White

Date/Timing: 26 September 2024
Setting: Jackson's hospital room; Brisbane, QLD, Australia
Note: The first scene (not included) has been revised, too
.
Jackson slams awake, alone, in a strange room.
Takes stock.
Icy white sheets.
Beeping machines.
Tubes and wires all over him.
Hospital smell.
The afterlife's even more fucked up than he imagined.
Looks around some more.
No dead Rangers.
So maybe he's alive.
Jackson sighs.
Closes his eyes.
/Logan.
Snaps them open again.
Checks the back of his brain.
Nothing but grey matter.
Where's Logan?
Fumbles for the call button which /has to be there, somewhere.
A person in hospital colours fusses around him almost instantly.
"It's good t' see you awake, Ranger Jones! We weren't expectin' you t' come around fer a bit longer. I'll get the doctor t' come an' take a look at you."
"M' brother?" croaks Jackson.
"He's in the waitin' room. We'll send him in as soon as the doctor's done with you."
Jackson pushes himself up to sitting with shaking arms but he doesn't really notice 'cause the lump in the sheets where his left leg should be is half the length of the lump on the right.
The doctor says ... stuff.
Where's Logan?
The doctor leaves.
The nurse comes back.
With Derek.
Derek, a familiar shade of gray, offers a watery smile. "Uh, hey, Jack."
"Hey. How y' doin'?"
Startles. "Me?" he squeaks. "I-I'm okay."
"Logan?"
Swallows, turns even greyer.
"Tell me." Squeezes his hand. "Please."
Touches the side of his neck. "Broken bones in his s-spine." Swallows again, whispers, "He, uh—so far—won't w-wake up. No m-matter what they try." Even quieter. "If he d-doesn't s-soon, they ... they're n-not sure he ever w-will."
Jackson croaks, "'m sorry ...."
"Wha—? Fer what?"
"'s'my fault. 'm too slow. If I'd been faster maybe ...."
"Shut it, Jack—!"
Jackson startles.
"D-don't say that!" Glares, shaking.
Jackson wipes his eyes.
"Din't they tell you?"
"What does—"
"You were dying—b-bleedin' t' death—'most the entire fight." Swallows. "It's a-a miracle ye got out." Completely flat: "You were dead when you got here, Jack."
Oh.
"On-on the flight here, they told me you were dead."
Jackson chuckles weakly—very weakly—"Reports 're clearly exaggerated."
Derek's snork turns into a sob.
Jackson grab his arm, pulls him close, ignores the ache in his chest.
.
When Derek leaves, the nurse tells Jackson it's time to change the dressings. 
They chat away idly, Jackson does his best to acknowledge, and when they're done, he asks if he can see his chart. 
"Are you sure?"
Jackson takes a deep breath. 
The nurse takes the tablet from the end of his bed, hands it to him. 
"Thanks," says Jackson, though he's [not sure if he actually] made any sound—
The tablet and his arms drop to his lap. 
"Sorry," says the nurse. 
Jackson mumbles. 
The nurse leaves. 
The tablet sits on Jackson's lap. 
The tablet remains on Jackson's lap. 
Jackson swallows. 
Jackson touches the screen. 
Jackson opens his chart. 
Scarring. 
Cardiac arrest. 
Nerve damage. 
Leg, lower—
His vision greys. 
He reminds himself to breathe. 
He touches the screen. 
He opens his chart. 
Leg, lower left. 
Amputated.
Category:Ficlet
Category:A hospital (setting)
Category:Jackson
Category:Jackson (ficlet)
Category:Logan (mention)
Category:Derek
Category:Derek (ficlet)
Category:Hospital staff
Category:Pages with comments
Category:Ficlets in need of language stuff
Category:Vulcan Sky Falling storyline