Review Response:

savethemadscientist: I'm glad you're enjoying it! As for you questions, it's actually supposed to be a bit vague as to which doctors she meets where (to create intrigue), but I like you so I'll give you a hint: if you're a true fan of Doctor Who, you might be able to figure out who the park Doctor was (if you focus on his mannerisms and a certain phrase he said). Let me know if you figure it out! (p.s, I agree. The doctor most definitely adorable and jack is most certainly amazing)

fantasy.92: Nice to hear! Unfortunately, I can't say much at this point.


Chapter Two

Maybe it was because she went to bed only three hours ago or maybe it was because she had some very dodgy smelling left overs for dinner. It could've even been because of that random person she walked past yesterday that coughed into his hand.

Maybe it was a combination of all three.

But whatever the reason, it didn't matter.

Because Eloise was sick.

And Eloise hates being sick.

"Eloise, what are you doing?"

She looked up from her work and her eyebrows creased in confusion. "Studying."

Cameron shook his head and sighed, giving her the most deadpan look he could muster. "I mean, what are you doing here?"

"Studying?"

It sounded more like a question than an answer.

He frowned at her in more disapproval.

"Here. As in at the University."

She frowned and sniffled, thinking for a moment.

"I am . . . using the application of the mind to the acquisition of knowledge, as by reading, investigation, or reflection as a personal effort to gain knowledge through research or a detailed examination and analysis of a subject?" She sprouted off, a cheeky grin on her lips and a laugh in her throat as his frown morphed into a deadly glare.

But said laugh quickly turned into a chest hacking cough.

"Yes, but why?" He implored, an almost begging tone colouring in voice. "You're sick, you should be at home. Resting. Asleep."

She smiled at him in an amused manner, which was ruin by the tired look in her eyes.

"Look, I don't understand why you're so worked up about. Yes, I'm a bit sick, but it's ju-," She broke off into another deep, chesty coughing fit that left head head aching and her throat raw. Cameron immediately guessed what she was going to say.

"Just a cough?" He finished sarcastically.

Eloise lifted her arm away from her face and flared at him. "Yes. I'm fine, really."

"Ah, yes. I see now." He said with a fake posh accent and exaggeratively searched around and under the table.

She rolled her eyes and massaged her temples.

"What are you doing?" She tiredly asked, almost not wanting to know the answer when he looked up in faux confusion, completely ore tending to be ignorant.

"I'm looking for the lung that you just coughed up."

She once again rolled her eyes.

"I'm fine Cameron."

"No you're not." He said, dropping his act and waved his arms around. "You almost died just then."

"I did not almost die. You exaggerate way too much."

"Elle," He said desperately, reaching over and grabbing on of her hands. "I'm serious. That did not sound like a normal cough." He said, concern written like words across his face. "Maybe you should go home or see the doct-"

"No." She growled. "For the last time Cameron, I'm fine."

She snatched her hand back, slamming her book shut and shoved it into her satchel, ignoring Cameron's concerned and hurt face as she stormed out of the University library.

Cameron watched her go, not making a move to follow her.


Eloise avoided Cameron for the rest of the week.

Yes, the rest of the week.

The thing is, she knew she was overreacting - majorly overreacting - and that Cameron was just looking out for her, but she couldn't help it.

The truth is, she hates being sick for one reason.

Because being sick means medicine.

Medicine means pharmacies.

And pharmacies mean doctors.

And doctors mean hospitals. (Although, admittedly she thinks that's a bit of a stretch in this situation.)

And - though he knew she did, she'd never tell Cameron why - she's terrified of both hospitals and doctors.

Knock, knock.

"Go away Cameron."

Knock, knock.

"I don't want to talk to you."

Knock, knock.

She glared at the door and wrenched it open.

"If you're here to convince me to go to the doctors, I will maim you."

Cameron rolled his eyes and scoffed. "Even if you look like death got mauled by a swarm of zombies and got turned into a hybrid creature?"

She glared harder and slammed the door in his face.

