Flying High - Tagged

[Steven Hudson]

“At least I know now where my standards need to be. Anything above hot coals.” He said smirking though he understood. Studying had never been fun and he remembered studying for his paramedic job to begin with. Sisters, their mother, a job it was like juggling and waiting for something to come crashing down though getting away from textbooks and mock tests that was the greatest feeling. It was a fine line to work with and too much study meant he usually forgot what he had started with that day.

Steven watched as she adjusted her helmet and the guide hooked her into the line, for a moment he wanted to just keep her back from it just in case there was a problem. Let someone else go first other than his sister he thought though looking down. Okay so what was the first rule of zip wire, never look down as he stared at her and grinned hearing her mutter. “Good luck!” He called out after her, “I’ll meet you at the car!” He teased though watching her and hearing her shriek, so much for him screaming like a girl.

He stepped up to the guide as he saw her thumbs up. “You live! See you in five if I make it.” He called though fingers crossed he would he thought as staring down he hesitated that moment too long before he felt the guides hand on his back and no more platform to stand on. Suddenly he could hear himself screaming like a girl as he tried to remember what he had just been told to do. Give him a fire ladder and he was up it, a three foot leap onto a roof it was done.

Give him a zip line and he was freaked out as he made it to the far platform and stood up his legs felt like jelly. He reached to hug Isla for a moment as he grinned. “We’re alive, we made it.” He said still trying to catch his breath from screaming like an idiot most of the way. Only four more lines to go he thought.

Isla Hudson ,

[Isla Hudson]

"That was awesome!" Isla gushed excitedly, returning his hug as she looked up at him. "Almost like flying! This was a great idea!"

She wasn't sure why she hadn't thought of this herself, but then, maybe she's just never considered it because she'd been too afraid and needed this little boost. But it was so much fun, the feeling of freedom and fight, and she was sure she could release that fear of heights, if nothing more than to defy Jerkface.

"You did great, too! I could almost believe that you were screaming like a girl just to be dramatic!"

She gave her brother a playful nudge then nodded to the guide, who hooked her onto the second line. Without hesitation, she pushed off, going full-out and only slowing as she approached the far platform. Once safely there, she waved to her brother, grabbed her phone, and started to take pictures of him in his slide, proof that Big Brother had actually done this.

"This time you go first," she told him when he was standing beside her again, "so you can get some glamor shots of me!"

Otherwise, no one would believe her!

Steven Hudson

[Steven Hudson]

Steven grinned trying to think it was a good idea, he had no idea it was going to be that terrifying at all. What happened to the adventurous day out? When did it take that turn to terrifying he wondered though it was good to see his sister enjoying herself. She was happy and that was all that mattered to him. She had been working so hard on her studies that she deserved some time to enjoy herself.

“Yeah was just doing to be dramatic, you know me. I’d fall over my own feet just to make you laugh.” He said grinning as he laughed when she nudged him as he watched the guide hook her onto the second line. Her lack of hesitation was amazing as he grinned watching her as he got himself hooked onto the line by the guide.

He could see her taking pictures as he waved trying not to scream as much this time and grin more. It was a little easier second time around though concentrating on what was happening was a bad idea as he decided just to focus on getting to the platform as he set foot on it again. “Oh sure, feed your brother to the lions before you go.” He teased as the guide got him hooked up onto the line.

He managed to get his phone out of his pocket with his hand shaking a little as he made sure to take a picture of her standing on the platform. “Just remembered to smile.” He said as he pushed off from the platform feeling a little better about dangling from a rope as he made it to the other side and gave her a thumbs up. “Remember to smile!” He yelled as he held his phone up so he could get some photos.

Isla Hudson,

[Isla Hudson]

"Of course!" Isla called after him as he left the platform, sliding down the steel wire, looking like a pro, even though he might not feel it. But this was good for them both, they'd gotten too caught up in life and hadn't really had time to spend together lately, so this was a great way to 'reconnect'. If only big sis could be here, too! Maybe next time...not so high, or so fast!

"Go for it!" she shouted, then, when it came her turn, she pushed off, zipping toward him, making faces at him as she went, although she did give him a couple of pretty smiles and a thumb's up.

