Gene, Alex etc are not mine I just like making up fun scenarios for them (although there's probably not going to ONLY be fun in this fic!)
I apologise in advance if there end up being some EXTREME hiatus' (what the hell is the plural of hiatus?) on this fic - I have 6 chapters written, I will probably post 1 and 2 quite close together then the others once a week (in the vain hope that I can keep ahead of myself). My job is crazy busy so there may be gaps, hopefully you'll like this enough to bear with me and wait.
This isn't the kind of stuff I usually write but I'm loving doing it so I hope you enjoy it. Reviews so I know if it's worth it would be lovely!
Chapter 1 - Take the Long Way Home
Alex fought her way slowly back to consciousness, the heavy weight of somnolence threatening to pull her back at any second, into the comforting arms of sleep. Her mind grasped; there was something, a reason she must wake up. She fought harder, determined to shake off her confusion, determined to find focus, to remember why it was so important that she come round.
"Now, don't you worry yourself Miss," the voice was kindly but she didn't recognise it. "You just get your rest and you'll be right as rain in no time, just see if you ain't."
Two small lines of concentration appeared between Alex's brows and in the next second she was struggling simultaneously to sit up and to open her eyes; the latter a feat proving well nigh impossible at present. A searing pain ripped through her left side and abdomen and she gasped in shock at the pain. Strong hands pushed her back down into a soft bed and brushed over her face, effectively keeping her eyes closed.
"Keep her comfortable, I've applied a dressing and I'll be back to check on it. Try to get her to eat something and some sweet tea or brandy should help with the shock." This was a man's voice. A doctor maybe? He'd mentioned a dressing. Was she in hospital? Why couldn't she remember anything? Why couldn't she fight this need to sleep? Why….
A bang. A feeling of something alien ripping through her body. No pain, not right away. She must be in shock, the proper, clinical kind. She was surprised to realise that she could appraise her own situation so dispassionately. Her hand went to the wound, her face the picture of astonishment, wide-eyed and staring, blood pouring between her fingers. From the bullet wound. It was a bullet wound! She'd been shot.
A face. His face. She couldn't hear what he was saying all sound drowned by the blood rushing in her ears as she fell to the floor, eyes closing.
In her dream world and the real world she had been struggling to reach, Alex allowed oblivion to claim her. She was so very, very tired and everything was just too confusing.
Some hours later, she was awoken by the sensation of something cold and clammy being placed on her forehead. A low sweet voice sang as what must be a damp flannel was gently patted back and forth across her brow.
This time her eyes opened and her field of vision was filled by white apron over a dark blue dress. She smiled to herself, as her eyes slipped closed again. Seemed her nurse was a sister or matron, she must be seriously hurt to warrant that level of attention on the NHS!
"Oh Miss, don't go back to sleep! Doctor says you've to stay awake and try to eat something. I've got brandy here, purely medicinal of course."
Alex frowned. Something was amiss. Surely nurses didn't go around doling out alcohol even in the early eighties. There was something else too. That noise. What on earth was that noise? Oh God it was the crackling of a fire. Had she died? Was she in hell? Was she somewhere else about to burn to death? If she could just remember her name, that'd be a help. And what was that she'd just been thinking about brandy?
Turning her head to where she thought the crackling was coming from she opened her eyes again and was relieved to see a fire of wood and coal firmly and safely situated in a hearth with a frankly magnificent mantelpiece surrounding it. Surely that was strange. She'd thought she was somewhere else, somewhere where she was sure there were no fires in hearths.
The further she progressed into the conscious world the more confused she got. Turning to the woman who was even still bathing her forehead she stared long and hard. The woman was familiar but she didn't know why.
"Where am I?" she asked, desperately trying to keep the tremor from her voice. She could remember neither her name nor anything about herself. There were tantalisingly fleeting glimpses on the edge of her thoughts. Images, words, names that she couldn't quite grasp and it began to infuriate her.
With a jerk she pulled herself up on the pillows, falling back against them with a whimper as a pain seared again through her left side. She remembered the pain. What had happened?
"Ohh, oh Miss Alexandra you mustn't!" he companion sounded panicked. "Please, Miss, you have to stay still. Your Mama will have my guts for garters so she will and you open up your wound or give yourself a fever! Please Miss, you knocked your head as well as giving yourself that nasty wound, you're not fit to be up and about."
Alex stared again. Who on earth was this woman? She could see now that she was small and elderly but with remarkable strength in the skinny little arms that were now restraining her, quelling her attempts to sit up again. Alex took in everything about her, the white apron that was actually rather grubby, the long, long skirt which obviously covered plenty of petticoats. It all seemed strange yet familiar at the same time.
A sudden memory came to her and she leapt out of bed, pushing the 'nurse' off of her.
"I have to go to him she gasped. He didn't mean it."
Her carer looked bewildered as Alex staggered a couple of steps before clutching her side and sinking in a dead faint one word dropping from her lips as she fell to the floor,
"Gene."
Would you like chapter 2 soonish or is no-one actually bothered? Let me know :P