Hello, my lovely readers. Love is in the air with couples forming, re-forming, and making big plans. On with the show…
Something to Rely On Ch. 18
Freya
The New Orleans Grace Hospital emergency room was at the point of overflowing. Local weather people had been predicting an unprecedented snowstorm to hit Texas, and sweep through Louisiana, before slowing down around Florida. Many native citizens of New Orleans were not used to walking on snow and ice. Add in drivers, and you had a recipe for disaster.
Freya Mikaelson had been headed to an on-call room-to take a well-deserved micro-nap-when a new call came in. The doctor was passing by the nurse's station, half-listening to the call.
"Dr. Mikaelson? Are you busy?" Genevieve's eyes met Freya's.
With a nod of her head, Freya moved closer. "No. What do they have?"
"A car flipped over the Green bridge to locals, and the Paris Road to visitors. "Medics have a single car accident. There's a man trapped inside the vehicle. He's responsive, and stable." The silent, "For now," was traded in the gazes of nurse and doctor.
"Medics can't get him out. They're waiting on Fire and Rescue to arrive," Genevieve finished, phone still cradled in her palm.
"Right. Thank you. Tell them I am on my way." Freya put aside any thoughts of a nap. She strode to a supply closet, grabbing a suture kit before going into the break room, to grab one of the emergency jackets.
Vincent Griffith was already in the room. He had just pulled on one of the warm jackets. His head turned at her arrival. "Going out?" he asked her.
Nodding, Freya moved to the closet. "Yes, responding to the crash on the Green Bridge-"
"Me, too." Pulling out a second jacket, he handed it to her.
"Good. Let's go." Freya zipped her jacket and strode out of the room. They did not have time to chat about it.
~0~
Arriving at the scene of the accident, Freya could see the wreck from the bridge. She pulled to a stop on the road. Together, she, and Vincent, made their way down the steep hill to join the medics who stood beside the overturned car. To say the driver was lucky that his car had not fallen into the rushing, freezing cold water would be a bit obvious. To say he was not lucky that his car had landing upside down-with the front portion crushed-did not feel so very lucky.
"Hey!" One of the medics called out. "You the docs who were supposed to be coming out?"
"Dr. Mikaelson," Freya called back as the medic came to help her through the icy mud and over to the car. "Dr. Griffith will be assisting me."
"You ever been out in the field like this, Dr. G?" The medic called.
Vincent shook his head, examining the wreck. "How is he?"
"Stable," the other medic called. "Lucid. For now. Hope to keep him that way-now that you're here-it shouldn't be so hard."
Freya cracked a grin. "Optimism. Good. We need that." She moved to bend down beside the open window of the driver's side door. "Hello," she greeted the man inside. He looked scared. "I'm Dr. Freya Mikaelson. Feel free to call me Freya while I take a look at what hurts."
The man's eyes widened and he let out a quiet laugh. "Thanks, Doc. I needed a laugh."
"You're welcome. Why don't you tell me your name?"
"Greg Smith."
"Okay, Greg." Freya said, "I'm going to reach inside, see if I can feel anything that might be bleeding, or broken. Medic, can you shine a light for me?"
"Sure." A light flashed down upon them and Freya moved so she and Greg were much closer than they might be under ordinary circumstances. Her hand went up to where his legs appeared to be pinned to his seat.
"Greg?" Freya said, quietly.
"Uh?" His brown eyes closed and his face contorted in pain when she tried to reach past his left thigh.
"Can you feel your lower legs?"
Greg's eyes opened. "No. Is that a bad sign?" The uncanny fear patients felt in moment's like this always left Freya slightly breathless. But it was her job to stay calm. To assure them they were good hands.
Shaking her head, Freya replied, "Not necessarily. We'll know more at the hospital. One they're able to take the car apart, freeing your legs, I can do an assessment, and then it's off to X-Rays for you." She kept her tone light while speaking; they both needed her to.
"That sounds nice. Not the car being ripped to pieces. Damn. My wife's going to have to call a cab to get to work tomorrow."
"I don't think she will care about a little inconvenience." Freya's brows rose as she shot him a quick look.
Greg chuckled. "She told me not to take the bridge. She'll be: 'Gregory, I told you! Did you listen! No!"
