Cassidy*Others
Four days passed semi-uneventfully; Cassidy remained stable, slowly gaining in strength and regaining a more normal oxygen level. Dr. Marachek had cleared her to be moved from the offending room the afternoon after her discussion with Lanny and Johann, and true to her word, the young lady had been transferred to 409 before she'd awoken that evening. The change had seen a definite, if subtle, improvement in Johann, who was more comfortable now that they were free of the room that housed so many bad memories for him. And his attitude had been further improved when Cassidy began to gain strength a little more quickly than expected. Her conversations were still somewhat goofy when she awakened, but she was becoming able to support consciousness for longer periods of time, and her oxygen levels were remaining steady. Which was a good thing, not only for her health - but because she was becoming more and more aware every time that she woke, and sooner or later she would be liable to notice the mask, and who knew whether she would fight it or not. Fortunately, she had improved so much over the past several days that the physician had told both men that she expected to be able to remove the oxygen by the end of the week.
Raine, also, had been showing a remarkable endurance and will to live. Whenever Cassidy was asleep and the child was awake, Charlotte had consistently and faithfully brought the tiny girl down to visit her father and... well, what amounted to her grandfather. She'd gone from her birth weight of three pounds and four ounces up to an even four pounds, thanks to the high protein, high calorie formula she was on, and though her oxygen was also still there, Dr. Marachek continued to report improvements as to her lung development. However, at this particular time, the baby was upstairs getting her nap - which was fortunate, because her mother was beginning to stir to the early-morning light that was coming into the window of her new room.
Laurence Zelkovii
A stock of baby formula, diapers, and other such necessities had been stocked up at the Zelkovii residence during those four days, and a crib setup next to Lanny's bed in preparation for Raine's eventual arrival. The young man himself had left the hospital a few times during the last few days in order to help out with these things and take care of business in other departments, but he'd always made sure to leave after Cassidy fell asleep, to lessen the change of her waking up and him not being there. It had also been a time for the rest of the gang to arrive briefly and see Cass, whether she were awake or not at the time.
Lanny's mood had slowly improved over the days, and it might be taken as a good sign that he'd spoken no word to his older brother or the others about the shooting. He hadn't brought it up again with Johann, and there was a definite tension between them still, but a few days had allowed him to clear his head and slowly begin to see the other side of the picture. On the fourth day, Lanny had just finished his lunch, and was back in the room by the time Cassidy began to stir. Putting down the magazine he'd been going over, the young man leaned in a little closer to her bed, wearing a light smile as he whispered, "Cass?" Where he'd initially been hesitant and uncomfortable when she spoke in the loopy way, he'd gotten more accustomed to it now, and was now looking forward to hearing the subtle little improvements that the girl made in her cognitivity. Each improvement, no matter how tiny, was a step in the right direction, and a step closer to getting out of the hospital.
Cassidy*Others
Leaving Lanny to take care of all of the business of setting up for the baby to go home with him, Johann had remained constantly at the hospital, with the result that his sleep-schedule had gotten completely mixed up, after being for hours on end in the same room. Thus, he was again asleep when the girl awakened, leaving Lanny to be her sole active company as her eyes opened. And for the first time since this whole line of drama had occurred, she smiled at him as though she knew what was going on, and whispered, "Hey, Lanny...," recognizing him immediately without having to be reminded. Always up until now, she'd sort of recognized him but couldn't remember his name - now she spoke it with confidence... and with a hint of warmth that was just a tad to heavy for the 'friendship' they had always maintained. She still couldn't talk well because of the fading bruises on her throat, but at least she knew him today - that was an improvement.
Laurence Zelkovii
His partial smile lifted along with his hopes at being treated to hearing his name given without any confusion by Cassidy. The significance of this certainly didn't go past him, nor did the inflection in her voice - only this time, it didn't startle him quite so much as it would have in the past. "How are you feeling?" It had become almost a ritual for him to ask her this question, using it not only to express his concern, but as a way of understanding how 'with it' she was, judging by her response. His hand, which had again been placed next to hers whenever he was sitting in the chair beside her bed, patted lightly at her hand when he spoke, before closing around it in a declaration that he was here, and he wasn't going to leave until she was well enough to come with him.
Cassidy*Others
"Sore," was her answer, and she made a brief face to indicate that she wasn't entirely comfortable, but put it aside after a moment. "And feel like I haven't slept in a week... but otherwise, I'm okay." And it was no surprise that she felt drained, after everything she'd been through - it was no wonder that she was weary after near-dying and taking such a long time to recover to this point. She didn't say anything when he took her hand again, but she didn't draw it away, either, and it was clear that she was aware enough now to know that he was holding it. Indeed, there was an intelligent, almost real-Cass light in her eyes as she turned her gaze about the room - and stopped when her eyes landed on Johann, who had still refused to take the cot, in his stubborn way. "Looks like... Uncle's 'bout as bad off as I am."
Laurence Zelkovii
He didn't like hearing that, to be honest, but it was a lucid response at least, and better than an answer that had nothing to do with the question, as he might have gotten a few days ago. "Tired, huh? Just keeping resting, and you'll get caught up sooner or later." He wanted to make a remark about how she'd slept enough to last her a good week, but he still wasn't certain how much she understood about her condition, and he definitely didn't want to get into that. He was already dreading what would happen when they told her Raine had already been born. "Yeah, pretty much. He likes hospitals about as much as you do." Lanny could grin a little about that, because Cass herself was coherent enough to use a bit of sarcasm.
