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jishwatylrandtop · 6 years

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Open Late--Josh Dun Imagine

new josh dun x reader fic in which you are a vet who happens to find the dog of a famous drummer. Pairing: Josh Dun x Reader Words: 1,174 Pt. coming soon

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(Your POV)

It was an emergency that brought you in early to the clinic. Normal hours were 8 to 5 which left you plenty of time afterward to, you know, live your life, but your mom had woken you up at 6:00 saying her best friend’s cat was sick and asked if you could meet early cause “Y/n she’s really worried about her cat, and she’s a really good friend of mine. Please, I know it’s early, but I really need you to do this for me.” It’s not like you could say no to your mother, especially when she’s so upset, so that’s what brought you into the clinic at 6:30.

It was also an emergency that kept you there late. You were just about close the clinic, in fact, you were in the middle of locking the doors when a stranger ran up to you in a panic saying that his dog was just hit by a car, and he really needed your help. It wasn’t too serious, but a femur needed to be surgically fixed and placed in a cast. Despite the stranger’s thankfulness, you were just slightly resentful of the fact he kept you an extra five hours. You loved your job, really you did, but 16 hours on your feet was not something you want to do constantly.

You were only a block from the clinic when something got your attention. You could hear small whimpers coming from the alleyway on your left. You don’t normally walk into alleyways alone at night, but the whimpers sounded distinctly dog like, and as a vet, it was your duty to take care of animals. You couldn’t leave an animal alone on a night when it was supposed to drop below 0. You were cautious, it could’ve been a trap after all, there were plenty of guys skeezy enough in your town to pull something like that, but you walked into the alley.

Halfway down the alley, a small dog, a retriever puppy, was shivering against the wall. You attempted to pet it, but it shied away and whimpered, but being a vet can come in handy, and in this case, you always had a bag of treats in your purse. Holding out a treat to the dog, “c’mon little guy, I won’t hurt you. Just wanna make sure you don’t freeze.” A few minutes later, some coaxing, and half a bag of treats later, the dog was placed on the lead you keep in your bag, and you were on your way home.

It didn’t take as long as you thought to get home; the puppy was surprisingly well trained. You apartment was smaller than you would like, but owning your own business was already hard enough on your expenses, there’s no telling what a bigger apartment, let alone one you didn’t need-- you were single after all, would do to your finances. As you walked up the stairs, you worried just a little about the prospect of this puppy meeting your yellow lab and husky. Man you really hoped this dog was friendly. You unlocked the door, and led the dog inside. Immediately the sound of your dogs’ feet hit your ears, and you silently prayed to any god that this doesn’t end in a dog fight. To your enjoyment, the three dogs hit it off, and immediately chase each other around. This gives you a few minutes to shower, change, and start getting food. The dogs come running, sniffing around your feet for scraps, and it’s then that you realized they still needed to be fed, so before the water boiled for your mac and cheese, you give the dogs some kibble and water, and turn back to the stove.

After finishing your dinner, you grab the puppy you find and place him on the couch. “Alright little guy, I just wanna check you out, but first let me see what your tag says.” You grab his tag, hoping to see some contact information. ‘Jim Dun, E.S.A, contact (614) xxx-xxxx if found.’ “Your owner is definitely missing you. Let’s get you checked out, and then I’ll call them and let them know your safe.” You spend a couple of minutes checking the puppy out, and you grab your phone. Checking the clock as you press the phone to your ear, you realize its a really late. “I really hope they pick up,” you mutter to the sleeping puppy on your lap as the phone rings in your ear. “Hello?” “Hello, sir. Um.. my name’s Y/n. I found your dog this evening in an alley down the street from my veterinary clinic, and I just wanted to call and let you know that he’s currently at my apartment, safe and fed.” “Oh thank god! I’ve been looking for him for hours. I’m Josh, would it be possible for me to come pick him up. I know it’s late, so we can wait until tomorrow, but I kinda really want him back.” “Of course, sir. I’d like to bring him into my clinic tomorrow to make sure that everything is good. It was almost freezing when I found him, so I’d just want to make sure he’s alright. You could come pick him up tomorrow from the clinic.” “Oh thank you,” Josh replied, “what is the name of your clinic, so I can come pick him up?” “Oh right. It’s called Freedom Animal Clinic. On Main Street. I open at 8:00, so you could stop by at 8:30 to come by and take your dog back.” “Thanks again, Y/n. I guess I’ll see you tomorrow. Oh, by the way, Jim can’t sleep unless he’s in the same bed as you, in fact, he’s trained not to, so good luck.” “Thanks for the heads up, Josh. See you tomorrow, 8:30.” “Good night y/n” Night Josh.”

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The feeling of a warm tongue was what woke you at 6:00. The little retriever puppy was resting his head on your chest and occasionally licked your chin. It would have been adorable had he not woken you up earlier than normal, but since he was young and really cute you gave him a pat on the head and climbed out of bed. Jim followed you around the apartment all morning. Even laying on the bath mat as you showered. At 7:15, each dog was given their breakfast, and were allowed 15 minutes of playtime before you put the lead around Jim’s neck and walked him out the door.

By 8:00 you were at the clinic, greeting your receptionist with a smile and a wave as you headed to your office at the back of the clinic. You grabbed your coat, placed you stuff down, and lead the doc to one of the exam tables. A couple of your vet assistants moved in and out of the rooms with questions, paperwork, and samples from recent patients, and talked through your day. at 8:15 the clinic doors open, and since you were the only vet there currently (your friend and co-owner took a week vacation to cabo with her boyfriend) all the animals came to you. You tied Jim to the chair in the corner, and he was so well behaved that you were able to see two animals before 8:45 which was a record. You were almost done with a cat who needed a couple vaccines when your receptionist Kylie walked in to inform you that a man had come in saying that his lost dog was here. “He says you called him last night, but I don’t know if we should trust him.” It took a few seconds to process what she was telling you, but once you recalled your phone conversation and remembered the dog currently napping on the floor across the room, you told her that you’d be out in a few minutes, and that she should inform him that he needed to fill out some paperwork for Jim’s exam.

Ten minutes later, you came out of the room with the frazzled, and now grumpy cat, handed him to the owner with the instructions that the cone needs to be kept on for week, and placed the file in Kylie’s basket. “The one who came in for the dog, can I have that file?” Kylie handed you a file, and looking it over, you called “Josh Dun?” “That’s me” he called in reply. You look up, and spot the man with a baseball cap pulled pretty far down over his face. As you are ready to instruct him to follow you to the back, he takes off his cap, revealing bright yellow hair and a beautiful smile. Oh no you think. He’s really hot. “If you--” you cleared your throat “If you could follow me I’ll show you to the room where I’ll examine Jim.” He followed closely as you kept your head buried in the paperwork because holy crap he’s hot and I look like I just rolled out of bed, and he’s making me flustered. What do I do? You walked into the room, untied Jim from the chair, and placed him on the table. You stayed silent as you examined him, so that you didn’t miss anything, and ten minutes later you grabbed his chart from the end of the table, and marked that he had a clean bill of health. “Jim looks great, there’s nothing wrong with him that I could tell. No side effects from being outside or anything. Are there any existing conditions you would like me to check up on?” “You’ve done more than enough already” he said as you glanced up from Jim’s chart. “Thank you for everything, y/n, really. He’s very important to me, and I don’t want to imagine what would have happened had you not found him.” “Yes, I noticed he was an ESA.” You looked up and met his eyes “that could have ended quite poorly, but you don’t have to thank me, Josh, I was just doing my job.” He smiled at you as he placed Jim on the floor, and you blushed because wow what an adorable smile. “Y/n?” He put a hand on your arm to stop you from walking out of the room, but it was gentle, warm, and your face flushed again. “Would you let me show you just how thankful I am? I’d uh-- I’d like to take you out to lunch sometime or something.” He looked away and scratched the back of his neck--a sign of nervousness you immediately picked up on, and so did Jim as he nudged Josh’s other hand with his snout. “I mean you don’t have to, this is clearly an unusual circumstance, but I’d really love to take you on a date because you’re cute and smart and attractive, and.....I’m starting to ramble.” You shook your head, an amused smile on your face. “Josh, I’d love to go to lunch with you.” You blushed a little as he smiled that smile again, released the breath he was holding and spoke again. “Awesome! What time works best for you?” “I get off at about 1:00 for my lunch break. If that works for you?” “Yeah that works” he said following you out of the office. You lead him to the door, and as he was leaving, he turned around, smiled again, and said “thanks again! I’ll see you soon!” And just like that, he turned the corner, Jim in tow, and vanished from sight.

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It was hard not to get distracted for the rest of the day, considering a really hot guy asked you out, but 12:30 came around, which was your last scheduled appointment before lunch, and the excitement seemed to triple. You did the workup, gave the necessary shots and medicines, checked the x-ray, and sent the owner and the dog out the door at 1:05. Just as you finished cleaning, Kylie poked her head into the room to tell you that she was taking her break and that “the cute yellowed haired guy came back for you he’s waiting in the sitting room. I’ll let him know you’re almost ready.” You thanked her as she threw you a wink and left to go on lunch. You ducked into the back room to gather your bag and to remove your coat. You checked your hair and makeup, and made your way to the front room.

You were met with a smile when you walked into the room. He was dog-less now, but he was still as handsome as this morning. “You’ll have to forgive me” you began “I wasn’t expecting a date today, so I kinda look like I just rolled out of bed.” It was true since you only had on a pair of leggings and a low cut sweater. “Cut yourself a break, y/n. You literally took my breath away this morning when I saw you.” You blush as his eyes widen in shock, and you hear him whisper “I was not supposed to say that out loud.” “It’s okay, Josh. I’m flattered, really. To be completely honest, you were not what I was expecting when I called you last night.” He just smiled as you closed the door, locked it, and began the walk to his car. “So...where are we going?” “There’s this really small cafe on the edge of town that I like. I’d thought I’d take you there” he replied as he opened the car door for you. “Sounds perfect.” You sat in silence for a few minutes as he made his way out of the town, and since the silence wasn’t uncomfortable, as you thought it would be, you did not expect it to be broken. Which is why you were so startled when he said “so what did you expect, you know, when you called?” “I expected some college douchebag or something. Someone bland. I don’t know it’s stupid.” “So I’m not bland or a douchebag? Well that’s good to know” he chuckled. It was at this moment he pulled up to a small cafe bistro about ten minutes outside of town. The cafe front was floor to ceiling with an awning above the door that read ‘LA LA Land Cafe and Bistro.’ The front had about five tables, each with a small floral centerpiece and beautiful place settings. As Josh talked to the hostess about seating, you got a look around the inside. It was quaint, but despite being small, it had a very homey feel. The interior was themed around light blue and white. The floors were marble with light blue walls. The counters and table were all red oak wood. Fairy lights were strung throughout the whole cafe. The whole things was quite beautiful, and just the place you imagined going on a first date.

The hostess led you and Josh to the table in the back corner, as per the request of Josh, and sat you down. “I get you both some waters, and I’ll come to take your orders shortly” the waitress said with a smile as she turned to leave. You and Josh read the menu in relative silence, and when the waitress returned, you both ordered your food. As she turned to leave, she winked at Josh which sent an unnecessary and shocking volt of jealousy through you. He didn’t seem to notice though, as he was focused on you. “So,” he began, “what led you to become a veterinarian?” That question started off all the conversation. You told him about how you had a pet die when you were young and that had started your career path. The two of you went back and forth about hobbies and interests. The conversation flowed relatively smoothly until the topic of his job came up. When you asked what he did for a living, he paused for about a minute before responding with “I mess around with music,” and he changed the topic as he asked you another question. You couldn’t help but wonder why he’d hesitated, and now that you were thinking about him, you couldn’t but to wonder why he’d had his hat pulled far over his head while he sat in your waiting room and why he’d taken you outside the main city to visit this restaurant when there were plenty of these small cafes in the city, in fact there were like four on the same street as your clinic. It seemed like he was hiding something. It was like he didn’t want to be seen, like he was hiding his face for some reason, and of course, being a single woman and all, warning bells went off as you came to that conclusion. People don’t usually try to hide in public without reason, and the only reason that came to your mind was serial killer or rapist, neither of which you wanted to be around. It was then that you noticed him staring at you, a look of concern on his face. “Y/n, what’s wrong?”

