2019-11-24 - Beyond Visiting Hours

It is in the evening, but easy enough for Bennie to hear the discussion in the hallway near her room of a male voice talking to one of the nurses. Devlin, "I'm glad that kid is doing ok. After listening in to the 911 call and helping with first aid advise, I was worried. The mother sounded pretty shaky. Thanks for letting me some in to see Mitch." Nurse, "Glad to help out, Devlin. How are things going with your EMS state certifications?" Devlin, "Going ok, passed a couple of the early ones. Say, isn't there an officer here in recovery? I know it is after hours, but may as well meet her if she's bored and awake. I put in too many study hours.. brain fry sucks.."

The official story is there was an electrical kitchen accident that left Bennie with second degree burns over an ugly percentage of her torso. Laid up in recovery, she's currently draped in loose dressings over her chest with spots on her bare arms and necks covered in a shiny layer of ointment. Her long blonde hair is singed in places, and with a glassy eyed look of morphine pumping through her system, she looks a far sight different than the coffee shop the other day. The nurse points to the EMT's room but warns that her suite mate is currently asleep.

"Thanks," Devlin says to the nurse. He then politely knocks on the door, "If your up for a quiet visit, Bennie, I happen to be here. Devlin, the new guy from the coffee shop."

The curtain is closed around the other bed, likely because Bennie is starring at a TV on low volume. It takes her an absurdly long moment for her head to lull to the side and for her to try to focus on Devlin. "New guuuuuy!" Her smile is bleary and lazy. "Sure sure sure." She says of a visit. "I don't remember you having two noses. OH MY GOD, do you have two noses. The better to smell you with, my dear!"

Devlin slides in quietly, "Yeah.. Sutton's hazing me" He plays along but then adds, "Either that or they gave you the good stuff. I'm kind of jealous.. never got the good stuff when I was wounded. I was in the neighborhood and thought you could use a visit."

Bennie closes her eyes briefly, "Sutton is the BEST. She. Gave me. Handcuffs." There's a visitor's chair pulled up to the bed side, and the blonde musters a little finger twitch towards it. "I have a little button. And I can push push push it when starts to hurt hurt hurtie. You were wounded! Oh, sweetie, I'd share, but this totally goes right into my vein."

Devlin moves to take the seat, "Happened a long time ago, Bennie. Back over in Iraq. I'm ok now, all good." He reassures. "Man, you even got the magic button.. way cool. Hell of a kitchen accident. Just glad it is not worse. Burns are nothing to mess with.."

Bennie doesn't dare to lean towards him, the pain from movement is too great a risk even in her delirium, but she tilts down her chin towards her shoulder like she's imparting a secret. "I smell like fried chicken. I wanna eat myself. You know what they give you in Iraq? Two Advil and a pat on the butt. GET BACK OUT THERE SOLDIER! Oop. That was loud."

A chuckle from Devlin, "You actually got Advil.. they gave us expired aspirin labeled for delivery to the Meuse-Argonne nearly a century old and a boot in the ass." He jokes with her. "Naw you don't want to do that. But if you want some fried chicken. I'll get you some good stuff in a day or two." He winks, "Need to see if the ol'e scroung still has the moves, you know?" He moves his hand to take yours if it is free and of course.. not burned. "

"Oh no no, not me. I'd never last a second in the service. They look down on hugging the enemy." Bennie smiles as her hand is taken, a faint but happy thing. "You have nice hands. You'll make a good paramedic. It takes good hands. And snacks. And a willingness to sneak your partner fried fowl in the hospital." Her head nestles back against the pillow, haloing out blonde hair around the crown. "22 CC's of gravy, stat! Oh snickerdoodle, I'm going to miss Thanksgiving. I love Thanksgiving. I love all holidays. That's why they're holidays. Unless they are those fake holidays like National Pickle Day. But I like pickles, so that's okay too."

Devlin says, "I'll see what I can do for you." He grins a bit, "My soldiers called me Doc McCloud." He takes a breath as he looks you over, "Well, my family is out in the midwest.. doesn't look like I will be getting out to Turkeyday myself."

Devlin takes a breath as he focuses on Bennie. She might hear a barely said Hope this works but he is touching her.. so who knows? He takes several deep slow breaths.. and tries to move qi like his Sifu taught him.. may be qi and this glimmer are related. So as he feels qi move from him to Bennie and sees some of the first degree burns take on a healthier color, he sighs in relief. "Hope you'll be better sooner.."

