SHIELD [Book 1 of Alex & Allie Save The World]

Chapter 4 Hands

Dr. Shaw meets them at the door, a stoic expression embraced on her features but grief twinkling in her eyes.

"Mr. Aldridge, Mr. Wayne, thank you for coming so soon." Dr. Shaw motions for them to follow and then leads them on the familiar path to Allie's hospital room.

The door to the room is shut and the blinds pulled over the window like a blanket pulled over the face of a corpse. Alex despises the sight of it, denying Allie's death. Dr. Shaw pauses and turns to them.

"A little after midnight Allison's brain scanner started going off and when nurses came in to check on her they found her pupils unresponsive. I was called in and we performed an examination and found no conscious brain activity. We placed her on life support but see no recovery in the foreseeable future."

"No chance at all?" Alex presses.

"A scan showed significant deterioration to her reticular formation so there is no chance of her waking up," Dr. Shaw reports and Alex chokes up. They can remember Allie chattering about brain sections and their functions after her AP Psych class in high school. The reticular formation once damaged means you can't wake up.

"What happened? She was on track to wake up hours ago!" Alex hisses, anger surmounting over the grief.

"We suspect it was brain damage not caught earlier that has progressively been worsening but in all honesty we do not know yet."

The lack of a real cause is infuriating and lands guilt on Alex and Bruce. Alex feels they should never have left and Bruce feels he should never have taken Alex from Allie's bedside.

"Can I have a moment?" Alex requests in a small but steady voice. "I just, I need a moment alone with her."

"Of course," Dr. Shaw allows and Bruce nods.

Alexandra Aldridge settles their hand on the doorknob but just as they prepare herself to twist it cement churns in their bones. Closing their eyes they try to tamp down all the emotions warring in their mind and compose themself. They've always been strong for Allie, they need to be strong for Allie.

Neither Dr. Shaw nor Bruce comment on their stalling and finally after a minute Alex opens the door and steps inside. They shut the door behind them and rests their head against the wood, not yet facing Allie.

With tension winding itself like a sick rubber band in their chest Alex slowly turns and sets their gaze upon Allison Gray. Alex's breath hitches at the sight of their oldest and closest friend in the white bed with even more machines than before hooked up to her.

Allison Gray is pale and unmoving not even her usual shivering is occurring. A tube is shoved down her throat but her face is utterly blank. There is no life in her frame, absolutely nothing.

In that second everything Alexandra Aldridge was locking up comes busting out like a tragic tsunami. They go rigid and tears begin cascading down their cheeks. Alex makes no audible sound as they cry, suffering in silence at the sight of Allie.

The corpse before her cannot be Allie, it just can't. It's too lifeless, too still. They don't recognize Allison, they only see a body and they are unable to comprehend why Allie cannot simply return to her body.

Alex understands the concept of death but Allison Gray isn't dead, she has a heartbeat, she's just gone and that's the worst part.

"How could you do this Allison Gray? I was going to be the first hero in existence who is happy and I cannot without you. You are my moon and when you're gone what will be left? If I bury you I will be burying all things shining and joyful with you."