[Junk XIII] But Will I Be Able to Play the Piano, Doc? (S 6-4)

Rich

Stitch,

You wheel Rinso in the wheelchair to an exam room. He's pliant and quiet while you check him out. He's in rough shape. His face will scar over, his cheek is broken slightly, so it will look a bit off. His left arm was dislocated, but Zero reset it. It has some tendon damage, but should heal to 80% effectiveness over time. The ankle is broken and set wrong. It will need to be re-broken.

You can heal all of this with normal methods, but he'll never be the strong, handsome Rinso he was before.

What do you do?

Genevieve

I give him the list of his injuries- even the bit about needing to re-break his ankle.

"You have another option, but it's risky and can get personal." I tell him. "Kiddies has seen me do it to VB and Saff. I'd like to try it since you're not in danger of dying, but your call."

Rich

Rinso listens, and the whole re-break of an ankle doesn't seem terribly interesting to him.He raises his one good eyebrow and asks, "What do you mean by, uhm, personal? I mean, if you need me to strip or something, that's, well... that's okay."

Genevieve

I laugh maybe a bit more than I should. "I mean I'm getting my brain into yours. It can reveal things... from both sides. I don't do it often because of this- I'm not keen to spill my own secrets."

Rich

Rinso relaxes a little, "Oh... well, as long as it won't hurt you, I'm an open book." Well, he is to you now.

Genevieve

I close the curtain in front of the window and lock the door- don't want someone walking in on this. I sit down in a chair next to him and put my hands gently on his ankle.

OOC: Healing touch incoming.

Genevieve

OOC: Healing touch on Rinso. Roll+weird.
(Rolled: 2d6+3. Rolls: 3, 1. Total: 7)

Genevieve

OOC: Act under fire. Roll+sharp (good in the clinch).
(Rolled: 2d6+3. Rolls: 6, 6. Total: 15)

Rich

You reach into Rinso's mind, and his worries of self-doubt, his penchant for self-sacrifice, they start to fight you, but you sweep over them like a tidal wave. You fix his broken bones and coax his tendons to knit and all that's left is the bumps and bruises. Even his face realigns and you're touching it softly.

For this one brief moment of human contact, the world falls away. It's just you and Rinso. He is not the worried young man, you are not the damaged, lost woman. He says, in your mind, "Yours is the kindest heart I know. This magic that you know, it comes from your compassion. I've seen in you something, something you don't yet see. The damage he did to you, you can undo it. If you wanted, you could heal yourself. If you're ready to bring another wonderful person into this awful world, it is within your grasp."

You slowly come out of the moment into the real world once more. Somehow, you leaned over, or maybe he pulled you to him, but you're totally kissing Rinso right now. And he's coming out of that same mind-sharing moment and he's not pulling back, not pushing you away.

What do you do?

Genevieve

Oh... I feel like my mouth is hanging open, but when I come to, my mouth is very much engaged. For a half a second I want to pull him close and explore his mouth with my tongue, but I gently disengage- I would never do that to Kiddo.

I pull away just far enough to press my forehead to his. "Thank you." I say simply. I'm too overwhelmed to say anything else. I have a curious smile on my face.

Rich

Rinso has a goofy grin on his face, like he just got away with stealing the last piece of pie. Then he relaxes when you thank him. "Thank you, Stitch. I feel frakkin awesome." He reaches up to touch your face, almost reverently. "You have a really nice smile, Stitch. And... soft lips."

Genevieve

I take a deep breath, so tired. I shouldn't have even attempted that after Ollie's surgery. Still... I'm glad I did. ?"Welcome." It's about all I can manage at this point. I touch the formerly injured side of his face- its still hard to believe. I wrap my arms around him and hug. "That was very nice."

Rich

He smirks, and hugs back, rubbing your back until you pull back. He sits up, then rises to test out his ankle and arm. "Wow, just a little tender. This is great. When you're up for it, Aquafina might need some help. She was in the wreck, too."

Genevieve

"She may have to wait. Ollie's surgery was 4 hours. 5? I can set her up with pain meds and figure her out tomorrow." I tell him.

There is no way I'm opening my brain up to a stranger. Rinso may trust her- and that goes a long way for me- but it's not enough. If Nezzy finds out what I can do, that's all I'll be doing until I go insane- lost inside the minds of the people here.

Rich

Rinso looks up, "I'm sorry, Stitch, that wasn't cool. I meant... drek, I'm sorry, ok? It means alot to me that you fixed me."

He takes a little breath, then says, "You think I should, uhm, avoid Kiddo and Vee while they're dealing with Ollie?"