He must have seen your worry on your face because he just stared at you as he waited for your answer. You didn’t think it’d be a good idea to ask if he was a criminal, but you couldn’t help yourself when you asked “are you a serial killer or something? Because I noticed earlier you were trying to hide your face in my clinic, and then you take me out to the edges of town when there are tons of small cafes in the middle of Columbus, and when I asked what you do, you hesitated like you were coming up with a lie. I mean, what does ‘mess around with music even mean’? I’m sorry, this is so bad. I don’t even know you. I should be leaving.” You stood up as you swallowed down a breath because God knows that whole rant took one breath, but before you could turn he gently placed his hand on yours. “Y/n, I see where you’re coming from, but I promise I’m not a serial killer or anything. Please, sit down and let me explain.” He seemed extremely anxious, and despite your instincts telling you to flee before he poisoned you or something, you hesitantly sat back down. “I know it’s suspicious of me to do all of that stuff, and I can see how you could assume I’m some type of criminal, but I’ve been doing all this for a reason.” He released a huge breath, like he was trying to calm himself down, and before he continued, he rubbed the back of his neck in that endearing way again. “I’m sorry about all this, but I knew you didn’t know who I was, and it was naive of me to believe that I could be this selfish without consequences. It’s just that being a famous drummer doesn’t really make life, especially dating, easy for me, and you not knowing who I was really showed me that you were interested in plain, old Josh Dun, and not Josh Dun the Drummer of famous musical duo Twenty One Pilots.” His faced was downcast, and you could tell he was really upset. You felt horrible. He just wanted to go out on a nice date with someone, and you had to ruin it with your paranoia. God, were you an idiot. “Josh?” You hesitate as he looks up and meets your eyes. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize... I mean what kind of idiot asks someone if they’re a serial killer? I’m so sorry i accused you of that, I was just worried... and I know that’s no excuse. I understand if you want to leave. I won’t be offended. I know that was so bad, and I’m really sorry...” you trailed off into silence, afraid you’d embarrass yourself and him even further. An agonizing twenty seconds passed before he broke out into a huge smile. “It’s okay, y/n, I get it. I just hope you aren’t put off by the whole ‘famous’ thing. The paparazzi could be photographing us at this very moment. It can get kinda obnoxious.” “Oh, please. Having photos taken of me is no big deal as long as I’m with you.” You choose to ignore how totally creepy that sounded. “Besides, you’re a drummer? That’s totally hot.” He blushed, smiled, and replied with a small laugh as you blushed in horror at having said that at loud. It was then the waitress came to take your orders. She took yours first, barely hiding her disdain for you, but you thought it was simply because you two were currently the only ones in her section, and therefore, were the cause of her actually having to do her job, but you were quickly proven wrong as she turned to Josh with the brightest smile on her face. “What can I get for you, sir?” The way she said sir bothered you. She was blatantly flirting with him right in front of you, as if you weren’t currently on a date with him. She smiled the entire time Josh was ordering, and as she walked away she winked and said “I’ll have that right out to you, sir, as fast as possible.” She walked away, her hips swaying almost comically, and you glared with all your might as she walked away. How dare she do that? You were very clearly here on a date, and she just up and flirts without any hesitation what a bi- “What’s wrong?” Josh’s question interrupted your inner monologue, and you again turned to face him. “What do you mean?” “Your face right then was the embodiment of ‘if looks could kill.” He smiled reassuringly. “Do you know her? Why do you look so upset?” His questions confused you because he was clearly aware she had been flirting hadn’t he? No one is that oblivious. No way did he not know. “You’re aware that our waitress has been flirting with you this entire time right?” “No.” He deadpanned. “She was?” You responded with and almost hysterical laugh. “Of course she was. The smiles and the winks and the slightly sexual way she called you sir were all clues. You seriously couldn’t tell?” “No I couldn’t tell because I was only paying attention to you.” He smiled as you blushed. “I’m sorry that the waitress’ flirting made you jealous.” He smirked as you gaped. “Jealous? I was not jealous. I was just---uh---just upset that she would have the audacity---that she could so blatantly flirt with you while we were obviously on a date.” You weren’t exactly lying, but you could tell that Josh didn’t believe you. “Whatever you say.” He smirked again as your waitress, Brittany, as you actually looked, slammed your plate down in front of you. You then watched as she gently placed Josh’s food down in front of him, slowly leaned over to whisper something in his ear, and seductively, or as much as she could manage, walk away. You turned back to Josh to be greeted by downcast eyes and a frown.

You began to eat as you waited for him to tell you what that bitch said, but he only began to eat. After a couple minutes in silence, while you subtly glanced at him every few seconds, you decided to ask “Josh? What did she want?” He put his sandwich down, and wiped his hands clean before answering, almost like he was stalling for time. “Well...she said that if I wanted better company that I could call her.” He said it quietly, like he knew that it would set you off, and set you off it did. You blood boiled with anger. How dare she? The flirting, that could have been misread or misunderstood, but this? This was a new low. To directly tell Josh that she was a better option was rude and insulting. Who does she think she is? But as you thought about it, it began to make sense. She was 6x prettier than you. She had a better body, a less busy job. She seemed like the perfect type for a guy like him. Why shouldn’t he go for it. It wasn’t like this date was gonna turn into anything. He was just thanking you. How could someone like Josh ever date someone as plain and ugly as you? “I’m gonna go to the bathroom” you supplied as you realized you had been sitting quietly for a couple of minutes.

You found the restroom on the far side of the building, perfect. You called yourself an Uber, not wanting to inconvenience Josh anymore today, and washed your hands. As you moved toward the door, it swung open, almost hitting you in the process, and Brittany stepped inside. Of fucking course. “Oh it’s you?” she said. She eyed you up and down, sizing you up, scouting the competition. “I’m surprised to see you in here, while there’s a hot piece out there waiting for you. Or maybe not. Maybe he left because how could someone like that ever go out with someone like you. He’s an 11, and you’re a...” she paused, like she was contemplating, “a 4 on a good day. You shouldn’t even bother with him. It’ll never work.” She giggled and continued, “it’s your first date right?” She paused again waiting for an answer. After your refusal to respond she continued, “I thought so.” She smirked like an evil villain. This shit reminded you too much of high school. “You should just quit while you’re ahead.” With that, she went into a stall. Your phone buzzed in your hand, alerting you that your Uber had arrived, yet you stood there, tears threatening to spill, until you heard the flushing of a toilet. You stepped out of the bathroom before she came out, and headed back to the table. Josh looked up from his food as you approached, and was about to say something, but you cut him off. “Here’s twenty dollars for my meal” you said with pleasant detachment. “Thanks for taking me to lunch,” and with that you turned and left, getting straight into the Uber that was waiting for you.

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It was only a ten minute drive until you arrived back at the clinic. You stepped out, thanked the Uber driver, and opened the door. Kylie had already returned, and was about to ask about the date when you interjected “cancel all appointments for the rest of the week. I won’t be at work until Lili returns from Cabo. You have the rest of the week off. Don’t worry, you’ll get paid. I’m going home,” and with that, you turned down the hallway to gather your stuff. You turned of lights and computers as you made your way back to the front, where Kylie was tidying her work station. “Is everything okay, Miss y/n?” Kylie asked as you headed toward the door. “Yes, Kylie, everything is okay. Please lock the door and turn off all the lights when you leave. Thank you.” She gave you a small nod, and you began your walk home. As you walked the tears finally began to fall. It was stupid letting that stupid waitress get into your head, but it was no question that she was right, and now you’ve lost all chances with Josh, which was probably for the best. The twenty minute walk to you apartment felt like three hours as you spent every second thinking about Josh and that stupid fucking waitress and how you were no good and stupid. It was exhausting, which is why you arrived home at 3:30, fed the dogs, and fell right into bed.

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(Josh’s POV)

I watched her get into the car and leave. What was that all about? Her meal was half finished, and we were enjoying ourselves, at least I thought so. So why did she leave? The twenty she left for her food was sitting next to her plate, and I was so confused because she knew this was a date, and that I was paying. Why would she do that? What happened in the last ten minutes that made her want to leave as fast as she can? I turn my head to the left just in time to see our waitress exit the bathroom and smile at me. What was he deal anyway? She was headed in my direction when I realized that the waitress had just come out of the bathroom with y/n. She must have said something to y/n.

She stopped in front of the table with a smile and said “can I get you anything else? How about you...” she trailed off as she turned to y/n’s empty seat. She tried to conceal her smile as she turned back toward me and said, with so much innocence “Will she be coming back?” It was her tone, the way she obviously new the answer, that really infuriated me. “I don’t think she will...” I glanced at the Brittany written on her name tag for the first time, “Jessica.” She frowned at the obvious wrong name. “You wouldn’t happen to know everything about that would you?” “I don’t know what you mean?” It was sly--her usage of the phrase--it was meant as a challenge, and I was too upset to back down. “What did you say to her?” I demanded, my tone holding nothing but barely contained outrage. “Well...” she started as she took the seat across from me, where minutes ago y/n sat. It mad the anger even more prominent in my mind, “I ran into her in the bathroom, and we talked for a while.” She stopped there, still smiling. Another challenge. “And what did you talk about, Sarah?” She frowned again. “Well I just told her how she was wasting her time with you. She doesn’t deserve you. A hag like that shouldn’t have even gotten a date with someone as hot as you.” She squeezed my bicep, an obvious flirtation despite my recognizable anger. “I told her she should quit while she was ahead because a guy like you would never stay with someone as bland as her.” She gave a small smile, “why date that whore when you can have someone like me, someone who will give you everything you could ever want.” She giggled, then whispered “I’m surprisingly flexible, you know?” “You know what, Nancy?” I pried her fingers from my arm. “I wouldn’t touch someone like you with a thirty foot pole. Good luck busking tables, I have a hot veterinarian to find.” With that I stood, dropped money for the rest of the check, and made my way out of the cafe.

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The ten minute drive back to the clinic seemed to take forever, and when I got there the receptionist, Kylie, was locking up. “Where’s y/n?” She jumped first, with shock, then turned. “Wouldn’t you like to know?” She glared at me, obviously she had heard that this date didn’t go well. “Look, this wasn’t my fault, okay. Our waitress kept telling y/n that she didn’t deserve me or something like that, and I think y/n believed her or something. I really need to see her. I need to tell her that the bitch was wrong.” Kylie hesitated, obviously thinking things over.”Okay, she isn’t planning on working for the rest of the week, but if your dog happens to have an emergency I’m sure she would take your call.” With that she left, turning the corner a few moments later. She was telling me I could call y/n, but she didn’t give me a number. I turned to leave, but a sign on the door caught my attention. ‘Clinic closed for the week. Appointments have been rescheduled. In case of emergency call doctor Y/L/N at (555)***-****.’ This was it. I entered the number into my phone and drove home.

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PT. 2 coming soon

#josh dun imagine #josh dun x reader #twenty one pilots #21p #josh dun #tyler joseph

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serensama · 7 years

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To Mourn #1

Because apparently I’m a complete masochist, this is my tragedy series. There will be no happy ending for MC or her RFA cohorts. In this series, I will endeavour to answer the question:

How would the RFA + CO cope with the knowledge that MC died in their place?

Don’t worry everyone- I’m already dead inside from just typing that. Come and join me in my own personal MM hell. Dedicating this series to the lovely @weirdballoftrash my resident angst child who has been with me since my first 100 followers. Bless you honey. Thank you for your never ending support. I am grateful to know you.

This will include: 1) Angst. Tragedy. Character Death. 2) Mention of suicide.

I wonder if you’d miss me when I’m gone

It’s come to this, release me

I’ll leave before the dawn.

But for tonight, I’ll stay here with you

Yes for tonight, I’ll lay here with you

But when the sun hits your eyes

Through your window-

There’ll be nothing you can do.

“What if you”- Joshua Radin

“Dr Kim! Your wife is here to see you!”

Yoosung took off his eyeglasses and lifted his hands above his head to release all the kinks from his aching back. He’d been sitting in his office reading a case file of a really sick dog that was brought to him earlier that morning and he was just waiting on some lab work to come back to him before he could diagnose the poor pup properly… he had thought he could swing by the lab when he grabbed lunch but now that MC was here… his plans would probably have to change- not that he was complaining.

Spinning in his chair as his office door opened, Yoosung’s breath was stolen by the vision that was his wonderful wife, standing in the doorway with a warm lunch in tow. It had been 8 years since he had first met her and not a day went by that he didn’t thank whichever god sent her to him. She was his rock, his muse, his love- she was everything to him. MC was the only reason he had managed to pick up the shattered pieces of his past and stick them back together and make a life for himself. He loved her with every fibre of his being.

Stepping into the office with her brighter than the sun smile, she set aside the food and leapt into her husband’s awaiting arms. Folding her arms around his shoulders as he wrapped his around her waist, MC hummed her contentment into her husband’s ear. Threading her fingers through his golden hair, she let her nails scrape his scalp and laughed when he closed his eyes and groaned at the sensation. He wasn’t ashamed to be called her puppy, he’d be her puppy until they were old and grey- he would never tire or stop following her around.

“How is my big, strong husband?” she asked with a playful pout on her lips as she spoke, hoping he’d get the picture and give her a kiss. Feigning ignorance, he briskly rubbed his hands up and down her waist as he looked over to the bench where his food was waiting for him.

“He’s hungry!” he teased as he wheeled his chair backwards away from her in order to walk towards the food. MC laughed and grabbed at his hand, reeling him back in to her, “But MC! The food!” he cried, his other hand reaching for the bag as if he were willing it to come to him. MC harrumphed and stomped her foot childishly on the floor to keep Yoosung’s attention- it worked too; her cutesy act never failed to bring a smile to his face and melt him into putty in her hands.

“Yoosung Kim! Your wife slaves away to make lunch for you, brings it all the way into work for you and you won’t even give her a kiss?! See- I knew I should have married Zen instead! He’d have kissed me senseless by now,” she pouted, her eyes stealing glances at him from the corner of her eye. “Aww don’t be that way MC… Zen would have kissed his reflection before he kissed his wife!” he laughed before bending down slightly to greet his wife properly.

