Second impressions

Posted on Sat Jan 18th, 2020 @ 4:14pm by Lieutenant Commander Carolyn Corrigan MD & Lieutenant Commander Ariana Monroe-Wayne

1,730 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Episode 102 - The Rising Tide of War
Location: Sickbay
Timeline: MD2 0900

With a few final strokes from the edge of the pencil, adding shading and depth, the sketch was complete. Maybe. Studying the page for a long moment, brow furrowed, the sole occupant of the room stared at the page for a long moment before abruptly ripping out the page and tossing the bow crumpled paper aside.

Carolyn Corrigan set the pencil down on top of the blank page, leaning her head back and staring up at the ceiling. Her head ached in a constant, dull and difficult to place way. As insane as it sounded, she was so tired it went beyond exhaustion. And the monitors we’re driving her insane. Reminders that while a nurse was no longer camped out in the room, they were watching.

Hearing footsteps approaching, Carolyn frowned as they drew closer and a figure appeared in the doorway. From the woman's expression which was altogether friendly, she had the feeling this was someone else she was supposed to know.

"Hi," she offered after a moment, sitting up but not entirely sure what to say.

Ariana walked into the room with baby Stacie, Carolyn had always loved Stacie and she was hoping bringing Stacie with her would jog a memory for her friend. "Hi Carolyn, I'm Ariana. I'm not sure if you remember me? We're friends."

"I seem to know a lot of people but I don't remember them. I'm sorry," Carolyn said as she gestured to the nearby seat. "Please, have a seat. My grandmother was around but she must’ve left while I was asleep. Hopefully she will be a while. Who's this?"

At her question the tiny pink bundle in Ariana's arm seemed to wriggle, a tiny little hand appearing from beneath a blanket.

Ariana pulled back the blanket for Carolyn to see. “This is Stacie, you’ve always loved sneaking cuddles with her. I thought I’d bring her along, see if she jogged any memories for you. Would you like to hold her?”

Carolyn smiled, "sure."

She moved herself further up the bed so that the wall was behind her for support. Even that seemed exhausting. "Stacie is a beautiful name," she said, staying still as the tiny bundle was placed in her arms. "how old is she?"

“Just about a week old, she was a couple of months premature.” Ariana smiled as she gently handed over her tiny daughter. “I guess you don’t remember baby Hope either? She was quite a little celebrity here until her family were finally located. You loved her to pieces!”

"No... sorry. My memory doesn’t seem to be at its best," Carolyn said with a frown. She looked down at Stacie, "she's beautiful. James and I want to -"

She stopped herself, reminding herself that night wasn't last night. Her engagement ring was not on her finger and James was home. On Earth. Without her. She shook it off. "I loved my paediatric rotation," she admitted, "but trauma medicine was more me."

“I know. You’re quite the surgeon Carolyn, you were part of the surgical team that saved Freya Ross. She was stabbed by a man who attacked us, you saved not only her but her unborn baby too.” Ariana smiled warmly.

"Lots of babies around here, huh?” Carolyn commented, glancing down when a tiny hand gripped her hair and gave it playful tugs. She frowned, seeing an equally tiny baby in her arms yet different. Hearing her own voice echoing in her head as a splitting headache took her breath away. Hope...I like that. A lot...

"Please, take her," she gasped, feeling the tiny insignificant weight lifted away instantly.

“Are you alright?” Ariana looked at Carolyn concernedly as she cradled Stacie. “What’s wrong?”

It was like a loose thread. One after another, slowly at first. Images she couldn't associate with, disjointed and with the faces of people she didn't know. But she did!

I don’t know that I’m godparent material... You need to leave, now... Focus on your breathing and I'll be right back, okay..? Harris?! What the hell...?! More bubble wrap? I survived worse. I’ll be fine. I was more scared for Ariana. I couldn’t get to her to help her and the he was there -“

She couldn't breathe, a floodgate opening that made her scream in pain as a trickle of blood appeared at her nose as alarms began to ring out. She was so lost in the memories that when the nurses rushed in, she did not see them. She saw the masked faces, scalpel in hand as the came back for everyone. And as hands touched her she lashed out with every ounce of strength she had, screaming for them to stop.

Ariana turned to one of the nurses and handed over Stacie for a moment before stepping in to help her friend. She needed to make a connection, to calm Carolyn so the medical staff could help her. It was a risk but Ariana was willing to take it for her friend. "Stand aside" She gently placed a hand on Carolyn's arm and used it to make a mental connection. Carolyn...its me Ariana. I'm here to help!

