to the author in the re-post. 3/23/2021
49 notes
·
View notes
Overpowered Part 3 (Branjie)-athena2
A/N: Thank you all for the great feedback on Chapter 2! This chapter is a little angsty, but I hope you like it! Any feedback you have would be amazing, it really means a lot to me.
***This chapter has a mild panic attack, implied abuse, and discussion of medication.***
I also made some Brooke and Vanessa moodboards for this fic! Find them on my tumblr @buffywhovianpotterlock.
I’m surprised you’re still functioning.
We made the drugs that made you.
Precious little Frost.
She throws the weighted blanket off with a sigh, Vanessa following. “Can’t sleep either?”
Brooke shakes her head.
“I want to read it now.” She’s been tossing and turning since she told Vanessa she was ready, and she’s ready now. She has to know. She digs through her dresser.
“You’re sure?”
“I’m sure. You’ll do it with me? Please?”
Brooke can lift a car over her head, but nothing could ever be heavier than this folder.
“Of course.” They drop down at the kitchen table.
Brooke has been picturing this moment since she asked Nina for advice, the older woman’s voice filling her head.
The file might give you some closure. But, given what happened last time, it’s likely it could cause another flashback. We could look at it here, or you can do it on your own if you’d like, but be aware you might respond negatively.
It’s what she figured Nina would say, an answer that wasn’t really an answer.
“Tell me if it’s too much, okay? Promise?” Vanessa asks, grabbing her hand.
“Promise.”
Her free hand flips the folder open. The vaguely familiar words burn her eyes as she wades through medical terms of the injuries from the plane crash last March. A broken leg, broken arm, 3 broken ribs, collapsed lung, internal bleeding, and several cuts to her body. Does she feel the pain from those broken bones now, or is she imagining it? She touches the thick white scar on her chest absently.
She suddenly remembers a drainage tube between her ribs (she has a small scar there too) and the long scar down her chest, and white tabs stuck to her skin, connected to monitors that beeped piercingly, and pain like someone had carved her chest open and pieced it together with Scotch tape. Then the doctor put something in her IV, and it all went black.
“You good?”
Brooke jumps. She’d forgotten Vanessa was there. “Yeah. So far it’s just what happened after the crash.”
Subject name removed from flight list. No survivors. Flight list not released, subject will be presumed dead if any inquiries. Subject’s public records here (pgs 2-8), scrubbed from databases.
She turns the page. Scans of her birth certificate and driver’s license. She’s Canadian? A fight between her and Vanjie runs through her head, Vanjie grinning and teasing her for saying “soar-y”.
Newspaper clippings. Maybe there’s something about her before, or her family— she hits two obituaries. Her parents. She can’t read the rest. She just can’t.
Brooke should feel something, she knows she should. But she can’t remember. Nothing at all, not even a flash. It’s just an empty space inside her where she knows the memories should be.
She moves on hastily. Hytes New Co-Director of Toronto Ballet Company. She remembers the feeling of her feet in ballet shoes, but co-director?
The clippings are ghosts of her old life and she can’t take the haunting anymore. Brooke moves to lists of dates, starting when they took her and continuing until this summer. Her dosages, her exams, her training, her missions. The first rows cover her progress healing and responding to the drugs. Drugs that the two men she met hours ago had made for her and countless others. Her stomach twists painfully and she jumps ahead.
5/30/2018: Subject at healthy weight, physically approved to begin training. 10% accuracy with ice blasts.
Brooke remembers the row of bright red targets. His voice thunders in her ears. “You have until October to get half those targets.” It’s a command.
8/13/2018: Subject having nightmares, inquiring about old life. Subject sedated, given 100mg dosage in IV overnight. Had no memory of asking questions after waking.
She skips over training logs, punishments, and medical data. It’s like reading about someone else. She has vague images of the events, but they’re getting stronger and clearer as she reads.
10/1/2018: Subject achieved 65% target accuracy, no punishment required.
“Maybe that’s enough.”
“I’m f-fine.”
11/19/2018: Training complete. 100% accuracy, blast strength increased. Dosage (10mg) steady and effective. Subject compliant and approved for field missions.
It’s all here. Labs she’d broken into. Weapons and technology she’d stolen. Every injury, every new drug sample. Records of fights with Black Diamond, with Shuga Rush, with–her heart skips a beat–Vanjie.
And the last one. The very last one before Vanessa saved her and took her away from them.
7/7/2019: Vitals steady. Subject compliant. Dosage to remain doubled until further notice.