"Having no family suuucks. But I have an Easton, and that's like two families. Who drink a lot. I...." Bennie's words drift off as she feels a familiar warmth creep up her arm. "No. NOnoNono..." A certain degree of panic sets in, and she snatches her hand away - too late - as one of the burns turns from angry to just pink. "Are you CRAZY. Oh god oh god. You're a target now. You take away the pain you take away their food and then they'll turn up and EAT YOU TOO." Could just be crazy drug addled rambling.

That brings a look of confusion in Devlin's eyes, he then tries to reassure, "It's ok.. no one is coming after me, Bennie. And no one is coming to eat anyone..." Yes, Alex I will take crazy drug rambling for 300. "It's all good.. I am a medic. Its what we do." He lets you pull away from his hand. Kind of awkward for a medic at the moment but.. he just goes with it to remain seated with you.

Bennie's heart rate has jumped in that short time, a warning beep from the machine given. "YOU KNOW NOTHING, JON SNOW!" The blonde flops back against the pillows after the exclamation, breathing from the sudden exertion. "And you're supposed to ask for permission before you use your juju. Cosplay does not equal consent!"

"Easy.. there." And hearing the monitor beep its warning.. Devlin sighs, yeah.. a nurse will ask him to leave soon. "I'll be back later with some decent chow, Bennie." Still a bit confused.. then again.. drugs do unusual things to people's perception. "Just try to rest." He stands up.

"And mashed potatoes. Don't forget the mashed potatoes." Bennie exhales out of her nose, trying to force herself to calm down. Thankfully the morphine drip is helping with that, and her eyelids grow heavy again. "Soon as I get out of here, I've got so much to show you." About the job, clearly, even though he's technically got a lot more Rig time than she does, so maybe not?

Bennie is in a shared room, the other patient obscured by a closed curtain. The blonde is sitting slightly inclined in her hospital bed, devoid of a gown because the lose bandages that wrap her like a mummy are covering a litany of burns and provide all the modesty she needs along with a sheet draped over her lap. Devlin is just standing up from the visitor's chair.

And then there's an Alexander! Eavesdropping on police bands has its use; in a small city like Gray Harbor, there's a fair amount of gossip that goes back and forth, and some of it mentions a Very Special Paramedic ending up in the hospital. So here he is; on first glance, it looks like a hobo has wandered into the room, with a hideously ugly sweater festooned with crooked snowflakes, and that covered by an oversized army jacket that swallows him up. He pauses at the door, a paper bag in one hand, and a small bouquet of flowers in the other, in a plastic vase. "Bennie. I heard--" he breaks off when he notes Devlin, and stares at the man with an open curiosity that verges on the rude. "I don't know you."

Devlin looks over at Alexander, "Could say the same about you. But I do know a cure for that one. I'm Devlin, should be a member of the EMS team in a month or so." His eyes glance for the door perhaps expecting a nurse to come through soon and play long arm of GOD.. where their patient, Bennie is concerned.

Bennie is lifting her hand and jabbing her thumb against the morphine button repeatedly. Of course she's long since had her dosage so it does nothing, but it gives her peace of mind. "He juju'd me without asking." The blonde stage whispers to Alexander, immediately tattling on Devlin at the appearance of her friend. "I told him that makes him tasty, and I smell like fried chicken." There, now the newcomer is all caught up on the state of things. "And Easton snores even worse on painkillers." Maybe that's who the other patient is behind curtain number 1.

Alexander sidles in like he, too, expects to be shoo'd out at any moment. He sets the little vase of flowers on the bedside table. "...Easton's here, too? Christ. What happened? The chatter said something about an electrical fire?" His tone conveys his deep skepticism about that. A curious look is given to Devlin at the introduction. "Alexander Clayton," he says, after a moment. "Hello." He frowns. "What did you use on her? Healing?" There's something protective in the set of his shoulders beneath the layers of terrible clothing.

"They have her on some strong pain killers," is Devlin's answer. Devlin's guard is coming up now, especially as things have taken a right turn at Albuquerque for him. He continues, "Just came in to see Bennie is all." He looks at Alexander, "Guess your a friend of hers." Again that glance towards the door for the hints of the nurse. You can almost feel the question in his eyes, didn't they hear the beep at the station?

