Numb

He hears the words, but they don't make sense.

Water in her lungs. Massive concussive damage from the rocks. Not expected to survive.

But it is not her, could not be her.

Not the girl who danced fiercely and defied the sea with every breath. Not the girl with a sharp tongue and ready fists. Not the girl who gave his brothers hope, who taught his little sister to dance, who saved him.

She could not die, this girl who had brought him back to life.

And so he cradled his unconscious sister in his arms and pulled back his screaming brothers, and prayed to all the gods he had never believed in that he would not lose Ken Lewis.

The clinic is buzzing with activity now, surrounding his dancer.

A nurse takes his sister, murmurs "Thank God you got her out in time."

But I didn't, he wants to tell her. It was the sea angel, the girl who saved us all. She rescued my sister.

 But he doesn't say anything, just stands there numbly and lets Kinley wrap a blanket around his shoulders, lets Owen take care of his brothers.

Mauri arrives, screaming, and Trace cannot comprehend the words she is saying, cannot understand, because Ken will be alright, of course she will.

"Where is my girl?" she screams. "Where is my baby girl?"

And he has no answer for her.