A/N: There is brief mention of rape and contraception in this chapter.

Shattered

By: Abellen

Chapter Eighteen: Faint

The paramedics charged into the equipment shed, moving immediately towards Ingrid. Gently but firmly they ushered Ariella and myself aside, calling out numbers and jargon to each other as they checked over the unconscious form of my partner. Ariella put a hand on my shoulder and I looked up at her. The tears were gone now, and instead she stared, ashen faced, at the scene in front of her. It seemed unreal, like we were watching a hospital drama on TV, rather than reality.

'Are you both next of kin?' one of the paramedics asked, his eyes taking in my bloodstained clothes without so much as a flicker.

'I'm just a friend,' I said quietly.

'I'm her sister,' Ariella added, stepping forward shakily.

'Does she have any allergies?'

'No,' Ariella replied hoarsely.

'Any long term medical conditions?'

'No, just a recent head injury.'

'How long ago?'

'About a week.

The paramedic nodded and turned to his colleagues. Two men had lifted Ingrid with great care onto a gurney, and a young woman was examining the wound around the knife. She looked up and nodded at the man in front of us.

'She's probably going to need to go straight into surgery,' he said, his tone softening from business-like to compassionate. 'Is there any way you can get to the hospital? We can't have you riding in the back of the ambulance in a case this serious. We may need to perform resuscitation.'

Ariella made a choking sound and I shut my eyes, not wanting to think of the paramedics desperately working to bring Ingrid back to life.

'I'll take them.'

I looked up to see the principal standing inside the doorway, her eyes looking at the scene. Her face was pinched, as though she were trying hard not to weep. Her voice was soft, but still incredibly strong, and I knew that she'd probably race the ambulance there if she could.

'Very well ma'am. It'll be Hope hospital. They've got the best surgeons for this kind of thing.'

The principal nodded and stood aside as the paramedics rushed Ingrid to the ambulance. In a blare of sirens they were gone, leaving one young man behind to tend to Harris.

'We'll need to take him into hospital to check the head injury, but it's nothing serious,' the man said without compassion. 'He should be suitable for questioning within twenty-four hours.'

One of the police officers, a man in his middle age, nodded sternly and moved away to speak to Folsom.

'You get after that student of yours. We'll take care of the three suspects.'

'What'll they be charged with?' I asked quietly.

The police officer looked uncomfortable and shrugged. 'We'll have to wait and see. For now, attempted murder and accessory to attempted murder. We'll recommend that they are tried as adults, or at the least that their case is assessed before they are released from juvenile prison.'

'Come on, Miss Third. Your sister is going to need you,' the Principal said gently, ushering Ariella out in front of her. 'Fillmore, are you coming?'

'Wait!' I looked up at Karen's voice and saw the young woman and Anza sprinting towards us. 'Is there room for us? Vallejo and Danny said they'd watch the office and help the police.'

'Get in the back then,' the principal ordered as we approached her black Mazda, 'quickly now.'

Principal Folsom gunned the engine to life and steered the car with practiced ease out of the school parking lot and into the flow of traffic. The ambulance was already a dot on the horizon and the black saloon weaved in and out of the traffic behind it.

Ariella was taking deep breaths, the tears once again rolling down her face.

'Fillmore, there's a cell phone in my purse. Can you each call your parents and tell them where you'll be?' the principal asked, her gaze flickering from the road to the young woman at her side. 'Miss Tehama, there's a blanket under your feet. Please pass it to Miss Third for warmth.'

I did as I was told, moving my feet out of the way for Karen as I dialled my parents number. It rang three times before Dad answered.

'Dad, it's me. I'm going to be at Hope hospital, probably for the rest of the day.

'Cornelius, are you all right?' he asked, his voice sharp with alarm.

'I'm – I'm okay. It's Ingrid.'

'Is it serious?'

'Yeah. She's been stabbed.'

Ariella whimpered quietly in the front seat as my dad swore quietly at the other end of the phone. I could hear him picking up car keys and calling out to Mom.

'All right, Cornelius, we're on our way there. Do we need to give Ariella a lift?'

'No, it's okay. Principal Folsom is taking us. Dad, can you bring me a change of clothes?'