Cassidy*Others
Smiling a little at the tease, Cass answered, "He never did like them... he deals with it when he has to, like when he has to come up here and stand guard with someone, but he'd rather avoid it altogether. I treat any wounds he gets at home." She said nothing to indicate that she knew why the old man was antsy in a hospital setting, thankfully allowing Lanny to avoid the topic of her mother's death for now. Instead, she went on, "Guess that must be where I get it from, then? Speaking of which... how long do they say I have to stay this time?"
Laurence Zelkovii
He could just imagine Johann being defiant against going to the doctor, from a simple cut to something like a bullet wound, he'd stay at home if the injury could be treated decently there. "Who would have thought? Tough 'ol Johann, afraid of the doctors?" Lanny said in a much quieter whisper, and a brightened grin. Lurking just behind his mirthful expression was an ominous source of dread for the subject they were stepping into. One wrong question, and he'd have to scramble to deflect it, or choose between lying and telling the truth. Neither sounded like a good choice. "Stay here?" Buying himself a few scant seconds of time, Lanny repeated the question as if he needed to be sure he'd heard it right. Then he stalled another second or two by taking a big breath and tilting his head a bit to the side, seeming to take his time trolling up the answers, "They're not really sure, right now. Not too long - they're mainly waiting for your oxygen to get up where it needs to be, and stay there."
Cassidy*Others
She smiled more certainly, and managed a whisper-soft laugh. "It's not any more ridiculous than his snake problem," she answered, lowering her voice even more than the whisper it was until it was almost indistinguishable, so as to avoid Johann's famous fox-ears. And fortunately for Lanny, even her newfound clarity of mind wasn't quite up to speed with her usual manipulative, keenly observant self - she couldn't tell he was hiding his uncertainty behind that smile. So she took his answer at face value, and offered a snarky, "Knew there had to be some reason for this party mask. It's the ugliest thing I've ever seen in facial wear, and I've seen some real doozies."
Laurence Zelkovii
He chuckled at that, after which he had to dart the man a hasty look to make sure this hadn't woken him up. The young man half feared Johann was secretly awake as it was, and simply listening to him, though common sense told him that Johann would have rather taken the opportunity to speak with his niece during the few times she was awake, rather than play opposum; but he couldn't help but wonder sometimes, given the older man's sly side. "Haven't you heard? Oxygen masks are the new trend." It felt good to joke with her, and have her joke right back; she may not be one-hundred percent with it yet, but now he could have a decent conversation that had more meaning to it than the random, usually nonsense things that she had previously spoken about.
Cassidy*Others
Laurence Zelkovii
Lanny let loose with a low laughter himself, one that was just as genuine as her's, and spawned more from his joy at having Cass back than anything else. This welcome scenario didn't get much further than that, unfortunately, and the one thing that the young man feared most was happening - seeing where her hand was at and the fearful recognition on her face, the drugs could fool her no longer - she knew something was up. "Cass, hey... everything's alright, I promise you." His mind fumbled for something to say to make her happy again, but it about went blank right now, "She's fine; your daughter is fine." Of course, it would have helped if he mentioned that she'd been born already, thus an explanation for her slender midsection; but he was hoping that, just maybe, she could be distracted from this for now... yet he doubted he'd get by with it at this point, given how lucid she was.
Cassidy*Others
There was a long moment where Cassidy was silent, and the look of alarm didn't let up any - as stunned as she was, it was taking a bit of time for her to process what he was saying to her. She continued to stare at him for several seconds, silent and apparently frozen in time by shock... but finally his words seemed to sink in - the baby was alright. But... if she was alright, then... why did her middle feel skinnier? Not quite able to make that jump of logic yet, she spoke up again, her voice tense and tight to make up for the lack of volume. "Lanny, if you're lying to me just because of the hospital bit, I swear I'll strangle you myself." The if suggested that she couldn't tell if he was lying, which confirmed that she wasn't quite her usual self, but the threat was real; if in fact the baby had died, she would have calmed down as she recovered and not hurt Lanny for it, understanding why he'd done what he'd done - but at the moment, she meant it. There was another silent minute of tension before she asked him, "What happened?"
Laurence Zelkovii
To emphasize that he wasn't lying, Lanny didn't let his gaze drop away from her's, even if it was a painful thing to have to watch the shock and confusion reign on her face. His voice was even but soft when he assured her, wanting to wipe away any trace of doubt on her mind that he might be fibbing just to spare her agony at the moment, "I swear to you Cass, everything is going to be alright, she fine." He wanted to stop there, still very leery of telling her all that happened, but it was quickly reaching the point where he thought it would be more stressful not to explain the obviously confusing lack of a bump in her middle, than to tell her that Raine had been born. It was her final question that finally got him to nod slowly, more in response to himself than it was to her, "A few days ago, you got pretty sick." Lanny started off slowly at first, going for the most general explanation he could, "They had no choice but to preform a c-section, to save you both."
