TW: Severe emotional distress, panic attacks, minor mentions mental stress/trauma, self-harm...
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The hallway was silent except for the faint hum of the air conditioning.
Carina glanced at the clock on the wall and then back at the others:
"Her meds are going to wear off any minute..."
she whispered.
"...We need to decide who's going in."
Miranda crossed her arms:
"I don’t think all of us should go in. It’ll definitely overwhelm and scare her."
Andy sighed and wasn't sure what to say, but wanted to help somehow:
"I had just told Ben we would be all waiting outside..."
"She definitely needs to feel safe when she wakes up, she can't be in there alone or with just one of us, but she can't wake up with all of us in her room either."
Vic said softly.
Maya nodded:
"Vic’s right. Too many faces might make her panic. But someone needs to be there when she wakes up so we should decide."
"Who?..."
Travis asked, his voice breaking the brief silence:
"...I mean... Who would she feel the safest with?"
The group exchanged glances, the weight of the decision they had to make pressing down on them. Each of them had reasons to step forward and reasons to hold back.
No one wanted to make the wrong choice.
"I’ll wait by the lockers,"
Maya finally said, breaking the stalemate.
"She might not want to see me first."
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"I'll wait outside too, I think it would be better if no male person does this"
Said Travis and sat down on the bench in front of the lockers.
Ben sat down next to him
"I'll stay outside for now, too."
A deep worried sigh escaped Carina:
"How about two of us go in, and the rest stay back? We can swap or call for 'backup' if needed."
Vic looked at her and asked in a soft tone:
"But who?"
The group stood in tense silence, each of them glancing towards each other.
Miranda broke the quiet:
"I'm just going to decide: Carina and I are going in"
"We don’t know how she’ll react, and we can’t risk scaring her. And unfortunately... Carina and I have already experienced her in her darkest days"
Andy nodded:
"I’ll grab her some clean clothes and a towel in the meantime. She might want to shower before we leave."
Without waiting for a response, she turned and headed down the hall.
"Vic,"
Miranda continued, turning to her,
"could you stay here by the lockers. If things go south or she needs anything, we’ll call you in."
Vic hesitated, then nodded, her hands fidgeting at her sides:
YOU ARE READING
I didn't give you my consent | Station 19
FanfictionMila Graham is a 21 year old female firefighter. She has been a new hire at station 19 for nine months, right after dean miller passed away... For a few weeks she was no longer known as the newbie and became closer and closer with her colleagues. He...
