Summer & Collin
Summer and Collin had arrived at the hospital shortly after the ambulance, having been given a ride by the officer that had been sent to the Wallock's residence along with the ambulance, for precautionary measures. The couple hurried into the emergency room in time to see Conan being wheeled across the floor with a team of medics, with one reading out the boy's vitals, and another applying an oxygen mask to help his low levels until it could be discovered what had caused his problem in the first place. Collin held tight to his wife's hand, being the stronger of the two in this situation, and in doing so, keeping Summer a little more in her senses; but they were both visibly shaken and worried about the boy, and followed along with the team of medics as close as they were allowed, with Summer prompting questions over his condition. Neither of them were aware of who else was in the hospital, and for now, Lanny and the two current guards didn't know who'd just arrived.
Conan
Unfortunately for the worried adults, there was only so far that they could be allowed to go into the hospital, particularly when no one was yet sure just what was wrong with the boy. As the stretcher rolled down the hall, headed for an exam room, where he'd hopefully be stabilized and diagnosed before they'd transfer him to the room, a large person put themselves between the door the teen had just been wheeled through, and the frantic couple. "Sorry dearies," Charlotte rumbled, her presence in this area of the hospital proving that she wasn't your traditional nurse, if she went everywhere from the intensive care unit to the NICU, the emergency room, and back again. "No unauthorized personnel in this area - hospital regulations. You can wait over there." She indicated the waiting area, which was thankfully blank at this early hour of the morning, providing them with some quiet privacy in which to wait for any news on the teen.
They were treated to an agonizing fifteen minute wait before a familiar, gray-headed person marched through the swinging doors and right up to the couple. "Mr. Wallock, Mrs. Wallock... come on, I'll take you back. He's being settled in number 317 right now." She addressed them formally in the waiting room, but when they passed through the door and into the more private areas in the hospital, some of that professional distance faded, and she spoke more quietly and gently to them. "Summer, Collin... you aren't his parents, or even his legal guardians. Legally, I can't tell you what's wrong with him. The only thing I'm permitted to say is that he's stable." She paused for a moment, and then went on, "Between us, that's a lot of whooey and a doctor's trick to keep the family calm. So if word of this gets out, I'm going to be forced to say that you stole his chart and read it without my knowledge, and you'll be responsible for that. Understand?" Her voice softened as they approached 317, and turned her head to snap at the purple and gray-clad guards at 318 that stood at either side of the door, partially blocking 317's door. "Move it boys - coming through."
Summer & Collin
Equally as worried about Conan as Johann and Lanny had been about Cassidy, the two were far more willing to accept that there was not a thing they could do to help at this point Regretfully but without complaint, they left the physicians to do their job and took a seat in the waiting room to. The fifteen minutes spent there saw a lot of quieted talking back and forth, mostly consisting of what had led to his sudden predicament this morning. Their anxiety didn't settle at all, but the quiet minutes had helped to ease away the shock and put them both in a more rational mindframe, so that when Dr. Marachek arrived at last, they were both attentive and following after her as she explained the situation.
"We understand entirely, Laura." Instead of using her title or last name, which might have been more proper in this situation, the couple were known for their more personal use of first names. "Anything you can tell us will be appreciated; we just want to know what happened." Collin was the one speaking first, and as he wife did, they kept their eyes off the two guards stationed at the room next to Conan's. Both were instantly alarmed to recognize the familiar CS garments, and to know that there was potential trouble just next door... but they were an optimistic, forgiving couple, and could only hope that there would be no trouble with their temporary neighbors.
Dr. Marachek
"Alright then - we understand each other," she answered, and next she offered the two a smile. It was slightly weary, but encouraging in nature as she waited for the guards to move aside enough for her to pass into number 317. Proving her multi-tasking capabilities, Charlotte had somehow managed to beat the couple to the room and begin settling Conan, even though she'd left the waiting room after them. As they were scooting into the room, Charlotte was double-checking the IV and adjusting the oxygen level - but fortunately, the teen didn't look too bad. He was on an intravenous line of fluids and a noseline delivering oxygen to him, but his color was much better than it had been. He was moving some too, and muttering under his breath. "He's been doing that since he woke up, Laura," the hefty nurse answered, scooting around the bed and preparing to leave the room. It was unclear what she meant, until the boy moved just a little - the knuckles of his left hand were brushing glancingly against his jaw over and over again, in what might have been a way to try to dislodge the noseline... or a sign, which Summer should recognize as 'mother'. And he muttered briefly under his breath without opening his eyes. "Ama... I w-will be a goo-ood boy. Pleasssse Ama..." His tones were whispered and quiet, and Laura told the nurse, "Tape his line down so he doesn't dislodge it." And when Charlotte had obeyed and left the room, she told the frightened couple, "He'll be alright... it's entirely stress related. We'll be able to see if it has any permanent effects once he wakes up." And though this was the truth, there was a slight hint of crow's-feet at the corner of the glass-adorned eyes that said that she hadn't told them everything yet.
Summer & Collin
The guards stationed outside displayed no hesitation in staring down the Wallock couple, but that's the extent of what they did, not daring anything else without command from Lanny or James. If they weren't in a hospital setting, the two might have said a word or two to the couple, but not while they were in this building, and certainly not when Dr. Marachek was right there. The two were left out of sight and out of mind by the couple the moment they entered 317, with Summer moving to Conan's bed and Collin staying nearer to Dr. Marachek, taking the duty of talking with her while his wife saw to the boy. "Permanent effects... how long had he been in that state? Do you know what caused it?" The man voiced his worry in a quiet voice, using a pair of expressive eyes and body language to backup his emotions where his tones were more subdued. Meanwhile, Summer was listening to Maracheck and her husband, but her main focus was on Conan and the mumble of words he was producing, along with the repeated hand sign of 'mother'. "Conan, Conan..." She reached for the hand that was persistently running through the non-verbal word, as much to keep him from accidentally hitting his oxygen line as it was to help him understand that she was hear with him - if he was conscious enough to understand it, "Hush sweety, your family is here with you. It's only me, Summer." The woman was wise enough not to mention anything about being in a hospital, and had a keen enough memory of the treatment he'd gone through with his biological parents to figure that his mumblings weren't happy ones. She wanted to bring him back to reality as quickly as possible, to save him from those troubled places.
Dr. Marachek
Laura didn't try to stop Summer as the woman crossed the room; she knew about the other woman's many years of working with ill-treated animals, though this was of course the first person she'd dealt with that had such prominent trust issues... in any case, the doctor knew that Summer would be aware of all of Conan's little tics and problems, and would know how to deal with them. And indeed, as Collin set to questioning the doctor, Summer managed to catch the boy's hand and stop him from making the repeated sign; when her fingers closed over his, he held on tight, some of the franticness working out of his movements and his breathing slowing a little to indicate that he at least understood that it was Summer touching him... or maybe that he wasn't with it enough for his usual touch-issues to come into play. Either way, he clung to her hand, but didn't open his eyes to look for her, instead whispering "Ama..." before finally he quieted and stopped speaking altogether, only the grip that he kept on her hand indicating that he was still awake.
In the mean time, Dr. Marachek was telling Collin, "I was the kid's attending physician up until he was six years old, when they stopped bringing him in for all the little 'accidents' he had. So I know perfectly well how he was treated in their hands. And after too much stress over a long period of time like that, mind and body both can take permanent damage. After a while, the brain just shuts down in places - that's why he can't talk very well now, why he has to sign." She offered that out and then, only because it was Summer and Collin she was dealing with, she allowed a little tiredness to be seen in her gaze, and she moved past Collin to look out the window. She ran a hand over her face, and went on quietly, "His name is Rasputin Remington Carlyle. Born September the second, 1993. Second youngest son of Michael and Rayna Caryle - yes, those Carlyles. When he was two, they brought him into the ER in similar condition to what he is in today - blue in the face, lacking oxygen. He had two marbles lodged in his nasal passageways... the mother claimed he'd shoved them up there himself. I believed her - it's not all that uncommon." That was all relatively peaceful information; just about every parent had experienced the tendency of a small child to shove small items in their noses and ears. But her voice went on, more heavily. "A month later, he came in with a broken collarbone... an odd but not unheard-of injury for a toddler. Said he'd fallen off of the porch. Two weeks after that, it was a fractured larynx... oh, they always had explanations. After that, he'd been kicked by one of the horses - which explained the internal hemorrhaging. Over six years, I treated 'barbed wire lacerations' and gunshot wounds on the 'foolish boy who didn't know how to leave things alone'. Once I treated him for bleach poisoning - almost lost him to the coma on that one. And there was always an explanation, and the concerns I brought up to the child protectorate board were declined as lacking evidence."
