ways_infirmary | (no subject)

(no subject)

At some point during the frenzied days and calm nights. Hank makes his way into the Infirmary and busies himself with paperwork. He sees the patient he hasn't talked to yet and hesitantly approaches her.

"Greetings and salutations, madame."

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Breath catches.

There's a weak whimper.

He bows to her, his eyes gentle.

"I am Doctor Hank McCoy, one of those who work here. Can you tell me your name?"

His voice is gentle, like... like the Lion king's: rumbly an quiet and deep.

Her eyes squeeze shut and she curls, breath coming shallow and quick.

"lisa... help me... nefret... daddy..."

He considers for a long moment, then he squats on a stool and gentles his voice even more.

"I am here to help you, not hurt you... Lisa, is it? Can you tell me what happenned?"

He eyes the scanners as he searches about his clothes carefully and slowly.

Finally he pulls out a handful of lolipops from a pocket.

"Ah-ha. Would you like a lolipop?"

She freezes.

One eye opens and regards the candy longingly, occasionally flicking up to the beast's face.

He does his best to look harmless.

"Ah, I have grape and strawberry and cherry and even apple hjere... you can have one now, if you want one. I promise you, I dont want to hurt you. I am a doctor and here to help. I work with other kids all the time. They seem to like the lolipops, so I keep a stash."

He grins a little.

"...doctor"

A sob. "lisa... where's lisa?" she squeaks out, hands shaking.

A roach creeps out from her bedding.

Hank blinks.

"Is your name Lisa? Or was that someone you knew?"

When he sees the roach he growls inaudibly and smacks it to the floor then smashes it soundlessly. Then he runs his scanner to see if there are any more nearby.

She seems to him like she might be somewhat harmed, somehow shock trauma-ed. Her wounds are serious. He eyes the scanners and equipment.

He speaks quietly.

"is there anything you want?"

That's... not right. There appears to be a colony of roaches, living in her bed.

Another one idles across her sheets.

"lisa... she went away. the director..." She looks around, shaking. "where's nefret?"

Hank gently and slowly extends a lolipop towards her with one hand even as the other one reaches out and grabs a white yoyo looking device and fiddles with it. He doesnt push the lolipop to far, letting her take it if she wants it.

"I dont know where Nefret is. I am sorry, but I will help you, if you will let me. Can you tell me your name?"

He fiddles with the dials some more, locking on to the life suigns of every one of the roaches. thenhe presses a button. there is a slight hum and every one of them fades away, transported into oblivion. With one hand, he erases their signatures from the device's memory.

For a moment, her tension vanishes with the insects. She peers at the device.

And, tentatively, reaches for the lollipop.

Orange. Yum. She spends a few minutes just admiring it in its wrapper, lovingly turning it over.

"...alessa"

Then, worried, she adds, "nefret... is she with lisa?"

He smiles, still without showing fangs.

"It's nice to meet you, Alessa."

He shakes his head. He doesnt know where Lisa is, but he is sure the elusive Doctor Nefret isnt there with her.

"No, indeed. She is undoubtedly in her room or at home. I am sure she is."

He smiles reassuringly, stowing the device in a niche where it clicks in with a gentle-sounding locking click.

"Do you want to talk about what happenned to you? You dont have to if you don't want to."

She runs a finger over the lollipop.

"it happened again. i can't make it stop." She sniffs. "i'm not free."

"What happened? And what is binding you if you are not free?"

He looks confused but keeps his voice, quiet, calming, gentle.

"the path to Paradise..." she says quietly, "i'm the mother of god..."

He eyes her.

"What is it like, this path? Why does it bind you? And ah, which God?"

What? It could happen! This is Milliways!

She eyes him, puzzled. It's obvious, isn't it?

"the world will be cleansed... sin must be burned away. she'll live again, and bring the righteous to paradise," she replies, reciting bits and pieces of something she's heard.

"Ah...when did you hear about this?"

He is left with little to say so he merely smiles a little.

"Is there anything I can do to help you? Anything you would like?"

he speaks kindly and his smile is full of his earnestness.

She stares in shock.

"help... me..." she repeats, as if unsure what the words mean.

She suddenly curls up again, eyes shut tight and ears covered against the memory.

He hesitantly reaches out and places a hand on her hand, gently, with no pressure, just to let her know someone is there. His fur is warm but not hot and soft.

"Maybe.. I will just stay here awhile, if that is okay?"

There's a small sob, and she cries out weakly:

"daddy..."

And with a shudder, her mind slips back into the nightmares, losing any grasp on reality.

Her muscles relax.

Nothing in this world will reach her now.

He swears as he watches her slips down into a coma state. It is a measure of his anger and despair that he does so baldly.

"Damn. God damn."

He sits there for a very long time.

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