'Of course. I know you Cornelius, and I know you won't let us take you home until you know that she's all right. We'll bring whatever you need. Take care, son.'

'See you soon, Dad.'

I passed the phone to Karen and looked out of the window. Shivers raced across my skin and I clenched my teeth tight to stop them chattering. It felt so strange, like I was no longer in my body and experiencing life. It was as if I was separate and watching myself.

There was a word for it, but I couldn't remember what it was. Ingrid would probably know. A frigid, morose thought slipped into my mind. I couldn't stop thinking about what life might be like without her. How could I get by knowing that she was missing from my life? Every day something else would remind me of her…

I forced the thoughts away and looked up at the sky. Clouds were drawing in and rain began to patter on the windshield. There were one or two drops at first, and then a torrential downpour of heavy rain. The principal swore and slowed down as Anza called his parents.

'It's the next exit,' Ariella said quietly. She had straightened up in her seat and, although she clutched the blanket around her to ward off the chill of shock, she seemed more composed.

I felt like I was falling to pieces.

After what seemed like hours the principal pulled into the hospital parking lot, abandoning the car inelegantly across two bays before we all scrambled out of the back seat and hurried towards the doors, which slid open noiselessly.

I had only been into hospital a handful of times in my life, and two of those had been in the last ten days, asking after Ingrid. The young woman on reception smiled in a reassuring way and Ariella did the talking. I looked around at the comfortable chairs and the big potted plants. It was quiet, and I realised that almost all of my impressions of hospitals were of the panicky chaos of the emergency rooms. Here it was almost peaceful.

'Miss Third went into surgery ten minutes ago. If you take the elevator to the third floor there are some more comfortable waiting rooms. A doctor will be along shortly to explain what's happening.'

'Thank you,' Ariella said quietly.

'I'll get a nurse to come and have a look at you, and that young man,' she motioned to me. 'You both look as though you're going into emotional shock. It's nothing serious, but it needs watching.'

Anza nudged me and I realised he was offering me his coat. I took it wordlessly and shrugged it on, feeling it ward off the chill that seemed to be creeping into my bones. 'Do you want anything?' he asked quietly as we made our way to the elevator. 'I'll see if I can hunt down some coffee for you and Ariella.'

'I don't think I can drink anything,' I said hoarsely as I shivered again.

'It'll keep your hands warm.'

It didn't take us long to find the waiting room. Ariella and I sat on either side of the radiator, both lost in our own thoughts. I accepted the coffee that Anza had found and wrapped my hands around the Styrofoam cup. The liquid inside a muddy brown and the smell suggested that it was purely functional, rather than a pleasurable brew.

Ariella sipped it and pulled a face. A smile flashed across my lips, and then was gone. Mirth couldn't last long at a time like this. Besides, it felt wrong to be laughing, or even smiling.

Ariella reached out and touched my hand, making me look up. 'Thanks for finding her, Fillmore. The police were taking ages and – and I think you found her just in time.'

'I hope so,' I said quietly, looking at my bloodstained jeans. Ariella looked at the blue denim now turned rust brown from the knee down.

'It's hard to think she can be okay when she's lost that much blood,' she said quietly.

'I know. I wanted to pull the knife out, but I didn't think it was a good idea.'

'You did the right thing,' a young woman said from the doorway. I looked at her and noticed that she was wearing scrubs. She had a clipboard in her hands and was looking at the paper on it with a small frown on her face. 'Miss Third?' she asked, and Ariella nodded. 'Is it all right to discuss your sister's condition here, or would you prefer to speak in private?'

Ariella looked around and shook her head, 'Here's fine.'

'Okay.' The doctor sat down and picked up a pen, checking through her documentation one more time. 'Your sister is still in surgery, and is likely to remain there for a few more hours. The knife had perforated her spleen. It was too severe to save the organ, and the excessive amount of blood suggested arterial damage. We're in the process of removing her spleen.'

'Doesn't she need it?' Ariella asked. 'Can she live without it?'

