welcome back! here is part 2 of my mini holiday story that has nothing to do with the main story: Terminal State. thanks so much for reading, once I'm done this side project I'll get back to the main one, promise!
...
Dr. Virum sighed, opening her locker and leaning her head against the edge of it. She was absolutely exhausted, another double shift and no time to sit down in between. Sleep barely came to her and this time it wasn't because of her nightmares. There was just so much to do when she wasn't working. Usually, she was a little more organized than this but for whatever reason there seemed to be more children to tend to than usual. With the ongoing war the orphanage was a little busier than she remembered as well and she wanted to finish her baskets. It was the one thing a year that mattered to her on the holidays.
She was so busy she had barely spoken to Gladiolus, let alone seen him since she agreed to go to his party. It was the last thing on her mind, pulling out her phone and seeing quite a few messages outstanding. Unlocking the screen to have a look, she smiled slightly. The message from Cor was swiped away instantly. No sense in reading it, he wasn't one to apologize to her for anything really and she wasn't interested in letting him get to her. She saw him, it could wait until next year. There were three from Gladiolus and she eagerly read all of them. Her smile grew as her eyes scanned over the words. She replied quickly, agreeing to meet with him tonight for a late meal. The growling in her stomach told her that she really wanted one anyway. The last message was one she was not expecting at all. Crowe was reaching out to her, meaning that some of the Glaives were coming back for a bit of relief this holiday. That was something she could get behind.
She'd have to find a time for the schedules to fit in together. For now, she put her phone away and rushed to get everything ready for her shower. If she was quick enough she could finish off the last of her baskets before meeting with Gladiolus for food, then she might have a bit more of that free time to try and relax a little. She smiled at the thought of free time on her hands and where she would put it. She never thought she would be so happy to have it after she left the war. Some days it still felt like a dream, one that she would wake up from at any moment. Best to get as much time as she could. While she was initially mad at Cor for his insensitive comment she still couldn't help but agree with him. Don't screw this up.
...
Athenacia finished the last of her baskets with a sigh. Her crunch time had really paid off and looking at her phone she realized she had only half an hour to get ready for her date. That was not enough time and she really hoped that they were doing something simple like they usually did. She just enjoyed her time with him, not really concerned about where they were and what they were doing. The first things pulled out of the large, walk-in closet were jeans and a purple plaid blouse over a white tank top. A brush ran through her hair quickly and then she took another look at the time. She was going to be fine. She rushed toward her foyer, pulling on her boots and winter outerwear before leaving the apartment and locking the door behind her. She rushed down toward the lobby to wait, noting that it was snowing yet again. As if there wasn't enough snow in the city of Insomnia.
She grumbled at the idea of the cold weather getting to her again. She always hated the cold, even the slightest dip in temperatures when the seasons started to change. If the war ever ended she vowed she would move to a volcano and live there for the rest of her life, never one to shy away from heat. Glancing at her phone again with her gloved hands, she looked over her work and wondered where she was going to fit in everything. A message popped up over what she was currently observing and she frowned slightly, her thoughts coming to a halt. She looked up, jumping a little when Gladiolus was right there outside the door. A smile tugged at her lips, ignoring his smug grin and stepping out of the building.
"Hey Doc," he greeted her.
"Hi," she replied.
"Little jumpy?"
"It is late at night."
He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, "Don't worry, you're with the best Crownsguard out there."
She giggled, "The ego on you, never fails to surprise me."
"You knew what you were getting into," he winked at her.
She only laughed harder, letting him guide her toward the car and smiling at the fact that he kept it so warm for her. He knew she didn't like to be cold and those little thoughtful things he did made her heart flutter. She had no idea where he was taking her, not really paying attention anyway. It had been a while since they saw each other and she had a lot to tell him about influenza apparently. She was actually shocked at herself for talking as much as she was. It was abnormal for her but he listened with a grin on his face. She went over every moment of her work days with him from the time that she had last seen him right up until now. What was wrong with her? She couldn't remember a time before that she was so giddy. A blush crept across her cheeks by the time she was finished, the two of them pulling up to a place she did not recognize. They were on the edge of the city, still within the cement walls and therefore the magic barrier but not exactly inside the city. There was a wooded area that she never even knew existed here. Before she could speak, he was already getting out of the car. The snow continued to fall as she exited out the door. She saw that he had a bag around his back and she was still waiting for some answers. Apparently, she wasn't going to get any.
"I thought we were getting food?" she asked.
"We are," he replied, beginning to walk away from the car.
"In the middle of the woods?"
"Yup."
She caught up to him, falling in step beside him. He stopped just before they were about to head into the tree line. She looked up at him curiously and he took hold of her jacket. Heat rose to her cheeks, wondering what he could possibly be doing. When he was finished she looked down and was not expecting him to fasten a light to her clothes. He had one of his own and then he continued to walk down the trail. This was definitely an odd date. Not that she minded being out in the woods but a little warning would have been nice. She followed him, not wanting to get left behind and enjoying how convenient it was to have the light right there and keep her hands free. They walked a path that was obviously very familiar to him but she had absolutely no idea where she was going. The flurries were falling lightly and she was extremely happy at this point that she wore her warmer boots. Her feet were wet but at least they weren't freezing. Not yet. Gladiolus kept walking and they started to get on an incline. She was still in her own head about where they were going, so many twists and turns she had no idea how they were going to get back. She let out a squeal that echoed through the woods, sliding down the hill a little and almost falling to the ground. A very large hand caught her before she could get too far away.
