ways_infirmary | (no subject)

She eyes the bed warily, as though afraid it might bite her. Or simply grow restraints, hold her down so she can't escape.

"I haveta change into one of those hospital gowns or something?" Humour as a coping mechanism.

And oddly, there's someone else nearby who understands those fears. Rachel is walking in the door from her trip outside. All she does is look for a moment,then slips towards the bed silently, slipping her fingers into Max's grip.

She won't ask what's wrong, no, she knows better, she just slides a look at both hank and Max. She has no problem staying here as long as Max needs her to.

He nods to Rachel.

Then he turns his attention to Max.

"No, your clothes is fine, you will want to move your top up off of your side, when you lay down, otherwise the nanobots and dissease will mark it and damage it on the way through. Other than that, no other preparation needs be done, save what you need. "

He smiles and turns away for a moment to fiddle with the dials..

Max gives Rachel a brief, grateful smile. It's brittle around the edges, though if one didn't know her well, she'd seem calm.

She releases Rachel's hand just long enough to tug her t-shirt off, draping it over the foot of the bed before lying down. It makes the scars visible, though except for the bullet scar in her side they're all faint, faded.

...The oldest is two years old. Her body's efficient, that way.

"Virus won't be contagious, once the 'bots have it?"

...It's a valid concern.

Scars are a mark of survival, no shame in them. Rachel herself would be annoyed if hers faded though. She really would. She simply slips onto the edge of the bed, holding Max's hand and slowly strokingthe girls hair with her free hand.

She does glance at Hank though, shadows writhing in her eyes ::Bots?::

Hank turns back in full doctor mode.

"No it wont. It will be fully contained and harmless."

He smiles even as he thinks in Rachel's direction.

I have harnessed and revivified the nanobots that Ganunt had peverted, and have reprogrammed them to search out and contain the lycanthropic virus that is within her causing so much havok. Once they do so they will march out of her andf then be destroyed, once and for all.

The exchange takes not even a moment and he continues.

"Are you ready?"

Max prefers it. The scars mark her out. Identifying marks are dangerous when you're a fugitive.

She presses Rachel's hand lightly, mindful of the fact that the other girl is still healing, a gesture of thanks.

Her gaze flicks to Hank, and she gives him a bright grin. The sort she generally flashes before diving off of a building, possibly into a free-fire zone. It isn't entirely sane.

"Let's do this."

Rachel chuckled through Max's mind, a sound containig that feral madness as well. NOthing like it sometimes...

::Don't like it Hank::

She doesn't slip away though, no.

::YOu heard the lady::

He opens the case, revealing a single hypospray. And three sets of goggles. Did he predict that someone else would be there? He will never tell. He hands one set to Max as he places one set on. Tomt he goggles the hypospray is filled with nanobots. Not moving, just there. He sets a pair of the goggles next to Rachel for her to choose or not to. Then he lifts the hypospray sets it against her side and presses it home. The hiss as it sends it's cargo into her is subtle yet there and he nods, then sets the hypospray down. he taps the monitor and there on the screen is an image of a silouette of Max's body,. Inside a yellow stain almost spreads all around her body, the lycanthropy virus. Starting to spread and swallow the yellow is a red stain, which as it swallows the yellow contracts towards her side.

the process takes awhile and he watches, eyes careful.

I know Rachel, but she is out of time and this is it. the last throw of the dice and every ounce of my knowledge and skill in it. If this doesnt work...

Max uses her free hand to tug the goggles into place.

She jumps as the hypospray is pressed against her side, and again at the injection - two faint flinches, the only outward sign of her unease.

Restraints, can't move. Hold you down and make you watch and you begin to believe what you see even though it's false.

Flashes in her mind, a screen filled with a barage of images meant to flood a mind weakened by drugs.

Two med techs closing ranks around a young blond girl, hair cropped close to her head, who convulses on a table. The sound of a bone saw whirring.

And, very briefly, a man with a cane holding out his arms, the point of view that of a very young child, barely past being a toddler.

She almost imagines she can feel the nanobots moving through her, though she knows this is a ludicrious fantasy. Still, it's unnerving.

Can't move...

Chained...

Chains!

Gleaming silver and sterile, such strange beauty in something so horrifying...

And beyond that cages, dark and nightmarish, smelling of fear and pain and blood...the smell of creatures, not people.

::It isn't so::

Isn't real.

Her own shields, shored up and able slam into place, and wrap even more gently about Max's mind. She can save Max from her own nightmares at least.

::I'm here::

And slowly, ever so slowly, Rach reaches into Max's mind, shifting carefully, gently. Buzz saws fade as much as she can make them, lights grow brighter, and there's a hnt of water in the air, a lake nearby instead of remembered nightmare...

Hank sees her reading spike for a second, but says nothing. it is human. He turns to watch them together and split his atention as the nanobots continue their work.

