OOM: Will you be in our arms tonight?

[geeky_agent]

July 16, 2012
1:52 AM

For the first time in her life, Chris was grateful for infomercials.

All the network channels, all the news channels were reporting on the nuke. The channels that weren't had updates scrolling at the bottom of the screen and the only exceptions were the kid channels and a few of the MTV channels. She tried watching MTV, they had changed their regular rotation for a carefully-selected roster of videos with songs that were "somber" enough to reflect the mood of the country. Some were the kind of cheesy pap that Chris had expected and could ignore but some weren't and halfway through the third (or fifth) video she changed the channel.

The only thing she wanted right now was to not think about anything. When they arrived at Michelle's house, it was after 10PM and she went straight upstairs to the guest room. When she wasn't crying, when she didn't have that nauseating feeling of anxiety in the pit of her stomach, she was just tired.

But she couldn't sleep, not when the same questions kept playing in her mind. Where is Caiti? Is she still alive? How will I tell dad? Oh, God, I don't want to tell him. I have to tell Ryan too. Would she be in Milliways when I go back? Is she at a hospital? Is she hurt? Is she dying? Is she in pain? Please, just let it have been quick, if she has to be dead, let it have been quick.

Jack and Michelle had tried. They tried to get her to eat but she couldn't, she'd already been sick when she was at CTU. They tried to talk to her or comfort her but she had asked both to just leave her alone for a bit. They tried calling the hospitals but a million other people all over the country were trying the same thing tonight.

Pressing the mute button, she looked down at the phone she had in her hand. She'd come downstairs with the intention of calling her brother. That was an hour and a half ego and she still hadn't dialed the numbers, still hoping that if she didn't call it wouldn't be real and breaking down in hysterical sobs everytime she tried.

This time she made it, dialling the numbers on his cell phone. After three rings, she was ready to give up but then he answered.

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[theredshirts.livejournal.com]

Ryan watched the news with a kind of shocked acceptance. His baby girl had gone to bed hours ago and Jeannie had physically taken the phone from his hand after his third hour of trying to get through to Chrissy and Caiti. He was in the middle of making plans to fly out to California, thinking that if he left as soon as the flights were ungrounded he could be there by early afternoon, assuming there wasn't another attack.

It had been a long time since he prayed, but logic and reason both pointed to him having lost his sisters, and he couldn't accept that result.

On the screen, the mushroom cloud billowed over and over, the stark words: Valencia, California and the death toll which rose every hour. Chrissy had sent him pictures of her condo, a place that no longer existed. He tried to be strong for Jeannie, telling her that he was sure they were okay, they were just unavailable.

Once he could get through, he left messages on both of their cell phones, starting off calm and by the fifth one he was on the verge of panic.

At around 11, Jeannie touched his face and forced him to look at her. "We're soldiers, Ryan. We know that life is fragile. If Chris and Caiti -- " but she'd been unable to continue, and he felt her tears against his t-shirt.

It's almost 3 now, Jeannie had fallen asleep holding onto him, her hand on his shoulder.

The automated voice on the other side of the phone asked him if he'd like to confirm his reservation.

He hears the beep of call waiting and doesn't recognize the number. He's tempted to wake up Jeannie, but if this is the news he feared, he'll face it alone.

"Hello?" He hears breathing for a moment on the other end and he recognizes the sound. "Chrissy?"