In the Dark
1935 Words
Darkness
Total, suffocating darkness
Then his hand on my wrist
Hot, Possessive, Familiar in a way that made my stomach flip
Damien: low “Don’t move.”
Me:bwhispering “Let go of me.”
He didn’t.
The emergency lights clicked on Red Dim Painting, everything in blood color
His face was 6 inches from mine
Grey eyes scanning me like he was memorizing every line
Damien: “You’re shaking.”
Me: “It’s cold.”
Damien: “It’s 74 degrees.”
I yanked my wrist out of his grip, My skin burned where he touched me
Me: “Code Black means lockdown, I have to check on patients.”
I turned to leave and he stepped in front of me, blocking the door
Damien: “No. You stay here with me.”
Me: “Excuse me?”
Damien: “CEO orders, This floor is secure, No one in, no one out. Until we know what’s happening.”
His voice was Alpha Commanding,
The kind of voice I used to obey without thinking
Not anymore
Me: “I’m the Head of ER, My job is to make sure my people are safe.”
Damien: “And my job is to make sure YOU are safe.”
We stared at each other
The alarm kept screaming. WEE WOO WEE WOO
Finally he sighed and ran a hand through his hair
He looked exhausted, Older than 27
Damien: “Fine, We’ll check together but you don’t leave my sight.”
We did rounds
All 12 bays, All 4 patients, All the nurses accounted for
Every time we rounded a corner, he was right behind me.
Every time a door creaked, his body moved in front of mine
Like he was shielding me
Nurse Kemi: Over radio “Dr. Vale? You okay? We’re locked in the break room.”
Me: Into radio “We’re good, Stay put, this is probably just a drill.”
Damien: After I hang up “You don’t think it’s a drill.”
Me: “And you do?”
He didn’t answer, He just kept walking
We ended up back in Trauma Bay 1, The only room with chairs
The red lights made his jaw look sharper, Made the scar on his knuckle look newer.
He sat down, Gestured to the chair next to him
Damien: “Sit. Please.”
Please??
He never said please before
I sat far away, As far as the small room allowed
For 10 minutes neither of us spoke, Just the alarm
Then he broke
Damien: “You remind me of someone.”
My heart stopped
Me: “A lot of people say that.”
Damien: “No. Not like this.” He turned to look at me. “It’s your eyes,the way you hold a scalpel, the way you get this line right here” He pointed to the spot between my brows. “when you’re concentrating.”
Me:laughing, but it sounded wrong “I’m flattered but I’m not her.”
Damien: “I know, She’s dead.”
The word hit me like a punch
Dead?
I had to remind myself to breathe
Damien: quiet “Aria, My mate, She died 3 years ago.”
Me: “I’m sorry.”
Damien: “Are you? Sorry?”
I looked at him, I really looked
He didn’t look like the monster from my memories right now, he looked broken.
Damien: “I bought this hospital because it was the last place she worked, Before, before the accident.”
Me: my throat was closing “That’s sad.”
Damien: “Is it? Sad that a man is obsessed with a ghost?”
He leaned forward, elbows on his knees
Damien: “I dream about her, Every night, She’s bleeding and I’m too late and I can’t” He cut himself off, Shook his head
Damien: “Forget it, You don’t need my trauma dump.”
Me: Soft, before I could stop myself “You loved her.”
It wasn’t a question
He looked up at me and for a second the CEO mask was gone
Just Damien, the boy I thought I knew
lDamien: “More than my own life and I ruined it.”
The alarm finally stopped
Silence, Heavy and loud
Security over speaker: “Code Black lifted, False alarm, Faulty wiring, You may resume normal operations.”
Relief flooded the room
I stood up too fast
Me: “I should”
Damien: “Wait.”
His hand caught mine again, This time gentler
He turned my hand over, Looked at the faint white scar on my wrist
A scar I got the night I lost our baby
Damien:barely a whisper“Where did you get this?”
Panic shot through me
Me: “Kitchen accident, Years ago.”
