Chloe Price hates emojis (no_emoji) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2018-05-01 14:48:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, chloe price, ilia amitola |
Who: Rainbow Price, with Freya at the end
What: Ilia comes to visit Chloe in the hospital after Chloe’s car accident.
When: April 16th
Where: Hospital
Warnings: Swearing, dream of parental death, mentions of car accidents
Chloe was having a lot of trouble digesting everything that had happened. Part of her still wondered if she was actually dead. The other part was still convinced this was a dream and that any minute she’d wake up and be perfectly fine. But she couldn’t get her dad out of her head. Which was probably why when she’d fallen asleep at some point, she dreamed about her dad.
He was driving, playing one of his favorite songs, a country western song, on the radio. Chloe was in the backseat, singing along. A little known fact about Chloe was that she’d loved country music when she was younger. But her love for that had ended the day her dad had died. She couldn’t listen to it without either crying or getting irrationally angry. Now her favorite music was heavy metal or punk. The louder and angrier the better, honestly.
All in all, the dream was rather innocuous and not unlike reoccuring dreams she’d had ever since her dad had died. She dreamt about talking to him from time to time, which probably made her sound crazy and that was why she never said anything about it to anyone. But then as Chloe was sitting in the backseat, she suddenly heard the horn of a semi blare. Sitting up, Chloe started to look around. She called out to her dad just before the semi hit their car on the driver’s side.
“Dad!!” Chloe exclaimed as she woke suddenly, trying to sit up, but the pain in her chest stopped her and she settled back against the bed. “Ow motherfucker,” she cursed through gritted teeth and tears were stinging her eyes. Her chest was bruising from where she’d hit the steering wheel and her ribs had protested the sudden movement. As had her broken limbs, both of which were her right ones. Her leg was in a cast from the hip down with multiple pins having been put in her leg to hold it together. Another surgery might be needed to help stabilize the leg further. Her fibula and tibia had been shattered. Her right forearm was in a cast as well. Luckily that was just a straight-forward break and the bone had been easily set. Chloe’s head was also bandaged, having had a gash on her forehead that had required stitches. She was also hooked up to a morphine drip, which she suddenly wished was at a higher setting after that rude awakening.
Ilia had been relieved when Rachel had finally left. She didn’t know her, and while both had been in a vulnerable place, Ilia didn’t like showing her vulnerabilities to just anyone. Chloe and Blake were really the only two she had let herself drop her guard around. And while part of the reason said guard had been dropped was her overwhelming concern and fear for Chloe, she still didn’t like it. She still didn’t like the screaming voice in the back of her head that she shouldn’t have gotten close to Chloe because people she was close to died. Yes her only real evidence for this was her parents, but she’d never been able to get past it. Never been able to get close - truly close because the gang in the end didn’t count - to someone. Until she had shown up here and she was terrified.
As it was, Ilia had been pacing the room, feeling trapped but knowing she wasn’t going to leave unless she was forced out. She’d been told because Chloe shouldn’t wake up alone and so Ilia wasn’t going to let that happen.
And then Chloe woke up with a cry and a curse and Ilia turned and relief flooded her. Chloe still looked like shit, but she was awake and not just laying there.
“Hey, hey, you’re okay.” And quickly, Ilia went over to Chloe and took her unbroken hand in hers.
The pain was definitely something that clouded Chloe’s mind as she tried to discern between what was reality and what had been a dream. The dreams about her dad always felt so real, and they always left her with that gaping wound in her heart. Like Ilia, Chloe had never gotten over her dad’s death. She’d been on a self-destructive downward spiral for five years, and Rachel had been the only person who had actually cared. Until Rachel had left without telling her.
Hearing a voice and feeling her hand in someone else’s, Chloe opened her eyes and looked at who it was. “Ilia...you’re here.” It wasn’t said in surprise, more of a statement, and a relief. She really didn’t want to be alone right now. She squeezed Ilia’s hand and tried to focus on her instead of the pain. Maybe if she did that, the morphine would kick in and do its job.