"You ain't getting away that easy," he smirked at her.
She smiled at him, biting her lip in that nervous manner before finding her footing again. They walked back up only this time he was behind her. She tried not to slip anymore, especially since when she was about to a second time he held her up by her backside and that only made her flush further. Once they reached the top he took her hand and lead her down a different trail. They weren't walking as far this time and when they stopped her breath caught in her throat. From the vantage point, they were at they could see the entire city from up here. The Citadel stood tall in the distance, the light of the Crystal shooting up toward the heavens and surrounding the city with its protection. The lights from the festivities were all strewn up as well and she knew that the fireworks would look amazing up here. The blanket of snow coating everything gave it a sort of mystical glow and she suddenly felt warmer.
"Wow..." she spoke.
She could feel the smug look on his face as he came to stand behind her. She had never seen the city like this before and was amazed that he went out of his way to take her here. He obviously had done this before, probably exploring all kinds of places in the woods here. If it wasn't so dark she would know how big it is. He had his hands on her shoulders and she leaned into him, enjoying this as much as she could. Her eyes burned at how tired she was but she always made time for him when she could. It was completely worth it. She turned toward him, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him soundly. Her nose felt cold against his skin and she knew she had snowflakes in her eyelashes but she didn't care, his warmth filling her from her very core and spreading through her body.
He was still smiling smugly at her when they pulled apart. He kissed her quickly before getting out of her embrace and coming to set his bag down on the ground. She brought her gaze back toward the city, getting lost in the mesmerizing lights once more. She had no idea how beautiful the city truly was until she came here, and she had him to thank for it. Tearing her eyes away, she brought her attention back toward him. The smile on her face grew, seeing that he was attempting to start a fire. Attempt was the right word seeing as he was failing at it. She found that oddly humerus, given that he seemed to enjoy being outside. The snow was still falling and she waited patiently for an opening. Maybe he didn't do a lot of outdoors when it was cold and wet. Either way, she quickly remedied his problem with a flick of her wrist. It had been a long time since she used the borrowed black magic that King Regis loaned her but it came to her just like muscle memory.
"Cheater," he gave her a disdained look.
She only laughed in response, coming to sit next to him on the blanket that he laid out for them, keeping her shoes off of it so that it wouldn't get any wetter. He was busy so she leaned back on her elbows while being warmed by the dancing flames in front of her. This was nice, she was happy he dragged her all the way out here. Though she still felt like it was an odd time to be coming here. Surely they could have met up earlier but he picked this specific time and she wondered why. It came as no surprise that she was interrupted from her thoughts by cupped noodles being pushed into her hands. Honestly, his obsession was starting to borderline unhealthy. She smiled despite herself, not really caring what she was eating at this point just happy to have some food and spend time with him.
She teased him though, and he countered with his usual arrogant self. She seemed to forget all of her troubles in moments like this and wished that they would never end. When they finished eating they continued to talk and laugh. He was relentlessly teasing her now and she was becoming all the more flushed at his actions. Eventually, she turned her back on him, feigning anger with her arms crossed. He pulled her close, though she resisted and it ended with them on the ground off of the blanket. He was on top of her, holding her in place while she looked up at him.
"Gladio!" she cried, shivering when the snow hit her skin.
"Cold Doc?" he smirked.
"Well it is winter out here," she pointed out, "And the middle of the night."
He brought his lips to her neck, ghosting them along her flesh and causing her to giggle, "I'll warm you up."
She was sensitive there, trying to get the stubble of his face away. It tickled her and she couldn't help but laugh. He wasn't kidding, she was starting to warm up while trying to avoid him. He wouldn't let her get away that easily and the woods were filled with her giggles while he kept that crooked grin on his face. He finally found her lips, silencing her and she happily gave into it. The snow was still falling gently on them, the moment right now nearly perfect. Until he felt something cold running down his back. Her lips erupted with laughter as he pulled off of her quickly, growling at the snow that was just shoved down the back of his coat. She used that opportunity to slither away from him, grabbing her shoes taking cover in the trees.
She had a smile plastered on her face, gathering snow from the ground and making a perfect ball in her gloved hands. Peeking around the large trunk, she narrowed her eyes to scan for him but he was nowhere to be seen. She looked again, running from one tree to another in order to stay hidden. When he finally did make an appearance she threw her snowball, hitting him square in the chest. He fired and she giggled before taking cover. She grabbed another one, readying it. She took another peek and dodged a ball that he had ready for her. Her attack launched and missed, laughing still as she made one more. But she squealed when she felt his arms come around her from behind, wondering how he managed to get behind her so quickly. For a large man, he was quick like a cat. She dropped her weapon and then let out another yelp as she felt the cold chill of winter down the front of her shirt.
"No!" she cried.
He was laughing at her, keeping his hand there as the snow began to melt against her chest. His other arm was around her abdomen, holding her against him. Her body shivered as the cold settled in and she tried desperately to avoid it. But he was much bigger than her and she had nowhere to move.
"You jerk!" she said between her chattering teeth.
That only made him laugh harder at her, but he held her tighter.
"Come on," was all he said to her.
