Chapter 3
USC Medical Center Los Angeles, CA - 2022
Weeks had crawled by since Sydney saw the news report. The blurry images flashed across her mind again - Halona unconscious on a stretcher, the shocking headline. Sydney's heart had raced as she booked the first flight to LA.
Now, she shifted uncomfortably in the hospital chair that had become her second home. The thin blanket did little to ward off the chill. Sydney grimaced, her back protesting as she tried to find a better position.
The door opened, and Damian strode in, eyebrows raised. "Brought sustenance," he said wryly, dropping a paper bag on the tray.
Sydney's stomach growled at the smell. "You're a lifesaver," she said gratefully, tearing into the bag. "The slop they serve here is nasty."
As Sydney took her first bites of real food in days, a flicker of movement caught her eye. Her heart leapt into her throat as she saw Halona's eyelids flutter open.
"...Syd?" The word was barely a whisper, but it spurred Sydney into action.
She was at Halona's side in an instant, food forgotten. "Oh thank God!" Sydney gripped Halona's hand tightly, relief washing over her. "You're in the hospital, Halo," she explained gently, smoothing back her friend's tangled hair. "But you're safe now. Everything's going to be okay."
Halona's eyes darted around the room, confusion and fear evident in her gaze. She squeezed them shut, as if trying to block out the unfamiliar surroundings.
"What... what happened?" Halona's voice was rough from disuse. "Where's Buck? The kids?"
Sydney hesitated, unsure how to respond. Before she could formulate an answer, a flurry of medical staff entered the room.
"Ms. Blackwater, glad to see you're awake," a doctor said briskly. "We have some tests we need to run now that you're conscious."
As the medical team bustled around her, Halona lay still, overwhelmed. The beeping of machines, the sharp smell of antiseptic, the strange faces peering down at her - it was all too much.
She closed her eyes again, trying to remember. But there was nothing beyond a vague sense of warmth and safety, now replaced by cold dread. Where were her children? Her husband? Why couldn't she remember?
"Syd," Halona whispered, reaching out blindly. "Don't leave me."
Sydney squeezed her hand reassuringly. "I'm right here," she promised. "I'm not going anywhere."
As the doctors continued their examination, Sydney chatted about the outpouring of support from fans and the media frenzy surrounding her reappearance.