There was another long silence, and when she spoke again, it was in a whispered tone. "I've never told anyone this... when he was four he came to me with a bladder complaint - very unusual in a little boy of that age. I did an examination... there was intense scarring, the complete destruction of certain tissues... I don't believe he can ever become a father. You know... the good Lord ships us into this world not a whole heck of a lot better than the us mails. But the hand of the Almighty had nothing to do with what I found inside that child." She paused again, and then cleared her throat, turning away from the window and beginning to examine the heart monitor, a sure sign that she was more disturbed than she was letting on. Finally, she went on, "He's had the teenage equivalent of a nervous breakdown. How much he recovers and how long it takes is entirely dependent upon him. He will live... but beyond that, I can offer no guesses."
Summer & Collin
It was unheard of to see anger on Collin's face that was anything more than a frown and a slightly set jaw. It's not to say that he didn't get angry, but that his control over his emotions was so fine tuned that he could deflect all but the greatest surge in fury and react in a calmer, more controlled fashion than most. It was close to the ability that Johann and Benjamin displayed, only with Mr. Wallock, he never hid his emotions for any reason, but rather tempered them and didn't allow them to control his actions so strongly so that he could better assess and handle the situations thrown at him. On this rare moment however, a very rare expression darkened his facade, honing his eyes into a subtly more narrowed and very intense gaze, and dropping his voice into a tone that wasn't so quiet and drifting as it usually sounded, "We've speculated for some time now that he was abused at home. His behavior says as much, and Summer has seen some of the scars." Collin still spoke softly, for Conan's benefit, so that the teen wouldn't hear him if he was even capable of understanding words in his current state. The man had certainly known that their more or less adopted son had been through plenty of trauma at the hands of his parents, but he didn't understand at what level the cruelty had gone until Dr. Marachek revealed to them what knowledge she had, virtue of her position as a leading doctor. "We do what we can to make up for the life he'd been given before coming to us, but I never imagined things had been that bad." If Collin had been the vengeful type, he might have spoken ill of Conan's parents - but he held his tongue firmly and didn't bring them up.
Instead of the anger that her husband was harboring, Summer's reaction to the information was to feel more defensive over the boy, and like Collin, she had to work to keep a helpless despair from working into her thoughts. There were so many times that she had dealt with this animal or that, with trauma so great that she wondered how any one person could subject such cruelty to another living creature, for no purpose but their own sadistic pleasure. To do this to one's own child was beyond her comprehension, "You've had a bit of a scare, but you needn't worry any about it Conan. I'm right here with you, and you're going to be alright." Summer went on whispering soothingly to the boy, and since she didn't want to cause any more panic with his touch-issues, she only held his hand, squeezing it back to enforce that she was here with him, and not going to leave him alone.
Dr. Marachek
There was a long silence after Collin spoke, indicating that the physician was having difficulty with this too - after all, she'd brought Conan into the world, and sent him off with his parents, and even though she never really expected to see many of the babies she delivered again, she was motherly enough that each of them earned a little touch of fondness from her. And who could blame her for becoming a little attached to and protective of the babies she'd delivered? But finally, the physician spoke up to answer Collin, her tones still even and calm. "And don't forget - they stopped bringing him in when he was about six. So I can't account for what happened after that... I was honestly surprised to find he was still alive - I haven't seen him since then." And he looks much worse. She didn't say it, to spare them that, instead going on, "He's had kind treatment recently I know, if he's been under your roof... that is likely what saved him from this kind of breakdown at an earlier date. And if it were going to be allowed to continue, it might have eventually healed his mind, if not his body. Unfortunately, even my influence cannot give you that opportunity." She didn't say it in so many words, but the meaning was clear enough; now that they'd had to bring the boy in for treatment, it would come to the attention of authorities that the boy was being raised by persons he was not related to, and without state consent. Conan would be taken away. And though he wasn't conscious enough to understand what the physician was saying, the teen trembled and let out an airy whine, his face creasing and turning toward Summer, childlike desperation showing in the way he squeezed her hand more tightly, even though the eyes still didn't open.
Summer & Collin
Summer finally spoke aloud, doing so as she used her fingers to run across the top of Conan's hand, trying to settle the boy and keep him as comforted as she could. She had been on the verge of asking what could be done to help him recover from this breakdown, what they were to expect from his condition, and what to watch out for. But very quickly, they met a frightening road block and the woman's motherly instincts kicked in, "We will continue to have that opportunity." The Wallocks were notoriously generous and peaceful people, but... it was also known that they didn't always agree with or adhere to the laws. They never breached any major rules, but they could be as forcefully stubborn at times as they were kind. If there was any way to keep Conan with them, legal or not, they would try for it. Collin voiced up again to support his wife, "How long will he be in the hospital?" Neither of them wanted to risk taking him out early, but if the authorities were going to take him away, they'd ferry him out of here before then, and deal with the consequences later. They weren't going to abandon the boy now, regardless of what the government said.
Dr. Marachek
The iron at the back of Summer's voice told the doctor a great deal, but even as the woman finished speaking, Marachek was shaking her head. "Regulations, Summer - I'll have to sign him over into state care - I'll lose my license if I release him back to you, when you've no legal claim on him." Of course, there were ways around that system, but they meant serious legal trouble for the Wallocks, and Laura felt it her duty to try to talk them out of it, even if she really thought that Conan would do best if he remained with them. "They'll likely put him in an asylum for psychiatric care, because it will be next to impossible to find a foster home for him that will be willing to take the time to get him the care he needs - a complete change, and a very low-stress life. If he is to recover completely and avoid relapse, the boy needs peace in his life, and as long as he is in Atroe City, and the CS pursuing him for the wrongdoing of his brothers, he will never find it. You know that." She looked between the two of them... and when still she saw nothing but iron determination in their eyes, she nodded quietly. "Okay... he'll definitely have to stay for three days in order for-" There was a muffled cry and crash from next door, interrupting the doctor, who went to the door and called out into the hallway. "Charlotte! See to Miss Jones... don't sedate her unless you have to. And get housekeeping in there to sweep up the lamp fragments." Apparently, their next door neighbor was having sleeping trouble again, and had knocked over the room's lamp in her throes of fear. But without commenting, the doctor stepped back into the room and went on, "-in order for us to have the time to assess just what sort of damage has been done, and put together a treatment plan. After that I will have twelve hours to sign paperwork to turn him over to state care - and the night shifts have a skeleton crew around her. Charlotte will do what I tell her, and speak to no one of it. After visiting hours end, you will have an hour to remove him before I have to file the paperwork. And I would suggest not taking him to your place - that'll be the first place they look."
Summer & Collin
As if the look in her eyes didn't speak for it enough, her steadfast dedication to sitting next to and talking to the boy endlessly said that she was prepared to scale mountains to keep him from being taken away. It had taken so long to get him to get use to them that she couldn't see it as better to send him anywhere else at this point. The CS was one major problem of course, but on that exact same note, sending him away would be removing him further from his brother... and that would be far worse than him staying here and dealing with their attacks. "What I know is that we're the first family he's had, and I won't let any silly laws destroy that now. Sigh the papers if you must, it's your job and there's no sense in you getting in trouble over it. But they won't matter anyway." Summer returned with no lack of hesitancy, speaking in a clear tone that didn't turn pointed or unruly against Dr. Marachek. She respected the doctor, and wasn't going to see her get into any trouble over this, but she was also letting her know that Conan simply wasn't going to be taken away from them. She wasn't sure how they'd do it, but she was determined that this would end well for Conan. To her and Collin's great surprise, the doctor turned in their favor before she was needed in the other room, and the couple exchanged startled glances at first. The husband replied after a stunned moment, looking restored closer to his usual self by the time he spoke, "This means more to us than we can express - thank you, Laura." The two didn't have to say anything before a place had been decided; Greg's pad would be the safest place to send Conan, and if not there, Greg and his friends had been working to repair the foundation on the cabin after the flood, providing a secondary hideaway for the boy. And if that failed... Nadeem would gladly assist the Wallocks.
