Chapter Text
It's a really great night. Her only plans are some drinks at a bar with her friends. And it really is amazing. It's probably one of the best nights she's had in a while.
She's laughing at one of Jeremy's jokes when it hits her. Just a subtle feeling under the surface that something's not right. She tries to shake it, she gets those feelings all the time; it's called anxiety. There's nothing more to it.
Reid elbows Jeremy playfully, and the world buckles at the edges for a moment. She hasn't had that much to drink, has she? She watches carefully for any other changes to her senses, but she doesn't notice any. She's fine.
"I remember that," she remarks, trying to contribute to the conversation…her voice feels off. Maybe she should drink some water.
She spends a few minutes sipping tentatively before the nausea sets in. She doesn't necessarily feel like she's going to throw up right now, but she doesn't feel well by any means. "I think I'm gonna head out." She says, downing the rest of her water.
"Something wrong?" Victor asks her. "I don't know… I don't feel very good." She props her head up on the table. "I'm sorry, Tina. Do you need a ride?" Victor offers; she shakes her head.
"I'm sober enough to do it. Thanks though." She tells him confidently. He nods as they watch her get up. Her knees almost buckle underneath her, and she has to take a deep breath to steady herself before grabbing her bag and walking towards the door.
She expects the cool night air to help, but she feels worse with every step she takes. Halfway to her car she has the sudden realization that she cannot drive. Whatever is wrong with her is becoming much too intense.
She turns around, intending to go back into the bar and politely request that one of her friends take her home. Suddenly, a dark shadowy figure lunges at her; she flinches, her reflexes aren't working well enough to do anything else.
She screams but he's got a cloth in her mouth before the sound can even fully escape. She whimpers, trying to push him away, but she's too weak. Her limbs feel like jello and her brain can barely connect two thoughts together. She is dimly aware of what is happening to her, but it's as though she's underwater— sounds, lights, sensations, they all blur together into a dull, aching feeling.
She stumbles to the side and the guy catches her… how nice of him. A tear slips down her face as she struggles to gather enough strength to fight him off.
Black encroaches on the edges of her vision. No… no, no, no, no, no, no. This cannot be the way she dies. There's still so much she wants to do in her life. She can't die. If she lets herself give in to the tempting nothingness it might be the last thing she ever does.
"Hey!" There's someone else. She screams again, it just sounds like a strangled whine around the disgusting cloth in her mouth. She has no idea what's happening around her, she just knows that someone is helping her.
Or so she thought, suddenly, the man lets go, which apparently, was the only thing keeping her upright. She collapses to the ground. She blinks and all she can see is stars in the night sky above her.
Her body is not hers to control anymore, but at least the stars are bright tonight.
"Christina! Hey, we got you, you're okay," Reid takes the cloth out of her mouth and pulls her head so she's looking at him.
"Stay awake," he instructs her sternly. She grunts, easier said than done. "He put something in my drink…" she's just realizing that now. Her words are slurred, but Reid seems to understand.
"Okay, just stay calm." She's way past panic. Whatever drug is in her system is doing a pretty good job at squashing all real feelings. Reid looks away from her, he's talking to someone else, but she can't make out the words.
"Reid," she says, her voice strained. He turns back to her. "Don't leave me…" she pleads. "I won't." That's really all she needs to hear. Her eyes start to feel heavy.
"Tina, just hang on…" she wants to listen, but she's been fighting off the effects of the drug long enough. She's tired, and sore… and she's safe now. There's no reason to fight anymore.