The Doctor's Heart

Trust

"Keep pressure." Riza ordered as she pulled her med pack into her lap. Benn was there pressing down on the claw slashes. She thanked shock for having clarity at the moment. No time to dawdle. All she could feel was burning heat and her own blood staining her legs, not pain. She pulled her pack into her lap. She pulled a tourniquet and several gaze packs out and dropped them next to Benn. "Tourniquet, first and then start packing." Riza dug deeper ad grabbed iodine, everything she needed to wrap the injury and gloves.

Riza hissed as Benn applied the tourniquet and shouted a curse as he splashed iodine over her leg. She could feel the blood pounding and rushing down in her leg. An agonizing lub and dub of the slowed blood flow. Riza spasmed when Benn started to pack her leg like she had taught him. She could feel everything. The sharp stale air setting her bared nerves on fire and the foreign objects being shoved inside her wound. She could never criticize the crew for this again. She grabbed a full bottle of blissful pain relief but pushed that aside to pull out more gauze for Benn. Who didn't hesitate to grabbing more gauze to use by tearing it open with his teeth. Riza would've admired the determination if electrifying pain didn't jolt every time she moved. "Fuck! Rex! Hold my leg in place."

"Morphine, Riza?"

"No. Can't afford to use it." Riza hissed out. Rex pinned her at her hip with his leg, looking a little green but determined.

"Riza, the bleeding here, it isn't stopping."

Realization dawned on her and she could only pray to whoever she had enough time. Only a couple of minutes at most. Riza yanked a suture kit, a small device to keep the field clear of obstruction and a set of gloves for herself. Riza pulled herself to sit up straight and slipped the gloves on. "Benn, which is deeper."

"Here."

Riza passed him the tool and readied herself to find the bleed as fast and efficiently as she could. "I need you to keep it clear so I can locate the bleed. Once I loose coherence, I need you to take over and finish."

"What? We can't pack it for Redfern?" Riza shook her head to his question. Breathing slowly and focusing on her task. "Why?... Riza..."

"I'm going to loose coherence in a few minutes and if we can't get a handle on the bleed. I will loose consciousness and if I loose enough blood. Well, you should know what happens next." Riza answered. The nasty taste of the words made her grimace, of the potential future. She could already feel her mouth water and she could taste a sickly metallic tang. Her mind swam with static and sickening nausea. Black and blue spots danced in her vision, fading in and out of sight. She knew she did not have long. "Ready?"

Benn took the tool and together they started to work. Riza found the bleed and started to stitch it closed. Riza closed her untrustworthy eyes and with muscle memory alone she began. Who knew that the little trick she showed the crew that she would use it on herself? She could barely recall how much she completed. Riza could ignore the shakes in from her chest down to her fingers and the burning pain she pushed to a far corner of her mind while she focused. Or when, Benn pushed her hands aside to take over. She did remember letting him while she dug through the medical pack for a IV bag and others to add into the bag. Riza knew she could trust Benn to take over and take care of her as she let unconsciousness drag her down. She had a crew that had her back and she could trust her crew to have her back. She would always have theirs.

Riza faded away...

The next time Riza woke up. She was on her back and the room spun around her. Stiff as a board and shivering but no pain. She felt happy and exhilarated. She wanted to sing and hop about but the lantern lights above gave her serious vertigo. Riza shut her eyes and groaned. "... Fuck..."