Madness

They walked out of the Hive, the blast doors closing behind them. DL was giggling quietly to herself and Spam and Mel exchanged glances.

"Higgy...stop it" she giggled, waving her hand in the air. "Yes Red, I'm a scone live with it!"

Mel sighed and walked to the front door. She opened it; standing behind it was a man, who they recognized immediately.

"My God! You did awful! I don't think I've ever seen you do that bad in a training programme, I mean almost all of you died!"

"What?" Spam asked looking very confused.

Then the doors to the land rovers opened and all of the others, who had 'died' previously, climbed out.

"Lena...Higgy...Red...Oh my God!" Mel ran forward, followed by Spam, and hugged Morlena. They proceeded to hug everyone in the group, even Rosie.

"However, there were some problems which I think we have to talk about." The man said, breaking up the reunion. A line proceeded to form in front of him. "One, you never take civilians into a possible danger zone." Rosie looked around and Higgy hung her head. "Two, you never, ever take weapons that are not HQ clarified into a danger zone." Red bit her lip as did Lena. "And the last thing..." everyone winced. "You did excellently despite all the deaths; you used your heads in times of crisis and knew when to leave and when to stay." The group rejoiced. "Wait, where's Jo? Surely that was a set up." Mel spoke, looking around.

The man gave her a grave look. "I'm afraid not, Jo really was a traitor to the team and has now been taken away by our personnel to be dealt with."

"Oh."

"Hey, don't dwell on it." Spam said to her and they carried on with their reunions.

Red and Higgy broke away from the group, and were about to approached DL, when Mel stopped them, "What are you doing Mel?" Red asked.

Mel sighed, "When you guys "died" in the Hive, it really got to her. She started talking to you in her head. I'm not sure that it's really her anymore."

Red was about to speak but Higgy overrode her "I don't care, she's our friend and we're going to see her. She'll recognize us, I know she will."

Higgy shoved past Mel and began to walk again towards DL; Red mouthed "Sorry" and ran after Higgy.

They approached DL. "DL?" Red asked. DL looked up and saw the two girls standing in front of her, smiling. She fell to the floor and backed away immediately.

"Ahhh! Higgy make the evil impostors go away!"

Red knelt down beside her, "Come on DL, it's us. Your friends?"

"No, my friends are here with me. Stop pretending to be them, that's mean." She giggled, "The real Red says you're a scone" She giggled some more. Suddenly Higgy bent down and slapped DL hard round the face, "Snap out of it woman! I'm right here! Duster and all!"

"Higgy!" Red hissed. Higgy just glared at her.

"Ahh! Higgy stop her slapping me! It hurts!"

Higgy let out a frustrated groan and rolled her eyes, by this time all eyes from the group were on them. "Get over it DL! Look here..." She took off her duster and wrapped it around DL's shoulders. "See? Would anyone but the real Higgy have this duster? It still has the stain on the inside where you dropped you're coffee on me. Look!" She showed her the stain. "Higgy! She stole your coat!"

Higgy threw her hands up in the air. Then DL got up and started to run away, the coat trailing behind her. Red caught up with her and grabbed her round the shoulders.

"DL! Look at me!" She looked into Red's eyes. "Right, if I were an impostor, then ask me any question, a question that an impostor me wouldn't know."

DL thought about this, and then Higgy approached them. DL screamed and tried to hide behind Red. "I won't do it if she's here. She hurts."

Red motioned to Higgy, who gave her a look but Red just glared back at her. Higgy backed away and went back to the others. Red then turned back to DL.

"Go on then, ask me"

"Alright, what size are James Bourne's feet?"

"Size 10." Red answered immediately.

"Okay, well other people could know that. So, how long did the real Red go out with my brother before telling me?"

"4 days."

"Red?" DL asked curiously.

"Yes DL it's me!" Red said, the joy obvious in her voice.

Suddenly DL gripped her head in pain, "NO! Higgy says you're lying! Higgy wouldn't lie to me!"

Red looked shocked. DL's world began to spin and she swayed, she heard someone call her name and then she fell to the ground and all went black.

00000

When she awoke, DL saw that she was in some kind of white room, in a bed. She looked to the side there were two people there, they were embracing and one was crying into the other's shoulder. Then she realised who it was it was Red and Higgy, Red was crying and Higgy was rubbing her back gently, trying to calm her.

Finally DL spoke very faintly, "Red? Higgy?"

Immediately Higgy tapped Red on the shoulder and she turned to DL, tears still pouring down her cheeks. "Oh DL, you're awake. Do you remember what happened?"

"Not really, I just remember the Hive...and talking to you...and then the pain in my head and I blacked out."

"So..." Higgy spoke up, "You remember who we are?"

"Of course, why shouldn't I?" DL looked at them confused.

"Don't worry." Red stepped in, "How do you feel now?"

"Like I've been hit by a bus."

Red giggled slightly and took DL's hand. A doctor entered the room and walked up to Higgy. He whispered in her ear and Higgy nodded. She motioned to Red, who stood up. DL looked at them, wondering what was going on. "We'll be back in a minute." Higgy smiled at her friend and walked out, followed by Red.

As they closed the door behind them the doctor came up. "So?" Higgy asked.

"Well...we've patched up your friend's leg. May I ask how she got such a wound?"

"She was bitten, we can't say anymore than that."