Dr. Marachek
Laura had half-expected this sort of response from both of them, and did not object to what they said. She only whispered quietly, "You know that if there were a way for me to see to it that he was legally yours, I would do it. Unfortunately, with his brother having been kidnapped recently and his parents both meeting violent deaths within the past year, adopting him now would throw very suspicious shadows in your direction, and even your reputation would not save you from them." That was almost an apology coming from the physician, and before she could go on, Charlotte was at the door. Turning to her, Marachek asked, "What of Miss Jones, Charlotte?"
"I did not need to apply the sedative, Doctor. Mr. Zelkovii is proving capable of calming her - and he's asking again when she can leave the hospital." The nurse's face was impassive, and the doctor nodded. "I'll be in to speak to him presently. Thank you, Charlotte." The hefty nurse nodded and had begun to turn away when something occurred to Laura, and she called, "Oh, and Charlotte!" Turning back to Dr. Marachek, the nurse gave her a questioning gaze, and the physician lowered her voice. "Three nights hence, I'm giving you the night off. Coincidentally, this will also be the night that Mr. Carlyle will be leaving us, and the night I must turn in the paperwork to have him transferred to state care. I must remind you that you have a duty to the state as their employee, and that your license will be immediately revoked if you attempt to still their intentions... but if you were to aid the Wallocks in getting him safely out of this hospital at around 9:30, when Dr. O'Young takes his evening smoke break, and accompany them to their destination and stay the night to be sure that he is stable, then I cannot say that I was aware of or ordered your aid, because that is my book club night, and a dozen ladies will be at my house for me to entertain." Her words were quiet, to avoid being overheard in the next room even with the paper-like thinness of the walls, but the hints were clear and shameless.
Nevertheless, Charlotte nodded solemnly, and answered, "I understand, Laura," with the use of the doctor's first name indicating that there was more between these two women than anyone had ever been led to believe. "I also must inform you that hospital policy strictly prohibits you from administering any medications to non-patients... unless the prove violent and dangerous to themselves or others." Again, the hint was obvious, and Charlotte didn't need to look at the wall joining the Wallocks to the Silvers in order to understand what the doctor meant. "Yes, Laura," the nurse answered again, and then the physician answered, "You may go, Charlotte," and the woman disappeared. And before she turned to go, Laura returned her gaze to the man and his wife, and the pale boy between them, whose lax grasp on Summer's hand indicated that he was likely either asleep, or nearly there. "You are not the only persons in this world who would like to see the boy recovered and happy, and his brother returned to him. The boy's medical bills will be covered by the hospital, and I know that he will be safe and loved in your hands... if you need anything, I'm fairly certain that Gregory still has my son's phone number. Have him call Jason if you think of anything."
Summer & Collin
Mr. Wallock retired to the couch, leaving his wife to sit for the time being in the chair nearest Conan's bed. They both looked up to the women, looking tense yet determined, and subtly more relaxed when an escape route began to take form thanks to Dr. Marachek. Summer honestly didn't know how she would have gotten Conan out of here, and now that a plan had been conceived by the doctor and nurse themselves, it was a mighty load off of her and Collin's minds. "Thank you, both of you... it means so much." Summer never lost faith in the goodness of humans, even for as much cruelty and heartlessness as she'd been witness to, but it never failed to bring a tear to her eye when the kinder side of people showed, and she had to wipe away a drop of moisture that ran down her cheek. Not only did they have a way of keeping Conan with them, but the bills for his three-night stay would be taken care of too, and that was a blessing all in its own, considering how poor the couple was.
Charlotte wasn't the only one to catch the message about the gang members, and it got Collin to looking towards the door. Just beyond it, standing not a few feet away, were two very capable CrypticSilver guards, and from he'd heard the nurse say, it sounded like Laurence was in the next room... and he was the last person that the Wallocks wanted around Conan at this time. "I'll have him do that Laura, thank you." Collin murmured back to the doctor when she mentioned Greg's friendship with Jason. "You know that the same can be said of us, if you ever need anything." He returned the invitation for help, because although the couple didn't have an income that could support a lot, they were extraordinarily giving.
Dr. Marachek
Seeing the tear that Summer wiped away, Laura smiled a little. "There are still people in this city who care about the wellbeing of their fellow man. Not many... but we are here. And some of us have enough influence to make things happen." That was her response, both for her aid in getting Conan safely out of the building, and for seeing to it that the medical bills would be paid. She was aware of the financial situation of the couple, due to her son's friendship with Greg - enough that she had often passed some of Jason's outgrown clothes to the younger boy throughout their childhood, to try to help out a little. At the time, with her son young and living at home, and his father not really present in the picture, she hadn't exactly been wealthy herself, but she'd been better off than the Wallocks - as long as she was employed, she knew that she wouldn't have to wonder if she'd have to skimp to pay bills at the end of the month. It had been the knowledge that the Wallocks couldn't afford to pay for the teen's treatment that had decided Dr. Marachek on the topic of having the hospital pay for his care, but even so, she didn't try to write off their offer of help in return. "I'll remember that, Collin... though I'll admit, a quart of your salsa will go a long way to even the odds." And she smiled - this was a joke, because she hadn't ever behaved as if she thought they owed her anything for her kindness. And on that note, she smiled and left the room, turning the corner sharply to head in and see to Cass.
True to Charlotte's word, Cass wasn't all-out panicking, proving what kind of influence the young man had with her, but she was crying, which was something the doctor had never seen in her before. And unlike the light note on which she'd left the other room, her face was even and stoic as she raised one brow and asked, "Anything that either of you want to tell me?" Cass didn't say anything, but she shook her head, and the doctor went straight back on the subtle attack. "Two nights in a row you've woken screaming and hysterical, but nothing's wrong? Now I'll admit I'm getting old, but I like to think I'm not that stupid yet."
Laurence Zelkovii
"Honey, why don't you call Greg and have him check on the cats tonight." Collin suggested to his partner, more or less saying that neither of them were planning on going home tonight. He might have headed home after a while, but with the CrypticSilvers here, he simply didn't feel comfortable leaving Conan and his wife alone, even if he wasn't exactly a fighter himself, and was little match against three armed men. Still, he felt better staying with them, and after Summer got her phone out to call their son, he was putting on a wane but sincere smile and dipping his head in a nod to Laura, "Consider it done."
Laurence was wound up a considerable deal, mostly due to Cassidy's current state, but also because he'd been informed minutes earlier that Conan was in the room next to him. Johann's talk should have convinced him that the boy would never consider harming Cass, but things were too ugly between the two young men for Lanny to be comfortable, and his gang-style mind didn't let him see Conan as a neutral figure. Not when he was this close to them. "It's nothing, and I can handle it." Lanny stated a little sharply to Laura entered the room, his crossness unable to be shaken from his expression or his voice. "Give me a few minutes alone to talk with her, alright?" He was stuck close to the girl's bed just like Summer was staying near Conan, only there was a note of danger in the young man's eyes; whereas the Wallocks wouldn't dare lash out, Lanny would if it meant protecting Cass.
Cassidy*Others
That Lanny actually dared to give her a look like that should have hinted to Dr. Marachek that he was beyond tense about something, and it did, to an extent - but unlike most others, she wasn't going to back off. "That's an awfully loud nothing, Mr. Zelkovii - I could hear it clearly next door. Which reminds me..." Her words faded off, and her eyes got sharp in their dark intensity, and when she got back to speaking, her voice had taken on that frighteningly-firm quality. "What you do outside, on your own time, is your own business. But I will not have any of your usual activities practiced in my hospital. Is that clearly understood?" She didn't say what she meant by that, not certain if Lanny had told Cass yet just who their new neighbor was, and not wanting to frighten her, because judging by the fact that Cass was leaning quietly against the pillow, delivering tears to the fabric but not screaming or trying to claw her way away as she had done the first night she'd been in hysterics, the young woman didn't know. But she made it clear to Lanny at least that she knew his guards had likely told him just who had been installed in the next room, and was making it clear that attacking the Wallocks or the ill teen were not things that she would permit.
Laurence Zelkovii
There weren't many things in the world that could make Laurence actively back down and concede power to someone else. The elders and his brother were two that could see him submit without question, and he was cautious enough to do so with Dr. Marachek, given their history and her authority in the hospital. But today, he held her stare without a flinch, bullheadedly leveling her with a glare that was every bit as intense; it wasn't a terribly smart thing to do, but he felt cornered and vulnerable, despite the fact that he was the one with the guards, and Conan was obviously ill and of no threat whatsoever to Cassidy at the moment. Still, it was enough to make the young man try and pull authority with Dr. Marachek, "I said, I can deal with it." He returned at length, and still didn't drop his eyes when she warned him against violence with Conan, "I want to know what's up over there." Lanny was leaning against Cassidy's bed, one arm running parallel to the girl's, with his hand covering over her own. He was getting bolder about showing his more tender side with her when others were around, especially when she was upset as she was right now, and crying in a way that frightened him more than he ever let on.