He had never kissed anyone before MC, not that he never had the chance to or never had the desire to… but he believed that he was never meant to kiss anyone but MC. The way her lips moulded against his like they were designed perfectly to fit with each other… how could he deny the feeling in his gut that this was the woman he was meant to kiss for the rest of his life? Pulling away reluctantly he stood there just for a moment, to look at MC leaning into him; her eyes closed and her mouth still slightly pursed, the corners lifting into a smile.

She was beautiful.

A piercing yelp tore through the air, breaking the spell between the lovers. Guilt seeped through the young vet, here he was making eyes at his wife when that poor dog was suffering under his care, he’d never forgive himself if he died all because he wanted to eat lunch with MC.

“MC… will your food keep for the next 20 or so minutes?” he asked, suddenly anxious to head over to the lab as soon as possible. His wife looked over to the lunch bag and nodded slightly confused. “Mhmm, it shouldn’t be a problem. It’s just some fried rice and some pork cutlets anyways, nothing special,” she said waving her hand and dismissing her efforts. “Nonsense, it’s food my wife made for me- it’s bound to taste like the nectar of the gods.”

“… Yeah darling, it’s literally just rice and pork,” she laughed at Yoosung’s over exuberance at her cooking skills, she could have made him a bowl of cereal and he’d still gush over it like it was a gourmet dinner.

“Do you mind if we head over to the lab really quick so I can pick something up to help that dog in pain in there… then we’ll be right back to eat lunch I promise,” he asked, clasping his hands together in front of his face, hoping his benevolent wife would understand his reasoning. Closing her hands over his, MC lowered them down to chest level to use as a boost to reach Yoosung’s mouth.

“Of course not sweetie- the sooner we go the sooner we can come back!”

Yoosung pressed a kiss to her brow and squeezed her about the shoulders as he chanted his thanks to her. Picking up his keys as they headed out the door, Yoosung eyed off the lunch bag, promising it that it would be devoured in no time. Promising himself he and his lovely wife would be back in no time. Promising himself that there was always a next time… and he never broke promises.

It had all happened so quickly, someone slipped and pushed over one of the rat cages and the little things scurried all over the place. The poor things must have been so terrified, the staff running around crazily trying to get them all back into their cage. MC bent down on her hands and knees next to her husband to try to help. Yoosung beamed at her and told her not to worry, to just take a seat and that it would be over within a second but she shook her head and said that many hands made light work. Finally, they had all but one rat rounded up which Yoosung had tried to best to retrieve but his arm was too large to fit under the gap between the floor and the shelf.

“Let me, Honey,” she smiled, putting a hand upon his shoulder to shoo him out of the way. Yoosung tried his best to convince MC that he was the one who should be doing all the dirty work which only made her scoff and shake her head disbelievingly. Lying parallel to the floor, MC stretched out her arm and reached for the shivering animal as a look of triumph graced her face before she hissed and shrieked, pulling out her arm with her hand covered in scratches and bite marks from the frightened rat. Eyeing the rodent with squinted eyes, MC put it back into its cage before washing her hands in the sink, cursing the thing under her breath. Yoosung ran over with the first aid kit and tended to her wounds, admonishing her for doing his job for him though he was very grateful and kissed her band aid covered hand.

“Come on, I got what I came for- let’s get out of here.”

The two walked out towards their car hand in hand talking about their upcoming trip to Europe, MC riling up her husband by asking him which country he wanted to conceive a baby in, Spain, France or possibly Italy making him drop his keys in surprise. Her effervescent laughter rang out in the carpark and he couldn’t do anything but smile and roll his eyes at her as he unlocked the door.

“Why not try in all three countries?” he answered as she turned to buckle her seat belt up, the delayed response taking its time to process in her mind. Yoosung watched as a blush creeped from down her cheeks to her chest as she mirrored his grin before leaning over and kissing him soundly. “Why not try tonight?” she countered, her hand caressing up and down his thigh, causing to break out into a nervous giggle as she shifted away before her fingers got too close to their intended destination. “Ooookay, back to your seat young lady when I’m driving- I’ve got the most precious cargo that I need to keep safe you know,” he deflected, tapping her smartly on the nose. She scoffed as she sat back in her seat and waved her arms in front of her. “We’re literally still parked. You haven’t even turned on the car… oh har har very smart… okay- but we’re still stationery!” she pouted as Yoosung turned the ignition and checked his mirrors before moving. “Don’t you remember that time just after your third-year exams when we visited your parents… when we pulled over on the way home? It was snowing and it was so cold outside, but inside the car-” “Precious cargo MC!” Yoosung interrupted with a definite break in his voice. He remembered very well but there was a time and a place and if he continued thinking about it he would very well pull over and have his way with her… leaving that poor dog back in his clinic in agony… oh he couldn’t, he just couldn’t. Taking one hand off the wheel to entwine with hers, he pressed a quick kiss to her knuckles before resting their hands on his lap, their joint warmth on his thigh a welcomed comfort.

As they walked inside the clinic MC’s phone beeped unexpectedly, forcing her to pause and shuffle through her bag. Bringing the small phone up to eye level the woman groaned as she almost fell limp with dread at the message that popped up across the screen. The caterers for the upcoming RFA party were being nightmares and were demanding her to come and finalise the menu for the event that wasn’t being held for another six months, citing timing issues and booking clashes and every reason under the sun just to get her there. She flashed Yoosung an apologetic look as she stood on her tiptoes to peck him soundly on the cheek. “I’m sorry honey, we can’t do lunch today- these people will be the death of me I’m sure. Raincheck?” she asked as she was already halfway out the door, keys in hand. Yoosung smiled and waved her off, making a big deal about keeping safe and to make sure she had lunch as well before promptly going back to work and treating that dog and his other patients for the day.

And for all his bluster, the man forgot to eat his lunch.

She had been sick for almost two weeks, something that normally didn’t happen but it was getting colder and it was the season for it so both of them paid it no mind. MC always got a cold during the change of weather but nothing more than two or three days and this- this just seemed to be getting worse. Her fever refused to break and when it insisted on just climbing- Yoosung was adamant that he needed to take her to the hospital. What if it this wasn’t just the flu? How about if it was a serious respiratory infection? Or pneumonia? What if her lungs were on the verge of collapse? What if this was a severe case of rat bite fever and they were just mistaking it for a cold? “I-I’m fine Yoosung. Please… P-please just,” she couldn’t finish her sentence she was coughing too much.

“I’m taking you to the hospital, now,” he demanded as he pulled back the covers from her body to see her shivering form react to the cold bite of air that assaulted her. She was covered top to toe and she was still cold? How? MC fought him off lamely, her weak shoves and protestations nothing against his greater strength and will. Sitting her up he put on her shoes and another coat as he helped her get up and walk towards the front door. He stopped briefly to pat down his pockets to find his keys were still in his work bag, apologising to MC telling her that he’d be back in just a second and to not worry. Yoosung shook his bag to jingle his keys so he could find them easier, the tell-tale ringing of keys clinging together from the front pocket making the man smile. Scooping them out and pocketing them, Yoosung dashed out back to the front door to see MC lightly swaying on her feet, her head bobbing from side to side as if she were about to be sick-

-And down she fell.

Yoosung barely caught her in time, most of her body slumped and limp on the floor, the blonde man’s hands hooked under her armpits so her arms were raised at a strange angle… she was completely passed out. Panic bubbled inside of him as he hefted her into his arms, her face in the dip of his shoulder, her warm breath against his skin the only thing keeping him calm. She’s alive. It’s okay. She’s still breathing. She’s still here. It’ll be okay.

With a strength he didn’t know he possessed, Yoosung carried his wife to the car and buckled her up, quickly checking her breathing and temperature. Deciding that they were stable enough he jumped into the driver’s seat and rushed to emergency room, he didn’t care about speeding fines or losing his license. All those things paled in comparison to the thought that he could be losing his wife.

The car screeched into the drop off zone with Yoosung barely putting on the handbrake of the car before running into the hospital frantically screaming that he needed help, his wife was unconscious with a fever and needed to be seen to immediately. He didn’t realise that all he was actually saying was “help my wife, please help my wife.” Two men with a stretcher ran out and laid her body along the gurney, careful not to jostle her too much. They had taken her through the double doors and he couldn’t follow her- not yet.

He couldn’t even remember how to hold a pen let alone how to write. The nurse at reception had to take the pen from him and asked him the questions to fill it out herself. He barely recognised his voice as he answered her, this hollow, tired voice that sounded like nothing of himself. Was that him? Yoosung stood in the middle of the waiting room surrounded by people of varying injuries and illnesses but to him it looked empty. All he could focus on were the doors that MC had disappeared behind.

Give her back. Bring her back. She’s alive. So bring her back.

“You can go and see your wife now sir,” a nurse said, pressing her hand against his shoulder to wake him from his daze. How long had he been standing there just staring off into nothing? How did he not notice? Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Yoosung thanked the woman and followed her directions towards MC’s room. Finding the room in no time at all, he waited patiently outside as the doctors huddled over his wife, who looked so small in the bed and so pale even amongst all the white in the room- all he wanted to do was push the men and women out of the room so he could crawl into the bed with her and run his fingers through her hair, his nose nuzzling against her cheek. He wanted to see that smile she got when he whispered sweet nothings into her ear and held her close at night. He didn’t want to leave her side.

Clearing his throat as he entered the room to alert the staff he was there, the doctors turned and gave him a tight, forced smile. They said that she was resting and apart from the fainting spell and fever she seemed to be stable and just needed fluids. Yoosung nodded and agreed about waiting for the bloodwork to come back to see if she needed any sort of antivirals due to the severity of her flu and bowed slightly as he thanked them before they exited, leaving the couple all alone. He took careful, measured steps so as not to wake her towards the chair beside her bed and sat down as quietly as he could. His eyes focused on the steady movement of her chest rising up and falling down, her breathing strong if only slightly laboured- the slight wheeze in her inhalation painful to his ears. Was she in pain? Was there something he could do? Should do?

Yoosung sighed and combed his fingers through his hair, his elbows resting on the tops of his knees. When did he get so tired? He had been so worried about MC that he didn’t realise the time… he had to call the other staff at his practise in a few hours to tell them he wouldn’t be in as he was with MC in the hospital, that he may need to take the next few days off to help her recover properly. He wasn’t going to let go of the fact that his wife should have listened to his advice and gone to see a doctor sooner so she needn’t have suffered as she had, nor give him the fright of his life by passing out on him. He never wanted to see that again in his life, so, he was going to make sure MC was taken care of to the best of his ability.

He’d make her packed lunches from there on out. He’d force her to sleep in on weekends and forget about the housework for a little while. He’d take her out on more dates so her heart stayed full and happy. Nothing was better than being happy and healthy.

MC stirred in her sleep as she turned over in an unfamiliar bed… in an unfamiliar room… her heart starting to race at strange situation… until she saw a very familiar shock of blonde hair. The same soft snores she heard every night, the line of drool that trailed down his chin when he conked out from working too hard, his fingers wrapped around hers so tightly even as he slept- there was her Yoosung. It didn’t matter where she was, she was with him. A wash of calm came upon her as she succumbed to the lure of sleep… she was so tired.

“…LCM Virus… are you… Doctor are you sure?” he heard himself say, unable to hide the incredulity that seeped into his voice. It wasn’t unheard of, especially seeing as she was bitten by a rat but- it was so out of the blue he didn’t even think of it as a possibility. He wanted to smack his head against the bed railing for being so stupid and not listening to his instincts that it was more than just a simple cold or flu. MC squeezed his hand and smiled and the ire he felt towards himself simmered down at her kind expression. At least they knew what it was now and she was in good hands. She would be fine in no time.

She was pulling at her hair again. She said it was the only thing that helped to ease the pain when her headaches got that bad. MC had always suffered from bad migraines but never to the degree she was getting lately. She often complained about her neck being stiff so he tried to massage the kinks out of it with no luck. The feeling of his touch barely comforting her at all, the tears of distress that glittered along her waterline tormenting him.

Her fever still hadn’t broken.

But it would.

It had to.

It was the fourth night in a row that he went home alone. Their apartment seeming so much bigger and colder without her there and yet, at the same time, so much smaller. Whenever he crawled into bed he could feel the walls closing in on him and he felt like he was drowning within himself and only her presence beside him would save him. He couldn’t breathe again until he walked back into the hospital and saw her face. Yoosung had tried his best at her bidding to continue on as per normal and go to work, that she would be fine, but he couldn’t. Whenever he was at the practice all he wanted to do was be at her side.

He knew, he knew, he should have come in earlier.

At least then- he’d have been able to touch her again.

His wife’s room was empty. The bed freshly made. No MC. Her charts were gone and all the flowers the RFA had sent were nowhere to be found. The room smelt so strongly of disinfectant that it hurt his nose, his wife’s lingering scent completely scrubbed out of existence. Yoosung screamed.

Nurses flooded the room to find him clutching at the empty bed and shaking at the folded down rails. Where was she? Where was she?

“Dr. Kim please, please calm down-” “Is she alright? Is she in surgery? Is she… oh god… please… please, no-” “Dr Kim! Your wife is alive but…”

“But… b-but what? But what!?” “But she has been moved to quarantine.”