'Yes, she can. The spleen is an organ for filtering the blood. It's a major component of the immune system and your sister will be more susceptible to infections and illnesses. However we prescribe penicillin or alternative antibiotics on a daily basis until she reaches adulthood, and give her vaccinations against more serious infections. It doesn't have a serious effect on life expectancy, as long as all health concerns are treated quickly. We always attempt to keep the spleen intact where possible, but we had no choice in this case.'

'Is she going to be all right?' Ariella asked quietly, and I could see the doctor's hesitation.

'I can't make any promises, Miss Third. Providing she survives the surgery and that she doesn't acquire any infections then you can expect her to be out of the hospital in a week.'

'That soon?'

'The human body is a resilient thing. If it weren't for the pain she could leave sooner, but she'll need strong medication to help control it.'

The doctor reached into a pocket and pulled out a small torch. 'I'll just do a quick exam of the two of you. The receptionist said that you appeared to be in shock. Who was it who found her?'

'Me,' I muttered and took off my glasses as the doctor knelt in front of me. She shone the light into my eyes and then checked my heart rate, before repeating the process with Ariella.

'It seems that you've escaped the worst effects of shock. Stay warm and call someone immediately if you feel dizzy or faint. Sometimes a nasty scare can throw the body into disarray. Someone will be back for you as soon as Miss Third is out of surgery.'

'Thank you,' Ariella and I said at the same time.

The doctor slipped past two people standing in the doorway and it took me a second to realise it was my parents looking pale and alarmed. Mom was beside me in an instant, a hand on my shoulder. 'Cornelius, are you all right?'

'Yeah, just a bit shaken up,' I muttered, not lifting my eyes to her face. I realised she was staring at my jeans and added, 'None of it's mine.'

'Your dad's got some clean clothes. Why don't you go and change? Just bin what you're wearing.'

I nodded, rising automatically and taking the jeans, t-shirt and sweatshirt that Dad was holding out to me. I heard Mom settle next to Ariella and talk to her in a quiet voice. I couldn't hear her words, and in a moment I was around the corner and into the bathroom.

I changed slowly, my fingers numb and clumsy. The sweatshirt did little to warm me up and I looked up at my reflection in the mirror over the sink, seeing nothing but hollow guilt and haunted horror. I looked back at the dirty t-shirt and jeans and scraped my fingernail against the denim absently. Mom was a psychologist, and while I knew that she probably meant the stain wouldn't come out, it occurred to me that I wouldn't be able to wear the jeans or t-shirt again without being reminded of today. Even if the blood came out of the fabric it would still be staining my mind and my memories. It would be a blatant reminder of how I'd failed to keep my promise and keep Ingrid safe.

Ruthlessly I shoved the clothes in the bin and swiped a tear from my cheek. I could cry later, when I was alone, and when I knew how the day would end.

I picked up Anza's coat and made my way to the waiting room. Anza and Karen were huddled together, their respective parents on either side of them. Karen's face looked tear-stained, and I noticed that Anza's hand was clutched tightly in her own.

'Thanks, man,' I said, giving him his coat back.

'No problem. Are you going to be okay?'

'Yeah, I guess so.'

Anza just nodded in understanding and went back to waiting.

The minutes slipped by at a tortuous pace, crawling around the clock. Lunch time passed by and one by one people went to find food. Dad made me eat a chocolate bar, and Mom insisted that Ariella have a nibble of a sandwich, but neither of us felt like eating.

Finally a middle-aged man walked wearily through the door, but gave the room a gentle smile. 'Miss Third has responded well to surgery. She's in intensive care, and she should regain consciousness within the next twenty-four hours.'

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. It was as though a shroud had been lifted from the room. Principal Folsom was smiling and Karen was hugging the life out of Anza. Ariella was crying again, but this time they were tears of relief and happiness, while my mom smiled and offered her tissues.

I put my hands in my pockets and rolled my shoulders, feeling the tension of the hours bite at my muscles. I couldn't quite bring myself to smile with everyone else. I couldn't believe Ingrid was really going to be all right. I'd seen the blood and heard her pain, and it was impossible to believe that she could come out of this and carry on with her life, the same as before.

'I'm afraid I can only allow two of you to see her,' the doctor said quietly.

'Fillmore, do you want to come with me?' Ariella asked, barely hesitating. When I nodded she smiled encouragingly and the pair of us followed the doctor.

