Chapter Text
She has a splitting headache. It's the only thing she thinks of, the throbbing pain, as she keeps her eyes squeezed shut for a few moments. Deep breaths Janis, come on. In for four, hold five, out six. She repeated this for a minute, until she could hear herself think. Instead, she hears beeping, and chatter, and announcements from a speaker.
Blinking her eyes open, all she sees is white. Pristine walls, and blinding fluorescent lights, make her close her eyes again.
“Janis?” It's whispered, and she knows that voice anywhere, even without its usual sarcastic overtones. But that's what worries her, her best friend sounded scared, so she pries open her eyes, and glances in the direction of Damien.
His eyes are wide, and relief washes over both of them. For Janis, just because she can see the tension leave her best friend.
“Howzit?” She grins only to be reminded of the pounding in her head. And Damiem catches the grimace. God why is he so perceptive
“I'm getting the doctor… wait here” As if I could move even if I wanted to. She's looking around now, noticing all the tubes connecting her to machines and IVs. When her eyes land on someone asleep in the corner, a blonde in what appears to be an uncomfortable position, with her head bent awkwardly, mouth open, and using a thin jacket as a blanket.
She's pulled out of her thoughts, when Damien barges through the door, doctor in tow. Waking up the unfamiliar blonde.
Janis shifts her attention back to her best friend. Confusion written all over her face.
“Hello Janis, Im Dr. Shepherd, and am happy to see you're awake.” Silence… Janis glances around the room, to Damien, who smiles his infectious smile. Then to the blond whose face morphs from sleep, to shock, to a softness when she sees Janis. The brunette goes back to the doctor. “You were in an accident, and have been in a coma for two months” More silence… “I'm going to run a few tests, to make sure everything is alright”
“She's not a fan of doctors” Damien cuts in. Thanks Dame . “It usually takes her a minute”
“That is quite alright, I know most people are scared of the hospital, and I understand your confusion waking up here” Dr. Shepherd smiles at Janis again, coming forward with an eye thing. Damien and the blonde, inching toward her as well.
“I'm not scared of doctors, my mom is a nurse, I usually prefer her to coming into these hand sanitizer smelling rooms” Finally she speaks up. The doctor smiles for a third time.
“Understandable, nothing's the same as a mothers touch. Repeat after me…” The doctor goes back to work, checking the woman's vitals, and injuries.
After what feels like hours, Dr. Shepherd tells Janis and the two others that she looks good. “I want to keep you here for another day, just to make sure you're all set, but in the meantime, I'll get you some medicine for that headache” With that she exists, leaving Janis alone with Damien and the blonde.
They both rush toward her. She looks at her best friend, and he smiles his big smile. He holds her hand gingerly “I thought I lost you Jay” The blond speaks up, startling Janis into actually looking at her. The woman has tears in her eyes, and a warm smile. Why did Damien bring one of his random new friends-of-the-week to her hospital room? I don't want this to be the first meeting with another one of his ‘friends’ . Suddenly Damiens new friend cups her face, causing Janis to flinch away.
Confusion flickers across her face. “Are you in pain?” Concern replaces the confusion. Janis can hear it, in the way she breaths, and speaks.
“Just the splitting headache” Janis manages to grin, trying to make the emotional girl feel better. “Sorry, I just wasn't expecting Dame to introduce his new friend right after waking up from a coma” She manages to joke, but quickly stops when the blonde freezes.
“Jay… this better not be another one of you fucked up pranks…” Janis feels the hand holding hers tighten, she looks up to see a shocked Damien. “... Jay… please?” The voice cracks, but Janis is still looking at her best friend. Who is just staring at her.
“What's going on?” Janis asks the man holding her hand
“I'm going to go get the doctor” The blonde says, drawing away from the woman in the bed. Finally causing Janis to look at her. The brunette sees confusion, hurt, and love written across the other woman's features.
“Janis, do you know who I am?” it is whispered as soon as the tall woman leaves.
Bewildered, Janis looks up at Damien. “Of course, you're Damien, you're almost too gay to function” She tries to joke. But he doesn't laugh. He always laughs, or makes up a quip when she says that.
“Then why don't you remember Regina?” So that is her name.
The Hawaiian looks at her friend, really looks at him. Why do you look different? What is going on? “When did you grow that beard?” she asks instead.
He brings his hand up to his face. And opens his mouth about to say something, when the door opens.
Dr. Shepherd walks in again, with a worried Regina behind. “It seems like you may be having some memory loss, which is completely normal in cases like yours.” She says. “Could you tell me the last thing you remember doing?”
“Umm” Janis scrunches her eyes closed for a couple of seconds. “Damien and I were rehearsing for the battle of the bands. I went to the kitchen to grab him and Grace a hot chocolate.”
“And do you know when that was?” Shepherd asks easily. How can she be so calm! Why is it so hard to breathe? There is a lump in Janis’ throat, and she knows a panic attack is coming. She feels pressure on her chest, and struggles to take a breath. Janis’ eyes are wide as she frantically looks around, trying to latch onto anything. But the world is falling apart. She can't focus on anything but how air won't get in her lungs.
“Jay, listen to my voice okay?” A voice cuts into her thoughts. “Breathe with me, in two, three, four.” Janis’ breath stutters, trying to keep up “Hold two, three, four.” The sobs are retreating “And out, two, three, four.” The invisible pressure on her chest starts to dwindle. “Great, lets go again” Each time they breathe, it gets a little easier. “Can you open your eyes?” The voice asks, and she does. Janis opens her tear stained eyes to see blue ones, softly looking at her. “Now what do you see?” The blond prompts, quietly. So Janis looks around the room frantically, naming objects, one at a time, until her breath is even.
Janis looks at Regina who smiles warmly. “Better?” She gives a slight nod, in thanks. Regina smiles again, before going behind Shepherd again.
“I was twenty then, I think, cause Battle of the Bands was Junior year” Janis mumbles.
Shepherd takes note, then returns her attention to the patient. “You seem to have lost quite a bit of time”
“How much?” She demanded
“Its 2024” Janis stops breathing.
Eight years! I lost eight years!