Midnight River

Blood

Gemma's pov
Song inspo - broken by Lund

"Fuck, sorry Gem. You can't just jump me like that." My father said as I coughed and caught my breath, the back of my head aching from where it smacked into the cement wall. Had it have been a little harder, just a bit, maybe it would have cracked my skull. Either way, I was sure a migraine was on its way for the next few days.

When I could breathe normally I couldn't do anything but stare at him, take in the man I thought I'd lost so many years ago.

The sight of him also brought up memories I'd tried to push away, all my secrets that I'd been hiding from John. My mind went back to him at the thought, despite my father who I'd mourned long ago standing in front of me.

I couldn't be sure how long I'd been out, not an ounce of sunlight reaching the room I'd been kept in to see if it had been hours or days that had passed by. If he was okay he was probably looking for me. But the explosion, I'd want him to take care of that first. I was just one person, there had been hundreds trapped in that fire.

Please help them first, John.

"Gem, you alright?" My father said, snapping me back to reality as his hand gently grasped onto my shoulder to steady me. I shook him off of me, anger finally taking over my features as it settled in, that my father hadn't died. But he led myself and my mother to believe so after all this time.

"Alright? Alright?!" I yelled, anger taking over me that the sound of my own voice hurt my already aching head but I couldn't control it. "Not only are you, um, not dead? But you pulled me from the field. Then the explosion, they need me, what if they need me?"

I couldn't stand the thought that I wasn't there to help, my colleagues, my team. Not all of the medics and doctors stayed on base but it was possible our work force was just split in half. They needed as many hands on deck as they could get right now. I didn't need to see the damage up close to know it wasn't a pretty sight.

"Why are you fighting for them?" He asked then, a bit of anger and jealousy in his own tone.

"What? No, fuck that. Why are you alive?" I demanded, pushing away from the walk and crossing my arms over my chest. I felt this weird sensation telling me to run like I had planned, to escape still. But surely I didn't have to, not from my own father right?

"It's a long story, it doesn't matter, last I checked on you you were just a doctor, and now you're a sniper and running into combat?" His tone was judgy, as if he had any reason to be. "I thought you abandoned all that after I died."

"You've been checking in on me? But no 'hey how ya doin, by the way I'm alive? What about mom? Does she know?"

"No she doesn't, and she doesn't need to, not yet." I didn't like the last part of that, it sounded like he had unfinished business.

I didn't say anything then, waiting to see if he'd offer any explanation. Eventually, after a bit of silence, he did.

"I work for Graves."

I should have ran.

"What?"

"You heard me." He answered. "And it's about time you left the SAS and joined me, like you were originally supposed to."

"Supposed to what? Work for Graves?"

"Graves doesn't matter, he's dead now. But what we're working towards, yes. Whoever next will take charge, Graves was a little off the wall ever since that Lieutenant of yours got into his head. It'll be easier now to continue."

"Continue what?" I should have ran. Could I still? My eyes darted to my gear just a few feet away. I didn't need it, not if I could run fast enough. But I didn't know where I was, or how long it would take me to get back to whatever was left on base.

I'd dreamed and imagined what life would be like if my father was still alive, how maybe I'd be able to go back home, beg him to never leave. But that was before he actually did come back into my life, as a completely different person.

"I can't tell you anything else yet, not till we get out of here. But we need to lay low for a few days, I have no doubts your sergeant will come looking for you."

He knew about John. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. I could feel the anxiety set in and as my hands threatened to shake I balled them into fists and dug my nails so deep into my palms that I probably drew blood.

"I'm not going anywhere with you."

"You don't have a choice. I will not have you on their side, not when I know what you're capable of, and now that you've been training again you'll get better."

"What am I to you? A pawn?" I snapped.

"No, you're my daughter and you'll fight for me." He snapped back.

"They got into your head or something. This isn't you. I will not betray my team."

I went to move then towards the open door but he pulled me back, shoving me back far enough so that he could step out and lock the door.

"You don't have a choice. Take a few days, clear your head. You'll remember who you are. You don't belong here Gemma." His voice was a bit muffled through the thick door but instead of saying anything back to him I started to kick again.

I kept kicking the door even as he walked away, kept kicking until I couldn't anymore, until all I could do was move to the floor. I curled up, too surprised and angry to cry. I let the anxiety, the fear take over me and eventually fell asleep.

My team would find me. John would find me.

--- notes
Man up sweetie. Sometimes the princess has to save herself.