ways_infirmary | (no subject)

(no subject)

Sometime during the night there was a series of small events. None of them flashy, certainly none enough to draw regard, but together they could possibly be disturbing. Behind a privacy curtain, two girls are twined together, seemingly asleep. Seemingly, unless one knows both are telepaths, then there's signs of something more.

The occasional spike in the heart monitor for one...

Or the sudden dispersal of teke in the wee hours, letting Rachel lay fully on the bed...

Or the small, pained whimpering as psionic pain dampers blink out...

Small things really. Nothing to worry about at all.

The flame on the other hand, rushing in for a moment, then dissapearing, and the tired, aching ::wake up:: now those can be worrisome.

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She chokes with her first waking breath. And keeps her eyes closed for a second.

Not yet, sleep...

But her mind remains on the path to consciousness, however she resists it, and soon she's properly fidgetting against Rachel's body, struggling against sleep and tired ache.

::Did I...?::

Her mind is full of thick sludge, not the way it shoudl feel. She can barely see inside her own head even. That's a bad sign. Perhaps if she didn't have such a firm link to Mel, speaking wouldn't be easy at all.

She save that theory though and just be glad she doesn't have to reach outside her head at the moment ::...accomplish something? Of course dear heart:: she offered, drawing a deep breath and freezing as pain, actual pain, lanced through her.

::....oooouch::

Mel gives a sharp intake of breath as the pain sears through Rachel.

::Jesu, Rach, you're...:: hurt is nothing new, weakened is nothing surprising.

::Whar can I do?::

She let a brief mental chuckle flash through the pain, warm s a summer night looking up at the stars and just as reassuring perhaps ::Just...kinda tapped out...:: she noted.

::Expected it...just...didn't eralize how many pain suppressors I'd layered on...thought it was all nerve damage...::

She shifted slightly, the feel of bandages moving across her back new and harsh ::...get off maybe?:: she suggested. ::You're not so little anymore...::

Mel grins. And she feels the grin to be as much an internal expression as a movement of the facial muscles. She rolls off the bed and sits in a chair, one hand still holding Rachel's arm.

::Sorry.::

Oddly it takes her a moment to remember how to make her body move without teke. Longer still to convince it to do so. Slowly she manage dto roll on her side, taking the weight off her screaming back, and sadly she ended up clutching Mel's hand more than she'd like to prevent screaming.

It's almost enough to knock her out, drag her screaming into darkness, but Mel's hand is there. It's enough, no matter what the monitors say. ::How you feeling...Mel?:: she asked at last.

Mel's hand can, of course, take however hard Rachel clutches it. It's part of being Mel Fray.

It takes a moment to assess the question, just ordering her thoughts.

::Tired:: she replies. ::Exhausted. But I feel like me again.:: Properly me.::

::And I'm really hungry.::

Ah, to be young again. Or at least whole. A good nights sleep, a heavy meal or three and she'd be good.

There's a light, breathy chuckle in her sending and the feeling of a kiss brushed across her forehead ::Then get you. Rest up, eat. Take care of yourself::

That sole reassurance from Mel was all she really needed to put her mind at ease. The knowledge that Rachel hadn't screwed up by doing this...

She slowly curled , tuckiong her knees to her chin and then finally dropping Mel's hand, ready to accept the cost now ::Go rest...::

Wait, one more request ::...mayeb send Hank?:

"Course," Mel whispers. "Thank you."

She pushes her chair away and heads towards the exit.

Hank rushes in a few minutes later. When he sees Rachel, he stops and his face crumples a little. He slowly approaches.

"Rachel?"

She's not moving, that's the first sign. HOleidng very carefully still, even her breathing regulated to short pants to reduce movement. Then one notes she's not floating that safe inch above the bed anymore either, so there's actual weigh on the wounds. Disturbing that.

::....!....::

Seems she's having a little trouble thinking past her own skull right now. Though she is trying...

He gentlky , gently touches her head and extends his thoughts like he was tought by the professor.

::"Rachel? What happenned?"::

It's like reaching into needles and glass, pain lancing up the nerves in short, electric bursts that threaten consciousness, but underlying it is a fierce feeling of accomplishment.

::...did...Mel...fine...:: it was obvious not all of the thought was getting through, and again there was that feeling of strain...

He blinks. Then he concentrates.

::Can I give you a painkiller? Please?::

She's laughing, he doesn't hear it but she is. It's even almost natural laughter in her head, lacking that shadow bitten quality. She would love painkiller, now that it's okay. She misses her own brand dearly...

::...course...!:: comes across, almost tinted with giglly hysteria, but not quite...

He nods and immediately goes to work. He gives her a strong painkiller and muscle relaxant immediately and then uses a small amount of topical gel to gently coat her skin in any exposed areas, hoping to ease her pain there too.

He waits for several long moments for the painkillers to take effect.

"How are you doing?"

The painkiller is nice and fuzzy feeling. Indeed it is. Like kittens maybe. Only less likely to claw. Or other fuzzy things...like lint. Yes, or towels...or spiders...

Regardless, it does help some.

::...weak..s a kitten:: and delighted about it.

He touches her forehead again.

::What did you do? Or not do?::

He keeps accusation out of his thoughts. He is concerned for her now.

What follows is a weakly confusing jumble of foggy images and sensations, holding a little hand, a small, smiling child, flames, ivy, ruins and a girl growing into Mel.

::...taught...thing I know::

he blinks a lot. It takes him long minutes to figure this out.

::"You did a dreamsong? With Mel? About the Phoenix? And it worked? Oh, Rachel, excellently done... evben if you did hurt yourself. How can I help?"::

His voice is full of pride in her and concern.

It even has a name! Nifty!

::...didn't hurt...I...myself out:: she pointed out, almost a little cross. She drained her reserves...they'd come back, they would, and she accepted that.

::....w body?:: she suggested with a tired, very very tired chuckle.

That's what Cable called it. Hank had to endure one long ago to learn how to use a future weapon and tech.

He eyes her and chuckles, not entirely sure what she said.

::"Well for now, I want to keep you on your drips, whcih is ee are not in again and I want to start a pinkiller and muscle relaxant. And, for now? I want you to sleep? Okay?::

Seems like she knew it was called that...just forgot. It feels that way anyway. Askani.

Hmmm, keep her on the drips? And painkillers? Well, she didn't feel like moving at all.Nope, not at all...so that was just fine by her.

::...m'kay...::

He nods.

he slowly hooks her up and increases the dosgae and starts her on a slight painkiller.

"Can you sleep on your own? And will it bug you... and I know it might hurt, but will it bug you if I get you in a good position to sleep?"

She always sleeps curled on her side...it's just a very, very old habit. And there's the least amount of injury on her side. ::...n sleep. Going to...all. Nightmares, probab...but I'll...ight::

Hank pulls out something.

"I was asking Bar if you had any present, and she didnt give me the tohers, which apparerrentlyu there are a few, but this is From Dream."

He holds out a cherry and the note with it.

"It's up to you to decide when you want to use it."

Then he sits and sighs.

"Meanwhile, I wont leave."

Hey, a cherry. Also nifty, like Dreamsongs...from Dream...she'd giggle, but she'd have to blame it on shock and her first pain meds in years.

She'd take the cherry, but her hands, are, alas, broken, and her teke has deserted her for a time. Oh well, another time.

It's probably new, falling into the morass of her mind with a mental giggle...but maybe it'll be interesting. You never know.

he gently tocuehs her forehead.

::Sleep.::

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