Cassidy*Others
Just the way that she was crying, where not only Lanny but the doctor could see her, indicated that Cass wasn't quite altogether with it, and likely still half-lost in the nightmare she'd been awakened by. The physician was smart enough not to reference the girl's tears again, even as she saw perfectly well that Cass was clinging to the younger man's hand like a lifeline, but when he challenged her authority, her face hardened. "And so because you can deal with it, you sit on more pins and needles than a porcupine." That was her dry comment, but before he could come up with a defensive response, or call in one of the guards to expel her, she told him quietly, "I can't tell you anything about him - the Hippocratic oath says I can't tell you anything about his health. But if you'd still like to discuss it, you'll have to leave the room and come down the hall with me." She didn't figure that Lanny would be willing to leave the distraught young woman just now, so by throwing that out there and refusing to discuss the matter in this room, she figured she'd just bought herself at least a few minutes to think out what to say to Lanny to try to control this situation before he'd get the young woman calmed down and insist upon that talk.
Laurence Zelkovii
A touch of blush was starting to blossom on the young man's face, accounting for his mounting anger and frustration with this situation, but at least he was not his brother - James would have been up by now and making things happen, or at least trying to. Lanny remained seated, yet his knack for having a level head was disrupted by the emotional strain of trying to comfort Cassidy, and suddenly having Conan next door. It was all a little more than he could easily balance, and Dr. Marachek was getting the brunt of his mixed fury, "It's not open for discussion." Lanny all but rumbled back when she called out his tension, and bluntly tried to end the questions about why Cassidy was so upset right now. He had a very good idea of what nightmares might have plagued her, and he was not about to share that with anyone else, "Fine, if that's what I have to do. Give me a few minutes." Lanny took her offer, but as she had expected, he wasn't about to leave Cassidy right now for anything. For as long as she remained upset, he would be by her side.
Cassidy*Others
Not about to flinch at the tone Lanny was using, even if she was quite aware just what kind of power the young man had, Dr. Marachek calmly informed him, "I'll be in my office at the end of the hall when you're ready," and then left the room quietly, leaving Lanny and Cass alone. There was a long pause of silence following her exit - even if she couldn't control the tears that were falling right now, the young mother absolutely refused to let her fear and old sorrow carry over into actual audible noises - particularly when she knew that the walls here were very thin, and others besides Lanny would hear her. If it had been only him, she might have lowered her defenses enough to sit up and cuddle against him as she fought to get herself under control, but she wouldn't allow herself that right now - not with the potential for others coming into the room. Instead, she continued to surrender her silent tears to the pillow for several long minutes before she ventured, "It's okay, Lanny... you can... go talk to her. Or do whatever it is... you need to to. I'm... okay."
Laurence Zelkovii
Lanny bit his tongue and remained silent when Dr. Marachek replied to him. He'd pushed things farther than he would have liked with the doctor, and knew he was lucky that she didn't fight back any more than she had. After she had left, he leaned in a little closer to Cassidy and used his other hand to rub along her arm, showing this bit of comforting attention that he hadn't been able to do when Laura was in the room, "No, I'm not going to leave you here alone. It's no big deal anyway." The change in his tones was dramatic, going from semi-lethal to quiet and comfortingly assured. Even if Conan hadn't been next door, he wasn't going to leave Cassidy while she was crying. It was such a rare thing to see out of the girl, and he didn't want to leave her alone for one second when she was obviously going through so much mental torment at the nightmares. He was half inclined to call his brother right now, but if he did that... it was to guarantee things would go down, and Johann's insistence about Ben being a major threat was just enough to keep him from digging the cellphone out of his pocket.
Cassidy*Others
The softened tone of his voice, every bit as much as the gentle touch, helped her to relax some, pulling her back to reality after all the panic surrounding her nightmare. She sniffed a couple of times and drew her face out from the pillow, squeezing his hand a little and beginning to wipe her eyes with her free hand. "No really Lan... it's okay. Just... another one of those nightmares. I haven't had them in over a year... guess it's those baby hormones still wearing off." She offered him a papery smile, obviously believing that he was kept in the room solely by her crying - which in itself spoke to the fact that she wasn't quite together, if she couldn't read the other uneasiness in him and associate it back to the hints about their 'neighbor'. But she did seem to recover some of her sense and dignity after a moment or two, enough where she straightened on the bed, pulling away from where she'd had her head leaned partially against his arm and breathing deeply to keep more tears from falling as she pushed away certain memories from her mind. "These hormones'll make a baby out of anybody." That was what she was going to blame the tears on, refusing to acknowledge that there might actually be something wrong that needed to be addressed.
Laurence Zelkovii
Any desire to find out why Conan was here and what was going on with that easily took a backseat to tending to Cassidy. It was bothersome enough that he hadn't been able to quickly stop her terror and clam her when she first woke up, and seeing her tears continue on for several minutes afterwords was more than enough reason to keep him planted in his seat, and staying loyally at her side. "I'm glad I never have to deal with them." Inserting a bit of wry humor, though he truly didn't feel at all like laughing or being jovial at this time, Lanny made a lighter remark to her comment about hormones. In the back of his mind, he was thinking that he'd have more to talk with Dr. Marachek about than Conan's condition. He was bothered enough by the severity of Cassidy's nightmares to speak to her about it - not to give away details, or dare to bring it up while the new mother was around to hear - but one on one with the doctor, he'd reached a point where he realized he wasn't able to handle this on his own. "Once we get out of here and get home, I'm sure these nightmares will fade. I know you're not a fan of this place, so getting out of here should help."
Cassidy*Others
Reaching for the tissue box, which was thankfully placed in easy reach on the bedside table, Cassidy continued about drying her eyes and calming herself, though she never did move to reclaim her hand from Lanny, indicating that she was still disturbed enough to want the touch he was offering, even if she was more sensible now than she had been. "I'm sure that's what it is... you know this place freaks me out a bit. That's probably not helping with the hormone bit." If it had been anyone else, she wouldn't have admitted that she was somewhat afraid of the hospital... but she was comfortable enough with Lanny now that she could admit to being something less than perfect and in complete control. And after a few moments, during which she dried her eyes and pulled most of her emotions back into their box again, she squeezed his hand gently and whispered, "Just promise me, Lanny... promise me you'll be careful. Don't make her angry - she's got power here that we can't match. And I don't want-" She stopped for a moment, her eyes closing, and it wasn't altogether certain whether it was fear or something else that prompted it, but finally she whispered, "I don't want her to take you away from me."
Laurence Zelkovii
Over their time together, Lanny was becoming more and more aware of the subtle changes in the girl that reflected her growing trust of him. There was always a level of trust of course, as they'd grow up together - but it was at a new level now, and far removed from their earlier days where they were just kids; and he still found it odd how the concept was so hard for him to swallow, when in relationships before, it all came so easy. But he wouldn't change it for the world, even if he still wasn't fully acknowledging that there was something more here than him being a supportive friend, "Don't worry about me, I'm not leaving this place unless you're going to. I think I can behave myself for another few days, huh?" He didn't yet mention what he wanted to talk to Laura about, and with the return of his side-grin and a lasting hold on her hand, he tried to impress upon her that there was nothing to be worried about - even if there was. She was under too much stress as it was, and if he could help it, he'd keep her from figuring out who was next door to her.
Cassidy*Others
Perhaps the only thing that could have soothed her right now was Lanny's promise to be careful, and though he didn't say it in so many words, she knew that this was his way of telling her that he wouldn't do anything foolish enough to get himself expelled from the hospital. She wouldn't admit it, but she was afraid enough of the hospital and bothered enough by her dark dreams that she didn't think she could bear it if he were taken away from her... she would surely go insane if she had to stay up here in this room all alone. So his words made her smile and squeeze his hand a little tighter, fooling her briefly into believing that all was well. She felt secure enough, with his hand around hers and his presence right next to her, to close her eyes again, murmuring quietly, "Make sure you call... Johann and remind him that... she needs a bath tonight. Dr. Marachek said she... that her immune system isn't quite all up to spec yet and... she needs to be kept... clean." The paused in her words had the feel of sleep to them, indicating that her mind was starting to fog as she was dragged back to the brink of rest again by all of the stress... and finally, she was interrupted by a gargantuan yawn, forcing her to pause before she went on, "If you don't... call him, he... he'll forget..." And though she continued to mutter here and there after finishing those words, they were the whispers of a child who was trying to talk to keep herself awake... none of it really made sense, and as the minutes went by, her grip on Lanny's hand went lax, signaling that she'd settled back to sleep and freeing the young man to go speak with the physician.