“Brooke?” She can hardly hear Vanessa.
“These are all the bad things I did. ”
“Baby, no. Those things weren’t you.”
She shakes her head, heart straining her chest.
“You want to make us proud on your first mission, don’t you?”
She nods.
“Remember, if you fail, that’s bad. You know what happens when you’re bad.”
“I won’t fail, General.”
“Brooke!”
Her lungs are on fire, burning all her air. 5 things she can see.
She sees the kitchen wall across from her but it’s tilted–Vanessa is holding her tightly, stopping her from falling off the chair she’s half-out of. She pulls herself upright, eyes absorbing the wooden table as her breathing slows.
“Are you okay?” Vanessa tenderly brushes sweaty hair off Brooke’s forehead.
“Y-Yeah.”
“You need to get some sleep.”
“So do you,” Brooke says quietly. All Vanessa does is take care of her, worry about her, and Brooke knows she hasn’t done enough to help, especially with the vision. Vanessa’s been through bad shit like her and is suffering in ways Brooke can’t imagine, but she’s always so strong, iron forged in fire–
“Less thinking, more sleeping,” Vanessa insists, leading Brooke to bed.
Their bodies intertwine under the blankets, but neither sleeps.
—
“Brooke, come here!” Vanessa yells around a mouthful of pumpkin brownie, tapping on the window.
On the street below, a sea of kids in bright colors weave in and out of pumpkins and decorations. She doesn’t know what she’s supposed to look at, until-
“Are they…”
Vanessa nods.
Two little girls head down the sidewalk. One wears a red suit with a V on the chest, the other in familiar royal blue, and she can just see the neon F.
“We’re legit heroes now, baby,” Vanessa grins, but her tears mirror Brooke’s own.
Their lips meet and Vanessa tastes like chocolate.
She thinks it’s the first time they’ve both forgotten about the vision.
—
There’s been small earthquakes and electrical damage around the city, but no sightings of Quake or Shockwave.
Their nights are spent tackling common criminals beneath an inky sky.
She watches Vanjie scream at robbers and would-be murderers while desperately beating the crap out of them like it’s the only thing reminding her she’s still alive. The only thing keeping her alive.
Vanessa is suffering but Brooke has no idea how to help.
It’s like watching someone drown but being unable to save them.
Vanessa isn’t eating. Her eyes are rimmed with shadows. Her skin is painted purple and blue from all the fighting.
She doesn’t want to talk about it, and Brooke doesn’t want to force her.
Vanessa is close to breaking, and as much as Brooke wants to shatter, she can’t.
Sometimes she can’t even look at Vanessa without wanting to cry because she may never see her again.
Brooke’s heart is made of glass, but she needs to let it ice over before Vanessa burns herself out.
Because even though they have time, Brooke feels like she’s losing Vanessa already.
—
It’s probably a stupid idea, but it has A’Keria’s blessing, so there’s hope.
Brooke works while Vanessa showers. She moves chairs and couch cushions and blankets until she has a sturdy blanket fort. She arranges fluffy pillows underneath, lays out the potato-chip cookies she’d made, and gets The Notebook set up.
Brooke is waiting when she emerges from the bathroom in her pajamas. “I have a surprise,” she says, covering Vanessa’s eyes. “Sorry about the cold hands.”
“I’m used to it. And there better not be any haunted house shit in here. Halloween’s over.”
“Nothing scary, I promise.” She removes her hands and watches Vanessa’s eyes get big, Brooke’s heart growing with them.
“Brooke.” Her hand goes to her mouth. “How did you…A’Keria,” she answers herself as she slides under the fort. “Damn. I love you so much. I don’t know how I got this lucky.”
“I’m the lucky one,” Brooke says as she nestles beside her. “So, um, I wanted to ask how you’re doing? Be honest.”
Vanessa shrugs and stares at the cookies. Brooke’s never seen her at such a loss for words. “I…I don’t know. I’m pissed–not at Yvie, it’s not her fault–but at everything, I guess, and I’m confused and sad and really fucking tired of it all, honestly.”
Brooke nods. “I can’t imagine what you’re going through. But if you want to talk-”
“I know you want to help, but I don’t want to talk. Please.” Her voice gets small and Brooke’s heart aches for her. “I usually love screaming about my problems and feelings and shit, and I know everyone thinks it’ll help to talk about it, but I just can’t. I’m sorry.”
“No, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pushed.”
“It’s fine,” she sighs. “I just want to watch this movie and have you hold me.”
“Of course.” She presses play as Vanessa curls into her side, Brooke’s arms steadying around her, feeling how tense she is.