Smiling, Freya patted his shoulder. "I have to go to the other side of the car. Okay, Greg. But my best resident, Dr. Griffith, will be right here with you." She nodded and Greg nodded back.
"Vince!" Freya leaned back out. "Can you take my place? I have to check him for injuries on the right side!"
"Yes." Vincent moved to kneel down beside her.
"Greg, this Dr. Griffith."
"Hey, man. Got a good line here. What's up? Not my car!"
Freya chuckled as she made her way around to the other side of the car. She found that Greg's seatbelt had left a superficial cut to his neck and his collarbone was broken. Not good. But mendable. From this side she also noted his right pants' leg had grown red with blood. Not good.
Trying to open the passenger side door, she found it was jammed. "Medic!" she called. "I need some help with the door!" The larger one came to aid her in prying it open. Moving inside the car, she smiled. "I'm back."
"Good." Nodding, Greg looked happy. But he also seemed to be trying to drift off to sleep. He couldn't do that.
"Greg, tell us about your family," she said before turning to the window. "Can you open my bag and hand me the suture kit?"
The kit was handed in while Greg took a breath. "Family?"
"Yes."
"Wife's name is Bernice. She's a good woman. Hard worker. Tough. Sometimes. Makes a mean jumbo." His smile appeared as his eyes closed.
"Kids?"
"Got one. Smart. He's off to college...in the...in the...in the fall..."
"Greg! Do NOT go to sleep!" Freya cried. "Medic, can you get a blanket and get in the backseat. Greg needs you to wrap him from behind while I work on his leg." On top of everything else, he might get hypothermia.
Leaning down, Freya found a windshield scrapper. Unsecure, it must have become a flying projectile, and cut into Greg's leg. She set the bloody object down. "Greg? Greg?"
"Damn it!" Freya began to examine him further. "Medic, please, get the drill out of my bag." She waited, feeling time speeding past them.
"Here!"
"Not for me. Pass it to Dr. Griffith. Vince, you need to make Burr holes. Greg needs the pressure on his brain to be released!"
"No, Freya! I can't do that!" Shaking his head, Vincent looked afraid.
"Yes, you can! You must! He's bleeding out. I have to close the wound! I can't do both!" Not waiting for an answer, Freya returned to Greg's bleeding leg. The wound might not kill him, but he could not continue to lose blood in these conditions, and Vincent needed to stop being afraid. She felt relieved when the drill began to whir...
~0~
"We saved a man's life!" Freya had never seen Vincent so alive. It pleased her to see him so happy. He'd done excellent work. Now, it was time to head back to her place and get some well-deserved rest until morning. Then the chaos could begin all over again.
Their happiness only waned when the little light to indicate that the car had run out of gas began to blink. They were not close to a gas station. And she did not have a can. They were also over a mile from her place. Wonders never ceased.
Freya pulled over. She pulled out her phone. She'd forgotten to charge the battery. Even better.
Vincent got out. "No bars!" he called as she got out. Looked like they'd used the last of their luck on Greg Smith.
"I have blankets. In the trunk. We can cuddle under them, until first light."
Brows rising, Vincent opened his mouth. "Don't say it, Vince!" Freya rounded the car. She opened the trunk lid and removed a pair of fluffy blankets. They got in the backseat. Eyes connecting as his arms wrapped around her waist; Freya slid the zipper of his jacket open. "Skin-to-skin contact will help drive off hypothermia."
Vincent helped her undress and her heart was pounding as they laid together. Her hand went to the back of his neck. "I knew you could do it. Drill holes in that man's skull. Save him."
"You've always had my back, Freya." Large eyes examining her, Vincent's hands went into her hair. She opened her mouth, pulling him down and on top of her. Snow began to fall, but they did not notice. All they noticed was the car finally heating up.
Kol
Kol Mikaelson was bored. He had been been waiting for an exciting surgery for hours, now. Someone must need a limb re-attached, or an impossibly narrow wound, that need an expert pair of hands to mend. But, no! Just minor bits. How dull!
The most excitement Kol had seen, so far, was when he stole Lucien Castle's Vanilla Latte. Served him right for just leaving it lay about. All kinds of sleep-starved staff wandering about, and the young resident did not think any of them would need a pick-me-up? Ha!