Laurence Zelkovii
Lanny's grip on Cassidy's hand remained firm, keeping to his promise that he wasn't going to leave her, both at this moment when she was still reeling from the nightmare, and overall, while she was at the hospital and needed that extra bit of support and familiarity to keep her calm in a place that made her so nervous. "I'll do that. I think he's on top of it, and with that instruction manual we got..." The young man let out a low whistle in exclamation, exaggerating on the list of things to do for Raine and what to watch out for that the physician had been kind enough to give them. "...all should be taken care of. I'll still call him though." As Cassidy continued to talk, with less sense as the minutes went on, Lanny replied where he could and generally kept her company until at last she gave into sleep, and the priorities shifted in his mind. Carefully extracting his hand from hers, the co-lead eased up out of the chair, and walked on eggshells as he left the room, not wanting to make any noise that would wake her up and break the promise that he wouldn't leave her - if only for a few minutes time. Once he was safely out the door, he had a brief conversation with his guards about watching Cassidy and keeping an eye on 317, then he was off to find Dr. Marachek.
Dr. Marachek
Fortunately for Lanny, Cassidy was weary enough that she didn't stir when he left her, even when he took his hand away and stepped quietly out of the room. Before she had clasped his hand more tightly even from her sleep, knowing that he was leaving her without even being awake to be fully aware of it, but apparently she was tired enough now, or secure enough in his reassurance, that this reflex didn't come into play. So he was able to leave her without waking her up again... but unfortunately, that was destined to be the easy part of this. Because when finally Lanny made it down to the hall to the doctor's private office, she spoke without ever looking up from the charts she was looking at. "My earlier words are not a topic for discussion, Mr. Zelkovii. If your behavior is altered by the presence of Mr. Carlyle next door, or if you attempt to harm any of the persons in that room, I will be forced to expel you from this hospital and ask Mr. Jones to keep her company... I believe he may be more capable of keeping his temper than you are in this situation. I do not make idle threats... I want that made clear." Only after delivering that ultimatum, clearer and more blatant than she had dared while in the room with the delicate and easily-upset new mother, did the doctor look up over the rims of her glasses and meet his gaze. "It's not a topic for discussion. Now is there anything else on your mind?"
Laurence Zelkovii
It bothered him to be away from her for even these few minutes, but because he was no longer having to endure the frightening tears and uncharacteristic fear that plagued her from the nightmares, he had some of his usual control restored to him. Not enough to keep him in line, but at least it allowed him to think ahead further before he could snap back defensively at the doctor. "I haven't hurt anyone here. Maybe if you'd tell me what that kid's doing here, I won't have to go in and ask him myself. It'll be simpler for everyone." He probably shouldn't have said that, especially since she had the power to kick him out, but he couldn't help it. The young man held his gaze again, daring to match Laura's eyes and not back down, despite being less powerful than her in this situation; he wanted to make himself be heard just as clearly, and trying to get as close to that fine line of pushing the limits as he could. "There is one other thing... Cass's nightmares."
Dr. Marachek
When Lanny not only did not consent to leaving the situation be, but indeed asked a question that was none of his business, Laura's face hardened in its calm evenness, and her voice held iron as she told him, "He is ill and requires medical attention, as does Miss Jones. Otherwise, he would not have been admitted. Besides, I doubt seriously that he could answer you if you spoke to him, anyway... he is not coherent at this time." Her tones were quiet for all their firmness, to avoid being overheard, and in anyone else, they would have held venom. She had never had a problem with Laurence before this date, and she was hoping that she wouldn't now, for Cass' sake - but in her medically-trained eyes, Lanny's continued, obsessive attacks against Conan were a major part of the reason that the poor teen was in this shape in the first place. "One topic at a time, Mr. Zelkovii," she told him, when he tried to broach the subject of Cass' nightmares. "First I will have your word that you will not, either through your own hands or through those of your instruments and allies, cause or attempt to cause any harm to either the boy or his guardians while they are in this hospital. Then I may be persuaded to discuss the other topic with you."
Laurence Zelkovii
His temper threatened to rise again, and it would have if he were in any other situation, talking with just about any other person... but this was about the point where he was treading dangerously close to that line. If he crossed it, he would be booted out of the hospital, and his promise to Cassidy would be broken. In the end, what had caused him to lose some of his level-headedness helped to build it back up, and as he briefly clenched his jaws and forced out an extended sigh, the young man finally nodded his head grudgingly and responded in a quieter tone, "Fine. Fine..." He wanted to say something else, but he stopped himself and took a moment to try and reign some calmness into his words. "I want to talk about Cass's nightmares. About how to make them stop, how long they're going to last... those things." What he wasn't going to do was describe to anyone what was in those nightly terrors, because not even Johann had been trusted with those details.
Dr. Marachek
The physician's eyes remained keenly upon the young man, weighing him expertly in her gaze and making sure that his word was genuine... and when finally she was convinced, some of the tone fell out of her voice, enough for her to sound more like the calmly gentle person she usually was when she spoke to Cassidy. "Very well... what you do on your own time, outside these walls in your own business. But I cannot and will not tolerate that kind of revenge to be exacted in this hospital... particularly when I know as well as you do that Rasputin was the only Carlyle, aside from his younger brother, not to be at least marginally involved in the wars that killed your family. You cannot hold the boy responsible for what his brothers have done, particularly when they have caused just as much suffering to him as they ever did to you." That was a touchy-enough subject with Lanny, and she knew she was daring a lot to reference the fact that Conan's elder brothers had been instrumental in seeing several of Lanny's relatives and friends killed. But the next topic he brought up was still more dangerous, and she didn't shy from that one either. "She is a young mother who has never properly mourned the loss of her young son, who was violently taken from her and whose death she still recalls in vivid, bloody detail. There is nothing I can do for nightmares like those." She shouldn't have known that information - not when Cass had kept it completely secret from anyone in her life since the whole thing had occurred, and the fact that it hadn't even occurred in this city, but in the next one over. But apparently, Dr. Marachek knew about Isaiah - and knew what had happened to him.
Laurence Zelkovii
The young man almost flinched, and the blue eyes that had finally relaxed their gaze by a few degrees and drifted towards the desk now jumped back up to glare at the Laura. "That's my business, and you'd be smart not to say another word about it." As if a fire had erupted him him, his cheeks flamed with color again. The deaths of his relatives had been something that troubled him to a greater degree than James, not because the older brother cared less, but because Lanny was more sensitive to those things. Being in a gang, and a co-lead at that, meant that he was exposed to death and violence enough that he had grown callous to most of it; but there were a few particular deaths that had gotten past his defenses, and all of them together served as a very sore spot for the young man. To make a bad situation worse, the very next thing she touched on surprised him enough that she might as well have reached out and slapped him across the face. It actually took him a moment or two to compile a response, and when he did, the obvious anger instilled in his words was met with some shock, "Where did you get that information?"
Dr. Marachek
She didn't answer the threat he imposed in directing her away from talk of his family, knowing that she had made her point and that she needn't say anything else on that topic for him to remember her words for a long while. But just a quick, she had another tense situation on her hands, and she answered him calmly, her words soft. "When she had the hemorrhage, I was uncertain what medications would be best to treat her problems. And because her life was in the balance if I chose the wrong ones, I canvassed the nearby hospitals to see if she'd ever been admitted in any of them, to give me the broadest base of knowledge possible from which to judge what to do. I found what I needed... files from Northpeak, a tiny town with a private hospital some fifty miles north of here. She'd apparently been admitted there with substantial bleeding before, and I used the same drugs - which, by the way, are the ones that saved her life and are the reason that she is still here with you today. I requested that her records be transferred - and her entire chart came to me." Her voice was low, as much because of the heavy topic as because she didn't want to be overheard, and in the next moment, she was telling him, "There were only two entries in her chart from that hospital - the admit for her bleeding... and an order for transfer into the psychiatric ward. She'd attempted suicide." Her tones had gone a little gentler now, because she pretty well figured that Lanny hadn't heard this part of the story, and would be shocked by it. "She was very drunk at the time, and she nearly succeeded in killing herself... that is why she was admitted to the ward, both to dry out, and to give her counseling for whatever it was that had caused her attempt. The second night there, it is recorded that she dissolved into tears and hysterics, and told a nurse some wild story about her son being murdered, and not wanting to live any longer because all that she loved was gone. The next morning she was sober, and denied the whole thing, saying she'd been drunk, and they believed her... chiefly because there was no paperwork to indicate that she'd ever had a son. But I did some searching... and I finally found an old vaccine record with the name 'Isaiah Raven Jones'... the dates of the shots ended at what would have been his third month. Strange that the name she gave the nurse and the name on the shot record were the same, when by all records, she'd never had a child."
