Psychic Visions 08-Now You See Her... (38 page)

You need me?
She smiled, the sweetest joy in her heart climbing into her voice. She laughed and laughed. She’d do both. He just wouldn’t know it yet.

Please, baby, things are getting ugly outside. You need to leave.

Okay, I can do that.

She stood up and walked through the door. She walked through the office and past where the woman was sitting, now surfing the web, multiple screens in front of her. She should be doing her job but not even this woman could ruin the sheer love running through her heart. Tia walked past, laughing as the computer died instantly. The woman cried in distress as the printer went off line and the lights flickered and died.

Tia didn’t stop. She wasn’t going to die. She was finally going to live.

She walked through the doorway, down the hall and right up to the front door.

Then she walked right through to the sunshine outside.

Damn, she’s good,
Dean said, following her energy trail.

She threw her arms out wide.
I am good
. She could feel him continue to feed her energy even as she watched several cop cars screaming into the large gravel lot outside the front door.
So are you, Dean, so are you.

The cops raced out of their vehicles and ran for the building. They ran past her, but they never saw her. Even the captain had come. She could see him opening his car door.

She approached him. Loving life.

She was in them. In fact, she was everywhere. She was moving outward into the world. Outward into the universe. She was everywhere.

And just like that, as if a plug was disconnected, she collapsed.

At the captain’s feet.

*

Dean snapped back
from his chair, his head bursting in agony.

Stefan? What happened?

There was no answer.

Dean struggled to move.

Only the room was tilting as if in slow motion and there was nothing he could do to stop it. He couldn’t wrap his mind around the spinning – until the floor jumped up to meet him. He lay on the linoleum staring at the ceiling. What the hell had happened?

Tia?

He tried to scramble to his feet only to find his body was moving in slow motion and a pain like he’d never experienced before radiated from his chest.

“Shit,” he cried, but somehow instead of the roar he was feeling, it came out more as a whimper. His body burned and pulsed in an erratic fashion. This must be a reaction from his connection to Tia. Something had happened to Tia.

Stefan
, he cried out in his mind,
Help Tia.

I am. We’re on it.

She’s fallen right at the captain’s feet. He’s racing her to the hospital.

Thank God.
Dean groaned.
I think someone shot her. How do I disconnect. I swear I can feel everything she’s feeling.

You are. Welcome to the world of energy. Particularly with those you love.

I don’t like it,
Dean whispered.
It sucks. Big time.

Stefan’s laughter rolled through his head.

Why aren’t you affected?

I’m not sure,
Stefan said.
But as I’m free to move, I can help Tia. We’re still struggling to figure out what happened.

They should be at the hospital now.

No, they aren’t. They are on the way, but it will be ten minutes at least. The captain has a jacket pressed against her wound. The bleeding doesn’t appear to be stopping.
Stefan’s voice deepened.
I’m going to see if I can grab her some more help.

Dr. Maddy,
Dean whispered.
Call Dr. Maddy.

I’m trying. She’s already at the hospital working on a child.

Grab her. Tia needs her. She’s been through too much. She needs to have some time without pain. Without fear.

We’re working on it. Don’t disconnect from her in case she still needs you.

Dean laughed but it came out more as a groan.
You don’t understand, I couldn’t disconnect if I tried.

You might have to,
Stefan warned.
Connected like this, if she dies, so do you.

It’s all right,
Dean said softly.
If she dies I will die inside anyway. I’d rather go with her than live life without her.

Don’t talk like that,
Stefan snapped.
I know how you feel but this is dangerous. And a dangerous time for her. If she gets wind there might be something wrong then she might not fight herself.

She must live,
Dean cried.

Exactly.
Stefan’s voice thinned.
They are coming into the ER now.

Oh thank God,
Dean whispered.
I’m struggling to stay conscious here. Not sure how this works. I really want to just close my eyes and sleep, but I need to know she’s going to be okay.

He could feel himself sliding down the long tunnel to oblivion. Tia was there. He could sense her. Feel her. It was…magnificent. She was he. And he was she. He couldn’t imagine living without that pulse inside of himself that was her heart beating. It was too important. To special. She had to survive.

If she was too weak to fight then he’d have to pick up the fight for her.

*

Stefan raced through
the ethers.

Maddy?

Yes,
she answered in surprise.
What’s up?

Tia is coming into the ER. She’s in bad shape. Looks to be bleeding from a chest wound.

A gunshot?
Maddy was already running and with her long legs and marathon experience she could sprint.

I don’t know.
Stefan could see through her eyes in a limited way as she raced through the halls.