Holding the cup up, Kol took another sip. His eyes wandered the ER. Something. Someone. Come on, all bloody ready!
Then Josh Rouza pulled back a curtain. Leaving his patient's side. What bad manners! With a smirk, Kol waltzed over to stand in Josh's way. "Where are we off to? Time to snog the fiancé? Hmm? Leave your poor, wounded patient to any scalpel-happy fool, who is bored out of their mind?
"Um. No!" Josh's brows rose and he shook his head.
Placing his hands on his hips; Kol shook his head. "Well, you should be!" Moving to walk around Josh, Kol headed toward the closed curtain.
Josh called out: "You know who has an interesting case? Finn! He has a severed arm! With lots of glass enmeshed in the skin! Delicate work! Needs a master surgeon's hands!" Josh's smile was a little too bright.
"Thank you, Joshua. Why don't you go up and tell my brother I will be on my way?" Kol folded his arms over his chest, waiting for Josh to run off.
Josh looked at the closed curtain. Shoulders sagging, he turned and trudged off. With an eyeroll, Kol turned and pulled the curtain back.
A body laid under a sheet. Kol's nose wrinkled at the notion of a corpse being left here. However, Josh would not be that stupid. Who was he hiding?
Going to the gurney, Kol pulled the sheet back to reveal Davina Claire.
"Hi, Kol." Davina waved a burned palm.
"Davina, darling. Why didn't you have someone page me?" Concerned, Kol took her palm. Examining it, he found that she had suffered a minor wound. It just needed an ointment and dressing.
Davina's head hung. "I didn't think you would want to come. After I pushed you away..."
Kol inhaled. "I think we're both a bit guilty of that." He stroked the skin near her burn. "I'll go get a kit to fix you up. Then you'll be ready to assist us, in our hour of need. Josh tells me there is a patient with glass. You could help me with that. If you like…" He moved to leave her.
"Kol..."
"Yes?"
"Nothing."
Davina stared at the floor and Kol did not know how to respond. So, he left the area. Finding the kit, ointment, and his Vanilla Latte; Kol returned to Davina. "Latte?"
Eyes going to him, Davina smiled. "Yes. Thank you." Her smile froze for a second when she took it with her good hand. She gave it a little shake. "It feels half-empty. Who did you steal it from?"
"Lucien," Kol took a seat on a stool, pulling it up, to sit closer to her. "He attempted to steal something precious from me. So, I thought I would return the favor."
"Oh? What did he try to steal?"
"My heart." Kol took Davina's hand. She stared at him for a long time before leaning forward and kissing him on the lips.
"How did this happen, anyhow?" Kol inquired, his fingers stroking her palm.
Davina rolled her eyes. "I was microwaving a pizza. Then I got a page: for the crisis in the ER. Didn't know I'd be someone who needed treatment. Never reach in and pull a pizza onto your bare hand."
"I am always pleased to treat you." Kol shot Davina a lingering smile. "And I will be happy to make you a pizza. Tonight. At my place. If you care to-" She cut him off with another kiss. He would take that as a "Yes..."
Hayley
"Elijah! You're supposed to be resting!" Hayley Mikaelson came home, to find her handsome husband leaving their garage with a pair of paint can in his hands.
Smiling, Elijah nodded. "I am. This is how I relax." He moved to the stairs. "Come with me, Doctor Mikaelson. "
Not sure what to expect, Hayley followed Elijah up the stairs. He led the way to their extra bedroom. The door was closed. After months of living under this roof, they had yet to settle on what to do with the room. Maybe it could be a second guest bedroom?
Elijah took hold of the knob and twisted it. He pushed the door open. Standing aside, he waved for her to enter the room. "Tell me what you think..."
Hayley's eyebrows rose. Inside she found a rocking chair in one corner. A bookshelf with familiar titles. Going to it, she pulled one out and smiled at the sight of The Adventures of Peter Rabbit. Eyes going up, she saw a changing station. And a fully-assembled crib. Yes, it would appear that Elijah had been relaxing in the work of preparing them for a baby.
"It's perfect. But are we sure we're adopting a baby. What if they want to give us a ten-year-old?"
Shrugging, Elijah leaned against the doorframe. "There are always new moms at the hospital. If needs be, we can offer them these things."
