The Case of the Bored Doctor

[Deathy]

... | SIMON WHAT | ...

... In a coat of gold or a coat of red, a lion still has claws, And mine are long and sharp, my lord, as long and sharp as yours....

Click, the nib of the pen disappeared, click, the nib of the pen re-appeared, ready and willing to write on any surface, as long as it wasn’t vertical. Nothing to write, click, the nip hid once more. The sound echoed through the silent, empty, waiting room. The week old magazines lay unopened and unread on their small unobtrusive tables, the cheap Lego lay strew, where the last coughing, runny nosed child had left it and the chairs slowly released the imprint of the parents into the empty silence.

At the front desk Simon sighed deeply and clicked his pen again, he was bored and fidgety out of his mind, that was probably the Beast’s fault. That made him frown, since the change he’d become restless and unable to stay in one place for long. Except when I’m hungry, then I can wait for an eternity , waiting by the microwave had never been easier. He’d read every magazine in the waiting room, he’d build a replica of the Buckingham Palace before the latest victim of flu ad over protective parents had destroyed it in favour of a more abstract architectural style. He’d even done all his paper work for the last three patients.

Bored , growled the monster in the back of his mind, I know your bored he thought back, so am I, so stop whingeing. The only response that he got was a long rumbling growl. He still wasn’t sure if the voice was a manifestation of his Issue, or the first sign of madness, which also might explain his Issue. Either way he wasn’t going to give in and ask, well anyone.

He spun on his chair and clicked the pen again, the sound spreading out like ripples in a still pound.

... But now the rains weep o'er his hall, with no one there to hear....

Lyrics from 'The rain of Castamere' by George R.R. Martin

[RacingBelle]

Ashleigh

~Don't stand up, they'll shoot down the first one who tries.
Try to change the world, they'll think you're out of your mind.~

Before reaching the town, I shifted. Bones shrank and twisted back into place and my grey coat disappeared. I closed my eyes, clenching my teeth as my right leg took on more weight than it had. Blood still flowed freely down my leg. I pressed my hand to the wound at an attempt to staunch the blood for the first time, air hissing through my teeth as the pain increased tenfold. Get on with it Ash.

I glanced back at Jisa, making sure I didn't lose her, before continuing on. Avoiding the streets, figuring that two people with bullet wounds would attract a lot more attention than needed--or wanted. The huge building of the library appeared and I knew we were close. Soon, we reached our destination, even though I was the only one who truly knew where we were going. I hadn't said a word to Jisa, mostly because I had been shifted for most of the way and unable to speak and the fact that I didn't know what to say and it wouldn't be a good time to say what really needed to be said anyway.

I glanced at the sign to make sure this was where I wanted to go. Dr. What's Clinic. Yup, this was it. It was time to give my old friend Simon a visit. I hesitated at the door for a moment, remembering that I hated doctors and their needles, but entered the clinic quickly.

"Long time no see, Dr. What," I struggled to keep the weariness out of my voice. I smiled at him, though it was more of a grimace. I knew I was a sight---we were a sight. Blood stained my clothes, as well as my face, and I realized that my lip was swollen still bled slightly from where I bit it earlier. I knew Jisa looked much the same. In my case, fighting a horse had it's advantages but it certainly was messy once back into human form. "Oh, and this is Jisa. Perhaps you want to get us out of this waiting room before you have some human walk through the door?"

~Revolutions start when someone crosses the line.~

(Inspired by Jisa! Lyrics from Superchick's Cross The Line.)

[{J I S A}]

I’M STUCK HERE IN THE MIDDLE
AT WAR WITH GOOD AND EVIL

Following a grey horse through town with the life force leaking out of her through a bullet wound wasn't exactly what Jisa had foreseen for her day when she'd woken up that morning. In fact, surprisingly, the image had never crossed her mind. Ash was in quite a bit of pain herself, but Jisa couldn't even think to worry over herself, let alone anyone else. She didn't have the breath to say anything anyway. This little mystery trek was taking it's toll, and it took all Jisa had not too lean against a back alley wall and let fate run its course. Because that would be melodramatic and all. Definitely not in the cards. Familiar landmarks past until they reached a relatively new building. New enough that Jisa didn't know it.

A clinic. That's where Ash was taking them. Jisa didn't knock doctors or anything but they bore shocking resemblance to scientists with their white coats and sterilized white rooms. Fear like nothing she'd felt before rose up in her, trying to stall her already weakening heart. She wanted to throw up, but that would likely hurt her shoulder and so she pushed the feeling away from her. Her gait had slowed in response to her hesitation. It was a win that she was moving forward at all, considering. Strangely, Jisa trusted Ash, though Ash's trust had probably been misplaced in her. That's what kept her from turning tail and resigning to her own death.

All of her senses screamed for her to run as the door to the clinic opened and Jisa got a whiff of antiseptic. Her stomach churned and she had to breathe through her mouth to stop the bile from rising in her throat. The edges of her already spacey vision were turning white with terror. There was one thing that clinic's were good for that Jisa could really use at the moment. A sedative would be nice, despite the lack of control provided by ingesting the stuff. At least she wouldn't be able to feel anymore. If only for a little while.

At Ash's announcement of their arrival, Jisa managed to look up to see the doctor, scrounging up the energy to give him a brittle smile.

"Morning doc," she greeted. "Do you have painkillers, by any chance?"

DON’T WANNA SPEND MY TIME AFRAID OF DYING
I WANT LOVE IF LOVE WANTS ME

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[Deathy]

... | SIMON WHAT | ...

... In a coat of gold or a coat of red, a lion still has claws, And mine are long and sharp, my lord, as long and sharp as yours....

The chair swung back to face the entrance and Simon dropped his pen onto the desk, fingers numb with shock. Two young women stood in the door way, dripping dirt and blood onto the new tiles. “Is that a bullet wound?” Simon crocked out, still staring at the women, still sitting, frozen in his chair, hand still hanging in the air, limp fingers holding a pen that wasn’t there.

"Long time no see, Dr. What," Simon blinked, second shock of the day, it was the crazy kid from the library, and later the lake. “err, what”

Gee, aren’t you calm under pressure. Hmmm, blood. Simon could hear a tongue sliding along teeth in his head. The beast was one creepy creature Simon had decided long ago.

