Zuko's corner of the infirmary...

[princeinexile]

There was a beaten on much abused once-Prince in one bed; Severe electrical burns, a heart monitor, the works. It was not a pleasant thing to look at, all those wires and widgets and gizmos tangled up with the boy. He slept deeply; painkillers kept him under, and that was probably a blessing.

His dreams were dark, when had them.

In the corner, there was a covered table, the broken body of his dog, named for the Guardian Star of The Water Margin. True to her name, she'd died defending her master. Likely, that wouldn't comfort the boy when he woke up.

Comments

[futures_of_ash]

Guilt guilt guilt...

Why hadn't she...?

Why didn't she...?

There's a Rachel. There's been pain and injury this day, raging hatred so deep and dark that even asleep for the first time in days, in a shielded room, she'd fled unerringly to the battle site, then here.

She weighs and measures things far differently than most could, taking in the injuries and the covered, still form nearby with dark, flame licked eyes.

Fault!

She gives what she can, star bright and burning flame to ease the aches and pains, gentle energy to help the wounds...but the rest would have to wait.

She had a darkness to find.

[princeinexile]

It helps a little, to keep dark dreams (knives, chains, lightening and death -- burning, father no, i'm sorry) at bay; maybe his sleep is a little more restful for it.

[and-far-away.livejournal.com]

Sharpe notices things, and the procession through the back door was frankly hard to miss. Steph is Security and one of his besides, and Zuko is 'Wells' boy', in his estimation.

So, he's there, in a chair out of the doctors' way, watching over them both. He'll go out to look for Wells, later.

[ginsengdragon.livejournal.com]

After finding out what had happened (http://community.livejournal.com/milliways_bar/13139808.html), even if he still wasn't sure what really had, from Mel, Iroh sat by nephew's bedside, occasionally sparing a glance over at his poor dog. After which, he usually shook his head sadly, and looked back at Zuko, worried.

[milkbonesoldier.livejournal.com]

He'd spoken to other people already. Just now, Wells wasn't sure he could speak any further without doing or saying something extremely stupid. But he could at least greet the other man in silence, and sit down nearby if it looked like that was going to be all right. If not-

-well, if not, there'd be other things to do.

[ginsengdragon.livejournal.com]

Iroh was quiet for quite some time, but he accepted the other man's company.

He remembered Zuko, fourteen, his hair singed, bandages over his face, drugged and in a troubled sleep, calling for his father--the very same father that had maimed him. He had waited there then, for him to wake, decided as he slept to follow him into exile.

After a long silence, spent just looking at his nephew, Iroh finally said, "I was hoping never to have to spend hours at his bedside again."

[milkbonesoldier.livejournal.com]

An eyebrow went up; Wells glanced at Zuko's sleeping form before nodding. "If I'd thought for an instant this might be coming...."

[ginsengdragon.livejournal.com]

"Of course. I know," Iroh said. He knew the other man would have done everything he could to prevent it.

He rubbed at the bridge of his nose.

[milkbonesoldier.livejournal.com]

"I'll keep watch on him when you've got to sleep," Wells said after a while. "And wake you if he asks for you. I can't.... I can't be staying indoors the whole time until he wakes."

It wasn't anything to do with medical matters, which might disturb some men, and it had very little to do with sleep. It was more that the full moon was coming- within a week's time- and he could feel the claustrophobia that always brought creeping up on him.

"I'll take care of the dog, too. I owe her that, at least."

[milkbonesoldier.livejournal.com]

Wells slips into the infirmarly as quietly as he can. What happened, he doesn't know. Zuko's trail led here, though, so-

"Christ on a bike," he mutters at the sight of the young man.

[and-far-away.livejournal.com]

Sharpe was just coming out of a quick visit to the office, where he read Mel's note and put most of the pieces together, when he saw Wells heading into the infirmary and followed.

"Harry."

[milkbonesoldier.livejournal.com]

Wells looks up and over swiftly, stopping in his tracks. "What the fuck happened?" he asks. "There's burned-over places outside and they all smell of the boy-"

[and-far-away.livejournal.com]

"Seems young Stephanie's ex attacked them both, from the note Mel left", Sharpe tells him grimly.

[milkbonesoldier.livejournal.com]

"Did he," says Wells evenly. "Huh."

... you know, normally he talks more than that.

[and-far-away.livejournal.com]

"Mel seems to think there might be a curse involved. Says the lad wouldn't normally be violent like that."

Sharpe's not entirely convinced it's not less curse, more girl.

[asphodelusalbus.livejournal.com]

Lily has two mugs of tea, now.

"You said he was your student?" she asks quietly, offering him one.

[milkbonesoldier.livejournal.com]

"For two years," Wells confirms, accepting the offered mug. "It was just firearms instruction at first, 'cos his world hasn't got 'em. Went into other things later. We traveled most of the UK together- us and the dog."

The tea will probably help. Right now he's pushing down quite a lot of urges that make instinctual sense, but that don't go well at all with what his conscious mind knows is a good idea.

[asphodelusalbus.livejournal.com]

"...the dog," she echoes softly.

Lily had a dog, once. A long time ago, but she still remembers. She's also good friends with a man who can turn into one, and a werewolf - a different one, obviously. Not that she's pegged Wells; it'd take a lot more hints than she's had, and she's not paying him much attention anyway. But if he's travelled with the dog for two years ...

"I'm sorry I couldn't save it."

[milkbonesoldier.livejournal.com]

He closes his eyes, concentrating on staying here, staying now, staying in the realms of thought of the human brain and not the others that he desperately wants to retreat into.

"I got him that dog," he says after a breath or two. "We needed a guard animal. He needed a better companion than me. She was just a puppy at the shelter- some git'd abandoned the whole litter-"

He shakes his head silently, having to fall back to concentration to keep his breath even and his thoughts comprehensible.

[asphodelusalbus.livejournal.com]

"She tried to protect him," Lily says, voice professional; just relating facts. The sympathy, unspoken, is only in her eyes. "The kid - Billy - he struck the girl first, and then would have gone for Zuko while he had his hands full if the dog hadn't been there."

[asphodelusalbus.livejournal.com]

Between the boy and the girl's beds there's a chair, and on the chair there's a witch; she's switching her attention between one and the other of the burned teenagers, touching her wand quietly to their temples, just checking.

There's mud on her robes, too, and she looks tired, but intent. She's approachable, if you want to find out what's going on. Or what happened.

[dragon_twin]

There is yet another teenager in the infirmary, though this one isn't burned. Just two nice big bandages on his chest.

He calls over from his own bed, just loud enough to be heard. "What happened to them?"

[asphodelusalbus.livejournal.com]

She glances over, when she has a moment.

Full of teenagers today. God. What is it with kids?

"Massive electrical burns - like they were struck by lightning."

She won't spread the story around more than she can help, particularly if the Billy kid was under a curse.

[dragon_twin]

"Huh." Is the erudite reply. "They gonna be all right?"

Not that he cares. Doesn't even like Steph, but Angie does.

[asphodelusalbus.livejournal.com]

"They'll live," she says, looking back at them, expression strained. "I hope. They should be fine eventually."