Red and Whyte

"What was it like?" The mechanic asked right on cue.

For a moment the smell of cigarette smoke was replaced by the smell of jet fuel and Danielle could hear the rhythmic thumping of the hovering SAR Blackhawk. Hastily she pushed the visions aside not trusting her strength if she walked down that path alone.

"It was as scary as shit." Danielle replied returning her gaze to the future instead of the past.

The flight team phone shrilled breaking the moment.

Anna snatched the phone up and listened briefly then pointed her finger in the air and made a circling motion.

They had a customer.

***

Danielle had to admit flying the EC135 was much more enjoyable than the Blackhawk. She had been lead pilot for Delta for several months now, her flying technique was a little wild at times especially when speed was a major factor. This had earned her the title of The Mad Bitch. A name she wore like a medal of honour. The important thing was they had never lost a patient they had rescued.

"LASTAR Delta, this is control. We have a request for an evac. One unconscious female by the river between Artesia freeway and Artesia Boulevard. EMTs are on site."

"Copy that control. We are on the way." The co-pilot, Max, replied.

"Plug the coordinates in Max." Danielle instructed turning the EC135 out toward the ocean. "We'll cut along the coast and up the river."

Max fed the information in to the navigation systems that would show a 'visual' waypoint to fly towards on their HUD. Danielle dipped the controls slightly to allow a little more forward speed already heading to where they would turn to make their run up the Los Angeles River, which was a concrete storm drain that would be full in the winter, but at this time of year the river was nothing more than a trickle of water.

"It's going to be tricky to get close." Max informed. "Our pickup is smack between two bridges, if you turn wide and enter from the East we should get in without too much trouble."

"Copy that." Danielle replied as she eased the helicopter in line with the river. For some unknown reason she had the sudden craving for a smoke.

Below she could see the stationary ambulance on the dirt road lights flashing. In the manmade canyon below three EMTs were gathered around a forth body.

"It looks pretty tight down there." Joe commented a slight trace of nervousness in his voice. "Would we be better setting down to the South?"

A strange feeling of familiarity washed over Danielle. Almost as if she knew what she was going to do before it happened.

"No worries." Danielle replied. "I got this."

The EC135 flipped to the right then left before dropping to around twenty meters off the ground.

"Jesus Dannie." Joe exclaimed. "A little warning would be nice."

A rare smile creased her lips. "Going in." She warned as the helicopter dropped like a stone between the two bridges.

Calmly Danielle flared the helo just short of the small group, then touched down.

"Thank you for flying Air Mad Bitch. Please return you tables to the upright position before you leave the aircraft." Danielle said as Joe and Anna debussed and she wound the engines down.

It was normal procedure to remain in the aircraft while the medics did their thing, but as Danielle felt the need for a smoke she decided to get out and stretch her legs.

There was a lot of activity around the patient and Danielle wandered closer. Joe was relaying information to the County Hospital where the patient would be transferred to when stable enough to move.

"Affirmative, Female, early thirties, one twenty pounds. Unresponsive at the scene. Primary is several open injuries to the lower arms. BP is through the floor. Subject has had three units of O Neg and needs more."

Danielle moved closer, this one sounded very serious.

One of the EMTs moved to connect another blood bag and Danielle caught a glimpse of red hair.

Fingers of ice reached in and took hold of her spine and the half-smoked cigarette fell from unfeeling fingers.

She half pushed Joe to one side to see the bone white face of Redieal.

"You need to step back Dannie." Joe was saying.

Her focus snapped back from the stench of jet fuel and smoke. It wasn't Redieal, but it was someone who looked very like her.

Danielle felt an odd sensation of familiarity.

"Shit!" Anna exclaimed "We're out of O Neg."

"Fuck." Joe swore. "Without more blood she won't even make it off the ground."

Without a word Danielle unzipped her flight suit. "O Neg. Take as much as you need."

There was a momentary pause as the Delta medics saw a trace of emotion in their pilot for the first time, then Joe was running out a line and attaching an IV.

With the line between the two women set up Joe let out a whoop. "BP rising. I think we've got her back. Okay people let's get her loaded."

"Max you're driving." Anna announced as they returned to the helicopter.

"What?" He said then noticed the transfusion line. He looked upwards at the gap between the two bridges. His face a picture of doubt and concern.

