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muse_shuffle: March Disc Two
Saturday, 22 March 2008 11:25 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
doctortara
9. I close my eyes, only for a moment, and the moment's gone (Kansas – ‘Dust in the Wind’)
When they rounded the corner towards the car park, they were suddenly intercepted. Veronica Hampton stepped out of the shadows off the building and stood in their path. Beyond how she was when Lachlan last ran into her, she now looked dishevelled and wide-eyed, pupils dark and dilated. She started to laugh and put a hand on her chest. "Aw, how sweet... the happy couple," she taunted, taking a few steps towards them. She seemed drunk. Or high. "The gossip is true. She is a pretty one. Far too pretty for you, Dr Campbell... Lachlan," she said with another bark of a laugh.
Lachlan took a step forward, but held his arm across in front of Tara. He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. "You're drunk, Ms Hampton. I think you should leave the premises, or I'll be forced to call security."
Brennan sucked in a small breath and let it out sharply, it condensing in a swirl before her as it hit the cold air. Who was this woman and why was she so familiar with Lachlan? Either way, the arm was enough to alert her that Lachlan's hackles had gone up over something and he was protecting her reflexively. The threat for security only served to increase the anxiousness in Brennan's gut, but she remained silent.
The woman only laughed again. "You're too fucking soft to call security," she taunted. "I've watched you, Lachlan. Every perfect little movement you make. You prefer to talk your way out of confrontation or bat your lovely little innocent eyelashes and hope it all goes away without a fight. You'll fight for your patients, though. For their lives, at least."
She gave a sneering smile. "Will you fight for your perfect little fiancée?" Before Lachlan had a chance to further react, the woman had brandished a small revolver from her purse, the bag dropping to the floor as she aimed it far-too-accurately at Tara.
It all happened in a split second. Lachlan jumped in front of Tara and roughly shoved her out of the way at the exact moment the crazed woman pulled the trigger. With a sharp firing crack, Lachlan was shot, the bullet hitting him in the stomach and sent him sprawling onto the concrete below.
Brennan screamed in horror, launching herself towards Lachlan. She didn't hear or see the woman drop the gun and flee in the opposite direction. "No!" she screamed, hunching over Lachlan' crumpled body and clutching at the front of his shirt which was rapidly turning a deep shade of red. "No, please God, no! Lachie!" She shook him a little, any medical skills evading her.
He was unconscious. Unresponsive. Tears were streaming down her face as she pressed a shaking finger to his throat. There was a pulse, but barely. "Oh my god, don't you dare fucking die on me, Lachlan! Don't you fucking dare!" she sobbed heavily and looked around frantically. "SOMEBODY HELP ME!" she screamed with a desperate sob.
Brennan shot awake, a sob caught in her throat and echoing in the darkness of the room. Tears were streaming down her face, mingling with a heavy sweat born from the nightmare. She fumbled to turn on the lamp on the nightstand, dragging in a raspy breath and she clutched at her throat which was now burning. Had she been screaming? Her heart was thumping in her chest and throbbing in her ears, meeting the ringing that overtook the silence.
The room was now bathed in a soft light. Beside her, Lachlan was curled up in a ball amongst the covers. With a shaky hand, she reached to gently touch his throat, feeling for a pulse. The gentle throb, throb of his heartbeat met her touch and she let out a catchy breath she’d been holding. Deep down she knew she would always feel the pulse. Whenever the nightmares woke her, it was the same thing… she had to know he was alive and safe. She leaned over and kissed his forehead, her eyes falling closed as her lips met the soft skin. When she pulled back she softly touched his hair, his cheek, his shoulder, his arm. He was still there, he was breathing, there was no blood, no gun…
After a few more moments watching the gentle rise and fall of his chest as he slept deeply, she turned out the light and curled herself around his warm and comforting form. “Dear god, please don’t ever try to take him from me again,” she whispered into her pillow, which was now dampening further from those tears that always came in the aftermath.
| Italicised recount co-written with![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
drcampbell and used with permission |
Muse | Dr Tara Brennan (Original Character)
Fandom | House, M.D.