Of course, over confidence and goofing off had her coming into the platform too fast, and the guide there started waving and shouting.

"Slow down! Brake!"

Realizing she needed to slow, Isla pulled on the wire over her head with her padded, gloved hand, decelerating some, but still jerking to an abrupt stop against the block of wood attached to the wire for that purpose.

"Sorry!" she gasped, grabbing onto Steven because her legs were a bit wobbly, "I'll be better next time!"

One more line to go, although she could do this all day!

Steven Hudson

[Steven Hudson]

He grinned at her as he closed his eyes at points feeling more like a shaking clown than a pro at it. At least the fire department ladders did not slide he thought though it was nice to finally get some time to spend with her. Life had happened and that meant that usually he was working or she was, he was sleeping or she was and then there was the study too it was tough to find time to have fun. Then again it was nice to ‘reconnect’ with her and to get her out from under her studying too.

Steven took lots of photos as he watched her faces and laughed as he kept taking them. There was now photographic evidence of what had occurred and she looked great doing it too. Her confidence and seeing her goofing off was worth the world to him as before he knew it the guide was waving and shouting. It took him a moment to realise before he started waving and shouting doing all kinds of random hand signals.

When she jerked to an abrupt stop against the block of wood Steven winced for her as he felt her grab onto him as he pulled her into a hug. "I got you." He said as he held her for a moment. “Hey, you were great don’t worry, just remember to slow down.” He said as he stepped back for a moment, “Are you okay? Feel okay? Not hurt?” He said almost having a heart attack right there on her behalf, yes he might be a little over protective but then it was his sister and he had promised to look after her.

That and it was his idea to go so if he managed to get her hurt then that was all his fault. Nothing like seeing a family member hurtling toward you then freaking out about it. One more line to go before solid ground he thought as he looked at her wanting to make sure she was alright.

Isla Hudson,

[Isla Hudson]

"That was amazing!" Isla declared excitedly, a little short of breath from the adventure. "I wish it was faster, or maybe longer?" And man, if they could somehow make big spirals in it, that would really be fantastic!

"This was a great idea!" Looking up at her brother, she smiled a little more seriously. "I mean, really, Steven, I didn't think I could ever be comfortable doing something like this, not after Jerkface tried to toss me off the Ferris wheel at Navy Pier."

Before that, she'd been fine with heights, had loved the Ferris wheel, but when her boyfriend had gotten mad at her while they'd been on the ride and had tried to push her out of the gondola, well, after that, she'd been pretty well terrified. It had taken her a long time to tell Steven about it, and she had been trying to overcome the fear, and this was just the thing!

"And I'm not as psycho about that silly test anymore...for now!" Nothing would calm the jitters on testing day, but it really was good to relax and have fun.

"Only one left, make the best of it." She was still smiling widely as the guide helped her hook in for the final line, then she glanced at her brother. "Last one down is a rotten egg! Oh...right!"

Laughing, she pushed off.

Steven Hudson

[Steven Hudson]

Steven grinned seeing her excited over it, he never would have thought she would have done this a few months ago but now he could never have been prouder of her for doing it. “Faster, longer and spirals? Baby steps Isla, don’t think I’m ready for spirals or more speed yet.” He said grinning at her though he was glad she was enjoying herself.

A great idea from him, well there was a first for everything he thought as he smiled at her as he nodded. “You look great doing it Isla and you make it look easy too.” He said remembering when she had told him what had happened on the Ferris Wheel at Navy Pier. It was a shame that he had let the guy live he thought for a moment. “No one will ever do that to you again and you’ve show that you can do this, I’m proud of you Isla.”

Steven knew how she had been fine with heights before that jerk happened and he was just glad she had got it back to overcome her fear. For one letting Jerkface take anything away from her was never going to happen and he was just happy to see her enjoying herself especially with something that was high up and pretty fast. “See it works both ways, besides you needed to get out and have some fun... studying is boring...” He said as he grinned at her and rolled his eyes.

He was proud of his sister for what she was doing, studying, working she was doing great at it all but every now and then people needed a break to relax and have some fun. Then again for him everything was about a break and having fun. Steven grinned seeing her smiling widely as the guide hooked her in for the last line. “First one down is a rotten egg!” He called after her laughing watching her slide down as the guide hook him up to the line. Last one, that was sounding pretty good given he was unsure if he could scream much more without losing his voice.

