Post by StoryGirl83 on Aug 27, 2008 19:13:04 GMT -5
Chapter Three – Break Room Chats and Rising Coma Stats
About the same time at Chris work he is watching several people talk inside the office break room. Two women, Rose Laughlin and Jody Powell, were standing in one corner, holding coffee cups, discussing something. Rose, was pretty with long blonde hair and an innocent look to her. Jody was more on the cute side, also with blonde hair, though it was shorter, and she looked more like a curly haired tom boy. David was talking to a guy named Brian Heitzman, who was new to the company. Chris watched wearily as David pointed toward Chris and the two walked over toward him.
“I was telling Brian here, that you were the best person to show him the ropes,” David said as he and Brian reached Chris.
Chris’ mind bulked at that idea instantly. He couldn’t remember anything about this job. He couldn’t remember David, couldn’t remember what kind of person David was. “Perhaps you would like to show him what to do instead.”
“Chris, I’ve only worked here a week longer than you.” David attempted to remind him with a frowned. “You clearly are more qualified. You are the one that got the assistant manager position when Alex quit.”
Trying to gain any tiny piece of footing, Chris requested, “Remind me why Alex quit again.”
David looked at him strangely. “Are you sure you are okay? You know Alex quit because her husband got that promotion that they had been hoping he would get. She never wanted to work here in the first place. When she didn’t have to, she quit.”
“I’m fine,” Chris tried to reassure him. Chris didn’t know if it was working with David, especially since he had already told David that his memory was kind of shot. He knew it wasn’t working for him.
Brian didn’t seem to notice any tension. “I would be honored if you would show me the inner workings of Centennial. This guy says you actually memorized the handbook.”
Chris looked at David startled. That didn’t sound like him. “That had better be an exaggeration.”
David shrugged. “How would I know? You are the one who always seems to know the rule for every occasion. Seriously who knows that it is required to use number two pencils to fill in comment cards?”
Chris did his best not to gape at him. “You’re pulling my leg. Even if I did say that, it can’t possibly be a rule.”
David allowed a grin to spread on his face. “I have to admit I did try to look that one up in the book and didn’t find anything, but the book has to be thirty pages long.”
“That’s it?” Chris asked dryly.
David held out his hands to show the size of an eleven by eight piece of paper. “The pages are at least this big.” David turned to Brian. “Brian, I need to talk to Chris before we get back to work. Go ask Jody or Rose to help you. After lunch one of us will show you anything else you need.”
“Okay,” Brian grinned easily. “Talk to you later.” Brian walked over to the two women. He tapped Jody on the shoulder and started to talk to her.
David turned back to Chris, concerned. “You said you were fine, but you aren’t acting fine. Something in seriously wrong here. You act like you don’t remember any of this.”
Behind them Jody exited the room followed by Brian. Rose sat down on a chair and sipped her coffee.
“Do you trust me?” Chris asked unsure of the answer David would give him and unsure of if he should trust David.
David looked at him wearily.
“Do you?” Chris asked, again.
Reluctantly David nodded his head.
“I almost died Saturday,” Chris told him. “I almost died.”
David stared at him shocked. “Are you okay?”
Chris nodded hesitantly. “I’m fine, but some things are missing, memories. They have been coming back, but a lot’s still missing. I think I will get it all back, eventually, but right now, I’m a little lost.”
“Now, I know you aren’t okay,” David told him. There was less worry on his face. “You don’t admit weakness, even to me.”
Chris wondered how well he knew this guy. It seemed to him that David was concerned about him, but he also sensed some rivalry on the part of the other man. Chris decided to just play it by ear. “After what I’ve been through, I have leaned that sometimes you have to talk about it or your mom is going to kill you.”
David stared at him for a second. Then, he started to laugh. “Your mom?” David laughed a little harder. “You have me going there for a minute. I thought you were serious, but your mom? She wouldn’t kill you.”
Chris nodded, smiling. He knew better. “Oh, yes, she would.” He knew a couple of times his mom was pretty mad at him. Of course in most of those times, she didn’t know he was her son, but he knew his mom a lot better than David. After all, there was no way David knew anything about his mom’s life as a Charmed One.
Behind them Rose stood and headed toward them. She stopped and put her mug down on the counter by the sink and then continued toward them. Neither man saw her coming.
“Fine,” David said with a slight smile. “I’ll play along with you for now. If you have missing memories, does that mean I can have your job?”
Definitely rivalry, though Chris heard some kidding in the man’s voice. “That depends.”
“On what?” David’s voice was curious.
Chris grinned. “Does my brother have a paying job? We need money for rent.”
David laughed until he saw that Chris wasn’t joining him. “You’re serious?”
Before Chris could answer Rose reached them. She wrapped her arms around David and smiled up at him. “We only have five minutes left. You said you’d help me out with my display. Are you coming?”
David turned his head and looked at her. He slung his arm around her shoulder and smiled down at her. “You go ahead and go there, I’ll meet you there in a minute, Rosey doll.”
Rose gave him a pouting look. “You said you’d come.”
“I will,” David told her giving her an adoring, but annoyed look. Chris wanted to roll his eyes, but refrained. David didn’t notice, but kept talking to Rose, “but I need to finish talking to Chris.”
