Chapter Text
Dennis and Trinity and takeout and some crummy show on TV. Name a more.perfect union
“Fucking hell Huckleberry why do you watch this shit” said Trinity chop sticks holding Chinese takeaway hanging from her hands. She didn't make any moves at all to touch the remote leaving the slightly trashy TV on.
A knock at the door. “I paid for dinner, you go look,” said Trinity.
Opening the door Dennis was looking at an older woman, Filipino. Dennis didn't recognize her
“Hi. How can I…”
“Who are you?” Dennis felt a little taken aback by this
“Sorry?”
He heard the noise behind him, Trinity moving.
“What the fuck mom. You can't be here. I've told you you can't be here. What the fuck?”
“Ive come to take you back. Honestly Trinity. Telling lies, saying your” she whispered the next words “a homo. Living in sin with some boy now”
“Im sorry what?” Dennis said at this.
“How did you even find this fucking address mom. Didn't give it to you. I didn't give it to any cousins. How the fuck did you find this”
Dennis began to step carefully forward, to try and help? But Trinity shot him a look. “Dennis” she said carefully, “i’ll handle this”.
Dennis felt conflicted. He didn't want to leave Trinity to deal with whatever…this was, even as he felt a pang of deep, uncomfortable familiarity
“We did not raise you like this Trinity. We raised you to be a good catholic girl”
“Go Dennis” Trinity's voice had an edge now.
Mouth dry, he replied “just…say if you need me”
Trinity nodded with the kind of seriousness he only saw in a code
“Mom, what the fu…” the noise drowned as Dennis closed the door. He had known Trinity had stuff going on. He had seen the scars, he had noticed on her birthday the cards she got (particularly Perlah's “happy birthday from your second mom” which Trinity had theatrically rolled her eyes at). But even in a trauma she never called him Dennis. Whitaker sometimes. Huckleberry, Huck. Fuckleberry occasionally.
Dennis, who had quit smoking after moving from Nebraska, desperately wished he had something to smoke right now
-
Trinity slammed the door shut. The shouting match had taken 20 minutes. She was thankful Huckleberry had left when told, although the shitty walls were so thin she had no doubt he had heard everything. “Its safe Huck, you can come out”.
The door cracked open. Kind, worried eyes appearing around the door frame
“You ok?”
“No” Trinity sighed. “No, but she” Trinity looked at the apartment door “can go eat shit”. The adrenalin of the encounter was dying. The tears, the trauma, the grief was pooling up. “Fuck”. Trinity ducked down to the fridge, grabbing a can off something and her vape. “Want…want to come outside?”
It was April and still cold at night, but Dennis nodded, grabbing his coat. “I need some air” he said smiling like he wasn’t gonna sit at 5 degrees so Trinity could vape and drink after that bullshit.
Even without the vape, Trinity could see her breath, and the combination of cold beer and cold air wasn't great, but she didn't say anything as they sat together.
Dennis stole a drag from her vape, as he was occasionally want to do, and pulled a face, as he always did, when he tasted the sugary watermelon vibe. It got a laugh out of Trinity
Peace. Quiet. Calm.
It was safety that was much more precarious now, Trinity knew. She would need to think about how to get it back. Move, maybe? She wouldn't go anywhere without Huck. Not just because he needed a place, but, she grudgingly admitted to herself, turning it over in her mind, she needed him. He was…important to her.
A car pulled up below. Flashing lights. Police. “Wonder if someone heard us” Trinity joked as the officers walked inside. She couldn't lie, it did unsettle her. Still, worst came to worst she apologized for the noise complaint, even if they were here for her. The block had like…30 flats.
1 in 30 chance right?
Heavy knock. “PPD”
Trinity felt herself go still. She wouldn't have”
“This is a wellness check. Please open the door” Dennis stood up
“Huck” Trinity looked at him, “don't, please”
Dennis looked at him with such anxiety
“We will open this door if you don't answer”
Trinity held Dennis’ eyes. Fuck fuck fuck what was this. Finally she nodded. Rather keep the door intact, whatever happened next
Dennis held her hand, squeezed it, “it’ll be ok” he said, climbing through the window.
Trinity sent a message to Perlah
- I think I'm about to be arrested, my mom. Just…want to let you know. Hucks here, if i don't message you in 10 messages him. I'm sorry
“Trinity Santos?” said a gruff voice. Trinity felt sick. Deep breath. Climb through the window. Explain everything
Trinity took a deep breath. He felt like gulping water. Fuck her adrenaline must be up.
Climb through the window. Her limbs felt like lead.
Two officers in armored vests, hands resting on the shoulder straps stood in her front room. Her space. Invaded twice in a few hours.
“Hi. I'm Trinity, what can I do for you?”
“Did you not here the door?” said the leading officer, forward, hand on his gun. Aggressive. Breath Trinity, don't get pulled in. This is the moment to get pulled in. She felt the fire, the anger stoked by mother in her chest. Easy girl.