He removed his hand now that the snow was no longer there. She was still shivering but allowed him to lead her back toward the fire. His arm was still about her shoulders and he held her once they were sitting down again. The bitter chill had settled in, making her unzip his jacket and burrow into it. He held a gentle smile, keeping her close while building the fire up a little. He went to lay flat, bringing her with him. She let out a content sigh, looking up into the night sky. She gasped when she looked up, her eyes lighting up in wonder. Above her was a long line of rainbow coloured lights floating in the sky. The Northern Lights, visible from here in the Crown City. A smile spread across her lips at the sight before her, never seeing something like this before in her life.
"Gladio..." she had no words. This was the reason he wanted to meet with her so late, "It's beautiful..."
"You bet your ass it is," he replied, that same smug smile on his face.
He held her tighter, letting his head rest against hers as they watched it in silence. She couldn't believe that he had gone out of his way like this for her. It made her swell with affection for him and not only did she want to jump into a deeper level of their relationship with him, she didn't feel uneasy about it. As she laid in his warm embrace she truly wanted to go and meet his family. She wanted to be apart of his life in a way she never experienced before. He was such a good man, he could ask her for anything and she would do whatever was in her power to grant it for him. As she turned her head toward him in order to plant a meaningful kiss on his lips, she knew in her heart that she never wanted this to end.
...
"What about this one?"
Athenacia came out of a changing room wearing a blue dress. It was light, hugging her hips while covering her chest completely up to her neck. It was long as well, the sleeves stopping at the elbow and the length at her knees. She looked at herself in the mirror, twisting around so that she could see it properly. Of course, she was flustered at the very idea of having to try on dresses in the first place. Usually, she just pulled something out of her closet but when she looked over it she found nothing to her satisfaction. She looked over at her friend, waiting for an answer. Crowe was on the nearby bench giving it a critical look.
"You look like an old lady in that, get rid of it," replied the young girl.
Athenacia sighed, having no choice but to agree. She marched herself back into the changing room, getting ready to take it off and put that in the large no pile. She never had so much trouble picking out an outfit before that she could remember. The Amicitia party was coming up very soon and Athenacia wanted to look her best. She was extremely nervous about meeting his family and being in the ideal place a traitor could go to snoop out information. But she liked Gladiolus a lot and she was not going to let him down. She just had to find the right dress to wear, something she knew she couldn't decide on her own. So she enlisted the help of Crowe since it dawned on her that she had barely any friends. That was her own doing, of course, her next best choice Ignis and she knew that man was far too busy getting the Prince ready for the ball and whatever else it was he did. The Glaive was the best choice and it was lucky that she just happened to be in town for a little while. Crowe wouldn't tiptoe around her feelings either, meaning she knew exactly how she was going to look.
Athenacia put on another dress, coming out for observation, "This?"
"Trampy."
"This?"
"Are you a girl or a boy?"
"This one?"
"Stuffy."
Athenacia groaned, hating that she was here for so long. She closed the door of the dressing room, removing the black dress she was currently wearing. She was so sick of this, wanting it to be over. Probably would have been easier if she just declined the invitation like she originally wanted to. The amount of time spent here felt like a waste and nothing she tried on was working at all. Sighing, she pulled on the next choice, a pink backless dress that flared out at the hips, whispering as it clung to her with her every movement. It was sleeveless, thick strapped with a plunging neckline. The length stopped just above the knee, hugging her hips and shaping them a little more than she was used to. She came out of the changing room, having a look at herself again in the mirror. She flushed at what she was seeing, almost as if she forgot that she was a fully developed woman. The scar on her neck was hardly noticeable with all of her curves just popping out.
"Well well."
She looked over at Crowe who seemed to be enjoying the view. Her eyebrows were raised as she looked her friend up and down in that same critical manner she had since they started. She was taking this very seriously.
"This one?"
She smiled, "I think that's the one."
"'You're sure it's not... exposed?" Athenacia was still flushed as she looked at her completely exposed back.
She shook her head, "No it's actually very elegant."
Athenacia looked herself over still. She was a little stunned at what she was seeing, but Crowe was right. There really was nothing better to choose from after all the effort they had put into this. She looked over at her friend and nodded, smiling at finally being able to get out of here. She quickly changed back into her clothes, purchasing the dress and practically sprinting out of there. But she wasn't done yet, there were shoes and other things to get. Being a girl was so complicated at times it made her miss work. All she ever had to do was put on scrubs and a lab coat.
On top of matching everything to the dress she just bought she would need to find something meaningful for Gladiolus. She never did gifts before but it was a traditional thing. When she lived with Cor they weren't much into it and the orphanage just had the kids make gifts for other kids. During the war and her relationship with Grun, there was never time for such things. They agreed gift giving was ridiculous and never bothered which made her life a little easier. She was aware of the traditions and whatnot that ensued with the Solstice but she had never actually gone out to find a gift before. It was then she realized that she was actually very alone on the holidays. She looked around at all the people busying themselves trying to get in those last minute purchases. They looked happy or stressed, either way, they were working hard. She missed out these aspects of her life and wondered if she'd be any different had she actually paid attention.
"I can't believe you're going to the King's own Shield's house," said Crowe, almost jealous it seemed.
"Tell me about it," grumbled Athenacia, feeling nervous about it still.
"And all this effort you're putting into it too, you must really like this boy."
Athenacia smiled, remembering the last time she saw him. She recalled the way he made her feel that night, taking her out so that they could see the Northern Lights. She was still in complete awe that he had done all of that for her. He was always surprising her, whether it was at work or just taking her out to places she didn't know existed. Not like she didn't try and find something fun for them to do, but she was so out of touch and he seemed to have it all in his head. But the Lights, wow... It was over the top and she was wracking her brain trying to figure out what she could do for him. While she wanted to spend the entire night with him, he had obligations in the morning and she had work to do anyway. But at least they got to enjoy a beautiful sight together.
