2019-09-17 - A Second Chance

With the self-defense lessons over, most of the participants were heading out for the evening. This was Elm Street, not the safest of places to walk around, even if you're a man! But at least the women tonight will have more ammo to use if any ne'er-do-well tried to mug them or something. Hope it works!

"I'm thinking of doing just that." Byron murmurs to Lilith once Joey moves off to tend to other matters. "And you promised that we'd be leaving once these lessons are over. In truth, I don't believe that the hospital was prepared to release you when I asked them to look over the release form that I'd filled out and signed, but they couldn't just keep you a prisoner there anyway." Then at something that Lilith had said, he finally states, "No." This time his tone is much lighter than it was for most of the evening. Yes, there's still this tension of frustration which can be seen in his squared shoulders, but after much thought, he came to this decision. "I know that you'd feel much comfortable back at your own place rather than being dragged to mine. That means that I'll carry you up those damn stairs and get you settled into bed." It's been a difficult evening for him, but he's only now beginning to slowly unwind. Very slowly.

It's what Erin says that makes him blink, however, and here he shakes his head, "Don't even start that, Erin. You did the best that you could. And you did damn good." This is followed by a sigh, "And she's doing better now for it." Despite Lilith being in her wheelchair, she was no longer on heavy meds, and she has enough fighting spirit to want to break out of the hospital.

Erin had asked Ruiz to wait for her after the classes since he was her hired guard at the moment. It varied with who was on duty at what times, but he'd drawn the short straw tonight. As she stands speaking with Byron and Lilith, she glances his way and offers a smile, but her attention is inevitably drawn back to Byron. "I want to try again. I want to do it something like she did when I was hurt. I want to try that at least. Will you let me? Both of you? Will you trust me to try?"

For a moment she looks between them, uncertain if they would allow her to, but after she gets her bravado up she smiles back at Ruiz. "Could you help me?" She doesn't say what for, not even absolutely sure she will be allowed, but she has called him over, just in case.

"It's possible the universe wants me to suffer and my body is just a difficult little shit like me. But I think I've had enough of that now. I was a little shy about asking because I know it makes me anxious to do. But not everyone is the same as me, either. And Byron needs a decent night's sleep without worrying over how comfortable I am while juggling fifteen other things."

After stealing a glance up at Byron with fond gratitude, she continues to speak to Erin with a rare kind of bashful tinge to the vague smile at her lips and on her fine, fatigue-worn features. Usually the woman is so forward with swings toward blunt or dryly outgoing or... just plain moody withdrawn, but right now, she's almost entirely softened while insisting, "You did good. Just sometimes, the force of the world is too much for us to move the way we want it to move. And considering we move the whole goddamn world the way it's not supposed to move nine times out ten? Sometimes, that's expected and entirely okay. I'd... be grateful for another go-round. Of course I trust you."

Then she smiles a bit as Erin turns to the Captain, head tilting to see what the woman does with open, unabashed curiosity replacing the bout of semi-shyness that came over her.

If he feels he's drawn the 'short straw' tonight, Ruiz gives no indication. He had some business to conclude with Joey after the lessons ended and the crowd dispersed, and it's likely they were in there for a little while in that back office. Hashing out whatever needed hashing out. He steps back out eventually, tugging on the baseball cap he tends to wear like a bad habit, and pauses when Erin catches sight of him and beckons. Hesitation, and a glance to both Byron and Lilith before his tongue darts across his lower lip, and he prowls on over. "Erin." The greeting is polite, though there's warmth lurking beneath it. "Thorne. Miss Winslow, how's your recovery coming along? I'm sorry Bennie was unable to help."

Thorne isn't going to stop Erin from offering up to aid Lilith again and out of respect, especially for this sudden quiet shyness that comes over Winslow, his dark eyes divert, as if giving the brunette in the wheelchair this moment of privacy to speak her mind, despite his looming right beside her. This is when he spots Ruiz approach after Erin had called for the man. "Captain de la Vega. I won't say that I'm entirely surprised to see you working alongside Kelly's Gym," Look, there's rumors about this place, but it's one of the few places for boxing training in town! "It's definitely for a good cause. Especially with everything that's happened recently." He's talking about the rash of murders without mentioning them outright. "You both did a great job." With those words spoken, the hand which gripped at the wheelchair's handle moves to pat gently at Lilith's shoulder.