Though it was tempting to call a nurse and ask for the morphine to be upped, but she wanted to stay awake right now.
“I came the second I heard.” And probably worried Logan and Blake in the process, but Ilia didn’t really care about that right now. All she had known when she had gotten the text was that she had needed to get to the hospital as quickly as possible and so she had. She still had questions. She was still worried, but she pushed them aside for now.
“Is there anything I can get you or do for you?” She would just focus on what she could do for Chloe now that she was awake. That was what mattered.
“Thank you,” she said. Chloe didn’t know if Rachel or Jaina had contacted Ilia, but whoever it was she was more than grateful for it. This wasn’t an ideal place to spend time together, but at least she was alive, right? Alive and utterly miserable at the moment, but alive.
“Water, please? I could actually use a cigarette or alcohol, but neither of those are really options right now.” Much to her disappointment.
“Yeah, of course.” Well, Ilia could at least be thankful that Rachel had called her. She just wished that there was more that she could do. But if being here for Chloe helped, then of course that was what she would do. Ilia didn’t even care that this was a horrid place to spend time together. What mattered was that they could spend time together.
“Water, got it.” Reluctantly pulling away, Ilia went and got a cup of water before bringing it to Chloe, “Here you go.”
Taking the water when it was given to her, she took a long drink of it before handing the cup back to Ilia. “Thank you,” she said as she took some moments to try and calm down a bit. “How long have you been here?” She asked. She then reached out for Ilia’s hand again. She needed contact, needed a connection that told her this was real and that she wasn’t dead.
Taking the cup, Ilia placed it on a flat surface.
“Yeah, sure.” Like she would do anything else? But as for the question, the teen looked for a clock but realized that she didn’t even know what time she had left Logan’s. Didn’t know what time she had gotten there. She’d been far too focused on getting to Chloe’s side.
“I’m...not sure, really. Rachel sent me a text and I basically came here. But I wasn’t really paying attention to the time.”
That was how scared she’d been. But she took Chloe’s hand, more than happy to keep hold of it. Hell, if Chloe wanted her on the bed, Ilia would make it work. She was small enough and knew she could easily fit on it beside Chloe as she knew how much she liked and often needed cuddling. But she was following the taller teen’s lead.
Chloe could read between the lines, even with the morphine in her system. It was rather easy to tell that Ilia was concerned about her, that she’d clearly dropped everything and rushed here when she’d heard about the accident.
“Thank you for being here.” Even if she didn’t need to say it, she still wanted to. “I need you.” She was scared out of her mind, which was evident in her eyes, and she really didn’t want to be alone. God, she could use a hug, or just a general getting out of the hospital sort of escape, but she wasn’t exactly able to run right then.
“I’m sorry if I pulled you away from something important or something.” Chloe had a habit of feeling like a burden to those around her. She’d already ruined Rachel’s plans for how they were supposed to spend the day. It only seemed natural that she ruined Ilia’s plans, too.
Had anyone ever needed her before? Ilia couldn’t think of a time, not one that was real anyone and even in her state of panic and concern, she flushed slightly at the admission. Because really now, she wasn’t the type of person that was ever needed by anyone. Used? Sure. But not needed, not in the way Chloe meant.
Getting out of the hospital wasn’t something Ilia could help with, but hugging? That was. And she could see that Chloe needed, so she got up from her chair and hugged the taller teen. Honestly she needed the hug as well. She was careful not to jostle or hurt Chloe in the process.
“You’re what’s important.”
It meant a lot to Chloe that Ilia was here. She wasn’t always the best with the softer emotions and expressing gratitude. So when Ilia hugged her, Chloe used that to show it. She actually wrapped both of her arms around Ilia. Though the one in the cast really was only partially wrapped around her given it couldn’t bend like normal. But that was besides the point.
“Fuck, I can’t wrap my head around today’s events. It’s like history tried to repeat itself.” Obviously meaning her dad. And given she’d woken up calling out ‘dad’ it was probably obvious just where Chloe’s mind had gone. But really, that was to be expected. Her dad had died in a car accident, she could’ve died, or at the very least killed someone else.