“I heard it. It just took me a second”
“We’ve an emergency 302 order following a report”
“I'm sorry, what?” interjected Huckleberry, “a 302 order? On whose authority? Who asked for this?"
“We won't be disclosing that”
“It's my mother, isn't it” Trinity said. She could hardly keep the disbelief out of her voice. “What did she say”
The second officer stepped forward. “We’ve had a report that you are a risk to your own life, with the possibility of injury to yourself as well. We’re going to have to ask you to come with us. If you do not we will arrest you under the 302 order”
Trinity felt shock flooding her. How it had held off she didn't know. She bit her tongue. Breathed deep. Don't ov-
“That's bullshit,” Trinity looked over to Huck. “That's bullshit, she's a doctor at PTMC. She has been here with me all night. She is a risk to nobody”
Trinity could feel herself slowing down. Not deliberately. The way she did when she was 13, or when she had gone to hospital at 17. The way she did when her mother, when he, span everything out of control. Like pushing down her fight, her anger, called up her freeze.
“No. No no. I’m…I’m not coming” she didn't know how she looked. She hoped to fuck she didn't reflect the fear beginning to bubble through the anger on her face. God, she didn't know if she could look Dennis in the way again if he saw her this way.
The second officer nodded at his colleague. “Your under arrest under section 302 of the Pennsylvania mental health act”
“Nonono” she felt the handcuffs being applied. Huck trying to film it suddenly. The incongruity of it made her hiccup a laugh even as tears began to overwhelm her, “Huck, Perlha, tell Perlah, tell”
Tell Baran. She had started to talk to Baran. Flirt with Baran. She didn't know if she could tell Huck that. Jesus
“Tell who Trin?”
“Just…help”
Trinity was dragged out, passed other flats where people had opened their door to peer. Her thigh itched.
Trinity pulled herself together. She could get through this. She had gotten through everything. Buck the fuck up Trinity. Biting her lip, the pain giving a sense of clarity, of control, Trinity Santos got taken away from her flat, from her life, from her best friend, from her crush. And though Trinity didn't believe in God, hadn't since she was 14, Trinity Santos let herself pray.
-
Dennis Whitaker stood in the room. Empty. In shock. The memory of Trintiy's face, fighting to control itself, to not show the fear.
“Fuck”.
It took 10 minutes for the shock to leave him.
And then he called Perlah
-
Baran Al-Hasimi got off the bus. Publicly she was telling everyone she was trying to be more environmentally concise
And that was an important goal, for sure.
Privately, in a way that only a few knew, it was because she didn't trust herself to drive. Not after that shift, with its seizures. She had managed it better since then. Meds that gave her awful nausea but the neurologist assured her would provide better support. But Baran refused to show weakness, outside of carefully controlled support. Baran hated the Machismo of it, but felt she couldn't let herself show anything less than perfect control
Especially because of her disorder.
6.38. She carried three coffees. One for herself, and one for each off Dr’s Abbot and the newly ranked Attending Ellis. A small ritual she had started for the hand offs. Dr Abbot and Dr Shen, until his switch to cover the day shift, tended to reciprocate.
“Quite evening?” she said, spotting Dr Abbot,
“You know how it is. Fast start, slowing down. Leaving all the excitement now for the day shift.” She handed over his coffee, smiling, pleasant, controlled. And then she spotted behind him. “Your here early today Dr Whitaker”. Whitaker spun around.
“Dr Al”. he looked worried. Concerned.
“Dr Whitaker, unusual to see you here without Dr Santos when you share a shift” she said, smiling. Important to project confidence, comfort, and “good vibes” when you could., even if Baran felt a little disappointed. It was thoroughly unprofessional, but she couldn't help but admit she had butterflies when she worked with Trinity - Dr Santos.
Whitaker was tapping Perlah on the shoulder,
“We need to talk Dr Al” Dr Whitaker said, Perlah following, practically dragging Baran in to Central 12, closing the doors, drawing the curtains
“I'm sorry, Dr Whitaker, Perlah. What exactly is happening”
“Trinity” Whitaker started, “Dr Santos. She got arrested last night, on a 302 hold. And I know she's my room mate, and…” Dr Whitaker left a long pause, “and my friend. But i think its based unreliable information”
Baran felt a cold chill run down her spine. What? Perlah snorted
“Its definitely unreliable. She and her mother do not talk, and apparently she turned up”
“She did” Dr Whitaker interjected
“Who,” Perlah paused, Baran could see her choosing her words carefully “they don't talk. Trinity has chosen not to talk to her mother. And they had a huge row, and then hours later the police came”
Baran looked from doctor Whitaker, big eyes, concern written all over his face, to Perlah, cold fury on hers
“What are you asking me to do” Baran said to the pair
“Pull some strings, whisper in ears, anything” Whitaker said
Baran pursed her lips. “Trinity is an important member of the department. Valued” deeply cared for, she thought, "I will do what I can”. She looked at them both. “I’ll keep you as informed as i can, given HIPPA”
A plan formed as she stepped out, and tried to ignore that her care felt a little less than professional, and a lot more personal