Chapter 61: Free

< Jina>

Jina had no idea how long they sat huddled together. Thomas had his hand on the back of her head for a little and then it slid off, flopping to the ground as his eyes fluttered. Her tears came faster, as Thomas's breathing became shallower. The slamming of her heart and the pounding of her head got louder.

"Jina!"

Jina picked her head up off Thomas's chest. Teresa was pointing at something in the sky. It was black and getting bigger. The pounding in her head and chest became something around her. It was the thumping of a Berg engin.

"Jorge!" Teresa screamed over the noise. "Jorge is here!"

She turned back and waved her arms. The Berg came closer.

"Come on. Time for you to get up." She had sweat and tears and blood she was banged and bruised on her face yet Jina had never seen her so determined.

"Why...why are you helping me?" Jina asked suddenly.

Teresa paused and looked at her hard. A fire behind her bright blue eyes.

"You saw me. Turley saw me. You understood me. You saw past the lies WICKED forced on me. And forgave everything I did to you, and Tom. You opened my eyes and saved me. It's time I repay that. Now get your ass up and help save your boyfriend."

Jina nodded.

"We likes her, Precious." She whispered under her breath. Jina saw a small smile on Teresa's face.

"Come on Tom! Up! Jorge is here!" Teresa yelled over the noise.

Thomas was hardly conscious. Jina shook his face slightly and his eyes fluttered.

"Waky waky. Time to go, Tommy Boy!"

Jina's head shook as she tried to force the voices away. She had to get Thomas to the Berg. That was her goal. Thomas to the Berg.

By some deep inner strength they each took an arm and pulled him up. They pulled and carried, stumbled and fell towards the Berg. The building was shaking and swaying. Jina could just make out people. She saw Sonya and Taylor and a few others her mind couldn't grasp. But she saw Captain David. He was harnessed in and leaning out of the open hatch of the Berg.

Teresa and Jina got Thomas as close to the edge and as close to the Berg as possible. David and someone else were leaning out shouting and reaching.

"ON THREE!" Teresa shouted.

"Tommy...you hear that?"

He gave a feeble nod.

"One. Two...THREE!" Teresa yelled.

Jina did her best to help toss Thomas, who hardly jumped, he was spent. There was nothing left in him. She knew, even in her cracked broken mind, he lost too much blood. But David and the others grabbed him. Over the roar of the fires and the Berg engine she could hear him scream in pain as they and pulled him up.

Jina's mind snapped. She collapsed to her knees. Her hands over her ears, eyes slammed shut. She pressed her forehead to the roof.

"Go away. Go away. Go away." She cried. "No no no no.""We's did it Precious. We is getting Tommy Boy to safety.""We did not get Aris to safeties.""Not our fault. Not our fault. Not our fault.""We's is too fucked in the head to be with people, Precious.""We can go down with the building.""Glorious firery death.""What about...what about what Tommy said?""Is we thinking, Precious, we can be fixed? No more Me, Myself and I...""I want stars. I want kisses. I want Tommy."

She slammed her forehead into the roof as she fought and argued with herself. She had ignored everything around her until the roof shifted. She stumbled to the side.

Her head whipped up. Some wild deep primal instinct of survival made her scramble to shaking legs. The building beside her collapsed. She spun around. The Berg was still there. She saw Thomas, bloody and shaking, but his eyes were open, and she saw his whiskey brown eyes staring at her, his mouth open in a silent scream, a hand reaching for her, willing her not to give up. Or maybe it was loud scream. She couldn't hear.

Then she saw Teresa on the Berg, screaming at her and waving frantically. And then Sonya and Taylor. And Flossie, and she choked on a sob. She saw Yelena and Jill and Harriet, her sisters.

She took a few steps and wobbled, the building crumbled. And she fell. In front was captain David. He was yelling something, but she couldn't understand. He was waving her forwards. But her eyes were focused on someone else.

Minho.

Minho had strapped himself into a harness and was looking ready to jump.