"No, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" His muffled yell came, along with much banging on the door. "I promise I won't bring it up again. I came to make it up to you."

"How." She demanded through the door.

He hesitated.

"I can't tell you, it's a surprise."

She stayed silent.

"Come on, please? I promise, I won't mention your looming, inevitable death by the cold hands of whatever sickness you're harbouring. Also, won't talk about doctors. No doctors." She didn't respond. "Please?"

At her continued silence, Cameron sighed in defeat. Time to bring out the big guns.

"I brought gummy bears."

". . .Really?"

She could practically feel him roll his eyes from behind the door.

"Yes, I really brought gummy bears."

"And no doctors?"

"I swear not to talk about doctors for the duration of this trip. Not even the word will be mentioned."

"Trip?"

"Is the blindfold really necessary?"

"Yes. Now shush."

"Ca-"

"No, shush. You're ruining the atmosphere with your negativity."

"Negative? Cam, I only asked i-"

"Shush."

"B-"

"Shush."

"Cam."

"Shush!"

"Cameron! If you shush me one more time, I swear to all things mighty, I will reach over there and slap you. I don't care if I'm blind and I accidentally hit you in a critical area."

" . . . Shh."

"Cameron!"

"I didn't say shush though!" He complained as she attempted to swat him. "No, but seriously. Shh. If we're not quiet we'll get kicked out."

Eloise frowned beneath the blind fold and repressed the urge to cough a couple times.

Kicked out?

"Cam, where are we?"

"Not yet. Just eat your bears."

She huffed, slumping in her chair - at least, she thinks it's a chair - and cursing Cameron in every language she knew.

Which admittedly wasn't many, but it was still a fair few. And yes, she ate the gummy bears.

More sneezing, more coughing and one packet of gummy bears later, Cameron had disappeared and Eloise was left alone with the threat of death by car keys if the blindfold was removed.

"Eloise, is that you?"

She swivelled her head around, automatically trying to see who was calling her and forgetting she still had a blindfold on.

Stupid.

"Hello?" She called, feeling completely embraced to be out in public like this.

"Ah, Eloise! It's me!"

"Who?"

"Me! The Do- John. John Smith. Remember me?"

"John?"

"Yeah, from the bookstore."

The confused downward turn of her lips split into a wide, excited grin and she sat back in her seat.

"John! How've you been."

"Good, good. What are you doing here."

She immediately scowled.

"I don't exactly know where here is actually." She said, internally cursing Cameron once again. She waved her hand around her general face area. "As you can see, blindfolded."

She heard him sit down next to her.

"Yes, I can see that. Mind me asking . . .?"

"Why?" Eloise said with a smile. "You can blame it on Cameron. Said this is something to make up for pissing me off earlier this week."

"Strange place to be making up to you in."

She frowned, frustrated with her lack of eyesight.

"Why, where are we?"

"At-"

"John!" Eloise jumped in her seat and then slumped, not expecting Cameron's voice to suddenly sound in her ear and join the conversation. "My man! My main man!"

Why couldn't things just go her way this week?

"It was Cameron, right?" John replied, an undecipherable emotion ringing his otherwise polite tone. "Here for an appointment?"

Appointment?

"Yup, now if you'll excuse us, we have places to be." He said dragging Eloise up and away.

"See you later John!" She called over shoulder, no idea whether he heard her or if he was even there.

"Come on, we're already late as it is." Cameron complained, dragging her faster and almost making her trip on a step.

"Does that mean I can take the blindfold off now? Stairs are hard in my current condition."

It's not like the pounding head - which had been keeping a steady beat behind her eyes all week - was do any good. That and the tight strip of fabric were making her day even more hellish.

"No!" He shouted and abruptly stopped, placing his hands on her shoulders and shaking, disorientating her further than her sickness originally did. "Do not. Take. The blindfold. Off."

"Okay, okay!" She yelled back and as consequence, broke into another coughing fit, her chest aching and heaving with stress.

Cameron let go of her and she stumbled slightly.