What do you know?
she asked sharply, heading for the stairwell and taking the stairs two at a time.

Even in heels. A part of his mind watched her all out sprint in amazement. How the hell could she do that?

Forget my running style. Talk to me
Stefan
, she ordered.
Can you see who is doing the intake
?

Sabrina someone.

Good, she knows me. Tell her I’m on the way.

Ah, yeah, her mind is a closed book, how the hell can I tell her anything. And how is it that she’s the one doing the intake? Her mind is closed because she is another unaware psychic. Closing off is her way of handling the appeals from all those on the other levels. She couldn’t handle listening to their cries for help. But she instinctively knows who can be helped and who can help.

And if she doesn’t call you…

Then she might not think I’m the person for the job, but don’t forget I’m not here much. I come in on special cases only.

I think this is a special case,
Stefan said dryly.

But the world doesn’t operate that way,
Maddy said, bursting through the double doors on the main floor.
You know that. If we owned the universe then we could make things line up and happen the way they were meant to organically. In the meantime…

“Oh, Dr. Maddy, there you are. I was just about to call you. We just had an unusual case come in. A police captain is very emphatic that the woman get the best care.”

Stefan watched Dr. Maddy stride across to where the captain hovered over Tia’s blood soaked body.

Jesus, Stefan.

I know. I can’t see much because she seemed to have let everyone in at the same time she spread herself out. I’m blinded by the barrage of energy.

Dr. Maddy did a quick check then stood up and stared at the prone woman.

Stefan?

The captain stood at Dr. Maddy’s side. Stefan was trying to keep track of too much. His own energy was splintering off.

What, Maddy.

This isn’t blood.

What?

She’s dying, but this isn’t her blood. She’s not the one injured. In fact, she’s fine. But she’s connected to someone else dying.

Shit.

Stefan slammed into his body and was up and running out the car door in seconds. He’d planned on going home but had been in need of a quick nap first so was still in the parking lot.

Damn good thing.

He ran into the main working area. Such was the nature of the craziness that no one noticed.

“Where’s Dean,” he shouted.

No one stopped. No one even looked at him.

He whistled, long and sharp.

Silence as dozens of eyes turned his way.

“Where’s Dean?” he yelled for a second time. “He’s hurt.”

Several men turned to look at him, puzzlement on their faces. “How do you know if you don’t even know where he is?”

A man down at the far end got up off his chair and yelled, “He’s in the conference room.”

Stefan was halfway there before the man had a chance to finish talking.

He shoved the door open.

The room was empty.

Shit.

“Where is he?” He ran around the side of the huge table. There he was.

“He’s here. Call an ambulance.”

Although given the quantity of blood pooling under his body, it might already be too late.

T
ia swam in
the sea of loveliness. It was beautiful here. Peaceful.

She heard yells and shouts out and about, but they weren’t talking to her. They weren’t talking about her. And if they were, she didn’t care. Life was good.

She rolled over, loving the multiple turns she did with little effort.

Tia!

Nope, not answering.

Tia, damn it. Listen to me
.

No.
She smiled and rolled over again. They didn’t really need to talk to her.

Damn it, wake up Tia. You need to wake up. Someone else is dying. Someone else needs your help.

It’s Dean,
Dr. Maddy said.

Dean?
She opened her eyes.
What about Dean?
Then the pain hit her. She screamed and arched her back, her hands clutching her chest.

Yeah, now you’re here.

What happened?
Tia sobbed.
My chest, oh my God, my chest.
Then she knew.
I’ve been shot!

No,
a woman’s voice said urgently.
It’s Dean who’s been shot. He needs your help now.

Dean,
Tia whimpered through the ripping sensation in her body.“Dean’s hurt? Then help him,” she cried out. “Dean needs help. Save him, he’s dying.”

How she knew that she didn’t know, but she did. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she tossed and turned on the hard bed.

“Strap her down,” someone said beside her.

“No!” Tia screamed. “No straps.”

“Then stop fighting the pain. Or you’ll fall. Lie still or we’ll have to strap you down to stop you from hurting yourself.”

“I’ll stop,” she whispered. “I’ll stop but you have to help Dean.”

Stefan’s voice jolted through her consciousness.
Tia, you have to help him. Travel back to him. He’s been helping you this whole time, but now he needs you.

I can’t,
she cried out.
I can’t find him.

She searched through the pink and blue clouds that dotted her mind. Colors she’d loved a few moments ago and now they seemed to suffocate her, filling her mind with everything but Dean.