Post by Azure on Feb 8, 2009 23:06:08 GMT -5
The room spun as her consciousness returned, bright fluorescent light burning its way into her brain. A hand reached out, touching the side of her neck. Coldness shocked her skin, but the scream that bubbled up died around the tube in her throat.
"Sweetie, can you hear us?" The voice came from above her, kind and soothing. Trying to nod, she winced painfully. "We're going to pull the tube out of your throat, okay? Help us. Cough as much as you can." Her compliant coughs turned to gags as the tube was yanked out, leaving her to breathe on her own through a scratched, raspy throat.
"Where... where am I?"
"You're in a hospital, outside London. Do you remember what happened?"
Shaking her head was a mistake, pain bolting through her. "I remember... a little. But not how I got here."
"Just lie back." Fingers touched her leg, wringing a scream from her aching throat. The sheer agony terrified her, making her muscles jerk.
"Why... why does it hurt? Where's Ein and Duex and Vier and Cinco and Zes and Seven..."
"Ssh." The sudden relief of the pain that flooded through her was incredible, and she tried to figure out the source. Blackness flooded her vision, and she was asleep before she knew what had happened.
Hours later, she floated back up, looking into a stranger's face. He smiled at her, eyes kind and gentle. "Welcome back to reality."
"Who are you?"
"Brian O'Kelly. A friend. I'm here to help you." He chuckled. "The nurses think I'm your father."
"Father..." Flashes came back, images of Vier lying dead, Duex on the ground, Seven coated in Ein's blood. She struggled for a moment, trying to sit up, until the man laid a hand on her chest to still her.
"Your father's dead, Tres. Your brothers too. There was a fight... you got lucky." He touched her leg, which no longer ached. "The bullets that got you shattered your femur, tore a muscle... and broke your hip. You lost a lot of blood, and it was touch and go."
"Duex..."
"Is gone."
"What do you want from me?" She turned her face away from him, eyes welling up.
"I'm offering you a home, Tres. You're not alone now." He stroked her hair gently, the blond strands tangled with tears. "I'll give you a new name, a place to live, and a father who loves you."
"If..."
"If what, pet?"
"If you promise me that when I'm older, you won't stand in my way when I apply to the Blue." Her resolve was firm, and Brian smiled gently.
"I won't stop you. I'll be by your side the whole way. Promise."
Eyes like moonstones in shade turned up to him, almost curious. Her forehead creased with exhaustion, but one more question came before she could rest. "What's my name gonna be?"
"Treasa. My little girl, Treasa O'Kelly." Anxiously, Brian watched her, cupping her cheek with gentle fingers. "Go to sleep, dearling. We'll talk more when you're feeling better, all right?"
A small smile crossed her face. Before she dozed off again, she said one last sentence.
"Good night... Daddy."
"Sweetie, can you hear us?" The voice came from above her, kind and soothing. Trying to nod, she winced painfully. "We're going to pull the tube out of your throat, okay? Help us. Cough as much as you can." Her compliant coughs turned to gags as the tube was yanked out, leaving her to breathe on her own through a scratched, raspy throat.
"Where... where am I?"
"You're in a hospital, outside London. Do you remember what happened?"
Shaking her head was a mistake, pain bolting through her. "I remember... a little. But not how I got here."
"Just lie back." Fingers touched her leg, wringing a scream from her aching throat. The sheer agony terrified her, making her muscles jerk.
"Why... why does it hurt? Where's Ein and Duex and Vier and Cinco and Zes and Seven..."
"Ssh." The sudden relief of the pain that flooded through her was incredible, and she tried to figure out the source. Blackness flooded her vision, and she was asleep before she knew what had happened.
Hours later, she floated back up, looking into a stranger's face. He smiled at her, eyes kind and gentle. "Welcome back to reality."
"Who are you?"
"Brian O'Kelly. A friend. I'm here to help you." He chuckled. "The nurses think I'm your father."
"Father..." Flashes came back, images of Vier lying dead, Duex on the ground, Seven coated in Ein's blood. She struggled for a moment, trying to sit up, until the man laid a hand on her chest to still her.
"Your father's dead, Tres. Your brothers too. There was a fight... you got lucky." He touched her leg, which no longer ached. "The bullets that got you shattered your femur, tore a muscle... and broke your hip. You lost a lot of blood, and it was touch and go."
"Duex..."
"Is gone."
"What do you want from me?" She turned her face away from him, eyes welling up.
"I'm offering you a home, Tres. You're not alone now." He stroked her hair gently, the blond strands tangled with tears. "I'll give you a new name, a place to live, and a father who loves you."
"If..."
"If what, pet?"
"If you promise me that when I'm older, you won't stand in my way when I apply to the Blue." Her resolve was firm, and Brian smiled gently.
"I won't stop you. I'll be by your side the whole way. Promise."
Eyes like moonstones in shade turned up to him, almost curious. Her forehead creased with exhaustion, but one more question came before she could rest. "What's my name gonna be?"
"Treasa. My little girl, Treasa O'Kelly." Anxiously, Brian watched her, cupping her cheek with gentle fingers. "Go to sleep, dearling. We'll talk more when you're feeling better, all right?"
A small smile crossed her face. Before she dozed off again, she said one last sentence.
"Good night... Daddy."