oops.

‘Yeah, well.’ Vin shrugged and kept smiling. He didn’t want Imogen to worry; she had enough to be worrying about. It was good she didn’t bring Sarah too. As much as Vin wanted to see his daughter, the last thing she needed was to witness her father in a hospital bed looking like shit, as her mom aptly put it.

‘You okay?’ He asks, genuinely concerned before he pulls on her hand to wrap an arm around Imogen’s shoulder. They may be exes, but he still cared about her in some capacity. ‘Is Sarah okay? Who’s she with?’

She doesn’t tell him that pale, and probably bleeding and using a machine to breathe, she still thinks he’s handsome, mostly because she needs the humor right now, and, well, whatever, he does kind of look like shit. She grins at him though, lets him know she’s teasing him. Neither of them, she’s sure, care what he looks like right now, as long as he’s alive.

Destin’s lips curled upwards into an amused grin,  “Miss St. James” he greeted, handing her the glass. “Ahh now you know better than to put on that fake smile for me” he teased her, “Daddy bring you along again?” he asked tipping his glass to his lips, sipping the wine. Truth was, he didn’t much enjoy the parties either, however, he needed to keep up appearances and pretend he was interested since he would one day be taking over the business. “How’re things?” he asked her.

“Oh, please. I’m not my mother. Call me Imogen” she pushes, because she’s feels like being called by her last name ages her. She takes the glass a little greedily from him, and takes a sip. It’s good wine, she’ll give them that.’This smile is one hundred percent genuine” she lied, and then pulled a face.  “Of course he did, he needed something pretty to drag along with him, you know how it is” she explained, because really, she could’t imagine her dad wanted her around for much else besides wanting to show off his mildly famous artist daughter. “Things are okay, working, raising a six year old, the usual’ she said, raising an eyebrow ‘and with you? What have I missed? I feel like I’m so disconnected from all of this” she said, gesturing to the room. 

Vince was in and out of consciousness. The surgery had gone okay, despite a few niggles and nips in veins and vessels and internal bleeding that needed to be put under control but the bullet fragments were out and he was cleaned up and stitched up.

The last however long he’d been in hospital were weird; he was sure Paxton had come in, and he had hazy but fond memories of it before he’d been asked to leave. Ezra had come by a few times. Where was Sarah? Imogen?

Vin was lying in the bed shirtless. He was having some help breathing from an oxygen mask as a small fragment of bullet had nipped one of his lungs that needed to be looked at. It wasn’t major, but for now he needed some support. His abdomen was wrapped in thick bandages, and his eyes were closed as he listened to the beeping of his heart monitor. Vince was awake but he didn’t want to open his eyes. It was too much effort.

The doors opened and he heard a familiar voice. He had to open his eyes now as a hand went through his hair. Vin forced himself and gaze a loped smile to his ex. ‘Hey,’ he croaked out, lifting a hand up to give her a wave. ‘How ya doing?’

His abdomen is wrapped in bandages and it makes her heart stop for a moment even though she knows he is okay, knows that he is breathing, even if it’s with a little assistance right now. He is responsive, Ezra told her. He is alive. That is enough right now, that he is alive.  She doesn’t know what she’d do if it had been the opposite and she tries not to think about it. She doesn’t want to think about anything happening to him at all, and what would happen to Sarah, to her, if it did. She sees him now, and he’s alive and she’s soothed for a moment. 

Maddy: Mars is in gatorade or something...

Maddy: You're a true friend. thank you. oh hell yeah so it's a true girls night! see ya there! xo

Imogen: The planets really out here fuckin' us up!

Vince was Ezra’s main priority now, though he should really be attending to at least five other patients, they’d have to wait. Nothing was more important then his bro at this moment. As Imogen hung up, Ezra placed the phone back down into its cradle and waited. He knew that she wouldn’t be long, though as he sat at the nurses station, another patient had pulled him into a conversation, complaining for the third time, about his waiting time. There honestly wasn’t a lot Ezra could do.. They were down two nurses this evening. As per usual.

Ezra had been looking towards the automatic entrance doors when Imogen entered. He immediately got to his feet and walked around the desk, pulling her into a comforting hug. “Hi..” Ezra spoke, forcing a smile in his friends direction. “He’s just over here..” He informed, pulling himself back before guiding Imogen towards the bay Vincent had been admitted into. “As I explained on the phone to you, we’re waiting for him to go down into theatre. Imogen, Vincent’s going to be fine.. I promise. He’s in a lot of pain but, he’s with us and he’s talking.”

