Triple Zero- Chapter 2: Father and Son
Today, it was Juvia's turn to sit by the phone. For once, Laxus was at work on time, so he, along with Gray and Gajeel, played darts to pass the hours. An unexpected ring of the phone caused all four heads to turn. Juvia allowed it to ring twice before answering it, just to make sure she wasn't dreaming. She picked up the buzzing device, and answered with the words taught to her in class, "Hello, you have reached the paramedic's unit. This is Juvia speaking."
Gajeel slapped on Laxus' green cap as they slowly gravitated towards the door. Gray quickly adjusted his navy green uniform.
"Hi Juvia," a familiar voice attached to the end of the line, "There has been a car accident on Cora Lane. A young boy and his father are both reportedly unresponsive. The police require your services immediately. Take two trucks. Good luck."
Juvia nodded and firmly replied, "Understood." With that, she hung up, and calmly explained the situation to her team.
Gray led the group through the empty, sunlit corridor. Plants hung low, cradled by strings. It was an idea introduced by Juvia, in an attempt to lighten the stressful environment. Silver-grey chairs complimented the brown walls, and a large portrait of the owner of the hospital rested upon the archway of the door. The man's mischievous grin took away from his abnormal height. He could easily be compared to a dishwasher as they'd be equal in size.
With large and hasty strides, Gray pushed the door open, which revealed a small array of ambulances.
"Alright," Gray began as he opened the bright red door to his lucky number 7 truck, "Laxus, you're with me. I'm driving."
"Okay," Laxus replied, jogging over to his partner-for-the-day. He swiftly slipped into the passenger's seat without another utter.
As Juvia neared the driver's seat of ambulance number 2, Gajeel made a sound that resembled a growl. "I'm driving," he stated bluntly.
"Fine," Juvia pouted as she hopped into the vehicle. "But I get to drive next time."
Gajeel set the ambulance into gear, "You know I ain't good with people," he argued as he pulled out of the garage.
Juvia switched the siren on. It blared violently as she shot back smugly, "It was a part of our training."
Gajeel sighed, and admitted defeat. He then hummed to himself and followed after Laxus and Gray. The sun had just risen above their heads. It could have been a perfect day.
Erza, just like any other day, sat on her wheelie-chair, organising papers and taking phone calls. While fixing her pink and white bandana and matching uniform, tension suddenly strangled the building. Six people burst through the doors, two on stretchers, the other four were pushing them. It changed the atmosphere completely. Once they had come out of Erza's squinting range, she recognised the four paramedics. Oh dear, she thought, an accident.
Gray and Laxus pushed past a crowd of people, with an unconscious man on the first stretcher. He looked to be in his mid-thirties. Juvia followed closely behind, wheeling another victim in. A young boy, not much older than five or six. He was conscious, with soft pain etched onto his face.
Gajeel leaned over the counter and held Erza's attention with a simple, but pleading gaze. "Ya mind setting up a room in Alice Blue and Artic Green? For a week at least."
Erza quickly nodded, respecting his presence was required elsewhere, "Certainly. Carry on, Gajeel."
The shaggy-haired man gave the receptionist a thumbs-up and hurried after Juvia.
"Quickly," Levy urged the group into the cold and slightly unsettling room. Sickly people dotted the small area, making their presence known via coughing fits and pain-filled groans. Nurses tended to them, and tried their very best to calm several patients down. Jellal, Mira and Wendy entered the scene, just in time to help move the father and son into a more permanent analysis area.
Juvia lingered around the small boy's bed, waiting for a doctor to arrive so she could explain the situation.
Wendy calmly strode over with Mirajane trailing behind. The young girl brushed her tied hair away from her shoulders. She then ran her fingers along the cool, metal railings of the boy's bed as she quickly observed him.
"What happened," the young doctor questioned, not even taking her eyes off the boy.
Juvia cleared her throat, "Supposedly he was in the passenger seat of the car, and a truck crossed over and through a red light. They couldn't stop in time."
"Have you found an ID?" Wendy began to inspect the boy for any serious injuries.
"His name is Romeo Conbolt. His father, Macao Conbolt."
Wendy pulled back Romeo's dark purple hair, and checked his forehead. She then moved down to press on a blueish-purple bruise on his cheek. "Did you give him anything?" She was suddenly suspicious of the lack of a reaction she was getting from him as she deepened her force on his right cheek.
Juvia nodded, the feeling of fluster creeping through her cheeks. "I gave him some chloroform to ease the pain. He was struggling on the way up."
