9-1-1: The Family We Chose

S1 E10 - A Whole New You

It had been a few months since I first started therapy with Frank, and I was doing a lot better. I hadn't want to physically hurt myself since Valentine's Day, but I did still have slip ups with alcohol. As I opened up to Frank more, I felt like I could trust him, and all this weight was lifted off my shoulders.

I now no longer wore long sleeves anymore, and I felt safe about wearing short sleeves. I didn't feel judged, or weirded out.

Having Buck and the rest of the one 118 as my support was also a lot of help. If I couldn't or didn't want to talk to Frank, I always had them. They would check up on me on those days where I wanted nothing to do with them, and when we had rough calls.

They truly felt like family to me, but I still was always afraid of losing them. There was nothing that could be done to change that. I would still always be afraid.

*

"He's acting absolutely bonkers. I mean, we get into an argy-bargy every fortnight or so. He'll go to spare, do his nut, but he never goes mad like this."

We were responding to a call with a woman and her husband. Athena was on scene with us after the man claimed that his wife threw a picture frame at his head.

*Hiccup. Hiccup.*

"Wow, those are some world-class hiccups." Chim says.

Me and Hen were examining the man's head as Chim was with Athena and the woman.

"I woke up half nine with a migraine, had a spot of tea, and they just started. *Hiccup* and an hour later I can't *hiccup* get rid of them." *Hiccup*

The wife's hiccups were becoming suspicious to me, and the fact she wasn't angry or fazed after allegedly throwing a picture frame at her husband.

"Just forget about me! There's something going on with my wife!"

"Just, relax sir. We have to check it out. You may need stitches." I say calmly to reassure him.

"Yeah, looks like you may need stitches." Chim adds.

"David, the bobbies are asking if you want to press charges."

"The bobbies? I'm telling you, there's something wrong with her." He says as he turns to me.

I look at Hen and Chim, then towards Bobby and Buck.

"What do you mean, something wrong with her?" Chim asks David.

"She's not British. She was born in Brooklyn. So, the bobbies? It makes no sense. Closest she's been to England is binge-watching Downton Abbey."

"I-I don't know what he's talking about. David, you're frightening me."

Me and Chim both look at each other confused.

"She woke up this morning and just started speaking like this. It's bloody this, bloody that, a spot of tea. All this weird British slang."

*Hiccup*

"And the hiccups." I add.

"And the hiccups. So I tried to take her to the hospital, then she freaked out."

"And threw the picture frame at you?" Chim finishes for him.

"Yeah."

I think about what David said, and realize she may be having a stroke. I walk towards her and motion for her to sit down.

"You said you woke up with a migraine? And have you hit your head recently?" I ask.

"Yes, and no."

A migraine, violet hiccups, and the sudden change of accent. She was having a stroke.