Work Text:
Rhodes Hill
Grace stood silently staring at the looming entrance to the Care Center. It was foreboding, like a dormant monster always just a single breath away from releasing pure horror. Still she was unmoved, she wasn’t here for fear, not here for survival. No, she thought, there’s work to do.
“You ready kid?” Leon’s voice jolted Grace out of her thoughts and she nodded as an exhausted but sincere smile crossed her face. “Good, should be a straight shot to the water treatment…” Grace didn’t let Leon finish.
“No” It was just one word but there was a hardened determination to it, something Leon himself easily recognized. For her part Grace refused to tear her gaze from the Care Center, “This can’t just be about Emily, I’m saving her and that’s that but there are people in there, victims that can still be helped.” The young woman turned to her companion, “We can’t abandon them, I refuse.” Leon couldn’t help but smile but a voice interrupted before he could get a word in.
“No wonder he likes you so much, you’re just like him” Caught off guard Grace glanced behind them. The woman was older than herself, dressed in a black fur lined coat, a dark muted orange turtle neck, black jeans and boots. Her long blond hair interspersed with strands of grey here and there was pulled into a loose pony tail and though there were lines of age doting her face they did nothing to dampen how beautiful she was.
“Hun?” Leon questioned mildly surprised, “I thought you were gonna stay behind with…” She wasn’t interested in letting him finish, instead pulling him into a deep and loving kiss.
“I told you I’m never letting you out of my sight again, I meant it.” The woman shifted her blue/green gaze over to Grace with an earnest smile.
“Y..you must be Ashley.” Grace stammered only briefly before composing herself and offering her hand.
“Please, we’re way beyond that, c’mere.” Ashley swiftly pulled Grace into a deep and warm hug, “thank you for giving me my husband back.” She whispered before pulling apart. “Now, I figured we’d need these.” Reaching into a bag Ashley produced three handguns, keeping one for herself she handed Grace and Leon the other two. Grace eyed the weapon curiously finally popping the magazine her eyes went wide as Ashley continued. “If our calculations are correct, which both Rebecca and Claire assured me they are, each round is enough of a concentrated dose of Elpis for each infected, we ready?” Ashley asked, smiling as Grace nodded.
“I’ll take the Care Center, you two make your way to Emily and wait for me there.” Fixing her gaze back on the clinic Grace hadn’t intended to sound like she was ordering either of them around, “p…please.” She added with a nervous smile.
“You sure she’s not a clone of you?” Ashley snarked to Leon before pulling her husband towards the entrance, “We’ll clear a path, stay safe Grace.” She offered before the pair disappeared into the building.
With a deep and determined breath Grace hardened her resolve, determined to save as many souls as she possibly could. No sense in waiting she thought as she pushed through the clinic entrance. There was a dreadful familiarity to the Care Center, almost like a poorly healed wound. Glancing over to the Guard Office the image of little Emily on the couch conjured a desperate prayer that she dared not even utter. Shaking off her worries she readied her weapon and saw to the task at hand starting with the handful of infected that had wandered into the Central Hall.
Four well placed shots and the four Zombies immediately dropped to the ground, Grace’s eyes went wide and her breath hitched in her throat, the effects were immediate color returning to dead flesh, damage even mending itself and with a shaky hand Grace searched for a pulse, “It works!” She felt as though she wanted to collapse with relief but she knew she was far from done. She turned her attention to the East Wing and methodically made her way from room to room burning away the stain of Gideon’s work, of Spencer’s cancerous legacy and with speed and efficiency it wasn’t long before she came to the final room and the last infected, the eerie Songstress at the Bar.
One final shot and she dropped, Grace knelt at her side staying to watch life return to the young woman, her deep blue eyes flickered open just before succumbing to exhaustion. Brushing the blood stained silver hair from her face she placed a hand on her cheek smiling at the warmth, “you’ll be ok, I promise.” Grace offered resolutely before standing with a relieved sigh. Her body moved on instinct carrying her first to the courtyard, then then the church and finally the water treatment facility. Grace stood over Emily’s mutated body and a deep crushing fear overwhelmed her, a shiver traveled up her spine as her body reflexively recoiled at its presence.
“You ok kid?” Leon’s voice broke the fear’s hold on her and she nodded, grabbing the vial of Elpis he held out to her.
“The Care Center is safe and clear.” Her voice cracked with exhaustion but also relief.
“Catch all that Claire?” Ashley spoke into her radio, “Grace left you and Rebecca plenty of work.”
“Thank God,” Claire’s voice cracked over the radio, “don’t worry about a thing, we’ll get all the survivors set for treatment and recovery. Make sure you come back with one more yeah?” Ashley smiled looking back over to Grace.
“Copy that.” She offered as both she and Leon waited for Grace.
“I’m here sweetie, Grace is here.” Tears gently drifted down her cheeks as she knelt at the transformed body. Pushing aside any lingering doubts she plunged the injector into Emily and prayed to anyone that could possibly be listening. A gasp hitched in her throat as the grotesque flesh began to slough away. As the mutation began to give it wasn’t long before all that remained was Emily’s tiny form.
A deathly silence hung in the air everyone waiting with baited breath all to scared to move an inch. Then finally, Emily’s chest rose and fell once, then again, then over and over and the dam broke. Grace scooped her into her arms, violently sobbing into her small shoulder, pent up guilt, fear, and worry all finally released in a deluge of strained relief. “Thank you, thank you thank you thank you.” Grace chanted, almost a prayer in and of itself as she clung to Emily’s slumbering form for dear life.
“We’re done here Claire,” Leon spoke with a barely noticeable shake in his voice as he wiped a stray tear from his eye. “We’re comin out, plus one.”