Jina understood. He wouldn't let her fall. Not now. Not when she really needed him. She got back to her feet, the building sagged and shifted to the side. She pushed off the edge of the building as Minho pushed off the Berg.

She flew through the air. And as she started to fall. She flailed and screamed. She closed her eyes waiting for death. But something solid collided with her knocking the wind out of her.  Jina slid in his grip as he fumbled to hold her, but he squeezed tighter. They swung in the air. She screamed.

"Got you."

"Don't...don't let go!" She whimpered.

She felt a tug, and then they were being pulled up. It took too long. She was suspended in mid air as what was left of WICKED collapsed and crumbled to nothing but a fiery explosion right under her bare feet.

She kept her eyes closed tight, and jaw even tighter, praying and fighting even harder not to loose her mind in mid air with only her brother holding her.

They were hauled and pulled up until many hands grabbed them and pulled them over the edge.

"We're good! Go! Get us out of here!"

There was a frenzy of activity suddenly. People were yelling, feet were stomping. Hands were grabbing her and touching her. She refused to open her eyes, she stayed curled in a tight ball, head hiding in her arms, she rocked slightly, trying to stay in her own mind.

"Stop stop stop." She whimpered.

No one listened. No one cared. It was too much.

"Stop!" She screamed.

People stopped touching her and backed up, suddenly scared of her. She was sitting up in her crouch, her face twisted in anger.

"Jina, we're trying to help." Captain David crouched down in front of her, blocking most of the people from view.

"Too much, Precious." She grabbed her head and shook it. "Too much! Too much!"

She snapped her head up, "Tommy?"

"Doctor Crawford and Doctor Mary have him."

"The Good Doctor Crawford-Moose? She is free, Precious, out of WICKED?"

"Yes, that's right. She is out and is safe. Just like Thomas. And Teresa and you..." David nodded.

"Not Aris. No. No no no...he is not being free.""Yes, Precious. He is frees. Frees to be with his Rachel..."

Jina's voice cracked. And her head twitched. She collapsed into a heap, her head in her hands and cried. Aris had given his life for her and she was bat shit crazy. Why would he do that for her?

She felt arms scoop her up, she didn't fight it, she hid her face and cried. The loud frantic noise grew quieter as feet took her away. She laid her head on whoever's chest and cried harder.

She was out. After months of being back with WICKED and Janson, months of being poked and prodded and stabbed and poisoned and nightmares and watched and observed. She was out. But...was she free? Only time would tell.

A door opened and closed. She was laid down on something soft. And for the first time she had a pillow. She didn't like it and recoiled.

"No? Don't like pillows?"

Jina finally opened her eyes. Minho sat on the ground in front of her. He looked slightly weary and uncomfortable. He looked banged up and dirty.

"I...I never had one."

"Oh." He ran a hand nervously through his hair and tugged the pillow away and tossed it onto the ground.

"You...you ummm, need some medical attention. You're bleeding in a lot of places."

Jina closed her eyes. "I don't feel it anymore."

There was a knock on the door and David poked his head in. Minho scrambled to his feet and went over. Leaving Jina alone in the bed. Jina's body shook and trembled. She closed her exhausted eyes. There was heavy footsteps that she recognized as Captain David. He crouched down.

"Hey, Jina. I'm going to get the glass out of your arms, okay?"

"...fine." she whispered.

"Is there anyone you want right now?"

Jina thought about it. She was so used to being alone and isolated she didn't know. She knew Doctor Crawford was working on Thomas. And Thomas was fighting for his life. Minho had cleared out of the room as soon as someone else was there.

"No." She whispered. "It's too much. And they are all scared of me."

"Give them a chance, kid. They all wanted to be here, for you."

Jina opened her eyes and peeked up at him through her teary eyes. He was watching her with such care she wanted to break down and cry again.

"Are you sure, Captain David of WICKED?"

"It's just David now."

"Okay, Just David Now. Is...is Tessa okay?" She whispered.

