Chapter 11- Over And Out
Cate sped through the traffic making it to the hospital in record time. She glanced at Lux quickly before parking in front of the entrance, jumping out of the car and running inside to get help.
Cate ran back out a second later, a few doctors and nurses following. They picked up Lux and placed her on the awaiting gurney, pushing her back inside. Cate ran along beside the gurney, her hand gripping Lux's limp one tightly.
"What's her name?" One of the nurses asked as they pushed Lux inside.
Cate pushed back her hair, sniffling. "Lux. Lux Bazile."
Doctor Sampson looked at Cate as she joined the group, surprised. "What happened?" She asked and Cate shook her head.
"I don't know, she just passed out and she won't wake up!" Cate said desperately, the fear evident in her voice.
The doctors took over and a nurse stopped Cate as they continued to push Lux through the emergency room doors. "I'm sorry, ma'am. You'll have to wait here."
"No, wait, that's my daughter!" Cate called desperately, watching Lux disappear down the corridor.
"If you'll just have a seat and fill in these forms, I'll have a doctor come and talk to you."
Cate wanted to hit the nurse but did as she said, shakily walking into the waiting room and taking a seat, dialing Ryan's number.
Ryan and Baze arrived at the hospital an hour later, finding Cate still in the waiting room.
Cate spotted them instantly, jumping out of her sheet and running into Ryan's arms. He stood still for a second, but eventually wrapped his arms around Cate as she sobbed into his chest.
"Where is she? Is she okay?" Baze stood by, watching the two. Normally he would be jealous, but all he could think about was Lux.
Cate sniffled. "I don't know. They took her back and they won't let me see her."
"Okay." Ryan finally spoke, pulling away. "I'm going to try and get some information." To be honest, he simply couldn't be around Cate and Baze right now, even if his main concern was Lux.
"I'm looking for a patient." Ryan spoke to the clerk behind the desk. It was a different one than the one that had been there when Lux was first there, and for that, Ryan was relieved.
"Name?" The clerk asked, turning his attention to the computer screen in front of him, ready to type.
"Lux Bazile." Ryan sighed slightly at Baze's last name.
The clerk typed before looking up at him. "Relationship?"
"I'm her step-dad."
"Where's my mom?" Lux whispered as she looked around the room. She had regained consciousness a few minutes earlier and had been met with Doctor Sampson's awaiting gaze.
"She's out in the waiting room." Doctor Sampson smiled reassuringly. "But first I'd like to talk a bit about you. Could you tell me what happened tonight, Lux?"
Lux shrugged. "I just got a little tired." She mumbled, playing with the blanket of the uncomfortable bed.
Doctor Sampson sighed. "Lux, were you raped again?"
"No." Lux shook her head, convincing herself. "No. He tried, but he didn't…"
Doctor Sampson nodded, writing something down in Lux's chart. "Okay." She smiled reassuringly. "How long has it been since you last ate?"
Lux thought back, having to mentally rack her mind to remember. "I, uh- yesterday, I think?" It was more of a question than an answer.
Again, Doctor Sampson wrote the answer down. "What about sleep? When was the last time you slept?"
"Uh, last night."
"Uh huh." Doctor Sampson spoke as she wrote. "And did you experience any trouble sleeping? Insomnia? Nightmares?" Lux shook her head no, but they both knew she was lying. "Okay, Lux, how have you been feeling lately?"
"You mean, since the…" Lux trailed off, unable to say the words.
Doctor Sampson smiled at her sympathetically. "Just in general." She shrugged.
Lux shrugged, pushing a piece of hair behind her ear. "Tired. Really tired." She whispered, her voice catching.
Doctor Sampson smiled at her sadly and stood up. "Okay. I think it'd be a good idea if we kept you in here. At least for tonight to make sure you're okay."
Lux was about to protest but Doctor Sampson walked towards the door. "I'll send your parents in." She smiled once more before leaving.
Cate sat next to Baze, her hand gripping his as they both sat obvious to the world, lost in their own thoughts. Ryan sat in a chair nearby, starring at the two. Despite his concern for Lux, he couldn't help but be angry at the two of them.
The three stood up on sync however, forgetting what they were thinking about, as Doctor Sampson entered the waiting room. "Lux Bazile?"
Cate was in front of her first, Baze and Ryan close behind. "How is she? Is she okay?"
"Physically, everything seems to check out. But I'm concerned that Lux may be suffering from exhaustion."
Baze looked confused while Cate leaned closer to Ryan. "Wait. So you're saying she's tired? That's why she passed out?"
Cate hit him in the chest as a signal for him to shut up and turned to the doctor. "Where is she? Can I see her?"
Doctor Sampson smiled sympathetically at Cate and nodded. "If you'll follow me, I'll take you to her."
"Lux!" Cate and Baze rushed into the room, Ryan following close behind. Cate instantly wrapped her arms around Lux, holding her tightly while Lux simply sat there, starring off into space.
Eventually Lux shrunk away in Cate's embrace and Cate reluctantly pulled back. "How are you feeling?" Cate spoke softly, sitting on the edge of the bed and taking Lux's hand.
Lux pulled her hand out of Cate's, looking away from her. "Fine."
"Lux..." Cate sighed, looking between Baze and Ryan for help.
Ryan shifted to the other side of the bed, and Lux looked up at him, smiling half-heartedly when he smiled at her. "How are you feeling, kiddo?"
Lux shrugged in response and Ryan nodded understandably, placing a hand on her shoulder.
Cate and Baze looked at the two, hurt, but were interrupted when Cate's phone rang. She sniffled back her tears, answering it. "Hello?" Cate's expression changed and she looked between Baze and Ryan shocked, before looking at Lux. "Thank you."
Cate hung up her phone, unsure of what to say to the group. "Uh... Jones is dead. The police just found his body."