Hot.
The first thing Jax becomes aware of is how hot it is.
Then his hearing returns. Had it ever gone? It must have, considering Jax hadn't heard the beginning of this song?
Was this his playlist? That was his favorite song, "I Would Die 4 U" by Prince.
Finally, Jax opened his eyes.
He was still in S.T.A.R. Labs but in a different room. He was on a bed? Or a medical cot of some sort? There was a pulse oximeter on his right index finger and some wires that had to be reading his vitals hooked to his arm.
"Look who finally decided to join us," a familiar voice says from off to his left.
"Eric!" another voice chides, "Jax, how are you feeling? Are you alright?"
As Jax turns his head towards the voices, he indexes his body for the first time since waking up. He's pretty sure he still has all his digits and appendages, and nothing feels broken. There is a dull ache running throughout his body but that's about it.
To his left, is ... his family?
Oh shit.
If his mom came to his work after an accident, it was probably not great. If his dad left his own job to come check up on him, things weren't looking too hot. But both his parents and his older brother, Eric? He must've died and come back to life.
"I'm fine mostly, in a little bit of pain but otherwise I'm good," Jax says. A little bit of pain is a little bit of an understatement, but they must be worried enough already. "I remember the experiment, and it going wrong, but that's it? What happened? Why are all three of you here?"
"Can you go get someone? They told us to let them know when he wakes up," Jax's mom says to his dad. As his dad turns to leave the room she says to Jax, "You passed out. Dr. Snow told us your brain activity dropped and was not returning to normal. They weren't sure when or if you would wake up."
"Fuck, that's an awful way to spend my Monday afternoon. How long was I out?"
"We've only been here a couple minutes. And you decided to clock out prematurely about 45 before that? So around an hour," Eric answers.
Their mother glares at him for a moment before turning to Jax to say, "Mr. Ramon, I think he said his name was, called us right after they got you set up in here. By the time we got here, Dr. Snow had been able to give you a proper look over, and she and Mr. Allen gave us the rundown on how you were doing."
"Did I pass my physical?" Jax quips.
"Pretty sure you have to be awake for a proper physical," Eric answers, giving his shoulder a slight shove.
Jax tries not to show how much that hurts. He's not sure he succeeds, particularly not when their mom tells Eric off again.
"They said that, other than low brain activity, all of your vitals were normal. Or, 'stable' might've been the word they used."
Before Jax has time to respond, his father returns, followed by a man Jax has never met before.
