Chapter Text
Who had let her become a paramedic? oh right. Herself. Alexis was second-guessing that choice right now as she felt her body being jostled in the moving vehicle. Her whole body was in pain with every movement, sending a sharp pain through her.
“Kid, can you hear me?” she heard Reed's voice beside her. Her partner sounded concerned. When she opened her eyes, even slightly, she saw relief flash across his face. She could feel her black hair stuck to her face, blood dripping down the side. She moaned with every jostle of the rig.
“What happened?”
“The car beside you exploded. We’re taking you to the hospital now,” Reed said, “You did a number on yourself.”
“My whole body hurts,” she managed, coughing.
Reed gave a laugh as he shook his head. “I’d be more concerned if you didn’t.”
She felt as the rig came to a stop. Reed moved as whoever was driving helped him unload her, lowering the gurney down. Rolling her into what she could assume was PTMC. Rolling her in through the ambulance bay. The sterile, bright white environment only hospitals could give made her eyes sore, making her wince as everything began to blur.
“What do we have?” She heard a raspy, calm voice from somewhere further away.
“Female, Alexis Barnett, 34, Paramedic assessing the scene of a collision before she got the ricochet of a car explosion. Head impacted the ground. Suspected concussion, burn on the left leg, suspected full thickness, pain in my ass.”
She couldn’t help the scoff she gave at Reed’s assessment, “HEY.”
She heard a small chuckle as suddenly a brown haired man with large brown eyes appeared in her line of vision, as she stared towards the ceiling. “I’m Dr. Robinavitch, most people call me Dr. Robby,” he said, when suddenly a penlight was flashed in her eyes. “Sounds like you’ve had a rough day.”
“You could say that,” she managed to get out as he moved out of her line of sight.
She felt as he lifted the covering of her leg, giving a whistle. “You did a number.” He came back to where she could see him before directing someone else: "Trauma one.”
“I have to head back out, kid, you gonna be ok?” Reed asked as he followed them as she was being rolled into the nearest room. “I’ll come back when I can,”
She couldn’t nod, so she gave a small OK. Uncomfortable as she watched Dr Robby swing to the other side, give the signal, and suddenly she was aware that many hands were lifting her from the ambulance gurney to another. Reed gave her a small smile before he disappeared from her view. Suddenly, many hands were on her body, and everyone was doing everything at an alarming rate.
“No offence, Doc,” she said as people were moving over her, “I hate hospitals.”
Dr. Robby gave her a smile, his voice warm, “No offence taken, me too.”
“That seems awfully incon-” whatever she was going to say was forgotten as she couldn’t help but scream as someone moved the burned leg.
“Sorry,” came another man’s voice. Though he didn’t sound as sorry as Alexis would have liked. She couldn’t help the tears that escaped, and she couldn’t move to wipe them. Grateful when a nurse with a long braid in her hair was dabbing the tears away. She didn’t realize she was starting to hyperventilate as hands were all over her.
“Alexis, look at me.” Dr Robby directed. His voice was so calm, his eyes were so warm. She tried to control her breathing. “Why don’t you like hospitals?”
Alexis scoffed, “Is this normally how you hold conversations? The other person strapped to a bed?”
He smirked mischievously, “Mostly, yes, how else would they listen?” Another shooting of pain went through her body, making her jerk and gasp. “Just focus on me, we’re having a conversation.” He said lightly, his own hands were now feeling at her abdomen. “So, hospitals?”
Alexis tried to focus on him only, ignoring the way the other bodies were moving around her. “Deep dark trauma that I reserve for fifth dates,” she said, making a huffing sound. Dr Robby was listening to both her and to whoever was speaking to him. He nodded to the person. “Also, a lot of hands touching me.”
He smiled again, as he was still feeling around her own abdomen. “But they’re good hands.”
“Stop flattering yourself.”
He shot her a smile, removing his hands from her. “We will stabilize the leg, get you to CT before we can deal with the burn.”
Suddenly, the door opened, and someone she couldn’t see was walking in. “How’s it going in here?” a woman’s voice rang out through the room.
“Oh, you know, nothing exciting,” Dr Robby said playfully with a shrug.
Alexis narrowed her eyes, “For you maybe.”
“Partial thickness?” she heard the woman ask. The other man seemed to confirm, “Once you get her stable, we’ll send her up.”
Alexis heard the other man reply with something before a “Thanks, YoYo.”
Dr Robby was still by her eyeline, listening to the conversations going around him. As she heard the door to the room close. “Look at that; you get the express ticket.”
“Lucky me.”
The door swung open again, “Robby, we need you in 2, another from the accident.”
Alexis could feel herself panicking now. She didn’t want to be here alone; his confidence was reassuring. Being left here with so many of these people was terrifying. “Don’t leave me,” She managed to get out, pathetically.
He looked at her sympathetically, lowering his voice like it was meant just for her, “You’ll be ok, I’m leaving you in the very good hands of Dr. Langdon,” but that didn’t seem to appease her. She could feel her panic rising. “When you come back from CT, I’ll check in before you go to the OR, ok?”
Alexis felt silly; it was stupid to expect a doctor in the ED to wait for her. But he was so calming and kind, and she just didn’t want to feel alone in a room full of strangers.
Dr Robby seemed to be picking up on her inner turmoil. His voice raspy and low again, “Is there anyone we can call for you?”
“No. I mean, yeah, but not right now. I don’t want them to worry.”
Someone in the room said something she missed in the noise of the room, but Dr. Robby caught it. He gave a nod before looking into her eyes again, “I’ll see you soon, ok?”
She gave a nod, the best she could with being still strapped in place before rails on the gurney were going up, multiple hands guiding her bed out the door with Dr Robby being left behind in the room.
It didn’t take as long as she expected; she was rolled into a new section of the floor when she returned from CT. They had at least taken the collar off now, deeming her spine was fine.
Dr Robby came in not long after, rubbing sanitizer on his hands and holding an iPad under his arm.
“What’s the verdict?”
He found the stool in the area and sat down beside the bed. Pulling the iPad out with images already pulled up, “You are the winner of a brand new severe concussion.”
Alexis huffed, “Here I thought I was unlucky.”
Dr Langdon appeared, “OR says they’re ready.”
Alexis turned to Dr Robby as he stood, beginning to help lift the railings. “Will you be here when I get back?”
The question seemed to make him pause, but it was only for a second. He smiled reassuringly. Something about his presence was warm and comforting; Alexis couldn’t help but notice the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes. “Absolutely, I’ll be here waiting for you.”
She nodded as her bed was once again rolled out of the area, and she was moved towards the elevator.