Rose sighed. “Fine, but be quick.”
“I will,” David assured her.
Rose unwrapped herself from David and grinned at the guys. “Later, Chris. Be quick, David.” Rose walked out of the door without waiting for a response.
David turned to look at Chris. “Sorry,” David said, apologetically. “Did I tell you that I was dating Rose?”
Chris shrugged. “I can’t say that I remember that conversation. You’d better go. She seemed to want your attention.”
“Something really is wrong though,” David commented, “something you don’t want to explain.”
If you only knew, Chris thought before he answered. “It is a really long story, but I am missing memories, David. Forgive me, but all of this is one giant gap.”
The look on David’s face was serious as he said, “You haven’t a clue whom I am, do you?”
Chris shook his head. “No.”
A thought popped into David’s head and he stated, “The only reason you know my name is because she just said it.”
Chris nodded. “That would be correct.”
“Wow.”
Chris smiled in spite of the situation.
“In that case, your brother does have a paying job and if he hasn’t mentioned it you have school at seven-thirty on Tuesday and Thursday nights.”
Chris blinked in surprise. That was one scenario he hadn’t thought of. Work was one thing, but school? “School? As in college?”
David smiled. “Yeah, as in college.”
“Thanks. You’d probably better go before Rose wanders back here.”
“I’ll see you later. I hope that memory returns fast.” David walked out the door, leaving Chris in the break room alone.
You aren’t the only one, Chris thought as he looked around. I wish I could remember. Chris headed out the door and back into the job he didn’t remember.
Back at the hospital Wyatt was walking out of a hospital room. There was a frown on his face. He saw two doctors running by again and sighed. “Ten.” Wyatt walked down the hallway for a moment before a sound caused him to stop. He looked around. The hallway had empties and he was alone. There was a door nearby that was slightly ajar. He heard the sound again and quickly closed the gap between him and the partially open door. He pushed it all the way open and looked inside.
Trae, the beautiful demoness he met earlier was inside. She had her hands held on either side of the head of a little girl. The little girl was struggling as what looked like electricity flowed between Trae’s hands and the little girl’s head.
Wyatt swung his hand in Trae’s direction and she went flying across the room. Wyatt looked at his hands. “Cool.”
Trae stood and glared at him. “I should have known you’d cause me trouble.” Trae held her hands out in front of her and electricity came out in Wyatt’s direction. He ducked and it hit the wall behind him. Wyatt glanced back at the scorch mark. “Great,” he mumbled sarcastically.
Trae attempted to get close to the little girl’s bed.
Wyatt swung his arm in a large gesture that sent her across the room and away from the girl. “I don’t think so.”
Trae stood once more and glared at him. “This doesn’t concern you, witch.”
Wyatt smirked. “Haven’t you heard? Saving innocents is the family business.” And he was rather proud of that.
“Stupid witch,” Trae ridiculed. “You don’t know who you are dealing with.” Trae attempted once more to reach the little girl.
Wyatt once more sent her flying. “You’re right. I don’t know who I am dealing with, but I do know I can deal with you. You aren’t going to hurt that girl.”
“You can’t stop me, witch.” Trae looked over at the little girl, her hands clutching in front of her. With an annoyed look at Wyatt, Trae shimmered out.
Wyatt ran to the little girl’s side. Like the other victims she was breathing and her heart was beating strong, but her eyes weren’t completely glazed over. Wyatt glanced at the chart by her bed. “So your name is Hannah. Can you hear me, Hannah?”
Hannah Merrill’s eyes moved in the direction of his voice. “I hear you. Why are you fuzzy?”
Wyatt frowned and held his hands over her eyes. Nothing happened. “I don’t know, but we’ll fix that. Okay?”
“Okay,” Hannah replied easily.
Wyatt looked around and sighed. “I can’t just leave you here, can I? I don’t know why she wanted you or when she’ll be back.” Wyatt reached into his pocket and looked down at the cell phone. He sighed and plunked it back into his pocket. “No cell phones. I’ll have to get a land line.” Wyatt looked down at Hannah. “And that will just be a waist of time. I can’t walk out of here with you and I can’t leave you here for her to attack, again.” Wyatt looked at Hannah’s chart, again. This time when he looked back at her his eyes settled on a cast on her leg that was suspended in the air. “Hannah?”
“What?”
“Do you remember the person that tried to hurt you?”
Hannah nodded her head.
“Well, I can protect you, but I need you to do something for me.”
Hannah looked at him with hazy eyes. “What’s that?”
“I need you to trust me and let me pick you up.”
“Don’t know you,” Hannah protested.
“I know,” Wyatt told her. He couldn’t leave her, he had to convince her. “The bad lady might come back. Please, Hannah.”
“Are you a doctor?” Hannah asked. “I can trust doctors. Mommy said.”
“I’m a doctor’s assistant,” Wyatt told her honestly.
“Okay.”
Wyatt shook his head in amazement. “That was way too easy.” Wyatt glanced down at his hand. He looked over at the door and waved his hand in the direction of the door, swinging it closed. Wyatt smiled and looked back at Hannah. Wyatt leaned down and took the little girl into his arms. He didn’t bother disconnecting her from the stirrup holding her leg up. Instead he orbed her out of the stirrup and them out of them room.