"Oh Gods, you love him," said Crowe, poking Atheancia's forehead.
"What?" her cheeks flushed instantly.
"You're in love!"
"I am not!"
"You can't lie to me, Cia, I know that look."
"What look?"
"That one," she replied, gesturing to her face, "That dreamy eyed glowing look on your face you used to get a long time ago. I've seen it before and I'm seeing it again."
"I'm not in love with him," she insisted.
"Oh really?" Crowe had a smile that spoke a million words, making her friend flush even further.
The young doctor sputtered, trying to scoff and failing, "I like him a lot, okay?"
Crowe had a giant grin on her face, "So much that you looooove him."
"We're done here."
Her face was a very dark shade of crimson as she turned her back on her friend. But Crowe just chased after her, making kissing noises and hounding her for details. Athenacia ignored her completely, continuing her shopping as if she were alone. Except for the part where she couldn't stop her face from staying that same colour of red she had grown accustomed to lately. She was regretting enlisting her help in the first place, especially when she was dragged into the store she needed to go to for her gift.
...
The day of the Winter Solstice arrived and Athenacia woke up feeling like death. Her eyes felt sandy despite that she had slept all night. She was heavily congested, her throat hoarse as if she had been coughing most of the night. Her body ached everywhere and she had absolutely no energy in her to even keep her eyes open. With a pounding head, she knew she had a fever just based on the small movements she was making. Coughing told her there was fluid built up in her lungs as well and her chest hurt from forcing out the phlegm. She took a look at it, green and gross. Disgusted, she grabbed the tissues, wiped her hand and laid her head back on the pillows, sighing but it actually came out as a groan. She had caught influenza B, probably from one of her patients in the last few days. Just freaking perfect.
She went to grab her phone, only her body was having trouble moving. Groaning again in displeasure, there was no way to avoid awful she felt. She rarely ever got sick, her immune system actually doing a thorough job despite being around illnesses all the time. She forced herself to move, knowing that she couldn't lie in bed all day. There were far too many things to do and getting the flu was not going to stop her. Reaching for it again she managed to get her hands on it, turning on the screen. It was already late morning, she was behind schedule. She had to start moving, just will her body to do something. But she was completely drained, found no motivation to fulfill her obligations whatsoever. She unlocked her phone, noting the messages waiting for her. There was only one that she wanted to read.
Can't wait to see you tonight.
It was from Gladiolus. She sent him a message the night previous about how shocked he was going to be with the dress she had picked out. She also made suggestions about the gift she was going to give him, one that he would have to find on her person before she left for the night. Of course, he was suggesting she just not bother leaving and she made sure he knew that wasn't going to be an option. Still, he pestered her for a picture but she only teased him before going to bed. She didn't want to let him down, but she knew that there was no way she could go there the way that she was right now. She didn't want to infect anyone else. Hating herself right now, she groaned in frustration while pushing his name on her phone. It didn't take long for him to answer, she never called him. Currently, she was just too weak to bother with texting.
"Doc, you okay?" he asked instantly.
"I've been better," she replied.
"What's up?"
"Gladio I'm sick," she said, feeling guilty.
"Yeah, you sound like shit."
"Influenza B," she continued, groaning at the congestion in her head.
"You need anything?"
"No," she sighed, her stuffy nose making her sound ridiculous, "I'm sorry I don't think I can make it."
She heard him sigh on the other end, but he didn't sound disappointed, "Don't worry about it," his voice was bad at hiding it, however.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah. You can just make it up to me."
She laughed at the note in his voice but only briefly as it hurt and then caused her to cough. The fit lasted longer than she would have liked and hurt her chest a lot. She cried a little when she was finished, trying to catch her breath. Another groan of frustration escaped her, hating that she was sick at all. She never got sick, why now of all times? It just wasn't fair.
"Look Doc, just relax."
"I'm sorry," she felt worse with that worried note in his voice.
"Never mind. Go back to bed."
"If I feel better I'll come by."
"Don't push yourself."
"Mm."
Her eyelids drooped, feeling heavy. She was sure he said something else but she lost consciousness after that, no longer able to keep herself awake. Athenacia had no idea how long she was out for but when she woke up again her phone was still in her hand. Her body hadn't moved the entire time and she still felt like death. The vibrations of her mobile device had her stirring before she could no longer ignore them. Weakly turning her head over she clicked on the button to see what the big fuss was about. Her eyes shot open at the time. It was late afternoon and she was feeling no better than before. If anything she was worse. This wasn't good, she still had far too many things she had to do. Even if she wasn't able to make to the Amicitia residence there was something she had to finish now that the Solstice was here.
Athenacia forced herself to sit up only to cry out at the pain in her head when she did. A grimace on her face as she looked at her phone she tried to push past it. She held it tightly, throwing the covers off of her and shivering despite her body temperature being so high. There were tears in her eyes as she put weight on her feet, her body in pure agony with her every movement. If only there was a way to be rid of influenza in an instant. She had to at least get to the hospital for the kids. She should have known last night when she let the orphanage that she was getting sick, ignoring her small headache and fatigue, deciding to just come to finish up her baskets today. She had to, she wasn't going to let them all down. She just needed an instant cure to get herself going.
