Chapter Text
Hurried footsteps rushed down the hallway at Akso Hospital as Dr. Greyson ran towards Zayne’s office. He dodged around patients and staff alike, nearly knocking a nurse off her feet. He let out a hurried apology, but didn’t stop his sprint until he was standing in front of Zayne’s office door. He didn’t bother to knock before bursting in, trying to catch his breath.
Zayne sat at his desk, a look of surprise on his features. “Dr. Greyson, what are you-”
Zayne didn’t know yet. “Turn on the news.” His words came out rushed and breathless. Greyson wasn’t sure if it was better or worse for him to find out this way.
The surgeon frowned, but quickly accessed the news on his computer.
“She’s here, she’s stable.” Greyson added as the screen loaded.
Hazel green eyes snapped up. “What do you-”
Images of a burning home appeared on the screen with rescue vehicles scattered on the street. The house was destroyed, and the neighbours' homes suffered damage. His eyes widened. That was Josephine's street.
Zayne’s voice was remarkably even. “You said Josephine is stable? Was anyone else in the home?” He pulled out his phone and found her name in his contacts.
Greyson’s palms felt sweaty. Zayne had misunderstood. “Not Josephine, Zayne, her. She’s stable.” He took a breath. “Josephine and one other were… caught in the blast. It’s a miracle she survived at all.”
Zayne stilled. “One other?”
“Yes, they’re still investigating, but…” Greyson kept his voice steady, trying to be gentle. “There was nothing left to identify except traces of DNA.”
Zayne dropped his phone on the table. “Caleb.” The name fell out like a whisper, almost involuntary.
“Pardon?”
“The other person, it was Caleb Xia. He was visiting them.” The temperature of the room dropped ever so slightly as Zayne repeated himself. “Him and Josephine, they’re both dead?”
Greyson nodded solemnly. “You knew him as well?”
Zayne spoke hollowly. “I did.” For a moment he stared off at nothing, his expression unreadable. Before Greyson could make another comment he stood, his chair rolling away from the desk. “Where is she?”
Greyson blinked, “She’s being treated for mild burns and a possible concussion, but she’s unconscious at the moment. I can send you a full report-”
Zayne was already pushing his way out the door. “Where is she?”
The other man hurried to keep up with Zayne’s quick strides. “She’s on the third floor, room 321, are you sure-”
“Contact me if there are any discoveries about the incident.”
He didn’t wait for Greyson to respond as he headed towards her. Cold, icy rage churned within him like the undercurrents of a frozen river. The fact that she was alive was the only thing keeping his emotions, and his evol, in check. Josephine was dead. Caleb was dead.
His heart raced as he entered the room, the door slamming open with more force than he intended. The two nurses dressing her wounds jumped, looking over to him with shocked expressions.
“Dr. Li? Can we help you?”
He said nothing as he took in her form on the bed. She was burned and bruised, but according to Greyson there were no severe concerns. If it weren’t for the instruments and tubes around her, she would almost look peaceful. She is alive. She is alive. He repeated the phrase like a mantra in his head.
“Dr. Li? Are you alright?” The nurse closest to him took a step forwards, breaking him out of his thoughts.
“Yes, please continue.” He turned without another word, leaving the room slightly cooler than when he had entered.
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Zayne hadn’t slept properly in 5 days. Despite stern warnings from Greyson, he refused to go home, choosing to collapse in his office when his body finally gave out. He drifted in and out of consciousness until he inevitably jerked awake for the start of his next shift. Greyson made sure he ate, at the very least. He and Yvonne had all but forced Zayne to sit down for meal times, trying earnestly to convince him to go rest at home.
They didn’t understand, he couldn’t go home.
Not while she was here, and could wake up at any moment.
Not when someone had to tell her what happened.
Not when Caleb’s body hadn’t even been recovered.
The hospital was busier than ever, and Zayne took the opportunity to drown himself in work. He hardly remembered the patients he checked or the number of forms he filled out, moving on autopilot. He checked her vitals at least twice a day, sometimes even at night when he couldn’t sleep. The report about the accident was released, officially declared to be caused by a Metaflux fluctuation. The other doctors commented that it was a miracle she even survived, let alone made it out with so few injuries. Zayne knew better. It was no miracle.
The truth was she should have been dead. Her proximity to the origin of the explosion and the blast radius indicated that she should have been incinerated, if not severely disfigured. Her wounds, however, were relatively minor, almost as if the explosion had been contained.
