Chappo's POV
I'm at the flags with Gonzo when the radio crackles. "Go ahead Yates." I say.
"Mate, it's Brooke." Before he's even finished, I'm running up to the tower. I find Whip standing next to her, taking her pulse.
"What happened?" I shake my head, realising the pointlessness of the question, "It doesn't even matter we need to try to wake her." I practically push him out of the way in my panic. I need to feel her pulse for myself. It's faster than it should be and more irregular than I saw it last time.
"Should we get Quinno up here? He might be more helpful.." Whip asks concerned. I nod, not taking my eyes from her. "Okay, I'm gonna go down and swap with him. Just relax mate, you know how strong she is."
Quinn arrives in the Tower soon after Whip leaves. "Alright Chap. What's she said about her heart before?" he asks, taking her pulse.
"Nothing much. Just that she's had problems with it.. She kept trying to protect me.." I wish she hadn't because then I might actually know how to help.
"Okay.. She's tachycardic but it seems regular enough now.. Can you try to wake her again?" I nod and take her hand.
"Brooke? Brooke, can you wake up for me? Just open your eyes for us.." She's still not waking up. Quinn lifts her legs slightly.
"Keep going mate. I think we need an ambo." I shake my head, knowing that she'd be angry if we did. She's survived for a long time with no support.
"Brooke, please. Just open your eyes." Slowly her hand moves, "You're okay." I tell her as her eyes open.
"How are you feeling now?" Quinn asks.
"Fine. Sorry."
"I really think you should get your heart checked out." he says seriously.
"We're going as soon as we can." I tell him before turning to her. "And now you're going home. I need to be here but I'll call Jake to come get you." I could probably get off but I need to be here for my own selfish gain and to attempt to keep the job I worked so hard for. She doesn't let go of my hand.
"Chap.. I'm sorry.. I can go." I shake my head.
"You're not going anywhere I'll be out at 7 but you need to rest. Jake will come and take you back." She nods as I call him. "Hey mate, sorry to disturb you but can you get to the tower and pick Brooke up?"
"Yeah of course. She okay?"
"She passed out again and her heart went haywire. She's good now, she just needs to sleep."
"Alright. I'll be there soon. You want me to stay with her at yours too?"
"Yeah that'd be good. I need to go now so just come up here. Thanks mate." he hangs up. "Brooke, I need to go down to the beach now. Jake's on his way."
"Take care." she mutters as she lets me go. I really hope she's alright with Jake.
Brooke's POV
Quinn still stands watch over me as Chap goes back down to the beach. "You know that's not normal right?" he asks and I smile wryly.
"Yeah, I was meant to have a defib fitted back in the UK but I may have ran away.. He's worried isn't he?"
"Of course he is. Your heart and your brain are the most important organs in your body. And that isn't gonna keep you alive for much longer. It's a wonder you've not had any worse symptoms." I nod slowly, knowing the truth behind his words. "Okay, after that nice pep talk I'm gonna get back down to the beach. Whip will come back soon." He grins.
Whip arrives, smiling. "Well, that was terrifying. Are you alright now? Like properly." I nod.
"You don't get rid of me so easily. I'm fine. Keep an eye on Chap for me?" He smiles.
"Yeah of course but he'll be fine. He's just concerned and he cares more about you than I've ever seen him care about anyone." He grins as Jake knocks on the door.
"Hey, you ready to get home?" I nod as they help me onto the crutches. "I can carry you if you need.." he says cautiously.
"Let's not." He smiles.
"Take care Brooke!" Whip shouts as we leave. I focus all my energy on putting one foot in front of the other until we get to the car.
"Are you okay if we go back to Chap's? I'll stay with you but he wants you there." I nod. "Off we go then." he smiles and drives quickly. When we arrive, he looks at me pityingly. "I know you're gonna tell me you can walk but he'd kill me if anything happened to you." I smile.
"So you're worried about Chap are you? I'm alright, my room is only just inside the door and I'm not even as bad as I was earlier. I'm more awake now."
"Okay then, but it's not my fault if you fall and you have to tell Chap that!" I laugh slightly before dragging myself to my feet.
"Door." I mutter as my vision starts to fail. He runs and opens it, finding a key somewhere, before coming back to me. "Almost there now." He says, his eyes not leaving me. I can't actually see where I'm going anymore and he seems to notice. "I need to carry you Brooke.. You'll kill yourself doing this." I shake my head but that action causes me to collapse into him, the world darkening.
"Brooke. Open your eyes sweet. Chap's gonna come soon." Jake says, panicked as I prise my eyes open. "And welcome back." he grins.
"Hey. How long?"
"Like an hour maybe? You literally passed out completely but you opened your eyes when I got you in here so I left you asleep for a while. Now Chap's coming and he's probably going to scream at you about talking to us and letting us help. You want a drink?" I nod and sit up carefully. He hands me the bottle and I drink greedily. The door slams and Chap appears in the doorway.
"Trust us please.." he whispers.
"Chap.. You need to relax. I'm fine. Jake's looked after me and I'm fine."
"It can't get much worse can it?" I shake my head.
"I'm fine. Come on Chap." He shakes his head.
"You can't even pretend. You can barely walk, your heart doesn't work, you collapse daily. What else haven't you told us?"
"I'll just go.."I tell them but Jake shakes his head.
"No one has said that Brooke. We just want you to be safe and at the minute it doesn't seem like you are."
"Safe? It's almost as good as healthy.. I'm never really going to be either. And I think you need to worry more about yourselves, especially Chap." I look him in the eye seriously. "I don't want you to be this badly affected by me.. You don't even sleep. How are you going to work without sleeping?"
"I don't need much sleep. It's not you 'affecting' me Brooke, I care about you and I'm allowed to. If it was just the pain and exhaustion and stuff we could deal with it.. But your heart? Quinn says it'll fail before long.. You could have said something.." I shake my head and look to Jake.
"You know what I mean about him right?" he nods. "Make him see it? And I'm going back to my house. Come find me if you manage to calm down." I don't want to leave them and I know someone will be coming to find me in a matter of minutes but it doesn't matter. I just need Chap to see what I've done to him. Before either of them can say anything I'm on my feet, Jake tries to stop me but I shake my head. "Trust me." I whisper and he sighs, handing my crutches back to me. Chap just watches me leave in a dumbstruck silence.