David chuckled and nodded. "She was reluctant to leave your side. But Minho convinced her he was going to jump and grab you. So she jumped."

"Can you get her then? And....and maybe...maybe Sonya?" Her lip quivered.

"You got it kid." He gently laid a hand in hers and get up.

He left the room and it was just her. And it was quiet. There was only the hum of the engine now. There was a blanket for the first time in months. The sting from the glass was starting, and her head was pounding. Her eyes felt heavy. Her heart was heavier. She let her eyes slid closed. She was just falling asleep when the door opened. Her eyes snapped open, suddenly on high alert.

"Jina, Love?"

Jina's lip quivered again. She slowly let out the breath she was holding. Sonya and Teresa slowly stepped in, followed by David who was holding a giant medical bag.

Sonya came and sat down on the bed beside her and gingerly moved the hair from her face. Her warm brown eyes softened as they took her in.

"You look like shit, girl."

Some weird form of a laugh mixed with a sob came out.

"Feel like shit."

"Let's fix that." David said placing the bag on the ground. "Jina, can I touch you and get the glass out? You tell me when it gets to much, okay?"

"Okay." She whispered.

It became too much quite fast. And she scrambled off the bed and into the corner. Her arms wrapped around herself, her knees pulled up and she rocked. Her head pressed to her knees.

It was a long slow process to remove all the shards of glass from the windows exploding.

She needed a shower so badly, but she was too worn out. David offered her pain meds and water. He had to reassure her many times and convince the voices he wasn't trying to poison her, but she eventually took them.

< • >

< David >

Jina finally took the Tylenol. He had to convince her and the the othe voices he wasn't trying to poison her.

"Okay, Just David Now. We is trusting you.""Is this a smart decision?""Yes, Precious. We is trusting Captain David of WICKED before, we is trusting Just David Now, now.""Okay...we is trusting us. Who is trusting Just David Now."

She finally curled up and fell asleep on the ground in the corner of the room. Sonya and Teresa quietly left. David stayed. He sat on the bed and watched the girl sleep. He felt his heart get heavy. He wished he could have gotten her out sooner. He pulled the blanket off the bed and drapped it over her small frame. And sat back down with a heavy sigh.

At some point Doctor Crawford found him. She sunk down onto the bed beside him. She lay her head on his shoulder. He leaned over and kissed the top of her head gently.

"How's the boy?"

"He'll live. The bullet missed vital organs. He lost a lot of blood. Minho had to donate some. I'd ask Jina, she was the perfect match, but that would be too much. Minho volunteered and it matched."

"That's good. You did good."

"He's sedated now. We'll keep him that way for a while. Let him heal and recover. How is Jina?"

"Overwhelmed and exhausted."

"I believe that. It's going to be a long uphill battle. Four months of tourture...that'll be at least a few years of fighting for her mental health."

"Thomas, Sonya and Teresa are good for her. They seem to be able to help keep her grounded. And they don't seem to be scared of her."

"That's good."

David hummed.

"You've grown quite attached, haven't you." She asked picking her head up.

He gave her a sheepish smile. "Maybe, Good Doctor Crawford Moose." He chuckled quietly.

"Good." She nodded with a small smile. "Me too, Captain David of WICKED."

"It's Just David Now."

Diana let a small chuckle out. "She still has quite the sense of humor."

"That's how I know she'll be okay." David nodded, looking back at the girl who was sound asleep, who had beaten the odds. What started as a frustrated stand to get back at someone who did her wrong, to helping organize the Right Arm and revolution with her determination and stubbornness, to taking down WICKED. She had beat the odds and was now free. Free to heal and free to live.

David and Diana leaned back against the wall he intertwined their fingers and fell asleep. Diana's head on his shoulder and his head resting on hers.

When they awake a few hours later. Jina was gone.