As if someone had contained it.
Caleb had re-directed the blast. He was sure of it. There was no other plausible explanation for her survival. Why didn’t he save all of them? Why couldn’t he have contained the blast in its entirety? Why did he always insist on sacrificing himself? Surely he was strong enough, surely his mastery over gravity could have prevented this outcome.
The pencil in his hand snapped in his grip. He dropped the defective utensil and clenched his fists. Cold frost had snaked across his desk. Days of fighting his exhaustion and anger made his evol even less predictable. He would need to rest soon, if only for the safety of everyone around him.
Zayne removed his glasses, pressing the heels of his palms over his eyes. They couldn’t even find Caleb’s body. Trace amounts of DNA were found at the scene, enough to confirm he’d been blown to nothing. Then there was Josephine, her body intact, but burned beyond recognition.
How could he face her when she awoke? How could he tell her that the most important people in her life were dead?
That Caleb died protecting her?
“Dr. Zayne?” The intercom jolted him out of his thoughts. “Sorry to bother you, but… she’s waking up.”
A cold dread settled in his stomach. “I’m on my way.” Zayne wasted no time as he strode down the hospital hallways, doctors, nurses and patients alike jumping out of his way.
For five days, she had been unconscious. For five days, he tried to think of what to tell her when she woke up. For five days, he paced his office frantically and reviewed the case files to figure out why this had happened.
Why Caleb was dead.
Before he realized it, he was standing in front of her, her eyes unfocused as she tried to look up at him. “Z-Zayne?” She rasped out his name, so quiet he had to lean in to hear her.
The noise clouding his thoughts silenced as he assumed the role of the calm, collected professional he was supposed to be. Like muscle memory, he flipped the switch to seal off his emotions and to keep the ice contained. He would not be weak now, that was not what she needed.
His voice came out cool and steady. “You’re safe, you’re at Akso Hospital. Are you in any pain?”
She looked around as though just noticing her surroundings. “I…” she winced as she tried to sit up, settling back in the bed. “I’m pretty sore.”
Zayne nodded, giving her bandages a quick once-over. “You have been unconscious for the past few days, so it is expected that you will experience some stiffness. Your wounds were not too severe, though, and it is expected you will make a full recovery.”
She frowned, looking down at her wounded frame. “What happened? Did you call Gran already? I’m sure she’s been worried…”
Zayne took a breath, steeling himself. He felt far away from his body, his voice coming out calm and even, despite his rampant emotions within. “What do you remember?”
She looked up to the ceiling, her brows knitting together. “I don’t know, the last thing I remember was…” she shook her head, sorting through the rubble of her memories. “I was walking with Caleb…” she paused. “Zayne, is my phone here? I should really call.”
“Take things slow, you still-”
She scowled, “I just want to call. I need to let them know I’m alright.”
He kept his expression controlled. “Please- what else do you remember?”
She threw up her hands. “Nothing, I told you we were walking and then-” a frantic look crossed her features. “And then-” her breathing sped up, “I was just talking to him, we were walking home, I just saw him- he was right here!”
He could see the moment her memories flooded back, the terror in her eyes. “I’m so sorry.”
“No, don't say that, why are you saying that?!” She wailed. “No you don’t understand, he was right next to me I have to talk to him!” Her chest heaved. “I’m fine right? You said I’m going to make a full recovery, so he should be the same right? Is he here?” Her voice broke. “Is Caleb here? Is Gran-?” She choked out a sob. “Zayne tell me they’re okay, please- please tell me-”
Zayne kept the currents of his emotions sealed under an icy surface. His heart ached to comfort her, to cry with her as she mourned, to rage against whatever had caused this… But he would not show weakness. Not now. “I’m so sorry. You were the only survivor.”
She didn’t react at first, only letting out a few shallow breaths. “No… no please…”
“I’m sorry. It happened quickly, they wouldn’t have felt any pain.” It felt hollow, empty, but it was all he could say.
“No- nonono don’t- God- no!” The dam burst open. “Please! Please this can’t- I can’t-” she gasped for air, the despair tearing through her. “He was right in front of me- he has to be okay!”
Zayne remained by her side as her words dissolved into cries. He kept her company until she finally cried herself to sleep, offering what little comfort he could with his presence.
It wasn’t enough. He knew it would never be enough.