#and the idea of Sam and Tuck finding Danny dead and starting CPR to save him

[redrobin-detective]

30:2

TW: death, medical procedures, trauma

“one... two... three... Come on!”

Where was he? What was going on? It was dark all around him, he tried looking around but found he couldn’t move. He couldn’t even tell if his eyes were open or shut. To be honest, he didn’t know if he had eyes right now. He didn’t feel anything, he just felt like empty space, a void.

“thirteen... fourteen... Don’t you dare do this to me! fifteen... sixteen...”

It was a weird feeling to feel nothing at all. There was no sensation, no warm sun on his skin or the pressure of a heavy blanket pressed on top of him. But there also was no pain. There’s a flash of something in his head before it’s shuttered away. He thinks he should probably be bothered by his apathy but when you’re just a void, things like panic and regret seemed to slip away.

“twenty seven... twenty eight... twenty nine... thirty... Tucker, now do it!”

Something was going on, something he was missing out on. It was important and he knew he should be paying attention to it but it was getting increasingly hard to focus. Even the simple act of thinking seemed too much. It would be so much better to just, let his mind go and truly become nothing. It sounded nice.

“Danny! Come on, you can’t do this to us! Come back man!”

There’s another sort of flash and it’s filled with pain. Every single nerve in his body sung with an electric agony. His head felt like it had been cracked open with his whole being pouring out. There was this horribly pounding ache in his chest like his ribs are about to collapse inwards, as if there was a black hole where his heart ought to be. It hurts, part of him whined, curling away from the painful sensations.

“six... seven... eight... Tuck switch out with me next go around. ten...”

IT DOESN’T HAVE TO HURT, a voice from everywhere and nowhere said to him. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS LET GO AND THE PAIN WILL CEASE AND NEVER RETURN. The idea of the pain stopping was appealing, this was a pain that was surely enough to drive the strongest person mad. And he wasn’t strong or brave, he was just a stupid kid. But something made him hold on, pause for a moment. What is the other option? He couldn’t help but ask in return.

“Sam... I can’t huff I can’t do this. I think Danny might be-”

“I’m not giving up, push harder dammit! I’ll keep count, one... two...three...”

YOU GO TOWARDS THE PAIN, EMBRACE IT. HURTING COMES IN MANY FORMS, THE ACHE OF BATTLE SCARS AND LOST OPPERTUNITIES AND SECRETS THAT EAT AWAY AT YOUR BONES. BUT THAT IS THE COST OF LIFE, YOU MUST ACCEPT THAT PAIN ALONG WITH THE PLEASURE.

“nineteen... twenty... twenty one... twenty two, deeper compressions, Tucker!”

SO WHAT DO YOU CHOOSE, DANNY FENTON?

Danny, right, that was his name. He was 14 and lived in Amity Park, Illinois. He’d been messing around in his parents’ lab with Sam and Tuck when... 

POUND, POUND, POUND

His chest thumped over and over again, his ribs aching and breaking in an attempt to reach his heart. To start it back up again. More and more awareness seeped in: Tucker’s high pitched panicked breathing. The coldness of the lab floor underneath his own cooling body. The slap of Sam’s bracelets as she compressed and released, compressed and released over and over again. Hoping for a miracle that shouldn’t be forthcoming. But even miracles could occasionally slip through the cracks.

I SEE YOU HAVE MADE YOUR DECISION. VERY WELL, YOU HAVE FORSAKEN PEACE FOR PAIN. FEAR NOT, YOU WILL COME TO ME IN YOUR OWN TIME BUT UNTIL THEN, I SHALL ENJOY WATCHING THIS DRAMA UNFURL. TIME TO WAKE UP, LITTLE ONE.

Danny’s eyes flew open as he took in a deep, strangled breath so he had enough air to scream. “It hurts oh god it hurts!” He heard Sam gasp as she caught herself mid chest compression to stare in shock. Somewhere beside him, he heard Tuck yelp before babbling and crying hysterically. 

“Oh my god, Danny, holy shit I thought you were a goner. We’ve been trying to revive you for like an hour-”

“It’s been maybe a few minutes, Tuck...”

“Well it sure felt like an hour and-and Sam just jumped on your chest and started CPR and made me do it too and holy shit are you like, for real okay?”

“I don’t-” Danny coughed, his brain fuzzed out from the trauma to his mind and body the fading promise of a chance to rest. Sam’s fingers grasped ahold of Danny’s white hazmat suit, aggravating his probably broken to hell ribs. It hurt so bad but it meant he was alive. And right now that was the best feeling in the world. “I don’t know.” A few more struggling, shallow breaths. “Thanks guys, you saved my life.”

“I’m just glad you’re okay,” Sam sniffled with a wobbly smile, her mascara mixing with her tears and running down her face. “Don’t you ever scare me like that again, you hear? Tuck, call 911. His heart could give out again, we need to get him to a hospital.”

Danny gave a breathy chuckle, letting his head flop against the floor in pained exhaustion. He was alive, he was okay. He’d had a close call but his friends brought him back. Everything was fine. Of course, that was when Sam’s hands sunk into his chest again but not for compressions, they simply slipped right through his body like he wasn’t even there. Because not all escape were perfect and if one wanders to the other side, sometimes you bring something else back.