'I feel that I must tell you that she is not completely out of the woods yet. We won't know if there were any serious side effects of blood-loss until she awakens.'

'Is that likely?' Ariella asked.

'She's a strong young woman, but it's not impossible. Miss Third, if I may have a word with you alone before you see your sister?'

Ariella frowned in concern, but motioned for me to go into the room. I felt the hairs on the back of my neck prickle and shivered again. I had my suspicions about what the doctor wanted to talk to Ariella about. It was hard to believe that Harris hadn't tried to assault Ingrid, but I'd hoped that she'd got her injury fighting him off, rather than after the event. Now I wasn't so sure.

I moved quietly through the intensive care ward, and saw Ingrid lying in a bed next to the window. The rain was still running down the glass and I frowned at the sight of her pale face. A livid bruise was clear on one cheek, and I could see another one on her collar-bone just above the hospital gown. The heart monitor was beeping and I watched it, hypnotised. It was strange that a life could be reduced to just a single, solid rhythm repeating time after time.

Her left hand was bandaged to hold one of the many drips in place and hesitantly I reached out and touched the top of her right hand. The skin was warm beneath my fingertips and I let out a breath that I hadn't realised I'd been holding. A few hours ago she had been cold to the touch, with only the faintest trace of life in her. Now it was obvious that she was very much alive, just sleeping.

I took her hand in my own, wrapping her petite fingers in my larger palm before stroking my thumb across her skin absently. A nurse came in and smiled at me before injecting something into Ingrid's drip. I watched curiously, but didn't ask any questions until Ariella came in. Her face was pinched and angry, but it melted when she saw her little sister so peaceful.

'Are you okay?' I asked quietly, not wanting to disturb the other patients.

Ariella nodded mutely before she shook her head and hissed, 'I hope he rots!'

'Harris?'

Ariella nodded fiercely, 'And the two who helped him. They don't deserve life outside of jail.' She took a deep breath and looked me squarely in the eye. 'He raped her. The police asked for a sexual assault kit, which they carried out after surgery. It came back a resounding positive. The doctor said they'd already taken a small blood sample for HIV testing. He wanted to know if I gave consent to give her emergency contraception.'

I looked back at Ingrid and closed my eyes for a moment before Ariella touched my shoulder. 'She'll be okay. She's strong and intelligent. I agreed to his suggestion. I know that it's Ingrid's choice but, well, she can't speak for herself right now.'

'What about the HIV? Is she strong enough to deal with that?' I asked quietly, tightening my grip on her hand.

Ariella didn't reply, and I bowed my head, wishing that it was all over, and that Ingrid was awake, and healthy and smiling again.

'I should have stopped him. I should have followed her everywhere,' I muttered.

Ariella shook her head fiercely. 'This isn't your fault, Fillmore. You can't blame yourself.

'I promised.'

'You can't promise to always keep people safe. It's – it's a risk. You either live in a bubble, always safe but never really alive, or you take what life throws at you. You can't make that choice for other people. You know Ingrid almost as well as I do. If you'd followed her she would have fought you every step of the way. If you had been there maybe you'd be in surgery, or worse, the morgue.'

The room fell silent again and Ariella pulled a couple of chairs over before guiding me gently into one. I didn't let go of Ingrid's hand. I couldn't bring myself to lose that contact, even for a moment. Every word she said was true, but I didn't feel any better about it.

We talked quietly as the day wore on, but it wasn't until the sun set through the stormy clouds that Ingrid's eyelashes fluttered and she opened her eyes. Ariella had gone to the bathroom and I'd been dozing with my head on Ingrid's mattress. Only when her hand moved slightly did I open my eyes to find her looking at me.

'Thank you for saving me, Fillmore.' she said softly, before a small smile curved on her lips.

I reached out to wipe a small teardrop from her cheek and whispered, 'Thank you for staying with me, Ingrid.'

End of Chapter 18

A/N: Well, we're nearing the end of the story now. I'd say at most there are a few more chapters to go, which will sort of introduce the problems that the next story addresses.(Neither HIV nor pregnancy I should add.) As always thanks to my reviewers. Any suggestions for the sequel title are welcome are still welcome!