I do not own Totally Spies. The idea for this story goes to Boris Yeltsin.
Blink of an Eye
Sam burrowed her head in her hands and took a shaky breath. The tears that had been threatening to spill over were making their reappearance. But she would not cry. For now, she had to be strong. She would cry later, in private.
The white walls of Beverly Emergency were plastered with health posters and medical advice. Not too many people were in the waiting room, and Sam was grateful. She didn't think she'd be able to handle being in a crowded room.
The redheaded spy slipped a little lower in the padded chair and took a deep breath. The past events seemed like days ago, when really they had only happened a few hours ago...
"So, do you think I should get the latest Yvonne boots in cyan or magenta?" Clover asked seriously, flipping through the catalogue she had in her manicured hands.
Sam rolled her green eyes and kept her attention on the road before her. "You're still buying shoes from that jerk?"
Clover scoffed. "A villain he may be, but style he has. I'm glad he can still design while he's in prison. Talent like that would be a shame to waste."
"Well, I think you should get them in cyan." Alex peered at the fluttering pages and pushed her sunglasses up. "They look better than the magenta ones."
The spies' convertible sped down the street. After a long spy mission they just wanted to relax. What better way than to drive around Beverly Hills?
Clover peered intently at the catalogue and nodded. "You're totally right Al! I can't wait to send my order in! Mandy is going to be so jealous!"
"Do you really have to sink to her level?" Sam asked, turning around for the briefest of moments to cast a disapproving look at Clover.
When she turned her head around, the last thing she saw was a large truck attempting to speed through the intersection before they crashed head on.
Then everything went black.
Clover's screams still echoed through her mind. Sam squeezed her eyes shut and groaned. Why did she take her eyes off the road for even a second? This was all her fault!
If that truck driver hadn't been trying to race through the intersection, you wouldn't have crashed into anything.
The driver was currently in police custody, and Sam was certainly intending to press charges.
"Miss?"
Sam bolted from her chair, eyes wide. "Are they okay?"
The doctor hesitated, and that was enough to have an iron weight drop in her stomach. "How about you go see them?"
The two walked silently down the corridor, passing multiple hospital rooms and patients. The doctor cleared his throat and asked, "Will their parents be coming?"
"They should be on their way right now," Sam whispered. She caught her reflection in a window and winced at the bruises and cuts that covered her bare arms and legs. She quickly looked away and tugged at the sleeve of her green T-shirt. "I also filled out the proper information at the desk."
The doctor nodded, and stopped in front of one room. "This is where your friend Clover is resting. I'm sorry to say that she's been paralyzed."
The world jolted, and Sam forced herself to stay calm. "Spinal injury?"
"I'm afraid so. Your other friend Alex...she lost her left arm. It was mangled so bad we had no choice but to amputate it." The doctor looked at Sam sympathetically. "I'm truly sorry."
"Thank you," Sam whispered. "May I go see Clover now?"
"Of course. You're other friend is just across the hall." The doctor gestured towards the correct room where Alex was resting. "Please inform me when they awake."
"I will." Sam entered Clover's room and shut the door gently. The blonde was sleeping deeply, a deep cut across her right cheek. The stitches were brand new. Sam let out a strangled sob and sunk into the hard plastic chair beside her bed. "I am so sorry..."
How was it that she escaped with nothing more than cuts and bruises? It couldn't be fair, it just couldn't!
But then again, life isn't fair.
Sam let the tears drip down her cheeks and sniffled. She could not cry when her friends awoke. She would make sure that she continued to treat her friends the same as she always had and she would be strong.
The redhead gently brushed a blonde lock away from Clover's forehead. She stood up and went across the hall and entered Alex's hospital room. The raven-haired girl was in as deep a sleep as Clover was, and Sam stared at the place where her left arm should have been.
It would be hard, adjusting to playing sports with only her right arm. But if anyone could do it, it would be Alex.
What about the spy missions?
Sam banished the unwanted thought for her mind. It was true that the spy missions wouldn't be the same, but now was not the time to think about it.
"Sam?"
Sam wiped her eyes on the back of her hand and turned around. A concerned Jerry stood in the doorframe. His eyes wandered to Alex, and he blinked hard. "Sam, I think you should go back to the penthouse and get some rest."
Sam stared at Alex before nodding wearily. She did not want to leave her two best friends, but their families would be arriving soon and it was best if she left them alone. "Okay."
She didn't know how Jerry knew what had happened, as the redhead had been too frazzled and confused to do anything other than call the parents of Clover and Alex and fill out as much paperwork as she could and give her statement to the police.
Sam looked once more at the sleeping form of Alex before allowing Jerry to lead her out of the room.
...
"This was a bad idea," Sam muttered softly, closing her locker door and shuffling down the hallway. She thought schoolwork would keep her mind busy. Staying at home by herself would cause her to wallow in grief and she would start blaming herself again.
Somehow word got out, and now the students of Beverly Hills High were giving her sympathetic stares and mumbled condolences. It was if Alex and Clover had died, when they really hadn't.
"Sam?"
The redhead slowly turned around. "What do you want Mandy?" If she made a crack about Clover she was going to get it.
Mandy hesitated, seeming to have an internal struggle before finally saying, "Sorry about Clover and Alex. If anyone can pull through, I'm sure those two can."
Maybe it was the unexpected compliment Mandy had given, but suddenly Sam couldn't stick around anymore. She managed a strangled, "Thanks," before rushing down the hall and running all the way back to the penthouse.
She needed to be alone.
...
"Hey, Sammy..."
Sam removed herself from her covers to see a pale Alex smiling at her. The redhead jumped out of bed and hugged her tightly. "I'm so glad you're alive!"
Alex smiled tiredly. "Me too. I mean, I'm glad you and Clover are all right."
"Where is Clover?" Sam asked suddenly, peering around Alex and trying to glance into the living room.
"Her parents are helping her up the front steps. This place isn't wheelchair-friendly yet."
Sam closed her green eyes. "Oh yeah...well, I'm sure we can build the ramps in no time."
"Hey! Where's my hug?"
Clover appeared in the living room, holding the wheels of her new wheelchair and frowned. Sam managed a smile and hurried to give her a hug. "I'm so glad you're here!"
"It's going to be a little hard, trying to get the hang of this thing. But it's not like I have a choice, right?"
"I'm so sorry-"
"Don't even think about it!" Alex warned, wagging her right index finger in front of Sam's face. "This totally wasn't your fault."
"I know," Sam whispered. "But how are we going to do the...you know, spy thing?"
Clover scoffed. "I'm sure we'll manage. If Jerry even thinks about firing me, I'll let him have it!"
"Yeah, I could be strictly surveillance or something!" Alex said cheerfully. "And maybe Clover can be a desk-"
"Nice try, but I am not being a secretary," Clover interrupted.
The banter made Sam feel at ease. Things might change, but Clover and Alex were alive. That's what mattered.
That's what life was. Everything could change in a blink of an eye. You just have to prepare yourself as best you can.