Paper Planes Back Home

ARRIVAL . SIX

"Think of what you want to send him off with. From the paper planes he got, you can probably build him a small boat or raft or something."

A boat, Gianna echoes in her head, recalling the giant tortoise and goldfish they'd seen just moments before Jesse appeared. She takes a glance at the little boy lying curled up on his side, clutching one paper plane to his chest. He only looks like he's sleeping, but when Gianna takes a glimpse from the edge of his cloud, she realizes how quick they're drifting away.

Skylar starts to yell. "Gianna, can you hear me?"

"Yes!"

"There is no need to unfold the planes!" he begins. "If you purposely join two planes together by their edges, they will stick!"

"That easy?"

A pause. While Skylar is trying to remember some detail, Gianna takes two paper planes and presses them together by the edge of each wing. Almost immediately, the edges glow a light blue and the planes attach. She lets herself be amazed for just a moment and then shakes it off so she could begin to work—and quickly—starting on the base of the boat.

"Gianna, try ripping one of your own planes!" Skylar yells from below.

"What? Why would I do that?"

"Just do it! Some planes are just more resilient than others!"

Sighing, she picks up one of her own and tears it up quickly. Her stomach sinks when the sound of ripping paper almost echoes around her. She doesn't even remember reading everything yet, but this one has a handwriting that's not necessarily familiar.

You should get well soon, Gianna.

"You should only use the strong ones! You don't want him to crash!"

Her head starts to spin, her lack of knowledge about the rules of this place making her rethink her plans and doubt her ability to be able to save this boy. How on earth would I know which ones are strong?

"His mom's planes!" Skylar provides her with the answer, though his voice is beginning to sound faint. "Use his mom's planes for the base!"

* * *

Not even bothering getting his change from the cabbie, Aaron rushes into the hospital and, upon seeing that the elevators are busy, makes a dash for the stairs.

"This is Nurse Kerstein from Hunter General. Could you come down to the hospital right now? It's not looking good for Miss Han."

He gets to the ICU and finds only Anna there, standing by Gianna's bed.

"Where's Ricky?" he asks, his breath ragged from all the running.

"He left early. Said he'd call you."

Aaron clenches his fists. Bastard. She needed you and you left?

"What's wrong with her?"

"I've been observing her vitals all night. It was fine the first time, but now it's completely unstable," Anna reports, pointing to the medical monitor. "Her blood pressure is spiking, and—"

"What do we do?" The look on Aaron's face is desperate as he steps forward and takes Gianna's hand. It terrifies him to see that her face has turned ashen. Hang in there, G. Hang in there. "Does she need another surgery? More medicine? Please...I'll take care of everything, just. Please."

"I've called her attending physician. He'll be h—"

Just then, the monitor gives off sharp beeping sounds. Anna presses the nurse call button thrice, in rapid succession.