[Visiting post for Beverly Katz]

[nita_callahan]

The infirmary is open for business.

Comments

[street_sparrow]

"Seventeen." He shrugs. "Officially seventeen. Could be anything from fifteen to eighteen, but that's what I'm sticking to."

[schrodingerskatz]

". . . How much time did I lose?"

[street_sparrow]

"Oh - no, no", he says quickly, trying to reassure her. "It's probably only been a few weeks at most. Time works funny around here, I've been a regular for ten years and suddenly I'm getting new memories."

[schrodingerskatz]

"Ah." She shakes her head. "Right. This place is nuts, not me. Sorry," she adds. "Apparently I hit my head."

[street_sparrow]

"Yeah, I saw them bring you in", he says quietly. "You're... looking a lot better."

[schrodingerskatz]

Very wry: "I must've looked pretty freaking bad."

[street_sparrow]

"Well, yeah", he says honestly, eyes going to the place where her arm disappears under the blanket. "Like you said, you got hit on the head."

[schrodingerskatz]

While there are lots of things Beverly thinks kids can deal with better than adults might think, she's not sure amputations are on that list.

Partly because she's not sure how well she can deal with that, right now.

"Well, thanks for coming to see me. That's really nice of you."

[street_sparrow]

"You were nice to me", he counters. "Not many people were, back then, except here."

[schrodingerskatz]

Her mouth quirks up into a smile.

"Are you doing okay, now?"

[street_sparrow]

"Better than I ever dreamed of", he says honestly. "I've got a real place for myself, and I've got my friends and my sister back to share it with me. It's Gavroche these days, by the way."

[schrodingerskatz]

"Gavroche," she repeats, her pronunciation a little off but not bad.

"Sorry in advance if I don't remember it next time I see you."

[street_sparrow]

"Forgiven in advance." He'd never hold such a petty grudge, especially in the circumstances. "They given you the good painkillers?"

[schrodingerskatz]

That startles a grin out of her.

"So it seems."

[street_sparrow]

He grins back, quick and impish.

"Well, hey, you need them... can I help at all?"

He wishes he could fix whatever she's hiding under the blanket, but he suspects he probably can't.

[schrodingerskatz]

Her smile fades, though she rallies it after a moment. She shakes her head.

"Not really. It's just a matter of patience at this point. But thanks for offering."

[street_sparrow]

"I can speed things up, but it depends how you feel about magic. And I... can't help much with when you go back."

[schrodingerskatz]

She shakes her head again, more firmly.

"What happens when I go back is my problem. I did enough damage."

All right, the painkillers aren't so strong she has no filter. She cuts herself off with an absent wave of her bandaged hand.

"So you're . . . magical?"

[street_sparrow]

"I am now." He grins a little wryly. "One of the things I've picked up since I've been here."

[schrodingerskatz]

"Something a little more impressive than pulling a rabbit out of your hat, I'm guessing."

[street_sparrow]

"I can do a lot of things. Play with the laws of nature, inside limits - and I can make healing go faster if I just put in a bit of energy of my own."

Or sometimes blood, but he doesn't think that'll be necessary here.

[schrodingerskatz]

"I'm -- not really comfortable with magic. Not being used on me."

[street_sparrow]

He nods.

"All right, then. I'd only do it with your permission, unless you were dying."

[schrodingerskatz]

Her lips quirk. "I might have a different opinion on it if I were dying."

[street_sparrow]

"Most people do", he says with a crooked grin. "Though I can only fix injury. Sickness would be harder and old age, nothing doing."