17; THINGS DON'T JUST HAPPEN (season five, episode sixteen)
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THE THROBBING OF her head was the first thing Freya became aware of upon regaining consciousness. Her eyes flickered open slowly, and thankfully; her vision was no longer blurry. She lifted her chin slightly, identifying the room as the doctor's office. Pete's office. That realisation had her jolting up, and immediately regretting doing so. She barely had time to lean over the edge of the cot when the vomit forced its way up her oesophagus.
"Easy," A soothing voice whispered, and then a hand rubbed against her back.
Freya wiped her mouth and then she turned to find Val hovering over her. "Where's my dad?"
"He's okay. He's fine," Val assured her. "We've got him locked up-"
"What?" Freya swivelled her legs to the side opposite her vomit, almost knocking Val over in the process. "Michonne knocked him out and now you're locking him up? He's not the bad guy here. That disgusting wife-beating animal is. He better be locked up too."
"He's been separated from Jessie," Val told her, placing her hands on Freya's shoulders only to have them immediately shaken off. "He's in a separate house-"
Freya snorted derisively. "Oh, he gets a house? But you put my Dad in a cell?"
"It's not a cell. It's a room, he-"
"I don't care, Val. You can dress it up as whatever you want, but if he's being held against his will and it's guarded- it's a cell."
The door leading to the 'waiting room (actually just an empty kitchen)' swung open and Carl stepped inside, followed by Leo and Devin.
"Should she be sitting up like that?" Leo questioned, squinting at Freya wearily. "I read that mild concussion is best treated with an abundance of rest."
Devin nudged Carl's shoulder. "See what I mean? Walking, talking dictionary."
Carl didn't smile. Couldn't smile was Freya's guess and the guilt of being partially responsible for that quickly kicked in. She'd actively destroyed his chances of having a safe home, they had - her and her father - and they'd done with little hesitation.
Freya pushed herself off of the cot, her legs were shaky at first but soon stabilised. She moved past Val and Leo, shoulder brushing against Devin's before she wrung her arms around Carl. It was a little embarrassing to admit, but she was on her tiptoes, that was the only way she could properly hold him whilst standing now. "I'm sorry."
Carl's hands clasped her back and his face pressed into the crook of her neck. "You don't need to be. Are you okay?"
Freya pulled back, keeping a grip on his shoulder with her good hand. "Well, apparently, I'm concussed. Damn that prick and his two working hands."