Cassidy*Others
She again took her time about studying his words, showing that she was attempting to use her deeper levels of perception but not quite succeeding. But finally, she allowed his repeated assurance to calm her, ever so slightly, though she closed her hand tightly in his, a way of releasing some of the mental pressure. There were several more moments of quiet where she worked through the facts he'd given her, trying to piece together something resembling a memory of what had passed between the time she'd sat heavily onto the couch at home because of the pain in her belly, and now, several days later with her daughter born. She wasn't very successful - what she could remember was vague and shadowy, seen through the haze of medication. But at last she asked quietly, "And she's alright?" She hesitated, and then queried still more softly, "So... when do I get to see her?"
Laurence Zelkovii
To help ease her mind, Lanny brought up a softer smile, and held her hand more titghtly, "Of course she's fine; she's a fighter like you, after all." The young man had the idea of reaching over for his bag and taking out the onesie, but he stopped himself - he'd just hit Cassidy with a lot of information, and doubted that it'd be a good idea to add any more emotion to the mix just now. Maybe later, after she could see her daughter for herself, would he present the tiny outfit. "She's already at four pounds, and growing fast. They've got her on oxygen, but they think she'll be able to go home here in a few days." Again, he thought it was best not to mention that Cassidy wouldn't be going home as soon as her daughter, so he faded from that topic and to another one, "Soon, I imagine - they bring her in after her feeding, but I can call the nurse's station and see if they might bring her down now."
Cassidy*Others
That made her smile, sort of, recognizing the tone that meant he wanted to cheer her up, and attaching it to fond times in her memory. "If all that ruckus and kicking's any indication, she's plenty strong," she answered, relaxing some more, at least enough to kid back a little. And when she adjusted her weight again, she didn't make any noises to suggest she was in pain, so either the medication was working, or she was aware enough at the moment to disguise some of her reactions. "Four pounds... she's got to be tiny. I wasn't but... four and two ounces, if I remember right. Poor kiddo... she's littler than I was." Her face frowned briefly, but then cheered up when Lanny promised that the baby would be down later. "Oh, don't call them - let the poor kid get her lunch. I'm patient."
Laurence Zelkovii
It turned out better than he could have hoped, with her taking the news relatively calm and accepting, and not getting overly worked up about. He was plenty aware that she was good at hiding her fears and concerns - but to him, it looked as though her reaction was true enough. And that convinced him to go ahead and expand a little on the information, "As of four days ago, I'm officially Raine's dad." Dismissing the nurse's button when Cass declared she'd rather not risk interfering with her daughter's feeding, he happily went on to tell her more, since she seemed well enough to hear it at least, "They say she looks quite a bit like your mother. And..." His eyes glinted into a grin, "...i bit like me, if you can manage that."
Cassidy*Others
The great advantage to the fact that she was relaxing was that she was now taking slower, deeper breaths, and that would eventually allow her oxygen level to rise more. Now that she was with it enough to understand things and hold onto her consciousness, she would improve more quickly than she had been. And his newest words brought a genuinely happy smile to her face; she shifted her hand so that she could squeeze his hand lightly to express that she was very glad indeed to hear that he'd been made the child's father. Too offset the pressure of that grip, and the fact that she felt like she sort of wanted to cry in joy, which she would not permit herself, she grinned and joked, "And have you developed New Father Syndrome yet?" She giggled just a little, and the noise was that content sound that only he and Johann seemed to be able to arouse in her. Just as quickly, she got quiet as her uncle shifted on the couch, not wanting to wake him up. He stirred briefly and mumbled something incomprehensible under his breath, and then settled back down, and then Cass smiled again. "I guess she comes by looking like my mother fairly enough," she answered slowly, and it was unclear whether that made her happy or uncomfortable, but she quickly went on more cheerfully, "But after all - they say that dogs grow to look like the people who love them. Why not people, eh?"
Laurence Zelkovii
He may not look it, but Lanny himself had been rather anxious and worried at first, entirely because he was afraid that's how Cassidy would be. But since that was proving to be not the case, the young man quickly slipped into a more comfortable and spirited mood that he hadn't been in since the whole ordeal had begun. "I don't know if that's hit me yet or not." What he didn't mention was that he'd had too much to worry over - such as Cass's health - to let the 'new dad' feeling really sink in yet. "I did get a few more things set up for her though. Diapers, bibs - all that fun stuff." The fact that he'd taken all of it to his place was something he didn't mention, again not wanting to give her any reason to get upset if she found out Raine was going home before she was. Responding to the look-alike comment, he was grinning again, "They say she has my eyes, and I have to agree. Nothing bad about that, I guess."
Cassidy*Others
"Oh good," she answered, and there was a twinkle of mischief in her eyes. "Because I haven't the patience right now to cure you of it." And then she turned her attention to the more technical end of taking care of Raine, nodding as he spoke and then replying, "There are some basic supplies in the apartment... wipes, bottles, things like that. I didn't buy any preemie diapers though, so it's a good thing you got them. And I'm pretty certain that Uncle bought a carseat/carrier combination, and one of those baby-carriers that straps across your chest." One of the few perks of being an older member the way that Johann was happened to be that he was rarely short on money, and since he was a very frugal man, he had a decent pad of savings in the bank, so he'd supplied a lot of the larger, more expensive items that would be needed to take care of Raine. But as to the baby's resemblance, she did have to ask one thing, and her voice softened and her face became solemn as she whispered, "Does she... look like him?"
