The outer bruises always healed the fastest. It was the inner bruises and pain that won't let go; that couldn't be shaken. They all had their own devices to hide the pain, numb the hurt, and try to heal themselves. Too many sips from a bottle. Constantly ignoring it often by become obsessed with work or other duties. One hardly looked into the eye's of another in fear of seeing their pain reflected in them and knowing they'd see yours just the same. With everything that happened, all the falls and failures, they still picked themselves up and kept walking. Though not quite as tall.
As a doctor Abby knew these behavior of hiding, the unwilling for those to admit their was damage done to the soul and mind was gonna be more dangerous than those outer ones. But she herself wasn't ready to deal with it either.
"You need to stop." Marcus spoke from the doorway. She waved hm away knowing what he meant and what he wanted. He was one of the lucky few whom had found peace, accepted the hidden bruises, and learned how to heal and not ignore. He was willing let her (all of them) get there in time but it was killing him more than anything else ever had. And his scars ran deep.
"I'm fine Marcus. I don't have time to think, sleep, eat, or do anything! With Jackson…'she forces herself not show emotion, the Abby of before won't have cared. 'gone I have to hold this place together on my own. And they need me. Our team needs me. So no I can't stop!" She listened to the words, her tone get more angrier with each word that past. Unaware all of that was lying dormant in her. Marcus steps closer into the room towards her. Abby shakes her head mouthing no backing away, he doesn't stop. It's when she bumps into the table his hands grabs her shoulders and he presses his forehead against hers. She closes her eyes to hide the window.
"I know it's hard. And I'm so sorry for…everything. It's okay to hurt. It's okay to be angry. You need to stop and take time to grieve. It's okay to fall apart I'll be here to catch you." Marcus whispered the last part in her ear. With that her eyes open up seeing not pain and hurt but love and hope in his eyes she does just that; begins to sob falling into his waiting arms.