Disclaimer: None of the characters you recognize are mine; they are property of FOX and I'm sure numerous other people (none of which are me). I make no money through the use (…misuse…abuse…lol) of these characters.
A/N: Before you ask, I don't know. There was this little plot bunny and it nagged me til I wrote this. So enjoy. Or don't. Reviews are appreciated; flames will be used to roast marshmallows.
Smell was the first sense to return and unfortunately what she smelled turned her stomach. Antiseptic and bleach with an undercurrent of human suffering that could only mean one thing, she was in a hospital. It was hearing next, with snippets of conversation floating in now and again, jumbling together into meaningless nonsense. And the incessant squeak of a nurse's rubber soled shoes in the hall outside her room -- that particular sound drove her up the wall. Then it was touch. The stiff, scratchy blankets, the cold, hard metal of the handcuff chaining her to the bed and a dull throb below her ribs invaded her cozy, dreamless sleep. Finally it was sight. Giving everything a hazy glow, the blackness receded slowly. It seemed surreal at first, motion was slowed and her senses still dulled. Her arms and legs felt loaded with lead as she tried to move them.
It seemed like hours before anyone noticed she was finally awake. The nurse who came in to check her almost left without realizing it until she managed to eke out a groan. The nurse spun around and returned to the bed.
"Well, well, look who's decided to join us in the land of the living! Let me go get the doctor, there are lots of people with questions for you!"
The nurse left and Gretchen struggled to piece together what had happened. If she recalled correctly, Self and Burrows had been ready to shoot her between the eyes, in fact she was fairly certain Burrows had had a pistol pointed at her head. But Mahone had talked him out of it -- that was interesting. She filed that little piece of information away for later. She had heard sirens before she blacked out and, judging by the unfashionable steel bracelet connecting her to the bed, she'd been brought to the hospital and was now under police guard. Before her foggy brain had time to process any more of the fragmented memories, the door reopened and a doctor entered.
"Well hello Jane Doe," the doctor said, her face hidden by a chart. But Gretchen knew the voice and it chilled her to the core. When the doctor finally placed the chart on the table, Gretchen got a look at her. She had changed. Her previously short blonde hair was now long and chestnut, her freckled skin more pale and smooth and there were slight adjustments to her cheekbones, brow and nose. But there was no mistaking it – it was her.
"Kate Nobel," Gretchen whispered. She was surprised by the doctor's sudden movements -- in seconds there was a forearm on her neck, cutting off her precious air supply.
"Call me that again and I'll snap your neck. It's Leah Clarke now," the doctor snarled. Gretchen nodded, clawing at the doctor's arm. "Good girl. You always were a quick learner." She released Gretchen and allowed her to catch her breath.
"I thought you were dead," Gretchen choked. "There was a funeral. The General was devastated."
"Yes, well what that old coot doesn't know, won't hurt him. I assume since you're here in my plain little civilian hospital that the Company has disowned you?" Gretchen nodded. "My, my you must have done something pretty awful for the General to give up his favourite little pet. Did that annoying little daughter of his get in the way?"
"No."
"Come now Gretchen, I've kept your identity a secret all week, you could at least throw me a bone. Aren't we old friends after all?"
"A secret?"
"Here have a look at your chart, Jane Doe #251. What was I supposed to say 'Oh, that's Gretchen Morgan, we go way back.' I get the feeling that if the Company knew you were here, they'd feel inclined to pay you a visit, and that would just be a mess."
"I tried to seduce the General and steal his card," she said it so quietly that she wasn't sure the doctor had even heard her, a harsh chuckle told her otherwise.
"Well it looks like someone's lost their touch. Used to be all you needed was ten minutes and you could seduce anyone into anything. Why would you even want the card? You know you need all six to access Scylla. And on that note, why would you want Scylla?"
"Some friends of mine had already acquired the other five. They were going to take down the company. I was going to sell it," Gretchen admitted, hating that this woman still had so much power over her.
"Wait a minute. Did you just say 'friends'? Gretchen Morgan is not the friend type. And how in hell did they get their hands on five cards!? You seem to have gotten yourself into quite the interesting situation." The doctor glanced at the door, knowing that time was running out. The nurse had agreed, after some persuasion, to give her fifteen minutes before letting the detective in charge of Gretchen's case know that she was awake and coherent. The flatfoot on the door had just nodded off, though not before being coerced into giving the doctor a spare handcuff key. If she was going to get Gretchen out, it had to be now.
"I don't know really. This is probably the biggest mess I've ever been in. There are so many people, with so many agendas, all gunning for Scylla and we don't even know who has it anymore."
"Okay we'll be coming back to that little tidbit soon but at the moment we need to get you the hell out of here, otherwise our friendly neighbourhood detective will be on your ass, and not in a good way."
"What are you talking about?!"
"Shut up and lie still darling, you're going for an MRI," the doctor told her, releasing the breaks and pushing the hospital bed out the door, past the sleeping cop and onto an empty elevator.
Aboard the elevator Leah Clarke palmed the handcuff key and quickly unlocked Gretchen's cuffs. She didn't miss the obvious look of bewilderment in the other woman's eyes when she pressed the button for the 'parking' level but at the moment her only concern was getting Gretchen off hospital grounds before anyone caught on. Dropping her heavy Prada bag on the end of the bed she withdrew a simple black dress, high heels and a lab coat.
"Get up," the doctor ordered, "And put this on. I don't want anyone watching security cams getting suspicious." Gretchen did as ordered, wincing in pain but not complaining. When the elevator reached the parking level the doctor motioned Gretchen to exit, following close behind. Before exiting she pressed the button for the top floor of the hospital after using a key to flip the car over to express, meaning no stops on the way up. Gretchen carried the bag as they walked in silence to a dark green Mini Cooper. Gretchen looked from the expensive handbag to the expensive car and then to the plastic-surgery-enhanced doctor currently sliding behind the wheel.
"Well looks like you've done well since you died," Gretchen remarked as she lowered herself gingerly into the passenger seat.
Leah just smirked and took the bag from Gretchen; tossing it into the back seat. With tires squealing, the doctor roared out of the parking structure and onto the street.
"Where are we going?" Gretchen asked, chastising herself for having so much blind faith in a woman she hadn't seen in years.
"Somewhere to talk about Scylla and to decide whether or not I'll be joining your little grail quest."
"I'm not sure I'd be welcomed back with loving arms. I almost got the other four killed."
"Oh darling just because you've lost your touch at seduction doesn't mean we all have. Perhaps you need a refresher course?" Leah's hand moved from the gearshift to Gretchen's thigh, sliding upwards suggestively. Gretchen tensed and blushed when the doctor laughed, pulling her hand away and dropping the car into fourth as the sped onto the highway.
A/N: This is only going to be maybe one or two chapters more. I know not much happened here but please bear with me! I will update when I get a chance (heading to cottage country for five days tomorrow so it will be after that due to the whole lack of internet!)