Laurence Zelkovii
Diapers and the basics like that were easy enough for Lanny to think of, but he'd entirely forgotten about other obvious things like carriers and carseats, and they wouldn't have crossed his mind until he was ready to take Raine home. Luckily for the new father, Johann was on top of the ball and purchased those things already, as well as the items that even he, as co-lead of the gang, didn't always have money for. "You mean those baby-sling things? I think I'll stick to using my arms." Lanny had seen them, but he wasn't sure if he could manage to put one on and tote Raine around strapped against his chest - though he might reconsider this as she grew heavier. Shortly after the lighter end of their discussion, Cassidy quietly brought up Michael, and Lanny had to control his expression to hold back a dark look, "Not in the slightest. Personally, I say she looks a fair amount like you, in fact, far more Jones than Carlyle."
Cassidy*Others
"Whatever suits you," the girl answered with a shrug, indicating that she didn't think it was all that important. "Really, I think the idea was so that he could have her in the sling and a bottle in hand to feed her, and use the other to look things up on his computer." She had to smile there - that was a pretty amusing mental image. Even though he'd raised her, it was still difficult for Cass to picture Johann gently cradling a baby. And thankfully, Lanny had an answer to the latter topic that she could deal with. Her eyes closed, but it was from relief, and not any pain. "Thank all that's holy," she whispered, and though she didn't say it, it was obvious that she hadn't known if she'd been able to deal with it if the child had resembled her father.
Laurence Zelkovii
Lanny conceded to those ideas, having not really thought about the practicality of the sling, so much as how he'd look to both fellow gang members, and enemies alike. "I forgot about that - I suppose it does serve a purpose. I'm still not sure if I'm ready for that... but hey, you never know?" It took a trained eye to read into the girl's next expression, which was little more than briefly closed eyes. And he knew it was a show of relief this time, "I don't think anyone will ever suspect him as the father, not when she takes after you so strongly." He said that to cheer her up, and banish the understandably frightening aspect that Raine would take after her father's appearance at all - the thought had crossed his mind a few times before, and he was almost as thankful as Cass to find that Raine didn't resemble the despicable man.
Cassidy*Others
Cass grinned again. "We'll break you into it once I'm out of this hole," she threatened, but the smile made it a tease. She was trying to break away from the brief worry that had engulfed her at thinking that perhaps Raine might look like Michael. She might have said something else, but there came a soft knock at the door, and a quiet question, "Mr. Zelkovii? Mr. Jones?" The voice was Charlotte's, and there was only one reason she'd knock before coming in the room - she had Raine with her, and wanted to be sure that Cass was asleep.
Laurence Zelkovii
He lifted a brow in a look of 'oh really?', "You think so, do you? Well... we'll see, but I'm not making any promises..." He trailed off in his reply, letting his response go silent at the sound of a soft knocking at the door. As soon as Charlotte's voice sounded from the other side, he knew what she was hear for. "Just a moment!" He didn't raise his voice too loud, but carried it out enough for the nurse to catch, before he turned to Cassidy and whispered, "Are you ready to see her?" The anticipation was easy to see in his eyes, but he was still very cautious about overwhelming Cassidy, so he gave her a moment to ready herself for her daughter.
Cassidy*Others
The knocking made Cass look toward the door - she didn't know what that meant, but apparently Lanny did, by his answer. And when his words indicated that her daughter was just on the other side of the door, she had to admit she was just a little nervous - she took a deep breath and held it for a moment, counting silently to herself to make sure that she was calm, and finally, she nodded. "I'm ready," she whispered, and apparently the walls were very thin, because Charlotte opened the door as soon as that was out of the young woman's mouth.
She was wheeling Raine in, as usual, but Lanny might note the difference in beds; this one was coverless, and open to the air - a regular crib, not an incubator. And only a moment later, she was rolled close enough for him to see another subtle change - the oxygen line was gone. Raine was awake and moving around a bit, floundering about with her feet and generally exploring how her body moved. Cass' eyes were fixed on the tiny limbs as they moved, enough where she didn't even look up when Charlotte chorused quietly, "Good afternoon, Miss Jones. I didn't expect you to be up."
Laurence Zelkovii
This was a welcome surprise to the young man, who had forgotten until just this moment that he should have warned Cassidy that her daughter was likely to have an oxygen tube in and be in a covered crib. Fortunately, that didn't matter now, and they were both treated to the sight of a healthy little girl who was starting to look more and more like any other new healthy infant - if only a very tiny one, still. "She's getting bigger." Lanny whispered, to Cass and himself, as he peered into the crib at the fidgeting Raine. He could take away the smile on his face right now if he wanted too, as happy as he was to see the little girl, "Is she strong enough to be picked up?"
