After Season 14

Chapter 26

*few days later*

JULIANA'S POV

Feeling Amelia's voice beside me prompts me to want to wake up, but my sleep in trapping me in, my breathing gets faster and I can feel this intense heat coming off of me. The images piercing through my head get bigger and bigger--

"Hey, Julie!" 

I sit up very suddenly from Amelia's bed, out of breath, I look over to her, touching my arms,

"You had a nightmare.. again." She says worried,

"I-I'm fine." I clear my throat. Rubbing my eyes I say "It's nothing, it the same thing."

"I'm here, to help. What can I do?" She sits closer to me, I breathe out deeply. Collecting my thoughts. It wouldn't help if I just tell her, I think it would just make things worse. She doesn't need more complications, 

"I just need to be outside." I try for a smile reaching with one of my hands to her face, rubbing my thumb. She doesn't seem to buy it but nods, kissing my hand in reassurance. 

"I'm here, got it?" She repeats herself, 

"I know, just.. not yet." I say softly. I get off the bed and put my clothes back on, she gets off too and puts on a robe. 

"Wait here, I'm going to check if the kids are downstairs, they already know about Deluca and Mer, I'm not gonna spring someone else on them. I tilt my head,

"Well it's not like they'll put the pieces together."

"Mer's kids are very smart, especially Zola." She says, I grab my stuff and walk towards her, 

"I think it'll be okay." I say gently, she doesn't object and we both head downstairs. 

We find Alex there, and Zola too. Alex's pacing around on the phone, 

"Look, just call me the second you get in the car, please? And be careful, don't break her and don't spill her." He ends the call,

"Don't spill her?" Amelia asks confused, I walk over to the kitchen,

"Yeah, we got a blood donor for Gus, coming in from London. Oh, hey Juliana." He looks over at me, 

"Hey." I say slowly. I think I still have the nightmare on me. Him and Amelia speak, their voices are being blocked out my ears. Alex leaves the kitchen and Zola packs some stuff up, I head for the door when she stops me, 

"I'll see you at the hospital? Are you sure riding your bike is safe for you, given how you woke up?" She laces her fingers with mine, 

"I'll be okay, it's a short ride. I'll see you." I say, I look over to see if Zola is nearby. I lean in for a small kiss and she meets me halfway. I smile and close the door.

-----

"Kari Donnelly, inserted with experimental micro sensors 13 days ago in hopes of restoring full body mobility, or at least upper body. She' been on vanc and Zosyn for the last week for persistent pneumonia." Jo would've been the one presenting but since she's out, again, Qadri is instead. 

Koracick and Altman is also here with us, I still feel that my hearing is a little spaced out but I try to manage it the best I can. 

"We performed a bronchoscopy to clear her lungs and her airways, but I'd also like to do a CT just to check and see what's going on." Altman says. 

"Is there any tingling or pain anywhere?" Amelia asks, 

"Barely anything. It comes and goes," she says, they all talk and Koracick performs another exam, I excuse myself and step out. I take another breather while walking, moments later I get paged to the ER.