THANK YOU: To all who have begun to read this story, and especially to those who have left comments. I am always grateful to those who have taken the time.
DISCLAIMER: Rookie Blue and its characters are all owned by others. No infringement intended.
WARNING: Includes scenes of violence.
EPISODE: A reimagining of things that occurred during Season 5. Diverges from the show storyline prior to Season 5 Episode 7, "Deal with the Devil." So, Holly and Gail haven't spoken since the fight at the Black Penny in episode 3.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
THROUGH DARKNESS
CHAPTER 1
The call had been for an attack a connecting corridor from the parking structure at St. Pat's. Not much more was known than that. Gail Peck and her partner for the day, Nick Collins, were the first to respond to the scene.
With the individuals who had interrupted the attack still present, Peck and Collins were able to quickly clear the scene and then move on to assess the victim. The woman lay, still, on the tile floor of the corridor. She was slight, her height difficult to determine, dark skin. Long dark hair covered her face, but once the hair was pushed back during the check of her vitals, Gail felt her stomach sink and she sucked in a deep breath.
Noting the response, Nick shot his partner a questioning look.
"She's still alive," Gail confirmed the woman's pulse. It was light, but it was present. "We need to get her help." Gail ran her fingers lightly over a bruise forming on the woman's cheek. No response to the touch. "I've met her. Her name's Rachel, she's a doctor here."
"I'm going to call the medics and then head inside; see if we can get her help faster that way."
This situation rocked Gail in a way she didn't expect. She'd found Rachel the less offensive of Holly Stewart's two friends. While Gail might have wished the women disappear from the face of the planet, she never wished either ill.
"Gail?" Nick repeated her name, trying to get her attention.
"Yeah. Go inside," she repeated, barely understanding the words. "I'll be here."
Gail removed her coat, putting it over Rachel in an effort to provide some comfort. Then she grabbed her phone and fired off a quick text.
A trauma team was already en route to the garage, alerted by one of the visitors that had passed through the corridor after the attack. As Gail continued to stay with the woman, Nick began the process of securing the scene and identifying the witnesses that would need to be interviewed.
One of the medical staff tapped Gail on the shoulder, causing the blonde woman to jump. "We've got to take her now." They secured Rachel to a backboard and cervical collar, loaded her onto a gurney, started an IV, and were ready to move.
"I'll go with." She signaled to Collins that she was heading towards the main building of the hospital. He nodded, and with that, she followed the team.
# # #
Hospital duty was nothing but one long wait outside the treatment room while the staff worked on their patient. Since arriving, Gail had checked in with the detective running the scene and passed along anything she knew thus far. She also confirmed that she was to stay and wait for a chance to question the woman, if she was conscious, and also get information from the medical team about the injuries and treatment.
So here she was, alone, in a sparse hallway. A few old, dog-eared women's magazines were on a table. Gail grabbed one and quickly threw it down upon reading the headline, "Are You Sabotaging your Relationships?" She decided to wait without any additional reading material.
After what seemed like hour, but was probably far shorter, Nick had joined her. No word yet on their victim. The team was still working, with an occasional person entering or leaving the room. The two waited, seated next to each other in uncomfortable chairs and separated by a gulf of silence.
Finally forcing herself to stand up, Gail looked over at Nick who returned her gaze with a questioning look of his own. "What?" she barked.
Most people had one of two reactions to a Peck outburst. The individual either shrank back or else took offense. Nick never seemed to do either, which Gail generally found to be a talent that she appreciated. Today, though, his even temper just made her even more annoyed.
"Do you want to talk about whatever's going on?"
"No." Enough standing. Gail sunk back into the seat. It was only a matter of time and she knew it.
Almost on cue she heard the sound of approaching steps. She turned and saw the one person she wanted to see most, and never.
Holly Stewart seemed genuinely surprised when she turned the corridor. The tall woman took a second to collect herself, the look of surprise directed at Gail becoming a hard glare.
"How's my friend?" Holly demanded. "And what are you doing about it?"
The day, as far as Gail Peck was concerned, had just taken a turn for the worse.
(to be continued…)