Raine*Others
Charlotte was getting pretty well ignored, now that the infant was in the room, but she didn't seem to mind - the creases had come back to her eyes to indicate that she was smiling beneath her mask. "You'll have to support her neck very carefully - but yes, you can hold her." And so saying, she reached and took up Raine very gently, supporting the child expertly. Perhaps because Lanny and Johann had both gotten to touch the child and get to know her a little before Cass, Charlotte did not hand her to either of the men, but very gently lay the tiny girl down across her mother's chest, pulling the blanket from the crib and placing that over Raine to keep her warm enough while Cass looked down at the tiny infant in astonishment. Lanny would get to hold the baby before she left, of course, but for now, it had become a special mother-daughter moment. Proving that she'd had plenty of practice with Isaiah the first time she'd done all this, Cass didn't hesitate as she reached up and cradled Raine against his, one hand keeping her steady while the other ran a couple of fingers down the baby's back. Warmth lit in Cass' face - a kind of deep and strong feeling that even Lanny and Johann were never graced with. Charlotte didn't say anything, and there was a long moment of silence before Cass whispered, "You do look like me, don't you?"
Laurence Zelkovii
Despite his willingness to find out whether Raine could be handled yet, the young man did feel a bite of fear when he thought about how incredibly small the girl was, and how frail she looked even when they'd spoken so much about how strong she was getting. He was determined to hold her regardless, but he couldn't completely ignore the inherent dread that he'd hurt her somehow. These random thoughts couldn't hold up to the sight of Cassidy interacting with her daughter for the first time, or the devoted look that only a mother seemed capable of expressing. The young man was quiet for some time before he spoke again, letting her have a few moments of quiet with her daughter, "She's got 'you' written all over her; looks and strength." Lanny smiled, bringing up a comment with more sentiment than it was with any sort of humor.
Cassidy*Others
Perhaps as might have been expected, Cassidy was completely enthralled by the tiny infant curled on her chest. Between running her fingers down the baby's back, she would delicately trace the tiny facial features with a fingertip, seeming mystified and lost in disbelief. "Just look at you," she whispered, peering down at the little one with a smile. She transferred her eyes to Lanny when he spoke, but didn't reply - she was busy being overwhelmed by the fact that her baby had arrived, and was healthy and growing strong. And in fact, when Raine briefly gave a whine and started to shift uncomfortably, Cassidy laughed as she gently shifted the limb that had become trapped under the infant's body. "Don't you dare cry now... the hard part's over with." It was this that finally stirred Johann - and though he seemed startled to see Cass awake with Raine in the room, and the baby outside of an incubator, he couldn't feel too confounded... not with the light shining in Cass' eyes. A soft smile awoke on the old man's face, but he didn't move just yet, not wanting to break the precious moment between mother and child.
Laurence Zelkovii
Lanny's expression continued to soften and shift towards a warmth and devotion that gave no doubts that he had to be the father of this child; at least, in a sense. It couldn't come to par with the motherly highlights of Cassidy's look, of course, not with as fully enthralled and dedicated as she was in this moment. Putting aside all grudges and the semi-cold shoulder he'd been given Johann, Lanny darted his eyes to the elder man when he heard him stir, sharing an unabashed smile before he looked back to the two girls. "She's got a first name..." The young man had given the more together time, simply watching them interact, before he prompted quietly, "-have you decided on a middle?" It didn't seem like a terribly important topic right now, but he was secretly excited to spout of 'his' daughter's full name to the rest of the gang, having waited this long with bated breath, half-terrified that one or the other wouldn't make it - and now, seeing them both together, he'd lost almost every stitch of that awful dread that had bedded in his gut for the past few days.
Cassidy*Others
Just happy to see that Lanny was too distracted with being glad over Raine to be upset with him at this exact second, Johann returned the younger man's grin with one of his own, though it was softer and quieter to agree better with his less-forward personality. And indeed, the young man was so successful in putting aside his anger that Cassidy never suspected a thing, even though she was clearly now more aware than she had been her whole time here. "Marie," she answered Lanny, looking briefly away from her daughter in order to provide him with that information. "Raine Marie." And she grinned a little, explaining, "Raine is so unusual and different that I thought she ought to have something a little more normal in the middle to offset it." She took another moment after that to shush Raine, who wasn't quite familiar with Cassidy the way she was with Lanny and had begun to fuss some. And she proved expert at this as well, quickly getting the baby quiet and calm.
Laurence Zelkovii
"Marie?" Lanny repeated thoughtfully, never once thinking - at least in this moment, what would happen if his current resentment towards Johann was spotted by the new mother. Thankfully for now, that wasn't a problem, because Lanny was too caught up with watching Cassidy interact with Raine, and see for himself that they were both on their way to recovery. "I guess that makes sense, doesn't it?" The young man took the opportunity to stretch his other hand over and carefully reach for one of Raine's hands again. He wasn't about to pick up the little girl and take her from Cassidy, but he was encouraged enough to interact with her as well, particularly now that he was the official father-figure for her. "She's got quite the grip for such tiny hands!"