Laurence Zelkovii
Recently introduced to the shrewed, unpredictable threat that Benjamin Linus was revealed to be, Lanny was over reacting just a smidgen to information that he didn't think Laura should have any right to know. It was too much for him to deal with trying and failing to sooth Cassidy from her nightmares, and now having Conan, who's presence embodied so much warning and ill memories that Lanny could barely listen to his rational thoughts, let along put aside his grudge against the poor kid who'd actually done nothing that wasn't entirely justified. So it took him some time hearing Dr. Marachek out to remind himself that she was a doctor, a neutral, who wasn't swayed by anything but her own personal morals to save lives, regardless of what family they came from and what their story was. She wasn't an enemy, and that idea was better jogged in his mind when she explained calmly how she'd come across the data that he thought only he knew of. Plus a bit more that he didn't.
Lanny grabbed for a chair as he sat down, completely losing his concentration at staring at Laura, which had been doing him no good anyway, since she wasn't going to bend to his authority. For a second time in just a few short moments, he was shocked past words, having not know how deeply Isiah's death had crippled her. He knew it had been horrific, more than he could ever hope to understand, but he had never guessed it reached a point where she'd attempted to take her life. "I didn't know..." Lanny was staring with furrowed brows, seeing nothing in front of him as his mind boggled with this new information. "What can I do?" When the light came back to his eyes, he looked up to Laura, this time with an expression that was far from commanding, and very much concerned. Already, the fire was receding from his cheeks.
Dr. Marachek
She let the long seconds pass in silence, taking deep breaths and fighting her own force of adrenaline, not only because of the secret she'd just spoken, but because she'd known that taking up this subject with Lanny was a risk - she was counting on his desperation to remain with Cass to keep him more or less in line, and to keep his violent tendencies from lashing at her. It had been a hefty gamble... but she'd come out of it unharmed, and now she could breathe again. "I don't think anyone living did," she told the young man gently, her tones soft and almost tender as she answered his shocked words. "As it is, if she'd never had the hemorrhage, it would still be her own secret. It wasn't my intention to dig into her personal life, but it is somewhat difficult to avoid such things, in my position." She let another long pause fall between them, not prompting him for words but waiting until he could work past the swell of confusion and offer words on his own. And when finally he did manage a question, she told him, "For now, yo are donig all that you can do - you are staying by her side, and providing her with the love and support she desperately needs in a stressful time when even the joy of Raine's birth reminds her of the sorrow of Isaiah's death. That is what has stirred these nightmares... and until she is able to put the memories to rest again, she will continue to have them... no intervention in my power will be enough to spare her from that." She reached up to run her hand over her face for a moment, wiping aside weariness to keep concentrating on the situation at hand, and then she said quietly, "I thought we'd already had this discussion, Lanny... I am going to do all in my power to see to it that both your daughter and her mother recover their full strength and remain yours to enjoy and care for as long as is possible. I'm not going to hurt her in any fashion, despite whatever your mind may be telling you. I understand that you're defensive over her, but I cannot keep treating her as I need to with you blocking me every time I do something that alarms you."
Laurence Zelkovii
He'd gone pretty quickly from seeing Dr. Marachek as an enemy and getting hostile with her, to now being utterly blown back and stunned enough with these revelations that he wasn't his level-headed self with a full stock of confidence to back himself up. There were things in his life that he couldn't deal with, and thus turned to alcohol to help shrug off the pain; and now he was wondering if he had the capabilities to help Cassidy, when she needed the same kind of support that he neglected to give himself. No matter that Laura just reminded him that he was helping Cassidy in the very best way he could - for a few minutes here, he was suddenly uncertain about it all. "She'll recover from this in time? I've never seen her like this before, not this bad." Another indication that Lanny's confidence took a momentary leave was the way he was divulging this information to Laura, who just shortly before, he brazenly defying. Or, maybe it was a small step in gained trust in the woman, where he could look past all of his learned defensiveness and feel comfortable that she wouldn't share such sensitive information with any of their enemies.
Dr. Marachek
"That is entirely up to the four of you... you, she, her uncle, and Raine." The doctor's tones continued to be gentle and quiet, which was complementary to the fact that Lanny had calmed some and was no longer being loud or threatening. "It takes a whole family to heal a single member who has been hurt. You are her family... by extension, your brother is too, and your parents... but her core support group consists only of you and Johann, and now Raine. If she is to be able to heal from it, it will be because you have given her a reason to move on and realize that life does not end simply because a loved one dies. Her mind knows that, which is why she is able to function, but her heart will not believe it... and until she is able to absorb that, Isaiah will always haunt her, either in dreams, or in some other fashion."
Laurence Zelkovii
After hearing to her sensible words, who's softer tones made it much easier to actually take in with any meaning when they weren't spurring his defensive side by being authoritive, Lanny was quick and efficient in pulling himself back together. The shock drained from his eyes, and along with it, he managed to pull back some of the fear that had jolted him when he learned Cass had tried to take her own life. "Raine will bring her out of it. That's half of the problem right there, if not moreso." 'Only now, it makes even more sense.' Lanny displayed a wearied gesture himself when he slid his fingers across the top of his head, musing the light colored hair without any thought over it, "How much longer does she need to stay here?"
Dr. Marachek
Now that the two of them were on the same page again, and tentatively balancing on the threshold of being allies in Cass' health once more, Laura allowed herself to relax and take a deep breath as Lanny again fought for words. When at least he spoke, she nodded in confirmation. "That is what I am hoping. Imagine what it would do to you to lose Raine, and you will have half of an idea of what it did to her to lose Isaiah - only half, because you have friends to help you, and at the time it occurred, she did not." Indeed, this explained much of what Cass had done after she'd returned from the mysterious vanishing act she'd performed a few years ago... after the separation that had been so traumatic for Lanny and Johann both, where they'd been almost ready to believe she was dead before she'd returned, Cass had come back to them a changed woman, quiet and withdrawn... and she wouldn't tell anyone where she'd gone or what she'd been doing. She'd taken the gang's required punishment for refusing to tell what she'd been up to in silence, never protesting, but never weakening in her resolve to say nothing... and no wonder. "She has improved substantially since she came, and has put on weight since Raine's birth, which is good. She could still use ten pounds... but provided all goes well, I will be prepared to send her home in two days. You will be provided with a meal list, a medicine list, a recommended exercise list, and a list of activities she is not permitted to do. For quite a long time, she will be allowed to bathe, feed, and dress herself, and almost nothing else. In fact, I'll be sending you home with a wheelchair, which she's to use until I deem that her incision is sufficiently healed."
Laurence Zelkovii
Now that he had the full story, Lanny wished more than ever that Michael and the rest of his older spawn were here for him to personally take out. Very quickly, he was seeing correlations in what Laura told him, and the way that Cassidy had acted after returning from her mysterious disappearance those years ago. It made him feel worse for the restrictions and punishment that had been place on her, most of which he'd been able to keep light considering his position in the gang, but even he had been a little ruffle that he couldn't get any explanation from her. "We're not going to lose Raine; that's not going to happen." He understood that she wasn't implying anything about the girl, and using it merely as a source for him to reflect from, but it spurred a defiant response out of the young man nonetheless. "I can handle all of that. Wait- a wheelchair?" Quite suddenly, Lanny found himself with a glaring problem. With the exception of the first floor, the Candlehouse Apartments weren't handicap friendly, and Cass lived on the fourth floor. That was going to pose a major challenge, unless... the young man shook his head, at the thought of purchasing a house. And yet... it would make things so much simpler.