"Oh, and this is Jisa. Perhaps you want to get us out of this waiting room before you have some human walk through the door?"

Simon stared at her a second longer, and then his brain kicked back in. people, people bleeding on his floor, in his clinic. “err, yes, that’s a good idea”, he stood up quickly, sending the chair rolling back, and bouncing off the far wall. He moved around the desk, and motioning the pair too follow, he opened the door to the closest examination room.

"Morning doc," the woman, Jisa? Said, as she bleed to death in his clinic, "Do you have painkillers, by any chance?"

sensible question I suppose

“yes morning, drugs, yes, in here, blankets too”, He held the door opened and motioned his hand to encourage them to enter.

So glad I got tiles instead of carpets.
Stop bleeding. Stop shock. The list of what to do next began to spin off in his head. He’d expected to do surgical procedures, he’d expected to treat broken bones, colds. But bullet wounds?

... But now the rains weep o'er his hall, with no one there to hear....

Lyrics from 'The rain of Castamere' by George R.R. Martin

[RacingBelle]

Ashleigh

~Don't stand up, they'll shoot down the first one who tries.
Try to change the world, they'll think you're out of your mind.~

Jisa, after much hesitation, had followed me into the clinic. At any other time I would have wondered why seemingly fearless Jisa was so hesitant at entering a clinic but my brain was beginning to feel hazy and my head, well, lightheaded.

I heard the pen drop, Simon staring with his hand still holding a pen that was not there. With a little effort on my part, I ignored Simon's question, feeling that the answer was right in front of his face. If I had the strength I would have shook him. Or slapped him. In general, I just would have hurt the mouse. I mean man. Nope, I meant mouse. I remembered now why I had avoided places where he might be since the our second meeting at Quicksilver. Simon just generally annoyed me and he seemed to realize who I am.

“err, yes, that’s a good idea.” Simon lead the way to an examination room. I wrinkled my nose, my upper lip turning up in this strange face that would have made more sense if I was shifted. I was just noticing the smells of antiseptic and blood. The smell that had been strong as just a normal human was doubly so as a shifter. Obviously, I hadn't been in a doctor's office since I shifted.

"Morning doc," Jisa greeted, the first I had heard her speak since the park, "Do you have painkillers, by any chance?"

Painkillers. Yes, those would be nice. I thought. Surprisingly, this was the first time I had to visit the doctor for anything more than a bad case a flu. Geesh, that escalated quickly. From sniffles and coughing to bullet wounds.

“Yes morning, drugs, yes, in here, blankets too”, Simon said, still seeming baffled. Maybe it was a mistake going here, I thought, perhaps he isn't as good of a doctor as he claimed to be. But then again where else could you have gone? These wounds aren't something you can tend to by yourselves.

I looked at Jisa who still seemed scared. Petrified for that matter. Surely she wasn't terrified of doctors? That would be very...strange considering what she could be and who she was.

I leaned against a wall eyes shut tight against the light of the room, too stubborn to sit before Jisa made a move to. After all she's the one who had lost more blood. At least I thought so. I fought back nausea as my head continued to spin and little white dots began to dance before my closed eyes. Was it cold in here? I was beginning to feel a chill. I wanted to shake myself, but knew that would just hurt too much. My imagination was very vivid, it had to be.

~Revolutions start when someone crosses the line.~

(Inspired by Jisa! Lyrics from Superchick's Cross The Line.)

[{J I S A}]

I’M STUCK HERE IN THE MIDDLE
AT WAR WITH GOOD AND EVIL

The good doctor dropped his pen, staring at both Jisa and Ash like they'd grown two heads. Is that a bullet wound? If she wasn't running out of blood to bleed on herself and everywhere else she might attempt to console the poor guy. Here they were, just strolling into his quiet clinic fresh out of battle and interrupting his likely mundane life. Jisa quirked an eyebrow in his direction, glancing briefly at Ash as if asking if this guy could handle the mess that they were. If he fainted, Jisa would be tempted to join him or just help herself to the wonderful drugs that were no doubt stored somewhere close. He uttered two syllables and Jisa tried not to let her expression show her incredulity. For a moment more, he stared at them and Jisa wondered at the merit of Ash's plan.

Suddenly, he kicked into action, his chair bouncing back against the wall as he led them into a back room. Jisa knew that she was white knuckling it, and her face had probably paled. Throw her a gun or deadly situations and fine, she'd deal with it. But a little place that was meant for little kids to get vaccinations and stickers and she was down and out. At the mention of drugs, Jisa perked up a little, but she still lagged behind the group. They were going further into the lion's den, though she glanced at the doctor an realized she might be giving him a little too much credit.

Ash leaned against the wall and shut her eyes and Jisa eyed the chair in the room. Maybe near death was a little too much to still be proud but if she sat down, Jisa feared she wouldn't get back up. Also, standing was a much better way to ensure that she could get out of here quickly if she became too overwhelmed by the whole medical thing. Who knew she'd develop a phobia of doctors? She was fighting the urge to make a comment about Dr. Who based on the doctor's name, but the threshold was getting a little thin.

"I'm going to sit down now," she decided aloud, though she wasn't sure why. "But, Ash is the one with the leg wound," she added and then shook her head for clarity.

Now she couldn't keep her thoughts to herself. Brilliant.

DON’T WANNA SPEND MY TIME AFRAID OF DYING
I WANT LOVE IF LOVE WANTS ME

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[Deathy]

... | SIMON WHAT | ...

... In a coat of gold or a coat of red, a lion still has claws, And mine are long and sharp, my lord, as long and sharp as yours....

“Err no, don’t sit. You with the bullet wound get up on the bed” Simon pointed from where he was still propping the door open with an absent hand, “that way if you pass out we won’t have to pick you off the floor.”

The beast in his head could smell the pain and blood of the two women. In his mind it almost overwhelmed the orderly, pristine scent of the various forms of bleach and hospital grade cleaner that Simon found so comforting. It made him want to scream and run. It felt like his ordered territory was being assaulted by chaos and madness.