Isla Hudson,

[Isla Hudson]

Isla pushed off the last platform, relaxing into the ride, grinning like an idiot as she slid down the line, for a few seconds closing her eyes just to get the feeling of 'flying'. And then it was over, she was coming into the final platform, back down the hill and on the ground. It had been a blast, and she knew that she'd come back someday and do it again, and she'd try to drag Steven along with her.

After she unhooked, she stepped back and started to take pictures of his final slide then gave him a big hug once he had landed. "That was so much fun!" she exclaimed happily, "can we go again?" Then she laughed. "I'm kidding, but it was a lot of fun and I do want to go again some time!"

Standing tall, she nodded to him. "I can do anything! Just call me Nurse Ratchet...er, Nurse Isla!"

Steven Hudson

[Steven Hudson]

Steven grinned watching her relaxing; it was good to see that she could finally enjoy something like that again and no mention of the upcoming exams. At least if she had done this it might give her a confidence boost that was different to him telling her she could take on the world. Not that he would ever stop telling her that but at least she had done this one for herself.

Sliding along the line it took everything he had not to scream for the last one but even closing his eyes, he simply just peered out of them mostly closed as he landed holding tightly to the rope. Steven grinned and hugged her back as he nodded trying not to cling too much to the platform. “Yeah... sure we can.” He said as soon as his entire self stopped shaking he thought deciding that knitting might have been a safer adventure.

“You really enjoyed it? It wasn’t too much or too crazy?” He asked her grinning glad that they had done that no matter what. Seeing her standing tall he could hardly keep the smile off his face. “Woah now Nurse Isla I can live with but Ratchet? Remember to play nice as a nurse.” He said grinning, “It’s good to see you having fun and I’ve no doubt you’ll be a nurse. I’m so proud of your.” He said still grinning at her, he was glad she had done this even if he had been the one screaming and she was the one enjoying it.

Isla Hudson,

[Isla Hudson]

"You did good, too," Isla reassured him, grinning, "I mean, you did it, right? And you didn't pass out or anything." She was still smiling as they walked back toward the car. "And I suppose I can be a 'nice' nurse...I can take your example as a paramedic, right? I mean, all those stories you tell about what a saint you are."

Her grin widened. "Of course, Emily is the 'good' nurse, and there's only one per family, right?" As if Isla had a mean bone in her body! Still, she had run into patients that she wanted to push out the door and into the street! "I'm really excited about it," she admitted, "and getting away from court and all that type-y stuff."

She looked up at him. "I thought about being a paramedic like Dad, but really, the idea of being out on the streets, the unknown...that scares me. I think you're pretty brave to do that." She shrugged and gave him a light nudge in the shoulder. "But you were still screaming like a girl!"

[Steven Hudson]

"So did you, you looked like a natural up there." Steven grinned oh he had done good, good at screaming at the top of his lungs sort of good he thought. “Nope, didn’t pass out at all and yes I stepped off a platform and flew on a wire... think that makes me certifiable yet?” He asked her with a smirk as he followed her back to the car glad that he had done it and that Isla had done it too. “Exactly, I thought you never listened to my saint stories? But of course we are, we run toward people save them and drop them off at your door when all the hard work is done.” He teased though yes he realised there was usually a lot more work to do once he dropped them off.

He could keep them alive but it was the hospital that saved them each and every time. “Uh oh, I swear if you start going all Sweeny Todd on me then that’s it.” He said grinning; he knew that there was no mean bone in her body at all which he was very thankful for. “I know you’ll do great at it, you were a great stenographer but a nurse, you’ll be the best.” He said smiling, there was hardly a day that went by that he was happy for her and all she was doing.

Steven smiled when she spoke about their dad, he would have loved her to be a paramedic but then the thought of her being out there with the unknown scared him. It was okay for him to do it but not his baby sister. “Brave or nuts, fine line you know.” He said as he laughed when she lightly nudged him in the shoulder. “Me scream like a girl, never ... you’ll find that it was that instructor behind me that did all the screaming. Just sounded like it was coming from me but really... no.” He said as he laughed nudging her lightly back.

