↣ THE BEGINNING OF THE END

When you woke up that morning, kissed your daughter and made her breakfast, you honestly thought it would be a normal day.

Because who wouldn't?

You were living in the city, in a nice Bungalow and Craftsman style family home in the suburbs. The sun was still rising, mellow hues of golden light bloomed in every crevice of the distant hills. A chorus of birds still sang from the trees outside your home, it wouldn't be long until they joined the cacophony of congestion; the sound of horns and drivers aggression.

You lived a long drive away from your hospital but a short drive away from everything else. Forest Lakes Hospital was a rural hospital adjacent to a military camp. The acuity was nothing in comparison to Seoul Hearts Emergency Department but it still maintained a large patient load everyday. This was due to the atrocities practiced in the camp, to injured farmers in the farmlands and VIP patients who are flown in via helicopter for the privacy.

You loved working there but sometimes things happen, unexplainable things that make you feel like you're a pawn on someone elses chessboard. The thunderous clouds of hospital politics loomed so close that you feared, it would strike you down one day.

And maybe, today was that day.

"When's Jimin coming out?" your daughter had asked, food smeared all over her face. "I want to see him already."

You had laughed at the girl, tying your wet hair into a bun.

Sunny had been humming under her breath that morning, fumbling in her seat to the song playing on Jungkook's speaker in the bathroom. In her 4 year old childish mirth, she had been waiting for the sound of Jimin's rambunctious alarm clock. So she could see her favourite uncle.

"Don't wake him up Sun-

Jimin's alarm clock had sounded like a rubbish truck reversing as it jarred through the morning peace of your home.

-chimmy!" she had squealed as soon as the sound hit her little ears. You had watched as she raced out of her seat, feet slapping against the wooden floor towards his door.

"Great, my child has been conditioned."

In great timing, Jungkook had turned off the shower and his music at the same time. He was supposed to be on the same shift as you but the boy habitually left home and arrived when he wanted to.

It would've been better if he hadn't turned up at all.

Sunny stood on her tippy toes trying to open Jimin's door so she could jump up onto his bed and cuddle. You had watched the entire ordeal from behind the kitchen bench, her incessant desire for affection ...it really and honestly reminded you of him.

Sometimes she does things and you wonder how she is so much like him when she doesn't know him.

The sound of her laughter as he tickled her, fluttered peacefully throughout your home as you walked back into the kitchen. You never thought in that moment, that it could've been the last time you'd ever hear her sweet dulcet laughter, you just cherished it like every other parent.

"I need a doctor," Jimin had stammered, limping to the living room, "I have a growth on my foot and it's smiling up at me like a gremlin. Diagnosis?"

Sunny had wrapped herself around his foot, looking quite pleased with herself.

"Sunnyitis."

"Prognosis?"

"14 years."

"Well, I can deal with that." Jimin had smiled in greeting at you before falling onto the couch, letting her crawl onto his lap. "I have an afternoon shift, mind if I catch a lift with you back?" he had asked and you had nodded enthusiastically, "Sounds good! Will give me something to look forward too. We have much to chat regarding your little boyfriend my love."

Jimin had blushed, gasping loudly at you. "Yoongi is not little, he's big, like really-

-well that explains the noise," you snort, lifting your cup of coffee to your mouth. Jimin gasps even louder. "If you're assuming I'm a bottom, I am not. I am versatile, thank you."

"What?" You raise your brows. "No one was asking?"

You had grown close to Jimin, even going as far as to calling him your bestfriend. Somehow, after everything that you've been through, it was just right that he took up that space in your life. He earned it.

He stayed.

And staying meant that you shared something special enough to tolerate.

Jungkook walks out of the bathroom, shirtless with a towel wrapped around his waist. "Did Jimin just say he was versatile?"

"Weird, right?" You nod, looking anywhere but at the boys honey coloured abs. "I think he's trying to tell us something."

"Well, there is no way in hell," Jungkook laughs, sizing Jimin up. "No way in fresh hell that you aren't a bottom."

"Is this a conversation we should be seriously having while sunny is in the room?" he shouts, covering her ears. "Who knows what she'll hear from anything we say?"

Jungkook rolls his eyes. "I ask that everytime Yoongi comes over and all I can hear is "oh Yoongi, put it it in, yeah, daddy, ooh ahh, oof im done." You're one to talk."

