Something Like That.

Rain, Rain, Go Away

*TRIGGER WARNING!  This chapter and others contain various elements that may cause distress, read with caution!*

Lia (short for Calia) straightened out her scrubs, giving herself a final look before heading out for her first shift at Medford General Hospital. She moved to Medford to be near her brother and start potentially settling down after a few years as a travel nurse. Her brother, Nathan, had lived here with their Father since his teen years when their parents had split. Lia stayed with their Mother traveling along with her dedicated military stepfather.

'Ugh, rain,' Lia groaned as she stepped outside her brother's house, where she stayed until finding her place. Nathan was out to dinner with his fiancée' Dani, whom Lia was close with and would be working alongside in the ER.

As Lia pulled out of the driveway, she noticed a cluster of lights at the end of the country road; wanting to avoid an accident scene, she quickly found an alternate route thanks to Google maps. Riding along, Lia was still adjusting to these winding backcountry roads.

Cursing the rain, which she hated, especially at night, she drove up on a stalled vehicle.

Before she could even formulate a thought, a young woman came screaming up to her, banging on her car window. "Please, we need help!!" Lia shifted the car into park and jumped out without blinking twice.

"My baby, he's not breathing, and the bridge is washed out. . . I... we. . . please, can you help?!"The Mother cried.

"Where is he?"

Lia questioned, heading to the stopped vehicle in front of her. As she approached, the back door came open, and a little girl, no more than five, held a small, limp baby in her arms with worry and fear on her tiny little face.

Lia did not hesitate before grabbing the boy and immediately starting CPR. The rain came down heavier and soaked her as the minutes passed while she continued CPR on the cold concrete with her headlights providing the only light.  Lia had been around death as an ER nurse, and sadly many times, those were children, but tonight just felt so much worse. 'No.  Not tonight!' she thought, fighting back the tears as she continued CPR.

"Have you called 911?!" Lia screamed at the grief-stricken Mother.

"I...I...I don't have a phone." She cried.

"In my car, the console, my phone, call 911, NOW!" Lia instructed.

Pausing for only a moment, the Mother rushed to do as instructed. Lia looked up at the little girl watching her desperately try to save her brother.

"Does he have a blanket?" Lia asked, knowing this was not going to end well. The little girl nodded, then handed her the small receiving blanket.

"Thank you, sweetie.  Now climb back in the car, shut the door, and stay warm, okay?" Lia barely whispered, not wanting her to bear witness to any more trauma. Lia lifted the baby's lifeless body and wrapped him in the blanket; she then slowly began walking toward her car.

Headlights nearly blinded her, and she paused as two figures came forward. The baby's frantic Mother turned, phone in hand, "they're here, help is here!" toward Lia.

Lia saw a man about her age approach with an older gentleman close behind.

"He's not breathing, unresponsive. I just came upon them; I've been doing CPR but. . . "Lia trailed off, all her training leaving her as she handed the limp infant to the young man.

"Damnit," He muttered, seeing the infant who had begun turning blue.

Lia went to the Mother, who returned her phone.