Dr. Marachek
Laura didn't respond to the new father's defensive statement that no one was going to take Raine from them... she understood that he was responding to his fear and defensiveness every bit as much as she knew he understood that she hadn't meant it that way. Instead, she waited for the rest of the information to absorb into his psyche, and then answered his astonishment with a calm voice. "Until the incision is completely healed, I don't dare risk letting her walk. It's not just the C-section incisions... it's all of the little cuts in her abdomen that I had to sew up to stop the hemorrhaging. If those get torn open again, she'll be right back in the hospital in this same sort of shape again... and I guarantee you that she wouldn't survive it a second time. Not so soon after this. If you want Raine to ever know her mother, you will make whatever adjustments are necessary for the wheelchair, and insist that she make use of it until I clear her to walk again." Of course by that time, the young woman would have been either flat on her back or seated in a chair for over two months, since she'd already been here for a month and hadn't been doing all that much walking before that because of the strain it put on her back. By that time, the young woman's legs would be weak, and she'd likely need therapy. But it was a small price to pay, to keep her alive.
Laurence Zelkovii
Dr. Marachek gave him plenty enough reason not to skimp out on the wheelchair part of the deal, and really drove home the importance when she mentioned Cassidy wouldn't survive another trip to the hospital so soon. "How long will she need to use it?" Everything else, he could handle. The food, the carefully monitored exercise, helping out with anything that would reduce her stress... but her being on the fourth floor, and there being no elevators or ramps, meant a big problem. There was the option of moving to one of the first floor rooms, but Lanny wasn't sure if the repairs on them were entirely finished yet, or if he wanted to even risk moving down there - another flood this late in the season was highly unlikely, but it was something to be concerned about still. "We'll make it work, however we have to. ...do you have a list of food and stuff that she'll need? The sooner I have that, the better."
Dr. Marachek
"If she's lucky, only about a month or so. If not, a little longer. It would be less time if she weren't healing from multiple things, and under so much stress, but there you are." Cass wasn't going to like that news, but if he used Raine against her, Lanny might just be able to convince her to permit the wheelchair's use. Not that she'd enjoy it, but it was clear that she would do just about anything for her daughter. However rather than address that, Marachek moved on to the second question. "I'll have Charlotte bring the lists down to you when she brings breakfast by - the trays should be coming in a few minutes. Don't let her wake Miss Jones for them, though... tell her to keep the meal warm and she can have it when she wakes again.
Laurence Zelkovii
A month... that made Lanny ponder all over again about whether it was worth it to bother with their current residence, or search for something more accommodating. It was a little bewildering to think about moving into a house with Cass, and possibly Johann, but before he could think too far about it, Lanny dismissed the idea for later pondering. Besides, it was still possible that there was a floor open on the lower level; and if neither of those worked, Cass's dignity was going to have to suffer through her being carried up the stairs by either himself, Johann, or any one of the guards that were going to be making themselves familiar with the complex for the next month or so. "A month? If you say so, it'll be done." Lanny puffed out a deep breath, settled his thoughts one last time, and stood up from the chair, "Two more days... things should get better after that." When Lanny turned for the door, he didn't managed a 'thank you' this time, but he did give the doctor a nod before he departed from her office, and headed back for 316, so that he would be there when Cassidy next woke up.
Dr. Marachek
Smiling a little now, though she still looked very tired, Dr. Marachek answered, "Good - I'm glad we understand each other again. Goodbye, Mr. Zelkovii." When he returned to Cass' room though, she'd still be asleep. However, her next door neighbor was stirring again, once against moving to make the signs at his chin, though he didn't again ask for 'Ama'. Instead, he opened his eyes blearily and looked around a bit. Fortunately or unfortunately, he didn't seem aware enough to understand that he was in a hospital, so his fear didn't come into play, but at least he seemed to get the idea that Summer was with him - the tension that had set into him immediately upon awakening slowly faded out, until he reaffirmed his grip on her hand. He didn't say anything... but he made his awareness of her, and his relief to have her close to him, powerfully felt.
Laurence Zelkovii
They'd heard Laurence's raised voice from next door, though the young man had kept it low enough for Cassidy's sake that they hadn't picked out any of the words. For the past few minutes there had been silence at least, and in that time, Collin had gotten a hold of his son and begun to set up a place for them to keep Conan until danger passed. Leaving her husband to take care of that end of business, Summer had devotedly remained at Conan's bedside, keeping her touch only on his hand for now, and watching for any signs of improvement from him. It was a relief to see him waking up again, and the moment he began to sign for 'mother' she responded in a soothing tone, "I'm right here with you, sweety. I'm right here." Part of her was hesitantly relieved that he wasn't freaking out yet, while the other half was understandably concerned that he wasn't aware enough to know where he was. To combat what panic she knew would take hold of him when he figured out his surroundings, Summer gently began to talk to him again, "You're safe Conan, okay? Collin is here too, and we aren't going to let anything happen to you."
Conan
The moment that her voice sounded, the signing stopped - so judging by his earlier mutterings and actions, 'Ama' was Rayna Carlyle, his biological mother... but the sign meant Summer. This made it obvious that, though earlier he'd been pleading with 'Ama' not to hurt him and promising to be a good boy, it had been Summer he was asking for with the hand signal. He let out a deep breath and closed his eyes again, but though the 'mother' sign ceased when Summer spoke to him, he took up slow letters with the fingers of his free hand. 'Safe?' His spelling was slow, but at least he could make letters and words, and that he reproduced a key word she'd used indicated that he'd understood what she'd said. Apparently, he was beyond speaking aloud right now, but then if Dr. Marachek was to be believed, that was understandable - with the language-center of his brain already damaged, it wasn't too hard to figure out just why he might be having trouble speaking right now.
Summer & Collin
Seeing that one word signed brought a fond smile to her face, solely for Conan's benefit, whether he could see it or not quiet yet. If he couldn't, he'd find her tones warm enough to express it anyway, "Yes, you're safe. You had a little scare is all, but you needn't worry about anything. What you need to do is relax and let us take care of everything." She patted lightly against his hand when she said this, then when back to holding it. She didn't have the heart to tell him where he was just yet; she wanted to get him as calm as she possibly could, to help curb the inevitable panic that would rise. How they were going to fair for three days of this, before Conan could be secreted away... Summer wasn't sure. But if Dr. Marachek recommended a three-day stay, Summer was going to stick fast to that, and do everything in her power to keep the boy as comfortable as possible in a place where he had so many bad memories.
Conan
'Scare?' It was difficult to discern emotion from hand movements... tone of voice, facial expression, and breathing had no effect upon the letters that the boy spelled out. But it was still clear that he was confused by her words, enough that he opened his eyes again, and looked at the ceiling above himself more thoroughly. Tan... now just what was wrong with tan? Tan was a neutral color, having little to no personality of its own, and really hardly a 'color' at all. So... what was wrong with tan...? Wait... wait. All the ceilings at the trailer were white. Every room had a white ceiling, regardless of the color scheme of the rest of the room. That thought made him tense, and sent his brain running at a mile a minute - why was he seeing a tan ceiling, when there weren't any in the trailer? Finally, though his brain was working slower than molasses, thanks to his mental condition and a couple of the drugs Dr. Marachek had given him to keep him relaxed, he understood - this wasn't home. And furthermore, when he looked around more thoroughly, he knew exactly where he was. He tensed harder, and gripped Summer's hand tightly, making the first motion to sit up... but fortunately, he couldn't go very far. The sedatives he'd been given kept him from moving about very much, and kept his brain from going into quite the overload that it otherwise would have when he figured out where he was. So he never managed to sit up, letting his head sink back against the pillow, since that had been all he'd been able to lift. His eyes closed, and his next letters were difficult to read, because his hands were shaking. 'Why?'
Summer & Collin
There was very little Summer could do to keep the realization from setting in, and with that, the fear of the hospital that went along with it. All she could do was stay there with him, providing him with one of the few sources of constant support and trust that he'd ever had in his rough life. One hand transferred up to his shoulder, now that he was more aware of what was going on, and not so liable to become alarmed by the touch. "You had a panic attack, sometime during the night." There was an ample amount of worry flooding through her, and more than enough pain at seeing his terror and confusion to warrant tears. She held them back however, and never failed to provide Conan with this constant source of gentle assurance that wasn't marred by her own grieving feelings, "We couldn't get you to wake up, so we had to bring you here. You'll be fine, I promise - I'm not going to leave you here one minute by yourself. We're staying only long enough to make sure you recover."
Conan
Thankfully, he didn't fight her or try to throw off the hand that she lay on his shoulder - he understood that, at least. But he didn't relax, either. 'I am recovered,' he signed, more quickly in a way that indicated growing fear as he again struggled to sit up, with no more success than before; he could barely raise his head, and even that made him dizzy after a few moments. 'Let's go.' It was a sad situation to behold, when he so clearly was not recovered, and wouldn't be anytime soon - his fear of the hospital must be potent, if he was determined to get up and run out of here when he could barely lift his head. 'Hurry - we don't have much time before a nurse comes by.'
