Chapter 5
Heero narrowly missed running over a young couple in the entrance to the hospital. They had been driving for 3 hours with Quatre, and he had gotten progressively worse.
The boys struggled with getting Quatre out of the car as Sophia ran into the emergency room.
"Emergency! Please, I need your help! My friend is half frozen, he needs medical attention ASAP!"
"Hold your horses," a high pitched squeaky voice said. It came from a woman behind the reception desk with a blond beehive hairdo and flashy leopard print scrubs. "A lotta people need help; that’s why they’re here, sweetie. Now, if I could just have you fill out these forms,’ the woman began, stacking numerous papers in front of a seething Sophia.
Sophia leaned onto the counter, flicking a glance at the woman’s name tag. "Look, Mary, I’m sure the paperwork is…joyfully tedious, but my friend is dying."
"So are half the people in here. Unfortunately, our donations aren’t enough to build more rooms, generous as those donations are. Our benefactor hasn’t been sending any money lately."
Sophia had just about given up, when Duo burst in carrying Quatre, followed closely by the rest of the pilots. Mary stood up, gaping at Quatre. Suddenly, she grabbed the PA system.
"Emergency! The young benefactor is in need of medical attention NOW! Holy mother of everything sacred! Get the boy a room! Doctor!"
3 doctors immediately rushed up to Duo, nimbly grabbing the shivering blond out of his arms. The 5 friends watched as Quatre was wheeled into an emergency operating room, an oxygen mask over his mouth and an IV being stuck in his arm.
Wufei walked over to the waiting room and settled into a small uncomfortable chair next to a large fish tank and a fake tree. Hundreds of angry eyes stared at Wufei as the rest of the group walked over next to him.
"How is it," an old woman with a horrible British accent began, "that your friend was helped upon entering the building, and I’ve been waiting with my husband for 4 hours when he’s been shot in the foot?!"
Wufei stared blankly at the woman. She soon began ranting and raving as well as Wufei could any day. Sophia sat next to the boy just as the British woman said something incredibly vile about what she was going to do to his manhood.
"C’mon Wu, Mary is giving us a private waiting room until they’re done with Quatre."
Wufei seemed all too pleased to be leaving the little seat, and followed his comrades into a small secluded room provided by Mary. There were comfy chairs, a small table, and a coffee machine in the corner.
"Thank you, God. Caffeine," Duo said softly, and walked over to the machine, pouring in water and coffee grounds.
"Sophia," Wufei began, "remind me later to yell at you for calling me ‘Wu’."
Sophia smiled as she sat in a large, cushy chair covered in soft brown leather. "Got it."
She pulled out the diary from her jacket pocket where she had hastily stuffed it upon entering the hospital. She flipped to the first page and decided that maybe she could catch up on her reading.
"Don’t you think that’s a little intrusive?" a voice interrupted.
Sophia looked over at Trowa. "Not at all. For one, we’re dealing with a 12 year old military mastermind, who just happens to be enemy #1 at the moment. And two, I need to keep my mind occupied."
Trowa nodded his head in agreement. "Good point."
Sophia once again started to read the diary while the scent of fresh coffee wafted through the air.
February 20, A.C. 201
Dear Diary,
We have finally landed on this god-forsaken planet. Those imbeciles took an hour to land the shuttle, and by that time, my stomach was in so much pain that I could barely breathe. I went to dinner at 7 o’clock sharp, just like Daddy did. I miss X18999. They don’t know how to cook escargots here on earth.
~Mariemaia Khushrenada
February 21, A.C. 201
Dear Diary,
I woke up this morning with my abdomen and spine throbbing. I’m running low on Fentanyl already. We started training today with mobile suits. 3 of the suit systems crashed from years of no use. Then one exploded on the training field. Tomorrow will be a quiet day with only repairs on the Aries and Leo models.
~Mariemaia Khushrenada
February 22, A.C. 201
Dear Diary,
My room is finally coming together. Father’s guns were the first thing I hid when I arrived at the base; 2nd drawer of the old writing table. I had a special drawer made just for you, diary, so that none of those snoopy nurses can find you when they check on me at night. The pain from the old gunshot wound is becoming really bad. It hurts all the time now.
~Mariemaia Khushrenada
February 23, A.C. 201
Dear Diary,
I woke up only minutes ago and called for a nurse and medication. I can’t stand the pain anymore. The training isn’t going well with those lousy troops. Where is that nurse? The pain is too intense now. I think, I think I need help . . .
/That’s all she wrote? 4 days’ worth? She was barely there longer then we were./
Stretching out her legs, Sophia stood up and dropped the diary back onto her chair. She walked over to the coffee pot where fresh caffeine just waited for her to drink. Sophia poured some into a mug hanging from a rack on the wall and took a gulp.
"How can you drink it black?" Heero’s voiced monotonously inquired.
"I take a sip and swallow. Quite simple, really."
Duo cleverly disguised a bout of laughter as a coughing fit so Heero wouldn’t have to hurt him badly. Again.