Salutations! Welcome to hell! There are some spoilers for episode 4, so be wary!
Pairings: None really, except S'mores...and I guess you could read CaulScott into this if you so desire!
Warnings: Cursing, brief mention of medical crap, and Pompidou bites off a certain somebody's dick.
Important Note: This was published previous to the release of episode 5!
When Nathan opened his eyes, he was faced with a world that was almost blindingly bright white.
For a moment, he thought he was still there, in that room, with Max, with...him...
But as his eyes focused and his vision became less blurry, Nathan was finally able to see clearly.
He wasn't in the Dark Room. He was in the hospital.
He swallowed hard, trying to rid his mouth of its dry feeling. He heard a steady beeping, and turned his aching head to the side, staring at the heart monitor and IV set up.
Seeing the blood and liquids dangling above him, the fluids moving into his body, made him feel a bit nauseous. He quickly turned his head, looking to the other side.
He was shocked to see his wrist bandaged, the rest of his arm littered in various bruises. Observing the rest of his body that wasn't tucked beneath the blankets, he noticed similar markings and bandages.
His eyebrows furrowed, as he lifted up the blankets slightly. He grit his teeth, at the sheer amount of bandages covering his bare legs.
What had happened?
As much as Nathan tried to recall what had happened to cause him to be in such a state, he remembered nothing. In fact, the last thing he remembered...
Nathan felt his body go rigid, his breathing coming quicker. A cold sweat broke out over his skin, and his heart rate escalated.
The last thing he remembered was the feeling of his hands being tightly bound. The fear pumping through his veins. The absolute pain of his body. A feeling of hopelessness, as Jefferson stood above Max, a syringe full of a deadly toxic poised right next to her neck.
The last thing he remembered was screaming, fighting against his restraints, his bare feet slipping on the cold floor, his half-naked body falling...
And then nothing.
Nathan jumped as the door to his hospital room was suddenly flung open. There was a blur of blond hair and olive green clothing before he felt himself being hugged tighter than he could ever remember.
Nathan blinked, confused, before it suddenly occurred to him who this mysterious being was. Immediately, he felt his eyes filling with tears, gasping as he fought down the raw emotions that were threatening to erupt.
Nathan wrapped his arms around his sister, burying his face in her hair, his shoulders beginning to shake.
Her hair was frizzy and untamed, and smelled rather...earthy...but being able to drown in that hair and feel her arms around him, holding him together...for the first time in what felt like forever, Nathan actually felt safe, like the world wasn't full of some evil, that he would be able to get out of the horrible situation he was currently in...
Kris made him feel like there was some hope left in his miserable existence.
They stayed like that for a long time, the both of them crying silently as they held onto each other. Slowly, though, Nathan felt the heaving sobs wracking his own body diminish, and Kris's soon followed.
Nathan felt exhausted after letting out all of his pent up emotions, so he reluctantly let go of Kris, laying back on his bed.
His sister looked a bit different from the last time he had seen her: Her face had an abundance of freckles on it, and it lacked the usual amount of make up. Her clothes were a little dirty and wrinkled, but aside from that, she looked exactly like the Kristine that had been his rock throughout his growing up.
Only...
Kris normally looked at him with bright blue eyes, shining in happiness. Her eyes always seemed so full of life, so put-together.
In that moment, however, Nathan had never seen eyes look as agonized as her's did.
He quickly looked away, his hands spasmodically picking at a loose thread in his blanket. However, he continued to feel her eyes on him.
"Did...you come all the way back here just to see me?" Nathan asked quietly, unsure as to what else to say.
He jumped at feeling his sister's hands on either side of his face, forcing him to look at her. ""Just to see you"?" she asked in apparent shock. "Nate, I would travel across the universe for you! You're my little brother!"
He swallowed hard against the lump in his throat. He hated seeing her look so...so heartbroken. And over him, nonetheless.
"I'm sorry," he apologized, continuing to pick at the thread.
"Sorry-?" Kris began, but Nathan interrupted her.
"You...I...this mess..." He took a deep, shuddering breath. His throat still burned from that scream in the Dark Room. "I never...I n-never wanted..."
Nathan was pulled up from the pillows once more, a more gentle hug than the first enveloping him. Kris's hand rubbed up and down his thin back, immediately causing him to relax.
"Shh," she soothed gently, "I know, I know..."
Nathan sat back, rubbing at his eyes. "F-fuck... Why the hell am I so d-damn emotional all of the sudden?!"
Kris patted his side, before going over to sit in a chair as opposed to on the side of his bed. "You've been through a horrible ordeal, Nate. I would be worried if you weren't emotional right now."
