when a young lucy burrows finds herself in trouble with a fierce but vulnerable woman, she ends up in st ambrose hospital where she befriends a caring group of doctors.
*set in season four*
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The temperature was now a sharp cold. Lucy's hands and cheeks were sore and raw, though she didn't know if it was caused by recent events or the weather. All she knew was that she couldn't stand the cold any longer. She tried to keep moving, but her feet were numb, and she was exhausted, physically and mentally.
She looked at the map of California to see what routes she could take to get to Los Angeles for a cheaper deal, though she couldn't work her way around it and began to frustrate herself. train was her usual source of transportation, but she didn't often go the distance she was planning on that night.
She just gave up and headed to the ticket booth. She had her youth card in her pocket, which was her use of ID daily, and could also get a discount on rides with the train or bus, so she hoped that would be minus the cost.
She forced a smile; she thought that the stationman behind the counter would ignore her facial injuries if she had a cheery smile. She tried to play the happy girl, and maybe he'd let her off, though she noticed his uncanny look as she approached him.
She was a state, and she knew it. Everyone around her noticed. She looked like she had been through the wars, to hell and back. She felt pressure and pain in her cheek and forehead.
Her dirty plaster was rubbing against her burn, irritating it and making it sting like perfume on a cut. Her gash was no better; each movement felt like it was ripped into a bigger slash.
She was naturally an overthinker, but her emotions were heightened extremely; each sound of a siren made her panic in fear that it was the police looking for her. Her head was spinning so much she thought she would faint.
She repeated her question in her head over and over again as she approached the booth to be sure she wouldn't stutter and give the ticket man a reason to question her.
"Hiya, can I please get a one-way to Los Angeles?" Lucy asked with a smile as she looked up at the middle-aged man.
He had white grey hair but still looked young with an expression of concern. He tried to hide his worry, but Lucy saw through everyone. "Sure, how old are you?" he asked as he pressed some buttons on his keyboard.
"Eighteen. I have my youth card, by the way," Lucy answered and reached into her pocket, and before she knew it, her plaster got snagged on her clothing. As a result, it peeled off.
She made a face of shock and worry; her hand was stained in blood, so much that you couldn't see the real wound. She tried to hide her fear and let her other hand take over.
She showed the man her youth card, and he gave her her ticket, but his curiosity never left, though he didn't care enough to question it.
Lucy hopped onto the train, and much to her pleasure, her seat was secluded from others, giving her a good space of privacy to change her bandage without others assuming things.
----
She arrived at her destination early in the morning; it had taken ten hours, but Lucy didn't mind as she needed the rest. She jumped off the train, and her nerves immediately perked up. She put her hood up in an attempt to shield her battered face.
There weren't many people in the station; Lucy was grateful for that, but she was still on edge. She made her way out into the warm sun outside of Los Angeles Union Station. She had forgotten how warm it was even in winter.
She thought about Claire and her baby; she feared that she wouldn't make it nor the baby. That thought made her feel terrified and ashamed of herself. She made her way to the nearest phone booth and typed in her cousin, Robbie's phone number.
She let it ring for a few seconds; she was going to hang up, but she just bit the bullet and gave Robbie a chance to pick up, and he did. "Hiya?" the young man said in a questionable tone, curious of the caller. Lucy froze in fear, but she was able to come out with an "It's Lucy." There was nothing but silence.
Robbie was in shock on the other end; Lucy was trying to wait for a response; each second that passed would build more tension. "Oi!" Lucy snapped, thinking he had hung up. "I'm here; I'm just—I didn't expect you to call." Robbie managed to speak as he tried to process what was happening. He hadn't spoken to his cousin in months; sometimes he'd even come to the conclusion she was dead in a ditch; he hadn't heard anything from her in months. He didn't think he'd hear her voice again.
"I couldn't tell you on the phone, but I can't stay at Leon's apartment anymore. I'm going to need to come home, just for like one night," she said in a soft tone, pleading with her older cousin. It was obvious in her voice that she didn't want to, but she had no other choice. "No, no chance." Robbie said simply, shutting Lucy's wishes immediately.
Lucy sucked her mouth in annoyance. "So what? You're not even going to help me? I'm literally homeless." Robbie huffed, "Right, fine. I'll tell my parents, but what happened?" he asked.
Lucy sighed. She really didn't want to tell Robbie what happened, but she knew she'd have to at some point. "You want to meet at the diner? I'll tell you then."
"Uh, yeah, okay," Robbie answered.
----
Lucy walked into the diner, her and Robbie's favourite place to eat. They used to drink milkshakes and eat curly cheesy fries as they did their annual 'people watch' after school. Those were the best times for Lucy. She saw Robbie over at a table on his own sipping a milkshake.
"Hey, mate," Lucy said shyly, as if she didn't even know this boy. "Hey," he responded with a smile. "What the fuck happened to your face... and your hand?" Robbie said with shock and wide eyes.
"Yeah, that's why I can't go back to San Fran," Lucy admitted as she sat.
And she told Robbie every little detail of the night before.
----
"That fucking cow," Robbie said, his brow narrowing. He was shocked after hearing the details of Lucy and Claire's brawl. "I know, and she had the cheek to tell me to call the coppers." Lucy raised her voice slightly in disbelief, expressing her opinion on the matter.
"Should've jumped on her," Robbie said simply, "The second she dragged you into her flat, you should've smacked her one."
"Yeah," Lucy murmured shyly; she, and she only, knew the real reason she didn't fight back from the start, and she was going to keep it that way.
And with that, the pair were like old friends once again, the cousins everyone saw as siblings.
It was such a pity to the pair of them that Robbie's parents didn't see it the same way.