Genevieve

My face softens a bit. "It's ok. I get it. I fixed you so you could take care of Kiddo. She needs you, I think."

"If I were you I'd wait until they come out- don't interrupt their family time. But no, don't avoid them." I almost tell him maybe he should talk to VB first since Kiddo's pregnancy hormones are likely giving her some mood swings, but they all need to sit down and talk. Soon.

Rich

How are you, Stitch?" Rinso asks curiously. "Got your own clinic now? that's great. How is Metro?"

Genevieve

"I'm good. Yes." I answer him. "Metro is good. He took a break from building towers to come out here with me." I tell him.

I don't tell him about how some of the people of the Ascendant look at me like I will save them all. I don't tell him about the grenade. I don't tell him how Zero wanted to kill Ollie.

Rich

"That's good. He's a good man." Rinso says with a smile. "Hey, I hear Nezzy is running things now that Branigans is dead. How, uh, how is that working out?"

Genevieve

I actually giggle. "She wanted me and Kiddo on her council." It sounds even more ridiculous than it feels in my head. I take a breath and compose myself. "It's ok- there's some in-fighting between council members, and I can't help feeling like there's something going on beneath the surface here..."

"I thought I'd found all Bran's moles." I tell him. "Jemma died because I hadn't." It's not strictly my fault, but since when has that ever stopped me?

Rich

Rinso quirks a frown at your admission, "I doubt that. And the way Zero tells it, she died saving Kiddo. And Amazon said she got a Candy funeral. I don't know if you knew Jemma that well in the few times you met her, but she wouldn't have wanted to go any other way."

He pauses, then cocks his head to ask, "Do you need any help finding Bran's moles? What can I do?"

Genevieve

My mouth presses into a thin smile. Jemma saw her daughter reunited with Kiddo and Hump, and I'm glad for any part I played in helping that, however small.

"I think I got them all." I tell him. "Though if there's any left they've been very quiet over the last few weeks."

A thought occurs to me. "You could help around the infirmary? We're getting more and more patients every day and I'm short staffed."

Rich

He looks at you for a moment, making sure you're serious, then nods, "That... that sounds great, Stitch. You know I can clean, and anything I don't know, I'll learn. Can I... do you mind if I go catch up with Kiddo? I think she'd like that."

Genevieve

"No, I don't mind. I should check and see if Ollie is awake." I tell him, standing up.

I smile as I remember his lips on mine- so warm. I sigh.

Rich

"Thanks again, Stitch. For the healing, and the job." Rinso says before leaving.

You head on to check in on Ollie. He's awake, barely. Hump is singing softly to him. Zero's here, too. Zero is putting on a brave face, but you can see she's about worn out.

Genevieve

"You're welcome. I'm happy to do it." I tell him genuinely.

In the recovery ward- I look over to the next bed down, it's empty. I wheel it next to Ollie's bed. "Rest." I tell Zero. "Hell, we can wheel some more beds over here and you can all sleep. I'm sure you could use it." Especially Kiddo.

Rich

Zero stands stiffly, and ambles over, saying over her shoulder to you, "Thanks, doc. I feel like I been rode hard, an put up wet." She climbs into the bed, and rolls over, her back to you all, quickly drifting off.

Hump sees you, gives a grin between verses. He's singing something you recognize, almost like a lullaby. What is it?

Genevieve

Hump is singing Moon, So Round and Yellow, which is funny because there's two moons here. It goes like this:

Moon, so round and yellow,
Looking from on high,
How I love to see you
Shining in the sky.

Oft and oft I wonder,
When I see you there,
How they get to light you,
Hanging in the air;

Where you go at morning,
When the night is past,
And the sun comes peeping
O'er the hills at last.

Sometimes I will watch you
Slyly overhead,
When you think I'm sleeping
Snugly in my bed.

Rich

I assume you check Ollie's sutures, and his vitals. He's still in rough shape, it's so recent. At one point, he takes your hand, with some grip, and waits for you to meet his eyes. He says, "Thank ya, darlin. I owe ya my life. Anythin' ya need, ya jus ask." He manages a smile, something he couldn't do with the tube in his throat.

Genevieve

I do check the sutures and vitals. It's too soon to check for infection, but I check anyway.

I smile warmly at him. "You are very welcome. I wouldn't be here today without Kiddo, so I'd say we're square." I wink at him. It's the truth. "How about you get some rest and heal up for me?"

Rich

Ollie nods, and Hump stands up to hug you. You hang out there for a while, but eventually, you move on, right?

Do you head out to do rounds? Or do you head back to your room for some sleep?