She is relieved to see him standing there when she walked in. Needed to see a comforting, familiar face. She knows Vince is one of Ezras best friends too, knows that despite him being at work, that he has to deal with his friend being hurt too. So when he hugs her, thank god for him hugging her truly, she returns it by wrapping her arms around him tight, holding him, too. She thinks they both need it. She knows she does.  Then he’s pulling back from the embrace and she’s wiping at her face, wiping away the tears that had started to fall. She lets him lead her, wrapping her arms around herself. She doesn’t want to be here, doesn’t want any of them to be in this situation where Vince is laying in a hospital bed. 

He’s explaining that Vince is okay,  that he’s responsive and everything, but she can’t help but still feel dread in her stomach, sitting there like a weight. She blinks, and then sighs, running a hand through her hair. “I know, I know you say he’s okay but I can’t help but...” she sucks in a breath, fights back the impending panic as much as she can “I...we, Sarah needs him to be okay. We both do.” and she doesn’t want to think about something happening, about a surgery gone wrong or an infection or any of those things but there’s a little voice in her head warning her that anything could happen, and she can’t stop it from taunting her. 

She tried not to panic. She had hung up the phone with the reassurance that she was on her way. Had called her dad to pick up Sarah for the time being, just in case, with a demand that he be waiting on the other line for when he needed to bring her to the hospital.  He agreed, despite how he felt about Vince, he knew it was important. And with a reassuring smile and a kiss to her head Imogen was in an Uber, trying to ignore the way her heart rate was picking up. 

She managed not to go full blown panic attack on the ride over, and when she found herself rushing into the hospital, desperate and scared, all she could do was find a nurses station, find Ezra, trying not to be hysterical through watery eyes and the feeling like her chest was caving in with how she couldn’t really breathe until she saw him. Being his NOK, there was no need to beg, no need to plead to get into his room. She was directed down a set of halls, towards a door where she could hear the beeping of the machines. She took a breath and let herself in, rushing to his side. 

Naturally, the tone of panic spoke through his ear as Imogen answered. How was he to approach this? Honestly, it ripped a piece of his heart just having to make this phone call, even if Vince was still with them - he couldn’t imagine getting a call like this about Heather. “Imogen, please do not worry. Vince was brought into the ER around an hour ago. He uh.. He’s been involved in a shooting and unfortunately he was targeted. He’s come in by ambulance with a bullet wound to his abdomen. We’ve already had him x-ray-ed and everything has come back clear. The only worry we have is that the bullet itself is still lodged into his stomach but, I’ve arranged for surgery as soon as possible. As you’re his next of kin Imogen, I needed to let you know.” Though Ezra remained professional, he was worried himself. “Vince is alert, orientated, talking.. And I’m here if you want to come in.” 

Ezra was telling her not to worry, which, in her opinion, always caused people to worry. How could she not, of course, when the next words that had come out of his mouth. Vince was brought into the ER. Vince had been involved in a shooting. Vince had been shot. Somewhere she’s aware that Ezra is telling her he’s okay, that he’s stable for now, but she can’t hear it over the ensuing panic that settles into her. She reaches out and runs a hand through Sarah’s hair, trying to soothe herself, trying to keep herself from freaking out in front of her...their, six year old daughter. She nods, even though he can’t see her, swallows thickly. “He’s....if. I’ll be there, let him know I’ll be there” her voice is low, scared, worried. She doesn’t know what to do. Vince is...the father of her child, the first person she’s ever loved, probably, if she’s being honest, one of her best friends. She doesn’t want to loose him. Sarah can’t loose him. “Thank you for calling” she says, even though she knows he’s obligated to, and she’s hanging up.

She doesn’t freak out as she explains to Sarah that she’s going by her grandads, just for now, just until Imogen can get figure out what’s going on. She makes sure her dad is on standby to bring Sarah there too,  before he goes into surgery, but she doesn’t want her to see her freak out. If Ezra says he’s okay, then he’s okay, right? Her dad picks Sarah up, and she takes an Uber and it’s a short ride but it feels like years. On arrival she has to steady herself, and her breathing, as she rushes inside, eyes welling up with tears. She finds a nurses station, she finds Ezra. She tries not to cry. “Is he...where is he?” she asks, voice small. 

