STRANGERS ♱ yellowjackets

06. savior complex

THE LIGHT THAT SLITHERED ITS WAY THROUGH THE LACE CURTAINS OF SUSANN-ROSE'S BEDROOM SEEMED TO BLIND THE GIRL. She groans as she slowly opens her eyes, bringing her hand to shield her gaze. The room looks the same, light pink walls, endless books shelves, posters and picture frames, her flute, and her soccer bag. The white sheets are pushed aside as the girl is tossed from side to side in her sleep. "Mom?", her voice soft and hoarse, as she turns to reach for her sleeping mother's hand. The woman had fallen asleep next to the girl. She stirs awake, immediately smiling at the girl. "Hi, honey. You slept for a while, huh?", the woman says and brings her palm to the girl's forehead, checking her temperature. Susann-Rose groans and rubs her eyes, she is so sleepy. "Can I go back to bed?", she asks and yawns. Louise-Rose shakes her head and soothes down the girl's hair. "No, baby. You have to wake up."

Taissa and Natalie are ripping shirts into bandages as Misty gives them orders on Ben's leg and how to change the bandage on it. Tai isn't listening, her eyes are glued to the blonde girl, who is lying a small distance away. Guilt and worry battle inside her like there's no tomorrow. Natalie says something about Ben not making it through the next few hours, but Taissa doesn't respond. Nat's eyes find the object of Taissa's focus and she lets out a small sigh. "I told her to stay there. I was gonna help Misty with the door and come back to get her", Taissa says in a small voice. If she hadn't left the girl alone for the time she spent in that smoke, maybe she wouldn't be on the verge of dying right now. Taissa's anger is only pushed by Misty, who orders Mari to watch for the girl. Like she cared about Bunny the same way Taissa did?

"She saved my life, Tai", Natalie says and rips another shirt into two, giving the tall girl a long glance. Her tone isn't malicious, but more proud as she thinks about the strength and braveness the young blonde held inside her. Even though Natalie was mad as hell, she was still so grateful. "And look where it got her", Taissa snaps, now looking at the girl next to her. Nat only cocks her head, as if asking Taissa to think her words through again. Taissa only scoffs and gets up, storming to where Van is taking care of her wounds.

Natalie sighs to herself, trying to focus on ripping apart the t-shirts, rather than on the fact that Bunny truly could've died as she was saving her from that plane.

"She's awake", Mari's voice booms through the crash site, alerting everyone around them. The girls run to Bunny's side, circling the girl who is still lying on the ground.

Bunny groans as she stirs slowly, letting her eyes get used to the light before fully opening them. Confusion was the first emotion she felt, but as she let her eyes wander on the forest floor and then on her beaten-up teammates, the memories of the crash started to flow back to her. She immediately starts crying, her hand shooting up to her shoulder as she curses in pain.

"Misty?", Mari calls in panic as she crawls closer to the crying girl.

Misty grabs Bunny's wrist and pulls it away from her shoulder. She brings her own hand on the girl's shoulder, feeling the bone on it. Bunny bites her hand as she tries to stop herself from screaming, the pain almost knocks her out again. Misty looks up at the girls, avoiding Natalie's and Taissa's gazes.

"Her bone is dislocated", Misty says and fixes her glasses.

"Fuck", Jackie mutters and presses the heels of her palms to her eyes.

"Well, you can do something right?", Mari asks with a panicked expression. Misty looks at the girl hesitating, causing Natalie to curse and turn around from the scene.

"Could we like try to push the bone back? If it's not broken?", Jackie asks, the question sounding stupid as ever, but surprisingly gaining some supportive head nods. Misty hesitates and looks back at the blonde on the ground, "it could ruin her joints and the bone. We might cause internal bleeding too."

"What happens if we do nothing?", Taissa asks.

"I- don't know", Misty confesses with a small voice.

"Just fucking push it back", Bunny groans causing everyone's head to snap at her. The girls share looks of worry before turning to look at Misty again. Misty takes a deep breath in before nodding. "Okay, I need a long-sleeved shirt and something to bite on", she says and starts to help the blonde to sit up.

"Bite on?", Van asks in confusion, speaking up for the first time on the situation.

Misty doesn't say anything, but Natalie notices the stream of blood coming from Bunny's palm with a bite mark on it.

The screaming doesn't stop for another hour. Everyone is surrounding Coach Scott, trying to ignore the screams of pure pain and horror that echo from the other side of the plane. Suddenly, the screaming stops and panic spreads through the crowd. Did she die?

Everyone shifts in their place uncomfortably, waiting for Misty to arrive. As the curly-haired girl walks back to the crowd, she is helping the strawberry-blonde runner to walk with her. Her forehead is taped with muscle tape and a small piece of some shirt. Her arm and shoulder are supported by a support cast that Misty made from a shirt. Even in horrible pain, Bunny managed to smile at the team as she walked wonkily to the circle.

Taissa shoots up from her place and runs to the girl, ready to throw her arms around her, but Misty puts her arm in front of the young blonde. "No hugs! The shoulder is still healing", the medic orders, causing Taissa to stop in her tracks. Bunny lets go of Misty and grabs Taissa's hand with her free one, giving it a tight squeeze. Taissa lets out a shaky breath as she props herself next to the girl in a way that she can take support from her. The two best friends walk to the other girls, letting Misty go quickly back to Coach Scott's side.

"We literally thought you were gonna die", Jackie says and looks at the girl with a pout. Bunny looks at the girl with a sheepish grin and shakes her head as Taissa helps the girl sit down.

As the focus shifts from the blonde girl, Bunny lets her eyes wander to her brother's best friend who is to her acknowledge avoiding her gaze. Under all the jealousy and hate she had carried for the girl seemed so distant yet so close. But something had changed. Natalie wasn't anymore the girl who had stolen her brother away from her. She is the young girl who had a troubled home, and a dead father, and who Bunny's mother took under her wing. Natalie is the girl who had tagged along to their family trips for the last three years, the girl who she ran into in the kitchen at two am, the girl who is the only one her brother trusts and lets near. And she is so happy she is with her at this moment. It feels safe and familiar.

Natalie is leaning on a tree as she looks at the ground. Finally, when she gathered the courage to look at the younger blonde the world seemed to stop. Bunny feels the air physically get thinner as the two share a long stare, both of their eyes swelling with emotions unknown to the other girls around them. Unspoken words are signaled through the eye contact, telling stories neither of them thought they would ever dare to speak out loud. The relief of both of them being alive and well hanged between the two, infused by the unbearable fear of their situation.

Neither of them knew what was to come, but them being alive was now enough. It's just the two of them, and that's enough.