"Ordeal..." Nathan whispered, his eyebrows furrowing. Pain shooting through him. Disappointment, a failure. A sharp pain in his neck. Waking up tied up. Jefferson standing over Caulfield as Nathan screamed and screamed- "Caulfield!" he exclaimed suddenly, sitting up ramrod straight. Kris lunged from her chair, trying to keep Nathan from climbing out of his bed.
"Caulfield!" he shouted again, his eyes darting around wildly. "She...she needs help-"
"Easy, Nate!" Kris exclaimed. "I just visited Max before I back here!"
Nathan blinked slowly, confusion showing clearly on his face. Kris's face immediately grew concerned.
"Nate..." she said hesitantly, "What...do you remember?"
He rubbed his forehead, trying to rid himself of the dull ache that resounded there, before he ran his hands through his hair in frustration. "I...don't know! Everything...it's all sort of a blur..."
Kris bit her lip, before opening her mouth to speak. However, she was interrupted by the sound of Nathan's door opening again.
Nathan's eyes immediately swung around, his mouth opening in preparation to shout angry words at whatever nurse or doctor chose to interrupt. However, the words froze in his throat, at the group of people gathered there.
Nathan stared wide eyed at his classmates, at Kate, Warren, and...Max...
They all stared at him in shock as well, though apparently not for the same reasons.
"He's awake! Like really awake!" Warren exclaimed, a huge grin breaking out on his face. He lunged forward, as though he were about to run and hug Nathan, but Kate grabbed his arm with the hand that wasn't holding flowers, a smile on her face.
"I brought you more flowers," Kate said with a small shrug, her eyes shining.
Max didn't say a word, merely standing there and staring at him like he was an alien. Then she strode forward until she was standing right beside his bed.
Nathan opened and closed his mouth several times. He couldn't believe she - any of them - were standing there in his hospital room, actually looking HAPPY that he was awake and coherent.
They all looked rather well, too. Kate didn't look like she hadn't slept in weeks, Warren's black eye had completely healed, and Max...
Max didn't look how she had that horrible night in the Dark Room, as Jefferson-
"W-what happened?" he asked, his eyes staring pleadingly up at Max. He felt Kris's hand settle on his shoulder once more, and he saw both Kate and Warren come to stand close as well.
Max's eyes never wavered from his. Her serious expression, though, melted away to a small smile. She bent down slightly, so they could look each other square in the eye. Any anxiety Nathan felt seemed to melt away, at the happy look in those eyes.
"Nathan...you saved me."
Nathan blinked several times, feeling his eyes begin to burn again. He rubbed at them furiously. However, he suddenly realized that his chest didn't feel heavy like it had when he was crying earlier. Now...now it felt light.
Like a giant weight had been lifted off his shoulders.
Memories flashed briefly before his eyes. Jefferson dropping the needle, distracted by Nathan. Him coming over to beat up Nathan even further, when there was a loud boom. And then there was the oddest trio Nathan had ever seen, standing on the broken down door: Blackwell's security guard, David Madsen; Nathan's drug dealer, Frank; and Frank's dog.
David had his gun trained on Jefferson, who looked like a dear in the headlights, and Frank had his knife. However, they both stepped out of the way, allowing Pompidou to lunge forward, it's sharp teeth sinking deeply into Jefferson's crotch, before jerking backwards.
Jefferson screamed, before he was shot.
Things happened very fast, then, as both David and Frank went over to check Max. However, she just kept pointing at Nathan, saying that his distracting Jefferson saved her life.
And then there was darkness.
Nathan blinked, looking around at the group gathered around him. At some point, his best friend Victoria had entered the room, and was sitting on his other side, her fingers intertwined with his. Kate and Warren were standing, arms around each other's shoulders. Kristine still had the hand settled on his shoulder.
Max still stood looking at him, like he was some sort of hero.
"I...I didn't do much..." he whispered.
Max grabbed his face like Kris had, forcing him to look at her. "You DID do A LOT! You saved my life Nathan!"
He took in a shuddering breath, closing his eyes briefly. When they flickered open again, he whispered, "Is...everything going to be okay?"
Max gave a solemn nod. "Yes. Everything may not be completely okay now...but I know it will be. I have hope."
Nathan looked around him once more at the caring faces surrounding him, before deciding that maybe he had a little bit of hope as well.
A/N I know this was ambiguous af, but I just wanted something short and sweet. And also, I wanted to write a scene where Pompidou bit off Jefferson's dick, just saying.
Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed, leaving a review would be much appreciated!