The bonus of being in the medical field is that you get certain perks, like being able to pull some strings to have your boyfriend staying in the same room, getting off-hours visitors and not being trampled by nurses when the heart rate monitor gives a warning but you manage to bring it back down to normal on your own without intervention. "He's fine, Alexander. He's just a baby. We were all babies once. Now look at me, I'm tasty fried chicken. Pretty flowers!" And no, she's not going to expound on what exactly happened, not in mixed company. She's not that far gone on painkillers.

Alexander's eyebrows quirk upwards at Devlin's answer and Bennie's response. "So I see. And Easton is many things, but not a baby. I think." He sets the white bag next to the flowers. "I brought you some fresh donuts, but maybe that should wait until you're feeling a little more," sober, "settled. And you're not fried chicken." A long pause. "You're fried Bennie. Totally different." A quick grin down at her, which disappears when he looks back to Devlin. "Are you new to town?" He glances towards the door to the room, keeping a wary, almost paranoid eye on it.

Bennie stage whispers. "I meant Devlin is the baby. Easton's tough as vagina. Takes a pounding."

Devlin nods as there is a flicker of relief with a possible change of topic, "Been here about month now. Came up from LA. Had a little trouble there..." He raises a brow at being called a baby... yeah.. 4 time combat vet is a baby.. go figure. He shakes his head a bit, "Long story for another time may be. I admit being a little surprised that the nurses have not checked yet.." puzzlement in his voice. He eyes Bennie for a moment and then the door again. "May be they are busy and missed it." He then gets back on track, "I spent twelve years with the Eighty Second, four deployments as a 68 Whiskey or Combat Medic if you prefer."

Alexander bursts out laughing at Bennie's not-so-whispered comment. He stifles it with a hand, hastily, lest he wake up Easton or draw the nurse's ire, but that just makes it more of a snorkling-horking sound. When he regains control, he grins at her. "I will take your word for that, Bennie." A pause. "You're definitely on the good drugs." Then he looks back to Devlin, listening with more seriousness. "I think they're a little distracted. Why, did Bennie need something?" His head tilts. "...huh. Combat medic. That sounds useful. Good luck here in town, then. I'd flee, if I were you, but you stand out, so you won't."

In answer to both men's concerns about the nurse, she just buzzes in on the intercom. "Everything okay, Ms. Oakes?"

Bennie hits the button with the red cross on it. "Still alive." Is the response from the blonde, and she's resting back on the pillows with a smile forming blearily on her features. "I love when you laugh. I'll have to call Easton a vagina more often."

A loud voice calls out from across the curtain "Somehow I don't mind when she calls me a pussy." The words are mostly coherent if a little slurred together, but that's it. The next sounds from across the curtain are just snoring noises, obviously someone is sleeping the sleep of the well drugged, even if they momentarily wake for random commentary.

Devlin shakes his head.. hospital humor plus drugs equals weirdness. He then shrugs to Alexander, "Paratrooper.. we're a crazy breed. Hell won't take us, last time we took over." He smiles, "So, what is it you do, Alexander?" He looks over to Bennie, "Your definitely alive and your humor warped enough to be EMS qualified."

Alexander coughs. "I don't think that's nec--" he starts, and then Easton calls out, and, well, he's laughing again, giving a shake of his head that somehow encompasses them both, even as Easton goes back to snoring. "Well. I guess since Easton doesn't mind, feel free to call him a vagina as much as you like. I'll probably continue to find it funny." There's a flicker of relief, there, too, that Easton is able to make slurred but coherent commentary. Curiosity crawls across his face at their state. But he goes tense and wary at the question from Devlin. "Oh. I. Um. I investigate things. I'm nosy." An awkward sort of shrug. "But...paratrooper. You should talk to the Captain. He also jumped out of some perfectly good airplanes, I think." A flicker of a smile.

"Love you!" Bennie calls back through the curtain to Easton, even though that might fall on deaf ears, the female EMT down right giggling as she just gets a rather rattling snore in response. Sadly it dies off with a series of, "Ow-ow-ow," and into a whimper with a rather pronounced pout. "We were all returned from whence we came. Isabella, August...Lilith and Byron." She closes her eyes briefly. "And you were there, Auntie Em. But there's no place like home. Erin. Some girl I didn't know...they wanted the healers, Alexander. So tell Devlin not to heal, like a good boy."

Devlin raises a brow, "Not sure what you mean there. People have put a premium on capturing or killing medics since the Japanese in World War 2." There is some pride there in his tone. "Who was it that was wanting healers? I'm guessing you mean medics.. "

Devlin looks at the time, "I need to head home though.. got some things to take care of and more studying. I'll see about the food, Bennie. You heal up."

