A slither of light shoots across her vision when her eyes had cracked open just a bit. An unsolicited groan eases out of Brie's lips at the pain she felt in her eyes and head. She couldn't say what exactly had happened to make her ache so badly but she hated it. Beneath every square inch of her skin felt as if someone had run a marathon there— a subtle ache but definitely there. Her eyelids flutter for a few seconds more while she tried to adjust her vision. Her body had begun to move in the bed and she felt something tug against her right arm each time she attempted to shift into a better position.
It had caused her to snap her eyes open and immediately after her sight had adjusted, her mother is there glaring down at her worryingly.
"Mom?" She mumbles and the look on the older woman's face made the recent events come rushing back. Raye!
She remembered Raye being hurt and she panicked, reaching out to grab her mother.
"Raye," she starts to cry and the woman takes a seat on the bed. "Shh, it's okay. I need you to relax," Celeste says quietly, stroking her daughter's face, wiping at her tears.
"I can't, she's hurt." Brie throws her head back into the pillow, staring up at the ceiling, tears running down the side of her face.
"I know but you need to calm down,"
"How is she, please just tell me,"
The woman remains quiet for some time, squeezing her baby's hand and the girl squeezed back while she stared into her mother's cognac brown eyes.
"She's fighting,"
Those words caused Brie to bite her trembling lips to keep the sob from escaping, it was futile because she burst further into tears, weeping heavily. Celeste pulls her into her warm embrace, placing the girl's head onto her chest. Hearing such a piece of news had impacted her as well, enough for her to get emotional for the young girl— Raye was an astounding soul and one who didn't desire such a thing.
"How could they do that to her?" Brienna questions, blinded by the hot tears that fell from her eyes in massive beads. She felt a mixture of many emotions; anger, hurt, hatred. She feared for the life of Raye and she had every right to be, the girl was literally fighting for her life.
"They said, she'd be fine,"
"Really?"
"Yes, she'd started showing significant improvement since the surgery," Celeste says, staring down at her daughter's puffy face. Her lips were pouty and her grey eyes were dull and without zeal. Her heart ached to see her baby in such a condition.
"H-how, long have I been here?"
"Well, that's another thing," the woman trails off, staring around the room she'd grown accustomed to for the time she spent around her daughter. "You've been here for about two days,"
"What?" Brie exclaims, her brows shooting up, she wiped at her tears with her free hand before taking a better look at her mom. "How have I been here for two days?"
"For starters, you were sedated because you were hysterical when you learned what happened. You attacked her uncle. Then when you woke up you did the same to a few nurses, scaring them actually— they sedated you again because of it."
"I attacked people?" Brie frowns, not being able to remember a thing other than learning of Raye's incident. Looking down at her arm that was locked to the bed's rail by cuffs, she realizes how true it is.
"Yes, and although I'm a little upset, I understand. This would hurt anyone,"
Brie sighs heavily, softly placing her head against her mother's chest. She missed Raye, she wanted to see her, she wanted to hold her, she wanted to kiss her but couldn't. She was dying to know how the girl was herself rather than hearing of it from everyone around.
"Can you let a nurse or a doctor know that I'm awake? They have no reason to keep me, so I might as well be discharged."
"Of course," Celeste gets up and Brienna stares as her mother treads across the room. The older woman lingers around, casting her glare the girl's way. Brie sees the way the woman's dimples popped as she bit her lip, her eyes gleaming warm from genuine care.
"It's all going to be okay and I need you to remember that."
"Sure, Brie nods. She is left alone for a few minutes where she continues to worry about her love. She was growing anxious the longer she couldn't see her.
God, she wished Raye was okay. She wished whoever had harmed the girl would be held accountable for their actions, whether by the authorities or much worse.
Distinct voices could be heard outside the room. Their silhouette figures could be seen standing outside the door, and Brie knew deep within her being that those out there were discussing her business. She knew because she did it with her colleagues, nothing bad though but they kept each other up to speed about the patients they tended too.
Soon the light talking had stopped and the room is suddenly occupied by a doctor in his mid-forties, along with her mother. The man has a few grey streaks in his hair, which was properly cut. There was a friendly smile on his ageing face, wrinkles formed at the corners of his eyes.
"Good morning, Brienna."
"Good morning," she whispers in response, eyeing the man as he read from the charts hooked at her bed.
"Mm," he hums before turning his gaze to her.
"Seems like you caused quite the ruckus,"
"I'm really sorry,"
He chuckles and up close Brie saw his name which was Dr Williams.
"That's alright, you're mom explained everything,"
"Okay. Am I going to be discharged, especially now that there is no reason to keep me here?"
"Absolutely, but you have to promise that you won't try to hurt anyone— I know your situation is tough at the moment, but try to exercise some self-control, she's going to be okay."
"That's all I've been hearing— she's okay. I want to be able to see her for myself, I need to."
"And you will. I'll discharge you but a nurse will come to make sure that you're fine as soon as possible. Then you'll be able to leave."
"Thank you," she smiles warmly and so did the man.
Once Dr Williams bids them farewell, Celeste moves closer to Brie, observing her closely.
"I'm sorry," Brie apologizes again.
"There's no reason to be, your father and I are just happy you are okay,"
"I'm not though,"
"I get that," Celeste says, carefully rubbing the girl's arm.
"I guess Cassie's worried too huh?"
"Yes. She was here on the first night and so was your father and Bran. We were all worried sick about you and Raye."
"I'm fine," she says nonchalantly. Her mother glares at her for a moment.
A few minutes later a nurse came and had interacted with both women and soon she'd then allowed Brie to leave.
Celeste had given her some time to change into the fresh outfit she'd brought for her.
Just as the nurse came back, Brienna explains to her that she wanted to see her girlfriend and she was allowed too.
Outside of the room, Celeste pulls her to the side to talk.
"Now, I don't want any bad behaviours from you this time. No fighting the nurses, none of that. Rachel is going to be fine,"
Those words had caused the realization to hit once more that Raye was badly hurt. Brienna did her best to avoid her eyes misting up again but the moment she stepped into the room, her ghost had dropped to the soles of her feet.
Laying there hooked up to machines Brie often dreads seeing on a daily basis were plugged into Raye's body.
She was laying there motionless, her pale face calmed by her sleep.
Nearing the bed, Brie's vision is clouded by tears, and there is literally not much she could do except cup the girl's face gently. She kissed her cheeks a few times and was now full-on crying.
Celeste was already at her side, rubbing her arm and also looking down at the sleeping girl.
