TF2: Doctor's Assistant

(22) Set Free

A bad feeling had been resting in the pit of my stomach ever since I woke up that morning. I had fallen asleep in the chair, dried tears plastered to my face. I didn't even remember falling asleep. My mind was just spinning and spinning until an unknown blackness washed over me. I didn't even feel like I got any sleep. My eye lids were still dropping with exhaustion and my neck ached from it's awkward angle in the chair. I sat up, rubbing it. My hands were cold against my warm neck, making me jitter with surprise.

"Ooow..." I mumbled, looking behind myself to see if the men were still there. Sniper was still in the chair, but the Medic had vanished from the table. His coat was gone, and the bed had been made. Sniper was now leaning back against the wall in a more comfortable position than I left him in, his injured eye now looking like it had never been touched. He looked more settled, his chest gently rising and falling as he dreamed on.

I slowly made myself stand up, my knees and back giving a satisfying crack as I stretched, the events of the previous night slowly making its way back into my mind. My first thought had been to go find what the Medic was up to, but I almost instantly decided not to. I knew that going to find him would only make things worse, and I had no idea if Miss Pauling had ever gotten to him about the same thing. I had a moment of worry that maybe she had gotten to him differently and he would be turned against me. I shivered. No. Miss Pauling wouldn't do that to me....would she?

That was the problem...I didn't know...

I didn't know anything about her, but maybe it was better if it stayed that way. I just didn't know how much she already knew about me.

"The bomb is nearing the second checkpoint!"

I jumped to attention, looking at the speaker on the wall like it was the face of a person talking to me.

"What?! Why did nobody tell me!" I exclaimed, running to the Sniper and shaking him, but trying not to startle him. "Sniper. Sniper! Wake up! The BLUs are pushing the payload!" I hissed, trying not to yell.

His throat gave a low rumble that sounded somewhere between a grunt and a growl, blinking and looking up at me. My hands were tightly grasping each end his vest.

"Crikey..." He muttered, sitting up a little as I let go of him. "Who's pushin' the what now?" He looked more tired than I was, and I was about to answer him, but the Administrator was more than happy to beat me to it.

"The enemy has received additional time." Her voice seemed to echo through the long hallways. His gaze found mine, suddenly looking worried.

"Oi...get out there, I don't think have enough in me to go back up there." I shivered at the tone of his voice. He sounded like he was wounded, his voice strained. I had no idea what was wrong with him, but he wasn't going to move.

"I..wasn't going to make you go back there. Not after how I found you." I replied gently. "Do you feel better? You sound like you're still-"

"Don' worry 'bout me." He interrupted, gently pushing me back by my shoulder. I stepped back, unsure of what to do. I quickly grabbed my pistol and gave it to him.

"Here. Just in case something happens."

"What about you?"

"I know where Scout's Scattergun is. Just keep the gun. This battle should be over in no time. You know how to work the Medi gun, right?" He nodded, pointing to it and making a flicking motion with his finger.

"The lever thing..." he said almost as if he were asking a question.

"Yup, that's it." I said, smiling a little. "Don't get killed." I said in a tone that was slightly jovial, but was mostly serious. He reached for his hat at the table, putting it back on and letting the glow of the Medi gun gleam off his sunglasses. He surely looked like the sheriff in an Old Western movie...and it made me feel a little better.

"I appreciate it, mate. Now get out there." I nodded, taking off towards the doors, right as I was about to push the doors open I heard a voice behind me, "Oi! Come back for a minute." He suddenly yelled. I stopped, turning around and jogging back to him.

"Yeah?"

He looked me up and down for a second, a strange look crossing his face. Was it confusion? Wonder? I didn't know, but he smiled a little, drawing me closer with a gentle hand on my arm. 

"Sheila..." He murmured, looking back up at me again. "You've changed..."

"What do you mean?" I asked, frowning. I was starting to wonder if the bullet had gotten further than his eye.

"You look stronger...and you're acting differently..." He said. "A few months ago you didn't even want to ever think about the battle field, but ever since Scout was killed...I think that flipped a switch..."

"A few things have flipped quite a few switches..." I thought to myself, but I responded with a light nod. Indeed, I felt stronger, and I had decided that I wasn't scared of fighting anymore. No....It hadn't been a decision...it was almost an instinct. Fighting was in my blood now. The scared little girl I once was...it was all behind me...it seemed like forever ago when I'd last curled up in a little ball of anxiety. 

I had changed.

"But what am I saying?" He smiled, pushing me back again. "Get out there and do your stuff." I laughed for the first time in a while, nodding and turning to run outside again, leaving him behind. It felt great, running back to Scout's room. I felt like I was him, swift and care free, feeling like I was flying down the hallway as I went to retrieve the Scattergun and actually use it for the first time. 

It was almost like Scout had finally stopped yapping and set me loose. Releasing a side of me that hadn't shown its face in a long  time.