This soft side of Lilith just brings even more compassion to Erin and she looks between her and Byron. "I am so glad that you both found each other again. You are the what romance novels are written for. I've really never been much of a romantic until recently, but then again I guess things happen and you see the world through new eyes and new emotions. I can feel the happiness between you. This is the real thing."

At least Erin got the mushy stuff over before Ruiz made his way over! When he approaches she does something she wouldn't normally do. Reaching out, she takes his hand unless he takes it back, and she laces her fingers through his. "I want to try to heal her again and I thought maybe if you would be my anchor, my rock during it, I will be able to stay focused on her and not the fear of pushing myself too far I can't find my way back." Dark eyes lift to his, should he be looking her way. "If you are here, I think I can do it."

"I know," Erin says to Lilith again, letting Ruiz think about it, "That you had Byron help. I want to try the same with someone I care about. Someone I trust to hold on to during it. Would you allow that?"

Lilith opens her mouth while Erin is talking about her and Byron, hand automatically going up to the man's hand at her shoulder to rub and squeeze. Then it just kind of closes soundlessly and she looks somewhat caught offguard. She's still and breathing for a beat, but she doesn't bother to make any corrections that maybe are technicalities... she seems to be leaving that to him and her hand atop his knuckles and fingers kind of twitches in place with tiny pressure bobbling. After a little flat of her lips into smashing press together, she turns up a small smile anew, then looks quickly to the Captain's approach and greeting, "Hey, el Capitan. It's... been a little miserable, but eh. Better than dead. Mostly."

She sounds a little more herself with that last bit coming out dry, then readily, the brunette nods her head to Erin's explaining after watching the exchange between her and de la Vega, "Of course. Do it however you need or want to try doing it. Being innovative and finding ways to steady and mentally work this stuff... it's kind of necessary. It's not like there's textbooks. So I'm curious as much as... I'm anticipatory and grateful. I like seeing things tick."

Ruiz gives Byron a bit of sideeye at his comment about not being surprised to see him here. His tonguetip's pressed against his teeth a moment as he regards the other man, then withdrawn. Oh, and he certainly caught some of the 'mushy stuff' coming out of Erin's mouth. Not that he chimes in on it, of course.

Someone reaching for his hand without warning might normally prompt a less than favourable response from the surly Mexican. But he permits it, with a flicker of hesitation, and keeps his dark eyes on the brunette as she explains. "I'm not honestly sure how I can help, unless you think.." He seems cautious about speaking of such things in such a public setting, but adds much more quietly, "Unless you think a mental link might help. I'll admit I'm not.." Certain? Say it ain't so.

Listening to Erin talk about this romance novel... romance between him and Lilith, Byron really can't contain this almost shy grin. Almost. It's not so much one of shyness, but tinged with a hint of embarrassment that one sometimes gets when being complimented. There's really not much that he can say in response to that. For one, he's not only still dating, but he's living with another woman. Someone who has an incredibly busy life. That's just how it is for any psychiatrist in a crazy town like Gray Harbor. While Lilith might leave it to him to make any corrections, however, this didn't seem like the time or place. And look, de la Vega is here!

Thorne is not a healer and would never truly understand what it is that they sense and go through to even do what they do. He's seen others do it with a touch or even remotely now, but with what Lilith uses him for, as a physical guide of sorts, that seemed unique to her. But not something that couldn't be duplicated. He knows Lilith's reasons for using him to help heal others, so with that in mind, a curious look is given to both Erin and Ruiz. Just slight curiosity, even an arched brow. "I think, I'm not exactly sure, but I think she's trying to use your support as her strength."

