Liability

Chapter 12 - Dmitri

Dmitri comes to lying on his side. Someone is tapping his face and calling his name, and it takes him a while to figure out that it's not Carmen trying to wake him up because he's late for his lecture, again. He blinks his eyes, trying to push away the blurriness but, no matter how hard he tries it, his eyes just won't comply. That person is still talking to him, yet he barely understands every second or third word. The voice sounds familiar, not that it does any good because he just can't place it, and without... oh that's it. He doesn't have his glasses on.

He frowns, trying to concentrate on his surroundings, but his vision is filled with a blurry face, probably a man's. It's light wherever he is, but the walls are gray... as if it's made from some sort of metal. Could it be an elevator?

Elevator.

Oh yes. He was in the elevator heading back to his apartment.

His breath hitches when another thought slams into him like a truck, and he grabs the first thing his fingers can reach. For a moment he wonders if the earth is quaking, because it takes a lot of effort to keep his hand in the air, but eventually he manages to find his goal and clutches onto the soft fabric like a lifeline.

"Prababka," he says, or at least thinks he says, but the answer he gets is only something soft on his head and not the reassuring words he expects.

Dmitri blinks some more to no avail. He knows it's no use, but he needs to see whoever is there with him. Needs to see and make sure his great-grandmother is alright. That she didn't fall. Or break something. Or worse. That she's safe.

"Prababka," he repeats, and this time he's almost sure he actually said the word.

"Madame Yurieva is fine," the man, because now Dmitri is almost sure that he is a man, replies and a hand closes over his desperately clinging fingers. "It's you I'm worried about, Miten'ka. You hit your head pretty hard."

Miten'ka.

He knows that name. It's his. But only one person calls him that... Thad.

"Doc Thad?" he mumbles, earning a reassuring hand squeeze. "I can't see."

"Yes, I'm here, Miten'ka. Everything will be fine."

"I don't remember... what happened?"

"It's okay. You hit your head."

"Hit my head... I'm not sure..."

"Don't force it, just listen to my voice for now. Can you do that?"

"You have a nice voice."

A light chuckle and something soft touching his face. "Thank you. Now, I'm going to put my hand under your neck and shine a light in your eyes. Try to stay still, okay?"

"Okay." Dmitri would be willing to promise anything to that voice. Doctor Thad is so amazing, always there to help his family. Such a noble man... and he's working for them... "Why don't you work for a big hospital?" The words just slip out without him really realizing, too busy blinking away the sudden blinding light piercing his vision. "Ugh..."

"You have a mild concussion."

"Oh..." That's not an answer to his question. "I don't feel it."

"You will, once I make sure you can be moved."

"That's not nice."

"You tell me." Another soft laugh. "Does it hurt anywhere else?"

"No... I don't know..." He pauses, trying to chase after his muddled thought. "I feel... strange."

"It's natural in cases like yours," Doc Thad sooths, petting Dmitri's hair. Dmitri might be purring or a cat found its way into the elevator. He's not sure, but someone is purring. "I'm going to check you for any further injuries. Please, tell me if it hurts anywhere. Okay?"