Word Count | 772
When they rounded the corner towards the car park, they were suddenly intercepted. Veronica Hampton stepped out of the shadows off the building and stood in their path. Beyond how she was when Lachlan last ran into her, she now looked dishevelled and wide-eyed, pupils dark and dilated. She started to laugh and put a hand on her chest. "Aw, how sweet... the happy couple," she taunted, taking a few steps towards them. She seemed drunk. Or high. "The gossip is true. She is a pretty one. Far too pretty for you, Dr Campbell... Lachlan," she said with another bark of a laugh.
Lachlan took a step forward, but held his arm across in front of Tara. He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. "You're drunk, Ms Hampton. I think you should leave the premises, or I'll be forced to call security."
Brennan sucked in a small breath and let it out sharply, it condensing in a swirl before her as it hit the cold air. Who was this woman and why was she so familiar with Lachlan? Either way, the arm was enough to alert her that Lachlan's hackles had gone up over something and he was protecting her reflexively. The threat for security only served to increase the anxiousness in Brennan's gut, but she remained silent.
The woman only laughed again. "You're too fucking soft to call security," she taunted. "I've watched you, Lachlan. Every perfect little movement you make. You prefer to talk your way out of confrontation or bat your lovely little innocent eyelashes and hope it all goes away without a fight. You'll fight for your patients, though. For their lives, at least."
She gave a sneering smile. "Will you fight for your perfect little fiancée?" Before Lachlan had a chance to further react, the woman had brandished a small revolver from her purse, the bag dropping to the floor as she aimed it far-too-accurately at Tara.
It all happened in a split second. Lachlan jumped in front of Tara and roughly shoved her out of the way at the exact moment the crazed woman pulled the trigger. With a sharp firing crack, Lachlan was shot, the bullet hitting him in the stomach and sent him sprawling onto the concrete below.
Brennan screamed in horror, launching herself towards Lachlan. She didn't hear or see the woman drop the gun and flee in the opposite direction. "No!" she screamed, hunching over Lachlan' crumpled body and clutching at the front of his shirt which was rapidly turning a deep shade of red. "No, please God, no! Lachie!" She shook him a little, any medical skills evading her.
He was unconscious. Unresponsive. Tears were streaming down her face as she pressed a shaking finger to his throat. There was a pulse, but barely. "Oh my god, don't you dare fucking die on me, Lachlan! Don't you fucking dare!" she sobbed heavily and looked around frantically. "SOMEBODY HELP ME!" she screamed with a desperate sob.
Brennan shot awake, a sob caught in her throat and echoing in the darkness of the room. Tears were streaming down her face, mingling with a heavy sweat born from the nightmare. She fumbled to turn on the lamp on the nightstand, dragging in a raspy breath and she clutched at her throat which was now burning. Had she been screaming? Her heart was thumping in her chest and throbbing in her ears, meeting the ringing that overtook the silence.
The room was now bathed in a soft light. Beside her, Lachlan was curled up in a ball amongst the covers. With a shaky hand, she reached to gently touch his throat, feeling for a pulse. The gentle throb, throb of his heartbeat met her touch and she let out a catchy breath she’d been holding. Deep down she knew she would always feel the pulse. Whenever the nightmares woke her, it was the same thing… she had to know he was alive and safe. She leaned over and kissed his forehead, her eyes falling closed as her lips met the soft skin. When she pulled back she softly touched his hair, his cheek, his shoulder, his arm. He was still there, he was breathing, there was no blood, no gun…
After a few more moments watching the gentle rise and fall of his chest as he slept deeply, she turned out the light and curled herself around his warm and comforting form. “Dear god, please don’t ever try to take him from me again,” she whispered into her pillow, which was now dampening further from those tears that always came in the aftermath.
| Italicised recount co-written with
drcampbell and used with permission |Muse | Dr Tara Brennan (Original Character)
Fandom | House, M.D.
Word Count | 772