It takes... perhaps minutes, perhaps a half-hour, but it is finished at last as they approach her outer belly and skin.

He knows this is where the pain will start and knows she is strong.

He hates inflicting pain no matter what and his eyes turn dark as night as he watches her, forcing himself to not turn away as they begin to oooze through her skin.

For several moments, there is no reaction to the pain. She isn't immune to it, just used to walling it away.

Then her teeth grit, eyes slamming shut, and she releases Rachel's hand so as not to damage the fragile bones. Her own hands turn downwards, siezing the sheets for something to hold on to, ripping two nails down to the quick in the process.

There's no screaming, no weeping, just a low, thin animal noise of pain that she can't help.

If ever she was grateful for anything in her life, it's that Rachel has suppressed the memories. One she could deal with, but both?

Hank watches the look on her face as the pain hits and commits it to memory. He commits he dark feeling in his stomach and the pain in him to memory as well, to remember this is why we do not hurt peoiple. we do not ever hurt people. He grits his own teeth as he wqatches her endure it until finally thbe last of them are out and the ozze settles a few inches from her. He pushes a button and the side of the incincerator opens to the bed, so they can move directly into it. He moves to Max's side and gently speaks.

"Do you want to sendc them into oblivion?"

He holds out the controller. The button marked go is clear, bright and green.

It is a moment before the question filters through and her eyes flick open, pupils wide enough that they seem momentarily to be true black. She holds out one shaking hand to take the controller and, without comment, presses the button.

Her usual bright defiance is lacking, replaced by simple grim determination - Max with many of her defenses stripped away.

And he nods to her then watches as they march, or ooze to the eye, into the incincerator, and the flamces rise up. It is a few moments before the snesors show all clear and then he nods.

"They are gone."

He runs the sensors sweeping across her once more, then nods again.

"You are clean of it, Max. It is over."

he eyes her side and nods.

"I have a salve that will make that hurt less, if you will let me put it on? Then it is best, if you will allow me to give you advice, for you to rest."

He eyes Rachel then.

It was successful. She needs her rest, mostly, now.

From Max, there is a weak chuckle. "Not sure I know how to do that, doc. I'm a woman of action. Suppose I can try..."

She smiles, and that's a little stronger, and definitely genuine. "...Thank you."

And this is echoed in her thoughts, for Rachel.

He smiles at her.

"I am not so good at it myself. But I am sure Rachel, here can share the agony of being forced to be idle by mean old Doctor McCoy with you."

he grins.

"You are welcome Max."

He glances around then back at her as he clears away everything and blocks out the sight of the Infirmary with a curtainwall.

"Would you like to sleep here, or in your room?"

"I don't think moving is so much an option right now..." she admits, sounding a little chagrined.

Which isn't to say she won't escape as soon as she thinks her legs might hold her...

He nods.

He pulls out a blanket from a compartment under the bed and hands it to her

"You should have seen me after my last fight with one of our old enemies. I could even move my tongue, I was so tired."

he smiles a little and tursn the lioghts lower.

"Sleep deep, Max, and well."

He nods to Rachel and moves off.

Her hands had shifted to Max's shoulders when she'd been released, but Rachel hadn't run. She'd worked, carefully, softly...yes. She hadn't even let a hint of glass out of her own mind.

She's even tried to syphon some of the pain, but wasn't so successful in that area...she'd have to open herself too wide, let her own pains leak into her friends mind....which wasn't an option right now.

And when it was finally over...she still didn't leave. No, didn't walk off and leave Max to the cold realities of the infirmary to seek sleep on her own. No, she doesn't want metallic nightmares swarming in on her friend...

Then she blinked. And smiled slowly. there was something to help her sleep, and sleep deeply...after a moment a small, red, perfect cherry drifted towards the women from Rachel's table.

A gift, and it could be given as a gift as well. A treasure of a days peaceful dreaming...

::Here, Max...this will help:: she offered.

Max smiles faintly. "Keep it. I've one of my own, in my room."

She didn't sleep nearly enough to have needed to use it yet.

"You need it more than I do, I think."

She chuckled, a rolling, darkly rich sound like poisoned chocolate. ::I'm loath to use something sonice and lose it all again upon waking. I've lost enough to the swirling darkness::

Far better see a friend benefit than use it herself like a one and only shot of drugs.

::I'm not sure I can keep nightmares at bey for you reliably tonight...I'll try. You know I will...::

She pushes herself up on one elbow, the motion taking more effort than it should. "I'll be okay. It'll take my subconscious a while to realise that I'm actually sleeping."

As a joke, it falls rather flat.

"It'll help just...having someone nearby."

::That, at least, I can do:: she assured quietly.

She even tucks a soft, green blanket around Max's shoulders. It isn't exactly perfectly made, but handmade is always best for comfort.

::Get some sleep::

"You, too." She smiles faintly. "We both need our rest, I think."

It isn't long, really, before she does sleep.