Ilia struggled with words as a rule anyway. Not in random conversations, or in anger. But expressing herself? Words often failed, so hugging and showing her feelings that way? Definitely the way to go. Besides, she had managed to say what she wanted - thought that also probably had to do with how comfortable with Chloe she was, the connection they shared.
And another clue about what had happened. No. Ilia knew, she knew there’d been an accident. But with that, added to the crying out dad and this latest comment? The pieces fell together and while she didn’t let go of Chloe? The teen did pull away enough to look at her.
“Your dad?”
Chloe had difficulty putting her thoughts and feelings into words sometimes. Like when her mom was trying to erase her dad’s existence from their home by taking down all the pictures of him, she couldn’t articulate how that made her feel. And it was one of the many reasons she’d hated David because he was clearly trying to replace her dad, and she wasn’t having any of it.
Looking at Ilia, she nodded a bit. “Yeah. I was dreaming of him just before I woke up. I dreamt that I was in the car with him, talking like everything was normal. Then out of nowhere, a semi t-boned the car.” She took a slow breath. “I know this is going to make me sound fucking crazy, and, well I guess I kind of am but that’s besides the point. My point is that I talk to my dad sometimes, both while awake and in my dreams. Like if I have some problem or something I don’t know how to handle I just...talk to him, and he gives me an answer. Usually.”
She paused awkwardly. “It’s okay if you think I’m crazy for doing that. I don’t actually tell people about that, but sometimes I just...need my dad, you know?”
Fuck it. Seeing that there was space for her on the bed, Ilia shifted so that she was laying next to Chloe, wrapping her arms around her. After all, it wasn’t just sex and being reckless. There was cuddling and hand holding and talking about anything and everything and nothing. It may not have been that long since they had met, but Ilia knew it to be true.
So she just listened to what Chloe said, and it cut her deep. Because it was something she did herself.
“I don’t think you’re crazy at all. I know what it’s like, to talk to someone who isn’t there because you just...need them.” She tried to handle things on her own, to need her parents and talk to them even though they’d never answer.
Chloe was only slightly surprised when Ilia shifted to lay beside her. She wrapped her good arm around Ilia, just soaking in the comfort. This was definitely something she needed. And not for the first time she was rather aware of how little Ilia was, but it certainly meant they could cuddle like this without either of them being uncomfortable or in pain.
When Ilia said she knew what it was like, Chloe pressed her lips together. “I’m glad you don’t think I’m crazy. Though it’s not something that I’d wish on anyone to know what it’s like.” Well, maybe there were a couple assholes she’d wish it on, but that didn’t need to be said.
But that was just one more thing that she and Ilia had in common and understood about each other.
While Ilia often made up for her small stature in attitude and how she held herself, there were times where it came in use. Like right now where they could both be comfortable on the hospital bed and she could provide more solid comfort to Chloe than she might with just holding hands even if that also helped.
“Yeah. But it is what it is. Either way, I get it. And I get the dreaming about them, of being with them when…” The cave in dreams weren’t the worse because while it was terrifying, the worst dreams were always the ones she woke up from where in the haze of sleep, she still thought her parents were alive only for her to remember and feel that loss all over again.
Holding hands did help, but Chloe definitely needed the hug and snuggling more. Everything was horrible right now, and she just wanted to shut out the screaming in her head for a little while. She wanted to pretend that she hadn’t nearly died or nearly killed someone like her dad.
Ilia didn’t need to finish that sentence for Chloe to understand what she meant. She gave her a little squeeze and rubbed her arm a bit. “I hate it, but it’s not like we can control our dreams. Sometimes it’s nice to see them, though. Others…” Chloe well understood waking up and thinking her dad was still alive, then having reality set in and it hurt every single time just like when her mom had told her that her dad was gone.
It had been pretty clear to Ilia that Chloe had needed more than the hand holding and since she could fit on the bed easily? It was the obvious decision to make. And in a way, it was something Ilia needed as well. After all, the fear and concern weren’t completely abated even seeing Chloe awake. She needed the physical reminder herself.