Cassidy*Others
Cassidy moved her hand just a little so that Lanny could reach in with his fingers, proving that she was perfectly willing to share Raine with him, and also that she saw him as no threat to the baby, which was significant in a person as defensive as she could potentially be. She's shown a protectiveness over Raine throughout her pregnancy and even now had her cradled very close, as if she expected someone to take the infant away from her, but she moved her hand to allow Lanny in, so she perceived him as safe and 100% trustable. And Johann was smart enough not to lean in at this point and also try to touch Raine - as the child gripped Lanny's finger again and Cassidy smiled, he let them have a 'family' moment without him, not wanting the new father to perceive him as trying to interfere with their relations. Instead, he answered Lanny's comment. "Cass had a grip strong enough to really make you think twice about letting her have your fingers. It's make you wonder if you were going to get your finger back." And the young woman laughed, and flapped one hand briefly at the man, "Oh, Uncle!"
Laurence Zelkovii
It didn't really dawn on Lanny right now how significant this moment was, as far as how willing and trusting Cassidy was being of him. He knew she trusted him, but he also knew how defensive she was of the baby, and how very quick to react the girl was, so much so that even he had to exercise caution if he ever went to touch her. It would all hit him later, but for now he was enjoying the peace and joy of having Cassidy and Raine awake and finally acting normal, and by all appearances, making steady strides back to full health. "What'd I tell you?" The young man laughed, able to engage Johann's jesting without a second thought about how he felt about the man, "She does take after your strength." Lanny wiggled his finger a little, being very delicate with his movements despite the 'strength' of the little girl's hold.
Cassidy*Others
It didn't take Raine long, with Cassidy cuddling her close and Lanny also providing a little touch and comfort, to settle down and close her eyes. With the perfect innocence and ease that only babies seem to possess, she was snoozing, and Cassidy had to restrain herself from chuckling, which would have shaken the baby propped on her chest and likely woken her up. However Charlotte did not come back to fetch Raine, and she seemed content enough to sleep right where she was. What did happen, though, was that Johann's keen ears caught the sound of Marachek's feet moving down the hall, and he gave the girl a significant look. Feeling all of a sudden as though she were a child being caught with her hand in the cookie jar, she carefully shifted her grip on Raine, lifting the infant toward Lanny. "Here, take her - as I understand, oxygen levels are her big thing with me right now. I don't think she'd like me holding her on my chest right now."
Laurence Zelkovii
Lanny heard the familiar steps a few seconds after Johann had, but didn't make a move until Cassidy explicitly told him to do so. That he at least had the sense of mind to restrain himself from doing, even when he was so overwhelmed with different thoughts and feelings at the moment. "That's probably a wise plan. Raine has been growing a lot in the past few days, too." The young man pointed out the good aspects of it as he found himself freezing momentarily over Raine. It took a moment of planning on his part before he gingerly, if not a little awkwardly, began to scoop the tiny girl up off Cassidy, making special note about having her head and neck supported. The co-lead was actually biting his lip in a display of deep concentration by the time he finally got his daughter situated in his arms, and cradled against his chest.
Cassidy*Others
While Lanny was awkwardly going about taking up Raine, Cassidy was also doing her part to shift the baby more smoothly into the young man's hold, and showing considerable deftness, even though it had been nearly two years since she'd had a baby to look after. Raine stirred just a little for the movement, but once she was cuddled up against Lanny and comfortable, she swiped one hand up against his chest and then settled again, growing still once more. And not a moment too soon - Dr. Marachek was knocking softly. A moment later, she let herself into the room, not even looking side to side at the door guards as she entered the room. "Miss Jones," she pronounced without preamble, "Your oxygen level has risen sufficiently for me to remove the mask and replace it with a nose line - which means that you will be served a liquid supper tonight, and that sometime this evening, you will be moved out of the ICU. Charlotte will be in to switch out your devices later. I expect you to be in regular patient care for another few days, but provided all goes well, you may well be going home before the end of the week." She offered out that good news in a neutral voice, but after that, her tones softened, and she went on, "I see you're getting to know your daughter quickly, Mr. Zelkovii - has she met her mother yet?"
Laurence Zelkovii
Once the little girl was settled in his arms and he had gone back to leaning back in his own chair, Lanny took his time tucking the blanket around her as he'd watched Johann do several days past. He might have engaged Raine a little more, but she was already snoozing away, and he was loath to wake her up from a needed rest. Before he could start a new conversation with Cassidy, all eyes were for the door when Dr. Marachek came in, and he was treated with the news he'd been waiting four days to hear. The oxygen mask was being removed, and her condition stable enough that she'd been placed in the regular rooms where gloves and gowns weren't necessary any longer. In lifted spirits, the young man smiled broadly when he was addressed and looked down at Raine in his arms, "She did, just a minute ago in fact." Lanny looked back up at the doctor now, "How's Raine progress? Will we be able to feed her soon?"
Cassidy*Others
Cass had to smile, not only because so much was getting better, but because something else had occurred to her that aroused amusement. "I bet the boys will be glad for that - I imagine they've been chomping at the bit about all these sanitary garments," she giggled, offering a smile and a generally cheery demeanor to go with it, though the free, unfettered smile she'd been using was muted by the doctor's entrance. It wasn't that she feared or distrusted Dr. Marachek - but she just wasn't part of the family. But before she could go on, the physician was speaking again. "I've arranged for you to be moved downstairs into the regular wards this afternoon, where the food restriction does not apply, so I see nothing wrong with having Raine brought down to you for her evening bottle at seven. You particularly must learn that, Mr. Zelkovii, if you're to care for her while Miss Jones recovers. I would say Mr. Jones as well, but I trust he has experience in the matter." And Cass looked startled - no one had yet mentioned to her that Raine was going home without her. She wasn't outright alarmed, judging by the way her face didn't alter, but some of the confusion showed in the back of her eyes. "You're sending her home, then?" 'Without me?' She didn't say that part, but she was thinking it. And Dr. Marachek quietly confirmed, "It's been arranged - she will be staying with Mr. Zelkovii and Mr. Jones until you are released. I do not expect it to take more than another few days, at the most. But yes - it will be healthier for her to be outside of a hospital environment while you recover."
