They’d tried Caleb three times, her brother being the obvious choice for an emergency contact in a situation like this, before giving up. Lowering down onto the spot of hospital linoleum in front of her, the officer she’d been assigned kept her knees hunched as she crouched at eye level with Lana on the chair, voice so light that she almost didn’t hear it. “Is there anyone else I can call, honey? Parents, maybe…?” The past seventy minutes since arriving had been a blur. The backs of her thighs stung slightly, so she could deduce, at least, that someone had swabbed them sterile, gently wiping the flecks of grit from the graze she’d earned tumbling out of the back of the car. Maybe she’d been checked for a concussion, too, because whenever she blinked, there was a fat black splodge embossed onto the backs of her eyelids, the kind you’d earn from a torch shone in each eye to monitor the pupil. She couldn’t remember saying his name, though. Couldn’t remember answering the question. In fact, she only realised she had when she heard footsteps pattering down the hallway, officer beside her rising to her feet so that she could go over to the door, soft click seeing the handle tugged open. She stepped aside to create room for an entrance, greeting the nurse that had escorted him with a mute smile. “I’ll… We’ll give you a moment. That alright?” Waiting for clarification, Lana couldn’t seem to do anything except nod, a hand cropping up to give a limp swipe at her cheek. “Okay, then. I’ll be right outside, Lana.” Stepping out, the officer pulled the door shut behind her. It took a few soft sniffs for her to find her voice, but when she finally did, it was apologetic. Small. “Hey. Sorry they… called. I know this–… I know we’re not really talking, I just–… I don’t know. I guess I asked them to. I guess I–… I guess I said your name.” @teddylaws
Teddy had never really been the best in times like this. The call with the officer that’d called him had been straight to the point, basic enough that he should’ve understood everything she was saying to him. And yet still, he repeated What? What happened? Where is she? What’s going on? about five times each, brain obviously having a rough time trying to keep up with what happened, unable to think about anything else but Lana being in trouble. Bussing to the hospital was out of the question, the whole trip would’ve easily been an hour at least, so Teddy was ordering an Uber and on the way the second the call had ended. He was tense, unsure where to go, wandering around the hospital for the floor the officer said they were on for all of five minutes before he’d grown impatient. Approaching a bored-looking receptionist, Teddy’s tone sounded a bit hysterical when he asked, “Uh, hey - hi, um. I’m kinda lost, I’m supposed to meet my friend? On this floor? Her name’s Lana, Lana Jameson, can you tell me where she would be?” Before the receptionist could even turn her attention to her computer to see if she could find Lana in their records, he could hear a soft-spoken nurse from his right call out, “Teddy?” Whirling towards the voice that’d called to him, he was greeted by a tiny nurse with a shy but kind face coming closer, hand already reaching out for him, “You Teddy? Said you’re looking for Lana?” Once he gave her an uncertain nod of his head, she was immediately pressing her outreached hand to the small of his back, guiding him to where Lana must’ve been waiting for him, “What happened? I, um, they weren’t... supposed to tell me anything. Just said there’d been an accident or something? With someone?” The smile the nurse gave him was a regretful one, like she’d already delivered some bad news, but instead, she meekly said, “I’m sorry, hon. I can’t release patient information. Talk to her, okay?” The moment she was tugging open the door to a patient hallway, relief flooded through Teddy, noticing Lana near the end. Even though he knew she was alive, mostly unharmed, he’d only been able to relax then and there, picking up his pace so that he could make it to her faster. “Hey, you,” he greeted fondly, though his voice wavered with worry. He hadn’t even heard what the officer said, ignored the apologies Lana threw at him. Instead, he merely dropped so that they were eye level, same way he’d seen the officer talking to Lana earlier, pulling her into a tight hug. One hand wrapped around her, the other cupping the back of her head, holding her close, like if he let go she’d be in trouble all over again, “Don’t apologize, it’s okay. You’re okay,” Teddy insisted, finally pulling back and cupping her face with both hands, eyes flitting between hers quickly. She looked drained, more tired than Teddy had ever seen her before, “Lana... what the hell happened? Who did this to you? You - I mean, you don’t have to... talk about it, I just. Sorry, I was just really worried. I’m glad you’re okay. Mostly okay.”
