Disclaimer:Even though I haven't updated this story in almost a year, I still own nothing.
A/N: Um...hi. So, I was randomly inspired last night after updating my other story (Cetera Desunt) to continue with this one. I realize it's been practically a year since I last updated, but I do plan on changing that. I have already mapped out the next three chapters, so the updates should not take nearly as long from here on out. For those of you CD fans, do not fear, I am still working on that story and hope to have the next chapter up by the end of the week. So...I'm going to attempt to work on two stories at once. Don't like it? Take it up with my muse.
A/N: To the lovely Melissa, with my most heartfelt thanks, for breaking her sleeping patterns to help me update this story again. Let's see how late we can stay up tonight.
Sun shined through the dirty window forcing her eyes to open. She blinked several times, trying to remember how she had found herself in this uncomfortable position. Her neck protested as she shifted herself to a more upright sitting position and rolled her neck slowly several times, working out the kinks that had built up during her short nap. She checked her watch and sighed. It had only been two and a half hours.
"We're somewhere over the Atlantic."
Weiss's voice startled her, and she turned immediately to her left where he was reading the latest copy of the Washington Post. He folded the paper and offered it to her, but she declined with a shake of her hand. Placing the paper in the seat pocket, he said, "I think we're almost to the coast."
Cameron just nodded. She had never been a fan of flying, and the non-stop flight from Washington-Dulles to Johannesburg was really pushing her to the limit. Approaching the western coast didn't mean much, she noted, looking at the flight map being displayed on the monitor. They easily had a few hours left in this elevated prison.
"Would you like anything to drink?" Weiss asked her as the flight attendant began pushing her cart down the aisle yet again. He drank his coffee black while Cameron took some water.
"I really hate flying," she muttered. He laughed.
"It's really the worst part," he assured her. "Once we get to the clinic, everything will be great. Well…as great as it can be there, at any rate."
She nodded slowly. "Do they know that I am coming?"
"Yes," he answered. "I called to let them know I was bringing a friend as soon as you told me your answer. They were thrilled." He smiled at her. "So am I."
She returned his smile cautiously. "How many times have you been there?"
"This is my fifth time at Simelala," he told her. "I've done some work in Kisangani for MSF too, but I always find myself coming back to the rape clinic."
"Why?" Cameron wanted to know.
He exhaled slowly, pondering the question. "I don't know," he began softly. "There's just something about it…about seeing all of those people, all of those victims…and being able to do something about it. Kisangani is a war-torn place. It's like the ER, except without supplies. Simelala is different. It's a rape clinic; we help people who have been hurt by violence, but not war. It always hurts to see how one person can violate another. But these are the people who need our help most of all."
"Is it dangerous?"
"It's not America," he replied heavily. "I'm not going to lie and say it's completely safe, but it's unlikely you'll be blown up by any stray bombs there." He hesitated slightly, and then continued, "It might be…erm…less safe for you…because you – you are…"
"…a woman," Cameron finished softly.
He winced and nodded. "The clinic will be safe. It's just the surrounding area you have to be careful in. Don't worry though – I know this area really well. I'll make sure you're never alone."
Cameron bit her lip. "Has that, um, ever happened before?"
He sighed and nodded. "Once or twice, yeah. But both times, they were in places they probably shouldn't have been in, at an hour when they really should have been back at the clinic. As long as you are careful, you should be relatively safe."
"Okay," she said softly, processing the information. It wasn't completely unexpected. After all, she hadn't expected the area to be constantly watched by patrol cars. This isn't America, she reminded herself. She had to be willing to change, willing to accept the new challenges and new dangers that came with this job. Hiding from reality was futile.
When she opened her eyes again, she was met with the discomfort of her ears popping as the pressure rose and the plane descended. She looked over to her companion, who was staring straight ahead, looking deep in thought. She turned back to look out the window, watching as the plane's wheels came out and the flaps on the wings came up in preparation for landing. She closed her eyes as the plane touched down a bit hard on the tarmac, and let out a deep breath.
Weiss chuckled. "Relieved?"
She laughed self-consciously, unaware how loudly she had sighed. "Just a bit," she said with a smile.
He nodded and began collecting his things. "We've got a few hours before the connecting flight to Cape Town," he told her as he placed his books back into his briefcase. "Shall we see what delicacies Johannesburg has to offer in their airport?"
It turned out there weren't too many delicacies offered by Johannesburg International Airport, at least not the terminal they were in. Cameron ended up with a ham sandwich that had probably been sitting in the wrapper a bit too long. Weiss just took more black coffee. She asked him how he could stand such a bitter taste and he replied that working at the clinic had forced him to get used to it. They didn't spend money on trifles like sugar or cream when the money could be better spent elsewhere on supplies and medicine.
