Chapter 60: Confusion

                                    

                                              
        
                          
"So, do you have any plans for lunch today?" Lex asked, catching Rolf's eye.
                          
He returned her gaze from the desk next to hers, his look playful.  "No, actually.  Did you have anything in mind?"
                          
"Well, um, I was thinking..." Lex trailed off, trying to think of the best way to explain what she wanted.
                          
"Maybe you were thinking that the hospital isn't that far away and that you'd like to visit Serena over lunch?" he suggested, his smile telling her that he'd already figured it out.
                          
"Yeah, that's just it," she admitted, returning his smile.
                          
"I thought maybe you would.  That's fine with me since I have some things to take care of over the lunch hour anyway.  While you took a shower this morning I made some sandwiches, so lunch will be waiting for you once you get back."
                          
He chuckled as she launched herself forward to hug him.  "Thank you," she said, her voice muffled by his shoulder.  "You're the best husband ever."
                          
She heard him scoff as she said that, but when she straightened up she noticed that his smile seemed even brighter than it had been.  "Just try not to stay too long," he said after a moment.  "Remember we have cooking duty tonight."
                          
Lex nodded and then kissed him on the cheek before she headed for the door.  She hadn't changed out of the business casual clothes she'd worn that morning into her jumpsuit, but that wasn't too strange because she and Rolf usually ended up being the ones in the office that took care of the paperwork.  The captain had explained by saying that everyone values Rolf's writing skills and Lex's previous office experience, but Lex felt sure that it must be because they complained the least about it.  At any rate, it made it that much easier for her to just grab her coat and begin her walk in the direction of the hospital.
                          
As she walked, Lex smiled, looking around at the bright, pretty day.  The sky shone a glorious blue with a spattering of clouds and the sun cast almost no shadow where it sat overhead; however, it had started getting cold early that year, and Lex shivered under her long coat.  Although bright to look at, the sun seemed to be too far away to actually impart any heat.  Something about the contrast made Lex feel uneasy after a few moments, and although she tried to shake off the feeling, she could feel her smile evaporate as she walked faster on her way to the hospital.
                          
Since she'd been there before, once she'd gotten to the building it didn't take Lex long to bound up the stairs to Serena's floor.  She felt like her stomach had dropped out somewhere along the way once she arrived and heard sounds of raised voices and a crash like breaking glass.  Lex began to hurry towards Serena's room, her heart sinking as she got closer and the sounds got louder.
                          
Once she stood at the open doorway, Lex felt dismayed to see three people in white coats and scrubs inside the room, two trying to hold down Serena, who looked panicked and frantic, and another who appeared to be readying a shot.  She stepped forward then, and suddenly all the movement in the room ceased, as if the entire world around had somehow paused.
                          
As Lex had taken that step, she opened her mouth to sing a note.  She sang no words, but the tone had the effect she'd intended, the same that an orchestra's tuning notes have.  Pay attention.
                          
She continued into the room then with a sure pace, continuing to sing.  Lex had no idea what words she sung, but she put her will into projecting what she wanted Serena to understand.  You are safe.  You're among friends.  You are being cared for.
                          
Everyone in the room stopped, with the exception of one woman who began to ask Lex what she was doing there, but appeared to forget halfway through her sentence what she'd been saying.  Lex continued to move, finally sitting in the chair next to her friend again, taking Serena's hand in one hand and using the other to stroke her friend's hair.