The Saving Blood [For bbsadique]

[thecutdiamond]

The urge to stand up against her uncle is purely instinctual, born of too many years protecting others from bullies and adults alike. She barely has time to register it as a mistake before Shea's knife is forced into her shoulder, before his leg darts out to  knock her feet out from other her, before his other hand goes flying towards her face.

She manages, at least, to block the fist, but he just catches at her wrist and twists her arm away with a force she's certain had sprained it at the very least.

The blade in her shoulder is tugged out of it suddenly and drawn across her collarbone before its pressed against her throat. Hands larger than her own-- not Shea's, and not his second-in-command's as she'd expected, but one of the other, older boys-- force her arms to the ground, and one of Shea's knees rests against her ribcage as he bends to capture her eyes in a dark, furious gaze.

The blade descends again, and Rachel lasts only a few moments before she screams.

Comments

[bbsadique.livejournal.com]

His lower lip trembles while he clings to her. "It's j-just my leg and my h-h-hand. We have to get you t-to the doctor," he chokes, eyes wide with terror and concern. "Please, I have to- I can't-"

He can't lose her. She's all he has, and he doesn't know what he'd do without her. All he can do is press his face to her neck. "Rachel, please...please, let's go. I promise, it'll be okay, we just...have to get somewhere safe."

[choosesdiamonds.livejournal.com]

She nods, tries to struggle up to a sitting position and somehow manages it despite the pain that pulses from her chest.

Sees his broken leg and halts in distress.

"Y'can't walk with that, P."

[bbsadique.livejournal.com]

His leg is broken in three places, but he doesn't care. What he cares about is making sure she's okay.

"I'll be fine. Just as long as we get you somewhere safe, I'll be fine. I promise." Look, he's even going to stand up and prove that he's okay.

[choosesdiamonds.livejournal.com]

She's going to watch him with eyes dark with concern as he gets to his feet, bites at her lip for an instant before she remembers that it's already bleeding.

But she can tell from the expression on his face that he's not going to let her do anything else, so she staggers to her feet, deliberately avoiding any hand he may offer even though every part of her is screaming in pain and she wants nothing more than to crumple back down to the ground and never stand again.

It takes her a moment to catch her breath and reply, "...Let's go, then."

[bbsadique.livejournal.com]

Nodding, Pierre helps her to the door with a hand on her arm. "Spades or Clubs?" he asks, and it's a good question. They aren't really safe in either place, not when they're both broken like this.

All he can do is wince when he steps wrong and pain radiates in his leg. "Come on. Spade doctor is left, Clubs doctor is right. Pick a direction so we can walk in it."

[choosesdiamonds.livejournal.com]

She can't think straight. Feels dizzier with every step, but she presses on. Takes just a moment to ponder-- they aren't safe in either place, really, but the Clubs are that much farther away and there's a higher risk of running into someone she knows, there.

So even though she doesn't trust the Spade doctor farther than she can throw him, she still points to the left.

"Spades. 's closer."

And they both need help, and soon.

[bbsadique.livejournal.com]

Nodding, Pierre slips his arm around her waist to take some of her weight, leading the way to the doctor via lots of limping and hissing. It hurts more than he can even explain, but he has to keep going because otherwise he's going to lose her.

Losing her isn't an option. "C'mon. We're close, it's just around this corner. Stay with me, Rachie, please. Almost..."

[choosesdiamonds.livejournal.com]

She wants to resist his aid, doesn't want to hurt him more, but she isn't quite able to manage staying up under her own power anymore. Still, she tries to keep as much of her weight off of him as possible.

Tries to reassure him even though she's just about on the brink of collapse, "...gon' be okay, P, don'... don't worry."

[bbsadique.livejournal.com]

He nods a little, limps them to the doctor. The pain in his leg is blinding, nauseating, and spreading further. Nothing else was broken, as far as he could tell, but only the doctor could properly decide that much.

They do make it, with one of Shea's goons watching from outside. Pierre ignores them in favor of getting Rachel in; she's more important than he is.

"Just. Just sit with the doctor, Rachie. It'll be okay. You gotta be okay." He can't sob anymore. He doesn't have any more tears. He sounds stoic and unconcerned, but really he's just out of tears to cry.

[choosesdiamonds.livejournal.com]

"'Course I will be." she assures softly, pressing a kiss into his hair before the nurse tries to shift her away from him so they can begin triage, "Get yourself looked at while we're in here, hm?"

[bbsadique.livejournal.com]

His nod is weak and shaky. "Okay. I'll get taken care of, Rachie, just. Be okay. Promise you'll be okay."

But then they're separated, and he actually has to go into surgery. His leg has to be screwed back together for all three fractures, and the doctor doesn't even ask. Just does what he needs to do and sends him on his way when he's conscious again.

Alone again.

[choosesdiamonds.livejournal.com]

"Promise, P." Spoken, perhaps, a bit too freely, but Rachel hasn't learned yet to be wary of promises.

She has to go home again by the time everything's fixed, or else have to deal with Edgar and the other's questions far more than she's already going to, what with the bandages and faintly frail expression. Still somehow manages to get a message sent to Pierre.

She's okay. She'll see him soon.

They're both going to be just fine.