It didn’t go quite as she planned, but Vanessa falls asleep with a smile on her face, so it wasn’t a total failure.
—
“You seem a little distracted. Anything you want to talk about?” Nina’s voice drips with concern and Brooke wants to tell her. She should tell her.
She shrugs, fingers digging into the squeeze ball.
“Anything at all?”
“Meds,” Brooke mumbles, finally bringing them up like she’d told Vanessa she would a month ago.
“Something in particular about them?”
Another shrug.
“Can you give me a little something to go on?” Nina asks gently.
“I think I want to take them,” Brooke says eventually, eyes on her lap.
If Nina is surprised, she hides it well. “Okay. Did something happen that caused you to want them? You seem a little hesitant, and I want to make sure you’re confident and comfortable before I prescribe anything.”
She’s about to shrug again when she can’t keep it quiet anymore. “I…I’m just sick of it! I’m sick of sweating in the grocery store and thinking I’m gonna have a heart attack when I leave the house! I’m sick of the panic attacks and the headaches and not sleeping and I…” The outburst quickly drains her and her next words are a whisper. “I just want to be better.”
Nina is quiet.
“I’m s–I’m sorry I yelled. I didn’t mean to.”
“You don’t have to apologize for feeling.” Nina pauses. “Brooke, I’m so incredibly proud of you. I want to say that first because I think you need to hear it.”
Tears spring in Brooke’s eyes. Nina was proud of her.
“I understand why you’re upset, and why you’re scared. Anyone would be after what you’ve been through. But if you feel ready, I do think medication would help you.”
“But if I…” Her voice trembles as she releases a fear she hasn’t even told Vanessa. “If I take them, doesn’t it mean I’m not good enough? That I’m weak?”
“Oh, Brooke,” Nina says softly, and her eyes look slightly damp. “Not at all. You’re doing so well. There’s absolutely no shame in needing help. Asking for help and taking medication shows how strong you are, how hard you’re working to get better.”
Nina passes her the tissues and Brooke no longer hides her tears. “I’m ready,” she confirms.
Nina smiles. “There’s one more thing I want you to try.”
Brooke raises an eyebrow.
“I want you to try not to apologize when you’re here.”
Nina might as well have asked her to pilot a rocketship.
“I know it’s a lot, and I don’t expect you to do it immediately,” Nina amends at Brooke’s bewildered expression. “It’s just something I want you to try.”
Brooke nods.
“And Happy Thanksgiving!” Nina crows.
—
She and Vanessa wake at sunrise.
“Please tell me you don’t play Monopoly on Thanksgiving,” Brooke begs as they season the turkey.
“Oh no, that’s for birthdays only.”
“Thank God.”
“On Thanksgiving and Christmas we do bingo.”
“That doesn’t sound too bad.”
“Mmm, you haven’t played with Silk. The bitch uses six cards. She used to keep a marker in her pocket and change the numbers. And she has to call out the numbers herself because she doesn’t trust us.”
“So I guess I’ll hide the valuables?”
Vanessa laughs and kisses her cheek.
Brooke knows what she’s thankful for.
—
Silk barges in an hour early presenting her sweet potato casserole like it’s made of gold.
“Thank God we got Brooke to make the pies. Last year A’Keria was in her health-food phase and tried to poison us with low-fat nonsense,” Silk grumbles. “I almost wasted away.”
“And she brought that green shit white people love,” Vanessa adds.
“Kale?” Brooke guesses.
“That’s it.”
“She better not mess with my mashed potatoes. Last year she put cauliflower in them. Says you can’t taste the difference. Believe me,” Silk pats her chest proudly, “I can taste it.”
—
“Everything good here?” A’Keria checks, glancing at the food covering every inch of counter surface.
“Yeah, I just hope Scarlet and Yvie like it.”
“Girl, you could go on the Food Network,” she declares, pointing to the pie-crust leaves on top of the pumpkin pie. “Everyone’s gonna love it.” A’Keria pats her arm in reassurance and the calm runs through her immediately. Brooke smiles in thanks, and A’Keria winks.
—
“A’Keria, these potatoes are so good. What the hell is in them?” Yvie asks and Silk nods with her mouth full of them.
“Just butter and cream.” She pauses, grinning devilishly at Silk. “And cauliflower.”
Silk almost chokes. “You lying hoe!” She grabs a serving spoon and chases A’Keria around the table while the rest of them roar with laughter.
Brooke catches Vanessa’s eye, and she knows they’re thinking the same thing: Please don’t ever let this end.