Moving into the room, the door swinging itself shut behind him, Simon headed for one of the cupboards at the far end of the room, should be blankets somewhere, there, he would have smiled if he hadn’t been so nervous. Reaching up, tilting onto his toes, he grabbed two fluffy shock blankets from the top self, and two roles of bandage pads from the one below it.

Turning he took a nervous smile out for test drive. The poor thing crashed and burned, “Ok, I’m going to presume that you haven’t suffered any spinal damage from the bullet as you managed to limp here so I won’t worry about bracing your neck”

He chucked a blanket at each of them and then moved toward Jisa, via a draw where he grabbed himself a pair of disposable gloves that where a doctors best friend. No way was he touching the blood of anything that Ash brought anywhere near him. He had more than enough issues as it was. “Those are for the shock you are supposed to be in”, he offered, feeling rather stupid offering fluffy blue blankets to what looked like hardened warriors returned from battle.

“Um, Ash, you should pull up the other chair, try to take the persure off your leg, put it above your heart? will help with the whole leaking thing. Err, here use this to blot it” He threw the first pad in her general direction,” try not to get too much dirt on it”

Tucking the pads under his arm Simon pulled the gloves on, after an embarrassing struggle, smiling in a way that was intended to comfort, but more looked like he was going to be sick. Every other doctor he knew was able to just pull the stupid plastic gloves on with fast efficient snaps, regardless of how much their hands were shaking. Simon spent most of his time with his thumb in the index finger space.

Jisa nervousness and distrust were breaching the walls of even Simon obliviousness, “Do you know if the bullet out the other side?

He was going to need to stop blood flow, clean the wounds, cut fabric away from wounds first, the list of what to was almost overwhelming. Make sure they don’t go into shock and die, administer drugs. Oh yeah, and actually find out what is wrong beyond the obvious.

“err, do you think you guys could give me the readers digest version of your injures, it will go quicker that way. Get you those drugs sooner?” He tried the smile again, smiles were always worth trying again.

... But now the rains weep o'er his hall, with no one there to hear....

Lyrics from 'The rain of Castamere' by George R.R. Martin

[RacingBelle]

Ashleigh

~Don't stand up, they'll shoot down the first one who tries.
Try to change the world, they'll think you're out of your mind.~

My nose again twitched at the smell of the room and I could feel the dried blood on my face. Insane lady's blood. The churning feeling in my stomach seemed to strengthen and try to overcome my will to ignore it. Dizziness, nausea's ally weakened my defenses. I gasped as my hand involuntarily tightened on my leg in my struggle to push aside the pair. I loosened my hold, my jaw clamped tight. Ashleigh, you haven't stopped hurting yourself since this morning. Why change things now? I huffed, opening my eyes at Jisa's voice.

"I'm going to sit down now," Jisa said, though I wasn't sure why. "But, Ash is the one with the leg wound," she added and then shook her head. That was rather...strange.

Simon quickly interrupted, “Err no, don’t sit. You with the bullet wound get up on the bed”

"Can you get any more specific Doctor Mouse?" I asked, innocently.

However, Simon just absently pointed at the bed from where he was still propping the door open and continued with his sentence, “that way if you pass out we won’t have to pick you off the floor.”

Well, that made sense at least. I didn't think I could help with picking Jisa off the floor if she did pass out. I'd probably end up joining Jisa on the floor trying to help get her off the floor. I shook my head trying to focus on the present.

As the door swung shut behind him, I now battled down a sense of panic. No escape, no escape...blood...predators... Run!"No," I growled to myself. Horse, I am a human right now. Not a horse. You don't tell me what to do. I'm safe, despite what you seem to think. I shook my head again, trying to focus. Ashleigh, you could be certifiably insane for talking to yourself like you do.

Returning to the present and leaving my mind, I watched as Simon turned holding two fluffy, blue blankets and two bandage pads. His smile failed as mine had earlier. The panic start creeping back again.

“Ok, I’m going to presume that you haven’t suffered any spinal damage from the bullet as you managed to limp here so I won’t worry about bracing your neck.” Simon saw to Jisa first. Seems like the doctor knew what he was doing, at least a little bit. Or maybe he was avoiding me as long as possible. It wasn't like we got along or anything like that. My mind flashed back to that day in the library where I threatened to hit him. Yeah...those were the good times.

He threw a blanket at me and I reached out and caught it with my left hand before it could hit me in the face. “Those are for the shock you are supposed to be in,” was the explanation he gave. I hung onto it, not exactly able to do much else with it considering I only had one hand to work with. The other I tried to ignore, feeling my life force seeping through the cracks of my fingers. My attention was quickly snapped back to Simon as he said my nickname.

“Um, Ash, you should pull up the other chair, try to take the pressure off your leg, put it above your heart? will help with the whole leaking thing. Err, here use this to blot it” Simon instructed, throwing a pad in my direction and I had to act quickly.Tossing the blanket at one of the chairs, I leaned forward to catch the pad. ” try not to get too much dirt on it.”

Simon then struggled to put on rubber gloves and I raised an eyebrow. How long had he been a doctor again? Oh yeah, he didn't say.

I glared at him and muttered, "Who told you could call me Ash? It certainly wasn't me," before I limped over to one of the chairs, where the fluffy blanket had landed. I moved the blanket into the second chair and held onto the pad. Knowing there was no way I could elevate the wound above my heart without laying down, I decided pressure was still the best way to deal with it.

I removed my red-stained hand, wiping it on the other side of my jeans. It wasn't like I was going to be wearing them again after this. I looked at the graze for the first time. It was the with of my hand, the edges hugging my thigh. It made sense why it did that, considering that the bullet went through me while I was a horse. I couldn't see how deep it was, just the bright red blood flooding out. Closing my eyes for a moment, so I could snap myself out of staring at it, I used my now relatively clean right hand to press the pad to it. I refused to utter a word of pain, though my face, I was sure, had paled.

Simon was now focusing on Jisa, asking her if the bullet had went out the other side or if it was still in there. I hoped that it wasn't inside her and it was somewhere in the park, not causing anymore damage than it already had.