Destin walked through the living room of his parents’ house, making small talk with a few of his fathers’ friends and business associates. The Tate’s were known for the dinner parties, it seemed like Destin was being invited to one almost every month. It seemed like they invited almost everyone in town to these things.  This time was for a celebration honoring the companies big score. He excused himself from the group of older men and moved to the refreshment table on the other side of the room, grabbing a bottle of water and twisting the top open before taking a long pull, causing the plastic to cave in on itself. He turned around, spotting a caterer and smiled as they offered him a glass of wine. “Want one?” he offered the person standing next to him.

Imogen hated these parties. The only good thing about them was expensive food and good alcohol, usually. She wasn’t sure why, at twenty six years old, with a child she still trailed after her father as he dragged her along, but she did. Probably because she got to wear a pretty dress and spend time with her every busy father. It was rare, their time together these days. But now her dad was talking to a bunch of dudes she really had no interest in paying attention to and she was sort of standing there, arms crossed, trying not to look as awkward as she felt. She needed a drink. She made her way over to the other side of the room, going for the refreshment table in hopes there would be something stronger than the ginger ale she was currently sipping on.  She was out of luck, though, until there someone was offering her a glass of wine, and she nodded enthusiastically, taking one, too. “God, yes, thanks” she said, finally actually looking at who had offered it. “Oh. Destin! Hi. Great party” she tried, offering him what she hoped was a smile that made it look like she was enjoying herself.

It was never pleasant working in the emergency room when the ambulance crew rushed in someone you knew. Ezra was incredibly close with Vinnie, so he was more then shocked to see his face arrive. Vincent had been rushed in with a gunshot wound to his abdomen and Ezra had been with him since his arrival. Once checking his observations, Ezra had sent the police officer down for an emergency x-ray to make sure no organs had been damaged, and thankfully, everything was intact. The only worrying result was the bullet which was still lodged into the male’s abdomen, though Ezra had already arranged for surgery as soon as possible. 

Ezra sat at the nurses station and quickly flicked through Vinnie’s notes, needing to contact his next of kin. Of course it was Imogen, who else would it be? This definitely wasn’t a phone call he wanted to make to one of his best friends but, this was all apart of his job. Lifting the phone from it’s cradle, Ezra dialed out and tapped in Imogen’s mobile number. 

“Hi. Is this Imogen st James?” Ezra asked once she’d picked up. He wasn’t sure if she’d recognise his voice or not, though the chances were high. “My names Ezra and I’m one of the staff nurses here at Mount Sinai…” 

@imogenorion

It was a normal night. Imogen and Sarah were curled up on the couch watching Hocus Pocus, and enjoying each others company. There was a small Captain Marvel backpack packed with a days essentials, the young girl excited to spend some time with her dad, and Imogen was glad to see the smile on her face. A lot of things could be said, but Vince was a good dad, and it was reflected in the way Sarah absolutely adored him.  They were just getting to the part when Max lights the black flame candle when her phone rang with an unknown number. 

The voice on the other end of the line was familiar, and it took a moment for her to register who it was “Ezra?” she breathed, and his tone was far too formal for this to be a social call. She sat up straight, confused. “Ezra, what’s going on?” If he was calling her from the hospital, like this, it could only one two people, considering Sarah was sitting right next to her. Her dad..or Vince. Neither of those things sat well with her. 

Tessa had taken up running a few weeks ago on her therapist’s suggestion. They had said it was a safer coping mechanism than a series of one-night stands, but so far… She wasn’t sold, not that she didn’t enjoy the view running through Central Park.

The big problem was she hadn’t done a lot of exercise since high school. 10 years ago. It was only about nine, and one of her few days off, but the sun was out in full force and it was h o t. She only made it half a mile before folding over. “There’s no way I’m gonna be able to make it back.”

Running when the weather was nice enough for it had always been apart of her exercise regime. It was a nice way to get fresh air and her blood flowing. It wasn’t for everyone, but she had still invited Tessa out to join her. 

They were only half a mil in when Tessa stopped, which means Imogen slowed to a stop, too. She waited for a moment, hands on her hips, staring down the other woman. She offered her a bottle of water and raised her eyebrows in amusement “you’re not going to pussy out, we have a bit more to go and then we can go get coffee, or day drink, whichever you prefer.”

Vince: i’d Love her for the weekend but I said I’d work extra as I’m broke and need the $$$ 😔😔😔😔

Imogen: you can stop by whenever to see her, or I can stop there. Whatever.

Vince: IM JOKING I’d never