It dawned on her then that she did have an instant cure. Why didn't she think of this earlier? Laying back in her bed she exhaled deeply. She focused on herself, raising her arms over her body and frowning in thought. It was harder than usual but she managed to get those golden lights to erupt from her palms and engulf her entire body. She could feel the relief of her healing magic begin to take over. Slowly but surely it was pushing away her influenza and she was regaining her strength. The magic flowed a lot better once the more of it she cured. She didn't stop until the fatigue she felt was because of her magic and not the illness that she just experienced. Smiling, she felt completely normal again. Finally, she could get herself back on track.
Athenacia shot up once she was ready, heading for the shower and having the quickest one of her life. She had to get to the hospital for those kids, she was already running far too behind. She blow dried her hair once she was out of the tub, tossing her towel aside. Running a brush through her hair one last time, she ran into her walk-in closet and rummaging through her clothes. She didn't look long, grabbing her jeans and a long red shirt that ruffled at the top and down to her rib cage. She pulled on her boots and other outwear before running out the door. The baskets were already in the car so that made things a little easier. Checking her phone again, stress settled into her at the knowledge that she was late. She ran as fast as she could down the stairs and toward the parking garage where her car was. Her heart was pounding once she got there but she didn't stop, not even letting the car heat up before she took off in the direction of her work.
It took longer to get there than usual. While the roads were clear of people they were covered in snow. Athenacia was a fairly decent driver in snow but this blizzard was just unreal. She shouldn't even be out in this, no one should but it was far too late to turn back now. She breathed a sigh of relief when she finally pulled into the parking, snow free. She found her spot, reserved just for her and then hurried to grab everything she needed out of the trunk. She was still sprinting while trying not to drop everything, getting into the elevator with apologies to everyone she hit on the way. She finally arrived at her desired floor, running down the hall and into the Oncology ward. Only this portion was reserved for children only.
"Cia!"
"You're back!"
She was greeted eagerly when she walked into the glass sliding doors. There was a common area for the kids to interact with each other, ones that could walk and others that stayed in bed. Either way seeing all of them with smiles on their faces made her heart melt. Some parents were in to be with their children on the holiday, a few of them helping her unload the things in her hands. Athenacia didn't spend a lot of time up here over the course of the year. But when the reminder about the holiday diseases came out in her mailbox is when she knew she would have to go up and get acquainted with them. While she was not into lingering patients she had a soft spot for children. She wanted some of her own someday though was unable to have any. She loved them all, no matter where they were. There was a gentle smile on her face while absently holding her womb. They ripped apart the baskets she had made, finding all the surprises inside of them. This was worth it for her, the only part of the Solstice she loved. Some of them came up to hug her and she kept the tears that formed at the bottom of her eyes away. She lingered there probably longer than she should have before regretfully leaving them to be with their families. All the heartache and stress she went through was worth it and she felt like a load was lifted off of her shoulders. There was a small bounce in her step as she got into the elevator, a smile still plastered on her face.
Her phone started to buzz again and she checked it curiously. It seemed she was needed at work. She frowned, pushing the button to get to the emergency department and replied to the message swiftly. Changing quickly, she was sprinting while pulling her hair into a low ponytail and going straight to the nurse's station.
"You got here fast," commented Gin.
"Yeah, I'm good like that," she replied.
Dr. Virum pulled out her tablet, going over the patient files. Thanks to the crappy weather there was a multi-car accident. Ambulances were coming in with patients though the roads were still garbage so they were taking their time. But the first wave came in and Dr. Virum went to work immediately. Everyone on the floor was bursting to life, treating patients as they arrived. They were a little overwhelmed since there were so many that took the holiday off but they were managing fairly well. They were almost in a code grey but Dr. Virum had things fairly organized despite running around like her head was cut off. At some point, she thought she saw a familiar head of spiky blond hair but had no time to investigate. When she did have a moment there was no one around like that anymore and she shrugged it off as she continued working.
When she was finished and only influenza victims were left she looked at the clock. It was about time for people to get to their Solstice parties and that's when her eyes widened. Gladiolus was having his now and she was completely late for it. She sighed, wondering what she should do about it. She already told him that she couldn't make it because of the flu, but she was feeling better now. She remembered how disappointed he sounded on the phone this morning despite trying to hide it and it made her heart wretch. Biting her lip in thought she decided that she should go, even if coming there late was going to likely cause a scene.
"I'm out," she said instantly.
"Where are you going?" asked Gin curiously.
"I've got a date!"
She called back, waving at the ginger-haired, pregnant nurse and running toward the locker room. She didn't have much time, she had to leave now if she was going to make it. Throwing on her coat and nothing else, she sprinted toward the exit and her car.
...
Athenacia let out a relieved sigh when she was finally out of the mall. On her way toward Gladiolus' house, she realized that she was not only still dressed in her scrubs but that she had absolutely nothing with her to bring. While she didn't have time to go home and change with how bad the roads were she figured she could at least bring something with her, stopping on the way to reduce how late she was going to be. She was lucky that the bakery in the mall was even open at this hour, knowing that things were closing early if they were open at all. The holiday was a time that things just shut down, but she wasn't used to it much working at the hospital. So she found the pastries she wanted and got what she hoped was enough. She knew it was bad etiquette to show up empty handed and she was already an embarrassment going in her work clothes. So much for that good first impression. Well, with Clarus it would be more than a first but there was Iris to consider here.