"I'm sorry, Jisa," I said, addressing her for the first time. I didn't go into specific things of what I was sorry for. And I wasn't sure why I had chosen to say that now. It just sort of happened. Chin on my chest, I stared down at my hand on top of the pad. My whole leg throbbed.

“err, do you think you guys could give me the readers digest version of your injures, it will go quicker that way. Get you those drugs sooner?” Oh god, he still sounded unsure and nervous. What the hell had I gotten us into? Jisa was never going to trust me again, if she trusted me at all to begin with.

"Just a graze. And a re-twisted ankle, but that's nothing," I replied. I couldn't hide the strain in my voice this time. My left hand curled into a fist while my right pressed down harder on the pad, making me hiss. How could I have been so stupid? Just how? What was it about Jane that always made me act so foolishly? I retreated into my mind again blocking myself off from Jisa and Simon, not daring to look at either of them for the fear of them seeing what I was thinking.

Darwinism said the weak die while the strong lived on.I was thinking I was the former and should have died. Would have died by Jane's hand if not for Jisa.

~Revolutions start when someone crosses the line.~

(Inspired by Jisa! Lyrics from Superchick's Cross The Line.)

[{J I S A}]

I’M STUCK HERE IN THE MIDDLE
AT WAR WITH GOOD AND EVIL

Jisa looked in the vague direction of the doctor as he warned against her sitting in the chair. At least he shared her subconscious views on that idea. She almost gave him a who, me? look when he addressed who she assumed was her as ‘you with the bullet wound’, but quickly decided that her best bet at time saving was to just do as he said and follow the assumption regardless. The doctor had amazing reasoning for her sitting on the bed rather than the chair, after all. No one wanted to peel anyone from the bottom of a clinic, especially a drained shifter that quit enjoyed being self sufficient and having personal space.

Though outwardly he seemed scattered enough, Dr. What had an air of inner proficiency and that put Jisa at rest just about as much as it could. Someone who was so thrown by this couldn’t possibly have ulterior, unsavory motive, could they? And by the way Ash referred to him, not quite fondly, as Doctor Mouse, it was obvious that this wasn’t the first time she had encountered him and his personality. She half felt bad that she and Ash were invading his clean, quiet little space.

Realizing that she was still standing absently in the room, she sat down on the bed and blinked to clear her vision. The door swung shut and her heart jumped with the sound. She registered the appearance of the doctor with fuzzy indifference. Jisa thought that maybe the numbness in her hands and feet wasn’t just due to blood loss anymore, though she was vaguely sure that shock was beginning to set in. The fear that she was trying so hard to bury and forget was gaining ground with every bloodletting moment too. Ash growled a single syllable under her breath, and as strange as the sound was coming from a prey animal, the word itself was a little more than weird on its own.

Dr. What smiled- or, well, attempted to do so before he went on with some harmless doctor speak. There were no conspiracies going on behind those tones of speech, just in case anyone was wondering. With catlike reflexes thankfully still intact, she caught the blanket and internally chuffed in surprise. The real thing would have just taken up necessary energy. The feel of the softness on her skin grounded her slightly, just enough for her head to reattach to her battered body. That almost made the receding shock regrettable. Jisa didn’t really want to be overdramatic, but she just wanted to tell the doctor to chop off her arm so it would hurt less. No one had ever said that she was particularly logical when in pain.

”Thanks,” she offered to soothe the awkwardness in the room provided by the humble young man. It wasn’t much, but she thought she should make an effort at least, considering what they’d just thrown at him without a semblance of warning.

It occurred to Jisa, then, that she’d always- and she meant always- dealt with her battle wounds on her own or that time at Stella’s house. She’d never done something as mundane as going to a doctor, and what kind of doctor was he if he knew about Supernaturals? There was something about him beyond the obvious delicate flower feel Jisa was getting from him, that warranted further attention. Unfortunately, now was not the place or time. Dr. What snapped orders- or, rather suggested to Ash some things to do while he tended to Jisa herself. At that time, she was just trying to trick her brain into not paying him any attention. She really didn’t want to know what she’d react like when he came over and actually had to do something about the bullet wound.

The snap of the gloves stretching against skin made Jisa flinch what she hoped was imperceptibly, but knew in her heart probably was not. Dying didn’t even have an effect on, very justified and not at all irrational, fears apparently. Another round of guilt hit Jisa as she saw the slight tremors in Dr. What’s hands, and she couldn’t believe how soft and caring she’d become in these few short months. Before Jisa, the one that was fearless and hateful and free would have probably internally mocked him for his shock, but this one just couldn’t stomach that. No one enjoyed dealing with battle wounds, it wasn’t pretty, never mind what movies and books suggested.

Still at a nice enough distance, the doctor seemed aware of her discomfort as he asked if she knew whether the bullet exited her body. That would certainly explain the amount of blood that had poured out of her even as she had tried to discourage it by holding a hand over the wound. However, it wouldn’t as much explain the random numbness in her hand and strange feeling in her shoulder, she sensed. Then what?

”Not entirely sure,” she answered, her voice flat. ”But I’m going to guess yes?”

She knew what bullets did, of course. Quite extensively in fact. Pointing a gun and shooting hadn’t sat right with her, even as hell bent of revenge as she had been in her earlier days as a hunter. Jisa’d found out exactly what bullets and guns did to the specifics, though she couldn’t recall it just now. The thought of nerve damage or arterial grazing barraged her mind, but nothing could make her more scared than the harmless doctor in the room or the awaiting confrontation with Ash looming like a guillotine on the horizon. So when Ash apologized, Jisa felt like her insides were rotting with guilt. Why? Would have been her answer, but tact still intact, she chose a different route, trying not to vomit with the sudden onslaught of stress and tension running back through her at the mention of apologies.

”Don’t worry about it,” she answered. ”You’re not supernatural if you haven’t screwed up fatally at least once.”

Jisa was doubly supernatural then, having damned herself as well as other people a thousand times over with her stupid, sarcastic humor and her arrogant overconfidence. Jisa tried not to dwell too much on that fact or make eye contact with Ash. She was so going to hell for everything she’d done and surely would do. She took a mental assessment of herself, noting the very minor bruises, muscle aches and abrasions she’d definitely be regretting the next day, but the screaming in her shoulder took precedence.

