ways_infirmary | (no subject)

"The disc is in my desk drawer." Guppy says. "Just put it in and press play."

Edited 2010-02-14 01:26 (UTC)

Zhaan ducks into the office quickly, finds the appropriate disc and puts it in the television for Alex. The technology may bear very little resemblance to what she had in her universe, but she's been around long enough that she can work it fairly well.

Once Alex is settled, Zhaan washes her hands, puts on a pair of gloves (she doesn't carry anything infectious to humans, but they expect a doctor to wear gloves, so she does) and gets a cold compress from the freezer, which she wraps in a fresh towel and offers to Guppy. "Here - let me have the old one."

Guppy lets go, allowing a big glob of blood to come out of his nose, then puts the new one on.

"Thanks." he says quietly. He's gone pale and is still trembling.

"Keep your head forward," Zhaan says. Guppy probably knows that: more than anything, she's saying it because talking to Guppy may help calm him down. "The bleeding should subside soon. Then I'll take a look at your nose." She hopes it's not broken: she didn't get a very good look in the few moments that Guppy had it uncovered.

Guppy does so, taking slow breaths through his mouth.

After about five minutes it seems to have slowed down, probably stopped.

"I think it's stopped." he says.

"All right," Zhaan says. She checks on Alex briefly - he's still watching the television - and goes over to Guppy. "Take the towel down and let me see it." It's not going to be pretty, but she's certainly seen worse.

He does so. His hands are shaking but his nose isn't bleeding any more.

"I feel a bit light headed. That often happens when I bleed. And panic."

Zhaan picks up a hand scanner. "Do you need me to give you something?" she asks as she turns it on and starts waving it in front of Guppy's face to get a good read on his nose.

Hesitation. Then he gets a bottle of medication out of his pocket.

"Should probably stick to what I have. My GP gave me these for emergencies. Low dose valium. Been getting through too many lately."

"Do you need water for that?" Zhaan asks. "And if you are worried about the amount of medicine you are taking, I can teach you some mental exercises that may be helpful." She looks at the results from the scanner. "Your nose isn't broken, but it will swell up. I have an ointment that should help with that."

"Yes please, on all three counts. I try not to take this stuff unless I have to."

"All right," Zhaan says. She gets Guppy a glass of water, then goes into the cabinets for the ointment. She puts the little jar down on the table next to the bed, for Guppy to use when he's ready. "I will start teaching you a simple exercise when you are ready."

He takes his valium, sighing slightly, and nods.

"Thanks. Okay, I'm ready." he puts the glass back down before he can spill any.

Zhaan sits down in a chair beside the bed. "I know of a simple exercise - though it takes practice to become truly effective. Close your eyes. Imagine your own body, and that your fear is a red light in whatever part of the body it affects - the stomach, the chest, the lungs. It is a knot that constricts you on the inside."

Guppy does so, trying to focus. He can't help but be a little distracted by the prospect that Alex might be up to mischief, but his instinct knows that normally nothing will drag him away from Pingu.

"Now imagine cool water flowing into you. The knots fade from red to blue as they loosen and unravel. It will take time to do this at first, and the knots may reappear. Just be patient and keep trying."

He tries. It's hard, with the smell of blood still in his nostrils, and the ache of guilt from letting Alex get so close to Urquhart.

But he can feel his pulse starting to go back to normal, which helps.

"Feeling better?" Zhaan asks. "I'll get you something to clean off with." She may have to get Guppy a change of clothes, too - what he's wearing now will need to be washed, if it's even salvageable by now.

He opens his eyes. It'll take a little while to get back to normal, but he's on the way there.

"Yeah, thanks." he says quietly. "Would you mind checking on Alex please?"

Zhaan nods, stands up and goes to check on Alex. He's happily absorbed in watching an odd black-and-white bird making funny noises on the viewer. Zhaan leaves quietly and returns to Guppy. "Alex is all right. He's sitting quietly."

"Thanks." Guppy says again, inspecting his shirt. He'll have to discard it; his wife will freak out if he goes home with all that blood on him.

Zhaan gets some antiseptic wipes from the cabinets so Guppy can clean the blood off his skin, if not his clothes. "So what exactly happened to cause this? If you do not object to discussing it," she adds.

"Astonishingly enough, I actually did get hit in the face by a door." Guppy says. "It's just that the guy who pushed the door was someone who threatened to kill me a few weeks ago, though I can't tell you why.

Alex saw him knock me down and took it upon himself to kick the man in the shins. Which was brave but risky."

Zhaan blinks. "He threatened you? I hope he didn't deliberately cause you injury. If that is the case, we should talk to Security..."

"Security dealt with the first incident. This was an accident." Guppy says.

"I think children act as some sort of trigger. He wasn't threatening today, if anything, he seemed as scared as I was. But you can't tell anyone even that; the reason he threatened to kill me last time was because I saw him in a... weak position."

"I understand," Zhaan says. "And I used to know someone a little like that." She leans against the counter, looking thoughtful. "He wasn't a bad person, but he was afraid, and tried to hide his fear with anger."

"It's understandable. But it also makes it hard. I can't help him. I've tried. At the moment every time he comes near me I start having a panic attack."

"I doubt that state of affairs is good for you, him or anyone else. Would you like me to try and talk to him?"

"Atton's told him he mustn't hurt me, so has Security. I think now he needs a psychiatrist." Guppy says.

"Please don't go to him. If he knows I've told you this much, he'll kill me. If he decides he wants psychiatric help, then I might be able to get his permission to discuss his case. Are you trained in psychiatry?"

"Remember, I am a priest. Giving counsel to those who are troubled is part of my duty."

"I'm not sure he needs religion. A good shot of haloperidol, maybe."

"Counsel, not religion. His faith, if he follows one, is not mine - and I would not impose on him. That doesn't help. Medication might, but it is often a temporary solution at best."

"I'm concerned he would attack or kill anyone who tries any kind of psychiatric therapy on him at present."

"He might, he might not. And if worse comes to worst, I can defend myself. Although he might be receptive to the idea, if it is presented correctly."

"Don't underestimate this guy. He's got a crossbow."

"It doesn't mean he'll use it just because someone tries to talk to him. That does not mean I will discount the possibility - only that it is not a certainty."

"Just not yet, okay? If we don't get his go-ahead on this, he'll kill me, and he might hurt Alex."

"That is why I asked. I don't want to do anything that might put you or your son at risk."

"I don't want anyone hurt. Especially not Alex. I nearly had a heart attack when he rushed forward and kicked the guy."

"I will refrain from approaching him, then. But I will give him help if he asks."

"Thanks. Do you know what he looks like or do you need a description?"

"I think I will need a description. The fact that he carries a crossbow is probably not sufficient."

"He's also blonde and scottish."