Visitors

[wearingagun]

She hated the hospital. She hated the drugs and the smell and the nurses coming and going. She couldn't get any decent sleep because someone was constantly there to check her stitches or her blood pressure or her temperature. It took a couple days before they eased off on the narcotic drip and she could focus and stay awake. Watch the vid. Raley and Ochoa had been in, as had the Captain and it seemed like half the department. Her oom was full of flowers and balloons and well wishes. The department shrink had been in twice already and Kate knew she was going to have to talk to him at length eventually.

But for now she had a tray of clear liquids, coffee and broth and gelatin. She had the vid on some mindless program about interior design. The day was sunny and Kin City General buzzed with activity around her. It made it easy to think of anything other than being tied to the wall and nearly gutted. It made it easier to forget why she hurt so much right now with her bandaged ribs and her wrist in a cast. No, she didn't think about those things in the daylight. Those thoughts came at night.

Comments

[last-grayson.livejournal.com]

Nightwing had been at the hospital almost every night, staying with Kate for a few hours while she slept fitfully, drugged up and clearly having nightmares. But this was the first time he'd been in through the front door, during visiting hours. He'd spent time with Tereus, he'd finally met Aayla, and now he figured Kate would be clear headed enough to actually appreciate day time visitors.

He knocked on the door sill gently, a few books under his arm. "Hey." He gave her a slow smile, reaching up to push hair off his forehead, "good to see you awake."

[wearingagun.livejournal.com]

She rolled her head on the pillow and smiled as she lifted her casted hand and waved at him with her fingertips.

"Hey," she said softly. "I was wondering if I'd get a visit from you. Come on in and have a seat."

[last-grayson.livejournal.com]

"Yeah," he said with a sheepish laugh. Dick sank into the chair next to her bed, setting the books carefully on the side table. "Physically, how're you feeling?"

[wearingagun.livejournal.com]

"Oh, I hurt," she told him. "It hurts to breathe and my stomach aches and itches and I'm not allowed to scratch it and my arm is killing me and my face feels swollen but I haven't really looked yet," she lists, indulging in a little bit of whining before sucking it up again.

"Other than that, I'm fine. They say I'll make a complete recovery, though I'll have some scars to show for it."

[last-grayson.livejournal.com]

He nodded slowly, leaning forward with his arms folded on the edge of her bed. "And how are you feeling otherwise." She was allowed to put on a front, of course, he wouldn't push, but he'd seen her restless sleep.

[wearingagun.livejournal.com]

"I'm...fine," she lied. It sounded weak to her ears. The shrink came every day and she had yet to tell him anything of substance.

"I've been dreaming, but I wake up here and I know I'm safe. It'll be okay."

[last-grayson.livejournal.com]

"It will be okay," he said with a firm nod, "but that doesn't mean it has to be okay right now." Dick dropped his head to the side. "I don't have to be the person you talk to, Kate, but don't keep it all to yourself, all right?"

[wearingagun.livejournal.com]

It made her eyes sting and she looked up toward the ceiling.

"Okay," she promised. She'd seen Dick's body in the chair at Mickey's. She knew he understood getting hurt. Really, if there was anyone who would understand...it would be him. Her breath hitched and it made her wince.

"Every time it hurts...I remember," she admitted quietly.

[last-grayson.livejournal.com]

"Yeah," he said quietly, "but it's more than remembering, Kate, isn't it." That was the danger of trauma, wasn't it. "Every time it hurts, you re-experience it."

[notbad-foracopy.livejournal.com]

Tereus now knew the nurses by their first names. They knew him on sight. He'd built up a rapport that they would give him some extra time after visiting hours before shooing him off.

And they'd see him again the next day.

Soon, he'd have to start run of 12s shift and his time would be limited until his next set of days off. So he spent every spare moment he had in her room while she slept and would continue to do so until he was forced to work, she woke up or the nurses ran him out again.

As soon as he was up and out of bed, he was out the door to see her and stay by her side until he had to leave.

Another handful of flowers, a few books, some of which were puzzle in variety, he, peeked his head in the door before barging in. It was nice the nurses had alerted him to the fact she was awake so he wouldn't have barged in. "Morning, detective."

[wearingagun.livejournal.com]

"Morning, officer," she said softly. He'd been a constant presence- that she knew for a fact. Every time she'd roused enough to be aware, it seemed like Tereus was there. She wondered just how much time he was really spending by her bedside.

"You brought me flowers. Thank you. Sit down...I got my dosage of pain meds reduced so I can actually talk today. That's an improvement."

[notbad-foracopy.livejournal.com]

"I figured eventually you'd be awake enough to enjoy some brightness in the room." He stacked his handful of books by the bedside and settled in the chair he pulled up beside her, flowers left on her bed by her legs if she were so inclined to do anything with them. He'd look for something later.

Right now, he wanted to talk to her. "How are you feeling? You look good."

