Caught in the Cretaceous

Chapter 11: Wake Up Call

Alex slowly blinks awake. He fights the urge to fall back asleep. Once he is awake and fully aware he realizes his chest and ribs really hurt. He groans and shifts, wanting to sit up. 

"You're awake. That's good." 

Alex turns his head to the source of the voice and sees Apollo sitting in his desk chair, turned to face him. The medic has a mix of emotions on his face. The biggest being annoyance, worry, and disappointment. "How's your pain level?" He asks professionally. 

Alex grunts as he shifts again. "I can manage." 

"Good," Apollo snaps harshly. "And stop moving. If you tear your stitches I might just forget to give you anesthetic before stitching you back up." 

Alex furrows his brow in confusion. Why is Apollo acting this way? 

"While we're on the subject," Apollo continues without even the slightest acknowledgement to Alex's confusion, "What the hell were you thinking?" 

Alex blinks, startled by the medic's outburst. He stutters a little, not really sure how to respond. 

"You should've been able to hear that fight well before we walked right into the middle of it. I understand why Will wouldn't have noticed and this is not my area of expertise. But it is your. And we count on you to do this. If you weren't in the right mindset you shouldn't have started to lead us around. And why didn't you dive out of the way when you pushed us out of the way? You have nothing to prove to any of us." Apollo's expression falls into a full on glare by now. His tone only becomes harsher and more disapproving as he continues his lecture. 

"I know." Alex tries to interject to defend himself. 

"Do you? Do you have any idea what you just put us all through? That boy had to help me get you stable out there. I had to tell your wife, my sister, that she couldn't see you until I did what I could. I had to tell her that I wasn't with our limited resources and power. I had to do that." Apollo continues to glare and takes a deep breath before continuing. You know how to keep yourself and others safe in an unsafe environment. We need that right now." 

An uncomfortable silence stretches between the two men. "I was just trying to keep yourself safe too." 

Alex feels shame and guilt fill him. He isn't used to being on the receiving end of this kind of lecture. 

"Missy should be here soon to check on you." 

Alex looks up at that comment. Would she be happy to see he's awake? Or would she be just as upset as her brother? Different scenarios run through his head at a rapid speed, only adding to his anxiety. 

Artemis knocked on the infirmary door gently, nerves making her heart pound in her chest. The door opens and she walks in, expecting to see Apollo working at his desk and Alex still asleep she is surprised to see Alex awake. She rushes over to his side and grabs his hand. "You're awake!" 

"He should be out of the woods. He just needs a lot of rest," Apollo calls to his sister from his desk without turning to look at her. 

Alex tries to give her a comforting smile. She smiles in return but it's a little sad. "I'm so glad you're okay." 

The difference between the two siblings is almost dizzying. Alex glances between the two siblings. Part of him wonders if he was seeing things. The two looked very similar. But their personalities were almost exact opposites. And right now it seemed they had traded places. This only adds to his confusion and he wonders for a second if he had hit his head when he fell and know he is suffering the consequences for that. It would explain his confusion.