"Max." Danielle grabbed his arm. "It's okay I'm going to be right next to you."

After some shuffling they managed to get everyone on board and Max spun the engines up.

"Ease her up Maxie." Danielle instructed. "I've got my hands on the controls if you need me."

Gently the EC135 rose skywards the rotor wash kicking up dust and water vapour.

"You're doing fine Max. Just rotate round to face east then take her forwards and up nice and easy."

Slowly the air ambulance slipped upwards and clear of the river.

"Hell yeah." Max said quietly as he turned towards the county hospital then glanced over at Danielle who smiled back weakly.

***

Danielle wandered along the strange corridors completely lost. She had received a message saying that her weekly AA meeting had been cancelled due to a leaking pipe and being diligent she had gone in search of another. Now she was lost in a strange building and just about to admit defeat when she spotted a room with a group of women sat in a circle talking.

"Finally." She told herself and quietly slipped in to the room.

"Hi, please take a seat, I'm Martha." A smiling woman said in greeting.

***

Scarlet Marcello watched the newcomer from under the brim of her hoodie. Medium height, evidence of what could be an athletic build but now a little on the skinny side. Dark hair cut short. Jeans, a combat jacket and a pair of mirrored aviators that covered her eyes. An interesting addition to the group, but not one that looked as though she belonged.

Martha was saying something pointless that made Scarlet focus on the group rather than the newcomer. Then the Latino woman... Lisa? Began speaking about how her husband would get drunk, beat her senseless then rape her most Friday nights. Scarlet had heard it all before and wasn't interested. She was far too wound up in her own world of pain and hate.

She looked at the newcomer again. Oddly there was a look of shock and embarrassment on her face. The look of someone who had made a error.

***

Danielle had managed to keep out of being drawn in to any of the group talk. It hadn't taken her long to realise this wasn't an AA meet but a Rape Crisis Counselling session. At least some luck had been with her, and it had been close to closing when she had blundered in to the room and the second it had wrapped up, Danielle had bolted out of the door. Inside a few minutes she found the exit and paused briefly to light a cigarette.

"Any chance you've got one of those spare?"

The voice behind Danielle made her jump.

When the owner of the voice stepped in to view Danielle felt a brief flicker of recognition, and a feeling of familiarity. A pale face poked out from under the hood of charcoal grey hoodie. She had been in the group that Danielle had joined. With what she hoped to be a casual smile Danielle offered the pack.

"So why were you in the session?" The hoodie woman asked as she blew smoke skywards.

A blush crept upwards like a dawning sun.

"I was looking for an AA meeting." Danielle replied uncomfortably.

"Seriously?" Hoodie questioned looking astonished. A slow smile broke across her lips. "You actually walked in to a post rape counselling session thinking it was an AA meeting."

The dawning blush grew in to full sunrise. "Yeah, not my best decision." Danielle admitted, a small grin of her own forming.

Hoodie began to laugh, genuinely amused at the situation. Something about the sound warmed Danielle and it was easy to let the grin turn in to her own laugh.

"Sorry." she finally apologised. "I haven't laughed like that in weeks. I don't even know why I found it funny."

"No, it's me who should apologise. I should have realised."

"Scarlet Marcello." Hoodie announced holding out a hand, a steel ring on her thumb. Something Danielle found quite sexy on a woman.

"Danielle Whyte."

As their hands touched, Danielle felt the same comfortable feeling she had felt when Redieal had spoken to her.

"Look." Danielle began. "This isn't the sort of thing I do normally, but would you like to go and get a coffee with me?"

There was a brief flash of fear in Scarlet's eyes as she took a half step backwards.

"Hey it's no problem." Danielle said as gently as possible. All too aware of how crippling fear was. "No pressure, you just remind me of someone."

The fear drained away from Scarlet's face. "Sorry." she apologised again. "I'm not great company a lot of the time."

"Well if you want to talk we can compare how fucked up we are." Danielle offered with a half-smile.

***

They took seats opposite each other, Danielle with a latte and Scarlet a double expresso.

"Do you believe in angels?" Danielle asked after a long moment's silence.

Shockingly anger flared in Scarlet's eyes. "Are you kidding me?" Then the anger died as quickly as it had risen. "Sorry, like I said I'm not good company a lot of the time."