Isla Hudson ,

[Kelle Lindsay, EMTP]

(As Isla)
“I know you’ll do great at it, you were a great stenographer but a nurse, you’ll be the best.”

"Oh, I know that too," she declared with a conspiratorial wink, "but let's not tell Em that. She thinks I can never catch up since she got her BRN first!" It was true that Isla hadn't intentionally set out to become a nurse just because her sister had, but Emily certainly had been an inspiration to her and helped her through the process with invaluable pointers.

“Brave or nuts, fine line you know.” He said as he laughed when she lightly nudged him in the shoulder. “Me scream like a girl, never ... you’ll find that it was that instructor behind me that did all the screaming. Just sounded like it was coming from me but really... no.”

"Oh, right, I was wondering about that." She giggled, climbing into the passenger seat, letting him do the driving now. "Who would have thought he'd be a soprano, just like you?" With a sigh, she leaned back and closed her eyes for a moment. "I feel like I can take on that test now," she declared, "not that I think I'll feel that way once I sit down with it in front of me!"

Well, she would pass or not, and certainly fretting over it wasn't going to help any. And it wasn't as if she didn't have a job -- liking it wasn't the issue, so long as she could pay the rent!

"So, can I buy you an ice cream or something, or did you have other plans?"

Steven Hudson,

[Steven Hudson]

Steven laughed when he saw her conspiratorial wink, two sisters as nurses Chicago Med had no idea what was going to be heading their way he thought. “First but then again you’ve had experience doing something else, she could never take down notes as fast as you could given your court experience.” He said grinning, so he was never going to get in between his sisters if they ever did start arguing over it but then each one was his favourite sister. “Then again she’s shown you what not to do so you’ll be perfect at it.” He said grinning, “Just don’t tell her I said that.”

He laughed as he nodded, “Yeah you know me, wouldnt scream at anything but that guy... he looked terrified.” So he was the terrified one but then again he had done it the same as Isla had though he was proud of Isla for doing it and getting over her fear of it. Sitting in the car he laughed, “Yeah us soprano’s stick together.” He stated as he grinned nodding at her as he sat in the car glad to be on solid ground at least. “You’ll ace the test and you’ll be calm as anything.” He said having every faith in her to pass that test.

“Ice cream, I’m sold but I’ll buy besides this is your no study pamper day so where do you want to go to get ice cream?” He asked her deciding that the least he could do was treat her to ice cream after all he had just ask her to jump off a ledge hanging from a rope.

Isla Hudson,

[Isla Hudson]

"No study pamper day?" Cocking an eyebrow, she looked up at him with a cheeky grin. "Well, I have an idea...what about Polly Ann's? They have those cool flavors like rose and Oreo-banana chip." And if you couldn't decide what you wanted, there was a big wheel you could spin and let it do the choosing for you.

And, there was that place next door, the nail salon, and what better way than be pampered than with a mani-pedi? And that way, even if she failed, she'd look good! Now it was just a matter of sweet-talking big brother into it, but she was pretty sure she could do that, especially after 'sweetening' him up with goodies. Besides, he'd already done something far out of his 'comfort zone', and manicures weren't just for ladies any more. She knew that once he settled in he'd like it.

Steven Hudson,

[Steven Hudson]

“Yes one of those.” He said not sure if he should have been worried the minute he saw her cheeky grin. “Ooh Polly Ann’s sounds perfect to me, Oreo- Banana Chip, what could be better after that near death experience.” He said smiling as he was wondering if spinning that wheel to choose the flavour was a step too far down the adventure line for the day.

Well today was hardly the day for not taking risks and if his sister was stressing out over her exam then he wanted to do all he could to make that better for her. He knew taking the exam for her was hardly an option, mostly because he would fail it but getting her to relax that was about as good as he could do and women liked to be pampered so logically that was the next step.

He had asked her to go zip lining or rather just given directions and hoped she would so beyond getting her to jump of ledges which sounded worse now he had thought about it. A no study pamper day was just what she needed even if he had to hang around outside for her.

Isla Hudson,