[wearingagun.livejournal.com]

"I feel like I need a shower. And, you know, I hurt," she admitted honestly. "I'm okay now, though. The doctor says it's just going to take time. He said I need to take it easy." She snorted at that ridiculous idea.

[notbad-foracopy.livejournal.com]

He laughed and scooted closer. "I have to start 12s tomorrow. Can I bring you anything from the office?" Probably should not be encouraging her to work but, yeah, he did know her better than that. Better to give her what she wanted than have her drive everyone crazy.

[wearingagun.livejournal.com]

"There's things I'd love to get to work on, but I'm on mandatory six week leave with weekly visits to the shrink," she said, sounding disgusted. "I don't know what I'm going to do with myself for six weeks. There's only so many books and I'm in no shape to go dancing."

[notbad-foracopy.livejournal.com]

"Well," Tereus sat back in his chair and scrubbed at his face. "My laptop is beyond repair but I was able to salvage the work we were doing with our special project." He opened his hands as a means to offer an alternative.

This was a dicey thing to do. Beckett had the ability to throw herself into her work and to simply not deal with the issues before her. He could be enabling that. On the other hand, he understood going stir crazy.

[wearingagun.livejournal.com]

"We could do that..." she said, tempted. "But not until I'm home. I don't want to risk anyone finding out here and people keep coming and going. Ochoa's brought me a latte every day, though the nurses just take them away when he leaves. It's sweet of him, though, you know?"

[twilek-knight.livejournal.com]

Aayla hasn't been back to the hospital since she was released. It's not that she's avoiding Kate exactly, it's more that she needed a little time. Just some time to meditate and try and heal herself in ways the doctors couldn't. She needed privacy and space to find a way to deal with the hurt enough that she could go out again. To not want to hide herself away from the prying eyes of strangers.

She's still a mess of vivid bruises, and her lekku will take the longest to heal, so she keeps her cape on. The hood raised to hide the worst of the damage. And it's a simple enough thing to use the Force to make it so people don't want to look directly at her. So that their eyes slide off and away without ever truly registering her presence.

In truth, Aayla wishes she could stay locked away in the safety of her home for a few more days at least, but she owes Kate more than that. She owes herself more than that because she needs to see her. To lay eyes on her and know that she's truly going to be alright.

"I'm sorry I didn't come earlier," she says once she's closed the door to the private room behind her. "But I trust you've been well taken care of."

[wearingagun.livejournal.com]

"Aayla," she said, sounding deeply relieved. She held out her hand, beckoning the woman closer. "I'm glad you came. How are you?"

She knew that of the two of them, Aayla was worse off. She could tell, even with the hood on, that the damage to her friend was horrendous.

[twilek-knight.livejournal.com]

She lets go of any pretense of distance or formality, rushing to take Kate's hand and laying a soft kiss on one of the only unbruised spots on the woman's face. Lowering her hood, she lets Kate see her, neither of them having anything to hide from each other any longer.

"I'm healing. It will take time, but I think...I think I can do better than I did before. I want to." She brushes her thumb along the top of Kate's hand, wishing she could hold her but knowing that would be impossible under the circumstances. "I've missed you."

[wearingagun.livejournal.com]

"I've missed you, too. I was worried. You know, when they didn't have me so doped up I couldn't remember my name," she replied. "It's probably better you didn't come before. I wasn't in any shape for it. How are you? Someone said something about you going home..."

[twilek-knight.livejournal.com]

"I went home as soon as I could. There isn't anything more the healers here can do for me and I needed to meditate in peace." She brushes Kate's hair back from her forehead, needing to touch the other woman. Needing that physical contact. Since cutting her down from the bindings and holding her close on that filthy floor, Aayla hasn't wanted to let her go. She wants to protect her but it's more than that. She feels connected to her in a way she doesn't truly have the words for. Soldiers in arms, perhaps. Surviving shared trauma. "Nightwing came by to speak to me before visiting you."

[wearingagun.livejournal.com]

"Did he? What did he say?" she asked, sitting up a little to get a better angle to touch Aayla. It affords the woman some room on the edge of the bed at the cost of a sharp pain in Beckett's side that she feels is worth it.

[twilek-knight.livejournal.com]

Aayla catches the flash of pain that crosses Kate's face, despite the other woman's attempts to hide it. Still, she knows better than to call attention to it when it's clear Kate doesn't wish her to. Neither of them deals well with weakness.

"He simply wanted a chance to speak with me, I think. As our lives have become somewhat intertwined." She smiles then, and even if it lacks her usual spark, it's still a smile. "I believe he and I might have more in common that just mutual friends, though. It could be...interesting getting to know him."

[wearingagun.livejournal.com]

"He's a good guy. I didn't think so at first, but I've gotten to know him. His methods are different than mine, but the end goal is the same," she said, a small smile tugging at her lips as she thinks of Dick. A good guy is a high compliment. So many people aren't.