"August, Lillth, and Byron as well?" Alexander's expression goes tight and angry for a moment, a muscle working in his jaw as he clenches it. "This was about the letter, wasn't it? I wonder why I didn't..." he breaks off, though, at the rest. And offers Devlin a thoughtful look. "Beware the Shadows. They hunt, especially if you use your abilities too much." A wave at the two in the bed. "It was interesting to meet you, Devlin."

"Would not mind meeting that Captain later too." Devlin says has he heads out.

"New guy, for the win." In reference to sneaking Bennie some real food, but as he leaves, Bennie's eyes pop back open and refocus on Alexander with some effort that has one eye pinching, the other winking and then widening. "Totally the letter. And there was a lantern that ate our glimmer, and Easton shot the creepy guy. And the lady must be super old because she says it's a lesson she tried to teach many times over. Like. Generations, Alessander. All-ex...you need a shorter name when I'm on morphine. And it was all 'don't heal!' and August was like 'watch this bitch!'. And I'm deep fried Bennie and my boobs are never going to look the same in a bikini again."

Alexander watches Devlin leave, and then watches the door for a long moment, before turning back to Bennie. He finds his way to the visitor's chair, and sits down. "What lesson? How to get fried from the inside out? It's not exactly easy to teach when you keep killing your students." He glances down her body, and frowns. "My name is fine. Is August okay? Or do I need to do a census of the hospital to find all my goddamned friends?" There's frustration and worry laced in his tone, now.

Bennie's eyes sharpen, fighting against the haze. "Don't you get grumpy with me, Mister. It's bad enough I'm on painkillers. I HATE painkillers, but it was either that or a medically induced coma while they debrided my clothes out of my skin." Huff. "Easton and I were the worst, I think. Or the only ones with enough sense to come to the hospital. Everything was all fuzzy in the end, besides Easton saying he'd ugly cry so I sat back down. Magic Eight Ball says ask again later."

"JesusfuckingChrist." It's all one word as Alexander takes in the phrase 'debrided my clothes out of my skin'. "What the hell happened?" His voice is much louder than he intends, and as a sudden almost panic seizes him, he reaches out, and just starts to pull the blanket down without asking a lick of permission, intending to try and get a look at the wounds. Bright side? He doesn't seem to shrink from touching her! Less good? He's totally about to grope her to try and figure out how badly injured she is.

Bennie is just wearing the latest fashion out of Paris known as gauze couture, and loosely at that, so when he pulls the blankets down and starts trying to play doctor her eyes go wide and she makes vague shooing motions for him. "Like eleventy percent of my torso is covered in burns and I have a new belly button thanks to being zapped, stop touching me for the sake of all that is holy because it really fucking hurts and you're going to make me cry."

"You look terrible," Alexander says, blithely unconcerned with Bennie's feelings, or the fact that she probably already knows that. "This must hurt." And yes, she probably knows that too. He's frowning down at her body, not even really paying attention to what she's saying. In fact, one of his fingers is moving to start pushing some of that bandaging aside when she gets to 'going to make me cry'. That makes him draw back like he's been burned, himself, and blink down at her with surprise. "I don't want you to cry," he tells her, sternly.

And then only at that seems to realize what he's been doing. He clears his throat, and pulls the blankets back up. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to...that is...I. Um." And now he's blushing. "Sorry."

The readout of Bennie's pulse is jumping all over again from the rise of panic of being poked and prodded in her wounds, but all she can do is give a little airy laugh when Alexander quickly withdraws and even has the audacity to blush. "I mean, if you wanted to get frisky, we could call Easton over and do this the right way, but you really should wait until I'm outta the hospital." She sinks back down into the pillows, gosh that was tiring. "It's okay. You meant well."

"What? No!" Alexander jumps to his feet, his blush growing deeper. "That isn't what I was try--I mean, it isn't that you're unattractive, but--I don't think that it would be..." His hands flail vaguely in the air for a moment, like he wants to just claw his way back through the last couple of minutes of time and undo every part of them. Since he can't, he just sidles away from the bed, hands still flailing. "I'm just gonna go. Enjoy the flowers and donuts. Don't die." And then? He flees like the paragon of masculine bravery he is, nearly knocking over a nurse in his haste to run away.

Bennie's head turns towards the curtain, addressing the sleeping man beyond as Alexander flees. "That blush will last me a century. If I have to live with skin that looks like an eighty year old man's balls on my tatas, that just made it all worth it..."