"Hmm...Alright. Anyway, there are no other serious visible wounds but her mental state is a different matter..." Red closed her eyes, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to spill at any moment. "...she has very serious emotional damage..."

"Will she recover?" Higgy asked, putting a comforting hand on Red's shoulder.

"I can't say, whatever she's seen has affected her so badly that she may crack at any minute, because of anything."

"Is there anyway you can help her?" Red asked.

"Well, we'll keep her in our pysch' ward overnight and see how she is in the morning."

"Can't we just take her home?"

The doctor pondered this for a minute and then said, "I suppose, we'll give her crutches for her leg and I'll give you some tablets to calm her down if anything happens."

"Thank you." Red gave a sigh of relief

"You'll have to bring her back in tomorrow for a check up."

"That's fine" Higgy replied, hugging her friend. "Come on Red, let's get DL and go home." Red turned to go back but Higgy stopped her, "Don't tell her, she doesn't remember, let's keep it that way."

Red nodded and walked back into DL's room, while Higgy went with the doctor to get the pills and the crutches.

00000

"Hey DL" Red said as she walked up to the bed.

"Hey." DL said weakly.

"Guess what?"

"What?"

"We're allowed to take you home!"

"Cool."

"Higgy's just gone to get some crutches for your leg."

"Okay."

Just as this was said Higgy walked in carrying some crutches under her arm.

"Speak of the devil." DL said hoarsely.

"I'll take that as a compliment." Higgy smiled at DL and Red.

"Come on then, let's go home."

00000

Late that night, DL was lying in bed, tossing and turning obviously having a very disturbing dream. She cried out and began to struggle against the covers which were tightly wrapped around her.

00000

Red woke up to hear screaming, she suddenly realised that it was DL. She jumped out of bed and ran along the corridor to DL's room. DL was sweating, tossing and turning against the covers.

"Oh My God!" Red said. She ran over to DL and began trying to wake her up. "Higgy!" she called.

"DL! DL!" She shook her vigorously, "Come on DL! Wake Up!"

Higgy ran into the room and up to Red, "What's happening!"

"She's having a really bad nightmare and I can't get her to wake up! Can you go and get those drugs the doctor gave you?"

"Sure." Higgy ran out of the room, only to return a few minutes later with a couple of small bottles and a glass of water.

"Normal or strong?"

"Well, I'd say considering the situation," she motioned to DL's thrashing body, "that we should go for strong."

Higgy nodded and took out two pills from one of the bottles and dropped them into the glass, letting them dissolve. Red cradled DL's head in her lap, trying to calm her aggravated body. Higgy approached and Red tipped DL's head back and opened her mouth, Higgy began to pour the mixture down her throat. DL began to splutter and cough and when all the mixture was down, Red closed her mouth and held her, with Higgy, as she writhed in the two girls' grip.

Then it slowed and DL opened her eyes and tried to sit up but was kept down.

Then she found her voice, "Guys, what's going on?"

"DL, you're awake!" Higgy let go of her friend, helping her to sit up, "You had a nightmare."

"Yeah...I remember. It was when you guys died." There was a pause, "Eugh! What's the horrid taste in my mouth?"

"Oh, I'll get you a glass of water."

"Thanks, but I want to know what it is first." DL looked her friends straight in the eye.

They glanced at each other, 'What should they do? Should they tell her?'

"Erm...look DL, I know this isn't gonna be the thing you want to hear at the moment but..."

DL looked worriedly from Red to Higgy and back to Red again.

"...when you were in the Hive, do you remember how everything started to get to you?"

"Yeah."

"Well..." Higgy took over, "...it got to you so much that when you came out of the Hive you didn't recognize us, you thought we were 'impostors'. You told us that we weren't the 'real' Higgy and Red. According to the doctor you could snap at anytime, anywhere, because of anything." Higgy stopped at this point, wondering how she could continue.

"You're telling me that I'm insane. How's that any different from usual?"

"Because DL, this is the real thing. As in what people get put away in straight jackets for." Red replied.

DL was shocked, she couldn't take it all in. "I'm...gonna go back to sleep now..."

"Do you want one of us to stay, in case you have another nightmare?"

"No, I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! I'm sure!" DL shouted at her friends. "Please leave and let me get some sleep!"

DL sunk back down into her covers, turning away from her friends. Red placed a hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged it off. Higgy left, followed by Red, leaving DL to cry herself back to sleep.

Wow guys...that's it...it's finished, my first finished fic that's longer that one chappy...jesus...well its all done now and the second one, which I know Red will be pleased to hear, will be going up soon. Okay, now I'm gonna do a Higgy and thank loads of peeps…lol:

Firstly Spam! You've been a star when it comes to this fic...always bugging me to update, helping with the writing and helping me with ideas. Thank you for all that you've been great! Luv you forever and remember...GOOD GOD!

Higgy and Red, you've both been great too...not only with this fic but with all the sequels as well. Thank you and both of you need to remember how good you both are at writing and stop putting yourselves down over it. You're both amazing people and just a big thanks basically.

Last of all, thanks to anyone who consistently reviewed this fic especially to Orliluver1137, thanks for all you said, some of the sweetest stuff people have ever said to me bout my fics, this one in particular.

Hope you all enjoyed this fic as much as I loved writing it. Keep reading and writing. Slayya.