Pressing her forehead against Chloe’s shoulder at the slight squeeze, Ilia took a breath and recentered herself. She didn’t necessarily want to go into the details but if they came up? Well. Then they came up and she would. For now though? There wasn’t much to say.
“Yeah.”
There was definitely something to needing to be physically reminded of things. Like right now, feeling Ilia’s body heat was reminding her that she was alive, and Chloe had no plans to make Ilia move any time soon. Even if Rachel came back, she was more than comfortable how they currently were.
Of course, talking about people who were dead was probably not the best topic of conversation currently. So Chloe fell silent for a little bit, just holding Ilia and taking comfort in her presence. Though she glanced at the window.
“Kind of wish we could see the stars,” she commented.
Ilia had no plans on moving either. She didn’t care what anyone thought about her - she rarely did. But right now what mattered was being there for Chloe however she could be. And if that meant cuddling on a hospital bed? So be it.
Though conversations about dead family members was definitely not the best course of action right now and Ilia was more than happy to let it drop. She was just letting herself be reminded that yes, Chloe was alive both by the way they were holding one another but also by her heartbeat. It was better than the beeping on the machines.
The comment about the stars gave her a moment of pause before Ilia shifted slightly to pull her phone out of her hoodie pocket and do a quick google search on the data plan.
“It’s not the same but….” and she pulled up some pictures of the night sky and stars.
Chloe would much rather be out doing something with Ilia than laying here in a hospital bed. But she was at least alive and able to be here with Ilia. She more than knew she could instead be in the morgue waiting to be identified. A little thought floated through her head about how her mom would react if she knew she was in the hospital. Most of her wanted to say that her mom wouldn’t care, their relationship hadn’t been the best after her dad had died. But there was a part of Chloe that knew her mom cared and would want to know, but Chloe wasn’t ready to swallow her pride and admit that she was wrong, that she’d fucked up.
But of course, Chloe always fucked everything up. It was her life story for the past five years. Her life was amounting to nothing and she only had herself to blame for it.
When Ilia pulled up some pictures of the night sky and stars, she had to smile. “It totally works. Definitely better than staring at white walls.” Though Chloe kind of preferred looking at Ilia to looking at stars. She tightened her arm around Ilia a little bit.
In the end, they had to take what they could get. For Ilia? This was more than enough and as it was helping Chloe? All the better. Because dead?That was just not an option. Not as long as Ilia drew breath. There might not be anyone who would care or notice her own disappearance - she wasn’t going to let that happen to herself either.
So for now, cuddling with Chloe.
“Stars are definitely better than white walls. Those just get boring.” And boring led to brooding. Feeling Chloe tighten her grip some, Ilia nuzzled her shoulder again before shifting so that they could both look at the stars, randomly flipping to different pictures as well.
This was definitely something that Chloe needed. Company and cuddling. She liked the comfort, and she definitely needed it as she was still reeling from the day’s events. Chloe already knew that as the days went on, she’d get more and more upset about the accident. It had ripped open the wound about her father’s death, and it was going to screw with her for a while. But with people like Ilia there, she could get through it.
Maybe. Hopefully.
“They really do,” Chloe said with a little chuckle. She looked at the photos, letting her mind drift a bit as she contemplated the stars. If only she could actually travel to those stars, but she’d make do with looking at them like this.
Ilia had no plans on going anywhere and was determined to help Chloe through whatever it was she would need from her. What that might entail? She didn’t quite know. The extent of her injuries and the obvious emotional baggage that came with it based on the dream and conversation they’d had was proof of that. But she wasn’t going to let that deter her.
For now though? Looking at the pictures.
As for Freya? Once she had seen the message on the network she had sighed. She didn’t mind helping people, it was what she did. She just hoped this person was a dreamer given she already was going to have to deal with some of the doctors. But the description she’d gotten from Kitty? If she could help, she would.