"Hey, it's not a problem." Danielle assured.

"So why were you looking for an AA meeting?"

"Because I'm an alcoholic." Danielle replied with a half-smile.

"Yeah, that was a bit of an obvious one. Do you want to talk about it?"

Danielle shrugged. She had talked about the journey to her own hell several times. Telling Scarlet wasn't going to hurt. She began her story, not embellishing anything just say it how it happened. Somewhere along the way the scent of jet fuel and smoke covered over the smell of coffee, and even Scarlet faded away.

"Hey are you Okay?"

Blinking, Danielle refocused on the present. She looked up to see Redieal smiling back at her.

A crash of breaking crockery snapped her back in to reality and the face returned to Scarlet.

Danielle glanced around, her heart thumping in her chest, her coffee cup in pieces on the floor. Scarlet's face was a mask of concern.

"I thought I'd lost you for a moment there."

"Sorry." Danielle said dragging a cigarette out of the packet with shaking hands.

"Slow down." Scarlet's hand reached out rested on her own. "Just take a minute and breath."

Danielle's lighter flared, and she breathed smoke. Then remembered where she was and angrily mashed the cigarette out.

"That really messed you up didn't it?" Concern sounded in Scarlet's voice.

"I haven't had a flashback that bad in a while. It shook me a little."

"Do you want another coffee?"

Danielle felt bile rising as her stomach turned. "Sorry I just need the restroom."

As rapidly as she could Danielle threw herself in to a cubicle and emptied her stomach. After what felt like an eternity she went to wash her face. Scarlet was standing leaning against the wall.

"Are you sure you're okay? That sounded more than just a bad flash back."

Danielle nodded wearily. "I have PTSD from the crash. I thought I had a handle on it, but I guess not."

A look of sympathy briefly touched the face of Scarlet. "Well if it makes you feel better I can tell you my story."

Feeling like Scarlet was about to open up to her, Danielle nodded in agreement.

They returned to their table and ordered more coffee.

"Do you know what a Switch is?"

The word bounced around Danielle's head. Apart from the obvious of something that turned on something electrical she had no idea of what context Scarlet was speaking in. Silently she shook her head.

"Are you familiar with the terms submissive and dominant?"

"What like bondage and stuff?"

A slight smirk touched Scarlet's lips. "Sort of, a Switch is someone who enjoys both sides of the coin, both dominating and being dominated. The important part of a relationship of that sort is trust. And that is why I was as the rape centre. The man I was with broke that trust. He thought it would be cool if he invited a couple of his friends to watch one night."

Danielle watched horrified as the story unfolded. Watching the emotions of hurt, anger and largely betrayal play across Scarlet's face as she told Danielle of how she was repeatedly raped by the man who was supposed to be her partner and his two friends.

"After a few hours they had a break to get more beer or something. I managed to get free and ran away. I went to the police and I was told that because I willingly submitted it would be very difficult to prove the actual rape. I decided I just couldn't face going to court and reliving the entire night over and over for what not even get a conviction. So I opened my wrists and sat down to die. If it hadn't been for some EMT helicopter pilot I would have bled out."

The smell of jet fuel and smoke drifted through the coffee shop. Danielle felt the world shift slightly as the image of short spiky red hair jumped in to her mind. She slowly reached out a hand as if she was going to pet a wild animal that may bolt at the slightest touch.

Danielle slowly pushed the hood back to expose the dyed red hair beneath. Her hand gently brushed the pale skin as it skipped over the metal pins that studded Scarlet's ears bringing forth an unseen warm smile.

"That feels nice." She admitted. "It's been a while since anyone touched me like that."

"Red." Danielle half whispered.

Confusion played across Scarlet's face. "How do you know that name?"

Blinking herself back to reality once more, Danielle hastily withdrew her hand. "Sorry, another flash back."

"How do you know my nickname is Red?"

Danielle open her mouth to speak hearing nothing but her own heart trying to break free from her chest. "When I said you reminded me of someone, her name was Redieal, I guess it must be the hair"

Nodding Scarlet replied. "Yeah I get that a lot. Did this Redieal mean something to you?"

"Yes, she saved my life."

"Well at least you know who saved yours." Scarlet replied with a tight envious smile.

"Do you want to know who the EMT pilot was?"

"Why, do you know any?"