They reached the gate with over an hour to spare. Weiss dozed off almost immediately, despite having had the coffee, while Cameron perused the various travel brochures. Hikes, tours, museums…she wondered if she would have a chance to come back someday as a tourist. All too soon, Cameron found herself boarding yet another plane. She was sincerely glad this would be the last flight for awhile.
"Don't worry," he reassured her as they settled into their seats. "After this, your only mode of transportation will be by foot."
She nodded and smiled. "I'm glad." She turned to look out the window as the ground fell away from her once more and the plane took off.
She must have fallen asleep, because next thing she knew, someone was shaking her awake. Her eyes snapped open and she looked around disconcertedly, caught by surprise by the unfamiliar scenery. Her gaze fell on Weiss, who offered her a wide smile.
"We're here," he told her.
Cameron sighed with relief as the plane taxied to the gate. They had collected their bags from baggage claim in relatively short order, and then Weiss led her outside to ground transportation. He checked his watch. "The van should be here any minute."
"Van?" she repeated. "I thought you said we'd only be walking after this."
He laughed. "Must have slipped my mind," he said with a sly smile. "I promise," he said as the van pulled up, "you will only be walking after this."
"Danny!" the driver greeted him warmly as he jumped out of the van. Weiss' face broke into a grin as he embraced his companion.
"It's great to see you again, Scott," he said. He gestured for Cameron to come over. "I've brought someone with me this time."
Scott winked at him. "You managed to convince a pretty lady to follow you all the way to Khayelitsha? You dog, how did you manage that one?"
Weiss offered an apologetic smile to Cameron. "Ignore him," he told her. "He's just sad he hasn't gotten any in months."
"He's hardly one to talk," protested Scott. "He hasn't gotten any in years!"
Weiss laughed. "I assure you, that's not true," he said quickly.
Scott just shook his head. "You've forgotten your manners, Danny Boy. You can't bring a girl to the clinic and not even tell me her name!"
Weiss opened his mouth, but Cameron cut him off. "It's Cameron," she said, extending her hand. "Allison Cameron."
Scott beamed. "Allison Cameron, eh? That seems too formal a name if you're going to be working with Danny Boy here. I'm going to call you Allycat."
Weiss groaned. "Scott has a nickname for everyone."
Cameron smirked. "So I see, Danny Boy."
"Touché."
Scott checked his watch. "We better get going." He reached his hand out for the luggage and then loaded it into the back of the van. Cameron and Weiss climbed in quickly and they were off.
"So how did you manage to get a girl to come back here with you anyway?" Scott asked as he merged onto the main road.
"Dr. Cameron is an immunologist at--"
"Oh, please!" Scott said, cutting him off with his hand. "Let her tell her own story. And I won't have any of this 'Dr. Cameron' nonsense while I'm driving. A girl like that deserves to be called by her first name – or at least a variation of it."
Cameron laughed. "Well, I am an immunologist, but I worked for about eight months in the Diagnostics Department at a hospital in New Jersey. I was working for a cardiologist in Philadelphia when Dr. Weiss…Daniel came to see me."
Scott snorted. "He's no Daniel to me. He's either Danny or he's nobody. Daniel makes him sound like he just got out of one of the snooty private schools in Britain. Like Eton or something."
Weiss looked over at her. "Ignore him. He gets cranky when he's jealous," he added, raising his voice.
"Yeah?" Scott challenged. "Well, believe me I got plenty to be jealous of." He pulled the van off the dirt path and parked outside the clinic. Cameron looked up and read the worn sign: Simelala Clinic. "Here we are, Allycat. Home sweet home."
Cameron opened the door and stepped out of the van. Though she hadn't yet stepped inside the clinic, she could see what little there was through the open window. She could see beds filled with sick patients that she imagined were either coughing incessantly or tossing and turning as they were plagued by feverish dreams. She knew there would be mostly women and children, all weak, all sick. Through the window she could only see one nurse tending making rounds. She knew there would never be enough medicine to help them all, and never enough people in the world to save them.
She had never seen anything that looked less like home.
A/N: So...here's to hoping it doesn't take me nearly as long to update this story again. But don't worry, it's kind of hard to beat 350+ days. If you review, you will be encouraging me to update even sooner. I do apologize that this chapter feels very transitional, but I hope that you enjoyed the ending at least (I had the most fun with that part). The next chapter will be more interesting and the next two after that even more so. Thanks for reading!