It took some time to finish up everything that she needed to but once she had, the witch headed to the hospital and the room number she’d been given. Noticing the two on the bed, Freya knocked to announce her presence.
“Chloe Price?”
Even with how banged up she was, she recognized the two from the network (never spoke to them but she did remember them on it) and was at least relieved that she could handle the healing with no question from them at least.
Chloe was trying not to think about what would happen whenever she got out of the hospital. Hell, she wasn’t even trying to think about what would come in the next couple hours. She was trying to remain focused on Ilia and draw comfort from her. However, she also knew that there would be long term repercussions from the accident. Her mental state being one of them. And she wasn’t going to be driving again any time soon. Chloe didn’t even really want to get in a car either.
But for now, she wasn’t going anywhere, so she was just content to sit there snuggling with her and looking at the pictures of stars.
At least until she heard a knock at the door and she looked up to see a blonde woman there. She’d never met her, but she recognized her picture from the network. Chloe had done her homework and gone through posts on it.
“Yeah, that’s me. Who’s asking?”
Ilia wasn’t thinking that far ahead. It was way too much for her and she didn’t know what to do. She was just… going to do whatever she could and they would take it day by day.
As for Freya, she noticed the looks and she supposed it made sense. Apparently Kitty hadn’t given Chloe a heads up on her plan to show up. No matter.
“My name’s Freya. I’m a witch. Someone reached out to see if there was anyone who could help you. If you’re comfortable with it, I’m more than happy to heal you.”
She would figure out the rest after. Right now it was getting the okay to do the healing. Because that was important.
Chloe still had her arm around Ilia, not wanting to move it. She didn’t care what anyone thought of it. And maybe in a way it was also impulse to hold onto Ilia. Chloe was very slow to trust strangers, unless there was an instant connection like the one she’d formed with Ilia. So she was just naturally skeptical of the blonde woman just showing up.
“Heal me? That’s an option?” She asked, surprise evident on her face. She glanced at Ilia, then back to Freya. “If it means not being stuck in a bed for months, I’m totally for it. But...what about the doctors and all?”
Chloe may, under normal circumstances, look like a delinquent, but she was definitely not stupid by any stretch of the imagination. She well knew that being healed would be highly suspicious to her doctors and nurses.
Well lucky for Chloe and Ilia, Freya wasn’t judging and didn’t care if Chloe was holding something. This was a traumatizing event, why should she? Okay there were plenty of people who would and her parents were such people. But Freya was more focused on the issue at hand.
“It is.” As for the next question, “I’ll handle it.”
If that meant calling Finn to do compulsion or individual memory charms, so be it.
Judging people was terrible, and Chloe herself didn’t get judgmental. Unless, of course, people were just being complete assholes and were obvious racists or something of the sort. That was when Chloe got judgmental, but those kinds of people tended to deserve it.
“Then hell yes, I’m all for the healing.” It didn’t necessarily look like it at the moment, given she was comfortable there with Ilia, but Chloe was ready to bust the hell out of the hospital. It wouldn’t have been so bad if she’d only had one broken limb. But with an arm and a leg being broken, or rather her leg was essentially shattered, she couldn’t really run or use a wheelchair or crutches by herself.
Well some people deserved to be judged because there were times when people were horrible. But just for being true to yourself in such a situation? Hardly. Though Freya wasn’t too shocked that her offer would be accepted. The extent of the injuries were clearly extensive and Kitty had mentioned that Chloe would need months of physical therapy if someone hadn’t responded.
So nodding, Freya closed the door and pulled out some sage and crystals and began to do the spell.
Ilia had been uncertain of what to do, but as she hadn’t been told to get out of the way, she remained as she was and just watched. This place was really weird but hey, if this woman was willing to help? Then she wasn’t going to complain.
Chloe would’ve done anything to get out of the hospital quickly. And while she knew about magic given she lived with a magic-user, she’d never thought that there was healing magic that could get her back on her feet without needing to go through the months of physical therapy.
