《 Skip a Beat 》

When the dust settles

A faint ringing echoed in Theseus' ears. He could taste blood. He tried opening his eyes, but they hurt too much.

Everything flooded back into his mind. The raid, the files, the bomb, Tina...

Tina.

Theseus had sat up without realising it. The files were still clutched in his cut, bruised hand, black with soot. He wildly scanned the room, searching for his partner. Everything was barely recognisable.

The fire had long since burned away everything, leaving the true aftermath of an explosion. The whole cellar was covered with dirt and smoke, leaving it a sooty black. Theseus looked down to find his own arms smudged with grime.

There was hardly any light- the fallen bricks were blocking any path out of the room. There were, however, numerous little remains of fires, licking pitifully at the charred black tables and any surviving wood.

Nestled amongst the wreckage and rubble was a human figure, scarcely visible under another pile of bricks- Theseus slid to his knees and began clawing at them, his raw, dirty hands scrabbling at the bricks.

They finally tumbled aside and Theseus saw Tina's still body, caked with dirt and peppered with cuts, although they weren't severe. One particularly nasty split on her lip was sending blood trickling down her chin.

"Tina!" he gasped, but no sound came out of his mouth.

Theseus erupted into a violent coughing fit.

The smoke was clouding his throat. He gasped for air... maybe getting up wasn't the best idea.

He shook his head, coughing one last time. It didn't matter. None of it mattered right now. He had to make sure his partner was okay.

Holding his breath to avoid inhaling more smoke, Theseus held Tina by the shoulders and gently shook her, forcing down another coughing fit.

His eyes stung and watered from the smoke, and he strained to keep them open. Tina didn't move.

"T-Tina," he rasped quietly. No response.

Abandoning the files on the ground next to him, he brought both hands up to her shoulders and shook her again. Panic began rising in his chest.

How long had he been out? Where was everyone else? Had they forgotten about them?

Waves and waves of questions crashed through his head, accompanied by the overhead, light drumroll of rain. It was raining outside.

Groping for his wand, Theseus coughed again, then felt an uncomfortably familiar ticklish sensation down his chin. Numbly lifting his free hand, he brushed the side of his mouth to find his hand smudged with blood. Coughing blood wasn't a good sign.

Ignoring it for the time being, he pulled Tina upright, resting her head on his leg, and held her tight, willing her to move.

Wake up wake up wake up wake up-

Chanting silently in his head, he squeezed his eyes shut to stop the lingering smoke from stinging them and mouthed the words.

Wake up wake up wake up-

A weak groan sounded, and Theseus opened his eyes again and carefully studied Tina.

She was stirring slightly, eyelids flickering and chest undulating in unsteady patterns. With a sudden sputter, Tina's eyes flashed open, and her expression scrunched into a wince upon breathing in the dirty air.

Her partner laughed in disbelief, a smile stretching across his bruised face.

She attempted to sit up, but her arms gave way beneath her and she hit the concrete again with a moan. On her second attempt, Tina finally struggled into an upright position, breathing heavily.