Taken In

Coming To

*Keanu POV*

We'd reached the hospital in under 10 minutes. A new record.
I went straight past the desk and into the emergency wards, shouting orders as I went. I wasn't sure if anyone was listening or following, but I didn't care; I knew what to do.
I could already feel how wet her clothes were through the coat, the snow had her waterlogged.
There was an empty trolley behind a curtain, and I placed her down as gently and quickly as I could.
Unwrapping the sodden coat, I saw she wasn't even wearing shoes. Her jumper was thin, all her clothes were faded and damp. I found a pair of scissors and started to cut them away, a hospital gown at the ready.
I spoke a silent apology to her, and I don't know why. I was a doctor, I always did what was needed to save a life, whatever that may entail. But it felt wrong to cut her clothes away, it felt invasive, and I wanted her to know that I was sorry.
Her whole body was blackened with frostbite, her torso was covered in what looked like bruises, but it was hard to tell when everything was black and blue. Her left forearm was blackened and crusted with blood at the elbow, I tried to move it to get a better look, but she started to groan, and the arm was still stiff from the cold.
I ran to the staff station, found the sterile bandages and wet packs, the IV stand and morphine.
After she was hooked up, I slowly started to dress the bandages around her damaged skin.
My hands were shaking.
"Mr Reeves, what is the meaning of this?"
It was Dr Cook, I didn't even have to turn my head to recognise that shrill voice as she made her way down the ward.
"I have a patient here with extreme frostbite and a possible overdose, Dr Cook, I could use your staff's help."
"You know that there is a hierarchy with these things Keanu, you can't simply...oh my..." her voice trailed off as she peaked around the curtain.
I couldn't hear her as she barked orders across the floor. Other doctors arrived, after I finished the bandaging. They were fixing her up to an oxygen tank.
Of course, she needs oxygen too, what were you thinking? My head spun.
What was she doing here?
"Mr Reeves, please let them take it from here." Dr Cook spoke softly to me, and I let her lead me from the ward back to her office.
"You want a coffee?"
I paced the room, nodding.
"Who was that, Keanu?" Cook asked again, that stern tone back.
"I don't know, she was in the snow while I was walking home."
"You mean to tell me you haven't even seen that girl before?"
I stopped my pacing, looked Dr Cook dead in her disbelieving eye. What could I tell her?
Yes, this is the nearly underage prostitute I paid for in a club last night.
"She was half buried in the snow, Dr Cook, god knows how long she's been out there for. You saw the frostbite on her, she's nearly dead already." I tried to measure my reply.
Dr Cook dropped her look to the ground, but didn't say anything else as she shut the door behind her.
I slumped into the chair with a sigh, put my head in my hands.
Why was she here?
My mind was still racing. The club, I think it had been called Gusto's or something, was a couple of blocks from here, it was a far way to go if you didn't know where you were headed. She looked dangerously small when I'd seen her almost fully clothed in the booth, but now I was realising just how dark that room must've been. She was completely hollowed out, her skin was so thin I was surprised the frostbite hadn't gone right through her.
And those bruises, her arm...
Of course, I had treated heroin overdoses in the past. A few on people in worse condition than Cheri, and even fewer that had pulled through. The next time we usually saw them was for a mortuary report.
I felt sick.
I hadn't noticed it in the club, what was I thinking.
I remembered her words, and realised she was right,
I have no idea what her life is...

*Cheri Pov*

I woke up many times over the night, or was it the day. I thought I was still lying out in the snow, the light was that bright and overbearing. Then after a few more times of coming to, I realised it was a light bulb.
And there was beeping too.
I don't remember anything apart from that. It was a dreamless, restless sleep, and then I woke up.
And everything hurt.
My whole body felt like it was swelling up and on fire, I could feel my blood pumping over my skin, and the worst splitting headache I'd ever experienced.
Where the fuck am I?
I was lying down, tried to move my hands and legs and couldn't, tried to lift my head and cried out in pain.
Someone, a man, stirred on the other side of the room and stood up.
I tried to lift my arm again, and felt tubes and wires pulling. Pain shooting over me, I gritted my teeth against it.
"Whoa, whoa... it's alright, Cheri."
All I could do without pain was turn my head to the side, and it was him.
The man from the club.
It was his eyes, I'd been dreaming about those eyes, staring at me, with a look of fear and relief.
What the fuck was going on?
I tried to speak, and realised for the first time I had an oxygen mask around my head.
He, Keanu, went to remove it, and I started to shake when he cradled the back of my head. I didn't know why, I didn't know what was happening.
He withdrew his hand, as if I'd just bitten it.
"It's okay, Cheri. You were outside, I found you in the snow. Look, you're not in a good way, do you want me to take the mask off?" He asked, his voice distorting.
I have to be at the club.
My vision started to swim, and the lights were suddenly far too bright again. My body was so on fire, everything was hurting too much.
The monitors were beeping faster, and Keanu's voice was echoing down to me.
I was trying to stand up, I remember that much, was trying to fight against Keanu's strong arms as he grabbed a switch connected to my IV, and then everything went dark again...