His mind was reeling. Why? Why would they put her there? Quarantine? She was probably scared and alone and needed him and he wasn’t there.

“She has LCMV- not tuberculosis. Has she gone around biting people?” he demanded knowing it sounded preposterous. The nurse sighed and took him aside, frustrated that the attending doctors hadn’t thought to call the husband in advance to brief him of the situation.

“Dr. Kim, two days ago your wife coughed on a nurse who was perfectly healthy- and today is positive for carrying LCMV- now this all may be a coincidence but you have to realise this is only a precaution-” “LCMV can only be contracted through rodents! Through bites or exposure to faeces or urine-” “And yet this woman who was perfectly healthy before seeing your wife, is now in another quarantine bed sick with what has been confirmed to be a new strain of the virus, except her case is much more acute and severe. Both your wife and her have the same strain… your wife… your wife has an advanced case of meningitis-”

Yoosung faltered back until the backs of his knees found a chair, his hands searching behind him to feel for the armrests before sinking into the uncomfortable plastic seat. This was impossible. How could something so simple, something that could have been a cold- turn into this? Did it evolve? Did some form of antigenic shift happen and his poor wife was now patient 0? Were the performing tests on her like a rat? … How morbidly ironic. “Please let me in-” “We can’t do that sir! -” “I swear, if you don’t let me in I’ll get in there one way or another-” he began to threaten only to be cut off by the shadow of three doctors, looking down at him as if he were some ignorant by stander- someone who could be easily pandered to- how wrong they were. They began throwing jargon at him that he knew was meant to make them sound smart and in control and on the path to finding the treatment option that would get her home. That although he showed no symptoms he would have to be tested along with the staff in the lab and everyone who came in contact with either of them during the last 48 hours, just to be safe.

“So basically… you have no idea what you’re dealing with. It’s become airborne and you’re scared so you’ve shut away my wife hoping that has contained the threat. You’re trying whatever you know could work and just blindly hoping for the best- is that about right?” he snapped, his fingers working at his sleeve to push the fabric up, offering his arm for the blood sample they wanted. The doctors guided him into an empty room before they prepped his arm for the blood test, both having the decency to cast their eyes away from him before continuing on with their rehearsed speech as they pricked at his veins. Assholes. Instead of worrying about me- worry about her. She’s the one who needs you. “Where is she? Can I, can I at least see her?” “Of course, Dr. Kim.”

He was taken to the opposite side of the hospital to the end of the wing, the normal din of the other wards completely absent. It was eerie and unsettling and the thought of MC being here made his skin crawl. It was almost like they sent her there to die-

Stop it you idiot. Don’t think that way. They sent her there to heal. To heal. To-

MC was sitting up in bed as two people in hazmat suits took more of her blood, skin samples, swabs of her saliva- anything they could take to study, they did. A normally uncommunicable disease between humans out of in-vitro… they were taking this to a whole new level. Making such a massive deal over it when it was nothing but a coincidence and soon MC and the nurse would both would get better, and this would just be a terrible nightmare they would never think about again.

Yoosung watched as the doctors packed up their equipment and test samples and decontaminated in the antechamber. Neither of them spoke to him as they passed him.

Purple eyes focused on MC who had slumped back into her mountain of pillows, looking completely ravaged and utterly exhausted. She had been in bed for the better part of two weeks, only getting up to shower and go to the bathroom but lately she’d been too tired to stand for long periods so the nurses had to bathe her. Something his poor wife felt miserable about. She would whine and moan to him over the phone whenever they attacked her with the sponges and complained that it would be much more enjoyable if they just let him do it for them, to which he reminded her that they would have ended up doing things that probably weren’t conducive to her recovery, both of them giggling stupidly like they were young lovers once again.

Moving as close as he could to the glass panel between that separated them, he put his right hand up against the barrier and tried to put on his brightest smile, hoping that it would help to bring out the smile he so dearly loved on her face.

“Hey you,” she said, her voice dry and raspy- from her coughing? Lack of use? From crying? He had to stop thinking like that. “Hey you right back!” he beamed as he kneeled on the hard, plastic chair just under the window, “Look at you Miss Fancy Pants, a room all to yourself, too good to slum it with the rest of the patients huh?” he joked, his voice wavering as MC’s smile faltered. “Ahha, uh… yeah! Yeah! That’s exactly it baby,” she replied trying to sound as convincing as possible- both of them tasting the stupid white lies on their tongue as the words fell from their lips.

They stared at each other in silence as the minutes ticked by, neither truly knowing what to say. Yoosung pressed against the glass like a desperate boy looking into a store, MC the doll on the shelf he wanted more than anything. He had to watch as her smile faded into a thin line of resolution and then into a quivering pair of lips as she fought to keep her sobs as quiet as possible. He had to watch as his wife held herself as she cried. He had to watch, because he couldn’t do anything else. He forced himself to watch. “M… MC…” he whispered, his fingers aching to lose themselves in her hair, his arms longing to cradle her as she wept. His chest burned and his eyes watered but his smile remained steadfast. Be strong for her, she would for you. Upon hearing her name she stopped crying and wiped at her face with the heel of her palms, digging them into her eye sockets to stop the tears from coming out. “I’m, I’m fine! I’m just really tired honey. Sorry,” she said plastering a huge grin on her face. “I should let you rest-” “No!” she yelped, sitting back up suddenly causing her head to spin and a painful throb in her temples. “Please, not yet. I… talk to me.” Yoosung let his eyes wander over the small figure of his wife, her fingers clutching at her bedsheets as she waited for his answer. “Okay, yeah, of course I will. I’ll talk to you for however long you want.”

It would be an hour of conversation, mainly talking about work and the patients, before he realised that she was no longer responding to him. He smirked as he kissed his fingers and pressed it against the glass, willing himself to remember what her skin felt like, her lips. “Goodnight honey, I’ll see you in the morning.”

A week passed, then two, and she was still in her glass cage. She was getting thinner and thinner each time he saw her, her collarbones starting to jut out in harsh angles and her cheekbones sharper than ever before. She could barely keep anything down a she was getting weaker by the day.

Yoosung had taken to not going into work at all; spending all day outside of her room until the staff had to kick him out at night. He wasn’t going to let her be alone, not if he could help it. So every morning as her breakfast was delivered he would sit outside with his own tray on his lap so they could share their meal together. He would angle himself in such a way so he could see the TV screen in her room so they could watch the crappy daytime television together. He would wait with her and talk to her until she fell asleep every night… and when she woke up in the middle of the night, he would answer her calls and soothe her back into her dreams. As he stayed awake, cold in their bed, waiting for the day he could finally sleep in her embrace again.

The third week into her hospital stay, Yoosung had arrived just a little bit earlier, hoping to surprise MC by being there as she woke up. Instead he found her disoriented and dazed, sitting on the floor with her legs splayed out like a ragdoll. She was staring at them as if she were expecting them to talk to her, explain why they were just lying there instead of taking her where she wanted to go. “Baby- what are you doing on the floor?” he chuckled as he dropped his bag on the seat beside him. She looked up at him with her brow furrowed, her eyes slightly squinted as she inspected his face. She grimaced as she leant against the bedframe in a bid to distance herself from him even further. “MC, are you okay?” “I’m fine!” she said as she tried to scramble to her feet, her movements slow and clumsy, looking like a new born foal unable to coordinate her limbs. “I… I’m… look… buddy… can you get me out of here?” Buddy?

“MC?” he repeated, his voice teetering up in question as his heart thundered against his ribcage. “I don’t even care that you know me and I don’t know you… listen, I woke up here and all I know is that I need to get back home and then get to class-” she continued talking but Yoosung had stopped listening. Class? Was she… did she think she was still in school? “… and this place is starting to freak me out. Am I in a hospital? Am I in prison? You gotta help me please, Mister-” If she thinks she’s in school… I guess I do look like an older man to her.

MC pushed herself up on her feet and managed to walk three steps towards the window before collapsing with a loud thud, her legs giving way beneath her. Yoosung cried out and banged on the glass, frantically asking her if she was alright, ready to run towards the nurse’s station to get help. She let out a long, pained moan as she sat up, her arms bracing her against the cold tiles on the floor. One hand shakily pushed the hair out of her face as she looked up to see a panicked man, banging on the glass. Yoosung. Her Yoosung.

“I… Yoosung… did I fall out of bed?” she asked as she tried her best to stand up, this time with greater control but with a visible tremor. Wearily she made her way back to the bed and slid back under the safety of the stark white covers, a thin sheen of sweat marring her hairline. Yoosung bit his lip from letting his worry pour out of him, the last thing she needed was for him to start crying and blabbering- he would be strong. He had to be strong. “Yeah, I was trying to wake you up and you got shocked and fell out of bed. I’m so sorry honey,” he said as he bowed slightly to hide the tears that flooded his eyes.

She was going to be fine.

He was going to tell the doctors that she had new some new symptoms. But she was going to be fine. Wiping his nose on the back on his hand, he sat down on the chair and let his tears fall into his lap.

I’ll help you MC, however I can, I will.

He had forgotten what it was to sleep in a comfortable bed, he had become so accustomed to falling asleep on the plastic chairs outside of MC’s room that whenever he dragged his carcass back home and fell onto the bed, the plush covers and soft mattress left him wanting and uneasy. His body was sore in places he didn’t know he could be sore in whenever he eased himself out of their bed, his joints creaking and yelling at him as he would stretch in the early hours of the morning. His feet heavy as they shuffled around the quiet house, his shoulders slumped and back arched like the old man he felt he was on the inside.

Six weeks.

It had been over six weeks and… she wasn’t getting better. But neither was she getting worse, she was technically stable… but that didn’t mean that they wouldn’t find the right course of treatment, the right drug, to finally completely cure her. MC was too young and too strong to let something like this win. Her body may have been tired but her eyes, those large beautiful eyes, their fire still burned.

He pulled up into his regular parking space and unbuckled his seatbelt and sat there with his hands braced against the steering wheel. Yoosung took in a deep breath before bending forward and resting his forehead on the top of the wheel, closing his eyes as he released the breath he was holding. Another day, he could do this, he could do this for however long as she needed him to do it. He could never give up on her.

Yoosung walked the familiar hallways, able to find his way around the hospital without even looking up, knowing which nurses would be at the main station and which would be running around on any given day. This was now his new home, wherever MC was, that was home. They said as much in their wedding vows all those years ago. He smirked as he turned the corner and remembered how beautiful she looked that day, how her smile seemed that much brighter, how her hands seemed to fit so much better in his own now that she was officially his wife. He practically skipped down the hall to her room and promptly dropped all of his daily supplies at the sight that greeted him. MC was propped against the glass in a chair waiting for him, a faint smile on her face.

“H-honey?! Are you… are you well enough to be sitting up?” he asked as he knelt on the chair so he could be face to face with her once again. It had been over a week since she felt strong enough to sit up with him instead of just lying in bed. The last time she tried she over-exerted herself and ended up with such a searing headache and the swelling around her spine so severe she was crying on the floor. MC merely nodded and motioned for him to sit down as she furtively picked up something from her lap, a few dry crackers in her hand. Yoosung could feel his heartbeat begin to pound in his chest- she hadn’t been able to eat anything at all for the better part of two weeks and relied on whatever nutrients the doctors injected into her to survive. If she was sitting up and able to eat- that meant the new treatment was finally working. She was getting better. She was going to be okay!

They sat there as he demolished his breakfast with such fervour that MC had to tell him to slow down a couple of times for fear of him choking, but he couldn’t help it! These were the best signs of recovery she had shown since being transferred into the quarantine room, there was no way he could contain his excitement. MC talked to him animatedly with more colour in her face than she had in days, she asked about the others in the RFA, how his vet nurses were and the animals- something he was ashamed to know very little about. MC frowned and leant closer to the glass, swatting it like she was hitting him upside the head for his foolishness. “Yoosung! You promised me! You promised me that you would keep working to the best of your ability- your patients need you!” “You need me,” he corrected, a sheepish smile forming on his mouth, growing wider as MC’s annoyance danced across her face. “I need you to continue living, just because I get sick doesn’t mean the world stops turning. Doesn’t mean your life stops. I need you out there, to keep our life going. You got that?” she said looking at him with such intensity he almost flinched. “Yoosung! Promise me! Again! Everything we’ve worked for, you don’t just let it go. You don’t give up!”

Yoosung stared at his wife for a minute before nodding slowly, his eyes never leaving hers. “I promise.”

The smile she gave him was even brighter than the one from their wedding.

They talked, they talked for hours! They laughed, until she was pink in the face and tears rolled out of her eyes. They fell asleep with their foreheads pressed against the glass.

His bed remained cold that night, but his seat was warm and lulled him into an easy sleep and welcomed his dreams; which for once, were filled with hope.

Yoosung looked into the room the following morning and found MC still sitting by the window just as the night before, her head still pressed against the glass. Sitting up his chair as he tried his best to quell the mess of his hair, Yoosung sat down and flashed her the biggest smile he could muster. Her brow was laced with sweat, her skin so dull and sallow he could see the almost purple veins in her cheeks and neck… MC was not in a good way. But she would be, she’d be fine. The doctors just needed more time to continue the treatment… she was doing so well yesterday, they were on the right track! He was a vet, he knew things could seem to be getting worse before they got better, he just needed to have faith and to keep MC in high spirits for the hurdles to come.

