The machines were going off the charts and Nikki and Tommy were flattened against the wall of the small ICU room as it was overfull of staff and machines that were beeping and trilling painfully loud sounds.
"We're losing her!" one panicked shout rose over the din and the furious shout to the opposite as the heart-rate monitor protested the higher heart rate - one that Nikki knew already was in Raina's normal.
"Come on Sis," Nikki murmured urgently willing the fight that seemed to have come back to Raina's body to keep going, "Come back, damn it not now." Nikki's hands shot to cover her ears at the bloodcurdling shriek as several staff members with the misfortune of having contact with bare skin as Raina's full consciousness returned and she fought the binds - her hands were tied to the bed railing and her feet were the same currently sending her to a panic.
That wild panic jarred Nikki out of her stun of the shriek and catapulted her forward jostling between the twitching and trembling doctors and nurses. "No no no honey I'm right here stop." tears flowed unchecked even as triumph flowed through Nikki who shoved the doctor keeping her out of Raina's panicked line of sight, "I'm right here, its okay its okay," she repeated as she saw the absolute misery in Raina's face using a corner of the blanket to wipe at the streaking tears.
"Untie her goddamn it!" Tommy's voice joined the fray as Raina thrashed against the binds hindering his attempt to free one of Raina's wrists, "She's got a terror about that," he swore colorfully as the knot tightened in his fingers and he grabbed the first implement that looked like it would cut the fabric and snapped it before lunging to do the same freeing her hands as Nikki settled her.
"I want her off the machines. Now." Nikki said speaking clearly for Raina whose amber eyes were filled with panic and tears alike.
"Ten minutes," Skylar promised smiling at Nikki, "Promise, you, you, and you get out of here," she pointed at several of the nurses who scrambled to get out of the way.
As the din in the room settled Skylar smiled at Nikki and Tommy, "This part you two don't need to see I've got our wildcat you wait and I'll get her unlatched from so much machinery."
Nikki and Tommy both exited the room and tremblingly Nikki's hands dialed Destiny's cell phone not quite able to contain herself and her excitement at having Raina back. "Destiny, you're not going to believe this!" Nikki's voice rose several octaves as Destiny's voice met her ears.
"What - what - what?" She was feeling Nikki's jubilation and shouted almost into the phone.
"Raina's awake! My god Des we got her back!" Nikki's voice shook as tears threatened again, "The doctors can't believe it and Aunt Skylar's working on lessening the mass of machines she's hooked up to. I don't know the results of everything but Des she came back!"
"Keep talking, we're on our way," Destiny said smacking Jason's shoulder and pointed to the door to the hotel room...
"Father?" Elladan's cautious voice called from the door to Elrond's study peering inside as the other sat in his chair reading a piece of parchment, which wouldn't have been unusual but for the expression on the other's face as he finished - a mix of bittersweet pain and joy mingled again that he hadn't seen since he had adjusted to the absence of the small redhead.
"Come in, Elladan." Elrond answered putting it on his desk blinking softly a few times "I am all right."
"What were you reading?" Elladan asked closing the door behind him, betting against himself that it had to do with Raina.
"This," he answered as Elladan cautiously lifted the page and began reading.
Elrond,
Thank you, for all that you are, for all that you gave to me, and for being stronger than I am when it matters most. I am sure if you are reading these lines, I am gone and the hole in your heart mirrors mine. Thank you again, for that strength, for sharing it with me for even just a little while. Please, forgive me what had to be done even though I would have given everything to not have to leave.
Love,
Raina.
"Whoa," Elladan breathed shuddering lightly, "She never said it before ... and to write it..."
"Is to own it." Elrond murmured with a nod turning his attention toward the window in his study, that faced Westward. "I hope she finds peace in her world as she did here."