The struggles ceased for an instant, at least outwardly. Enough for the nurses to activate restraints. That just unleashed screams of frustration and pain. In her mind they were just blurred figure, every touch the cruel and precise cut of a scalpel on her skin. Through it she heard the familiar voice, so clear and distinct but it seemed so far away.

“Counsellor please,” one of the nurses said as he moved in with a hypo, “we need to sedate her, now.”

"Wait!" Ariana gave it one last try, easing her way deeper into Carolyn's mind. Carolyn! It's me Ariana! Let me help you...please!!

“Make it stop!” Carolyn screamed, voice breaking as she strained to break free from the restraints.

I can try...but you have to stop struggling! Ariana was leaning on Carolyn's biobed, she was fast exhausting her own energy with this attempt but she wanted to help her friend. Relax my friend, they're helping you not hurting you.

"Heart rate is spiking, I'm sorry Counsellor, we can't wait..." the nurse said as she took a step forward. Before she could take another step, Doctor Mendez plucked the hypo from her hand, made some minor adjustments and pressed it against Carolyn's neck.

The sudden silence was only broken by the alarms but within seconds they too cut off. Mendez stood, inwardly counting to ten before he turned to the lead nurse. "I could hear that from all the way in the main bay!" he snapped. "We will discuss this again. Out, all of you! Not you, counsellor. You look like you could use a seat."

Ariana nodded as she took a seat, having withdrawn herself from Carolyn's mind. She sat down and rested her head in her hands for a few moments.

Reaching over to the bedside table, he retrieved a cloth, using it to wipe the perspiration that soaked Carolyn's forehead. "I used the mildest sedative possible, it may not last long. What happened?"

Ariana looked up at Mendez. "I was...trying to calm her. To make a connection." She sighed. "I was almost there! She's in there Mendez...our Carolyn, the real Carolyn, she asked me to make it stop!" Ariana looked at Carolyn. "I'm not giving up on her, I can't!"

Mendez sighed, "nobody is, I swear."

He tapped the panel beside a monitor, studying it before turning the screen towards Ariana. "When this was happening, see this? Neurological activity spiked, specifically in the region of the brain which deals with memory. It is still high but returning to normal levels."

"So there's memories there she just... Can't access them. Is it possible someone could have done this medically? If it was done by a telepath there'd be a mental block and I never found one in the area of her mind I was in." Ariana massaged her temples. "Maybe I just didn't probe hard enough. I didn't want to hurt Carolyn."

Mendez frowned. "Technically, yes, but it would be incredibly hard and we found nothing other than sedatives in her bloodwork. Doctor Harris has someone trying to piece together what happened."

"I don't suppose you have a headache cure handy do you?" Ariana offered a smile before wiping some blood away from her own nose.

"Luckily enough, yes," Mendez said as he moved to prepare a hypo. He moved to her side, "I know your intentions were good but I would not recommend a repeat. Certainly not until we know more. Remember, as much as you want to help her, you have a baby to think of. Assuming the nurses let her go that is."

Ariana smiled. "Yeah she captured my heart the first time I set eyes on her. Stacie is the light of my life, along with her father." She dabbed her nose with some tissue. "You're right it was foolish, I just...wanted to help Carolyn.”

“I’m sure she’d appreciate that, after she chewed you out,” Mendez told her as he administered the hypo. “I don’t mind authorising you to come and go as you wish but I do not expect you to try anything like this again without express permission from Doctor Harris.”

Ariana nodded. "Understood. Besides too much telepathic interaction would do Carolyn more harm than good. I wouldn't want to hurt her."

“Good. Now, once you feel up to it go home and get some rest,” Mendez ordered.

Ariana nodded, offering a smile as one of the nurses returned with Stacie. She gently took her daughter and cradled her. "I was hoping bringing Stacie would jog a memory, I think it worked a little too well."

Mendez nodded, “I think so. Perhaps we could try baby steps? If you’ll excuse me, I need to finish up with my patient in the bay.”

"Of course. I should be heading home anyway." Ariana smiled. "Please keep me informed of how Carolyn is doing."

"I will," Mendez promised as she walked away. Quickly adding, "and thank you, for trying."

"I had to try." Ariana looked at Carolyn. "She's my best friend, I need her!"

OFF

RSS Feed