for truelovescurse | AU

[reformedincubus]

Well, hey there, handsome. The woman's voice drifted to him through a fog, or maybe it would be more accurate to describe it as a clamor. There were sounds, some constant, some repetitive, all of them familiar and alien all at once. They were muffled but mixed together in the hazy half-light he only just realized he could perceive. It was vaguely warm and it was then he realized his eyes were closed. The woman's voice was familiar, welcome, but he had no idea who she was.

He moved his tongue in his mouth and it felt like sandpaper grating against the back of his throat. Why did everything hurt, and why did he feel so...light? That's when he realized there was no seething need in the back of his mind. Was this another dream? He'd had so many lately.

The woman's voice came again, though, more clearly this time. "Thomas, come on back to us. I've got a young lady here who'd really like to see those pretty eyes of yours."

Young lady...? But she's-the demons. The portal. The vague beeping that had been so steady and familiar started to quicken along with his breath. He tried to say her name, but his lips were barely cooperating, he opened his eyes and immediately closed them again. The dim light illuminated vague shapes, but at least he had an name for that beep. A heart monitor. He was in a hospital.

"Justine, why don't you see if you can get him some water?" Why was that woman's voice so familiar? At Justine's name, the beeping slowed. She was here.

...and that heart monitor was connected to him.

...what?