”I think it’s just the obvious,” said Jisa.

Ash hissed in pain and Jisa shot a questioning glance between both her and the doctor, wondering if the younger girl should get the first shot at care, seeing as Jisa wasn’t sure she was ready to stomach the close proximity just yet. You never know, she might just unceremoniously die of fright. It would undoubtedly make for a brilliant story to tell down in purgatory.

”You know, I think you should fix Ash’s leg first,” Jisa offered feebly, knowing just how much of a wuss she sounded. Then, knowing that she would most likely would be turned down at the offer, she went on. ”Actually, I’m going to pull seniority,” She registered the age of the doctor and amended her statement. ”And just ruthlessness in general and say that that’s probably what should happen." It wasn’t exactly the shining command she normally would have given, but it would have to do.

It may have been overly used and so cliche but Ash was young, in the sense that she hadn’t the scars and baggage Jisa had, and she would benefit more from living than Jisa thought she could. She was tired despite the witty comebacks and strength of personality she showed so often. She was broken and weary and maybe it was just time to give in.

DON’T WANNA SPEND MY TIME AFRAID OF DYING
I WANT LOVE IF LOVE WANTS ME

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[Deathy]

... | SIMON WHAT | ...

... In a coat of gold or a coat of red, a lion still has claws, And mine are long and sharp, my lord, as long and sharp as yours....

"Who told you could call me Ash? It certainly wasn't me,"

Don’t strangle the impudent teenager who has never been to medical school Simon, do not maim and/or poison her either. He recited the instruction to himself like a prayer, a promise. No not even having the proper equipment on hand to be able to achieve that goal. This does not count as a viable excuse.

I would say that it’s the pain that is making her annoying but she was like that last time we meet her too. The beast added, always happy to help Simon along his journey to madness.

Ignoring both the beast in his head and the irritating teenager outside of it Simon choose to focus on the quieter and by all indications more severely injured part of the duo. Behind him Simon could sense Ash moving toward the chair and putting pressure onto the injury as directed. At least she wasn’t going to totally ignore what he said, apparently hundreds of years of medical knowledge accumulated by humanity was worth paying attention to, if nothing else.

”Not entirely sure,” The voice was flat, lacking emotion, but under it, Simon could feel the fatigue and despair. ”But I’m going to guess, yes?”

That almost made Simon let forth a sigh of relief. If what she said was true than he would be able to tick digging around inside her internal organs to see whether the bullet needed to be removed or not off his to do list. Now all he needed was to asses if the bullet had bounced around on its way to the exit and what it had knocked into if it did, what was bleeding and killing this Jisa from the inside. Test for damage to nerves. Tendons. Oh this was going to be grand fun. Don’t even start on the chance of air born infection.

"I'm sorry, Jisa,"

Oh God if there wasn’t a layer of past and unspoken things loaded into that sentence, like the bullet into a gun, not trying to be insensitive or anything, Simon would take himself out the back and OD himself on the cleaning fluid.

”Don’t worry about it,” Came the answer, Simon was so glade he was not involved in that conversation. ”You’re not supernatural if you haven’t screwed up fatally at least once.”

“You’re screwed up, screwed since the moment you turn” Simon muttered under his breath, the bitterness as strong as if he was sucking on a lemon. He was still bubbling over with resentment and mild burning anger at his fate. He’d managed to bury it deep, deep down inside himself for the last few weeks, but it was still there, in the voice he heard and those subtle changes in his life that meant wanting to bite people when they annoyed him was becoming common place. And that was terrifying. Other people’s emotional issues here Simon, focus on those, or rather there medical condition, asking about their emotional condition would be intrusive and creepy.

They responded to his question about their medical states with a calmness’s and efficacy that Simon found disconcerting in bleeding people under the age of thirty.

Ok so graze, twisted ankle, and maybe pulled tendons by the way that Ash had been walking when she entered the building and a bullet wound to a limb, specifically upper arm. No biggie, you can do this, just a puncture and a twist. Nothing new.

“Ok, I’m gonna nee-“ he started before the delusional and bleeding woman interrupted him. Which was mildly annoying as this was his clinic, with his bandages, his drugs and his medical skills. Not some burger joint where the customer is always right.

”You know, I think you should fix Ash’s leg first,”

Simon raised a protesting finger, mouth opening in protest, “Bu-“, a useless attempt to continue his previous statement, which would have been full to the brim with sloshing medical jargon and antiseptic wash.

”Actually, I’m going to pull seniority,”
The beast quirked an eyebrow at that point, irritated at the obviously weak and injured women’s continued interruptions, what was that pip-squeak?

The voice that the woman was using didn’t exactly have the full force of what was obviously a normally commanding and strong personality behind it, and Simon was about to ruthlessly take advantage of that fact. But.

”And just ruthlessness in general and say that that’s probably what should happen."

The hospital was obviously making her nervous, slightly panicked even, her body langue and breathing alone indicated panic that was not entirely the fault of blood loss and shock. Which would be adding panic, sweating and weakness all of their own.
With that thought Simon swallowed the irritation and the growl that would have exressed it. Distressing the women further by forcing help onto her that she was obviously anxious about would only serve to worsen to her condition.

“ok, well while I do that you are going to have to keep pressure on the wound and try to and find the exit wound” he held up a conational finger, the one that promised a sub-cluse. “If you can’t do that I treat you now and Ash gets to self-medicate with back seat instruction”

He paused for a moment to give her time to answer, and then added apologetically, seeing how much pain she was in, “I can’t give you drugs just yet, sorry”

Right, washing out both their wounds was the next most important move, he’d stocked up on saline water the week before, four litres under the sink if he recalled right.

“Um, will being a shifter effect your wounds in anyway?” He threw the question over his shoulder for either to catch. Simon was now crouched with the cupboard, doors of the sink swung out either side of him like wings. “Just asking in case I should be compensating for anything”

Did he have an IV bags?, Simon’s face crinkled into a frown. If he got Jisa up to that point into her treatment he was going to need one, and where was he going to get six units of blood from anyway. They didn’t exactly sell them in packs of four down at the local grocery store. And ice or a bag of pea’s for Ash’s foot, the crinkles deepened further, surely he had an ice pack in the freezer, this was a clinic of god sake.