She pushed past the nervousness she felt at going to a place like this. What was she thinking? But when she remembered the last time she saw Gladiolus and her heart fluttered. She was doing this for him. He was so amazing to her she wanted to be just as good if she could. He was worth all this trouble, she knew it. She almost laughed out loud while walking to her car in the underground car parking lot thinking about how she refused to even give him a chance in the beginning. They had come quite far and she would never understand why he was chasing her so much but she was happy that he did, that he never gave up because she never imagined herself here at this point in her life. So much shit happened to her along the way it was unfathomable that she could be this delighted again.
She fumbled with her keys but a large tremor stopped her in her tracks. She frowned, looking around and wondering if there was an earthquake going on. No, Insomnia never had one before, no reason it would now. Especially in these low temperatures. The ground shook again and this time she heard a large creaking sound. She looked up, her eyes wide when she saw the ceiling above her start to crumble. A scream left her as she jumped out of the way, a large cement rock hitting her arm. The structure came down so quickly there was no time to react. Taking cover as best she could but was hit and instantly knocked out by the impact. The last thing she heard was the screams of others, echoing off the walls and into her ears.
When she woke up she was coughing, dust having settled in her lungs. She was groggy, having no idea where she was. But then she remembered, the structure above her fell on her. Her eyes shot open, looking around and trying to gauge the situation. Her leg was stuck, broken it felt like. Shit. She had no idea how long it was there but she had to free it in order to get her circulation back. The last thing she needed was crush syndrome. Pulling on it only caused her to wince in pain. It wouldn't budge. Shit. An idea struck her then. Completely focused, she brought her hand out to the large stone pillar that was holding her in place. She let out spurts of lighting, careful not to hurt herself but enough to eat through the cement and allow her to free her leg. Gritting her teeth to suppress a scream, the pressure was finally relieved, allowing blood to flow through it again. Instead of assessing it she just used her healing magic, not wanting to stay in here a moment longer.
Athenacia was a little dizzy when she was done, but on her feet the second she could be. She gasped when she looked around, seeing that the parking garage had collapsed completely. She was lucky to be alive right now, looking at where her car was totally crushed. The lights were still on in some places, flickering in others. She had to get out of here, not knowing if the rest could fall on her and when. There was no signal on her phone, the cement blocking any sort of attempt to make an outgoing call. Go figure. She started to walk down the only way she could go, trying to remember where the exit was. But as she got further, that was the least of her problems.
"Help me!"
She heard a woman crying frantically, desperate for someone to hear her. Athenacia ran to the source of the noise, her heart heavy at the sight before her. There was a woman trying and failing to get into her car that was almost crushed by the structure on top of it. But that wasn't the problem. No, the issue was the baby seat in the back with an infant still inside of it.
"I'm a doctor," she said instantly, her tone professional, "What's your name?"
"D-Diane. Please get my baby!" she wailed.
"Diane listen to me, I need you to breathe okay?"
But the mother wouldn't listen, trying to get into her car so that she could get to her child. Athenacia sighed, placing a hand on the woman's shoulder. She stopped what she was doing, looking at the woman with a tear-streaked face.
"Please stand aside," said Athenacia.
She got a better look at the situation. The door was jammed shut, only tools could have any hope of getting inside. And by then it might be too late. Athenacia grabbed a rock from the ground, hitting the corner of the window. She didn't want to smash it too hard, not wanting to risk getting glass on the baby. But she had to do something and she remembered her paramedic training. This was beyond her but she had been in the field enough to have an idea of how this was done. Once she got a crack she pushed lightly, the glass shattering but thankfully coming downward. Carefully, she used her sleeve to remove the glass on the bottom of the window and then took off her coat to lay it overtop the window before leaning into the car. She quickly assessed the child that was screaming, making the mother more nervous. Athenacia was unable to get the car seat out but did unhook the baby and carefully carry him out of the car. The mother was relieved, grabbing her child from the young woman with tears in her eyes.
"Thank you," she cried, holding her child close.
Athenacia nodded, grabbing her coat and shaking it off as best she could. At least only the outside would have glass shards in it. She sighed taking another look around.
"Come on, we have to find a way out of here," said Athenacia.
Diane nodded, following her down the path.
As they walked further they encountered more people that were trapped with them. They had minor injuries, and Athenacia had the ones that could move set to work finding supplies in the cars that they could get to. She supposed it was a good thing that most people were out celebrating the festivities today, it made a lot less here where she was trapped. No one could get a phone signal out but she knew that there was no way this went on unnoticed. Firefighters would be here as soon as they could. She just hoped that the structure held up until then.
In the meantime, she was tending to patients. After Diane and her baby were okay the woman was much calmer and more receptive to instruction. There was a retired nurse, an elderly woman helping Athenacia with her triage. A father and his teenage twins getting that last minute gift for their mother were also stuck with them. The girl was hurt, broken leg but the other two were fine. The last was a portly man who was virtually useless. He complained a lot and was somehow profusely sweating. Athenacia tried to ignore him but he kept bothering her about his aches and pains like she was supposed to be able to magically make it go away. While she did have that ability only one person in the world knew about it and that was enough for her.
There were three casualties at least. The first person she encountered after Diane was far too gone and Athenacia could only make him comfortable. Another that she found while looking for an exit was already dead when she happened by. The third was another elderly man, the trauma causing cardiac arrest. There was nothing she could do, having no medical supplies or machines here. Her heart was heavy as she closed his eyes gently and moved on. So now she was using the first aid kits from cars that people were able to get to in order to clean up wounds that she couldn't properly treat. There was no way of getting out of here, they were forced to wait until someone came for them. How long that took well, that was anyone's guess.