“Good morning beautiful,” he sung trying to sound as chirpy as he could, his heart faltering slightly when it took her a couple of seconds to register that he was there at all. MC’s mouth quaked at the sides to form a feeble but sincere smile, she could never fail to smile at seeing her Yoosung.

“Good morning handsome,” she mumbled, so quietly he had to strain his ears to hear her. “How did… how did you sleep?” she asked as she pressed her hand to the glass, her long fingers trembling as they met the cold surface. Without a thought, he pressed his hand against hers hoping against all hope that he’d feel some of the warmth he remembered so well, only to feel the cold pane of the barrier between them.

“I slept fine, not as good as whenever you’re beside me… or rather, when I’m in bed with you beside me, but otherwise fine. It won’t be long now sweetheart, I know it. You’ll be back in my arms in no time,” he grinned, his throat constricting by its own volition. His bright amethyst eyes watched her closely, her smile turning sad, her eyes ever glassier… taking a shuddering breath in she lifted herself up to mesh her body as closely to the window, to him, as possible.

“Yeah… it won’t be too long now…” she said unable to look in him the eye as she did. “Yoosung…” she started but trailed off as she looked at the plain gold wedding band on her finger, her lips twitching into a frown as a thought crossed her mind. “Yeah?” he answered quickly noting her sudden change of mood, her eyes losing some of the vitality she had just the other day.

“I want to go home now,” she muttered, staring straight into his eyes, her expression one of complete desperation. Yoosung sighed as he ran a hand through his mussed hair, trying to sort all the reasons why that was impossible at the moment but truth be told, he wanted her home too, more than he could say. MC laughed sardonically as he took his sweet time choosing his words, slapping the glass, “It’s okay honey, I know I can’t. I just… I don’t’ want to be here when… I don’t want to be here anymore.” “Well then,” he said, shaking his head and smiling sweetly belying the torment that raged inside of him, “you aren’t here. We’re not here. We’re back home and I’ve just made your favourite breakfast in bed, but clumsy as I am, I tripped and it fell everywhere on the floor, I’ll go and make you some more okay honey?” he gave her a watery grin as he kissed his fingers and pressed it against the glass where her cheek was. He pointedly pondered aloud as his tapped at his chin with his middle and index finger. “Hmm I know… how about after breakfast we play a board game or something…”

“Oh no! Last time we played a board game we didn’t talk for two hours because you cheated!” she cried out, laughing as she lightly smacked where his forehead was on the glass. “Don’t even try to deny it mister, I saw you move your army closer to my territory when I went to get a glass of water!” she remembered it just like it was yesterday. Their once weekly ritual of playing a board game had stopped shortly thereafter, their competitive natures often overshadowing the fun they should have been having. The young couple instead took the time to go out on walks and just enjoy their time together- it wasn’t a terrible switch in their lives. Yoosung howled as he slapped his knee remembering how angry she was and how she had flung the board off the dining table and then swore as she realised she was going to have to clean it up.

“Yeah, I know, I know I’m sorry about that-” “Ah ha! So you finally admit it!” she laughed only to clutch at her head as a painful twinge shot though her, Yoosung already half out of his seat ready to run to the nurse’s station to get some help. “I- I’m fine. I’m fine.” He did not believe her, but sat down nonetheless.

“It… It was fun though…” “Yeah… but I’m sure you’re just remembering the fact that we made up on that floor shortly after your deception-” “Of course! It was all fun and games until I rolled over and got a tiny solder lodged in the cleft of my ass.” “Ahh, karma.”

Yoosung stared at his wife’s wistful expression and felt his heart clench once more, he could see she was tired, that she was hurting but he needed her strong, needed her there with him.

“So… how about it…” he continued on with their little make believe session, “I’ll get us some breakfast and we can play games and then... and then…” he trailed off, smiling to himself as his voice cracked with emotions he didn’t want to acknowledge. “And then?” she prodded, encouraging him to finish his thought.

“And then… we can pack. Yeah… we pack. We’ll go on that trip to Europe finally and take all the crazy pictures you want. We’ll eat snails in France and tapas in Spain and all the pasta you could want in Italy.”

MC’s smile grew as her eyes shone with unshed tears, matching his own red rimmed eyes but with his cheeks glistening with tracks of tears he let flow down freely. He didn’t realise how much he had wanted that, to go back to their old life, the one where all they worried about was what they were going to make for dinner that night- not if the other would be alive long enough to have dinner that night.

“Oh baby just you wait, we have so much stuff to do, you’ll never be bored for a second- I promise.”

“Oh Yoosung, I’ve never been bored, could never be bored with you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you,” she cried, wrapping her arms around herself as she sunk against the glass, completely collapsing against it, their imaginary play hitting far closer to home than either of them had intended. “I want to go home and stay there with you for over a month. I want to order take out and watch movies and make love with you and never let you out of my sight. I want to have three children with you, two girls and a boy- the girls would love you and the boy would never leave my hip,” she paused taking in a shallow breath in before continuing. “I want two dogs and three cats and a turtle. I really want to go to Europe and see you eat those snails and pasta and take a million photos with you and make all those memories we can we relive over and over again… I want to be sore and tired in the morning because suddenly we’re 60 and our grandkids are on their way to spend the weekend with us... I want to live my whole life with you, Yoosung” she sobbed, as her tears fell in earnest. He could see the monitor, her heart rate had increased but not enough for it to be worrisome or to alert the hospital staff, his wife was just finally having a breakdown. It was to be expected- more than a month of being cooped up being poked and prodded and experimented on… he was surprised that she hadn’t broken down sooner.

“MC, MC look at me baby,” he ordered firmly, “we will. We’ll get a bigger house for those kids and for those dogs and cats and we’ll build a pond for that turtle!” he laughed as he saw MC giggle at his excitement. “We may feel old and tired but our hearts will be full and our wrinkles deep from happiness.”

His wife was laughing through her tears and he felt some pain in his chest shift, suddenly just a little lighter, letting him forge on- he had to be strong for her; he needed to be strong so she could be strong herself. MC wiped away the tears from her face and painted on a smile, albeit weak and tinged with sadness. Letting her eyes wander over her husband, his features etched with fear and exhaustion yet his eyes always hopeful… she loved him so much.

“Yoosung… I love your hugs.”

“I love yours too MC, and I swear that when you get out-”

“I love your smile,” she continued, not willing to let him finish that sentence.

“I… thank you MC… I love yours more,” he countered offering her the toothiest grin he was capable of making.

“Impossible,” she denied as she placed her tear stained hand back on the window. “I love your kindness. Your good heart. I love the way you love, Yoosung,” she sighed dreamily, “-with every fibre of your being as if you’re trying to love with your entire body and your entire life… I love you so much…” she shuddered as her words brought about a new round of tears. Yoosung overcome with his wife’s testament, began kissing at the glass to anywhere he could see any part of her, his lips and breath leaving a map of his adoration for her.

“MC- I love you. Your strength, your joy, your love… I’ll never be able to tell you how much but I’m going to show it to you, I promise…” he swore, his fist over his heart, his eyes burning with conviction.

“Oh… Yoosung… I know… I know…”

“MC?” he asked as he noticed her short-lived vivacity start to wane, her hand starting to slip from the glass.

“I’m just tired… I watched over you as you slept last night-”

“MC your rest is important!” “You’re important to me, not sleep,” she argued, a small smile twinkling in her eyes.

“Be that as it may- how are you going to get better faster if you’re not sleeping right?” he chided worried but touched that his wife had spent the whole night watching him.

“I just… I missed you Yoosung. I wanted to remember how you held me at night… I wanted to remember how sweet you looked while you were asleep… so carefree… and… I just wanted to remember…” “Remember what?” he asked as she filtered off, her hand slipping off the glass completely shocking him into smacking at the window. “MC!” he screamed, startling his wife back to the present, a small flush of embarrassment gracing her cheeks.

“Oh… I’m sorry… I guess I’m more tired than I thought… I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to worry you,” she apologised, her hand warily making it to the glass again. Yoosung looked at her and felt his gut lurch from within him, he didn’t like how tired she had gotten so rapidly. “MC have you eaten yet? Did they bring in your food- are you hungry?” he asked hoping to call the doctor over the phone to ask them to bring in some food… and to covertly do another couple of tests to make sure she was still stable. She slightly tipped her head forward and winced, “I probably should eat something…” she admitted. He shook his head and placed another barred kiss to her forehead, reminding himself that it would only be a matter of time before he could feel her soft skin under his lips instead of sterile glass. “Okay then, I’ll be right back,” he said motioning that he’d be watching her, smiling when she rolled her eyes at him. Walking away towards the phone mounted on the nearby wall he mouthed “I love you” back to her which she mouthed back, her hands making a shaky heart at him through the glass. Chuckling at his wife’s cuteness he turned around so she couldn’t hear his talking about more tests or another exam or perhaps an increase in whatever drugs they had given her- he knew she hated when he did that, but she was his wife and it was his responsibility to make sure she was okay. Hanging up the phone he turned to see her gazing happily into the corner where he stood…

… but she wasn’t blinking…

… her breath wasn’t leaving the faint burst of steam of the glass as per usual…

Tripping over himself as he ran to the window separating them, he fell onto his knees, face to face with the love his life. Afraid, of… everything… he tapped on the glass… breathe baby… please breathe… he looked over to the monitor and he could see the flattening line… it would be a matter of seconds until the team would rush in there to revive her…

But there was no rush of frenzied footsteps that he expected, only two sets of sad doctors in their hazmat suits who calmly walked over to her to close her eyes and lift her back to the bed. They carefully disconnected the needles and tubes that were in her body and disposed of them carefully… they didn’t even look him in the eye.

His wife, MC, was lying on the bed dying and they weren’t doing anything… he picked up his chair he threw it at the window, over and over, only scratching the surface… if they wouldn’t save her, he would.

The door swung open to reveal the two lead doctors on her case. They were speaking. He knew that but he couldn’t make out what they were saying. Their voices muffled and filled with static. He could barely focus his eyes. He could barely stand.

“… meningoencephalitis… the pressure and swelling too much… her blood… almost septic… she asked us… days ago… there was nothing else we could do, she wouldn’t live without the treatment but she wasn’t getting better… stopped treatment… do not resuscitate… we’re so sorry…”

And then they were gone.

She was gone.

She asked them to end her pain… she wanted to spend the last night of her life… watching him sleep.

Sitting back down, he positioned himself right next to the window and lay his head against the glass where minutes before MC’s face had been, his face dry of tears, he placed his palm back on the glass.

It could have been five minutes or five days- he didn’t know- but he saw the doctors return with a gurney and a body bag… they were going to take her without him being able to say goodbye. They were going to take her away from him. Slamming his body against the glass, his shoulders, his fists, his hands a bloodied mess from the splinters in the glass…

“You don’t fucking touch her! Don’t you touch my wife! I didn’t get to say goodbye!” he roared, his voice going hoarse from his screams. “You don’t touch her… I didn’t get to touch her… I didn’t… she said… she said…”

Yoosung stumbled back, his arms wrapping around his waist, grabbing at his face… his hair- nothing felt real. She was meant to get better, she was. She was getting the very best treatment. She was practically stable. She was meant to live and grow old and sore with him.

“… no it won’t be long now…”

Yoosung screamed, his voice sounding hollow and coarse, his breaths gasping and wheezing- why was he even still breathing? This wasn’t right. This wasn’t the way it should have been… this wasn’t right.

Strong arms linked over his as he continued wailing, not caring who heard or saw him- his wife was dead. MC was dead. There was nothing to go on living for, nothing to go on caring for.

“Y-Yoosung! We’re here… we’re all here,” Luciel cried, holding onto his best friend as he fell to the floor weeping. Falling to his side he could see all the RFA members around him, looking at him with the same expression of heartbreak he felt inside his chest. Sitting up he grabbed Luciel by the shirt and shook at him, like he was trying to shake him awake. “They won’t let me see her. They won’t let me hold her or say goodbye. She died alone! She… she died all alone!” he howled, wiping his eyes on his forearm, he didn’t think he could do it. She’d been gone less than a day and he was quickly falling apart.

This was not what their life should have become.

Jumin sneered at the knowledge that the hospital staff didn’t put in the forethought to ask if her husband wanted a few moments with her before carting her away like trash. Turning on his heel, Jaehee close behind him, they went to find the hospital director immediately; Zen and Luciel choosing to stay behind.

He didn’t care.

All he could see was his wife, cold and alone on the bed that wasn’t theirs… and he wasn’t even there to hold her as she left him forever. As the men all sat on the floor beside him, Yoosung realised his chance; jumping up he rushed out of the open door and ran for her room. He almost got into the air tight clean room before Zen had caught him by the waist and extracted him by force.

“What the hell are you thinking? She’s still highly contagious- you will catch what she had!” he screeched, grasping Yoosung by his biceps, squeezing hard to press his point into him. Yoosung looked up into the taller man’s red eyes and shrugged.

