Painkiller

14

    Elena couldn't breathe.

    Her chest felt too tight and she genuinely thought she was going to pass out. With her knees pushed up against her chest, she tried to make herself as small as possible as the air seemed to feel heavier.

    She was numb to her surroundings and she barely felt or acknowledged the pair of arms that wrapped themselves around her small, shaking frame.

    "Elena! Elena!"

    The voice seemed so faint, so far away, and Elena could barely recognise it.

    She was pulled against someone's chest, her head pressed to it, so that she could feel the movements of it.

    "I need you to breathe, Elena. Copy me."

    She tried so hard to do so. But with every failed attempt came another wave of panic.

"I c-can't!" She managed to choke out.

"Yes, you can. Just copy my breathing, Elena. Come on, you can do it!"

Elena tried again, only to cough and splitter as her attempt failed.

   "Please, sweetheart. Breathe!"

    Elena tried again, eventually managing to follow Luke's breathing and slowly managing to slow her own breathing down, her vision became clearer and her thoughts sharper.

    Tears still streamed down her face, and she was still breathing heavily, but she was no longer having a panic attack. And at that moment, that was all that mattered to Luke.

    A sob escaped her lips, and she pushed herself into Luke's chest. Her chest ached and her eyes were tired, and after crying into Luke's shirt, she eventually lost consciousness.

    Luke held her tightly throughout the entire of the ordeal, murmuring reassuring words in her ear as he did so. He sighed as he finally heard her breathing soften and even out, a sure signal that she was asleep.

    "You did good, Luke."

    Luke looked up to Michael, who was gazing back at him through the mirror. A sad smile graced his lips, and Luke smiled back with tired eyes.

     Michael had guided Luke through the entire ordeal - telling him what to say and how to act. He was the one to tell him to pull her against his chest so that she could feel him breathing. Luke couldn't have asked for better help.

    "I know it's hard to watch, but, it'll get better." Michael spoke. "You just gotta ride 'em out with her."

    Michael knew what he was talking about. In fact, Michael probably knew better then most people - having experienced them himself. His were so bad he had an emotional support animal (which he loved with all his heart). He had done the research and figured out what worked and what didn't. And now, he was going to help Elena.