Work Text:
Chief had joked about it a couple of times. Of how much problem she had placed on Nightingale’s lap. Of how many times Nightingale had needed to leave the headquarters to oversee her evacuation.
It was a self-deprecating joke. One which Hella always loved to hear and would even bully her further. Hecate didn't quite understand the comedic punch of it. And Nightingale… Nightingale had always given her an exasperated sigh, her eyes told enough that she did not think going near danger was funny.
To think about it, everything usually went in a way that was so similar. First, Chief would get taken, then they would try to harm her, and then she would use the shackles to calm them down until Nightingale came to the rescue.
Hella had even joked that they probably needed to start queuing up to save themselves from blocking each other's effort in kidnapping Chief.
Back then, it was indeed funny.
Until it was not.
Until Chief was truly held captive, a sharp blade of scissors just a mere inch away from her neck. She was unable to move. Then came a voice sounding off a stern warning. She silently cheered, knowing that the voice belonged to her ever-beautiful adjutant whom Chief was not able to see clearly due to the bright light of the helicopter she was in.
Back then, Chief had a winning smile on her lips. It was far too early for her to realise that the distraction that Nightingale would soon commence would lead to another start of a nightmare.
Because those bullets Nightingale shot were returned with a massive shockwave that trashed the helicopter to the side. It erased the smile quickly from Chief's face, leaving her helplessly watching the vehicle uncontrollably spiralled down. Her eyes took in every second which she would never forget. While Chief had unfortunately grown accustomed to the sound of cars colliding into something. But that was nothing compared to the horror of the sound of a helicopter ramming itself into the road.
It felt like her entire world was crumbling.
Only then, did she realise how wrong her joke had been.
Her lack of self-preservation was far from funny. There was nothing comedic about needing Nightingale to risk her life to rescue her. The woman had always stood by her side no matter what and Chief who had numerously proclaimed her love for the adjutant did not even try to make things easier for the said love.
She staggered towards the helicopter on the ground. She had long forgotten about the sinner who was pinning her down. The sinner had fled the scene right after they unleashed the fatal blow and Chief was too preoccupied with the scene of the incident in front of her.
Hecate had woken up first, the girl said nothing to Chief as she started dragging the unconscious Hella away from the vehicle. She tried to complete the task as fast as she could as the smoke around them started to worry her. Together with Hecate, she started moving the passengers of the helicopter out of harm's way one by one.
Until they got to the bottom of the vehicle and they realised that not everyone is okay.
Nightingale was unconscious, her ungloved hand stretched out from under the vehicle, the skin was marred with fresh cuts oozing blood.
Nightingale must have jumped out of the helicopter before it reached the ground. Either that or she had fallen out as the door was opened. None of that matters anymore because the adjutant’s lower body was crushed under the weight of the broken vehicle.
She had called for her. Both she and Hecate had called for her as Nightmare helped lift the vehicle enough for Chief to pull the adjutant free. Chief spotted a larger pool of blood beneath one of Nightingale's legs. However, it was very late at night and there was very little light for them to examine how severe the adjutant's injuries were.
The first thing she did was to make sure Nightingale was still breathing. So she held Nightingale close. The adjutant’s back lay spread across her legs as she leaned down closer to the limp woman. She lifted Nightingale’s head slightly, placing her arm below the woman's neck as a support. Then she called again. There was no response, not even a twitch of a muscle.
She swept her gaze around. The other passengers from the helicopter had started to regain their consciousness. Hella rubbed her eyes in confusion as Hecate helped her up to a sitting position.
Yet Nightingale stayed unmoving.
"No-" No no no no.
This should not have happened. She held the woman closer, and the sound of Nightingale’s name which came endlessly from herself became more frantic. She gently caressed the adjutant’s face, finding the soft skin cold to the touch, hoping that maybe, a physical touch on the face would lure her consciousness back.
No response.
She did not know when she started to sob but she could feel herself trembling as she leaned down to press her ears lightly on the unconscious woman's chest. Grasping for more signs of life from the person in her arms.
The thumping of Nightingale's heartbeat was weaker than those rare nights Chief had spent curled up in the woman's embrace on their bed. But it was present.
Chief did not leave her gaze on Nightingale. A newfound fear that Nightingale would breathe her last the second Chief attention was elsewhere had taken over her. But through her shackles, she felt Hella and Hecate coming closer. Hecate said something to her, to them, but Chief was too preoccupied with the woman in her arms to process the sentence. However, when Nightmare came a bit closer and nudged the unconscious adjutant lightly with its bony nose, Chief briefly looked up and realised what Hecate had meant.
Beyond the ruined road which had somehow created a massive crater, she spotted a familiar blue and red light of the emergency service.
The help that Nightingale needed as soon as possible had come.
Chief nodded to no one in particular and lifted the unconscious adjutant with both arms. She had never been strong physically and her muscle aches badly as it's being stretched to carry Nightingale’s weight. But she gritted her teeth and straightened her body into a standing position, both hands pressing Nightingale closer towards her chest.
Things became slightly better soon after, Nightmare positioned itself right in front of her and helped to carry some of Nightingale’s weight with its hands.
And with that, Chief was able to pick up her speed and walked as fast as she could towards the lights.
Halfway a team of paramedics spotted them and brought out a stretcher to safely move Nightingale to get the medical attention she needed.
When that happened, Chief felt like everything around her was an incomprehensible blur. If not for one of the paramedic’s hands on her shoulder as a non-verbal sign that she needed to let them take over, she would probably keep holding onto her adjutant until the end of time.
Hecate was back to her side by then. Her hand grasped Chief's now empty one as both of them silently watched the paramedics carrying Nightingale inside one of the ambulances which did not waste any time to drive away.
Then she finally walked back towards the scene of the disaster with Hecate and some other newly arrived Minos staff following her diligently. All of them carefully observed the area for any sign of their target. But the sinner that she was pursuing had vanished without a trace. Leaving nothing but destruction.
From the corner of her eyes, she spotted a familiar hat and as she bent down to grab it she saw another familiar item just a few metres away.
She gave the hat to Wynn for safekeeping but kept the other object in her hand. She is not used to using guns, but the feeling of the cold metal reminded her of the gun’s owner. It steeled her resolve to bring an end to this sinner as soon as possible.
After all, she is the Chief of Minos and whoever that sinner was had just gravely harmed the person dearest to her.
= o = o =