“I don’t care. I should get what she had. I should be dead in that bed instead of her- she took the bite for me. I should have been the one to have the disease, I should be the one dead in there! She saved me… and what does she get in return? To die alone? I should be in there with her! Don’t- fucking- touch- me! Let go of me, Zen!” Yoosung yelled as he fought him off, uncaring who he hurt in the crossfire. “NO! Shutup! Don’t say a damn word. I know it’s true. I was there. She got hurt because of me, she got sick because of me, she died because of me. I should at least get the sickness she got in my name so I can follow her-”

A sharp slap was heard throughout the hall.

Jaehee had returned to hear his harrowing diatribe and couldn’t contain herself, she stood there shocked with the hand she slapped Yoosung with frozen in mid-air. Tears streamed down her face as she slapped him again. Again and again.

“You idiot! Can you hear yourself? MC would hate you right now- that you would dishonour her love for you like this- her wish for you to live! She would never forgive you for throwing away your life away like that!”

“But…”

“Don’t make me slap you again,” she said, her hands shaking as she held them back up. “She loved you more than anyone. Don’t let her death be in vain.”

The older woman watched as the grief finally swam through his body, his face crumpling as his body slid to the ground. Yoosung’s muscles trembled as the cold tiles nipped at his skin but he didn’t care, he never wanted to get up again. MC was gone; the love of his life, his soulmate and wife, dead- and he didn’t even get to say goodbye. He didn’t get to hold her or comfort her in her final moments, not allowed to share her last breath in a kiss farewell. Denied a life together, denied in death.

They allowed him to wear one of their suits, to enter the room he knew so well it may as well have been his own, but never once had the right to be in. He didn’t have long, they needed to treat the room and to… properly contain her body so she couldn’t infect anyone posthumously. This would be his only chance to say goodbye, to let her know what he was thinking and feeling, to impart the last piece of love he could.

And right then, when it counted the most- nothing was coming to mind.

He didn’t know what to say, nothing in the spoken word that could encompass everything that was running through his mind, the level of profound emptiness he felt just knowing he would never hear her say his name again, never feel the kindness in her touch. Nothing was up to task to express what he felt. So he just sat there, with her hands in his- was she always so light? - and memorised her face, her neck, her arms and fingers- everything. He was going to lock away every bit of her inside of him so that he didn’t have to say goodbye, she was going to be with him, alive in his mind and it was all going to be oka-

It wasn’t.

It wouldn’t be.

Never again.

Pressing the palms of her hands against his chest, he wailed, rocking back and forth on the bed beside her.

I’m sorry MC… There is no life without you. So forgive me but- I’ll die with you.

He didn’t even help with her funeral. Who had arranged for everything? Was it Jaehee? Or Saeyoung? He remembered sitting there, hearing all the kind words her loved ones lavished upon her, the sweet memories they all held of her- vaguely remembered stepping up and pocketing the speech he had written. Too painful to voice. Too many kind words and memories to dredge up, each one like a knife made up of good intentions that sliced into his body, leaving open wounds, raw and festering under his blistering love for her. He couldn’t. Too soon. Too hard. Too much.

Yoosung stood on the podium for two minutes without saying a word, the congregation waiting patiently for the words of the bereaved husband of their beloved MC. Finally, he licked his lips and looked out into the crowd, so many faces lined with tears and deep, sorrowful frowns. He knew just what to say.

“I love you MC.”

Yoosung was barely a shell of himself, no longer a husband, no longer a vet. He tried, he did, but each time he saw a dog he was reminded of the dog he had rushed to get the test results for which ended up getting MC sick. Each dog was that dog. Each dog unforgivable. He would sit in his office and stare at his packed lunch and wonder how that lunch she made for him tasted, was it good? Was it terrible? He would never know. He spent his whole lunch hour sitting in his chair without doing a thing, obsessed with the one lunch he didn’t get to eat. He couldn’t treat any animal in that state, it wasn’t fair to them or their owners. So, he left. He handed over the reins to the other veterinarian and just, never came back. He drove home (now just four walls and a roof that housed all his useless junk) and turned on his computer.

He logged on to LOLOL. He didn’t log off. Yoosung escaped his world of feeling everything into a void of feeling nothing, nothing but anger- anger kept him going. He didn’t know or care how his bills were getting paid, didn’t accept Jumin’s offer of being his assistant to keep his mind busy and he certainly didn’t want a damn thing to do with the RFA, no matter how many times V had called him and tried to change his mind. “Come now Yoosung, the party is coming up in a couple of weeks- we need to keep up with the schedule MC-” V tried to say in order to convince him to attend a meeting, only to be quickly shut down by the spiteful laugh and harsh words that dripped from his lips. “You only lost a party planner, I lost my wife. Your party can go to hell- I want no part of it.” “Yoosung-” “No V. Please. Don’t call me about this again.”

Yoosung hung up the phone and spun back around to his computer screen, touching his avatar longingly. Shooting Star MC.

See MC? We’re playing a game together. We’re still together.

After almost a year of ambivalence- they had had enough. Losing MC was tough, the toughest thing he would ever have to go through, but he could get through it. He wasn’t alone, no matter how hard he pushed them all away. Saeyoung would play LOLOL with him and never once said a word about the avatar his friend had chosen to use. Zen would pull him out of the house and get him active, running and playing sports, all with a frown on his face. V came to his house often and just sat with him, his apartment filled with pipe smoke and a new cactus with each visit. Jumin and Jaehee kept him in the loop of his vet clinic, apparently taking it as a part of C&R to ensure that it was still there ready for his return- renamed in honour of MC.

That got his attention.

That reminded him of that day in the hospital, there in her hospital gown, a face littered with cracker crumbs as she vehemently made him swear to her that he would keep going. That he had to keep living the life they were meant to have together.

After almost a year of being buried under himself, Yoosung realized, he was still alive. Even through months of wishing he wasn’t, through persistent thoughts that nigh convinced him to end it all- he was still there, still alive, still able. His promise… that promise he made to her… it wasn’t too late to fulfill.

Yoosung touched the screen, tracing the curve of her face with the tip of his finger and then, he turned off his computer. Everything he was holding back, forcing down into the recesses of his mind, the emotions brewing in the pit of his stomach; all of it bubbled up into his consciousness, but he wouldn’t run or hide this time, he had to keep going. I promise.

Yoosung sat in the park they had spent their last Valentine’s day walking through, a stupid grin on his face at his damn idea of reenacting their first date. It still hurt, he didn’t doubt that it would hurt for the rest of his life, but he was learning to see the good in the memories. He wasn’t crying at them anymore but instead wore a bittersweet smile whenever a flash of a memory would play in his head or if someone passed him that wore the same perfume or when someone would say her name; he couldn’t stop smiling for her.

The shrill sound of children laughing and shouting broke him out of his reverie, a loud bark and the sounds of running chasing after them.

Yoosung knew that bark.

He saved that bark.

A flood of darkness spread over him- if it wasn’t because of you, MC would still be alive. If it wasn’t because of you she would be here, with me. If it wasn’t because of you…

It wasn’t your fault. I know. I know that. It wasn’t that rat’s fault. It wasn’t anyone’s fault. I just miss her. I miss her so much sometimes I can’t breathe.

Yoosung looked on as the children –three of them, two girls and a young boy- ran around after their dog, completely oblivious to all of life’s hardships. Just enjoying life… and he smiled. Getting up from the bench he walked over to the young family, nodding to the parents who instantly recognized their old vet and called over his old patient, completely healed due to those test results and to MC. He watched as the dog stopped in his tracks and took a moment to sniff at the air as he studied him before bounding over happily almost barreling him off his feet; licking his face and wagging his tail from side to side trying to thank him for saving his life. Laughing softly to himself, Yoosung pressed his forehead to the dog’s and ruffled the soft fur on the back of his neck. Thank you, MC. Not me, pup. Thanks to her, it looks like we’re both going to be okay.

#mystic messenger #mystic messenger fantiction #yoosung x mc #angst #yoosung kim #tragedy #angstfest #mysme #mysmes #angstfest series 1

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salamadersaurus-rex · 7 years

Text

Like Nowhere On Earth

The Prehistoric Park AU no one asked for.

Read on AO3

“Kara what the hell are you doing here?” Alex hisses. She’s pressed into the dirt, the stink of loam in her nostrils and her sister’s wide blue eyes staring back at her through the thick ferns.

Kara wriggles closer on her elbows. “I wanted to help.”

Far, far above them, something rustles. Alex reaches out a dirty hand and clamps it over Kara’s mouth. On her other side, Lucy takes the safety off her tranq gun.

“That’s not gonna work,” Maggie whispers harshly. She’s almost on top of Alex, not daring to move.

“Not on whatever’s up there,” Lucy grumbles.

“Major Lane if you tranquilise my sister I will leave you stranded seventy million years in the past.”

“If you guys don’t shut up we’re all going to be left dead seventy million years in the past,” Vasquez snaps, and the three bickering women have the grace to fall silent.

Something, Kara thinks it’s a leaf, falls slowly down from the treetops, spiralling on the still air like smoke caught on the wind. Except then it extends its wings and soars gracefully away, a meter or so above their heads.

“Hey, our first dinosaur,” Maggie whispers, once it’s gone.

“Which kind?” Kara plucks Alex’s hand from her mouth, curious.

“I'm a botanist, little Danvers."

Kara pouts.

"Okay, uhh, early Cretaceous, Argentina… if I had to hazard a guess, he’s a-“

Thud.

The ground beneath them shakes, tiny bits of rotting leaves shivering with the sound of heavy footsteps.

Thud. Thud.

“A pterosaur.” Maggie murmurs.

“And what’s that?” Kara points and Maggie’s gaze follows her finger, up, up, up far above her head.

“A very, very good reason to run.”

Six hours earlier…

Kara scrubs at her hands, filling the sink with soapy water thick and swirling with paint. She hadn’t been able to sleep, the sweltering midsummer heat pushing her out of bed and to her wide bay windows, and the sinking moon had been too beautiful not to paint. Except now she has ten minutes before Alex is due to pick her up and if Kara gets paint on her Ducati she’ll probably make her get the bus.

Kara’s not sure her new workplace has a bus stop. Maybe they spent too much money on the time portal. That’s something Kara’s still not sure she’s gotten over. She wouldn’t have believed it if she hadn’t watched her own sister sprint out of it, followed by a small, angry botanist and a larger, angrier woolly mammoth.

Doctor James Olsen, the head vet at the aptly named National City Prehistoric Park, had just smiled gently at her, offered her a cup of tea and asked if she’d had any experience treating big animals before.

“Dogs, mostly. Some cats, the odd lizard.”

James had grinned. “We’ll get you up to speed.”

Through the still open window Kara hears Alex’s motorbike pull up to the curb. She hurries over to the window, waving at Alex before shutting it. Alex knocks as she’s shoving everything she thinks she’ll need into her empty gym bag,

“It’s open!”

Alex opens the door and leans against the frame. She’s dressed in leathers, has a helmet and a jacket in her hands for Kara.

“Are you bringing the whole library with you or just most of it?”

Kara zips the bag shut, takes the helmet and shrugs into the jacket whilst Alex locks her apartment for her. “They don’t teach you about mammoths at vet school, Alex.”

“Harriet’s fine,” Alex says as she leads the way down the stairs. “Did you get anything on pterosaurs?”

“Is that what you’re bringing back in the TARDIS today?”

“Maybe.” Alex holds the door open and Kara steps out into the street. It’s like any other day, except Eve’s in charge of the clinic and Kara’s on her way to a top secret government science facility in the desert to rescue dinosaurs with her big sister.

She settles onto the bike behind Alex, puts her helmet on as Alex revs the bike, scaring a couple of pigeons and the postman.

“Ready?” Alex asks, over her shoulder.

Kara gives her a thumbs up, and then they’re peeling away from the curb, heading downtown for the road that will take them out to the desert. It’s a forty minute ride. Alex can do it in thirty but Kara told her not to ride like a maniac, so they take the curves at a pace Kara can enjoy watching the city peter out into the dust and sand of the desert.

A dark, brooding mass on the horizon soon grows into the outer wall of the park. Kara’s barely seen any of it, her visit restricted to the clinic, the Director’s office, and the time portal, but Alex tells her it’s “fucking enormous.”

The wall grows and grows, until it’s stretched out as far as Kara can see. Alex is heading for the large gate. They have to stop three times on the long road to flash their badges for security. Finally they pull into the car park, and Kara stiffly climbs off the bike. They must be early, because there’s only a few dusty cars and a couple of bikes.

“Come on,” Alex says, and Kara adjusts the bag on her back before following her sister towards the gate.

“What time does your shift start?” Alex asks as they near the gate, which is made out of a thick, dark metal the Director told her could withstand being hit by a missile. Or a charging Triceratops, although they haven’t tested that yet.

“Eight.”

“Want to get coffee before you start? We have a great cafeteria.”

“Mmhmm.”

Alex rests a comforting hand on Kara’s arm, and they both pause. Kara gazes nervously into Alex’s eyes.

“You’re gonna be fine, Kara,” Alex promises. “You’re the best vet I know. I love you.”

“Love you.” Kara wraps Alex in a brief hug. By the gate an agent steps out of the shadows, and Alex waves over Kara’s shoulder. “Hey, Vasquez.”

“Danvers.” They grin at Kara, who detangles herself from Alex. “Other Danvers.”