Of course Erin knew about Vivian, but the whole dating thing in Gray Harbor was skewed. Mostly. She doesn't ask what the shyness is about, or the tinges of red, she just lets herself have the imagery that someone at least had something perfect going on.

There's another smile, this one rueful, to the two before she finally relieves Ruiz of her hand and fingers, unlacing them and letting then fall back to her side. "Yes, that exactly. My strength. He is a trusted friend. Even though he's paid as a protector, he doesn't always make me feel like he's only doing it for the money."

Ruiz is given a small shake of her head, she'd never done any sort of mental link with anyone and she had no idea how that worked, so she opts out of that. "Just as Byron said, just be here and allow me to touch you, just your hand." She looks at him but doesn't voice aloud, without the hesitation. "I will ask, or make sure to let you know before I do."

Lilith slips her hands down against her lap and lapses into quiet and distraction while watching Erin with the hispanic man, briefly looking down at her fingers as they lace together. She seems to be listening pretty keenly to what the other woman comes to explain to the man, and while she could detail the personal 'why' as to Byron being present (or the receiver) seems so key to what she uses for the ability performance she finds so trying for various reasons... she doesn't. She bats off the moment of distracting thoughts and she looks back up between the pair after a few heartbeats, stilling her lacing fingers to pay mind.

Instead of explaining how she works, she seems more interesting in seeing how Erin decides to work to steady her own anxieties. Her dark head tilts a little bit with subtle, but keen curiosity to see it directly.

Ruiz might be feeling a little self-conscious with being watched. Or he might simply be unfamiliar with Erin's powerset, and how it works, and the mechanics of his assistance. A trusted friend? That, for some reason, garners a flickered little smile from the man. "I think I can manage that. I assume you don't mean here and now?" Or maybe she does. He gives her hand a squeeze before she releases him, a brief glance toward Lilith with how intently the woman is watching the proceedings. And a nod toward Byron. "If you think it'll help."

People with glimmer sometimes tend to handle their powers differently, even from others who share their power set. This would be one of those times where the user, or in this case, the healer, does what feels comfortable in order to perform such a crucial act- the act of putting someone back together again. Making them whole. Oh, Byron knows that Erin is planning to do this soon, if not immediately. His gaze lifts to observe who else had stayed behind after the lessons were over. Most everyone who didn't work for the gym had already left, which was a good sign. And anyway, they'd be too preoccupied with their training to pay any mind to this small group.

Quietly, he removes his hand from off of Lilith's shoulder. There was no need to confuse Erin with their physical connection, though he's sure that she could sort it all out. While he doesn't plan on watching the proceeding intently, he doesn't divert his attention as curiosity has the better of him now. What he does say is: "I believe in you." They have to. There's an important job for Erin in the very near future.

Oh she means here and now. If the others were open to it. Erin had a key to the door, she could lock up. In fact... A glance around confirms most everyone had left except Joey, possibly. He could be sleeping in back. It takes her only moments to lock up the door and secure everything before she returns.

Getting to her knees beside Lilith in the wheel chair she smiles up at her, it's a more serene smile. "I need to touch you. I know it's your ribs and all those slashes on your legs and.." she remembers it all, she's not going to repeat it for the cheap seats. First though, she gently touches Liliths hand, a small gesture of reassurance. Erin feels far more confident than she had the last time and it shows.

Without even looking his way, as promised, Erin gives Ruiz the advance notice. "I am going to take your hand now, Captain. All I need you to do is don't let go. Nothing weird is going to happen or anything. I just.. need you." She never likes to admit to needing anything or anyone, but she does now.

Reaching for his hand, the other finds Lilith's abdomen, up where her ribs are and she closes her eyes just focusing and centering herself, getting the visual on the breaks. She knew it was painful even after the mendings Lilith had already had, but she is more determined than the breaks. In her mind, she weaves them together, just remembering to keep focused. She draws the strength from Javier, holding his hand tightly, and weaves the parts together, her hand moving to the wounds on her thigh. Her breath evens out and she even smiles, eyes still closed, when as her body starts immediately connecting, bones lacing together, skin, like little fibers woven in intricate patterns creating their own design, a design all Liliths. When she opens her eyes she looks at Lilith with wonder. She knows she will still be sore, oh how she knows, but she's mending faster!