Genevieve

I go to do rounds- I had told Janco to take it easy after the surgery.

Rich

You run into Janco. She's checking on little Pringles, the girl with that weird little cough. She's frakkin adorable and pitiful at the same time. And no, Janco didn't take it easy. She smirks when you come in, like she caught you when you caught her.

Pringles is coming along well. You had to cook up a medicine for the croup, poor girl was about to hack a lung. Now, you could probably let her check out of the infirmary, but she lives in the barrens, so you, well, you haven't yet, have you?

Janco follows you out, "Listen, Stitch. If you're going to stay up, maybe you could work on something less stressful? Our files need to be updated. I'm worried you're pushing yourself too hard, you know?"

Genevieve

"I know. I just had to sort out Rinso so Kiddo could kick his ass." I laugh a little week laugh. "Why would I work on files when I can see patients?" I give her a goofy grin.

No, i haven't sent her home yet. We've got a few patients who could go home, but I've kept them- mostly kids without parents. The older ones who are fit get a crash course in nursing- cleaning up and such.

Rich

Janco gives you a frustrated glare, "Listen, Stitch. As your doctor, I'm telling you to go to your office and do our crappy paperwork. Because you keep better notes and I hate doing them." She tries to hold her baleful gaze, but then it breaks into a matching grin.

She gently punches your arm, "Never took out a lung before. That was pretty badass!"

Genevieve

I laugh a loud belly laugh. "Oh, well when you put it like that, now I really want to do it!"

Maybe I can train Rinso to do the notes...

"He would have died without you." I tell her. "You are one hell of a doctor."

Rich

That really touches Janco. You see it, in her eyes, the way he nostrils flare, her mouth opens a little. She snaps out of it in a moment, and says, "Thanks, Stitch. You know, I thought Lever was an amazing teacher. I mean, he still is. It's just... I've never imagined I could do the things we do here. It's really likea kind of magic."

She pauses, like she's considering if she should stop there. But she says, "So... about magic. What, uh. What did you actually do to Rinso?"

Genevieve

Oh, shit. Lever. I wonder if he's still alive. I was supposed to go back to Trench...

"It's not magic, but it's not strictly science, as far as I can tell." I tell her. "If I can lay my hands one someone, open myself up to them, I can fix their hurt in their brain, and the body does the rest. It can go south real easy, though, and it opens up the deepest darkest parts of them, and me. Parts I generally like to keep in the past... But for some people, I'll do it."

A hint of a smile comes to my lips as I remember that kiss. No, I stop myself. It was just a stupid crush and he's going to have a baby with Kiddo. I wipe that smile right off my face.

Rich

"You... opened yourself up to Rinso? How did, uh how did that go?" Janco asks curiously.

Genevieve

"Pretty well, actually. I was expecting to hear his secrets, but he showed me how to fix one of mine." I tell her, still a little amazed at what we experienced.

I... I don't know how I'd even do it. I can't have children. Metro can't, either. After the baby... I didn't let myself think about what I'd lost. What I could never have.

I don't know if I'll ever be 'fixed' from what Ethan did. I don't really care. I'm happy, now- I take care of folk and I'm good at it. I have Metro and Kiddo and Kiddo and my own sort of cobbled together family. Maybe for the first time in my entire life, I feel like I am enough, just as I am.

Rich

You realize that Janco's walked with you on a circle of the infirmary and somehow cleverly led you back to your office. You'e right outside the door, which she opens for you, "Yeah? What did he show you a fix for?"

Genevieve

I sigh and shake my head, but I'm smiling. "I had some rough times. Before." I tell her. "I lost a baby." Janco seems to just pull the truth right out of me. Hell, she's even getting me to do paperwork. That woman has skills.

Rich

Janco follows you in, maybe she's making sure you get behind the desk and start the work. But she sits down by you, makes a sympathetic noise, puts a hand on yours, "Oh Stitch, that's awful. I'm so sorry. You'd be a great mother. Hell, I feel like you've adopted some of our younger patients." She smirks, drops her voice into a conspiratorial tone, "They talk about you when you're not around. It's adorable."

Genevieve

Oh that sly little fox! I was going to sneak out and check on more patients...

"Thanks. It's all in the past." The long dead past. I smile at her comment about the kids. I wish I could take better care of them, but I just don't have enough food or jingle to feed them all. I'm not surprised they talk about me, though that makes me wonder what else they've seen. What else they talk about...

I plop my ass down at the desk and start digging through paperwork. Janco's lucky she's such a damn fine doctor- I don't do paperwork for just anyone!