Kara feels herself relax slightly as Vasquez checks her and Alex’s ID’s. They’re friendly, and wink at her as they press the button to open a small door at the base of the gate. “Alex’ll look out for you,” they say. “Make her get you the caramel latte.”

Kara laughs. “I will.”

“And get me one too!” Vasquez shouts at Alex. “I’m coming with you.”

“Where are you going?” Kara asks Alex as they walk through the gate.

“The early Cretaceous,” Alex says simply. Kara just gapes at her back as she makes her way towards the main building.

It’s made of dark glass and a kind of bluish metal that glints brightly in the morning sunlight, and shaped like a crescent moon, the edges meeting the outer park wall to make a wide, oval shaped area between the two structures. This is filled with a meadow of wild grass and flowers growing freely. A gravel path runs through the centre of the meadow, lined with a low, white fence.

Wide, glass doors swish open for Alex and Kara as they walk into the lobby. Kara’s eyes are as wide as when she first saw it, taking in the huge Liopleurodon skeleton hanging over her head. Two corridors branch off to her left and right, one headed to the tech labs, the other to the rest of the main building. There’s a wide window at the back of the lobby to let in natural light. It has a nice view of a courtyard, the water feature where a small herd of brass sauropods tramp happily in a circle beneath a fountain shaded with trees.

Two women are sat by the fountain chatting, one in a white lab coat and the other in the same uniform as Vasquez. Alex strides over to the window and bangs on it, startling them both. The woman in the lab coat flips her middle finger at Alex, and Alex laughs.

“Doctor Sawyer and Major Lane,” she says to Kara. “Want me to introduce you or should we get coffee first?”

“Coffee,” Kara says, glad she has Alex with her on her first day to stop her getting overwhelmed by too many new things. She links their arms together and Alex guides them down the right hand corridor, round a couple of bends to a large, almost empty cafeteria.

Doctor Olsen waves from his seat in the corner. There’s another man with him, young and pale that Alex tells her is called Winn.

“He’s in R&D with Lena Luthor. If you ask he’ll give you a tour of the labs.”

“Did they invent the time portal?”

Alex nods, asks for two caramel latte’s, and one for Vaquez whenever they come in. “Lena developed a device that moves objects instantaneously. Paired with what she, Winn and the Director built, we can go anywhere, any time in the past.”

“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that,” Kara says.

Alex just grins and picks up their drinks. James waves them over and Alex asks if Kara wants to sit with them.

“Sure.”

“Hey Kara,” James says as they sit down. “Winn this is my new vet, Kara Danvers.”

Winn waves, but doesn’t look up from his tablet.

“This is Winn Schott,” James says. “He’s antisocial today.”

Winn blushes. “Sorry, I have to fix this code before the jump today.”

“Anything wrong?” Alex asks, her tone slightly menacing.

“I – uh, no, Dr Danvers, it’s, it’s all fine-“

Kara swats Alex’s elbow. “Don’t be mean.”

Alex grumbles. “Don’t get us stuck there.”

James checks his watch and turns to Kara. “Want me to show you to the clinic?” he asks. “Get you set up before rounds?”

“Yes, please.” Kara tries to draw Alex’s attention from poor Winn, who’s trembling and trying to explain that the iffy code won’t send Alex and her team into the wrong time period or an active volcano.

“Go,” Alex waves Kara off. “Good luck!”

Kara shoulders her bag and picks up her coffee, finishing it as James leads her out of the cafeteria. He gives her a brief tour as they head down the corridor, pointing out offices, store rooms, the way to the library filled with books on palaeontology and animal care Director J’onzz brought in from all over the world.

Kara blushes when she realises she didn’t need to bring all the books she had, but James just smiles and says they can never have enough reference books on hand. He holds open the door to the clinic for Kara. She finds herself in a small, white painted waiting room with three doors leading off it.

One has a little brass plaque that reads Dr Kara Danvers, DVM, and James gestures to it. “That’s yours.”

Kara tries to stifle her grin. It had taken a lot of persuasion from Alex to even get her to interview, but now she was here, finally, somehow about to start a crazy job treating mammoths and dinosaurs, and she couldn’t be more excited.

“I always keep my door open,” James carries on, pointing to his own office next to Kara’s. “I’ll let you get settled in, rounds start in ten.”

There’s another door leading off the waiting room that Kara knows from her interview leads to the clinic proper, and it swings shut after James, leaving her alone. Kara heads into her new office. It’s small, but bright with natural light coming in from a large window looking out over an empty paddock James told her is for examining bigger animals. There’s a comfy couch in the corner, a desk Kara dumps her gym bag onto and a small bookshelf, already half-filled with reference books. Kara slips the books she brought with her onto it.

She takes out her bag with her equipment in it, makes sure everything’s there. Someone has left a white coat hanging from the back of the door and Kara shrugs into it, straightens the collar out. She takes a deep breath.

Alex had been working at the park for two months, unable to tell anyone what she was doing until Kara accidentally found out when a confidential email was sent to the wrong Dr Danvers. Now Kara’s here, working with her sister to bring extinct species back from the dead. She’s nervous, of course she is, something coiling and wriggling in the pit of her stomach that makes her grimace, but she puts her game face on. She’s seen her sister bring back a woolly mammoth, she’ll be damned if she’s not going to help bring back something more.

James appears in the doorway and knocks politely. “Ready, Dr Danvers?”

Kara nods. “Ready.”

Alex gets a text off J’onn just after Kara and James leaves. She glares at Winn as she makes her way out of the cafeteria. “Fix it, Schott.”

The Director’s office is on the top floor of the main building, tucked between admin offices people are scurrying back and forth between carrying sheaves of papers. Alex has only been up here a few times; J’onn prefers walking about the facility, checking on things himself and scaring the crap out of Alex by sneaking into her lab to wait for her.

Maggie is waiting outside J’onn’s office, and she looks up when Alex approaches. They hadn’t got off to the best of starts, coming from different, competitive fields and Alex has to admit she’d been jealous when their first missions through the time portal were to gather flora and nothing else. But over the months they’d grown closer, and whilst they still had a teasing, workplace rivalry going, they were firm friends. Friends. Alex can almost hear Lucy in her head saying is that what the kids call it these days.

“Danvers.” Maggie greets her with a soft smile, her voice rough and Alex knows she was up all night studying for their next jump.

“Sawyer,” Alex replies. “Did you go to bed at all after Lucy and I left?”

Maggie’s saved from answering by J’onn opening his door and beckoning them inside. His office is small but neat, papers and books and fossils arranged on the desk, the wood panelled walls lined with bookshelves and hung with paintings. Alex and Maggie sit in the chairs placed in front of J’onn’s desk.

“We’re still waiting for-“

The door swings open again and Lucy hurries in.

“Never mind. Take a seat, Major.”

Lucy flops down next to Maggie, winks at Alex. J’onn settles into his own chair, picks up some paperwork. It’s boring legal stuff only Lucy’s properly read. She’d explained the gist of it, something about it being an NDA mixed with a disclaimer, the Terms and Conditions of time travel, basically. J’onn made them each sign one for every jump, and a couple more when they got back. Mostly Alex, though, because it turned out there was a lot of paperwork involved with accidentally bringing back an angry mammoth.

“You’ll be going back to the early Cretaceous today,” J’onn says. “Approximately seventy million years ago. Dr Sawyer, Dr Danvers, you’re both tasked with bringing back plant and soil samples, and a small,” he glares at Alex, “small creature. Major Lane your job is to keep them in one piece.”

“Sir.”

“Are you all ready?”

The three of them nod.

“Dr Danvers, I’m leaving it up to you to decide on a species and where to house it. Take transport from the garage. Dismissed.”

Alex, Maggie and Lucy file out of the room. J’onn collects the papers they’d signed, neatly places them in a tray ready for HR to collect. He makes sure his inbox tray is empty. Alex’s first approved animal retrieval is bound to have big consequences in the form of stacks and stacks of paperwork.

Maggie yawns as they walk down the stairs to the ground floor.

“Late night, Sawyer?” Lucy asks.

“I don’t think she even slept,” Alex jokes.

“Not even after we left?”

Alex shushes her as Vasquez hurries past, no doubt on their way to sign their own paperwork. Lucy and Maggie share a look.

“Listen, Danvers…”

Alex pretends not to listen, rushing down the last few stairs. “I’m going to take the Triumph out to the far paddocks.”

“Those are only for the big guys, Alex.”

“You don’t think I’m tough enough for a Tiger, Lane?”

“You know what I meant. I’m coming too. Mags, get some damn coffee in you.”

Alex pauses at the lift to the underground garage. “Lucy I don’t need you babysitting me.”

“I’m not babysitting, I’m making sure you don’t bring a Brachiosaurus back.”

“We’re going to the Cretaceous Lane, not the Jurassic.”

“Whatever.”

Maggie rests a hand at the small of Lucy’s back. “Maybe I should come with you two.”

Lucy leans into her touch. Alex folds her arms over her chest, tries not to be jealous of the way Lucy’s eyelashes flutter at the warmth of Maggie’s palm.

“Danvers?” Maggie asks.

Alex sighs. “Go get some coffee. We’ll be okay.”

“We need to talk,” Maggie says. “After the jump.”

Alex bites her lip, but she nods. Lucy does too. After a lingering look between the two women, Maggie heads off to the cafeteria. Alex pushes the button and the lift doors ding open. It’s a small space, but a short trip. Neither of them say anything until they reach the garage.

Alex starts towards the park’s small collection of motorbikes but Lucy stops her. “Alex.”

“Yeah?”

“I don’t want to fight you.”

Alex can’t meet her gaze, staring intently at the concrete floor instead. Lucy keeps her voice quiet in case it echoes.

“I know this is scary, I do. Especially at work. I served under Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, and it’s hard, even now… but me and Maggie, we’re here for you. Whatever happens, okay?”

Alex finally looks up. The nerves are plain on her face, her eyes shining in the dim garage lights, but she bites her lip and nods. “I don’t wanna fight you either.”

Lucy smiles. “Good. Although, we may have a bit of an argument over who gets to ride the Triumph first.”

Alex scoffs. “Me, obviously.”

“Umm, no. I think you’ll find it’s me.”

“I’m the one doing the research.”

“I’m a Major.”

“Don’t pull rank on me, Lane. Come on, it’s my sister’s first day. By proxy you have to be nice to me.”

Lucy laughs. “I wonder how you’re sister’s getting along.”

Harriet the mammoth is fine and healthy. She tickles Kara’s ear searching through her hair with her trunk and Kara giggles, tickles Harriet’s trunk right back.

“She likes you,” James says from where he’s leaning against the fence.

Harriet’s paddock is close to the main building. After checking on a couple of small, prehistoric mammals being watched in the clinic, James had taken Kara down to a garage under the main building. They’d found Alex and Major Lane arguing over a motorcycle, said a brief hello and taken a jeep up the ramp and out into the park.

Kara had stared excitedly out the window as James drove past the security building, stopping after a few minutes of desert by an area fenced off by a high, electric fence.

“Winn and Lena are geniuses,” he’d said, pressing a button to open the gate and driving through into an area suddenly filled with lush wild grass, pine trees dotted around like they hadn’t just moments ago been driving through the desert. “I don’t know how they made all this stuff grow.”

Kara makes a mental note to ask them as she heads back to the jeep, still in awe of everything new to the park she’s seeing.

“Where next?” she asks excitedly.

“Back to the clinic.” James smiles at Kara’s pout. “The portal’s not been up and running long. Most of the trips have been to collect flora to make the habitats better suited to the animals.”

“So Harriet and the Ceratogaulus are the only animals you have so far?”

“So far.” James drives out of the gate, and starts driving back to the main building. “I hear your sister’s making a trip for another animal today though.”

“Yeah.” Kara perks up. “She’s going to the Cretaceous.”

“Did she tell you what species she’d bring back?”

“No. Oh god I hope it’s nothing dangerous.”

James takes his eyes off the road for a moment to watch Kara’s forehead crinkle. “She’s not likely to bring back anything dangerous, is she?”

“I don’t know. When she was really little she brought a poisonous snake into the house, she just played with it until her dad found her. We still don’t know where she got it.”

James whistles in astonishment. They drive in silence for a moment, until James asks, gently, “Her dad?”

“Oh, I’m adopted.”

“I’m sorry, Kara. I shouldn’t have brought it up.”

“No, it’s… I mean, it would have come up eventually. My parents died in a fire. Alex’s took me in, my cousin knew them. You’d like him, I think.” Kara takes a deep breath. “I grew up surrounded by a loving family, with the best sister I could have wished for. Alex always fought for me, always took care of me. I took this job because she asked me too, actually.”

James slows the car as they get closer to the main building. “Do you want to watch Alex and her team go through the portal?”

“We can do that?”

James grins. “Yeah. We can watch through the lab. You can properly meet Lena and Winn.”

Kara can feel a smile growing on her face. “I’d like that. Thanks, James.”

Lena Luthor is a stunningly beautiful woman who can command the attention of an entire room. Kara and James watch from the back of a crowd of technicians as she briefs them on the jump. The tech labs are sparkly clean, brightly lit by overhead lights and the huge, wall length window set in the side of the main lab that looks out over the passageway leading left to right from the holding paddock to the time portal.