"Then don't put your ear up to the door at night Jungkook, you creep," he snaps, throwing a pillow at Jungkook's chest. Sunny laughs. Jimin covers her ears tighter, "I know you want me, you little-

"-here we go," you roll your eyes, tipping the rest of your coffee down the sink and leaving the mug there, "I hate to break whatever you two are arguing about but it's crossing the boundary of what she can and can not understand, and therefore I suggest you stop."

"What if I do?" Jungkook muses, wiggling his brows at Jimin.

"God, get me out of here," Grabbing your stethoscope, you lean over the couch and grab Sunnys head, kissing it as per usual, "Baby, I'll see you when I get home. Try to keep your clothes on today and no playing with the neighbours dog, he's dirty."

"But ma," She pouts, hiding her face in the crook of Jimin's neck. "I want a puppy and Alfie likes me."

"Awh, Sun," Patting her back, Jimin pouts at you too. "I want a puppy too."

"That's what your boyfriends for Jimin," You said, scowling at the orange haired boy, "Honestly, both of you are just as bad as each other. I'm off, see you all tonight and tomorrow."

"Bye mamma, see you when you get back." Sunny had shouted after you.

Leaving the girls and Jimin to their days, you had tied your laces in triple knots before draping your white coat over your shoulder and dragging your feet to your car. Sunny had waved goodbye from the lounge room window and you had tooted as you drove away.

The sun had rolled out from the hills, shining brightly in a cerulean sky as you drove past Seoul Hearts Hospital and out past the evergreen, toward Forest Lakes. You had picked up Seokjin and Dr. Xiumin from their shared home on the way, listening to rock music to mentally prepare yourself for the rest of the day.

Jin sat in the front, an occupational hazard.

Xiumin stared at you from the back, something you occupationally ignored.

Forced to park the car a street away from the hospital, Seokjin had groaned loudly at the lack of staff parking as you all walked the distance to the Emergency Department.

There was an abnormally large amount of parked black and white SUV's taking up spaces as you walked through the carpark. Hence, the reason why you all had to walk to work, but somehow, that should've alarmed you.

It didn't.

On arrival, Namjoon had greeted his partner Seokjin with a kiss on his cheek and you watched them walk towards his office with smiles drawn across their faces.

Xiumin smiled delicately with a watermelon blush, wishing you a good day. Minus the blush, you had done the same to him. It was the simple little things that made today feel like it could be like every other day in the department, except that everything about it wasn't.

Medical school may have prepared you and equipped you to be good at saving people, but it definitely and most certainly did not prepare you enough to save yourself.

Especially on what was supposed to be a completely normal day.

↣ FOREST LAKES HOSPITAL | DR. Y/N AND JEON JUNGKOOK

It was anything but a normal day, that was so horrendously clear from the state of the hospital.

Panic had surged through the hallways of Forest Lakes when the alarm was triggered and people dispersed from the hospital, running like razor sharp autumn leaves against each other.

White coats flew past you, carrying babies and small children. Blue and red lights lit up the night sky, streaking through the windows.

Adrenaline ran through your veins.

Tension clung to the air; the smell of fear so pungent, it asphyxiated any room for sound judgement as chaos painted the white halls with a reddish-brown reminder of the in-progress code black .

People ran and pushed, people fell and people got hurt.

You had watched it all as you stood beside Irene and the patient bed outside of the trauma bay, waiting for safe passage through the hallway ahead. It was so loud, machines beeped, people screamed, wailed and yelled, babies cried, nurses tried to reassure and calm people down, phones rang incessantly. It was a chorus of everything you never wanted to hear at the same time.

Nurses pushed past you; doctors helped their patients escape; junior doctors cleared rooms; and you waited until it was clear, until it was safe.

But it never would be.

"Yah, how much time do we have?" you asked, grabbing Namjoon's arm as he ran past you, "Who told you these orders?"

He stops, yanked back by you. "Y/N, why are you still here?" He says, looking at both you and Irene in concern.

"We're waiting until it's a little less mental down there," You nod your head to the chaos ahead. "Who gave the orders?"