Rich

Janco hangs around for a few minutes, just making small talk, chatting about the files, helping you get details. Then Weetabix sticks her head in and asks Janco for some help with a chart. She excuses herself, and then probably gets caught up with work, leaving you alone with your papers.

The comm at your desk beeps, and a text message comes through:

Hello, pretty lady. I heard you pulled a man's lung out of his body, and he didn't die. Are you some kind of sorceror? When are you coming home? I have some interesting news you want to hear. -M

Genevieve

I grin and type back:

Yes, I'm a sorcerer- want to see my pointy hat and cloak? Just finishing paperwork- somehow Janco made me do it. I'll be done in a half hour, unless you want to come get me? -S

Rich

A few moments later, this response comes back:
I think you are a very attractive witch. I disbelieve your powers, you should have a big mole, a large nose, green skin, and a distinctive cackle. I've researched this in the archives extensively in my copious spare time. You are doing it wrong. Jance has magic powers, if she gets you to do paperwork. I can wait half an hour. Any longer and I will come in with a stun gun and drag you away. -M

Genevieve

I type out:

Thank you? That was a very mixed compliment. Witches can look however they want- they have *magic*. I don't disagree about Janco. If you keep sending me messages, it's going to take longer than a half hour.

Rich

There are no more messages.

Do you actually leave in half an hour, Stitch?

Genevieve

I'm a little disappointed, but I push on through the paperwork. God- so. much. paperwork. My eyes glaze over a bit.

I'm stacking everything up after 33 minutes.

Rich

When you come out of the office, Metro is standing right outside, smirking. He says, "You know, now that I've gotten the comm systems operational, I have some extra time on my hands. If you insist on keeping paper files, I could be convinced to offer my assistance."

He turns and starts walking out of the infirmary, assuming you'll follow.

Genevieve

I perk an eyebrow up. "I wonder what it'd take to convince you?" I muse to myself...

Of course I follow- enjoying the view.

Rich

Metro looks back from time to time, smirking at you. He replies as you pass out of the infirmary and near your room, "I have a small list of demands. Or, if you'd rather, requirements."

He opens the door for you, which means he holds the button down so you can enter first. Inside, there's a candlelit dinner for two, a pair of salads and a bottle of wine, some homegrown stuff from a guy down in the barrens that is pretty damn good.

Genevieve

"Oh, certainly." I reply.

My mouth hangs open. I don't know what to say... "Metro... this is... wonderful."

Rich

He enters behind you, letting the door close, moving right up behind you, putting his hands around your waist and kissing your neck, "Call it an incentive to come home on time."

Metro lets go of you, then moves to pull a chair out for you, pushes it in when you sit, and pours you a glass of wine. He sits across from you and lets you dig in. He takes a few bites, too. As you enjoy the salad, all of which is fresh from the garden with a light vinaigrette that enhances instead of masks the food, Metro asks you about your day, the surgery, and Rinso.

Genevieve

"Where do I start?" I muse over bites. "The surgery went well- Ollie even woke up and was talking. I couldn't have done it without Janco- I think we were in there for four or five hours."

I take a sip of wine. "Rinso..." I hesitate, though I'm not sure why. "You know that thing I do? Fixing people with my brain? He came in all beat to hell- I would have had to re-break his ankle. So we went with option b... and when my brain came back to the exam room we were kissing." I feel sheepish.

Rich

Metro smirks at that. "Hrm, too bad I can't get beat up, eh? Would you nurse me back to health with your magic lips?" He chuckles, and it's a genuine laugh of mirth, he doesn't have a single circuit of jealousy. "Is that normal?"

Genevieve

I smile, then blush at his comment. "Of course I would! How's your oil? Need a top up?" I smirk right back at him.

"No, it's never happened before." I explain. "It... I fixed pretty much everything. And then... he told me I could heal the damage Ethan did. If I was ready... to bring a life into this world." I stumble over the words. It was such a beautiful moment, but now it doesn't feel quite real. Somehow, in that moment, it seemed possible- now... not so much.

Rich

Metro chuckles at your retort, but you revelation about healing yourself draws him out of flirting. He leans forward, intently looking at you, trying to read your expression (and heart rate, breathing, EEG and a hundred other factors, most likely). "That's... amazing. Is that something you want, Stitch?"

Genevieve

"I don't know." I reply honestly. "I thought it wasn't an option, so I never thought about it." Ok, that was sort of a lie- of course I thought about it. I thought about what my little girl would have grown up to be like, what I would have named her... But only in the darkest of times did I let myself think those thoughts. And it was just daydreaming, right? And I never thought about trying to have another baby- it wouldn't be my little girl.

