Bring The Heat

50. The Calm Before

-(2 DAYS EARLIER. BEN HAS LEFT FOR JEWEL STREET, AND ROBIN HAS FOLLOWED. IT IS JANUARY 27TH, THE MORNING AFTER.)-

Wren felt her throat close up suddenly, her muscles stiffening as she tried to contain her feelings. Her gaze lay emptily upon the medbay. The lights were off, and it was silent. No keyboard clacking, no annoyed sighing, snarky comments, no...

No Robin. Wren had never seen the room so devoid of life.

She thought about running back to her bed, but she didn't want to. She didn't want to eat, either, or do anything, or do nothing.

Leaving things on an argument, knowing full well that she might not get a chance to make things right... stupid!

Wren felt dizzy, sick, and faint. She dashed into the medbay's bathroom, collapsing onto the toilet. She was breathing heavily, panicking, sweating... she wasn't sure what was happening to her.

Rebound poked his head around the corner, having heard the noise from the hallway as he was passing by.

"Oh shit, Wren!" he exclaimed, rushing into the room. He wrapped a supporting arm tightly around her as she gasped for air. "It's ok, it's ok, just calm down. You're alright."

-(10 MINUTES LATER)-

Wren lay on the medical bed lifelessly. She had had no idea what she was doing last night... and the consequences of that felt awful. Guilt and grief plagued her mind as she instantly assumed the worst had become of her two close friends.

Her attention was caught by a scuffle coming down the hallway towards her. She could hear Rebound talking quickly;

"Hey, just go easy on her. She was having a panic attack! Just go easy, ok?"

BM stormed into the medbay. His usually lax expression seemed focused and angry, and he was still in his bedclothes. Wren sat up swiftly in fear of whatever the consequences would be for something bad enough to make BM seem anything more than displeased.

Rebound was circling around him like a mosquito, trying desperately to vouch for Wren, but BM just ignored him, and blocked him at the medbay door. He slid the medbay door shut powerfully, and froze up for a second, taking in a deep, angry breath.

"You know where Lewis is?" he asked blankly and sharply without turning to her. Wren gulped, not liking seeing BM like this.

"Robin..." she muttered back.

"DO NOT-" BM began to yell, before collecting himself. He turned to face Wren, coming over to sit beside the medical bed. He took her hand in his paternally. "I'm sorry. I'm not angry at you. It's the situation that..." he continued before trailing off, much more calmly and reasonably.

"You know where Robin is, yes?"

"I do..." Wren stated guiltily, "but I'm not allowed to say where."

"Jewel Street?" he asked. He had known Robin for two years. She'd definitely risk her life to undermine him... no, he shouldn't think like that. She was trying to fix his mistakes.

Suddenly, Wren seemed to explode defensively.

"It's not her fault! She had to! You sent AR there, and now he's gonna die! They both will!" she screamed at him, her eyes welling up in frustration.

BM hung his head, but... he had his answer confirmed now, and that was all he needed. He got up silently and left the room.

Rebound began to follow him, but turned his attention instead to Wren. He rushed over to wrap an arm around her once more, sitting on the edge of the medical bed.