"Yes, I am one."

There was a small eternity of silence.

"Was it you?"

The visions of walking down the riverbed with the smell of burning metal all around her swam through Danielle's mind.

"The emergency call when out, we flew in from the ocean along the river. It was a tricky landing, but we got to you in record time. Our medic put all our O Neg in you, but your blood pressure was still critical. I'm O Neg so we set up a transfusion and my co-pilot few us back to County. I honestly didn't know anything more that the fact you pulled through."

A single tear popped out of Scarlet's eye.

"I was in a very dark place. As far as I could tell no one cared if I should live or die. When I was told what had happened I was shocked that someone would go to that level just to save me, a total stranger. It gave me hope that there was still some decency in humanity.

A conceived breeze sprang up and the smell of smoke evaporated in to nothing.

"Dannie Whyte." Danielle said offering her hand again.

"Red Marcello."

Their hands touched once again and remained touching.

"We sound like a bad double act." Dannie managed to joke.

Red managed a genuine laugh, then swore.

"Fuck, it's gone ten. I've missed my ride."

"Ride?" Dannie asked.

"Yeah, I live across town and I usually call my brother for a ride, but he works from ten onwards."

"Well I've got a decent couch if you need some where to sleep." She offered.

"I couldn't put you out." Red replied shaking her head.

"Hey it's no bother." Dannie insisted with a slight smirk. "It isn't as though you want blood or anything."

This comment enticed a giggle from Red. "Okay." she relented. "But I stay on the couch. I don't bed on the first date."

"Deal." Dannie held out her hand. Her heart leapt at the thought there could be a date to actually follow on from this chance meeting.

***

Dannie opened the door to her apartment and flicked the lights on. It had been supplied by LASTAR while she got back on her feet. It was clean and comfortable. Which was far more than her previous place had been.

"Nice digs." Red complimented.

"Thanks, it's owned by the company, but it is mine until I can afford somewhere of my own."

Red took a seat on the couch while looking around.

"Can I get you a drink? There's no beer or anything I'm afraid."

"Coffee is cool."

Danielle made coffee and the pair sat and talked for a short while. Dannie couldn't remember the last time she had enjoyed someone else's company as much.

"Well I've got duty early tomorrow so I'm going to turn in." Dannie announced a little regretful that the evening was coming to an end.

"No problem, do have a blanket or anything?"

"Fuck." Dannie slapped her forehead. "Sorry I'm a rubbish host, I haven't had guests in a long time."

"Honestly it doesn't matter I'm cool either way. Anything is better than trying to get home at this time of night."

Danielle made a short trip to the closet and returned with an armful of blankets and pillows.

"Bathroom's through there, kitchen over there. Please make yourself at home."

"Thanks Dannie." Red said gratefully. Her hand briefly touching the other woman's arm. "I'm seriously glad we met."

"Me to," Dannie replied wanting nothing more than the touch to continue, but far too introvert to say.

"Nite Dannie."

"Good night Red."

***

The dream came same as every night. Smoke, blood and fuel. Danielle woke with a start, kicking the sweat soaked covers off the bed. At least it wasn't getting worse, she surmised.

Quietly she slipped out of her room and in to the kitchen to get a drink of water. She was on her way back to her bedroom when the sound of sobbing stopped her.

Red was asleep but crying. Danielle knew well enough what the night terrors held for someone who held tightly to their fears.

She squatted on the side of the couch and slowly she eased Red over so she could wrap her arms about her. She remembered every time she woke up and wanted nothing more than someone to be there for her. She wasn't going to let Red wake up feeling the same.

After a time, the sobbing stopped.

***

Sunlight streaming through the window wakened Danielle. That and the smell of bacon.

"Morning sleepy head." Red welcomed.

Slowly everything slipped in to focus. Spikey red hair atop of pale skin dressed in vest top and shorts, her arms and legs swirled with intricate tattoos.

Red carried a plate towards the small table.

Dannie was suddenly very conscious she was wearing just a long t-shirt and had spent the night holding the tattooed woman before her.

"Sorry I didn't mean to be forward, you were crying in your sleep." She managed to say flushing with embarrassment.

"Dannie, it's okay. I actually slept better last night than I have in a long time." Red told her as she took hold of Dannie's hand. "And by the way you were snoring I guess it was the same for you."