flatline [m.s]

clxxv.

- - -
some of the world's top trauma specialists have proven that our brains may forget the traumas we survive, but our bodies, especially our nervous systems, always keep score.
- - -

mark practically storms into his bedroom, and pulls a suitcase out from under the bed, and opens it. he then proceeds to just grab all of his clothes from the closet, and drawers, and just dump them inside.

however, when his eyes land on the framed picture of him and lia on their wedding day placed on top of their bedside cabinet his pauses what he's doing. his eyes then flicker across the room where they land on another framed picture, but this time it's of him, lia, and darci during her first birthday party.

he looks at the pictures for several moments before he sighs and takes a seat on the bed, beside his full suitcase.

- - -
memories are stored in our shoulders, spines, stomach or hands, without us ever knowing. we assume a painful backache or shaky hand is something harmless, random, but it could be more.
- - -

when lia arrives home from the hospital, she carries a sleeping darci into her and mark's bedroom, where she gently places her down on mark's side of the bed.

she tucks her in, and strokes her hair before turning around and noticing mark's blue tie on the floor, which she bends down to pick up. once she stands upright she notices that the closet doors are open, and inside it's half empty.

lia sighs deeply before heading over to the dresser, and pulling mark's drawer open, which, again, is empty. she throws the tie in there, and closes the drawer again before getting ready for bed.

■ ■ ■

"the person who cares for your kids is an important choice," lynn, one of the nanny candidates, tells lia as she walks beside her through the hospital. "you want to make sure it's the right fit. so we'll sit and talk. i'll find out about your needs, you'll learn about me-"

"right," lia nods. "just, right now, i'm a little pressed for time."

"oh, absolutely. you're busy," lynn smiles. "that's why we're here to help."

"yeah, there's a trauma coming in, and i-" lia begins to explain.

"of, course," lynn cuts her off. "listen, i've worked with doctors before, many times. i know the drill. how about if i wait in the lobby until you have some time?"

"that's great. i'll find you," lia assures, walking away to grab a yellow trauma gown.

"who was that?" callie asks as lia slips her trauma gown on.

"uh, new nanny, hopefully," lia informs her.

"you got a nanny?" callie gasps as she follows lia into the e.r, towards the doctors that are gathered around owen.

"i had to. mark left," lia shrugs.

"what?" callie's eyes widen as they approach the group, but lia doesn't respond. "lia?"

"shh!" lia shushes her, and callie frowns.

"we don't have numbers yet, but be prepared for as many as twenty casualties, many of them kids," owen informs the doctors.