When she was finished she graciously took a water bottle from Val, the elderly nurse. She was exhausted, looking at her phone again desperate for a signal. It had been a few hours since the collapse and she wondered how much longer she would be stuck here. What a day she was having.
"You need to get that looked at," said Val, reaching out and grazing against her forehead.
Athenacia shied away, "I'm fine," she gave a small smile.
There was dried blood on her head, she knew that. But she didn't feel any pain there so there was no sense in wasting what little supplies they had. She was hungry, they all were. Some food was found but Athenacia gave hers to the teens, knowing that she could survive until they were rescued. She had been on short rations before she could easily do it again.
"Do you think they'll know we're here?" asked the young girl, fear evident on her face.
"They will," replied Athenacia confidently.
"I was talking to your mom before the collapse. She'll call someone, you know how she is," her dad ruffled her hair.
Athenacia gave a small smile at the gesture. She took out her phone again, wishing that she had a signal to call someone. But who? There was no one waiting for her at home or a family to go to for the holidays. Since she was an orphan there no one to celebrate with. She could maybe have called Gladiolus but she didn't want to ruin his party with all of this. She was fine there was no need to bother him. The only other person was Cor and she was still unhappy with him. But she knew that he would be there if she needed him despite that she probably didn't deserve it after how awful she was to him. He was the closest thing to family she had and she hated to admit that he didn't deserve all the hatred and pain she projected at him over the years. A lot of the time she was such a shithead and he took it with a grain of salt, for the most part. She realized at this moment how childish she was being, the thought of never seeing him again making her ache in a way she had never felt before. She owed him an apology and she was going to be good to deliver it as soon as she got out of here.
"What's your name, anyway?" asked the father, "We owe you."
"Athenacia," she replied.
"Virum?" the larger man asked, his voice rising, "Athenacia Virum?"
She looked down sadly, already having an idea of where this was going, "Yeah."
He gave a disgusted snort, "Great, Stuck here with a traitor."
"I beg your pardon?" asked Val, appalled at what the other man was saying.
"You don't know? You should remember. How many glaives died under her command and she walks free in the city. She's an Imperial spy!"
His words echoed, reverberating back to her core. Athenacia gripped the water bottle tighter. This was not the conversation she wanted to have right now or anytime for that matter. But it was happening and she had to keep control of herself. She was not going to lose it over this loser. He didn't know what happened out there, no one did except for her. She wasn't a glaive, wanted nothing to do with it.
"Funny," said Diane, "She doesn't look much like a spy. She looks like a doctor that saved the life of my child and maybe many more."
"You're feeding the Empire information you get from the Amicitia boy aren't you?" he continued, ignoring the other woman, "That's why we're losing the war. But no one can touch you because the Immortal won't let them. Well, he ain't here right now!"
The man stood snarled at her, raising his hand. But she didn't notice, keeping her eyes on her water bottle. Her face was hard and her nostrils flared in anger but still, she did not move. If he wanted to kill her then he could try, she didn't care. Even stuck in a structure collapse she was no better than a spy to anyone. She hated that, how her name was tarnished thanks to one asshole.
"This is for the lost soldiers!"
She looked up in alarm. But not because he was about to strike, because the ground shook again. Everyone was on edge at the sound, looking around frantically. The children were terrified and Athenacia strained her ears to hear. She had certain advantages over the human ear thanks to her genetic makeup and she remembered her training with it. This idiot's voice was going to cause another collapse.
"Shut up," the father seethed through his teeth, "Who cares who she is right now? You keep yelling like a lunatic and you'll kill us all."
The large man scoffed, "She probably caused all this!"
The ground gave a tremor and Athenacia growled, "Take cover, it's going to start coming down," she said in a hushed voice.
No one argued. She helped the teenager hobble toward a piece of the parking lot that could shield them from any debris that fell over. Luckily they all fit and not much was falling down. Athenacia once again strained her ears, on high alert. She could hear the whimpering of the teenager under her arm and the baby was crying, screaming at the top of his lungs. His mother was soothing him as best she could with Val helping out. At least his cries wouldn't hurt anything. There was something out there moving though and she couldn't pinpoint its exact location. Anxiety began to bubble within her. She couldn't tell but it seemed that the floors above were starting to fall, which meant that it would fall over here too. They had no chance of survival, even if she used her magic. She couldn't tell them that though and she wished that there was something she could do. This was it.
The rubble above looked like it was crumbling again and Athenacia's heart rate increased to the point that she was sure she was going into cardiac arrest. She just hoped that they wouldn't be trapped any further into this structure, not wanting to lose anyone else since coming here. But her fears were put to rest as the ceiling was carefully opening up because people were on the other side of it. Firefighters and the rescue team were finally here to get them all out. Athenacia sent the woman with her infant first and then the teens. Val offered to stay behind while the father joined his children and then she was next to go. Last was that arrogant prick before Athenacia allowed herself to be lifted out of there. Good timing too, the shelter they had taken collapsed and she felt the vibrations in the wire she was strapped to. The firefighter held onto her tightly until they were at the top and safely on solid ground. She was helped toward the waiting paramedics and then brought to the ambulance to be examined.