Summer & Collin
It hurt her more when she couldn't stave off the growing horror that Conan was experiencing, and his frantic signing to get out of here moved her to a point where it became a struggle to keep a calm face. If only she felt that she could handle his condition, she would have given into his pleading, but after seeing his blue-tinged lips and having felt her heart nearly stopped in dread before she realized he was still alive... she didn't dare take the chance. It was a tough choice, but it was the best one she could make, "I know you want to leave, I know it - if we had that option, I would take you from here in a heartbeat. But I can't do that right now." Her hand began to rub at his shoulder, working to console him even if she felt his level of fear right now as beyond her abilities to quickly sooth away, "Trust me Conan, you are safe. The nurses aren't going to take you away from me, I've already spoken with them. No one is going to take you away from us."
Conan
'They won't if we hurry,' the boy signed, proving that he had absolutely no trust in the word of any medical personnel of any kind. His respiration and pulse had gone up, unsurprisingly, and thus the oxygen he was on was automatically pumping faster to keep up with his breathing, guided by the monitor to keep pace with him. But perhaps he heard something in her voice or felt a small tremble in her hand, because he didn't again try to pick himself up - he lay heavily against the pillow and closed his eyes again, taking in a long breath, and then signed, 'I am sorry. But I cannot stay here. Even if I did not hate it so, I know we cannot afford the money. And that's to say nothing of the state people - they will take me from you now. It's law. I'll have to go to a home.' His eyes were squinched tightly shut to keep tears from leaking down - he didn't want to leave Summer and Collin. They were the first, the only real family he'd ever had. To lose them, particularly at this stage when he was obviously so strained and stretched to the max... it would be the end of him.
Summer & Collin
She kept on stroking his shoulder, as much to keep him from trying to sit up again as it was to instill some security in him that she was there and wasn't letting anyone come between him and his family. "The hospital is absorbing the cost, and I don't want you fretting about that anyway. Money is never an issue when it comes to your welbeing." Before anything else, she wanted to assure him of this, and keep him from worry about any burden it was to them. "Please trust me when I tell you, we aren't letting the state take you. We've already made arrangements; you'll be here for only a short time until your strength returns, and you'll be going home with us straight after that. The nurses, the state... none of them are going to change that." She didn't tell him that by 'short' she meant 'three days' - he was already panicked as he was.
Conan
He wouldn't say that money was always an issue, particularly when they were spending it on him. He always felt badly about it because they would have never known he was on the planet if he hadn't run into Greg's house in a dead panic one evening, his toddler brother on his hip and a bullet in his shoulder, and yet they had always, continually and ceaselessly, treated him just as though he were a son of their own. And while he valued that more than he could express and treasured it with all his heart, he couldn't move past the need to make up for himself somehow; that had been why he'd taken up the chores so completely at the trailer, and that was why he felt so badly now about being in the hospital and needing treatment that he knew the Wallocks could not afford. But because he knew it would upset Summer, he said no more about the money, instead pointing out, 'Nurses are just doctors in a different color suit. They're evil, all of them... Ma knows them all, she does. They do as she says.' He was speaking of his mother in the present tense, which pretty well emphasized that, even in his panic, he wasn't still entirely aware, and the hand that held hers began to shake as he signed, 'She'll come and get me back. She always gets me back.'
Summer & Collin
Summer passed a despairing look to her husband, sharing with him the pain and frustration she felt that Conan had to ever go through this in the first place. He'd been battered and tortured to the point that, even after being long in the care of the Wallocks, his past still caught up to him and strangled him so thoroughly with the dark memories that he wound up in the hospital with the mental wounds of it all. "Your mother can't hurt you any more, none of them can." It would have been simpler to dismiss this concern by telling him that she was dead, but for as certain as she was that Conan must hate the woman, Summer couldn't bring herself to speaking of the woman's death in fear that it might affect the boy badly. "She's filled your head with lies, honey; the nurses here are going to help you get better, and so am I. If there was an evil one in the bunch, I would never let them within a mile of you. Okay? They will not hurt you, and neither will your mother - I am making sure of it."
Conan
His eyes still closed, the teen didn't see the pained look that passed between husband and wife, and so he took her words at face value, not reading into them and finding the despair that he might otherwise have seen in her, and felt the need to apologize for. 'It's not lies! They make people worse. They put things in the medicine and make you worse... and people die. I've seen it!' It was unclear, at this point, whether this was something his mother had told him, something that had actually happened, something that had occurred when he was a child and he'd misunderstood as an aggressive act by the medical personnel... or whether it was a creation of his overwrought mind. In any case, he shuddered briefly and turned his face toward her, pain and fear etched in every line of his features and clearly looking for some kind of comfort. It wasn't until several minutes had gone by that he calmed and quieted, and his fingers came back into play. 'Promise...? That... they won't take me?'
Summer & Collin
She gave his shoulder a slight squeeze, offering this gesture in place of a hug that she would have preferred to give, but couldn't on account of him laying down, and her concern over eliciting and more touch-panic from him when he still wasn't entirely with it. "I won't let them do such a thing to you, Conan, and if I had even the slightest suspicion that they'd harm you, I would take you from this place myself." She tried her best to assure him, reinforcing the idea that she would let nothing harm him, but in his current state, her words could only go so far to combat his overworked, emotionally scarred mind. "Yes, you have my word that they won't separate this family. If I have to stand up to the police themselves, I will - but don't you worry about that. We've got everything taken care of already."
Conan
"O-ka-ay," he panted quietly, and 'Okay, okay' said his fingers as he cuddled the side of his face into the pillow and went lax again, the tension running out of him because he was simply too tired to support it. 'I b'lieve you,' the fingers said next, as his brain seemed to freeze for just a second and forgot to produce the necessary 'e' for 'believe'. 'Don't let them... don't. I...' The clear movements of his fingers faltered for a second, descending into gibberish before his knuckles went back to grazing his chin in 'mother, mother, mother'. He did that for a few seconds before he pulled back to, and his fingers began to make sense again. 'I don't want to leave. I'm... so tired. Can I... please can I stay?' 'Mother' came out once more before his fingers went back to gibberish again, and he heaved a great sigh, still awake but no longer capable of producing real words.
Summer & Collin
During his faltering words, from that haltering one out loud, to the silent ones played out with his hands, Summer watched and read through all of them with a mother's patience and the consoling touch that never strayed from his shoulder. About halfway through his deteriorizing pleas, Summer's voice went soft and she spoke to him again, trying to reach past his troubled emotions and bring him some respite and assurance of protection, "Shhh, Conan, shhh. Rest now, I will be here to keep you safe. Collin and I both." She eventually reached to gently take one of his hands, trying to coax him into resting it against the bed again, "Everything is going to be alright."
Conan
The fingers continued to twitch and make half-formed letters, and likely would have gone right on doing so, if Summer hadn't spoken and reached up to take his hand. The unfortunate thing about signing was that it took more concentration than normal talking, which meant that, for now, Conan wasn't going to be able to express himself very much, even if he was awake to understand what was going on. At least for the moment, the soft quality of her voice and the warm touch was enough to convince him to give into the rest that his body was demanding, but his mind was fighting because of the fear. His fingers stopped moving the moment she took up his hand, and it slowly relaxed in her own until it was limp and easy for her to do with what she wanted. He took a deep breath again, making the oxygen hiss for an extended amount of time, and turned his head back to face her, even though his eyes were still closed, and slowly relaxed. 'Mother' came out a couple of more times before his hand grew still.
Summer & Collin
It took some time and patience, things that Summer was never in short supply of, before the teen slowly began to unwind and relax to some degree with the guidance of her voice. She left him one hand to sign with if he felt the urge, and would certainly let go of the other if he were urgent about saying something to her; she certainly didn't want to hamper his own form of communication when his voice was impaired to the extent that it was. "That's right, I'm still here. That's how it's going to stay, until we go back home." Never did she cease reminding him of this, since this was his greatest of fears right now - above all else, she let him know that he wasn't going to be abandoned, and tried to enforce the idea enough that he'd relax to a point where he could finally get the rest he so needed.
"They're setting up a space in Greg's room out at the farm." Already finished speaking with his son, and after waiting for for a point where he could break in and speak to his wife, Collin passed along the news, "It'll be ready by the time we go there."