Holding the book to her chest, Hayley smiled. "I do love this set-up."
"I do, too." Glancing at his feet, Elijah said, "But I did want to discuss with you paint choices. We have gender neutral shades, until they're old enough to have an opinion. He pointed at the can on the left. We have Sunshine Yellow. And Raspberry Red." Waving at the can on the right, he lifted his hand to place under his chin and stroke it with a thoughtful expression. "Or we could make a trip to the paint store, and select a new option."
"No!" Hayley shook her head. "Sunshine sounds good for a baby. Make them feel warm."
"My thoughts exactly. Perhaps we could save the Raspberry for our own room. We have yet to make our own mark on it..." Elijah's brows rose.
Hayley grinned at him. "A red bedroom? Hmm? Sounds passionate to me, Mr. Mikaelson."
Laughing, Elijah picked the Raspberry up, leaving Hayley alone with her thoughts. Closing her eyes, she remembered when Elijah surprised her with this house...
~0~
"I thought you were taking me on a picnic," Hayley teased her new husband, turning her head to look at him from the passenger side seat.
Elijah glanced at Hayley. "I did." He pulled around a corner, down a street and into a driveway. Getting out, he walked around to open the door for her. Hand appearing, Elijah took hers as she exited the vehicle.
They walked up to the front door. "Do you like it?"
"Yes." Hayley's eyes widened when Elijah removed a set of keys. He held one up, and extended it to her. "Wait... Did you buy this place?" Her eyes went to the front door in wonder. Her fingers caressed the oak wood.
"I did. But we can call the realtor. Tell her we changed our minds-"
"NO!" Hayley shook her head. "No way!" She inserted the key in the lock. Her heart pounded at the sound of the click before she twisted the knob open. A surprised giggle escaped her as Elijah scooped her up, carrying her over the threshold. He paused to flip a light switch on. Her eyes wondered to the high ceiling while Elijah carried her down a long hallway. He set her on her feet in a large, empty room.
"This is the dining room." Elijah waved an arm around. "It seemed perfect for a table, to fit our family, and friends."
Hayley spun in a circle. "I love this place!"
"Good. I will go get our picnic out of the fridge."
With Elijah gone for the moment, Hayley went to take in the sights out the window. Not far away was a view of small pond. A willow tree hovered over the pond, branches swaying slowly above the water. A mother duck and her flock of chattering ducklings walked by the water's edge. Hayley had a vision of taking her child there, to feed the ducks.
Turning, Hayley found Elijah kneeling on a checkered blanket. He was removing a platter of strawberries from a basket. A loaf of bread, spreadable cheese, and grapes were already laid out. He pulled out a bottle of champagne and two flutes.
With a smile, Hayley walked over to take a seat across from him. "Have I told you how lucky I am, to have found you, lately?"
"I am the lucky one." Elijah popped the champagne and it poured onto the blanket, making Hayley laugh. He poured her a glass. "To us. And our new home."
"To many happy memories!" Hayley smiled, clinking glasses with Elijah. They had already started making them, the moment they set foot in this house.
~0~
"Hayley?" Elijah calling her name snapped Hayley out of her happy memory of the past, and into the current one.
"Hey!" Getting up, Hayley set the book in the chair. She crossed the room to encircle his neck. Leaning forward to press her lips to his. "I love you."
"I love you, too." Elijah ran a hand down the length of her arm. "All I need in this world is you, this house, and our children." He rested his forehead against hers and she smiled at him.
Then his words sank in. "Children. How many are we talking here, mister?"
"I come from a large family-"
"Yes! And have plenty of nieces and nephews. And siblings. All of whom run through our house, like it's their own-"
"I always imagined more than one child."
"Maybe Sage will give us one of hers. Or Rebekah will need time off-"
Elijah chuckled and kissed Hayley on the lips, silencing her. "There are drawbacks to having siblings."
"Klaus?" Hayley's eyes twinkled and Elijah shook his head. But he did not deny it. "I guess he grows on you."
"Yes, like a fungus."
"Ha!" Hayley stopped laughing when Elijah picked her up and carried her back to their room. They would discuss their family size, later. Much later...
Thank you for reading, faving, following, and reviewing.
Be safe,
-J