Her head was in a haze, finding all of this surreal and shock settling in at what just happened to her. Now that she was safe she didn't have to worry about anything. She leaned over and vomited, letting the bile spill out of her and into the fresh snow. Flurries still fell and had been the entire time that she was trapped. She didn't know what time it was and didn't care at this point. It was still dark out so at least they hadn't been in there for the entire night. A blanket was brought over her shoulders, but every time the medics kept trying to examine her she would just shy away, telling them that they were best tending to the patients that actually needed treatment. She wasn't mean about it but she would just prefer to do her own triage on herself.
"Hey, kid."
She brought her gaze toward the familiar voice. Cor was standing there, looking at her almost in relief. When he had gotten the call that she had a building collapse on her he was out the door in record time. Thankfully the structure wasn't terribly far from the Amicitia residence so it didn't take long for him to get here. The party was dwindling down anyway so leaving wasn't exactly that hard for him. From what he could tell the paramedics had called him as soon as she was identified out of the wreckage and refusing treatment. He was allowed to get to her once he arrived and the sight of her alive relieved him. She was covered in dust, holding the blanket given to her. She had a gash on her head, coming from the top of her head and the blood dried on her face. There was probably some other damage to her that she was avoiding but she couldn't see it. She was in shock though, he could tell by the way her hazel eyes glazed over as they looked at him. He didn't tell anyone that he was coming here, nor what happened.
"Cor?" she frowned, "What are you doing here?"
He shrugged, "Heard a building fell on you."
She smiled slightly, "Yeah, that it did."
"You okay?"
"Nothing I can't fix on my own."
"You should just let them examine you."
She shook her head, wincing slightly, "I just want to go home."
He grunted, "They won't let you go without one."
"Why not?"
"You'll need observation overnight."
"You do it then."
He was shocked at her suggestion, "You really did hit your head didn't you?"
She smiled slightly, "Maybe it knocked some sense into me."
He actually laughed and she held her tired smile at him. He went to speak with the paramedics briefly and they agreed to let her go into his custody. He hovered over her while leading her toward her car. She groaned, remembering that hers was underneath the rubble. Just great. She reclined the seat once she got into the car, having no desire to sit up at all. Cor was talking to her but she was barely answering him, dozing in her seat as the exhaustion of her day finally hit her all at once. She had no idea what time it was still, not looking at any clocks and trying to push out any bright lights. She desperately just wanted to sleep and couldn't wait until she could collapse on her bed finally. She was utterly done with the day.
The car ride didn't take terribly long but that was probably because she was half asleep during most of it. When she got out of the car she did a double take, however, not expecting to arrive at his house instead of her own. Not that it mattered at this point but she figured it was probably easier for him to keep an eye on her here. She was sure her place was a giant mess anyway, like usual. He helped her into the door and she noted that nothing had changed since she was here a while back. Only she didn't feel that same sort of tension in the air that she ordinarily did any other time she was here.
"Your room's still upstairs," he said lightly.
Athenacia nodded at him, walking toward the staircase in front of her after kicking off her shoes. She relied heavily on the railings, very aware of the man's sharp gaze upon her. Once she made it to the top she walked down the hallway to the right, hearing the floor creak in the usual spots before she came to the closed door. She smiled slightly at the giant A that was still nailed to it, before turning the knob and opening it. She turned on the light and raised her eyebrows. Everything was the same as she left it, only clean. As soon as she stepped into the carpeted room there was a vanity that held all of her makeup and other hair products, covered in dust from not being used in years. Beside that was her dresser and various items atop it. On the wall adjacent in the middle was her bed, queen size with two night tables on either side of it. The lamps were still the same, untouched since she was here last. The curtain was still over the skylight that came directly over her bed. The large window was also covered, which meant her window sill was behind that as well. On the last wall, there was a bookshelf that was overflowing with books. Some of them were teen dramas, others were medical texts, reflecting her growth over the years. Beside it was another door and she walked through it. Immediately on her right was her walk-in closet, a door blocking her view of it. In front of her was her ensuite bathroom, fully equipped with a giant soaking tub and a separate shower. She missed that bathtub so much some days, hers not as big at home.
She came to stand in front of the mirror, shocked at her own appearance. The gash at the top of her head had long since stopped bleeding but she looked like she was in the middle of a war zone. The dust was all over her face, giving her a grey hue to her skin and she had no idea what other wounds she suffered thanks to the collapse. Athenacia removed her scrubs dropping them on the ground and going into the shower. She wasn't going to wait around for a bath but there was always tomorrow. She let the scorching water hit her skin and winced where her pain was, especially at the top of her head. She took care of that with her magic, knowing that otherwise, she would need stitches. Looking down, she saw the large bruise from where her leg was crushed, obviously her magic not strong enough to get to that. There was also a bruise on her arm and a few scrapes here and there. But she managed to get out with minimal damage and that was all that mattered. She got out of the shower feeling a lot better but even more exhausted than usual.
Athenacia came back into the main room in just a towel, padded toward her bed and shivering slightly when she got under her covers. She left the towel on the floor, grabbing her phone from the night table. There was one message waiting for her from Gladiolus. She smiled, but it quickly had her heart shattering into pieces when she read it.
Flu huh? Nice how you can go to work though. You didn't have to lie to me. Actually don't bother at all anymore.
She was so stunned, tears coming to her eyes. She didn't know what to say to him, her exhaustion to the point that she could barely think. Sighed sadly and putting her phone back down, she cried herself to sleep.
...
thanks, guys! happy Xmas or whatever you do on the holiday. I will have the third and final part up within the week. enjoy your holiday and have a safe one! thanks for reading!