... But now the rains weep o'er his hall, with no one there to hear....

Lyrics from 'The rain of Castamere' by George R.R. Martin

[RacingBelle]

Ashleigh

~Don't stand up, they'll shoot down the first one who tries.
Try to change the world, they'll think you're out of your mind.~

At my hiss of pain, Jisa shot both me and Simon a questioning look. I shook my head, brow furrowing. What was she thinking? My question was answered only moments later as Jisa interrupted Simon.

”You know, I think you should fix Ash’s leg first,” Jisa said weakly. I glared at her.

“Bu-“ Simon protested.

"Jisa-", I started.

”Actually, I’m going to pull seniority,” Jisa's voice lacked the usual commanding tone it had. I think this made it easier for me to speak against her. Considering that I had never done that before, this just seemed to be a day of firsts for me. Besides, who says she could pull seniority over me like she was my parent, or something, in charge of looking after me? Oh wait...that is kinda what she's been doing. Regardless, I still spoke as Simon fell silent, pondering over something in that brain of his.

"--you're being ridiculous."

"And just ruthlessness in general and say that that’s probably what should happen."

"I'm fine. And I'm not going to watch you bleed out on that bed when I can help it! Or rather when he could help you!" I protested through gritted teeth, trying not to growl the words. I was missing Jisa's obvious anxiousness about having Simon come near her but I knew she was so much worse off than I was. I didn't want to see her die. I would blame myself, and rightly too. I felt my hands tighten reflexively, a reaction to the negative thoughts. My nails dug into the palm of my left hand while my right applied still more pressure. My eyes widened as the white spots I saw earlier behind closed lids danced again as black spots. I shook my head again.

Simon decided to speak up. “Ok, well while I do that you are going to have to keep pressure on the wound and try to and find the exit wound,” he held up a finger, “If you can’t do that I treat you now and Ash gets to self-medicate with back seat instruction.”Simon paused before adding, “I can’t give you drugs just yet, sorry.”

I glared at them both, Simon a little longer because he had called me Ash again. The wasn't at all powerful, or menacing, as I wanted it to be, as I was having a hard time focusing through the dancing blackness, but it would have to do. I grasped for something to say, but I knew I was outnumbered by older supposedly 'wiser' people. So instead I huffed and continued to glare at them both, stubbornly deciding to be ticked off at them both, not acknowledging my defeat.

“Um, will being a shifter effect your wounds in anyway?” Simon asked over his shoulder. He was now crouched under the sink, doors of the it swung out either side of him. “Just asking in case I should be compensating for anything.”

"You should know the answer to that for yourself," I snapped tiredly, letting out some of my inner anger, "you are a shifter yourself after all." Sighing, I knew that wasn't going to get us anywhere. "I don't know how it will right now bleeding as we are, Jisa might, but I know that we heal faster than normal otherwise."

I noticed that Simon was getting more into his element, sounding somewhat less frazzled, and it was starting to make me think he was a competent doctor after all. I just hoped he didn't prove me wrong.

~Revolutions start when someone crosses the line.~

(Inspired by Jisa! Lyrics from Superchick's Cross The Line.)

[{J I S A}]

I’M STUCK HERE IN THE MIDDLE
AT WAR WITH GOOD AND EVIL

Dr. What muttered something to do with screwing up. He sounded pretty bitter about it, and so her earlier thoughts were confirmed. The doctor had to be some kind of supernatural, and not too happy to be one either. Jisa could relate. Her life had almost been easier when she’d been angry toward everyone including herself, still young in the mind and staying off the EF’s radar as best she could. She’d never thought she’d say it, not back then, but those were the days. Then, she hadn’t a purpose but she was free to do what she wished as she wished it, without the burden of friends or responsibility and these feelings that were dragging her down. Another round of guilt hit her as she realized that she wouldn’t have done anything any other way. Ash and Anya weren’t burdens or mistakes, despite what her more cynical and hurt side thought.

The doctor looked a little cowed at her suggestion interjected to his next round of professionalism spoken aloud. It was hardly his fault, Jisa knew. She was being difficult, but damn if she was going to faint because a doctor had so much as come near her after having a stand off with a particularly determined EF hunter. Ash too opened her mouth to voice her outrage, but Jisa had carried on. This is what happened when she lost your hardened warrior outlook on life, people stopped fearing her so much and actually questioned her judgment.

She acknowledged the fact that she was a little worse for wear, but couldn’t Ash see that she was a moment away from flipping out? If the doctor came at her with a needle, she might be tempted to break someone’s arm. That being said, Jisa appreciated it when he seemed to gauge that sense coming from her and kept his distance, rather than being like Ash and just disregarding the tense atmosphere. If she were shifted, her tail would have been lashing and her fur would have been raised. Instead she scrounged up her inner ferocity, put as much of her lasting courage and authority and perhaps a tiny bit of persuasive predatory instinct into looking point blank at Ash.

”You were shot, I don’t count that as fine,” she growled. ”Now I suggest you hurry this process up for all of us and let Dr. What treat you before we both bleed out while arguing senselessly.” Her frustration was coming to a boil, anger at herself and the remaining fear and fury at Ash for nearly getting herself killed exploding within her.”It’s the least you can do for me after I had to jump into a fight I had no business being in to save your sorry tail.”

Oh yeah, pull the freaking guilt card. All that ever did was build resentment and anger, but she couldn’t help it. Bullets made her irritable. Dr. What decided to let her do what she wished, which was a relief to the burning cocktail of anxiety, worry and indignation stewing within her. She nodded, steadying herself and pressing her numb right hand against the wound, reaching over the shoulder with her left to find the pesky exit wound. Through the sticky mess of blood and fabric, as well as the awkward angle and lack of sight back there, it would be difficult, but she was sure she could do it if she focused on the center of the pain hard enough.

”Yeah, sure,” she brushed him off. ”I think I can handle that.” She shrugged. ”However, I don’t think I could have handled you coming near me with any needles right now, so the lack of drugs is fine by me.”

