General Hospital, Port Charles
It was just a coincidence that Finn was even in the ER at that moment. He had been called down to look a patient who had just returned from the Amazon with a suspicious rash that turned out to be your garden variety psoriasis and so now he stood in thought as he drummed his fingers on the counter in monotony. He looked at the clock and was relieved to see that he had only one more hour until the end of his shift. Anna had left at his insistence. He knew she needed three times the amount of sleep that she had been getting recently but the night was so quiet he was regretting his decision. He wouldn't have minded a quiet evening in the hospital if she had been there to keep him company. He thinks of the pile of paperwork that is waiting for his attention in his office but he stubbornly dismisses it from his mind. It can wait a little longer.
Suddenly the quiet was shattered by the sound of gurneys being rolled down the hallways of the hospital and the shouts of paramedics as they worked on the occupants. Finn stepped down and ran towards the ER receiving doors.
"What have we got!" He shouted to be heard above the noise and confusion. A pair of frazzled-looking EMTs were pushing a gurney containing a patient whose face was so blood-soaked it completed obscured their features. The EMT at the head of the gurney worked to wipe the gore away from the victim and keep the airway as clear as possible.
"We have a female, forties, she was hit by a car in a parking garage. Injuries are consistent with impact trauma. Pressure's down to 80 and dropping fast. Her abdomen is swelling, so internal bleeding is a given."
As they started to move past, Finn happened to finally catch a full view of the victim. As he came alongside he was in shock at what he found. The victim was Jordan Ashford. Finn started. Blood was everywhere, soaking the blanket that had been placed over her and seeping on to the gurney. He only missed a beat before, Finn's instincts kicked in and he was able to recover. He nodded and pointed down the hallway.
"We need to intubate immediately. We need four units of O positive and put the blood bank on notice. Take her to Trauma 2.", Finn stepped aside so she could be wheeled to her destination and made motions to follow but before he could take a step the doors to the ambulance bay burst open and two more paramedics came in pushing a gurney with what looked like a second casualty. Finn was once again greeted by a familiar face. Drew Cain
"Patient is a male mid-forties. He was the driver of the vehicle that collided with the patient who just arrived. He is unconscious but stable. He sustained contusions to his ribs and we suspect fractures. We were able to speak to him before he passed out. He suffered from a loss of vision right before the accident." Finn perked up at the mention of vision loss. It was happening again.
"Alright, trauma 3 and call me some backup. I can't do this all on my own. Page Dr. Monroe and where the hell is Dr. Jones?"
Like flipping a switch, the General Hospital ER went from quiet to chaos in a matter of minutes. Nurses scrambled, paramedics scurried, the backup was paged and the room buzzed with shouts and commands. Gloved and gowned Finn entered Jordan's trauma room and sized up the situation as quickly as he could.
"Alright what have we got?"
"We started an IV, normal saline, got a portable chest and an EKG."
The monitors began beeping alarmingly fast. In a split second, the monitor screeched out a long, sustained tone.
"Dammit, she's in v-fib."
Finn reached for the paddles. "Charge to one-fifty. Don't touch the patient! Clear!" Jordan's limp body jumped as the electric current coursed through her.
"Still in v-fib."
"Charge again...clear!"
"No change, Doctor."
"Again! Clear!"
"An amp of epi, ten milligrams of dopamine IV push. Keep working people!"
Twenty minutes, three more amps of epi, a chest tube, and a lot of frustration and sweat later the monitor started to show the fruit of their labor. The regular beeping was reassuring. Finn felt like he could finally breathe, but rather than feeling relief Finn felt his anxiety rise.
"Go ahead and get her upstairs." Finn barely registered the sound of gurney rails being snapped into place. He watched as if from a distance as Jordan was wheeled out of the room and he followed a few paces behind until he saw the elevator doors close. Finn leaned against the wall exhausted and the pieces began to slowly fall into place. Jordan Ashford was hit by a car driven by Drew Cain, who was stricken with blindness. Finn balled his fists and turned to pound his frustration onto the door of Trauma 2. This was proof positive that Anna had been right. There were other victims of Dr. Cabot's insidious research and now Jordan was collateral damage. The implications of this washed through his body like an icy wave and for a moment Finn thought he might be sick. It hadn't occurred to him until this moment how lucky they were that Anna had not been behind the wheel or some other precarious situation then her blindness had struck. She could have been wheeled into GH bleeding and broken, or worse dead.
This thought brought the image of her last will and testament to his mind unbidden. He remembered how his heart sank at the sight of it. That piece of paper had solidified in his mind that Anna was the woman he wanted to be with, for as long or as short a time as they had. He was done waiting and being polite in his feelings. And now he had her. Or perhaps it was the other way around, she had him. In any case, they were together and in love and happy. But as he thought of Jordan laid out on the operating table fighting for her life, the idea that one day it could be Anna chilled him to his soul. And then another thought occurred to him like a bolt out of the blue. Here he was a doctor and he had never asked her what her wishes were. Did she have a DNR? Had she set conditions for her removal from life support? How could he ensure her wishes were respected if he didn't know what they were. Did she want to be cremated or buried? He wasn't even sure where she kept those documents. This realization made him feel ashamed. He shook his head and pushed his feelings aside. He had another patient to attend to and set on his way to find where Drew had landed.
