p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13.23px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"The infection in her arm had taken a lot out of Isabelle. How long had she been ill? Long enough that she had felt the weight starting to fall off of her, despite the fact that she was being given fairly decent if horrible tasting food, and the strength she had started to build up was practically gone. The antibiotics they had given her had wrecked havoc on her system and all she had been able to do for days at the least was to rest curled against the wall, listening to Victoria's worried voice talking to her, keeping her from slipping down into the darkness that swam at the edge of her vision for so long, kept her holding on./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13.23px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Victoria. They had taken her away again a short time before. How many times had they taken away while she had laid there, unable to help, three, four times? And every time when Victoria had been brought back, despite the agony that was obvious in her voice, she had been there, comforting Isabelle and talking to her, offering what support she could./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13.23px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Victoria. The thought of the other woman forced her to her feet, even though her legs were shaky and so weak from what could have been weeks of disuse that she could barely stand. Hydra had had her for how long? Six months when she had first met her and it was probably eight now. And she hadn't been broken in that time, so how could Isabelle let a little infection, fever and strong reaction to antibiotics take her down?/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13.23px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"One foot in front of the other. Even though she had to lean heavily against the wall, Isabelle ordered herself to put one foot in front of the other and start moving. She had promised Victoria they were getting out of there, that they were going to go home, and she was going to keep that promise. Home. Jane. How long had she been in here? Well over a month, more like at least two. Her sister had to know that something was going on by now. What had Hunter told her? She tried to reassure herself that Hunter would have protected Jane, would have tried to take care of her and spare her worry, but still, over two months, what sort of story could he have came up with that would have explained the lack of contact to her sister./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13.23px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Over two months. It had to have been that, Isabelle knew. Over two months, where in the world was Hunter? He had to have known that she was missing by now, had to have known that Hydra had her. Where was he? She knew rationally that knowing she was a prisoner and finding her wasn't the same thing, but still over two months, where was he? She knew Hunter. She knew when he considered a person a friend he would tear the world apart for them. Where was he? A wave of fear washed over her and she had to fight to force it back. Hunter was fine. He was fine. Hunter was fine, she firmly repeated that to herself as she struggled to move. She had heard him there in the aftermath of the car crash, when she had laid there in shock, too dazed and in too much pain to even blink, let alone speak. She had heard him. He had been fine. And she had heard May. May had been there and she would have made sure Hunter got to safety even if they had been forced to leave her behind for medical attention. He was fine. But still, if he was fine, where was he? If anything had happened to him, she would never forgive herself. It was her fault he was mixed up in this mess. If anything had happened…./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13.23px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Before she could think about that more, or could try harder to force her worry for Hunter away, she heard the door to Victoria's cell opening. She went still, not daring to move, not wanting to make a noise to let them know she was awake and draw their attention to her. How long did she have to stand like that, not moving, not daring to twitch a muscle? Her legs were shaking and she slid down the wall, not able to hold herself up any longer as soon as she heard the cell door close and the sound of footsteps fading in the distance./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13.23px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Vic?" She called as soon as there was no more noise from the corridor outside. "Vic?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13.23px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Not words, but a choking, wet cough was the reply that she heard, and Isabelle was chilled all over. "Vic?" She called again, fear in her voice. What had they done to her? "Vic, come on, answer me, okay? Vic?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13.23px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"How long did the coughing go on without a word being spoken? Deep, wet coughs that had her fearing broken ribs and punctured lungs. If she had been hurt badly, would Hydra provide Victoria with medical attention? Isabelle wasn't sure she wanted to find out the answer to that. "Vic?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13.23px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Izzy?" Victoria finally caught her breath enough to get her name out in reply, even though speaking triggered another spell of coughing and she curled tightly into a ball. Cold, she was so cold. She felt like she was a block of ice./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13.23px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""I'm here. I'm right here. What did they do?" Isabelle asked. The coughing, she didn't like that coughing at all. What had they done to her?/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13.23px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Decided I was getting filthy, touching me when they're beating me to try to get information might get them dirty. Hosed me down. It feels like they used ice water." Victoria got out between coughs. Cold, she was so cold./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13.23px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Some of the water got in your lungs?" Not good. If Victoria had inhaled some of that water, it wasn't good./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13.23px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""It feels like they're frozen." Victoria replied. This wasn't the first time she had been the recipient of this type of cleaning, but still, it seemed like the water was worse than it had ever been, colder and more painful, and she curled up tighter, shaking as she coughed./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13.23px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Okay. Okay." She's inhaled water, and it sounded like she was suffering from at least a degree of hypothermia. On of those wasn't good, and the two of them together was awful. What could she do to help, though? If she was in the cell with Victoria, she could hold her to get her warm and rub her back and support her in coughing up the water, but the way they were, with the wall separating them, what could she do? Isabelle hit the wall with her good hand in frustration, barely wincing at the resulting pain, the worry for Victoria was so distracting. "Okay, I don't suppose by some chance you have a blanket or anything, right?"/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13.23px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Nothing." Victoria confirmed. Even the clothes she had on weren't a help, as damp as they were from being forced to be put on over dripping wet skin and hair. She shivered harder as she coughed again. "So cold."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13.23px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Okay." No blanket, or anything to get her warm with. Not good. "Vic? Do you think you can get on your feet for me? We need to see about getting you warm, and they only way I can think of that is to get you moving."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13.23px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Stand up. All Victoria wanted to do was to curl into a ball. She felt like there was a ball of ice in the middle of her body and it hurt so much, she couldn't imagine having the strength to move. But at the same time, she knew Isabelle was right. She needed to get warm and what other way was there but to move? Somehow, she struggled to her feet and took a few tottering steps before she had to stop and cough./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13.23px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""It's okay, Vic. You're going to be okay." Isabelle forced herself up as well, staggering along the wall, following the shaky path Victoria was taking. "Take it slow but just keep moving, okay? And keep trying to cough. We've got to get your lungs clear. It's going to be, okay, I promise. I'm right here. I'm going to walk with you. You're going to be." okay."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13.23px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""You've been sick. You need to rest." Victoria protested as she took a few more shaky steps./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13.23px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""I've rested way longer than I should have. If I rest anymore we're never going to get out of here. And I'm definitely ready to get out of here and go home." Isabelle told her. Her legs were shaking too, but she made herself move as Victoria did, keeping pace with her. "Vic, I'm so sorry. If not for this wall, there are a whole lot of less painful things we could do to get you warmed up."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13.23px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Are you sure? You were so sick." She coughed more, her lungs feeling like they had icicles stabbing through them. And on top of her pain, there was worry for Izzy with each step she heard her take. She had been so afraid, had been terrified that she would loose her during the worst days of the infection, when between illness and reaction to the medicine, all the other woman had been able to do was to rest and listen to her talking, with only an occasional word to let her know she was still there./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13.23px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""I'm going to be fine, Vic, I promise. It's going to be fine." Isabelle told her. "I need to move, or I'm going to end up not being able to, and then how in the world are we going to get out of here? I don't know what in the world's taking Hunter so long. If I find out that he's got distracted arguing with Bobbi again…." Arguing with Bobbi. Please let Hunter have just gotten distracted by an argument with Bobbi. "It's going to be okay, Vic, I promise. Just keep moving, alright? We're going to be okay."/p