Gold

Date/Timing: 28 September 2024
Setting: Logan's hospital room; Brisbane, QLD, Australia
.
No fire. 
No red lights. 
No Jack dying in the back of your head. 
Sea salt, warm sand, engine grease on the breeze. 
Water in your shoes. 
Right. 
Not /Vulcan's Conn-pod. 
Might be the beach down the coast from the 'Dome. 
'cept ... the light's off. 
Gold, rich colour like the sky at sunset. 
That's ... 
Hmm. 
Investigate. 
No shadows, anywhere. 
That] doesn't happen in real life. 
/sploonk
 Familiar silhouette sitting on the sand above the tide line. 
Who wasn't there a second ago. 
So ... yea. 
You're probably dead. 
"Guess afterlife's a beach, ay?" you call. 
Familiar guy snorts.
Mosey over, drop to the sand beside him. 
"'bout time ye found me." Jack looks over, smiles. "We're not dead." 
"If we ain't dead, where are we?" 
He picks up a rock, tests it, tries to skip it. 
/sploonk
 "We're in my head." Shrugs. "Near as I can figure, at least." 
"Your head." 
Nods. 
Explains the colour, at least. 
"You're two rooms down from me in hospital and all your parts seems to be working right, but you won't wake up." Rubs his neck. "You've been gone three days now. We've been worried half-crazy." 
Pick up a stone, test it, skip it. 
/plish plish plish plish ploosh
 Jack frowns. 
Smirk. 
"Sooo ... why're you hiding in my brain?" 
Shrug. "Thought you were dead. Probably came looking for ye and got lost in the mess." 
Jack sighs, stares at the water. "I /was dead for a couple minutes." Glances over. "But 'm back now." Nudges your shoulder. "So you can go home." 
Find voice. "You really died?" 
"Mostly." Shrugs. Rock, test, skip. 
/sploonk
 "Heart stopped for a bit." 
"Jesus." Rock, test, skip. 
/plish plish plish ploosh
 "You bled out, ay?" 
Quirks an eyebrow. 
"Could taste it." Shudder, spit. "But you got us outta there. Saved our lives." 
Shrugs again. Rock, test, skip. 
/sploonk
 "Probably good you let me do most 'a the shooting." 
"Yea." Jack stands, offers a hand. "Let's walk." 
Let him help. 
Stroll a bit. 
"Jack, what're we gonna do now?" 
Sighs. "We need t' heal up before we start thinking about that." 
Walk, quiet, for a few minutes. 
Jack steps in front of you, stops, puts his hands on your shoulders. 
Raise eyebrow. 
Jack presses his forehead against yours, says softly, "You have to go back to your own head, mate." 
"Why? Like it here fine." 
Looks down. "'cause I'm gonna need your help from now on." 
"You think I owe ye for sav—" 
"Logan." 
Be quiet. 
"I—" Deep breath. "I lost a leg. 'n the other's fucked. 'll probably never run again." 
Blood freezes. "'m sorry, 'm sorry ... sorry. Shoulda—" 
Jack shoves you. 
Stagger. 
"Shut up and get back where you belong so you and your two good legs can push my ass around." Smiles. "'sides, someone's waiting for ye." Another shove. 
Nearly go down, flail, stay up. 
"Get goin'." 
"Alright, alright, 'm goin'. Christ."
.
/Jesus, it's bright and scratchy—
A cool, dry hand covers yours.
Jerk away—
IV tugs at your skin.
—push—fail at getting upright.
"Relax, love. You're alright." Nanny's voice thickens. "Now."
Blink at her, ease back into the pillows with a hiss.
She squeezes your hand.
>"Jack?" you croak in a voice way too small to be yours.
"He's right down the hall." Eyes slide to your toes.
>"He's really—" Clear your throat. "—messed up, ay?"
Bites her lip, nods.
>"He'll be okay?"
"Most of the damage will heal, but ...."
>"He might not walk."
She squeezes your hand. "They're not sure how badly damaged his nerves are."
Clear your throat again. >"Good thing he's got me, then."
Nanny offers a watery smile, rasps, "Good thing."
You yawn.
"Is there anything I can do for you?" Nanny asks softly.
>"Lemme sleep some more."
"Only if you promise to wake up in a few hours."
"Promise." Wiggle into the pillows.
Nanny smiles. "Sleep well, love."
Category:Ficlet
Category:Logan's POV
Category:A hospital (setting)
Category:Logan
Category:Logan (ficlet)
Category:Jackson
Category:Jackson (ficlet)
Category:Nanny
Category:Nanny (ficlet)