Setting: About the time of Episode II

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Disney, and Alliance Atlantis, or something like that

Setting: During the pilot episode, after Val's dad's heart attack.

I'll Be There

What a night. But as bad as it was for me, it must have been much, much worse for Val. It was about 4 a.m., and still no word. I was sitting with Val, Brooke, and their mom for what seemed an eternity. But I didn't mind, you know, anything for Val.

"I can't stand this!" Brooke muttered tiredly.

"I know, sweetheart," her mother soothed, "I know."

Everyone lapsed into silence once more. Finally Val stood up and announced she was going to walk around a bit. I stayed behind for awhile, occasionally comforting Brooke and her mom. Val had been gone for some time, so I decided to go see if she was all right.

I walked around a good part of the hospital, and didn't find her anywhere. It's funny how different the hospital seemed. I mean I'm in the hospital a considerable amount of time, being an EMT, but now it seemed so, I don't know, foreign.

I walked around a corner and found Val sitting a little ways away, sobbing into her hands. I watched her for a bit, and thought about how much she's had to go through. She's like superwoman, and she still keeps her grades up. And now this. I slowly walked over.

_______________________________________________________________________

I couldn't hold it in anymore. I excused myself, and wandered around until I broke down, buried my face in my hands, and started sobbing in a waiting room chair. How could this happen? I always thought my family was safe from any harm. Well, I guess I was wrong. I know I wasn't at fault, but I couldn't help feeling guilty, I am an EMT, you know, I should have been able to do something.

I felt someone sit down beside me, put their arm around me, and hold me close. I blearily looked up, expecting my mom. When my eyes met Tyler's, I was, to put it mildly, surprised, but also to my surprise, I didn't pull away. Instead, I buried my face in his shoulder.

"How could this happen," I mumbled into his shoulder.

"Val, this isn't your fault," Tyler said softly.

"But I should have been able to do something, stop it somehow. Maybe if I-"

"Val, there's nothing you could've done."

I gave up and turned my head so it was resting on his shoulder. His hand found mine, and he gave it a little squeeze, as if to give me some strength.

"Val?"

"Hmm," I mumbled absently

"You know if there's anything you ever need, I'll be there for you," he said sincerely.

"I know," was all I could say in return. With this, I slowly drifted off to sleep.

_______________________________________________________________________

I sat there for a while, Val cradled protectively in my arms, thinking about everything, and nothing. I laid my head on top of hers, and closed my eyes for a second.

I must have drifted off too, because when I opened my eyes, the clock on the wall read 5:23. I looked down at Val, sleeping peacefully, and I hated to wake her, she needed all the sleep she could get. But her mom must be worried, we'd been gone almost an hour and a half.

I gently nudged Val, and she tiredly looked up.

"Val, we should get back now, your mom will be worried, " I said softly.

I helped her to her feet, and together we walked back, hand in hand.