Thanks you guys
Now to really tug at your heart strings....
Flashback triggered here...
abclost.proboards40.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=rpggame&thread=1162179415&page=11#1165931270Sometimes you wake up slowly, emerging from your sleep gradually, prolonging the relaxed feeling. All of your senses coming online one at a time. Sometimes you wake up quickly, when your brain realises you're late for work, or the thing in your nightmares got too close for comfort. Then there are times you wake up, but still feel numb. Like you're trapped in the world between sleep and life. Nothing feels real. That was how Ana-Lucia felt, lying in the hospital bed.
She tried to move her body, but it wouldn't respond. Even lifting her head was hard work. She let out a groan of pain, squeezing her fist closed to try and deal with it. She wondered where she was, and why she could hear muffled beeping noises. Slowly, it dawned on her, she had something sticking in her arm and instinctively she tried to pull it out. Twisting her body sent a stabbing pain through her stomach and chest. That, at least felt real to her.
Danny Parsons sat in the hospital waiting room, tapping the edge of his chair impatiently. He couldn't remember being more worried in his entire life. He checked his watch again. He'd left in the middle of work, just as he'd been given a new assignment. But it was one of the few times in his life he'd completely ignored his job.
Because Daniel Parsons was a career man, much like Ana-Lucia Cortez was. He loved his job. Immune to corruption, he'd never taken a bribe, never looked the other way.
And now he was terrified. He'd always trusted Ana, not only as a girlfriend, but as a cop. Someone he knew could take care of herself, and while he was occasionally protective, he knew she was a big girl who at times, was tougher and more unforgiving than himself. And this scared him.
The fact that she'd been shot...that was terrifying. To him, Ana was invincible. This was new, and difficult to deal with.
"Excuse me? Mr Parsons? She's ready to see you now."
He stood, heading down the hallway to her room. He creaked open the door, slipping inside. "Ana?"
The doctor had given her another shot of morphine, partly to numb the pain, partly to calm her down and stop her trying to over-exert herself. Drowsiness had kicked in when Danny put his head around the door.
"Danny....." Came the raspy reply, as she shifted slightly on the bed. If there was one person she wanted to see, it was Danny. If there was one person she couldn't face talking to, it was also Danny. She knew the baby was gone. She didn't know if he did.
"Ana." he gave an encouraging smile, and walked over to her, taking a seat besides her bed. He took her hand in his, kissing it gently. "How are you feeling?" He glanced at her wounds, secretly feeling a tug of pain down in his stomach. Worry. He wanted to ask, so badly. But she would tell him, if she knew. If she knew how the baby was.
"Ask me another dumb question." She said, coughing slightly. Her throat was raw and she motioned for Danny to get her some water from the jug by her bedside.
Danny was being too calm, too controlled.
He didn't know. How could he not know? She thought back to all the times she'd told people their kids had been killed. Though it was always emotional, she never let it affect her. She stayed distant. The words came out the same everytime...
I'm so sorry for your loss. But right now, all the words were gone. Replaced by anger. Anger with herself for letting this happen.
He gave a slight, fragile smile. Her attitude hadn't died. "I, uh....I was really scared." He admitted as he poured her some water. "I'm glad you're OK, and we'll get the guy, trust me. I'll get him myself. I-"
He calmed himself. She'd said nothing about the baby, and surely she'd tell him right away. The baby had to have been fine. He allowed himself a smile.
"Sorry, sorry, just...a little angry at that guy. It's important you're OK, that's all." He reached over and gently placed a hand on her stomach. "We're OK." He gave an encouraging, warm smile.
Ana couldn't take it. Danny was still under the impression that there was a happy ending to this, and his sympathetic smile just made her feel more guilty. In her heart she was distraught, grieving for her unborn child. She didn't know how to handle it, such raw emotion wasn't something she was used to showing. So she'd bottled it up, turning it into anger, like she always did. But this time the bottle got full and it overflowed in Danny's direction.
"I'm not okay!" She yelled hoarsely, pushing Danny's hand away. The sudden movement causing her to wince at the pain. But that only made her madder.
"You're angry!?!" She paused, taking in his stunned reaction. "How'd you think I feel?" She could feel the tears welling up at the corner's of her eyes and she fought to hold them back. The heart rate montior she was wired up to started to gradually beep faster.
"He shot me, not you! And I was stupid enough to let him!" A tear slid down her cheek.
"I killed our baby....." Her voice broke as she spoke and more tears stained her cheeks. She turned her head away from him, too ashamed to look him in the eye.
He simply stood, almost leaping back, staring at her outburst. Then, his face softened. It scrunched up. Then he turned away so she wouldn't see the soft, silent tears streak down his face. He fragilely walked forward two steps, his head bowed down.
How could this happen? How could.....no, no, this wasn't....He wanted to scream, to yell, to kick something, for God's sake. Their child was gone. His child was gone, gone, because some stupid kid shot Ana while her guard was down-
No, he couldn't blame Ana. Not for what some kid did.
But shouldn't she have taken time off? Taken leave, or something? But no, she loved her job so much-No, stop it. It was the fault of the man with the gun in his hand.But maybe Ana-Lucia was right. Maybe she'd killed their baby. The thought attached to the back of his mind like a parasite, refusing to let go, always there. He tried to push it back, but it remained in plain view. He turned back to her, not sure what to say or do.
He suddenly came forward, close to her, and wrapped his arms around her as best as he could, not trying to hide his tears anymore. He kissed her lightly on the forehead. "Ana...Ana, it's not your fault..."
She tried to push him away from her for fear she'd break down completely, but his strong arms kept hold, pulling her close. She was too weak to stop him from seeing her defenseless. Slowly, she gave up fighting him and embraced him back.
"It is my fault...." She said, sobbing into his shoulder. She knew what losing the baby meant to Danny. He was so excited over the thought of being a dad, suddenly having that taken away from him was going to crush him.
"I'm sorry......I'm so....." She let her walls crumble down for the first time since she'd met him. This was Ana-Lucia at her most vulnerable. It was only because she loved Danny that she let it happen. It would be the last time she'd cry, she swore it there and then.
Co-written by everyone's favourite Darling, Severin