Counterfeit

-sixtysix-

—sixtysix-

Giving me your white blood. I need you right here with me.
+ Oh Wonder +

-

"COMBATTANT?" I LOOKED up at the call of my name, spotting Charleston in the doorway, waiting to take me to my test. My nerves calmed at the sight of him.

As I began to follow, I heard MiKinley call out from behind me. "Good luck."

A beat. I paused, facing him for a few seconds until I had to go. "You too." I told him, aware that he would never know how much I meant it.

I followed Charleston to the examination room, sitting down in the patient chair, already used to what was to happen. As he prepped the needle, I could feel his eyes on me, quietly observing me.

"How are you holding up?"

I sighed. "Nervous. About the results... The Plan."

"Pip, I don't know whose results are going to be different today... I can't promise you anything."

"It's fine." I assured him. "Mine don't mean anything, and I know the truth. I'm just worried how Thea or Kin will take it if theirs are different."

"You haven't told Thea yet?" He paused.

I shook my head. "We haven't had a chance to speak to her alone, yet. Ava went back to her cabin last night, and MiKinley was there at breakfast." I cut myself off with a slight wince, Charleston immediately freezing his actions.

"Did I hurt you?" His voice was delicate.

As he was sitting next to me, I moved my hand to his knee, squeezing reassuringly. "It's just a little uncomfortable." I told him.

"I'm sorry about that. The machines are designed so you don't feel much, but with having a different treatment, this is the only way I can do it."

"Do you know if it works?"

"The medicine?"

I nodded.

"It's hard to say. You're one of the only people exposed to it, but it seems to be holding up so far. You're stable."

"So, 'not sick - not healthy?'" I joked.

"Something like that." He laughed a little.

A couple moments passed. Emotion tugged deep in my chest. "Charles?"

Smiling, he looked up at me, his expression quickly becoming concerned when he realised that I was crying.

"What is it? Does something hurt?"

I shook my head as he moved closer to me. It all came out at once. "How do I tell MiKinley that he's sick?"

"Hey," his voice was warm, pulling me back into his chest as if the pain we parted with last night never really faded.

"I know how it feels, okay? I had the same problem when I was trying to figure out how to tell you. But I don't think there's a right way, and there's certainly not an easy one. You just have to do what feels best. I can be there with you when you tell him, if you would want that?" He offered.

I pulled away, looking up at him, meeting his eyes. Wiping my cheeks, I nodded.

"This medicine you're giving me: why can't Ava or Kinley have it?"

"Ava's not sick, for starters, and her results show no indication of a threat. And it wouldn't be strong enough for MiKinley, given the stage he's at."

"Stage?"

He hesitated for an explanation "I just mean that he's sick. This is only to prevent the Surge before you get infected with it, not to actually cure it."

"But... Is there really a cure out there?" I thought I had more hope than this.

"There has to be somewhere. Don't worry about that, I sent your brother with orders to find out about every trial for the possibility of one. He'll find one." He told me. Then, "we'll find one."

A prolonged hum sounded behind us, signalling the conclusion of my treatment. Charleston carefully pulled out the needle from my arm, helping me sit up as the medication always left me dizzy for sometime.

As I waited on the edge of the seat for him to hand me my results, I became quite confused when he scrunched it up, hurrying to reprint out my fate.

"Charleston?" I asked, attempting to receive his attention. It didn't work.

"Charles?" Again, no reply. He continued to engage with the computer, checking patient name, reprinting results. It was almost scary to see him act to desperately.

I walked over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder, but he shook it off. "I'm fine, just give me a minute. Something's wrong."

He proceeded to print off another result sheet, but I grabbed it before he rip it apart.

Diagnosis: INFECTED

"It's not yours. It can't be. You're not even having the same test done." He told me, still in a panic, attempting to find any other conclusion.

I read further down the page.

Patient: PIP ELOISE COMBATTANT

I needed to calm him down before someone came in to understand the noise.

"Charleston? Hey? Hey, Charleston... Look at me." I told him, placing my hands on either side of his face, bringing him to a stop, facing me.

"It's not real."

He blinked away his tears.

"I'm here. I'm fine. It's not real. We knew this would happen, I just happen to be a part of the glitch."

"It's not real." He repeated after me, over and over until eventually the fear drizzled away.

"I'm right here."

-sixtysix—
Poor Charleston is suffering from a little PTSD - you'll find out more about that later. Thank gosh he has Pip, right?

I'm literally always either sick or injured. And now I have to coach basketball tonight, and I think only 3 of my kids are coming because everyone else is away. This should be interesting.

Btw, UM THE BELLARKE REUNION?? CLARKE BASICALLY CALLED HIM HER HOME, AND BELLAMY NODDED TO SAY I HOME TO YOU, NOW. ALSO THE. BELLAMY/OCTAVIA REUNION WAS SO CINEMATICALLY POWERFUL. AND WHEN BELLAMY LET HER GO WHEN SHE WENT BACK UP TO EARTH ASDHFJFKDK.