Hospital
My entry for "H" of the A-Z Primeval FanFic Challenge
Who? Series 4 Cast, focusing on Abby, Jess and Emily (and Lester)
When? Set after the events of "Guilt"
Part One
In the hospital waiting room, three young women sat on three identical plastic hospital chairs. The clock on the wall read midnight but, despite the late hour, none of them were giving in to sleep. Maybe it was because their accommodation did not exactly encourage a restful moment of shut eye: the chairs too hard to lie down on comfortably and the lighting too harsh to block out. But, judging by their faces, it was anxiety keeping them awake.
Abby sat in the middle, staring fixatedly ahead, her fingers clenching and unclenching around a gold ring on a chord.
Jess sat on the left and couldn't keep still. She'd earned several annoyed looks from Abby by this point. She'd also managed to work her way through three cups of coffee from the vending machine, which wasn't helping her restlessness.
Emily sat on the right and appeared the most composed, but wore a rather grim expression. She didn't like hospitals and didn't trust doctors. Absentmindedly, she had gathered up the dark curls falling below her shoulders and braided her hair with steady fingers.
The fluorescent lights flickered above them as they all looked round and saw someone walk through the double doors at the end of the waiting room. Three pairs of eyes followed the doctor as he made his way to the reception desk, picked up a clipboard and disappeared through the doors. Jess shifted in her seat and managed to elbow Abby in the ribs again.
"Ow," Abby complained, "Jess, would you sit still? You're making me nervous."
"Well, aren't you nervous?"
Abby didn't directly respond and, choosing to ignore the question, replied: "They'll be fine." She said it with a firm determination, but her hands were knotted into fists where they rested on her knees.
Seeing right through this response and sensing the inner turmoil it masked, Jess had put an arm around her friend's shoulders. "Connor's tougher than he looks, Abby."
"I know, I know that." Abby nodded, her head bent low so that her hair fell in curtains around her face and disguised her worried expression and teary eyes.
"But at the moment, all logic is out the window, isn't it?" Jess said. "Until you see him and have seen for yourself that he's ok, you can't help but imagine the worst possible scenario, right?"
"When did you get so wise, Jess?"
Before Jess could reply, Emily answered quietly: "She's speaking from experience."
Abby smiled but Jess shook her head, saying quickly. "No, I'm not. I've not got anyone like Abby has Connor."
Emily leaned forward so that she could see the younger girl's expression. It was innocent and anxious and hopeful all at the same time.
"But you're here for Becker all the same," she said. "You worry about him just the same."
"I guess. And you worry about Matt," Jess stated.
Emily sat up straighter. "Yes."
"They'll be fine," Abby said again, with more conviction this time.
This mutual reassurance was comforting, but when the doors swung open once again, they were immediately on edge.
The image of James Lester as he strode into the waiting room was a relief to the three women. He was dressed in his favourite pinstripe suit, with a bright tie and matching braces despite it being the middle of the night.
The three of them jumped up from their seats at the sight of him and hurried over. Jess and Abby crowded near him – Jess actually tugging on his sleeve – while Emily kept her distance.
"Ladies," he greeted them. "Any news?"
Abby shook her head. "None, and it's been hours. They won't tell us anything. We were hoping you knew something we didn't.
"I'm afraid not," he replied, straightening his tie out of habit even though it didn't need adjusting. "But I'll see what I can do. Why don't you three take a seat?"
Abby almost commented that they'd already been doing that and were bored stupid but the promise of Lester being able to get more information pacified her.
As the minute hand read quarter past the hour, they dutifully resumed their positions on the three uncomfortable hospital chairs for more clock-watching.
Lester marched purposefully towards the double doors leading out of the waiting room.
"Excuse me, sir!" the receptionist called out to him, "You can't go through there!"
He turned, eyebrows raised, to look at the girl sitting behind the desk. "I'm looking for a doctor who can tell me the status of three men brought in here over six hours ago. I understand no one has thought to inform us of their progress and I find this utterly unacceptable."
The girl, intimidated by his smart dress and brisk manner, mumbled: "I'll see if I can find Mr Murphy" and scurried off, returning a few minutes later with a tall, bearded man in a shirt and tie almost as bright as Lester's.
"Sir, can I help you?"
"Mr Murphy I presume," Lester said, holding out his hand for the doctor to shake as he nodded to confirm his identity. "I'm James Lester and I'm responsible for the men you've got in there. Are you able to give me an update, which, quite frankly, is long overdue?"
"Certainly, Sir. I'm terribly sorry for the delay. We were told on their arrival that they are protected by the Official Secrets Act and we were not to disclose any information about their status until you arrived." Mr Murphy was nervous, obviously wondering how important Lester actually was. "Would you like to come through?"
Murphy led the way across a quiet ward and into the adjoining office. He sat down at one of the desks and signalled for Lester to take the chair opposite. The doctor leant forward, hands clasped together in front of him, focused and serious. "Where would you like me to begin?"
"Let us start with Mr Becker," Lester suggested.
Murphy nodded. "Yes, of course."
"Well, Mr Becker had a nasty blow to the head and is suffering from concussion. We've stitched up the wound but I would say he is going to have one hell of a headache for a few days." The doctor tried to joke but Lester's expression remained severe. "Of the three, he's the one I'm least concerned about."
Murphy cleared his throat and continued. "Mr Anderson suffered smoke inhalation and has broken his leg in two places. He's just come out of surgery to fix the bone back in place. I'll get the orthopaedic consultant to speak to you both once he's regained consciousness."
Lester nodded. "And Mr Temple?"
"Mr Temple has several broken ribs and a collapsed lung. Like Mr Anderson he also suffered smoke inhalation, which did not help his situation. He's still in intensive care but we're hoping he will be stable enough for us to move him in an hour or so. He's heavily sedated but has been trying to communicate. He keeps mumbling something about how Abby is going to kill him. Does that mean anything to you?"
"Sounds about right," Lester managed to chuckle despite the circumstances.
"I'm afraid none of them will be going anywhere tonight. As their emergency contact do you have the details of their next of kins? I could get one of the nurses to call them."
Lester shook his head. "There's no need. Mr Temple's next of kin is already here and I've called Becker's brother. As far as I'm aware Mr Anderson no longer has any living relatives, so for all intents and purposes I am his next of kin."
"Very well," said the doctor, nodding briskly to signal that their discussion was over. Both men rose to their feet.
"Thank you for your time," Lester said and started to head back towards the waiting room.
"Mr Lester?" Mr Murphy called after him.
"Yes?"
"Those young ladies in the waiting room," he said with a smile that made his beard twitch, "You can let them know they can see their friends soon."
"Thank you."
When he reappeared through the double-doors, Abby and Jess were on their feet immediately and rushed over to him. Emily followed at a more sedate pace. He relayed the information from the doctor and there were gasps and tears and hugs and many "thank yous" that he'd found out what they had desperately needed to know. They were particularly pleased to hear that they could see the patients soon.
Abby kissed Lester's cheek and gave him a squeeze. "You're a good man, Lester. Thank you."
He smiled awkwardly and brushed the crumples out of his suit.
"Blimey," thought Lester, rolling his eyes and shaking his head at all this uncontrolled emotion, "Women!"
In a hospital ward, three young women sat beside three identical hospital beds. The clock on the wall read 3am but none of them were giving in to sleep. All thoughts of fatigue had been forgotten for the sight of three young men alive in front of them.