Rating: T
Summary: Another interpretation of Van Pelt's repressed memories…
Characters: Van Pelt
Blocked Memories
She had been so proud when she had received that first aid certificate. Her father had taken her into his arms, kissed her on the forehead and announced how proud he was that 'his little country girl was going somewhere'. Grace's mother naturally shed a few tears, after all she had been the youngest on the course and had passed with flying colours. They had gone out for a slap up meal and returned late in the evening, all in thoroughly good moods.
Grace's brother hadn't bothered to join them, though. He never did; he had drinks, drugs and women to keep him occupied these days. She hadn't minded too much either because she had enjoyed having the attentions of both her parents to herself. Anyway, if he had been there, it would have probably descended into arguments and chaos. Their parents naturally didn't approve of their eldest child's lifestyle but found it virtually impossible to keep him under control.
Having had a day so good, she hadn't expected to wake in the middle of the night to find her brother collapsed in the hallway, not breathing. It was the second time he'd overdosed, and the first time he had been so lucky to survive. The whole family had hoped that he had learned his lesson, though it was obvious that he hadn't. Attempting not to panic, she had tried putting her new training into practice, though it didn't do much good. Whilst waiting for the paramedics to arrive, she had fought desperately, trying to get him breathing again and trying to find any sign of a pulse.
They'd pronounced him dead at the scene.
Though she had been told there was absolutely nothing she could do, she still blamed herself. Of course she did, she had failed her brother as a younger sibling. She had been the one to find him, she was the one with the training and she was the one who couldn't help him however hard she tried. Grace soon took to lying to people. She hadn't been the one to find his body lying prone at the bottom of the staircase, her mother had. She only found out when her father tiptoed into her bedroom at the crack of dawn with tear filled eyes. The more she told other people that, the more she almost came to believe it herself. Eventually, there was a time when no one asked anymore, no one cared.
Grace had always known that she wanted to work in the emergency services because she had a vocation to help people. It was the morning after his funeral that she decided that once was old enough, she would apply for the police force. She may not have been able to save her brother's life, but she was willing to try and bring about justice for him by catching the criminals who sold him the drugs in the first place.