"Come on Ellie. Hurry up." He said, somehow already a far distance away from her.

She turned towards his voice and put her hands on her hips.

"If you couldn't tell." She rasped sarcastically. "I can't exactly see where I'm going Cam."

"Ugh. You're so high maintenance." He said grabbing her hands and pulling her after him.

"High maintenance? You're the one that blindfolded me!"

"Irrelevant." He said stopping to open a door.

"Ho-"

"Never mind." He placed his hands on her shoulders and pushed down, forcing her to sit on a chair. "Just sit and stay. Don't move. I'll be back in to seconds."

As she heard the door open and close, Eloise again left alone. She was tempted to take the blindfold off but decided against it. It wasn't worth getting scolded by him.

It had only been a few seconds when she heard the door open again.

"Okay." Cameron said nervously. "Eloise, you have to promise not to get mad."

She frowned in the direction of his voice.

Why would she get mad?

"I know I promised I wouldn't but . . ." Cameron continues to babbled nervously, but it quickly became a stream of uniteligable noise

Face hardening with angry realisation beneath the cloth, Eloise said calmly. "Cameron, where are we?"

"Eloise . . . " He trailed off.

"Cameron. Where. Are. We."

He stayed silent, knowing nothing he said would help defuse the upcoming events.

Having had enough - and also wanting to be proven wrong - Eloise ripped the blindfold off.

Clean.

White.

Sterile.

The urge to run was almost unbareable.

Escape.

Hide.

"No." She said standing up, shaking her head furiously, panic welling like a tidal wave inside her chest. "No. I refuse. I am not staying here."

Cameron grabbed her around the waist before she could make it to the door and wrestled her back into the seat.

"Eloise, this is ridiculous. You're sick." He told the trashing woman. "Very sick and you need help."

The door opened for a second time and a man clad in a white coat walked in.

A doctor.

Apple. Rain. Candle. Book.

The constricted feelings grew, as if she were being strangled by the air around her.

Eloise fought against Cameron even more, not caring if it was futile.

"Oh, I see." The man said cautiously. "You were right to warn me, Mr D' Lantte."

His eyes then widened - almost comically - as Eloise rammed her elbow into her friend's stomach, shoving him off her and making a brake for the door.

However, she was once again stopped as Cameron somehow grabbed her from behind.

"Get off me! Get off!" She screamed, being lifted into the air and kicking her legs about.

She didn't care what the people outside were thinking, she didn't care what anyone was thinking.

Every cell in her body was screaming for her to leave.

She had to get out.

She couldn't be here.

Apple. Rain. Candle. Book.

"Eloise, calm down!"

"No! NO!"

The doctor gave her wide berth as he made his way to his desk. Pressing a button on the phone, he spoke into the receiver.

"This is Dr. Watts. Code Grey in the West Wing." He ducked when Eloise managed to kick a jar in his direction. "Assistance required in room 11."

Cameron managed to cage her firmly, one arm wrapped around her waist and the other reaching over shoulder and across her chest, somehow trapping her arms in the process.

"Cameron, please! I can't be here! I can't!"

She could feel the sweat drenching her skin, the throbbing of her eyes, her ringing screams vibrating in her ears, and the thumping of her heart against her chest. Her fingers were curled into a fist, nails digging into her palm. She couldn't hear her rapid breathing, but she could feel the oxygen flooding in and out of her lungs.

Apple. Rain. Candle. Book.

She had stopped flailing but kept struggling within his arms, a pained expression on her face and fear in her eyes.

Eloise took advantage of his hesitation.

Slipping her arm out of his cage, she elbowed him in the face and clawed her way out of his hold, falling to the floor from her momentum.

More two other doctors entered the room and hauled her up onto the bed.

"Miss Burkett, I assure, there is no need for this sort of reaction." Dr. Watts said. "All we are going to do is take some basic tests and maybe-"

His head reeled back as Eloise thrust her fist into his face and bit the hand of his colleague.

For the last time Eloise ran for the door and wrenched it open, slamming it shut on the hands of the people following her. Shouts of pain emitted from the room but Eloise didn't look back.

