The Virus

Chapter 11

A week later....

Ripley's POV

It's been a week since Montgomery died. I've been worried about Vic. She hasn't gotten out of bed, eaten, or showered in a week. Anytime she does talk she just says 'Travis'. I keep trying to talk to her but all she does is cry. I can't blame her, other than me Travis was the one person that could help her. I come down stairs and make breakfast, also making some for Vic in an attempt to get her to eat. I make my way back to our bedroom. I see her laying on the bed emotionless. 

"Hey babe" I said while stroking her hair. She doesn't say a word. "Babe, can you please just try to take a bite of toast for me?" I said, holding out a piece of buttered toast. She just rolls to her side and pulls the covers up to her face. I sighed and just left the toast on the night stand and tried to console her. As soon as I touch her shoulder, she flinches and I instantly move back. I eventually leave the room, but as soon as I close the door I hear Vic quietly sobbing. My heart breaks for her, I can imagine what she's going through. I was the same way when my parents died,it just hurts for me to see her go through the same thing. I go downstairs and start on some work stuff. I had taken two weeks off to be with Vic, I didn't want to leave her alone.

 A few minutes later, I hear someone knocking on the door. I open the door to Herrera and Sullivan standing at the door with a dish in his hand. "Hey guys, what's up" I said "We just came to see how you guys were doing, how's Vic?" Herrera said "Not good, she won't eat and she has gotten out of bed in a week except to use the bathroom. She also won't talk to me" I said "Can I go see her?" Herrera asked "Sure it's worth a try, come on in" I said inviting them inside.

 "You can set that right there" I said as I sat down "So how are you, really?" Sullivan asked "Honestly, I'm holding in there, I'm just worried about Vic. Travis was one of the most important people in her life, and just like that he was gone. And the worst part is that she blames herself. Ever since he's been in the hospital she blamed herself for putting him in there and I keep trying to tell her it's not her fault but nothing helps" I said kind of fast "Well Luke, all I can say is just continue to be there for her whether she lets you in or not, she's just in the beginning stage of grief it will pass eventually and she will hopefully open up" Sullivan said placing his hand on my shoulder. 

Just then Herrera comes down stairs. "Ripley she's asking for you, come on babe we should go we have my appointment" Herrera said "Well, we're gonna go good luck man" Sullivan said as I made my way upstairs.

Vic's POV

I can't move.

I can't breathe. 

I can't do anything.

My other half is gone, and it's all my fault.

 I've been in bed for a week now and every time I feel any surge of energy to get up the voice comes back in my head. "You hurt him, you should've stayed home, why didn't you keep your deathly germs to yourself, why didn't you check on him more?" the voice in my head continued to say every single day.

 Luke tries to come in and console me but I won't let him. I'm not trying to be mean to him but I can't let him hold me, it just reminds me of Travis. His hugs used to be the only thing that could help me when I was upset, so whenever Luke tries to touch me it just hurts all over again. I hear Luke come into the room so I turn over to face the wall. "Babe, can you please try to take a bite of toast for me?" I heard him say. I didn't answer him and just continued to lay there feeling dead inside. I felt him try to console me again and I instantly flinched back and felt the tears stream up again. I had cried so much in the last week I didn't think there were any left but I was wrong. I heard Luke leave the room and I just let it out but I tried to keep quiet so Luke didn't hear me.

 I ended up falling asleep for like five minutes when I heard someone come in. I thought it was Luke again but it turned out to be Andy. "Hey Vic" she said with a soft tone. I once again didn't speak. I felt her sit down on the bed "Vic, I'm so sorry about Travis. I know you loved him and he loved you" I heard Andy say. I still laid in silence. "Come on Vic, you know that he wouldn't want you to be like this. You have to get up, Ripley is very worried about you, he told us you haven't eaten, talked, and by the smell I can tell you haven't showered either. Come on, let your husband help you. I know he's not Travis but he's the next best thing you got and you also have the whole station behind you too." Andy said and then I felt her touch my shoulder again and this time I didn't flinch. Instead, I just held out my hand and she grabbed it, got in the bed with me and just held me while I shedded a few tears. We laid there for a while before Andy said she had to leave for an appointment. 

She gave me one last hug and she was about to leave the room before "Can you tell Luke to come up here?" I said, my voice sounding raspy from crying and also not speaking for a week "Of course, I love you Hughes" said Andy "I love you too Herrera and thanks" I said "No problem" Andy said as she walked out of the room. I laid back down and a few minutes later, Luke walked back into the room. 

"Hi Eggy" Luke said "Hi" I said quietly beginning to cry again "Come here" Luke said getting in bed and holding me tightly while I cried "I'm just so mad, I put him there, it's my fault he's dead!! I killed my best friend!" I said sobbing in Luke's chest "Baby, baby listen to me. It is not your fault, you hear me it is not your fault. There was a virus going around the station, Cutler got it and then you got it. It was likely gonna go around since you all work closely together. It's not your fault baby" Luke said while rubbing my arm and rocking me back and forth "I should've checked in on him more, maybe I could've prevented the seizure, what if he wasn't drinking enough and that's what spiked his fever" I said spiraling "Vic, I promise you there was nothing you could've done to prevent this, Montgomery was a grown man he could take of himself" Luke said. "Say it babe, it wasn't my fault come on" he said. I took a deep breath and tried to convince myself that it was true before saying "It-, it wasn't my fault" I said through shaky tears as I just laid there crying in Luke's arms. "The pain may always be there, but just know I will be here to get you through it whenever it comes, I love you Vic" Luke said "I love you too" I said quietly.

 The thought of saying 'was' when talking about Travis was painful. I still remember the first day we met. I had just joined 19 and I walked in the locker room and he was crying about Micheal. We just hit it off from the start. Saying I'm gonna miss him is an understatement, life will never be the same without him. I eventually fall asleep in Luke's arms. I creep a little smile knowing I'm in the comfort of my hubby's arms and that Travis is probably back in the comfort of Micheal's arms.