Quiet Moments

43 - Outbreak

Jade was exhausted, her eyes staring blankly at the screen in front of her as the numbers came into focus again. She had run the tests three times, hoping for a mistake, but the results were undeniable. The viral load in the blood sample she'd been examining was high—frighteningly high. Her chest tightened as she glanced over her shoulder, seeing Christie moving quietly between patients. She took a breath, steadying herself.

"Christie," Jade called, her voice tight, laced with urgency. Christie turned immediately, catching the strain in Jade's tone.

"What's going on?" Christie asked, walking over quickly.

Jade took another breath, forcing herself to stay calm. "We have a problem," she said. "I found HIV in one of the blood samples. A high viral load."

Christie's face paled, her eyes widening. "HIV? Here?"

Jade nodded, pressing her lips into a thin line. "I need you to find every HIV rapid test we have. We have to test everyone who's donated blood, and then everyone else. We can't take any chances."

Christie nodded, immediately moving to collect the tests, her movements quick and precise. 

Jade turned back to the screen, her mind racing. There was no room for error, not with this.

Jade knew what she had to do next. She walked with purpose to the council chambers, her stomach twisting with anxiety. Octavia and the other council members were deep in discussion when she entered, but the room fell silent as soon as they saw her face.

"What is it?" Octavia asked, her eyes sharp and worried.

"We have an outbreak," Jade began, her voice steady but grave. "HIV. It appears to have come from a blood donation. We've traced the virus back to one person. They didn't know they were infected."

Murmurs rippled through the room, panic lacing the air. "How many people?" Indra asked, her voice low and tense.

"Five people have tested positive so far," Jade replied, swallowing hard. "And we don't have any antiretroviral therapy drugs. We're... we're out of options."

A heavy silence settled over the room, the weight of the news sinking in. Octavia's face was a mask of composure, but Jade knew her well enough to see the flicker of concern in her eyes.

"Everyone has to be tested," Octavia finally said, her voice firm. "We need to know the extent of the spread. We need to contain it."

Jade nodded, feeling a tremor run through her. "I'll take care of it," she promised, then turned to leave. She had patients to talk to, people whose lives she was about to change forever.

The hours that followed were some of the hardest of Jade's life. She had to sit with each of the five infected individuals, look them in the eyes, and tell them the truth—that there was nothing she could do beyond offering comfort measures. No treatment, no cure, just time, and the hope that their bodies could fight back as much as possible. She saw the fear in their eyes, the despair. She offered them all the support she could, but it never felt like enough.

By the time she finished, Jade felt hollowed out, every part of her aching. She walked slowly back to the quarters she shared with Octavia, her feet dragging. She felt like she was carrying the weight of the entire bunker on her shoulders.

As soon as she pushed open the door, Octavia was there, looking at her with a mix of concern and love that made Jade's chest tighten. Before Octavia could even ask, Jade crossed the room quickly, closing the distance between them. She wrapped her arms around Octavia's neck and kissed her, her lips pressing hard, desperate.

Octavia stiffened at first, surprised by the urgency, but then she softened, kissing Jade with tenderness that made Jade's head spin. She couldn't think about what happened, she just needed her wife.

"I want you," Jade sighed against Octavia's lips. "I need you, I need you to touch me." 

Octavia pulled back slightly, to try and look Jade in the eye, but Jade just kissed her again, shaking hands reaching for the buttons on her shirt.

"Stop trying to take your clothes off," Octavia murmured, hands gently gliding down Jade's arms to hold her wrists. 

"Do you want to do that part?" Jade asked, and Octavia shook her head, leading Jade over to their bed and sitting her down. 

"Not right now," Octavia said, gentle but firm. "Okay?"

Jade's eyes pricked with tears, over all the emotions threatening to spill over. "Okay."

Octavia nodded, her hands coming up to cup Jade's face gently. "Okay," she repeated softly. "I'm here. I'm right here."

Jade let out a shuddering breath, the tears finally spilling over. "I had to tell them," she choked out. "I had to tell them there's nothing we can do..."

Octavia pulled her close, holding her tightly against her chest, her arms wrapping around Jade's trembling body. "I'm so sorry," she murmured, kissing the top of Jade's head. "You did everything you could."

Jade clung to her, burying her face in Octavia's shoulder as the sobs finally broke free. She cried for the people she couldn't save, for the hopelessness she felt, for the pain of being the one to deliver such devastating news. She cried until she felt drained, every emotion poured out.

Octavia held her the whole time, whispering soothing words, rubbing her back in slow, gentle circles. "You're not alone," she whispered. "I'm here with you, always."

Jade nodded, feeling Octavia's heartbeat steady and strong beneath her cheek, anchoring her to the moment, to the reality that she wasn't alone. She let herself breathe, let herself feel the comfort of Octavia's arms around her, the quiet strength she always found in her wife.

For a moment, in that small, dark room, they found a sliver of peace in each other, a quiet haven away from the harsh realities outside. In each other, they found something real, something worth holding onto.