She was past all reason.

She tore through the hall and into the waiting area.

People stared with caution and concern as Eloise spun around, trying to find the way out.

"Eloise?"

She snapped towards the voice, wide eyed with an almost animalistic expression.

John.

"Miss Burkett, you must come back."

John stared at the slightly dishevelled doctors coming from behind Eloise and glanced back to her.

"Are you alright?" John asked her.

Tears welling in her eyes, not knowing why - of all people - she all but ran to him and wrapped her arms around his torso, her quivering form seeking protection, burying her face in his back.

"Please, don't let them take me." Though her voice was muffled, he could clearly hear her breaking voice beg into his tweed jacket as she used his body as a wall between her and them, her tears being soaked into scratchy material.

Apple. Rain. Candle. Book.

Feeling his hearts break along with her voice, he frowned angrily at the three doctors in front of him and wrapped his arms tightly around her quivering form.

"What the hell is going on." He demanded

"There's just been a small problem, Mr. Smith." Eloise stiffened at the sound of their voices. "No need for worry."

"P-please. J-john, make them stop." She begged softly, shaking violently.

He frowned heavily, hating the absolute terror in her voice.

"Doctor?"

Barely glancing at the owner of the voice - a pretty red haired woman - he spoke, internally panicking when he felt Eloise stiffen. "Not the kind you think." He whispered, purposefully rubbing circles in her shoulders. Louder, he said; "Amy, I trust you tell these men I'll be taking over from here." He pulled a leather wallet of of his pocket. "Here, show them my credentials."

"But, Doctor!" The women - Amy - called. "Oh, bloody hell."

"Come one Eloise, let get you safe."


Somehow, John had lead Eloise out of the view of others and into an unoccupied room. Too scared and panicked to argue, she just wanted to leave.

It had taken several minutes to calm the young women down and now they both sat on the floor in the corner of the room, Eloise resting her aching head on his shoulder and her hands fiddling with his fingers.

Strange tingles of warmth ignited where their hands touched and traveled through her arms, the pleasant sensation releasing some of the pressure in her chest.

"Are you okay?"

Eloise pretended she didn't hear him.

"Eloise?"

Fiddling with his hand, she sighed heavily.

"That's a stupid question . . "

She hesitated.

"Yeah?"

"Can I go now?" She swallowed. "I don't . . . I don't like doctors."

He frowned.

"That's an understatement. I don't think I've ever seen someone that desperate to get away." He said with raised eyebrows.

Panic built up again in her throat and she started to hyperventilate.

"I-I-"

"Sh, shh. It's okay, I'm sorry. Shh, sh. I won't bring it up again, I promise." He apologised.

Apple. Rain. Book. Candle.

Her breathing slowed, but the panic remained.

She lifted her head and turned to John. "W-why would Cameron bring me here? He knows how much I . . That I don't . . . I can't . . "

"Hey, shh, shhh." He smoothed her hair away from her face. "He was just concerned, as any good friend would be."

"Bu-"

"In no way am I saying what he did was right, nor do I think he would deceive you without a very good reason." She could he his stare bearing into her head. "I think he was scared."

"Scared?"

"Yeah, scared. Think about it, your best friend is body crippling sick and she refuses to see a doctor or even take any medication. I would be terrified."

Eloise looked towards the door, guilt slowly bubbling in her stomach.

But at that precise moment, a doctor passed the window in the door and Eloise was reminded where she was.

"I can't." She said, her body starting to shake. "I can't be here, I have to leave. I have to . . "

She stood up and swayed on her feet, the pounding got worse in her head. John also got up and tried to steady her, but she pushed him away and stumbled into the bench, knocking over needles, cups and other things.

Sliding to the floor, Eloise watched through blurry eyes as John crouched in front of her. A paralysing pain spread through her body like icy, liquid metal.

Burning her.

Drowning her.

Killing her.

She saw his mouth from words, but she couldn't hear what he was saying.

Boom.

The room shook.

