paradisa | [04 - Checking In]

[Like so many others, Ruby woke up only to find herself in the clinic. The smell made her stomach churn. Medicine, blood, death. She wanted to run, to get as far away as she could. Unfortunately, her injuries made it impossible for her to do so.

Her left shoulder and arm are bandaged and placed in a sling to help keep it from moving. Her right side and arm is stitched up and bandaged. There are bruises all over her face and a bruise and cut along her neck. She was also in a lot of pain, but refused to say anything about it. There were people far worse off than she was. They needed the attention of the doctors more than she does.

She picks up her journal and slowly opens it. After a moment, she puts a couple of filters into place and begins to speak]

To August:
I just wanted to check up on you, make sure that you were doing okay after everything. Could you help me to my room? I...I can't stay in the clinic. It smells of blood and death and medicine and it's making me feel sick. I'm on the same floor as the clinic, so I won't be going too far.

To Henry:
Hey Henry, I just wanted to check up on you and make sure that you were doing okay. I heard that some people were sleeping during the whole ship thing. Were you one of them?

[God, did she hope so. She hopes beyond hope that he had been spared the horrors that so many of them had been forced to go through]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Ruby, you need a doctor. Not sure if you leaving the clinic is the right thing.

Please. I'm bandaged up and I have the journal if something happens and I need help. Plus, I'm not that far away.

[what's the right thing to do here? He can't tell. He tries to listen, but his still small voice isn't here-- Archie isn't here, and August has trouble distinguishing on his own]

You have to promise me you'll call for help the second you need it.

I promise.

Okay. I'll be there in a minute. Try to breathe through your mouth until I come.

Thank you, August.

[he steps in, in his usual leather. He glances around to be sure the doctors don't notice as he approaches her]

I'll try to be gentle. Just relax.

[She nods and mentally braces herself. While her tolerance for pain has gone up, it doesn't mean that it still won't hurt]

I'm ready.

[he slides his hands under her body, using her strength to hoist her up. He's going to be as gentle as possible as he carries her out and takes her to her room]

[It hurts, but not as bad as it did when he carried her off of the ship. She makes no sound as he carries her, determined to show as little weakness as possible]

[he's tempted to tell her that she doesn't have to be so strong, but... he decides to let her have this one and just get her into bed. In her own room where she won't have to deal with the smells of blood and death]

[It's a relief to get away from the blood and the death. It's a smell that's so painfully familiar and it reminds her of the hallucinations that had hounded her, had chased away her sanity]

Sleep well, Ruby. [sorry but he's got things to do]

[She smiles at him]

I will. Thank you. Don't be afraid to stop by every once in a while. I'd love the company.

I'll do that. Take care. [waves his hand]

Yeah, I was. It--... I didn't know what was happening at all.

[He really doesn't sound relieved, though.]

Are you okay? Do you need anything?

[She sighs in relief. He was spared the horrors, thank god]

I'm fine, Henry. A few bumps and bruises, but I'll live.

[She's making light of things. She doesn't want him to know how bad off she really is]

[A beat. That's the second time he's heard someone say "I'll live," after this.]

That's what everybody keeps saying, but... I saw it. I saw what everyone was like after we got back.

Are you really okay?

Yes. I'll be fine. Just a few days of rest and I'll be up and about with no problem.

[She honestly has no clue how she'll be up and about in a few days, but she's certainly going to try

-- Okay.

[He doesn't sound convinced.]

I have cards. Just resting gets boring sometimes.

[ Lucrezia has a little box with her when she comes to visit, hesitating only a moment by the foot of Ruby's bed before she moves closer and sets it at her bedside. Then she waits, watching the woman quietly to gauge her response.

God forgives, not her family, and even god never asks for pardon. ]

[She studies Lucrezia for a long moment before giving her a small smile]

Hey.

[ She allows that. Whatever would make her feel safer. ]

How do you feel?

I'm in some pain, but I'll be fine. How are you doing?

[She's going to insist to everyone that she's fine until she's blue in the face. She wasn't one to complain before and she certainly isn't going to start now]

I am glad.

[ It isn't for her to answer the question though. For all that she has seen, Lucrezia wasn't the one who almost died from getting stabbed. She offers Ruby a hand though, palm up, so that she might gather her into a hug if she takes it. ]

[Chell's in the clinic too, and she's hating it. She can't read Ruby's entry, because it's filtered, but she can hear her voice. So she writes in a filter.]

Ruby?

You're in here too? I'm so sorry.

[She's leaning up on her good elbow and peering around now. She didn't forget you.]

[At the sight of Chell's words, she smiles]

Don't worry about me! I'll be fine. I bounce back quickly from these things.

How are you doing?

I'm glad to hear it. As for me? I want out of here. I hate being cooped up in places like this.

I know what you mean. The smell of this place is making me sick.

Do you suppose we should stage a rebellion?

[She's only half kidding. It's not the smell that's getting to her as much as how perfect and sterile things are. It reminds her a bit too keenly of Aperture.]

[04 - Checking In]

Ruby

August

Ruby

August

Ruby

August

action for the clinic

action for the clinic

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[ Ruby ]

Henry

[ Ruby ]

[Henry]

[ Ruby ]

action? tell me if this is not ok!

Action

Forever!

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no subject

Scrap this if it doesn't work but... Filtered to Ruby

[Chell]

Re: [Chell]

[Chell]

Re: [Chell]