Lilith is very good at dishing it out, but not so very good at taking it when it comes to pain. Oh, she toughs it out and pretends she's mostly fine, sure, but she's just never been very good at it in whatever sense and it causes chain reactions. Honestly, the nurses probably discharged her to Byron's care a little early not only because he is who he is, but because they might have been sick of her mood spells here and there. That and there's rumors about her being unstable since the Bridge admit incident, no doubt. Also, though, Byron is Byron so here she is in this personal bought wheelchair simply for the sake of getting her out and wheeling her to watch some people tussle right out of the gates.

It's a wheelchair she probably won't need much longer. With Erin concentrating and using her hands to set focus to the different parts on her body as the other hand grips to the Captain as an anchor for steadiness, she can't keep up the watching. Her eyes close and on some level, she knows what's being done, but there's so much relief involved with the intricacies and pain, she gasps and her lashes flutter some. Then as it continues, she visibly sinks into the strange feeling, the stiff and sore tension in her bound and bandaged body starting to ease gradually with posture change. Her coloring shifts from pale to flush of general vitality and life anew with the acceleration of healing kickstarted within.

And eventually, when her eyes open, they're sparking with blue life and pride for Erin in that moment while breathing out relief that almost sends her into a little emotional shudder as aftermath, "Thank you. That feels... it's..." It's damn hard to explain what these things feel like. She's not at the receiving end much, especially in any lucid fashion. She gives up trying to explain and just lets the weight in her tone explain.

The captain still looks vaguely uncertain about all of this, but he sucks it up, and rolls his shoulders as if loosening himself up physically will make a lick of difference to all this. He too crouches, to make it easier for Erin once she announces she's reaching for his hand. And it's offered in silence, so as not to disrupt her work. A curl of his rough fingers around her smaller ones, and from that point on, simply his unshakeable presence. He is no August Roen, but he is no flimsy thing by any measure.

Her hand is held, his gaze on the woman carefully weaving her glimmer to mend Lilith's body, and his expression is one of fascination. He can taste what she's doing, and he's a little lost in it for a while. It's so very different from his own.

Though Byron is standing right there beside them, his presence is non-intrusive, almost as if he wasn't even there observing Erin use her magical touch to mend and patch up all of Lilith's injuries. He honestly tries not to stare, letting his gaze drift between each section on Lilith's body that Erin psychically addresses, before his eyes seek out Lilith, or her profile, to gauge her reaction to any of this. He can see that color returning to her cheeks, after they'd stayed in the hospital for so long and with little progress being made, aside from the boosts given them by other healers. She was flourishing now under Erin's care and this brings him a sense of relief.

While his eyes may stray, more out of idle curiosity than anything else, towards Ruiz, his dark gaze doesn't linger their longer. No use making the man feel self-conscious. Byron's been in that position before. Then Erin opens her eyes, perhaps a sign that it was done. It was finished. He doesn't immediately ask how Lilith is feeling, letting her respond for herself, though his hand does return to her shoulder, giving her a gentle squeeze. This is followed by a quiet, "Thank you, Erin." Whether she'd healed Lilith completely or not, he knows the efforts that one must go through to even use their abilities; along with the dangers.

Erin nods her encouragement, like a sudden cheerleader, cheering on the healing. No words are necessary, Erin had felt the very thing she's feeling, and so recently too. The smile she wears doesn't hold pride in herself, but more in Lilith for having survived what she had gone through and for so long. She'd seen the destruction inside her body. Finally, she does speak. "It is incredible what a body can go through and still survive." Lilith had been mauled in every sense of the word and it's more than a miracle she'd survived it at all.

