Resurface

Give Me Strength

Authors Note: There is a little smooching scene somewhere at the bottom, so if those kinds of descriptions make you uncomfortable, I suggest you skip this chapter.

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"The bullet penetrated your lower back, damaging an area in your spine called the Cauda Equina, the bundle of nerves that controls the motor function in your legs."

[_____] leaned against the door, her arms folded as she listened. By the grim look on the doctor's face, and from her own expertise, she knew the diagnosis wasn't good. The doctor opened their mouth to speak again, but Jake wasn't looking at them- no, he was looking to her.

"What does that mean?"

He cut the doctor off, his gaze boring through [_____]. She shifted in place, biting the inside of her cheek, ever so slightly shaking her head- she couldn't find the words to tell him he was paralyzed. She couldn't be the one to break it to him, even if it was already an unspoken truth that everyone in the room knew.

"It means you'll have little to no function in your lower body, and unless you can get a grant for a large sum of money, there's nothing we can do. Your vet benefits don't cover this, I'm sorry Mr. Sully."

When it was finally spoken, the truth cutting through them like a heated exacto blade, it took everything within her to keep composure. Nothing would ever be the same. That was only confirmed when she watched Jake hang his head, his never-ending strength of character wavering.

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Sitting up, [_____] rubbed a hand over her face, a heavy sigh escaping her lips. This wasn't the first time she was plagued by dreams recounting her past, reminding her of every moment, the good and the bad, both stirring emotions that ripped through her being. That wasn't what bothered here this morning, no, she wondered why she hadn't been woken by her alarm, Grace, or one of the other drivers. Turning her clock around, it disturbed her further when she read the time.

08:00

Kicking off the sheets, she didn't bother to cover herself, leaving the bunk room with only a pair of night pants and a scrunched-up tank top. Stopping at the sync lab, she spotted Grace and Jake, but Norm was nowhere to be found.

"No wakeup call?"

[_____] asked, making both their heads turn. Jake's eyes wandered unashamed over her form, scanning from head to toe, then back up again. It wasn't a seductive glance, rather, one of longing- his eyes sunken when he was hit once again with the realization of her absence. She ignored this, looking to Grace.

"Thought I'd let you sleep in, the Na'vi rest today, and so should you for a couple hours."

"I'm not tired. I can boot up the sync and-"

She stopped speaking, thrown off by Grace's disapproving glance.

"Stumpy over here said the same thing. Neither of you are syncing until later, so I suggest you go grab breakfast. BOTH of you."

Grace pointed between them, turning back to her samples. [_____] found her prickly attitude a nuisance, wondering if this is how people saw her when she acted the same. Caught in her thoughts again, she was dragged out when Jake tapped her thigh.

"Let's get out of her hair."

She couldn't reject that, not when Grace was in a mood like this. So, walking beside him, they made their way to the cafeteria, grabbing breakfast and sitting at the emptier side of one of the tables, an area that was quiet and wheelchair accessible. Pushing her food around, she could feel his eyes boring into her once more- but this time, she looked up to meet his gaze.