Hey kiddies, it's been a long time. I have a lot written of this already, so I think I'll be able to update regularly. Hope you like it :)
Phoebe's POV
I step over the threshold, the inevitable smell of dentistry greeting me. I'm a little late, so the assistant's waiting for me. I wish they would let me sit down first, get used to the smell before it becomes the taste I always walk out with.
I don't want to be here, but then again, does anybody?
"Phoebe," the assistant says in way of greeting, tone flat.
I glance to her name tag. "Amy."
"Dr. Radell is ready for you."
It's always like this. I don't usually like the assistants, but Dr. Radell is nice enough to make up for their crappiness. When I'm sitting in the chair, he walks in. Shakes my hand, smiles, then gets right down to business.
When you take away half of someone's face, it's weird how much the rest seems to change. His features, usually sharp, are rounded by the soft blue of his mask. His narrow eyes are darkened by the whites. His smile is hidden. But the confident manner that attracts so many of his patients remains, so when he lifts a mask over my nose, I don't question a thing.
Calum's POV
The receptionist calls me over, the office phone tucked against her shoulder. I take the phone.
"This is Dr. Hood,"
"Doctor, there's an abuse case nearby. Are you and some others in your office able to help?"
"Yes, of course. We'll be right there,"
She gives me the address and I hang up. Luke and Ashton are already done for the day, so I grab them. Then I track down Michael, pull him into the hall and explain what's happening,.
We drive separately to the office. Michael gets there first. He all but runs inside, and I'm right on his heels. We split up, looking in all the rooms, and Ashton follows me. Luke goes with Michael.
I open another door, not expecting to see anything out of the usual. Instead, I see a girl lying, fully reclined, in the chair, a mask of nitrous on. Her mouth is held open. She seems to be heavily sedated, but nobody else is in the room. Her breathing is deep and slow.
I have to remind myself to keep walking. "Oh, hon, you're a wreck,"
Ashton slips around me, biting his lip when he sees her. "Must be the case they called us in for."
He takes out the bite block while I'm still staring.
I come to my senses, step closer, and touch her shoulder. "Hey, hey, can you hear me?"
She doesn't move. Ashton lifts her head and slides the band out from underneath, wincing at the red cinch marks it leaves. He takes off the mask and looks at the tank below her.
"The concentration is way higher than it should be. I don't even know how she's still breathing."
Ashton sets an oxygen mask over her nose, careful to be gentle. "Hey, can you open your eyes?"
Her eyelids stay where they are.
I start to glove up. "Hold her mouth open for me?"
He nods and sits down on the stool under her chair. Sliding on gloves, he eases her mouth open with his fingertips on either side of her jaw.
Her mouth is full of blood. I suction it out and look inside. What's immediately apparent is the fact that two of her teeth are missing, and a third is loose. I don't want to look any further, so for now, I pack the sockets with gauze and Ashton lets go of her jaw, closing her mouth.