Anna and Finn's Manor
The sound of heavy raindrops pelting on the window panes. The room was dark and cold. A dream was playing out in her subconscious. She awoke and sprang completely upright, her heart racing, her breathing rapid and her head pounding. She was alone and felt so very alone. She took control of her own breathing, slowing it down but her head continued to throb. She reached over to her nightstand and reached for a bottle of aspirin, her hands trembled causing her to struggle with the childproof lid. Her hand slipped and sent the small white pills flying in every direction but she had no energy to attend to the mess. Instead, she felt around on the mattress until she found two and downed them quickly chasing them with the half-full glass of water still sat on the nightstand from the previous night. She hoped the dull pain in her head would clear soon. The weariness washed over her again and she lay back on her pillow. She turned her head and looked at the empty space next to her. Finn was still at the hospital. She reached out to feel the blankets and sheets, they were cool to the touch telling her that he hadn't slept there at all last night. She exhaled a breath she was holding. She missed him. She wished that he was there to hold her. She had become accustomed to the feel of him beside her.
A buzzing sound got her attention. The vibration from her phone was causing it to dance across the mahogany tabletop next to her. She reached for it and answered before she even registered the name of the caller. "Hello," she said sleepily, pinching the bridge of her nose with her forefinger and thumb in an attempt to alleviate some of the pressure behind her eyes.
"Anna? It's Chase."
Anna sat up at the sound of his voice. Her years of experience as a police chief and commissioner alerted her that something was wrong just by the tone of his heart sank into her stomach.
"What's happened?"
"It's Jordan, Anna. Commissioner Ashford was in an accident. She was hit by a car and she is in really bad shape. She's been brought to GH. I felt like you should know."
"Thank you. I'll be right there."
Anna didn't wait for the formality of goodbyes and disconnected the call and in a flash, she was out of bed and rushed to get into her clothes and out of the door.
General Hospital, Port Charles
Anna waited for the automated doors that led to the ER to open, cursing how slowly the glass doors moved apart and she slipped through them as soon as she reasonably could. She walked briskly towards the admitting desk her footfalls heavy on the tiled floor. Anna scanned the crowded hospital waiting room looking for familiar faces. Unexpectedly she felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to find herself looking into sympathetic eyes. It was Epiphany. Anna had never been so relieved to see a familiar face.
"You heard about Jordan."
"Yes, where is she?"
"All I know is that she's in surgery."
"Is Finn with her?"
"I'm not sure. It's been a whirlwind today. Give me a moment and let me see what I can find out." She paused a moment to put her hand on Anna's shoulder and Anna felt comfort flowing through her and was thankful for it. " Anna, she's a fighter."
"I know. Thank you." Anna wiped away the tears that flowed unchecked from her eyes. It was then, out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of him. Finn walked through the double doors of the OR. He looked tired. She broke away from Epiphany and her hurried steps soon turned into a jog and she raced to meet him.
"Finn!"
The familiar sound of Anna's voice caused him to breathe a sigh of relief and his eyes shifted to and fro till he found her. His heart was pounding as he maneuvered through the crowd to reach her. He saw her striding towards him her hands outstretched, ready to take his into hers.
"Is she alright...?" Anna's voice trailed off as he looked at her. Her eyes searched his clear blue eyes for reassurance.
Finn tried to stay composed, attempted to keep his worry at bay but he was suddenly overwhelmed with relief that she was still alive and well. That she was still with him. Anna must have seen the distress on his face and misinterpreted his meaning. Her face turned white and her she brought her hand to cover her mouth. Quickly Finn took her other hand in his and sought to dispel her fear.
"It's ok. She came through the surgery. She's not completely out of the woods but she is stable right now."
Anna closed her eyes and took in a deep breath and nodded her thanks. Finn couldn't stop himself. He scooped her into his arms and hugged her fiercely, his face was nestled in the crook of her neck, inhaling the scent of her. He felt her arms embrace him tightly and she brought a hand to cradle the back of his head and he could feel the warmth of her lips on his cheek. She seemed to know what was going through his mind.
"I'm ok, Finn. I'm just fine." she soothed him with her words and raked her fingers through his hair for comfort. "I'm still here."
"But it could have been you." He whispered low in her ear. He could feel her loosen herself from his embrace just enough for her to look into his eyes. He was so grateful that they were bright and their gaze was healing.
"But it wasn't. And I had your brilliance on my side. And you cured me." Anna caressed his cheek with the back of her hand and Finn caught it and pressed his lips to her palm. He then leaned in to kiss her forehead letting his lips linger before he released her.
