13.13 p.m.
At the office of the surgical consultant. Metro-General Hospital. New York
"Hope today will be a good day... How could I even say that this morning? Such a clear jinx sigh"
I sighed while sitting with my forehead in my hand. My thumb and forefinger massaging my temple after hearing the hospital announcement that...
"Emergency emergency emergency! A portal has opened above Times Square. The government has ordered an immediate evacuation!!"
"Doctors nurses and field staff please gather at the designated points according to the disaster drill Red code"
"Non-related personnel please evacuate as instructed by the authorities and gather at assembly point B-1"
At the same time police sirens blared everywhere reminding us that this was real not a drill. The helicopter noise was so loud as if hovering less than 100 meters above us announcing again that the emergency medical teams must be ready at all times and the army would send troops to guard the hospital within 30 minutes.
"At least they're quicker and safer than in 2012" I said softly before the front door burst open without knocking.
"Stephen!" Christine shouted my name in panic her face looking worse than any time she had faced the hardest surgery. Understandable since if whatever was breaching the dimension came through... instead of being doctors saving patients we would become the patients on the beds ourselves.
Maybe we wouldn't even be wheeled to the operating room to be saved but to the morgue instead.
"Christine" I called her name calmly as if the ongoing emergency announcement was just an evening aerobics call for medical staff. I was trying to keep her from losing her mind in this life-and-death situation.
"You're on the evacuation list. You have to go to assembly point B-1. But if you go how will you handle that problem? Let me help..."
I blinked. Apparently she wasn't worried about her own safety but rather how I'd find an excuse to sneak out of the hospital and see the situation myself.
"...Are you going to do the same as before going to Hong Kong? But that'll drain the power you need to deal with this and protect yourself... Should I tell the evacuation leader that you're having a panic attack and you'll hide in the basement alone then I'll..." Christine kept talking spinning plans in her head to help me find a way out and the faster she spoke the closer she got to panicking herself.
"Calm down Christine stop talking and take a breath"
"There's no ti..." Christine tried to finish but I shook my head already knowing what she was about to say then splashed a cup of water at her. She flinched and tried to cover her face but what she saw next was astonishing. The water slowed down stopped and hovered mid-air.
"Stephen... did you control the water with magic?"
"No I stopped time in this room. Only you and I can move" My answer startled her even more until I had to tell her to calm down breathe deeply and focus. It must have taken 3 to 5 minutes in real-world time before her breathing steadied.
"Stephen... I... I don't know what to do with... this..."
"You don't have to do anything..." I tried to comfort her but it seemed to hit an emotional mine instead.
"No Stephen!! You're going to make me sleep or forget and when it's over I'll remember that I let you risk your life to protect everyone again and I couldn't help you just like in Hong Kong!!! I hate feeling useless like a burden to you!!!"
I blinked again maybe I underestimated her concern. I had never faced anything like this before neither as Law who never had time for women because of surgeries nor as Stephen who devoted all his time to perfecting his surgical skills under his vow
"I will not let anyone die once I've accepted their case for treatment"
That vow was born the moment he learned his sister Donna Strange had drowned falling through thin ice her body cold and lifeless. Stephen then devoted himself entirely to studying ways to save lives in similar cases.
Neither of us ever dealt with a woman who showed such deep concern so of course I didn't know what to do. Christine seemed to sense it too staring into my eyes as if saying clearly
'I care about you. I want to help you. Tell me what I can do.'
"You don't have to help me find a way out. I can use an illusion easily it doesn't drain much energy."
"But... sigh I really can't help you at all can I?"
"Help yourself survive then we'll have dinner together."
"Dinner... we still haven't had that dinner we promised in Hong Kong."
"Then let's make it two dinners and two breakfasts."
"Stephen... where did you learn that kind of playboy line?"
"Didn't learn anywhere. You're the first person I've ever invited to dinner."
"Heh... okay take care of yourself."
"Yeah see you tonight."
We looked at each other seriously trading words one by one without looking away until Christine was sure I didn't see her as a burden then she stepped back.
"I know I'm a burden. Good thing you stopped time so you won't waste any getting ready... I finally understand how female characters in movies feel in moments like... this... sigh sorry for wasting your time and power to stop time Stephen..."
I nodded then reached out to pat her head gently.
"..." She froze for a moment surprised since it was the first time I'd ever done that. But I wasn't playing with her hair or patting her like a cat or a dog. I was casting the Vishanti sigil over her body an invisible magical shield. I didn't tell her though or she'd just worry about me wasting power.
To me Christine was the one who had always cared for me from medical school to surgery to my broken hands. Spending a bit of power to protect her was... worth it.
"New York... has never really been safe since 2012" Christine said softly as she watched me wave my hand to open a portal a few hundred meters away from the rift in the sky "Take care of yourself."