flatline [m.s]

clxxii.

- - -
researchers have theorized that nightmares are the brain's way of processing unsettling events of the past.
- - -

"dr. webber," deluca calls, running up to lia as she walking towards the hospital, using one hand to hold darci's, and the other to carry lily.

"you okay, deluca?" lia furrows her brow, turning to face him.

"it's dr. pierce," deluca informs her. "i just saw her when i walked past joe's. she looked pretty drunk."

"seriously, deluca?" lia raises her brow. "it's nine am."

"i'm just telling you what i saw," deluca holds his hand up and lia sighs.

"take my kids to daycare," she hands lily to him and let's go of darci's hand, and he stands there not quite knowing what to do. "if anyone asks, dr. pierce and i are sick."

- - -
others believe nightmares are how our subconscious mind prepares us to do deal with our real-life fears.
- - -

"and- and in just a few weeks, it had- it had grown so much in size that it was squeezing up into the pulmonary artery. like the- do you know what that is, joe?" maggie looks up at the bartender as she sits in front of him, next to an empty wine glass and a napkin she'd been drawing on.

"no," joe shakes his head.

"well, it's- it's, um, it's makes sure your blood gets to your lungs, which is... important," maggie explains as she continues scribbling on the napkin. "but, um, her blood had clotted all the way from here to- do you have a red pen?"

"no, and i kinda need that one back," joe tells her as lia enters the bar.

"can i have another one of these, please?" maggie holds up her empty glass once she's handed him his pen back.

"are you okay?" lia exhales deeply as she takes a seat next to maggie.

"what are you doing here?" maggie turns to her sister. "how did you know i was here?"

"deluca," lia reveals. "he saw you on his way into work."

"richard's never gonna speak to me again. and i don't blame him," maggie sighs. "i don't even know why you're still speaking to me."

"i told you, maggie. you're my sister," lia reminds her as joe places another glass of wine down on the bar, but lia slides it's towards herself, away from maggie. "why don't we leave this here, and get you home?"

"but i need it," maggie protests.

"maggie, i'm sure you have some wine at home, too, okay?" lia stands from the bar. "c'mon."

- - -
either way, they agree that nightmares are most commonly brought on by one thing: stress.
- - -

"what are you doing?" maggie asks lia as she is busy looking through all of maggie's kitchen cupboards.

"come on, mer used to live here. there has to be a bottle of tequila somewhere... jackpot," lia pulls an almost full bottle of tequila out from the back of one of the cupboards.

when she turns to maggie she sees that she is looking at her with a furrowed brow.

"what? i'm not gonna let you be drunk all by yourself now, am i?" lia shrugs, pouring some tequila into a large glass. "cheers."