Chapter Text
A knock came from outside of the room.
“Todd?” She asked after the first knock. “I wanted to check up on you before going home.” No answer from inside could be heard. “Okay I’m coming in. You better get your pants on.” She joked before she slowly opened the door. It wasn’t locked.
Her smile faded as soon as she made her way inside. It was dark in Todd’s room. The light from the hallway creeping inside and revealing an arm. With horror she turned on the headlight.
Todd lay motionless on the floor. His face was drained of any colour. His breaths barely noticeable.
“Oh mein Gott, Todd!” Andera yelled as she rushed to him. Falling onto the floor next to him. Checking if he was still breathing. Luckily, he was. Fear was etched into her face. “I need some help here!” She yelled out.
While waiting for help she checked for visible injuries. There she saw the bandage on Todd’s arm. Blood seeping through it. “Please no.” She whispered. Andera gently lay his head in her lap and held him there. Quietly telling Todd words of reassurance that were mostly for herself.
“What’s going on?” Came the voice of her husband as he just stepped into the room. A panicked expression was on his face as he took in the scene. “Quickly call an ambulance. He isn’t conscious and barley breathing.” The words spilled out from Andrea.
Mr. Lenning rushed to the nearest phone and dialled the emergency service.
“It’s gonna be okay. We’re gonna get you help just hang in there.” Andrea said to Todd. She looked around to see what happened to him. There she saw the sleeping pills on his desk. She held him a little tighter when she realized what probably happened.
After what felt like an eternity the ambulance came. Two people rushed into the school. “Thank you for arriving so quickly.” Mr. Lenning’s said politely “One of my teachers was found unconscious in his room. This way.”
He led them to Todd’s room. The scene still as he left it. Andrea got up as they arrived. Laying Todd gently back on the ground. She was shaking. “I found sleeping pills on his desk.” She reported. “I think it might’ve been an overdose.”
One of the doctors went to Todd examining him first. The other took a look around the room. He came back with the empty bottle. “If he was mixing it with alcohol, it could get dangerous. We need to take him to the hospital.” The man said.
Andera stepped back and let them do their job. They carried him into the ambulance and drove off.
A hand landed on Andrea’s shoulder. Pulling her into a hug. She left out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. The weight of what just happened crushing her. Tears ran down her face, and she clutched her husband’s shirt with her hand.
“Shh. Alles ist gut. He’s going to be fine.” Marc spoke. “I know where they’re taking him. Do you want to drive after them?” Andrea still couldn’t speak so she nodded. She needed to know that Todd was going to be okay. “Okay come here. Let’s get going.” He said and took her and as they went to the car.
At the side of the hospital Neil was taking his first short break.
The evening has been hectic. A lot of accidents happened because of the weather, so he had a lot of patients to treat. This was the first free minute he had. He spend that time freezing his hands off while smoking a cigarette.
While he was out an ambulance arrived. It rushed past him, and the men quickly got the person inside into the hospital. Neil didn’t pay them any mind. Not until he had to return to work which wasn’t yet as he didn’t finish smoking yet.
With no motivation Neil dragged his body back into the hospital. His hair had a few snowflakes laying in it. After he put his jacket away, he went to the front desk. Leaning against it.
“What was that about?” He asked Amy casually. She checked the file. “Male, 28 years old. Apparently overdosed with Phenobarbital mixed with alcohol. We don’t know if it was a suicide attempt yet.” Neil flinched fighting his own memories back. “They’re getting his stomach pumped as we speak. Afterwards he’s in your care.” She continued and handed him the file.
The doctor started flipping through it when his eyes caught onto a familiar name. He almost dropped it right there. Todd Anderson. Not his Todd Anderson, right? Someone else with the same name maybe?
But then again, Neil didn’t know anything about Todd’s life after his attempt. He asked Charlie about it when they got back in touch. The other poets didn’t stay in contact with him. Todd became withdrawn and pulled away from them apparently. So, he had no idea what Todd was up to.
Also what are the chances that this was the Todd he knew. Then again someone the same age and name wasn’t likely as well.
Neil’s thoughts started spinning. Asking the same questions with no answer to provide. He couldn’t change anything right now. No matter if he was his Todd or not. He just had to wait for the stomach pumping to be over and then see how to take it from there. Not that Neil was very patient to begin with.
He busied himself with checking up on his other patients while he was waiting.
After around 20 minutes they took the new patient to a room. Neil immediately went in to check on him.
The moment his eyes laid on the blonde man he knew. This was Todd- His Todd. No matter how much time passed Neil would always recognize him and he did. Laying still in the hospital bed. Chest moving slightly with every breath he took. The heart monitor beeping steadily.
Neil took a shaky breath, trying to gain his composure back. This was a patient, and he was a doctor. He had to stay professional, he told himself. There was nothing he could do until Todd regained consciousness. For now, he can just focus on getting him better.
Perry pushed his own feelings away and laid an IV line on Anderson’s lower right arm. A few scars were noticeable, but his other arm was bandaged so he could only imagine what was hiding underneath it.
When he finally stepped out of the room and into the entryway of the hospital he was met with two new faces. A man and a woman in their 30s, carrying a worried expression. The woman seemed to be crying.
“Hello, I’m Mr. Lenning and this is my wife. We contacted the ambulance after finding Mr. Anderson.” The man said. Neil shook his hand. “Hello, I’m doctor Perry and I’m in charge of Mr. Anderson. What is your relationship with the patient?”
“I’m his friend and coworker.” Andera replied, still shaken. “I just needed to make sure Todd is okay.” “He is stable. Unfortunately, I can’t discuss anything else with you. We already contacted his emergency contact and until he wakes up that’s all I can tell you.” Mr. Perry stated.
A weight lifted from Mrs. Lenning’s shoulders. At least Todd would be okay. “That means we can’t see him, right?” she asked. “Yes. He needs rest but the worst is behind him.”
The couple quickly left afterwards. They could also only wait for Todd to wake up, so they drove home.
The rest of the night went on in a daze for Neil. He worked on autopilot. Before long he found his shift was over. But he couldn’t leave things like this. He grabbed a book from his bag and sat down in Todd’s room. Reading while hoping he would open his eyes soon.