Wendy released her hand from the boy, and frowned, "It has made it difficult to run tests…"
"I was only following the protocol." Juvia blushed.
"Okay, we'll find another way. Thank you for your assistance. That is all." Wendy waved the female paramedic away. Juvia walked back with the rest of her team.
Mirajane sucked in a big breath, and prepared herself for the day.
Meanwhile….
Jellal brushed his hand over Macao's left arm. "There appears to be an abrasion here, but nowhere else on the left side of his body. Strange…"
Levy was halfway through stitching up a large open wound that had formed over the bridge of Macao's nose. "Laxus said that Romeo was sitting in the passenger seat…"
"Hm, I suppose he could have put his arm in front of the passenger seat-"
"-In order to stop the airbag from coming into contact with his son," Levy suddenly burst out.
Macao's face had been bruised quite badly. What appeared to be a soft, tan skin, was now dotted with purple-blue bruises and inflammations on the chin and collarbone. The man's right shoulder jutted out slightly, indicating a possible break.
"While he's unconscious, I think we should push the bone back into place," Jellal suggested as he placed a hand on Macao's shoulder.
Levy pursed her lips, and nodded firmly. She then continued to dab some antibiotics onto a flesh wound the cut across his neck.
A shivering crack cursed at Levy's ears. For a moment, she closed her eyes, and breathed in. After working at the hospital for 9 years, she still wasn't quite used to inflicting pain upon others.
Jellal then bandaged up Macao's shoulder, and wrapped a plaster cast around it. He smiled, mentally congratulating himself. "I think the black matches his eyes," he chuckled.
Levy looked up from the blood she was cleaning and giggled, "I think you're right. But we'd never know until he wakes up."
Natsu had played several games of chess with an unusually chatty, little boy. His name was Romeo Conbolt. He had recently been moved from the emergency wing, to Artic Green. A car accident, Wendy had briefly explained. Despite being badly bruised, and a few stitches, Romeo seemed to be rather awake and lively for someone who was still recovering.
"So, you're a doctor?" The little boy asked. His blue eyes flickered with hope.
Natsu waved him off, "Nah, I'm what you call a nurse. A doctor was too much work."
Romeo wasn't fazed by that, "Oh wow, that's so cool! I wanna be a nurse when I grow up."
A small blush crept onto Natsu's face. "Yeah…it's the best job ever. My dad taught me everything I know!" He suddenly felt a jolt of excitement as he began explain his life story to the eager boy.
In Alice Blue, Cana Alberona was tending to some of the elder patients. There was only seven people that currently inhabited the room. A new patient had been admitted, and since Magnolia was such a small town, Macao was the hot gossip. Cana didn't mind chatting it up with the, "Golden Oldies," either.
"Apparently he has a son in Artic Green," whispered Frank. He had been in Alice Blue for two weeks, recovering from a boat incident. His white hair rustled slightly as he spoke.
Cana placed a bowl of hot soup down in front of him and flashed him a mischievous grin, "I think you're right, Frank-dearie. What's his name? Romeo, that's it. He's been up all day talking to Natsu."
As if on cue, Macao woke up. Unaware of where he was, he began to thrash about. "Where am I? Romeo! Where's my son?! Someone-"
Cana had rushed over immediately to calm the frightened man. "Your son is fine. He's in the room next to us. Don't worry, you're in good hands."
Macao tried to move his neck, but only winced in pain. His face turned red as he realised the extremely attractive nurse standing beside him.
"O-Oh," he managed to stutter. "What happened… to me?"
Cana relaxed and sat down beside the man. "Apparently you went all hero on your son, and basically saved him. A car accident. You, er," Cana raised an eyebrow of respect, "Got pretty banged up."
Macao tried to grin, but a stitch above his top lip caused him to frown. "Think my wife'd come back to me if she heard that?"
The nurse smirked, "I'm sure there are better women out there who'd go for a guy like you."
Swiftly pulling a beer bottle out of her trauma kit, Cana handed it to Macao. "Your friend is pretty damn sneaky. He'd stayed up all night with it in his hand. Finally left the s'morning and gave it to me to look after. Wakaba's his name."
A comfortably smiled played on Macao's lips. One that didn't strain him. "Yeah, he's…really great."
I'm finished chapter two! Aw man, ain't Wakaba sweet. Anyways, the next chapter will be out in two weeks or so. I'm thinking of naming it "Her Admirer." This'll be mainly a paramedic scene, as it's a Lyon/Juvia/Gray chapter.
-IgneelsTears (Macka)