< • >

< Jina >

Jina woke up at some point in a panic. Her heart was racing and she was sweating. The room was quiet- but it wasn't her room. The floor was hard and cold, and there was something heavy and scratchy on top of her. And she tensed when she heard breathing. Slowly she rolled, ready to pounce.

When her eyes landed on the source of the noise she sat up and watched. David and Doctor Crawford were asleep slumped against the wall, their hands intertwined and heads resting on each other. Jina sat and stared at their hands.

"They is cute, Precious.""Yes. Can we be that?""Be what, Precious? Cute? No. No no no. We is too fucked in the head.""But...Tommy loves us.""Does he, Precious?""Yes." "Shh. Both of you. You will wake up Just David Now and Good Doctor Crawford-Moose."

Jina sat with her head tilted for a while.

"Can we sees Tommy now, Precious?""Crawford-Moose is here.""Yes. Let's go see Tommy."

She got up and dragged the blanket to the sleeping couple and laid it over them. Then she crept from the room. Every small noise made her jump.

"Not a good idea, Precious!" "It's too loud!""But we can sees our Tommy."

Jina kept going. The Berg was quiet. People must be sleeping. The engines were running, but the inside was quiet. It was so loud and frantic when she was pulled on.

After slinking and creeping around for a while, she finally found the medical bay area. Only one person was in here. Thomas was hooked up to wires and tubes and monitors.

"They us hurting him, Precious!""No dumb dumb. The Good Doctor Crawford-Moose is helping out Tommy. He is getting better.""Ya, idiot. There's no bad dream drugs."

"That's right Jina."

Jina screamed and spun around, with a snarl. Standing in the door way was another good doctor she remembered.

"Doctor Mary."

"Yes. Good to see you up, David did a good job on that patch job. How are you feeling?"

The voices fled her mind leaving her alone.

"Tired. And overwhelmed..."

"It's going to be a tough battle. But I know your strong. You beat a lot of odds."

Jina nodded. Her legs were starting to feel shaky.

"Would you like to have a shower? And then lay back down? I can make up a bed in here if you want to be closer." She indicated to Thomas laying on the operating table still.

"You're not scared I would hurt him?" Jina spat. "Everyone is scared of me... And what I did."

"Would you hurt him?" Mary asked indicating to Thomas again.

Jina shook her head. Tears filling her eyes. "He's the only one who's not scared. Even...even the voices are protective of him."

"They why would I be worried you would hurt him?"

"I don't know...everyone else is."

"I'm not everyone. Now, there is a shower just off the room here. Go, you'll feel better, and I'll make up a bed."

"No pillows." Jina shook her head. "I don't like pillows anymore."

"Deal." Mary smiled gently. "I'll find you some clothes and leave it on the counter in the bathroom."

Jina slowly made her way to the shower. She kept her head down and refused to look in the mirror. She knew she would scare herself if she saw what she actually looked like. Instead she stripped off her filthy white pants and sports bra and turned the water on. It took a long time to get her hair cleaned. And she got frustrated and sat down and cried.

"Jina? May I help you?" Mary asked gently. From the other side of the shower curtain.

Jina sniffed. "Ya." She whispered.

Mary pulled the curtain back and knelt down. She helped wash the dirt, grime, blood, sweat and everything else from her hair. And then helped comb the tangles.

Mary let her dry off and get dressed. It was all big on her tiny frame, but pajama pants and a big warm hoodie and it was soft and it was clean. But most importantly, it wasn't WICKED. She crawled onto the bed, not using the covers. She didn't like covers, instead Mary brought her a heating pad and that made Jina happy. It was warm and she could cuddle with it, and it made her sore body relax.

"Sleep now. I'll be in and out to make sure Thomas is doing alright. But he has medicine in his IV to help keep the pain away and help him sleep. Okay? He won't be awake for a while. His body needs sleep. And so do you. Step one of healing, proper sleep and food."

Jina's eyes were already slidding closed. The sound of Thomas's heart monitor putting her to sleep, a proper sleep. A sleep she hadn't had in months.

< • >