***
Wrenwood General Hospital Several Weeks Later
Grace eagerly stepped into the Hospital, winding through its halls, she quickly arrived at the sectioned off private wing set up for the recovering Rhodes Hill survivors. Having taken off work she was excited to spend the day with Emily, “Grace!” She was jolted from her thoughts as Rebecca pulled her into a tight hug, “Glad you could make it so early, Emily will be thrilled.” She continued before reviewing a few notes on her tablet.
“H…how is she doing?” Grace asked, a bit of nervousness creeping into her tone, there was always that small voice of doubt and worry, that she’d arrive to find out her little girl had regressed.
“Better than we could have hoped, it’s been practically a miracle. Not just her either all the survivors.” Rebecca placed a reassuring hand on Grace’s shoulder as she heaved a heavy sigh of relief. “Speaking of, before you head over to Emily one of the other patients has been asking to see you, Selena Corey.” Grace recalled the name, the girl from the Bar she thought as Rebecca continued. “If it’s ok with you, I can bring you to her room.” With a nod and a smile from Grace the pair started walking.
“You got my notes?” Grace questioned, curious to know if they would help.
“Yes, they’ve been invaluable. Having any kind of insight, big or small, into what was done to them at the clinic is beyond helpful with treatment. Here we go, I’ll leave you to it I’ve got rounds to do with the other patients and I’ll check in on Emily for you in the meantime.” Grace waved as Rebecca turned to leave
“Thank you, for everything.” She offered with a smile while knocking lightly on the door as she pushed it open. Backlit by the rising sun peeking through the shades the woman sitting up in bed looked almost radiant and the sight struck Grace if only for a moment. Long silver hair fell down to either side, a bright warm smile and deep blue eyes greeted her as she entered the room.
Making her way to the bed Grace was caught off guard as Selena flung herself at her, wrapping the mildly stunned young woman in the tightest embrace she’d possibly ever known. “Thank you.” Selena whispered shakily burying herself into her savior’s shoulder. The shock wearing off Grace held Selena close enjoying the warmth for a bit before the pair separated. “I hadn’t expected my hero to be so dashing,” Selena’s tone was playful, smirking at the slight flush rushing to Grace’s cheeks as she sat back down.
“Selena right?” Grace asked sitting down on the bed next to her. “You’re recovering ok?” She asked as the woman nodded, feeling her heart beat a bit faster as Selena gently grabbed her hand.
“I had a whole speech you know” She smiled up at Grace while absentmindedly playing with her fingers. “This grand show of gratitude for saving me and now that you’re here it just…poof, gone.” She half smiled getting briefly lost in Grace’s comforting gaze, staring at her just a hair too long she glanced down to Grace’s hand, intertwining their fingers over and over. “I remember that night you know.” Selena felt a burning behind her eyes, “everything was so blurry, confusing, and terrifying.” She looked back up at Grace and brought her hand to her face, “then I felt your hand on my cheek and heard you say ‘you’ll be ok, I promise’.” She smiled despite feeling tears drift down her cheeks.
Grace wanted to interject to comfort Selena but instead sat there patiently holding her hand, feeling like she still had more to say. “I wanted…I…” She sighed and her lip quivered as more grief poured down her cheeks, “truth is every single night I’m scared to close my eyes, terrified I won’t wake up, and every night I play those words, your voice in my head and it helps me sleep.” Looking back up at Grace a tear stained and exhausted smile crossed her features, “what I really wanted to tell you…” She adjusted grabbing both of her savior’s hands, “Grace you didn’t just save me that night, but every night since and I’ll remember that for the rest of my life.” She pulled Grace into another warm hug, burying her tears in her shoulder but also gasping ever so slightly as Grace ran a comforting hand up and down her back.
“I meant it you know,” She whispered to Selena before pulling apart. “I know a little something about feeling overwhelmed.” Grabbing Selena’s hands she smiled, “I know you’re strong enough to make it past all this, and if you ever feel like its all too much well…” Grace paused as she caught herself involuntarily caressing Selena’s hand with her thumb, “well then you can have me to lean on. Ok?” Selena nodded.
“Ok.” She confirmed wiping the tears from her eyes.
“Now I’m gonna head over and see Emily.” Grace paused to stand and offer Selena her arm to lean on, “wanna come with? I bet she’d enjoy meeting you.” She eagerly accepted grabbing and wrapping herself around Grace’s arm, she felt safe being so close to her, happy as they walked the halls. A feeling Selena couldn’t readily identify but whatever it was she craved more of it. Grace felt it too a warmth that traveled her with Selena so close, she had an inkling of what it was but also felt it not appropriate to press those feelings at least not yet.
It wasn’t long before the pair found themselves at Emily’s room, with Rebecca offering Grace a knowing smirk before leaving to continue her own duties. She knocked on the door before entering the room and smiling at the overjoyed little girl practically vibrating with excitement. “Grace Grace Grace Grace!” Emily was jumping on her bed, so much so she hadn’t noticed Selena. When the small girl finally noticed the additional guest her demeanor shifted, getting nervous she slid off the bed and ran over to Grace, hiding behind her leg and poking her yellow/green gaze out to anxiously spy on Selena.
Grace slipped from Selena’s grasp and knelt down to pull Emily into a reassuring hug. “This is my special friend Selena sweetheart, she’s being treated here too.” Emily pulled back to look between Selena and Grace and back to Selena.
“Did Grace save you too?” Emily questioned her nervousness fading a bit only for her to again hide behind Grace as Selena knelt down.
“She did.” Selena offered softly, sitting down on the backs of her feet, “You know…” She began, winking at Grace, “I could really use a friend here. We could see each other, and spend time together while Grace is at work?” Seeing Emily nod as her anxiety dissipated Grace grabbed Selena’s hand and smiled.
“Well I think that’s a great idea. Now what should the three of us do today?”