Oblivion {James Rodriguez} {Book ONE}

something lost, something gained

A/N: I found Internet, so here you go.

"No, no, no, no," I whispered under my breath as I sprang up from the ambulance bed and ran towards the middle of the crowd.

All I felt was numbness. Numbness to the pain. Numbness to the lack of oxygen through my body. Numbness at the fact that Carter might be dead and I was seconds away from finding out.

I pushed through all the numerous officers who were shouting and making a huge scene.

"How bad is it?" I heard one officer yell to a paramedic.

"Really bad. He's losing a lot of blood!" The paramedic exclaimed.

My breathing started coming out in short, rapid breaths. I wouldn't accept the fact that Carter is gone. He can't be. He was next to me only twenty five minutes ago.

"Where is he?" I screamed to no one in particular. I was desperate for a reply, but at the same time I dreaded it more than anything.

Someone grabbed my arm and pulled me through the crowd until I was standing right in front of the body.

My breath caught inside my throat.

My surroundings dissolved.

And then everything went blank.

***

"Is she awake?" I could faintly make out a soft voice that belonged to a female.

My head felt extremely heavy, like it was stuffed with cotton balls. I didn't know where I was or what they drugged me with, but for some reason I couldn't move my muscles. I was completely paralyzed.

The only part of my body that was co-operating were my eyelids. Slowly, I fluttered them open.

"She's waking up!" Another female voice said excitedly. I wish they would have stopped talking. Every syllable felt like a shot to the head.

Maybe I was finally waking up from the dream. Maybe everything that I last remembered did not happen at all, and here I was lying in my comfortable bed. Except this bed was anything but comfortable, and the room smelt like dilute chemicals and disinfectants.

All around me, a couple of machines beeped and grumbled. I could feel the sting of the needle that was inserted in the back of my hand to supply me with blood. My throat was painfully dry, as if I haven't been hydrated for years.

I was in the hospital.

My eyelids were fully open by now. Although I could see, I wasn't really looking. Although I could hear, I wasn't really listening. It all felt too confusing and overwhelming at the same time.

"Someone call the doctor back!" I could make out the faint white outline of a nurse. She held a clipboard in her hands and didn't even look up at me once.

The doctor rushed in, grabbing the wires that were attached to my body and removing them. Immediately after he did, I felt an exhilarating rush of oxygen flow through my body at once. All my senses tingled and came to life as my muscles slowly loosened up. I don't know what the Hell he just did, but I was feeling much, much better.

"Ms. McKinley," The doctor said. "You passed out about four hours ago. The thing that alarmed us is that you weren't breathing. But you're good to go now." He told me as he handed me a glass of water.

I sat up straighter on the bed to drink. "Really?" My voice came out rough and crackly, even after drinking the water.

He nodded and looked at me with sympathetic eyes.

I closed my eyes shut again, not able to withstand the energy to question this more. How did it happen? Where are the two female voices I heard before? Is Carter alive?

"You're ready to be discharged. Do you want to call any relatives? Loved ones?" He asked kindly.

"C-"

"Where is she?" Asked a frantic male voice who suddenly barged into the room.

"Sir, please calm down." The doctor tried.

"Oh, thank God!" Carter exclaimed once he saw my half-conscious state. I was too exhausted to be happy about the fact that he's alive.

"Kerensky..." I managed to say weakly. "What happened?"

The doctor took that as a cue to leave the room. He gently shut the door behind him. I wish he hadn't left; the atmosphere became more awkward, and... Realistic.

"He's dead. It's over." He told me gently. I tried my best to give him a weak smile.

"Thank you." I whispered, closing my eyes. "I'm so glad you're alive."

He said something back, something that sounded nothing like 'you're welcome.' or 'I'm glad you're alive, too.'

I was almost slipping into blissful sleep, so I couldn't have heard him.

I wish I hadn't.

***
Carter

"Is she okay?" Was the first thing that came out of Melissa's mouth when she saw me exit Mia's hospital room. Lola stood gravely behind her.

"Yes, she's fine. But she's really exhausted." I replied. I left her after I realized that she was completely asleep before we went halfway through our conversation. I couldn't blame her, though. Today was unprecedented.

Melissa visibly relaxed at the news. Lola still had a mourning expression on, but she was much more quieter and less expressive than Melissa.

"I have to go. Call me if she wants to see anyone." I told them.

They both nodded and went back to waiting in the depressing waiting room.

I sighed and made my way to the outside of the hospital.

***
Mia

"Would you like to leave today?" The nurse, Maria, kindly asked.

"Yes, please." I replied, relieved.

She held my arm for support and I hoisted myself up from the uncomfortable bed. All my muscles contracted when I pulled up, but then they relaxed when my feet touched the cold hospital floor.

"There you go," said the nurse as I held on to her for dear life. "You may seem shaky now, but you'll get better very soon."

"But I just fainted, right?" I asked her. She nodded.

"Then how come I had to be hospitalized and supplied blood? It couldn't be that serious, could it?" I gushed out question after question. If this accident escalated, my career and my general health would be at great risk. That was a leap I wasn't ready to take.

"Yes, you fainted, but abnormally so. A very vital part of your brain shut down, and lost blood while you were unconscious. That is why we had to supply you." She explained to me.

"There is nothing to be worried about as of now. You have an appointment with Dr. Presley next week, and hopefully he will reassure you." She continued.

I nodded silently. I didn't have the energy to panic or ask more questions. I felt just fine, aside from a slight headache. I didn't want to think about all of the things an internal bleeding can do to your body.

Just when I manage to free myself from a disaster, another one comes knocking by again.

When is this cycle of madness going to end?