Author's Note: Sorry for the wait. I had a difficult term, an excuse I'm sure most of us fan fic readers are bored of by now. I get it, trust me. But here's a new chapter, so I hope you like it. Reviews/notes are appreciated.
Part XII: Lovegood Clinic
"How is she?" Alex asked for the seventeenth time, or something like that. Dr. Shirai had lost count at this point. It was beginning to become bothersome to the surgeon. The monitors attached to Maggie Sawyer's remaining arm beeped steadily in the background. Alex knew what those indicated, the danger was at bay for the moment.
"Agent Danvers, we won't know truly know until she wakes up. Her arm is self-explanatory, but her head trauma may be problematic, or it may be fine. We won't know for a little while." Dr. Shirai's response was as curt as it was predictable. Danvers' entire demeanor was already miles past dread. She turned on her feet to gaze out the window onto the parking lot below looking for something, anything to anchor her, and not finding it.
The young doctor used this pause in order to walk over to the window, and gently guide Agent Danvers into one of the few chairs surrounding Maggie's sleeping form.
Kara and Lena were both asleep in chairs towards the back of the rather impressive private suite that Lena paid for on a reflex. It was broken into two rooms, one for immediate guests that frankly looked like someone's drawing room, especially considering Lionel Luthor's contribution to the Lovegood Clinic's rebuild. And the second main room for the patient. Alex, Maggie, and Dr. Shirai were separated from Lena and Kara by a set of transparent sliding doors.
Alex looked at her sister and the Luthor with something unreadable in her eyes. They had fallen asleep on each other basically. With a small start, she realised Kara's glasses were missing. She must've been in too much of a hurry to bother, Alex thought off-handedly. Her little sister and Lena were wearing matching beanies, doubtlessly bought during one of Kara's many Disney cravings. Lena's mask was off, Alex vaguely recalled her removing it once Maggie had been moved and they all had privacy.
Dr. Shirai was still looking out the window, though turned back to Agent Danvers once she had seen her fill of the car park. "Look, Alex," the agent in question looked up to meet her old friend's eyes, "I have every confidence Maggie will be alright." Alex made a half-choking noise as her eyes once more raked up and down Sawyer's body, cataloguing her crippling injury once more. "I'm not saying she'll make a full recovery," Dr. Shirai said carefully as she walked over and lightly placed a hand on Alex's shoulder. Dr. Shirai took a short breath before continuing, "Detective Sawyer has you, so, no matter how one-armed business plays out, I doubt she'll dwell on it half as much as you will." Alex would never admit it, but she flushed a little at the Doctor's well meaning and honest assessment.
"Thanks, Val," Alex managed as she got her breathing under control, and schooled her facial features.
Dr. Valerie Shirai walked to the door and then said, "Besides, from what I understand, with friends like yours," nodding to Lena Luthor slumped over on Kara, "I doubt she'll be armless for long. And in my personal experience, her head injury didn't present as much danger as we were fearing."
The tall doctor grinned slightly at the DEO agent's gobsmacked expression before walking out of the room.
In the hallway, Valerie caught the eye of a certain nurse and beckoned her along.
"Were we able to save any of the others?" Valerie asked bluntly.
Theresa, the nurse, mutely shook her head, though she elaborated, "We were close with one of them, but a clot formed and we weren't able to catch it quick enough and it tanked his heart." Valerie Shirai nodded as they reached the elevators. Theresa continued, "The families of the deceased have been notified. Detective Sawyer's aunt is due to arrive soon, her train will arrive in," she briefly consulted her wristwatch as they entered the elevator, "less than three hours. Ms…." she waited for the elevator to close, "Ms. Luthor arranged a driver to meet Detective Sawyer's aunt, Mrs. Martinez at the station." Dr. Shirai nodded just before the elevator dinged and they both stepped out into the cafeteria.
"That was, quite generous of her," Dr. Shirai muttered, almost distractedly as she perused the menu options. Theresa noticed Valerie's eyes shifting to the ceiling for some reason while deliberating
After a good three minutes of browsing the menu, Theresa figured out what Valerie's honourable intentions were. Theresa smiled and stepped up to the cashier and quickly ordered a couple hot chocolates, a large mocha, a Caesar salad, yoghurt, a couple chicken burritos sans beans, a steak pie, and two orders of the house burger. The cashier's eyes widened a little at the heavy order, but then reassessed the fact that Valerie Shirai was also in front of him and swallowed his protest in stride.
"That'll be–," he started.
"Here," Valerie said as she nonchalantly picked out a register side chocolate bar as well before handing over a navy card to the cashier. He nodded and swiped the card. Upon tucking the plastic rectangle back into her inner coat pocket, she turned to Theresa, "I know it's not normal, but I'd like you to arrange–,"
"A few people to carry this stuff up with utensils and free-standing trays?" Theresa supplied as the Doctor's personal mobile phone vibrated quite loudly.
Dr. Shirai's eyes widened for a discernable moment before saying, "Yes, that would be lovely." Valerie neatly tucked a tip into the cashier's breast pocket. "Make it happen, she knows the room number." Turning back to nurse Theresa she said, "You nailed the order by the way."
The kind yet smug smile forming on Theresa's face drew Valerie's instant response, "None of that 'Senpai' bullshit Theresa." The nurse pouted as Valerie Shirai elegantly turned on her heel and not–at–all–intentionally flared her coat out behind her as she made her way back towards Detective Sawyer's room.
Less than half an hour later, Lena felt herself awaken by a curious sensation, accompanied by a delightful smell. There was a smidge of drool on her face. Not her drool though. Her eyes flashed open, ready to combat the aberration on her cheek, but she almost immediately calmed down when she realised that she had jostled a sleeping Kara awake. She quickly wiped the blonde's drool away before Kara really came to, and suddenly it wasn't so disgusting after all. "What's that smell?" Kara asked through a sheet of dark blonde bangs.
Perhaps it was her little sister's super cute utterance, perhaps it was Dr. Valerie Shirai's incredibly kind gesture, but for the first time that day, Alex found herself with a tentative smile gracing her face.