"You were right Anna, about the other patients. Drew was struck blind, that's why he hit Jordan. It was an accident. I need to head to the lab. I'm going to need to prepare to treat Drew and neutralize the virus."
"Can I see Jordan?"
"She should be in her room in ICU now. I'm sure Curtis will be with her but he could probably use some support right now too." Finn looked over Anna's shoulder and she turned her gaze behind to see Nurse Driscoll approaching them swiftly.
"Dr. Finn you are needed in the ER to consult on a case."
"Why?"
"Jason Morgan has been admitted. He was injured in a fall but he seems to be suffering from the same condition as the other patients you have tended to lately."
Finn and Anna's eyes met. Finn felt her hands tighten over his.
"I'm on my way. Thank you."
"I have to go." Finn stepped back but still held Anna's hand in his. He felt like he was being swept out with the tide and she was his only anchor to shore.
"I love you!" She tried to convey with her eyes as well as her words what was in her heart.
"I love you too!" He answered. It was with those words spoken that their hands broke and Finn was headed down the corridor as fast as he could go. Anna watched until he disappeared and then turned and walked towards the elevators to make her way to the ICU where her friend was waiting for her.
A quick stop at the nurse's station helped her get her bearings and soon Anna looked through the window of Jordan's recovery room. She couldn't bring herself to enter and intrude on Curtis' privacy. She could see him, his shoulders slumped forward as he held his wife's hand. His wife. They had been happy for so brief a time and the sight of him overcome with grief transported Anna to another time and place when she had sat vigil beside Duke and Robert and most recently Finn. She knew that he was bargaining with God, begging her to stay with him, just as she had done too many times to count. He must have felt her eyes on him because he stood up and opened the door for her to enter.
"Come in. I'm glad you came. Maybe you can get through to her. I need to call TJ. He's on his way here and I want to tell him her room number."
Anna held out her arms and Curtis accepted her hug.
"Thank you." He said sincerely, "Please keep her company while I'm gone. Let her know that I won't be long and I'm coming back."
"I will. And take care of yourself. Get a cup of coffee or something to eat. I'm here now."
As Anna walked deeper into the small ICU room she was struck by the familiarity of the setting, of the placement of the monitors and the ever-present sound of beeping medical equipment. How many times had she waited in a room like this? How many more times would she wait in the future? The large intubation tube was placed over Jordan's mouth and taped to her cheek to keep it in place. It obscured her face but her features looked peaceful as her chest rose and fell in time with the life support machine. Anna steadied herself before walking over and placing her hand over Jordan's, it felt cool to the touch so she picked it up and tried her best to rub warmth into it. She brought it to her cheek and Anna wanted to impress her presence upon her, to siphon some of her strength and give it to her friend who continued to lie so still, her only movement artificial and machine made.
"This isn't the end for you. Do you hear me? This isn't the end."
She reached to roll a stool closer to the bedside and sat down. She was resolved to act as sentinel until Curtis returned. She felt a tear drift down her cheek but she wiped it away determinedly. Jordan would have no patience for her going soft and Anna didn't either. She couldn't help but think about the interactions they had had lately, frustration over Obrecht, the arrest of Griffin for a crime that he could not possibly have the heart to commit, Peter's questioning. It felt as if they had spent more time being adversaries than allies. But none of that seemed to matter now.
"I know we seem to always be at odds lately but that doesn't mean I don't love you."
Anna notices as a sliver of light streaked across the floor which signaled the opening and closing of the door. Without looking, Anna thought that Curtis must have returned. However, when she finally turned around she was surprised at who was standing in the doorway.
"Robert? What are you doing here?"
"The good doctor called me. He thought I should know about Jason Morgan and Drew Cain."
"I'm sorry. I should have thought to call you."
"Your mind was occupied."
She nodded and turned back to look at Jordan's still form lying in the hospital bed
"It only takes a moment for a person's life to completely change. I think you and I know that better than most." She mused, a hint of bitterness in her voice.
Robert Scorpio was a strong man and the years had only managed to make him as tough as rawhide. But there was something that could still touch his heart and that was one particular woman, and especially when that woman was in distress. Robert moved to stand beside Anna and put his arm around her shoulder. Anna turned into him and he wrapped his arms around her as her tears fell. He held her tightly and was gratified to feel her arms reach around and reciprocate.
"It's ok, luv. Let it all out."
"Robert, I need to know what this is all about. Why this happened to me. What it all means."
"Anna, we will get to the bottom of this. I promise you."
"You are always here when I need you."
"And I always will be. I will protect my family, always. And that includes your doctor. You've done worse you know. Ow-" Robert chuckled softly as Anna swatted him on the arm.
"Don't ruin this." her words were muffled against his chest.
"Alright. I won't," he promised and smiled against the softness of her hair.