<a class="postlink" href="http://fotos.fotoflexer.com/be09a5871bf9328ea02e1b67031d846e1350621.jpg">[ img ]</a><br/><br/>The gasping and loud whispers pulled Aubrey out of her work at the American Museum of Natural History. Her bright red hair was pulled back into a tight bun, with a few strands falling forward. She looked up from the vase she was brushing off to glance up at the skylight above her. The minute she saw the view she let out a slight gasp of her own to join the millions. The scientific wonder made the anthropologist inside her jump up in giddy but she stayed seated where she was, marveling at the display of green and blue lights. The Aurora Borealis was a beautiful site and at first her scientific brain shut off as a more relaxed creative side just basked in the joy of the lights.<br/><br/>Until the scientist in her decided is was time to wonder what the fuck was going on. She stood up from the stool she was sitting on, but before she could go take a better look outside like she was planning too, the floor began to blur underneath her and she stumped. She fell backward, grabbing her stool to catch herself, which then fell over with her as she landed on her ass. She winced and grabbed her head. The world was spinning around her and she felt weak and faint suddenly. Another intern rushed over to her to see if she was okay and Aubrey waved them off quickly with her hand grunting out a<span style="font-style: italic">I'm fine</span>. She grabbed the edge of the table she was near to try and pull herself up but the world hadn't stopped spinning and she fell again onto her side. She laid there on the ground for a minute, staring at the leg of the table before that same intern pushed her onto her back and kept yelling "Aubrey, Aubrey!" at her.<br/><br/>They were really starting to get on her nerves but the lights showing through the skylight caught her attention and before she could respond or tell them to get off her and stop shaking her like a mad woman, a darkness fell over her and she closed her eyes slowly.<br/><br/>She woke up on a couch a few minutes later. People were standing around her, seeming panic and confused, concern sketched into their faces. It seemed slightly shocking to Aubrey that they were concerned for her, but she quickly erased that from her mind as a reason for their concern looks. No one was ever concerned for her. When Aubrey stared up at the skylight again the beautiful lights were gone. A slight frown formed on her face before she shook it off and began to sat up. She still felt weak and groggy, like she just took a nap in the middle of the day. She hated naps.<br/><br/>"Oh! Aubrey don't sit up! The ambulance will be here soon!" The intern from earlier stumbled over and practically pushed Aubrey back down onto the couch. Aubrey huffed as she was forced down before giving the intern a glare.<br/><br/>"Get off me." The intern made a squeak at the stern tone and quickly pulled away.<br/><br/>"I-I'm sorry bu-but you really shouldn't be-"<br/><br/>"I'm fine." Aubrey interrupted her, sitting up and holding her head. The world wasn't spinning anymore but the throbbing in her head was annoying. The intern wasn't helping with her protest. She sounded too much like a squeak toy. Even though Aubrey was an intern and peer herself she never cared for others around her, especially her peers. She felt they were more competitors racing forward to gain the same prize and Aubrey was too competitive to care or like anyone in the same field as her. Hell, she didn't even like her own professors. They were too self-centered and snobbish in their "I'm right" fucking ways.<br/><br/>"I'm fine." Aubrey grumbled out, giving the intern a dark glare with her light hazel eyes. The intern quickly shut up, before huffing with a scowl and walking away. Aubrey could hear her grumbling about something but she didn't care.<br/><br/>There were other coworkers that stared over at her, seeming concerned but when Aubrey gave them a blank stare back they quickly looked away. She stared at the floor as she sat up, tugging at the bun and letting her long hair flow out to relieve the pressure in her head. She had a strong headache and felt like she just woke up after a wild night, which was impossible. Aubrey never had a wild night.<br/><br/>She scratched the back of her head before finally glancing up. She felt over heated and hot for some reason and quickly took off her lab coat. She was starting to sweat. Soon a few voices caught her attention and she looked up to find two paramedics heading her way, guided by the intern from earlier. A sigh escaped from Aubrey's lips as annoyance built up the pressure in her head. She grasped her head and closed her eyes tightly, wishing for the stubborn headache to fade away already.<br/><br/>"Ma'am. Can you hear me?" A paramedic immediate asked as he walked up to her, placing a big bag next to her feet.<br/><br/>Aubrey grumbled and turned towards the paramedic with another blank stare. "Yes. I can hear you loud and clear."<br/><br/>The paramedic froze for a minute before continuing on with his check up. "You're name is Aubrey, yes?"<br/><br/>"Of course my name is Aubrey. I know my fucking name." Aubrey continued her blank stare at him and the paramedic raised an eyebrow.<br/><br/>"You're friend sai-"<br/><br/>"She's not my friend." Aubrey interrupted. The paramedic was shocked at first before giving her a blank stare back. He was probably use to people like her.<br/><br/>"What happened?" He asked very calmly.<br/><br/>"I have a hangover, haven't been drinking water much today, and fainted." Aubrey spoke very calmly, giving out a lie like it was no big deal but for some reason it just flowed from her mouth. She didn't even think for a minute, for some reason it just came out. She had a feeling she made a right choice, that she had to do it. Something was telling her that she had to give out this lie.<br/><br/>The paramedic grinned slightly, shaking his head and Aubrey raised an eyebrow at him. He cleared his throat, and pulled out a sphygmomanometer, to measure her blood pressure. She frowned but held out her arm anyway as he wrapped it around her wrist. As the pressure built in her wrist she began to wonder why she did actually faint. Yes, the lights were spectacular but Aubrey didn't faint from excitement. Her stoic personality wouldn't let her do that. Even when she got her degree in anthropology and got accepted into the master's program she didn't get excited. It was just a job, a way to live and get money. It was easy, and her rational brain enjoyed the gritty work and hard thinking. It gave her brain some exercise.<br/><br/>People moved around as the paramedic continued to check her, asking questions here and there and she answered with emotionless responses that went along with her earlier lie. They were natural responses, Aubrey wasn't even thinking when she answered them. The flowed from her mouth without her evening realizing her thinking. Her thoughts were on another question: 'Why did she faint?' That and the fact that she felt something extremely different inside her. She felt... overly different. She had this urge to...<br/><br/>She couldn't put a word on it yet. The closest that came to it was<span style="font-style: italic">"shift"</span>. But that didn't make sense to her. How could she shift? What could she shift? What is shifting? Nothing made sense and she was starting to get annoyed. She hated not knowing. She became an anthropologist to know shit, and not knowing was not part of the plan.<br/><br/>"Okay. We're done here. Do you want a ride to the-." The paramedic began to ask if she wanted to go to the hospital but Aubrey interrupted him.<br/><br/>"No."<br/><br/>"Oh. Okay. Make sure you drink plenty of water and go home for the rest of the day, if you can." Aubrey just nodded at the guy, not even giving him a glance as she was deep in thought. The paramedic just stared at her for a moment, before sighing and picking up his stuff. Her boss was standing to the side, having watched the whole thing and nodded to the paramedic with a quick thanks before walking up to Aubrey.<br/><br/>"Go home. Rest up. And don't come back to work with a hang over again." Her boss spoke in front of her and Aubrey glanced up at him before nodding. She stood up, her legs shook for a minute before she finally gained some resemblance of balance and strength. She still felt weak and tired but she shook it off as she grabbed her coat and items real quick before heading back home. Maybe she needed to take a nap.<br/><br/>She hated naps.