Perspiration dripped down the sides of his face as he pants. "Someone triggered a silent emergency alarm in the VIP wing. Did you see all those cars in the carpark today?" he stepped close, whispering in your ear, "Politicians and athletes are in that wing being treated and we think it might be something to do with the-

"Wait," Your heart thumped loudly in your chest. "Isn't Dr. Hoff in that wing?"

He nodded, stepping back. "Yes. While you were in surgery, he offered to go in your place."

"What the fuck?" you stammered with tears glistening your eyes, "Namjoon."

"I know," he says, taking a deep breath. "Make sure everyone gets out after you, don't stay here too long."

"Do you think Dr. Hoff will be okay?" you ask, guilt settling itself in the pit of your stomach.

"Look, we don't have time for this. I'm sure he'll be fine. We have to get the fuck out of here. Call me when you're at Seoul Hearts so I can clear you as safe," Namjoon had said, brushing your arm away from his. Running down the hallway, sneakers squeaking as he ran, he shouts back. "I mean it Y/N, you better call me. Keep Seokjin safe."

You watch him rush through the crowd and then through the automatic sliding doors, throwing himself into the cold night, running towards the red and blue embers of a parked ambulance nearby.

That could've been you up in the VIP ward?

* * *

"Y/N, we need to go now. Load the patient into the back Irene," Seokjin yelled, shoving his key into the ambulance ignition. "Jimin and Irene, let's get a move on! Go, go, go!"

The wind swept through the loose strands of hair dangling around your face as you stood underneath the brightly lit red Emergency Department sign watching them from across the carpark. It was dark and suddenly desolate as all the cars and ambulances sped quickly away, how everyone managed to get out, amazed you.

It was suddenly silent.

You weren't sure if that was relieving or not.

"Jin, I honestly think someone is still in there and Namjoon told me to make sure everyone got out okay," You shout, yelling across the car park. He had frowned back at you, as though you had said something so daring to him. "I'm serious, we can't leave knowing someone might still be in there."

"Namjoon cleared all the rooms before he left, no one is in there Y/N." Seokjin shouted back, throwing his bags in the front seat, "Get here and get in, we don't have time. Everyone else is gone, we should be enroute to Seoul Hearts right now, who knows what will happen if we don't go."

"I think I heard someone yelling for help though!"

Throwing his cap into the ambulance, he shouts. "You're hallucinating!"

But you weren't. You had an itch. A sinking fucking feeling pulling you like a magnet back inside.

"Come on guys!" Seokjin rushed, jumping back into the front seat and closing the door, "Get in and let's go!"

You watched them all argue with each other over resources the ambulance didn't have while you had tossed up the decision to run back in. It was stupid to even think you could be a hero and save someone, when the person in this situation who would need saving, was you.

You watch Jimin and Irene jump into the back of the ambulance after pushing the patient in. You look back to the doors.

You'd be okay.

It would only be a second.

In and then out.

Whispering, "Fuck it." you run as fast as you can.

"Y/N," Seokjin had been the first to notice you running back in. "Y/N WHAT ARE YOU FUCKING DOING!" He had shouted, adrenaline surging through his blood, throwing himself out of his truck, he watched you, unable to move any closer as he fell to the pavement. "COME BACK Y/N!"

"What is she doing?" Irene shouted at Jin, prompting Jimin's immediate attention as he popped his head out of the ambulance doors. "Y/N?"

Jimin thought he could feel his heart bursting out of his ear drums as he screamed, eyes wide with horror. "Y/N, what are you doing?!" held back by Irene from running after you, he screams louder. "Y/N COME BACK! COME BACK RIGHT NOW. ARE YOU FUCKING DUMB?"

"I'll just check okay! I'll only take a minute, if you're truly worried, just park the car at the end of the carpark. I'll be fine," You shouted back, "I will be fine."

Jimin yells with his whole body but you don't look back, convinced you'd only be a second as you run through the automatic doors and down the hallway, disappearing deep within the building.

With the exception of the insect life buzzing around them, there was a strange silence in your wake as all three of them stared at the doors in disbelief.

Tears glistened in Jimin's eyes as he watched the doors close and then they fell in rivulets down his face when the ground rumbled with the first blast of three.

When you didn't run straight back out, he wailed loudly, feeling the impending loss strangle his heart as he fell completely into Irene's arms.

I'll only take a minute...