So she just remained still and let Freya do her spell. Though it was interesting to watch a spell being cast. Chloe was intrigued, though her attention was quickly pulled away from that as she felt the spell starting to work. Even though she was on morphine, she could tell her pain level was decreasing, as were symptoms of the concussion she’d suffered.
Once the spell was done, Freya snapped her fingers so that the cast and such disappeared as there was no more need for them. Compared to other spells she had done, this was really quite an easy one. That and she was at her full strength now, had full control. Which thank goodness for that.
“There you go.”
Once the casts disappeared, Chloe lifted her right arm, left hand gently brushing over where the cast had been. There was no pain, no sign that anything had even happened. She sat up even more and moved her right leg, feeling along it. It was the same.
“Holy shit,” she said. Even the bandage on her forehead was gone. Chloe gingerly got out of bed and stood up, careful just in case her leg wouldn’t hold her, but it did. “This is fucking amazing,” she commented, looking at Ilia, then looking to Freya. And not caring that they didn’t know each other, Chloe went over to Freya and hugged her. “Thank you.”
The only thing now was she needed her clothes. And to get her belongings back from Rachel, since she’d taken her lighter and cigarettes earlier.
Smiling some as Chloe took in the effects of being healed, Freya was suddenly caught unaware as she was hugged. Well, okay. That was unexpected but she went with it, returning the hug.
“You’re welcome.”
Because really now. There was no way someone should have to go through all of that, not when there were other options available.
Ilia was also stunned as she watched Chloe suddenly being okay and healed and that whatever this woman had done had actually worked and helped. She knew that things and abilities crossed over but it was still something else entirely to see happen.
Luckily for Chloe, there was a hospital bag that would have her clothing and items in it next to the hospital bed.
To say that this day hadn’t gone according to plan was an understatement. And to say that it had been a rollercoaster would also be an understatement. Sure, Chloe would still have lasting effects from the accident, but at least she wouldn’t have to deal with the months of rehab and pain at the same time.
“I really seriously appreciate this.” At least she could now get out of there. The place made her nervous, and she was absolutely dying for a cigarette or ten. So after grabbing the bag with her clothes, she went into the bathroom and changed, pausing to look overself. No bruising, no nothing. It was fascinating to her.
Once she was changed, she came back out and grabbed her phone, which Rachel had said was dead so she’d need to charge it later. But right now? All that mattered was getting out of there. And she actually smiled at both Freya and Ilia.
While Freya could heal the physical wounds, the emotional ones not so much. But still, it was something and she was just happy she’d been able to help in some small way. She had seen Tyler’s reaction when she had mentioned that she used her powers to help people. She knew how her family was in the Dreams. But this wasn’t the Dreams and if she could help someone? She would.
“Well, you’re more than welcome. I’m just happy I could help.”
As Chloe went to change, Freya sent a text to Finn about helping out with the doctors, which he agreed to. Excellent. Maybe she could help him with his vampire related issues here as well given how much he hated being one in the dreams. If she could show him that he could help people…
But then Chloe was back and she returned the smile.
“I’ll leave you two to it.”
And Ilia was just happy to see that Chloe was able to move and was up and about. Seeing her on the bed so still had been terrifying. She knew that there would be fall out from all of this, how could there not be? Especially given the conversation (in not so many words) about losing your parents and dreaming about them. But this was something.
So returning the smile, she then nodded at Freya’s comment.
“C’mon. Let’s get out of here.”
Non-physical wounds were always the hardest to get through. Chloe was trying not to think of what the coming days and weeks would bring in terms of her mental stability, but at least she wouldn’t have to tell Stefan and Joe that she couldn’t work for the foreseeable future anymore. Even if she’d probably be a little twitchy around cars, but she could deal with it.
Needing physical contact, Chloe moved over to Ilia, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. It felt amazing to be able to move again.
“Yeah, let’s get out of here.” Once they were outside and away from the hospital, they could contact Rachel and Jaina. Assuming that they didn’t run into them on the way out of course. For now, Chloe just wanted to get away from the hospital and be around the people she cared about.