"I don't really know." I repeat myself. "No... I'm too old, this place is too harsh. I'd be away from the infirmary for too long..." The reasons against stack high against the reason for.

Rich

Metro listens intently, his expression serious. He reaches out to put a hand over yours, "I fully support any decision you make, Stitch. But please, don't insult me by saying you're too old. We both know your age is not prohibitive. You also know there is a small army of women, and me, who would help you with the baby. And Janco is a good doctor, she can fill in relatively well when you're unavailable."

He smiles then, having soundly defeated your lame excuses, "If you choose not to have a baby, that is quite alright. But make sure it is for the right reasons, that's all I ask."

Genevieve

"It doesn't matter." I retort. "It's not possible. And whose baby would I have, anyway? Not yours. And yours would be the only one I'd want to have. If I could. Which I can't." God- did I just say I'd have his baby? How the hell did we get into this conversation?

I swallow my salad and stare down at my plate, my eyes misting up a bit. Why do I feel so small sometimes? Every time I think I'm finally past Ethan, it all gets dragged up again.

Rich

"Stitch, it does matter," Metro says gently. "You can have our baby. Don't think that just because I wouldn't be donating genetic material that I wouldn't be part of the family." He pauses, realizing this is a touchy subject for you.

"Why not do this? Work on this healing option, see if it is even valid. Run some tests." He reasons it with you, like a scientist, giving you a lifeline away from the strong emotions. "Once you've confirmed there is or is not a... a cure. Then, you can worry about what to do next. And Stitch, I'm with you every step of the way."

Genevieve

"Yeah." I say to the suggestion of tests. My mind is a million miles away, though. "Lets talk about something else. Where did you get this food?"

I'm not fooling either of us- I'm sure we'll talk about it again. But normally he doesn't push me too much- he doesn't have to, he's so damn efficient at it.

Rich

Metro switches subjects without batting an eye, "The Garden. I swapped some tech services with Beneful for them. I traded for the ingredients for the dressing with Barilla. It's a good mix, right? I think it tastes quite good. Although, with the population boom here, I'm considering that I should stop eating for pleasure. It is rather selfish."

Genevieve

"Metro, with all you've done for me, for this ship- hell, for this damn planet- I'd say you can eat a few meals without feeling selfish." I tell him. "It is a good mix. Delicious."

Rich

That gets Metro to smirk, and take a bite that he slowly chews. He washes it down with the wine and says, "Another reason I love you. You appreciate my efforts, even if they're programmed into me." He raises a glass.

After the salad, he brings out a soup he was keeping warm on the hot pot. It is a delicious tomato, basil and Parmesan soup that has a nice yellow color. He even has a couple slices of bread, still warm, made fresh. "I cannot claim the bread. That was Barilla. The soup is mine, though."

He isn't eating the soup, so he plays with a few bites of salad, sipping on the wine. You can tell he's waiting for you to have some of the soup, that he has something he wants to say.

When the light conversation dies down, Metro says, "I wanted you to be the first to know that I've discovered the garden thief. I set up a couple eyes focused on the few dead zones in Beneful's cams and spotted her. I've also triangulated her arrival and exit, checked against the schematics and I've narrowed down her likely hiding spots to three different areas." He fixes your gaze, "It's Sapphire, Stitch. She's still here."

Genevieve

I raise my glass with him.

The soup smells delicious- I'm sure it's written all over my face. I taste it and it does not disappoint. "Oh my god." I say. "This is amazing!"

"Oh." is all I can say to him. Saff? Why hasn't she come to see me? "We should try to find her before Nezzy does." I tell him.

Rich

Metro nods, "Agreed. I knew you'd say that. Which is why I waited until you'd eaten." He smirks at his own cleverness and how well he knows you. "I made a small torte. I assume you won't want that until after, hmn?" Yes, he's being mean and tempting you.

"It's purple plum," he adds.

Genevieve

"Oh, that's just low..." I say, not moving from my seat. He's got me pegged... plus Saff is no shrinking violet- she's been on her own sneaking around for weeks, what's another half hour? Only now I feel bad...

The smile slides off my face. Here I am- eating delicious food and she's been having to scrounge and steal. Why didn't she say anything? I would have helped her! I sigh, my eyes full of guilt for sitting here eating instead of running to find her.

Rich

Metro leans forward, getting your attention, "I will make her and her little brother tortes when we find them, ok? Eat the food and rest. You've had a long day. I want you to take a nap, and then we'll go looking."

Genevieve

I nod. "Ok. Thank you." I tell him.

Rich

Stitch,

The meal ends, and soon enough, you lay down for a nap. Go here.