It's then she realizes she was still holding the Captain's hand. With a sheepish look that holds a wealth of gratitude towards him she gives a gentle squeeze, loosening her hold in case he wanted to let go. A last look to Lilith just to make sure there were no hiccups or surprises before she gets to her feet. A more confident smile is held in check and she leans in, unable to stop herself, and impulsively and very tenderly, hugs Lilith before straightening again. "Oh Byron, you're both.. I mean I'm so glad I could help this time. She was hurting so badly." Perhaps something the two could understand.

Expecting the rejection, Erin turns and with a bright smile gives one more impulsive hug. To de la Vega. It's brief, of course, hopefully before he even realizes lines were being crossed. "Thank you," she tells him softly, not letting him forget the role he played in it as well.

"Yes. It was a very, very large creature. I'm not sure how I didn't have my insides squished out of my ears and mouth." Lilith is pretty inconsiderate blunt mouth again, which is a good sign and very bad for Byron's general imagery memory of the moment. She realizes that a little bit late after her general wondering now that she's feeling something like alive in full once more, if the residually pained and drained version. Currently she's still feeling the high of relief and the accelerated healing rush in her body, though, which sends her reaching up to return the hug when Erin leans for it.

The brunette tips her head forward with respectful thanks to Ruiz serving as proxy for his part, then she turns some now that she's fully able to do that to look at Byron with a reach for his tie to loop the slack a few times around her wrist. She doesn't tug on him, though, she just smiles in full for the moment instead of a slanting semblance of one, the expression assuring and a touch adoring in her little glowing moment of feeling together again. Then she unwinds the garment accessory in slow slip against her skin while looking between everyone around, "Is this where I have a Baptist revival moment and get out of my wheelchair to miraculously walk again while you all praise Jesus, or is that too much?"

No rejection from the cop. The hug is accepted, and reciprocated with genuine warmth that might seem at odds with his general mien, for those who don't know him well. He gives Erin a quick squeeze, claps Byron across the shoulder solidly in a way that says you can take it, and notably does not attempt the same with Lilith. "Espero que pronto te sientas mejor," he tells her in that rolling, warm, clipped consonants accent of his. The trio are flashed a smile in parting, and he leans in to tell Erin something quietly before taking his leave. Places to go, people to arrest, presumably.

Byron knew that Erin had it in her, she just had to do what she felt was necessary to give her the confidence and strength that she needed to succeed. Something that she would need during the exorcism. Of course, Byron was very grateful for this, it meant that, while it would still take time for all of that pain and soreness to go away, Lilith was no longer in danger of getting worse to her untreated injuries. Whatever dark and surly mood he was in earlier, that seems to have faded away, his features softening in this relief. That is until Lilith brings up what the elephant seal did to her, but for now, he won't let his vengeful intentions betray him. He'll smile and even laugh a little as if the whole thing were a joke, but one day he'll find Lucille.

Watching Erin giving de la Vega a hug, this really did look like the end of a fairy tale where everyone lived Happily Ever After. The older man gives Lilith some words of encouragement just after this heavy hand presses down on his shoulder. It wasn't all Erin, he knows that Ruiz had a hand to play in this as well, "Thanks for your assistance, Captain." Right at that moment, he feels a light tug at his tie, just a sensation, nothing that pulls him forward. Lilith would soon be up to her old antics for better or worse and while he'll insist she gets some bed rest for at least another day or too, she'll wouldn't be in as much pain as she felt when he wheeled her in her.

From there he'll drive her back to her home, which isn't very far from the gym, thankfully. His Rolls parked outside of Pawn Shop, rather than sit her back down into her wheelchair, he'll leave it folded up in the trunk of his car. Instead, he'll scoop the girl up in his arms and carry her into the shop after taking the key from her. He still won't let her walk. Up the stairs they'll go where Byron will eventually settle her down in her own bed, knowing just how exhausted living with an injury was, then again, after going through the healing process. She may have promised to pet his hair as they slept just to get herself out of the hospital, but he'll remain there at her bedside, doing what he's always done for her, letting her rest, until her eyes lids grew too heavy, all the while stroking at her long brown hair.