Laurence Zelkovii
That earned a laugh and an agreeing nod from Lanny, "It'll be nice to be out of these robes, I won't lie. And personally, I think the boys out there would appreciate it too." That he said in reference to the guards deployed just outside the doors. Dressed in hospital gowns somehow didn't fit the whole 'tough guy' picture they needed for their current position, but even with the CrypticSilver's influence on the city, there were just some rules they couldn't bend - and considering it was for Cassidy's safety, Lanny had never pushed for the rule to be overlooked, either. The good-natured was toned down when Marachek began speaking to them, and some of the delight in the situation met a setback the moment Cassidy was indirectly informed that Raine was going home without her, for a few days at least. Lanny could have glared daggers at the doctor for saying as much, but he restrained himself and remained calm for Cassidy's sake, "We'll bring her back to see you during the day, and we've got it arranged that one of us will be here at all times with you. Everything's all situated back at the appartments; I've even got a cradle in my room, and there's clothes picked out for her. It'll only be for a few days."
Cassidy*Others
Ordinarily, Lanny's comment about having a cradle in his room would have earned a snarky comment from her - but she was too floored by the other information to think of her usual spirited retorts. It was a second or two before she answered, "Of course... that's fine. I just was a little surprised, is all." 'A little surprised' didn't quite do justice to how stunned she'd been, but she fought that back and presented a confident, calm face to the doctor. But Johann noticed how her one hand went up to briefly touch her opposite arm - right to the middle part of her forearm, where one of her daggers would be, if she hadn't been in the hospital. Cassidy did not want Raine taken away from her - not out of possessiveness, but out of fear. She covered it with calm, even words, but beneath it all, she was afraid. And that made Johann very angry - he kept it to himself, but he shifted subtly, not realizing that his hand was now resting closer to his hip-holster, and the gun therein. And judging by Dr. Marachek's expression, she hadn't seen a thing.
Laurence Zelkovii
Even with no expression to or tone of voice to really signifying how much this notion was bothering her, Lanny new the girl enough by now that he could lay a good guess that she wasn't feeling nearly as happy as she had a few minutes ago. She'd been devastated enough by the death of her first son, if her story had been anything to go by, and her defense over Raine had been made abundantly clear by how she had always put a protective hand over her middle; he may not understand the full depth of the mother's fear, but he understood enough to compel him to keep talking and assuring her, "James already has it set up, with having guards set up out there. He's been keeping a close eye on the rivals, and no none of them have been active at all lately." When he said this, it was done so in a whisper, so that Marachek wouldn't be privileged to the words. "You'll be out of here in a weeks time, and even until then, we're going to bring her in to see you."
Cassidy*Others
Cassidy wasn't going to discuss her fear while the physician was in the room - it would be a miracle if she even said something openly in front of the two men, whom she considered the most important people in her life. But it was clear to Lanny, at least, that she wasn't altogether content with the arrangement... and she wouldn't be, not for a long while. "I'm sure he's made all the needful arrangements," she answered Lanny, her voice dry and urbane. "He has a mind for detail like that." She might have reached a hand out to him, but with Raine in his arms, there was no way for him to take her hand, so she balled it in a fist under the covers instead. The sheets were voluminous enough to avoid having the fist itself seen, but even in the dim light, the men would see the muscles tense in her arm as she completed the action. Dr. Marachek behaved as though she saw none of this, and waited for the whispering to stop before she went on, "I'll see to arranging your move, Miss Jones. I believe number 318 is open - I'll send you there. And Mr. Zelkovii, your daughter will be discharged in the morning, provided that all goes well. Be sure that all is in readiness, will you?"
Laurence Zelkovii
He had a mind to give Dr. Marachek a stony look for staying in the room like she was, but the sensible part of him was reminded that she was the doctor, and the reason why Cassidy and Raine were still here with him, so he bit his tongue and minded his manners. It wasn't easy though, considering he saw the tell-tale way that Cass's arm tensed, and he knew without a second guess that she had her fist clenched. It was just one of the many little things that he understood about her, after spending so much time with the young woman. "Everything is set and ready. I'll have James bring in the carseat tomorrow morning." To keep the peace and get the doctor out of the room as quickly as he could, Lanny answered timely and lightly, and then turned his head to speak with Cass in the whispered voice again, "For as long as you're awake, Raine can stay here."