I pulled away
Damien:“It looks like”
Me: Cutting him off, too sharp “It looks like a scar, CEO Cross, Can I go now?”
His eyes flashed, Anger? Hurt?
Damien: “Yeah, Go.”
I made it to the door before he spoke again
Damien: “Dr. Vale.”
Me: Not turning “What?”
Damien: “Night shift again tomorrow?”
Me: “Yes.”
Damien: “I’ll be here.”
I walked out
Didn’t breathe until I was in the locker room
I locked the door,Sank to the floor
My hands were shaking so bad I couldn’t take off my gloves
He knows, He has to know but he doesn’t, He would’ve said something
My phone buzzed,it is Lila calling
Lila: “Are you alive? I saw the Code Black alert.”
Me: “I’m fine, False alarm.”
Lila: “And him? Was he there?”
Me: “Yeah.”
Lila:“Aria... are you sure this was a good idea? Working at his hospital?”
Me: Staring at my scar “I don't know anymore.”
I got home at 7am
Showered for 40 minutes
Tried to scrub his scent off me
It didn’t work.
The next night I told myself I’d call in sick,
I didn’t
Because I’m an i***t and because running again felt like letting him win
1:30 AM
He was already there,Sitting in my ER, With two coffees
Damien: “Black, No sugar, You looked like you needed it yesterday.”
Me: Taking it despite myself “Thanks.”
Damien: “Don’t mention it.”
We fell into a rhythm
He’d do paperwork, I’d do rounds
Every hour or so he’d “coincidentally” be in the same hallway as me
Damien: “You’re good with kids.” watching me talk to a 6 year old
Me: “I like kids.”
Damien: “Aria did too,She wanted” He stopped
Me: Quiet “Wanted what?”
Damien:“Nothing, Forget it.”
At 4 AM things got busy, Car accident,3 patients
We worked together, No words, Just movement.
Handing me tools, Me telling him where to apply pressure
When it was over, we were both covered in blood not ours
He looked at me, he really looked
Damien: “You’re incredible, you know that?”
Me: Caught off guard “I’m just doing my job.”
Damien: “No. You’re saving lives like it’s the only thing keeping you alive.”
He was too close
I could see gold flecks in his grey eyes
I could smell him under the blood and antiseptic.
My suppressants were wearing off,
I could feel it
Damien: Inhaling slowly “You smell different tonight.”
Oh god
Me: Stepping back “I should go check”
Damien: “Aria.”
He said my name
My real name
I froze
Me: “My name is Aria VALE.”
Damien: “I know but you just flinched when I said it.”
He stood up, Slowly.
Damien: “I’m not crazy, Doctor, I’ve spent 3 years looking for her, In every face, In every voice.”
He took a step toward me
Damien: “And I think I found her.”
Me: Backing up till I hit the wall “You’re wrong.”
Damien: “Am I?”
Another step
Damien: “Then why are you scared of me?”
Me: “I’m not scared of you.”
Damien: “Liar.”
He was right in front of me now
No one else in the ER, Just us and the monitors
Damien: Whisper “Tell me I’m wrong, Look me in the eyes and tell me you’re not her.”
I opened my mouth
To lie
To run
The doors slammed open
Dr. Ethan Cole: Out of breath “Aria! Thank God, There’s a”
He stopped when he saw us, Me cornered against the wall. Damien too close
Ethan’s eyes narrowed
Ethan: “Is everything okay here?”
Damien didn’t move, Didn’t look away from me
Damien: “We’re fine, Dr. Cole. Doctor and CEO discussing patient care.”
The word “CEO” was a warning
Back off, She’s mine
Ethan didn’t back off
Ethan: “Right!! Well, we have a ruptured appendix in Bay 3 Need you, Aria.”
He said my name like he owned it,
Damien’s jaw ticked
Me: Ducking under Damien’s arm “Coming.”
As I walked past him, he caught my wrist again
But this time he leaned in, Close to my ear.
Damien:So only I could here
"Am going to figure it out and when I do, we're going to talk about why you died on me
He let go and walked out
- Writer
