Take Back the Night (a MCSM fanfic)

Chapter 3: Awakening

He was aware first of a brilliant light shining down on him, and he moaned, shielding his eyes with his arm.  Where was it coming from?  It was too bright to be a torch, and the sky hadn't been clear in weeks...

He attempted to open his eyes, squinting up into the brightness, fighting back tears from the strength of the light.  Sea lanterns... the light was from sea lanterns, and they were directly above him.

Where was he?  He shook his head foggily, uncertain-- and then gave a gasp of panic as the events of the past few days came flooding back.  His hand shot to the pocket of his jacket, and he heaved a sigh as it closed around the glass bottle inside.  Safe... it was still safe.  He hadn't lost it after all...

Footsteps echoed out nearby, and a tall man in a lab coat approached him.  "I see you're awake-- are you alright?"

He groaned softly.  "I'm alive..."

"And very lucky to be," the man told him.  "We weren't sure if you'd make it... you must have got here just in time..."

He gave another moan, too weary to try and muster the strength to reply.  With consciousness came pain, and the heavy fatigue that flooded his being.  He was so dizzy...

The man eyed him thoughtfully.  "You tested negative for the infection, so that's a positive... though I can't say I know how you made it so long out there without getting a bite."  He frowned slightly.  "Do you remember much?  What's your name?"

"I--" He winced, inhaling slowly, and continued shakily.  "Lukas.  It's Lukas..."

The man seemed pleased by this, even relieved.  "Good, good.  Well, Lukas, I must say you're doing well for what you've gone through.  But you need to rest.  I'll leave you be now-- but if you need anything, I'll be right over here.  Okay?"

Lukas managed a nod, and the man retreated back to his chair, letting silence fall again.   For a long time, neither spoke, and Lukas lay still, closing his eyes.  His whole body ached, and it was all he could do to manage a coherent line of thought.  Slowly, however, he began to regain himself.  He opened his eyes again, managing to prop himself up on his elbows.  He caught sight of his hands as he did, realizing how worn and dirty both his hands and his clothes were.  His jacket, which he'd once worn with such pride, was dirty and torn.  He traced the ripped fabric lightly with his left hand, reminiscing, until a glimpse of blue from the corner of his eye caught his attention.  He shifted his gaze slightly to look at it.

The tattered bandana was still tied tightly around his arm, its blue stripes now faded and dirty.  He stared down at it for a long moment, gently fingering the knot, and then painfully tore himself away, dropping his gaze to the blankets and reaching up to touch the bottle in his pocket again.  Somehow, he'd expected to feel the pain more-- but instead he just felt hollow.

"How long have I been out?"  His voice was scarcely more than a whisper.

The doctor looked up, and then rose, coming back to his bedside.  "It's been nearly three days," he told him quietly.

"Three days..."  He lowered his hand from his pocket, conscious that the doctor had observed the gesture, and shook his head.  Three whole days... he'd known his strength was waning when he'd arrived, but he hadn't realized it was so close to running out...

Suddenly he frowned, a detail from his arriving coming back to him.  "Who... who rescued me?  There was a voice... I remember it... I knew it..."

The doctor seemed pensive.  "That would likely be Aiden," he said after a moment.

Lukas blinked in surprise.  "Aiden?  I... didn't know he still lived... here."

"He didn't-- not for long, at least.  He arrived shortly before... all this.  He came to my town... I knew him a little, but not well."  The man stared into space for a moment, seeming to remember.  "Quiet kid-- kept to himself a lot.   But he really did his part that night..."

"That night?"

"The night the infected came.  He was a real hero... he and his friends helped so many of us escape..."

"Wow..."  I guess he really did use that second chance...

"We owe him everything," the man said with a sigh, and then frowned slightly, looking Lukas over.  "You... you're from the Order, aren't you?"

"What's left of it."  Lukas heaved a sigh, shaking his head.

The doctor looked away.  "I'm sorry," he murmured, and then looked up.  "You... you disappeared, not long before this happened... where were you?"

"We got a call from another world," Lukas explained quietly.  "We left to investigate, and... when we came back, we came back to this."

The doctor averted his gaze.  "Oh.  I... I'm truly sorry..."

Lukas sighed.  "There's no changing it now."  He shifted positions slightly, and then winced.  "Ow..."

"You should rest-- you've been through a lot."  The doctor stepped back.  "I'll leave you alone... just take it easy.  I'll go see if we have anything for you to eat..."

Lukas nodded.  "Thank you."  He frowned slightly.  "Doctor?"

"Yes?"

He exhaled.  "If... if you see Aiden... will you tell him I'd like to speak with him?"

The doctor scrutinized him for a moment, and then nodded.  "Of course," he said with a nod, and slipped out.  Lukas let himself sink back on the pillows and stared up at the sea lanterns with a sigh.