Cassidy*Others
As stressed as discontent with the situation as she was, Cassidy managed to keep herself together only through her lifetime's-worth of practice - but it was enough to fool the physician, who said only, "Good - I'll inform Neo-Natal that you'll be taking her home. Good day, gentlemen." It wasn't until she was gone that the young mother let out a deep breath she'd been holding, and answered, "Hand her here," obviously wanting to hold Raine again since her daughter was going to be taken away from her so quickly. And with Dr. Marachek out of the room, she wasn't worried about pleasing anybody. Still silent, Johann was turning his hard eyes after the doctor, keeping them keenly on the door as though just daring her to come back in here and upset Cass again. In fact the only one in the room who wasn't the least bit tense was Raine herself, who'd remained asleep throughout the whole encounter.
Laurence Zelkovii
A nod was managed for Dr. Marachek to show that he'd heard her, and that was all the more attention he spared the doctor. In any other situation, he'd have shown more gratitude to her, but now he had gotten too wrapped up in trying to temper the stirred up emotions in Cassidy, even if she was doing such a thorough job concealing them. The moment Marachek was out the door, the young man stood up and gently lowered Raine from his arms, showing just about as much hesitation and concentration as he did when picking her up, though putting the infant down was a bit easier. "Look at it this way, Cass-" Lanny resorted to light humor to try and improve the mood in the room, "-you'll have a few good days of no diaper duties, or waking up every few hours to a crying baby."
Cassidy*Others
Taking Raine back from the young man and tucking her defensively in the crook of one arm where she could easily see the infant, Cassidy gave a half-smile to Lanny. It was still guarded and not her usual expression of content, revealing that she was still not satisfied with the situation... and wouldn't be. Not until Raine was safely under her own supervision. She trusted Lanny, and knew that he would protect the child with his life, but one had to remember just how much trauma had been inflicted upon her by her son's sudden and very violent, bloody death. But in order to avoid that topic and try for a more positive one, she ventured, "And you can introduce Randy to 'Tiny Sissy'," remembering the title that the toddler had given to his 'younger sister'.
Laurence Zelkovii
Rather than try to interact with Raine, even if she had been awake, Lanny backed off and sat down in his chair again, letting the mother have her rightful time with her daughter once more. This was the first time he really got to see just how protective she was, and even though he knew he could touch Raine without her getting defensive about it, he wasn't going to push her any. "From what Sheryl has been saying, it sounds like he's excited for a new little sister." The poor kid had been stuck with Sheryl and James these past four days, with very little time to visit with his Uncle Lanny, who honestly did a better job taking care of the youngster than his 'parents' did. It wasn't that they were negligent with him, and they certainly made sure he was well fed and clean, but between James dealing with gang matters and Sheryl's increasingly abundant use of drugs, they couldn't afford the toddler the kind of attention he needed.
Cassidy*Others
Indeed, Randy had been beyond excited about 'Tiny Sissy' coming soon, particularly when he'd figured out from the questions he asked his 'family' that the baby was coming very soon. What he couldn't understand was that the child was, in a way, truly his sister - if only a half-sister. That, of course, awkwardly drew the line between Cass and Conan, forever tying together the last remaining grown member of the Carlyle family and a prominent member of the gang that had killed off his family. Cassidy chose to ignore this though, using one of Lanny's favorite tactics to avoid dealing with the issue right now. "I'm sure he'll love being a big brother," she answered, still with that smile that wasn't quite strong enough to be real.
Laurence Zelkovii
There was that certain awkward sense that Randy was related to Raine, and the two were indeed siblings, which meant... Conan was too. Whether the eldest living Carlyle would know this or not, Lanny wasn't sure, but he was dead set on keeping the other away from the two younger ones. No matter what Johann said, Lanny was still driven to finish off his enemy, but he was prepared to wait and gather his facts before rushing into anything, since he wasn't fool enough to completely disregard with Johann had warned him of. "It'll give him something more to do. And a bit of responsibility, looking out for her." In their gang world, family loyalty was one of the many keypoints, so it came without a second thought that Randy would be raised to look out for his little sister, and she the same. (total randomness - but on sun., one of the customers that i rang up was named carlyle! as their first name! he wasn't a redhead though, but it did make me think of conan XD plus i'd never seen that as a first name before, lol)
Cassidy*Others
"And somebody to play with," the young woman pointed out, smiling a little more. "After all, the kid isn't even three yet, and you know how he likes to play." She never had much contact with the toddler really, since she was ever wary of arousing any more jealousy in Sheryl than already existed, but James had brought Raimi up to the hospital the last time she'd had to stay, and he'd displayed his active, curious nature then. "And I don't think you'll have to explain the 'gentle' idea to him. He's very careful. When I was telling him where baby sissy was, he was very light-fingered." She still wasn't quite smiling like herself, and her arm was drawn protectively around the sleeping Raine, but slowly, the conversation was helping her to unwind some, and Johann, seeing the effectiveness of Lanny's tactic, didn't interrupt.
Laurence Zelkovii
More than the responsibility-learning, having a little sister around would add a whole new realm of fun for the youngster; though the play would be understandable restricted until Raine had time to grow and be able to engage others better. "I took him along with me to help pick out some baby toys." Lanny added as he thought back to the shopping trip two days ago, finding this line of conversation an easy one to keep up, especially since it was helping to distract the young woman from the anxiety over being separated from her daughter later. "He is really good about being careful with things, and for being as young as he is, I think he'll do really well with Raine. It'll be good for the both of them, in the long run."