Boom.

Things tumbled of shelves.

Boom.

Lights flickered.

Boom.

The pounding in her head got worse and she shut her eyes tightly.

Apple. Rain. She thought desperately, though it did nothing to help.

She clutched head head in her hands and squeezed her eyes shut. Flashes of light danced harshly behind her lids, like angry white lightning.

Papers flew around the room as gale forces winds appeared from nowhere and tore through the small room like a hurricane, a sharp whistle like sound piercing Eloise's ears.

Feeling hands on her cheeks she opened her eyes again and saw John's concerned face peering desperately at her own. He turned her head to the side, face growing more frantic when he saw blood dripping from both ears.

Book. Candle.

She barely flinched as she saw electricity sparked violently across the room, barely missing herself and John.

And – though she tried her hardest – she was unable to keep her lids from dropping.

It seemed as if time passed slowly through her half-shut eyes.

John opened his mouth but before he could say anything, there was a flash of blinding white light and he was thrown across the room.

Salty blood filled his mouth.

As she stared blankly at John, Eloise tried to push past the pain and blurriness of her mind. She winced with brows furrowed tight, pain exploding everywhere as she concentrated on him.

Another flash of white and John was thrown down again, the young woman's focus going flying with him.

He lifted himself weakly from the ground just in time to see Eloise's eyes roll backwards as she collapsed limply. "Eloise!" He yelled over roaring wind, getting pushed backwards as he tried to go to her.

The door rattled and Amy's voice called out.

"Doctor! What the hell is going on!"

"Get away! Don't come in!"

"Doctor! I can't hear you! I'm coming in!"

"No!"

The door had barely begun to open when another wave of blinding white energy ripped through the room, slamming the door shut and throwing John into the cabinets above the sink.

Above the roaring of the wind, the man heard a sound he never wanted to hear again.

A scream.

It tore through him like a great shard of glass.

The scream came again, desperate, terrified . . . human.

It was the kind of scream that made your blood run cold. It pierced the brain and ignited some primeval pathway.

Lifting his heavy head, he looked across the room.

Eloise.

Her eyes were squeezed shut with pain, her mouth rigid and open as the scream ripped through her throat.

Her chalky face, gaunt and immobile.

Her fists clenched with whitened knuckles, her nails digging deeply into the palms of her hands.

People say that we can never truly feel another's pain, but in that moment, John thought that Eloise's scream came close. It was the kind of scream that puts every other thought on hold and roots everyone close in the very same agony.

He shielded his eyes and tried to fight against another powerful pulse of power and light, getting faster and faster until . . .

Silence.

Everything stood still.

But by the time he looked up again, it was too late.

The wind died down, only to be replaced by shouting and banging from outside.

The blinding light faded, revealing the destroyed room.

Equipment was overturned.

Medical supplies strewn across the room.

The mattress from the bed blocked the door.

The desk was flipped upside down.

The monitor was in the corner, sparking violently.

Lights hung from the ceiling, flickering and swaying.

But none of the aforementioned things were the reason his blood ran cold.

It was something else.

A trick of the light.

Something that should've been there, but wasn't.

The place where Eloise once laid, was empty.

Vacant.

Bare.

Eloise was gone.


Important Mental Health Related Note:

I tried my best to accurately display Eloise's feelings during this chapter as someone may actually react.

I know that for some people, iatrophobia (fear of doctors) and anxiety are very sensitive subjects, so if you do have a problem with how I've displayed them in this chapter, you're more than welcome to tell me your opinions, but please don't be nasty about it.

I have done my best to research it and I do have friends with these problems. They've said that what I've got is fine, but I also know that different people deal with different things differently.

Having said that, this chapter is showing how Eloise deals with theses problems personally, not how anyone else might. So if you do have a problem, just gently inform me and I'll do my best to accommodate my story appropriately.

With that over and done with, did you enjoy the chapter? I know it might seem like you've read this type of story a thousand times, but give a chance, yeah? If you see any mistakes, i would be grateful for you to point them out.