Feeling around her shoulder blade was awkward and painful but she would uphold her part of the deal as long as she could. If she just found the tear in her sweater, it’d be child’s play to cover up the exit wound. The newfound purpose was perfect to take Jisa’s mind off the pain and exhaustion, though the gnawing guilt in her belly wouldn’t ease up. God. She couldn’t even snap at someone without feeling sorry now, she was such a wuss. The doctor phrased another question at them and Jisa knew the answer for any normal chemically changed shifter, but not for her with anomalies in her bloodstream for all she knew.

It was strange that he asked, now that Ash had revealed his species, but Jisa wasn’t going to question it. Some people just weren’t ready for the change, and she didn’t blame him for his ignorance for a second.

”Normally, faster healing’s a given when injured by my experience. Usually it’s the upside to being a shifter,” sighing, she mentally shrugged as she fished around along her shoulder and pondered her answer to the question. ”But I, unfortunately, seem to have largely lost that ability. Of course, that means you only have to compensate as much as you’d have to for a human.”

Then, she found the exit wound. A smile nearly ghosted across her lips, but instead, she just muttered an affirmation that she had gotten it and pressed her left palm against it to steam the now slowing blood flow from the site. She wasn’t sure whether that was a good sign, or a very bad one.

DON’T WANNA SPEND MY TIME AFRAID OF DYING
I WANT LOVE IF LOVE WANTS ME

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[Deathy]

... | SIMON WHAT | ...

... In a coat of gold or a coat of red, a lion still has claws, And mine are long and sharp, my lord, as long and sharp as yours....

The exchange between his two patients made Simon want to hunch up into an unobtrusive corner until they had battled it out to their satisfaction and, a) come to a truce, or b) killed each other with the poison in their words. Either way he wished they didn’t have to do it here. The live fire exchanges were making him twitchy.

He nodded at Jisa’s rather abrupt confirmation and continued over to the far row of cupboards, where he began his search for a subsistence to flush a bullet graze with.

"You should know the answer to that for yourself," the girl snapped at him, the words whip like, and only slightly less painful, "you are a shifter yourself after all."

Remember she’s in pain, she’s just lashing out, that’s all, it’s not personal. And as is the style of my life I am once again a rather convenient target for the lash, why did I think becoming a doctor was a good idea again?

Simon felt the low rumble in his chest at the girls words, a curl of potential in his stomach. Growls made due to rage seemed to be lower pitched than others and largely tended to go unheard, facial expressions were the bigger give away. Thankfully all that could be seen of him was his back and that did not pull faces.

It would not be very good for business if it got out that he wanted to inject patient that annoyed him with four times their weight in morphine and laugh while they died on his clinic floor, needle still in hand. The low rumble dispersed itself into the back of the cupboard, joining the cleaning bottles and brushes, hopefully without anyone being any the wiser. Stupid teenager, why did she feel this compulsive need to point out facts that he was desperately trying to ignore?

Sooner you treat them the sooner they will leave, suggested the Beast, who seemed to a have similar level of fondness for the girl.

With an sigh for company, the girl-who-did-not-like-being-called-Ash offered up, "I don't know how it will right now bleeding as we are, Jisa might, but I know that we heal faster than normal otherwise."

Jisa conformed as much with her response to the question. Well that does sound slightly beneficial. Simon allowed and then gave himself a mental shake, the benefits package was still far too small to even compare to what the rest of the scam had taken from him.

”But I, unfortunately, seem to have largely lost that ability. Of course, that means you only have to compensate as much as you’d have to for a human.”

Simon became thoughtful at that, his hands around the handles of two bottles that contained the two liters of saline water he would need to flush the wounds. What could do that to a shifter? Was she a shifter? Were their other supernatural creatures other than shifters? Not now Simon, focus. Anyway, if Jisa had lost some of her powers maybe there was hope for a cure after all. If you could get rid of the super healing maybe you could get rid of the beast that came with it.

I’m hurt Simon, came an overly exaggerated offend rumble from the far corner of his mind, I thought we had something special, you and I.

Ignoring that like he was ignoring so many other things these days he returned to the girl-who-did-not-want-to-be-called-ash’s side, with the saline water and towels.

“What would you like me to call you instead princess?” he growled, the venom surprising Simon more than anyone else who would have heard it, apparently he hadn't controlled that anger as well as he thought he had. Damn

Great bedside manner there chief, I can tell you’re a professional.

Oh shut up.

“We have to clean the blood and other foreign bodies off the wound before we can wrap and bandage it properly. So I’m going to pour this on to it,” he held up the bottle for inspection, and then placed it on the ground near his foot, “It’s sanitized water with salt, so we can start by flushing the wound. It will sting” he added as a footnote, spreading one of the towels he’d grabbed on the way over onto the floor. In theory it would soak up some of the water.

Simon turned his head at Jisa’s sound of success and felt himself drown in a wave of relief, he would not have to dig around inside her for the bullet, it wasn’t the blood or body parts that gave him trouble, it was finding the stupid thing. It always took so much concentration and care, there was not rhyme or reason to a bullets path. Much of finding the sell required luck, And Simon hated that.

“Good, keep pressure on it and I will get back to you when I finish with pixie-face here” He paused, lid of the bottle nearly at the point where it went crack and let you spin it the rest of the way, “Are you feeling numbness in your arm? Or in your shoulder?”

... But now the rains weep o'er his hall, with no one there to hear....

Lyrics from 'The rain of Castamere' by George R.R. Martin

[RacingBelle]

Ashleigh

~Don't stand up, they'll shoot down the first one who tries.
Try to change the world, they'll think you're out of your mind.~

”You were shot, I don’t count that as fine,” Jisa growled, I could tell I had angered her. Predator! my mind shrieked, Run! ”Now I suggest you hurry this process up for all of us and let Dr. What treat you before we both bleed out while arguing senselessly.” Jisa's fury seemed to increase as she said her next words, ”It’s the least you can do for me after I had to jump into a fight I had no business being in to save your sorry tail.”I couldn't find words to speak against her. I couldn't find words to say anything.