Lena dismisses her audience with a “good luck,” and makes her way over to James and Kara. Winn follows, holding out a tablet so she can scan the changes he made to the code earlier. She makes a suggestion and he scampers away towards a very expensive computer at the other side of the lab.

“Dr Olsen,” Lena says brusquely. “And?”

“Kara. Danvers. Dr, Dr Danvers.” Kara blushes furiously. She misses the way the corner of Lena’s mouth quirks up.

“Dr Kara Danvers. I’m Lena Luthor.” She holds out a pale hand, and Kara takes it, marvels at the callouses she didn’t expect to feel.

“Kara’s here to watch her sister go through the portal.” James says.

“Exciting, huh?” Lena raises an eyebrow at Kara.

“Yeah! I mean… for me. You must have done this loads of times by now, I bet it’s, super boring. For you.”

Lena laughs, quietly. “Actually I get excited every time we start it up too. Do you want to see how it works?”

Kara nods enthusiastically and Lena guides her over to a panel of blinking lights and switches set on a pedestal in front of the big window. James watches with his arms folded as Kara listens earnestly to everything Lena says, asking questions and nodding along with Lena’s explanations. It’s the first time since he met her that James has seen Lena warm up to someone so quickly, and it makes him happy to watch her smiling at Kara as she tries to understand the science, a look in her eyes that tells James she and Kara are going to get on just fine.

Winn’s watch beeps as he comes to stand next to James. “Time to get this party started, huh?”

“Alright people!” Lena yells. “Seventy million years BCE, let’s go!”

Out through the big window Kara can see Alex, Dr Sawyer, Major Lane and Agent Vasquez file out of the holding paddock and into the passageway. Lane and Vasquez are carrying guns. The passageway is blocked off by high metal walls all the way down, strong enough to funnel whatever Alex brings back towards the park. Lena told her the window was made of a special glass designed to withstand an explosion. Alex spots Kara and waves.

Lena lets herself into the passageway through a small door set in the window, hands Alex a pair of spikes that Alex tucks into her backpack. Lena starts handing out gas masks, and Kara’s stomach sinks. She collars Winn as he hurries past.

“Why do they need gas masks?”

“Just a precaution,” Winn says. “It’s not like we have exact maps of the area we’re sending them to.”

“So you could drop them in a volcano?!”

Winn waves his hands, distressed by her raised voice and Kara quiets immediately. “Winn. Is it dangerous through that portal?”

“Yes, yes. Of course it is, it’s prehistory.”

Lena comes back in and closes the door behind her. She hurries over to the pedestal, flips a couple of switches and signals to Alex. Alex raises a hand, winks at Kara, and then she, Maggie, Lucy and Vasquez set off towards the time portal, which has started glowing and swirling and roaring.

Lena starts counting down from five.

“Five.”

Kara glances round her frantically. She spots a spare gas mask hanging on a hook.

“Four.”

Alex and her team are a few steps from the portal.

“Three.”

Kara snatches the gas mask up, everyone around her distracted.

“Two.”

She makes her way to the door, opens it easily.

“One.”

Alex and her team disappear into the time portal. Kara tugs on the gas mask, sprints down the passageway and hurls herself in after them.

Alex, Lucy, Vasquez and Maggie step through the portal to find themselves in a lush forest, surrounded by towering trees and huge ferns, the rich scent of recently turned soil filling their noses.

“Huh, this is ni-oof!”

All four of them are knocked over into the bushes by something. Lucy and Vasquez scramble for their weapons, but Alex shouts at them to stop.

“It’s Kara!”

“Kara?”

Close by something huge roars.

“Shit!”

Kara pulls off the gas mask, wriggles closer on her elbows. “I wanted to help.”

Far, far above them, something rustles. Alex reaches out a dirty hand and clamps it over Kara’s mouth. On her other side, Lucy takes the safety off her tranq gun.

“That’s not gonna work,” Maggie whispers harshly. She’s almost on top of Alex, not daring to move from where Kara knocked them down.

“Maybe not on whatever’s up there,” Lucy grumbles.

“Major Lane if you tranquilise my sister I will leave you stranded seventy million years in the past.”

“If you guys don’t shut up we’re all going to be left dead seventy million years in the past,” Vasquez snaps, and the three bickering women have the grace to fall silent.

“Hey, our first dinosaur,” Maggie whispers, once it’s gone.

“Which kind?” Kara plucks Alex’s hand from her mouth, curious.

“I'm a botanist, little Danvers."

Kara pouts.

"Okay, uhh, early Cretaceous, Argentina… if I had to hazard a guess, he’s a-“

Thud.

The ground beneath them shakes, tiny bits of rotting leaves shivering with the sound of heavy footsteps.

Thud. Thud.

“A pterosaur.” Maggie murmurs.

“And what’s that?” Kara points and Maggie’s gaze follows her finger, up, up, up far above her head.

“A very, very good reason to run.”

Carefully, so as not to startle the huge dinosaur towering above their heads like a skyscraper with legs, the five of them get up. It makes its way slowly, massively past them, completely oblivious to the humans in its shadow. It takes half a minute to go by, leaving huge footprints and a mess of torn foliage in its wake.

“We could just go back now,” Lucy says.

“But my soil samples-“

“Can wait,” Alex says gently. There’s a glint in her eye Kara recognises.

“What are you planning, Alex?”

“J’onn said something small.”

“That is not fucking small, Danvers!”

Alex winks at Lucy. “It is. For a Sauropod.”

And then she’s off, running after the dinosaur as it crashes and mangles its way through the forest. The four of them share a quick look, and then set off after Alex. They catch up with her at the edge of the forest, she’s standing with a look of awe on her face, watching a herd of sauropods gathering in the wide open space beyond the trees.

“There’s twelve,” Alex says. “If we can funnel them into the time portal, we could have a breeding herd. And look!” she points out a much smaller sauropod amongst the herd. “A baby!”

“You sound like Wonder Woman but with dinosaurs,” Lucy grumbles.

“It is kind of cute,” Vasquez says.

“Alex, you can’t seriously be thinking about bringing the whole herd back to the park,” Kara says.

“Well I’m not going to split them up.”

Maggie sighs. “J’onn did say you had the choice of species.”

Lucy whirls to face Maggie. “What? You can’t be ride or die this early on.”

Maggie shrugs. Alex isn’t paying attention, instead she’s unpacking the spikes Lena gave her.

“These connect us to the time portal in the future,” Alex tells Kara. “I just have to plant them wide enough apart to fit a whole herd of Saltasaurus through.”

Kara sighs, snatches one of the spikes. “Okay, I’ll take the forest, you sneak round the other si- hey!”

Alex snatches the spike back. “No. I’m not putting my sister in danger of being trampled to death by dinosaurs.”

“I’m stronger than you think, Alex.”

“Not as strong as a seven ton dinosaur.”

Kara frowns. “Okay. What did you say when you asked me to take this job?”

“Kara.”

“‘We can save everything together.’ That’s what you said.”

“I can neither confirm nor deny-“

Kara takes the spike back, and Alex grumbles but lets her. “Fine. Let’s save Saltasaurus together. But you’re taking Vasquez. Vas? Don’t kill my sister.”

“I’ll try.”

Kara grins and heads off down the edge of the forest with Vasquez. Alex rests her head in her palm. “What have I done?”

“You’ve let her go her own way,” Maggie says gently. She makes sure Alex can see her and has plenty of time to stop her before she reaches out to take her hand. Alex lets her.

“Alex? Lucy told me you guys talked.”

“Yeah. I’m just… this is all new.”

“Rescuing dinosaurs from extinction or hooking up with your two best friends?” Lucy asks.

Alex chuckles. “Both? I think I’m better at the dinosaur thing, though.”

“Of course you are,” Lucy scoffs. “You have like four palaeontology degrees. They don’t do PhD’s on polyamory.”

“Nice one,” Maggie whispers, and Lucy high-five’s her.

“Is that what this is?” Alex asks, lip between her teeth. “Are we together?”

“Only if you want us to be,” Maggie assures her. “Only if we all agree. We all have equal voices here, Alex.”

“Well,” Lucy scuffs at the dirt with her boot. “I’m up for it.”

Alex smiles at her, softly. She squeezes Maggie’s hand. “Me too.”

“And me,” Maggie agrees.

Alex claps her hands together. “Right. First date, let’s go save some dinosaurs.”

It takes nearly half an hour to set up the time portal. Vasquez and Kara plant their spike easily, and settle back to watch Maggie, Lucy and Alex try to sneak behind the herd of sauropods.

“So, good first day?” Vasquez asks, taking a flask from their backpack and offering Kara some tea.

“Yeah. It’s been eventful.”

Vasquez laughs. “Settling in okay?”

Kara nods, takes a sip of tea. “James, Dr Olsen is great. He knows so much, not just about modern medicine but prehistoric stuff too, like, beyond all the books I’ve read. And he’s so caring, and so passionate. He’s really great to work with.”

“Glad to hear that,” Vasquez says, pretending not to notice Kara’s blush.

“I met Winn and Lena too, in R&D.”

“Ah, the wonder twins.”

“Everyone here is so passionate about their work.”

“It’s because they’re the best in their fields,” Vasquez says. “The Director gives them free reign to work on something they believe in. It’s not just saving dinosaurs. We can study billions of years of climate change, evolution, at just the press of a button. Your sister’s working to end extinction, not just of prehistoric species but all species. And the stuff Winn and Lena can do with the data we collect, I can’t wait. Everyone here, at the park? They’re gonna help save the world.”

Kara just watches them with shining eyes, speechless.

“Huh. J’onn should hire me to do the ads.”

They sit in silence for a moment, before Kara asks, “So do you go on all the missions?”

“Yeah. The Major and I just stand around making sure the scientists are safe.”

Kara gestures to the sauropod herd. “Does it always go like this?”

“This is pretty quiet, for a retrieval mission.”

“Oh yeah?”

“For starters we don’t have those three bickering all the time. So a couple of weeks back, we went to the late Cretaceous. Sawyer needed some special plant or other for her greenhouse. Anyway, we get there, get the plant, and we’re just setting up the portal when BAM!”

Kara jumps, and Vasquez pats her arm. “T-rex to the face.”

Kara gapes. “You’re not serious.”

“Serious is my middle name.”

Kara stares at them, wide eyed. Vasquez chuckles. “It’s not really. It’s Danger. So there’s this T-rex, ugly thing staring us down, stood right in front of the portal.”

“What did you do?” Kara breathes.

“Alex tripped the portal and we ran straight between its legs.”

Kara breaks into shocked giggles.

“The look on its face was the funniest thing I’ve ever seen.” Vasquez is laughing too, and soon the both of them are on the ground, cackling.

After a minute Vasquez pushes themself up, helps Kara to her feet. I’m glad to have you on board, Dr Danvers. Part of me was hoping you’d calm Alex down, but now I see it’s way more fun with the two of you acting up.”

Kara’s face falls. “I wanted to protect Alex. She’s always been there for me, whenever I need her.”

“And you wanted to be there for her too?”

Kara nods. “She might pretend she’s unbreakable, but no one is. Ever since I found out about the park, about what she does, I’ve been scared.”

Vasquez reaches out, rests a hand on Kara’s shoulder. “And I’m scared for me, too. I don’t want to get eaten by a T-rex. But Vas, Alex is all I have. I don’t… I’m not sure what I’d do without her.”

Vasquez squeezes Kara’s shoulder. “You aren’t going to have to find out. We all take care of each other here, Kara. It’s like a family, although don’t let the Director catch you saying that.”

“Why?”

“Because the he’ll have to realise that’s what it is,” Vasquez chuckles. They point out towards where Lucy, Alex and Maggie are stood waving. “Looks like the others are in position.”

“Vas?” Kara asks.

“Yeah.”

“Thank you.”

Vasquez waves back at Alex, some hand signal that must mean trip the portal, because suddenly the white, swirling mass is back, and the herd is startling at something Lucy did, and moving into it.

“Any time, Danvers,” Vasquez says. They shoulder their pack, and hold out a hand. “Well, actually 2017.” Kara laughs and takes their hand, and together they head through the portal.

All J’onn does when he hears Alex brought back a herd of seven ton reptiles is gently, slowly, lower his head into his hands. A woman from HR knocks on his door and he just waves her in. She places some paperwork on his desk, says something about sending Tim in with the rest.

J’onn waits for the thunk of the three boxes to be set on his desk before he sighs, picks up his pen. The herd has been left to roam freely in one of the huge far paddocks. Kara and James went out with binoculars to check them over, but J’onn’s sure the herd is alright.

J’onn’s computer dings. It’s Lena, emailing him to let him know that the soil samples will be instrumental in some new research she and Winn are undertaking, and inviting him down to the lab to join in. J’onn glances between his computer screen and the boxes of paperwork, and back again. Gently capping his pen, he gets up. He didn’t build this park from scratch to sign papers all day.

His phone vibrates in his pocket as he makes his way down the stairs to the tech labs. Alex has sent a photo of the youngest Saltasaur.

Called him J’onn, the caption reads.

#supergirl #fic #kara danvers #alex danvers #director sanvers #lucy lane #maggie sawyer #james olsen #agent vasquez #lena luthor #winn schott #j'onn j'onzz #au #this got loooong #but I like it #now I'm going to bed

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