—
After a 2-hour bingo game resulting in 3 ripped cards, 2 spilled cups of coffee, one marker hurled out the window, Yvie flinging whipped cream in Scarlet’s hair, Silk almost swallowing a bingo ball, Brooke launching walnut shells like missiles, and Vanessa’s pumpkin pie fork nearly taking out A’Keria’s eye, everyone heads home.
“Brooke, I almost forgot,” Silk says as she leaves. “That Plastique girl? I found her.”
—
She bounces her leg in her and Vanessa’s favorite coffee shop, because Nina had suggested they go somewhere she felt comfortable.
“You okay?” Vanessa asks. Brooke felt fine doing this without Nina, but there’s no way she’s doing it without Vanessa, even though Brooke feels guilty for dragging her along to something about her when they could be focusing on Vanessa.
“Yeah. It’s…she knew me before, you know? Not me now. And I’m not who I used to be. I don’t even know who I used to be.”
“Well, maybe you can’t focus on who you were. Because you are who you are now, and you don’t need to be anyone else. And for the record, I like who you are now a whole lot,” Vanessa bats her eyelashes and Brooke feels warmth spread through her.
Plastique looks exactly like she did in Brooke’s dreams–long black hair and a face so delicate it could be a doll’s.
She bursts into tears when she sees Brooke, touching her arm like she can’t believe she’s real. Which she probably can’t, Brooke realizes. She thought I was dead.
She gives Plastique the Silk-approved story: Brooke survived the plane crash with severe memory loss, met Vanessa, and has been trying to regain her memory. It’s not a total lie, but Brooke still sweats as she tells it, even though Plastique believes it and cries again halfway through.
“I’m so sorry I didn’t look for you. They said no one survived and I never thought…”
“Of course you didn’t. There’s nothing to be sorry for.”
“Brooke, it’s my fault you were on the plane,” Plastique says suddenly, voice thick.
“What do you mean?”
“I was supposed to be on it, but there was a mix-up and there wasn’t enough seats, so I was gonna take a later flight. You wanted to stay with me, but I told you to go…”
For just a second, Brooke considers how easy it would be. To blame Plastique, to have someone to hate for putting her on that plane and in the lab’s hands. But she can’t. It’s not Plastique’s fault, just like it’s not her fault. Nina always tells her it’s no one’s fault but the lab’s, and it’s never felt as true as it does now.
“No,” Brooke says firmly. “Nina–she’s my psychiatrist–she told me if you wouldn’t blame someone else for something, you shouldn’t blame yourself for it either. It wasn’t your fault, I promise you,” Brooke’s voice is fierce as she grips Plastique’s hand.
Plastique nods, wiping her tears.
Plastique had been an intern at the ballet company that Brooke was co-director of. Brooke had danced professionally with the same company for 6 years. She was leaving on her first tour as co-director when the plane went down.
Vanessa’s eyes silently ask if she remembers any of this. She remembers twirling across a stage, costumes light against her skin. She remembers feeling free.
Plastique pulls out her phone. “Here’s a picture of you when you danced.”
Brooke sees herself on the screen but can’t quite believe it’s her. She’s in white from her tiara to her pointe shoes, lacey costume on her lean body, hair pulled into a bun. She looks confident, so far from the Brooke who flinches at loud noises and stutters when ordering food that they’re hardly the same person.
“I’m loving this short hair on you, girl. You cut it right before the tour. I’m glad you kept it,” Plastique says.
Brooke’s never thought about it. It was short when she woke up at the lab, and they had kept it like that so it wasn’t in the way for her training or their medical exams. She likes it short and A’Keria trims it for her.
They talk for another hour, and Plastique promises to keep in touch.
Brooke is quiet on the way home, her mind buzzing.
“You alright?” Vanessa asks. “That was probably a lot, huh?”
She nods. She doesn’t know if she should miss the Brooke in that picture when she doesn’t really know that person. She doesn’t know if she should try to be more like that Brooke.
She thinks of what Vanessa said. Maybe it’s not about who she was. Maybe she doesn’t need to be anyone else.
Just being herself is enough.
—
The last day of November dawns unusually bright.
Brooke stands over the sink with a pill in her hand. She looks out the window and her stomach drops, pill slipping through her fingers.
She feels the urge to run outside, let the flakes melt on her tongue, let the cold steal her breath and freeze her cheeks.
But she doesn’t.
Because it’s the first snowfall of the season, and they’re running out of time.
20 notes
·
View notes