Sometime during Jisa's retort I had gotten to my feet. The need to run was almost unbearable, overwhelming. Run from the anger, the fear, the panic...the truth. Running away seemed to be the answer to all your problems, I thought bitterly. I was trembling, and I could barely make out the white wall in front of me from the black that threatened to engulf me. I could feel the fine silvery hairs on me, giving myself a silvery sheen. I could feel the shift threatening to take over. Wanting to take over. It was urging me to give in for the second time today. Bad idea, Ashleigh. My breathing quickened, heart starting to race. Ash, don't. It would just be so easy...so easy to escape. So easy to lose myself completely in the horse... Ashleigh! the voice shouted.

I snapped out of it, the shift fading as rapidly as it had tried to overwhelm me, sinking down into the chair again. The blackness abated to where I could see for the most part, but the trembling, the feelings didn't. I still felt the panic and anger and guilt. So much for don't worry about it, Jisa. Her harsh, but true words, had hurt worse than any injury I had right now. I felt like I was going to be sick. The truth hurts, Ashleigh. My left hand reached across myself to grip my right arm tightly, trying to stop the trembling.

The exchange between Jisa and I seemed to have made Simon on edge. Jisa brushed off Simon's concern and agreed to his conditions. I sat quietly.

I fought down the once more rising panic at Simon's low, rumbling growl in response to my snappy answer. Human, human, human, I repeated to myself. Get a hold of yourself! I worked quickly on bottling up all emotions, worked on feeling like a numb and empty void. It seems you've now acquired the talent of making everyone around you angry. Congratulations, Ash!

Jisa's answer, agreed to my statement as she awkwardly searched for the exit wound, but she had also revealed puzzling new information about herself. ”But I, unfortunately, seem to have largely lost that ability. Of course, that means you only have to compensate as much as you’d have to for a human.”

Why? That was my question. I clenched my jaw, keeping my thoughts as thoughts. I didn't need to open my mouth and make anything worse than it was. But keeping my thoughts to myself didn't mean that I had to stop thinking them. How could Jisa have lost that ability? Then another thought popped into my head. Shifters didn't have to be born, like myself. They could be made. Was Jisa made a shifter? The longer the day went on, the less I knew about her. Not that I had known much before.

Simon returned from his search under the sink, carrying two bottles and a few towels. “What would you like me to call you instead princess?” I raised my eyebrows at the tone of his voice which had far more venom in it than I thought he could ever muster.

"Oh look at that, seems like the tiger has finally found his bite instead of his roar," I replied coolly. I wouldn't let him bother me. I wouldn't let him spark the emotions I was suppressing in that fragile glass bottle I had shoved them into. Besides, his buttons were pretty easy to push. Just bring up his shifter side and Voila! You have an angry tiger.

“We have to clean the blood and other foreign bodies off the wound before we can wrap and bandage it properly. So I’m going to pour this on to it,” Simon held up the bottle for inspection, and then placed it on the ground near his foot, “It’s sanitized water with salt, so we can start by flushing the wound. It will sting,” Simon added, spreading one of the towels on the floor. I guessed that it would end up soaking some of the water thus reducing the mess.

My lips had twitched into something of a smile at his addition. How much more could I hurt? Physical pain was nothing to the emotional pain that was currently on the inside.

Simon's head had turned towards Jisa's quiet affirmation that she had found the exit wound. I felt some of the panic leave. “Good, keep pressure on it and I will get back to you when I finish with pixie-face here.”

The bottle I had shoved my emotions into cracked and anger seeped out of it, being the first to escape. "Simon, unless you want a horse to trample you flat I suggest you stop with the names," I snapped through gritted teeth. I probably couldn't dredge up the effort to do that much but he didn't really need to know that, did he? Control, Ashleigh. You are in control. I almost laughed. I wasn't doing a very good job at controlling myself so far.

Simon, in the meantime, had started to ask Jisa questions. “Are you feeling numbness in your arm? Or in your shoulder?”

I closed my eyes and worked on control.

~Revolutions start when someone crosses the line.~

(Inspired by Jisa! Lyrics from Superchick's Cross The Line.)

[{J I S A}]

I’M STUCK HERE IN THE MIDDLE
AT WAR WITH GOOD AND EVIL

Holding an unsteady hand over her shoulder and breathing out a tired sigh of relief, Jisa felt herself settling into her body marginally more. The chilled feeling abated, taken place by an absent warmth that should have worried Jisa, had she cared much about anything besides keeping her hands in place. Ashleigh had gotten to her feet, looking paled and flighty, the horse side shimmering under her skin like a mirage threatening to become very suddenly real. Jisa bit down on her tongue, another wash of bone deep exhaustion trying to drag her under. Ash sank back down without a word, gaining control of her shift and settling back into the role of the hurt warrior being treated at a Clinic. Forcing a sigh back down her throat, Jisa pressed harder on her wounds. Later, she'd explain. Later, she'd apologize and hope that it was enough to soothe the hurt feelings between them. Later, later, later. The panther shifter almost didn't want to think that far ahead, didn't want to make it there. The hurt and tired was just welling up inside her and increasing in pressure. All of these unbidden thoughts were going to rupture something, make her explode. Or at least, that's the acute sensation she was currently experiencing.

"Dammit, Ash," Jisa sighed, giving into the guilt that gnawed at her belly and would definitely give her an ulcer one day. "Look, I don't mean to snap but we're both bleeding and tired. I don't know if you noticed but I'm not invincible or unshakable and when I get scared, I lose my temper."

Unfairly, she likened her 'smooth recovery' to placating a stubborn, high-spirited child whose feelings were hurt when an adult snapped at them. Technically she didn't even have to explain herself to the younger girl, never mind put up with her behavior, but inside Jisa knew that Ash was probably just as confused and scared as she was. It took a strong person to see everything on both sides.

Dr. What turned away and rummaged in a cupboard, assumingly looking for some supplies to work with. Jisa reverted her gaze back down at her lap, staring blankly at the fabric of her jeans. A nearly imperceptible rumbling noise of irritation echoed in the cupboards. Jisa quirked an eyebrow, wondering silently at the history between Ash and the doctor. That she trusted him enough to bring Jisa here, but did not seem to tolerate him on any level. The connection appeared very mutual. After she let go of her tightly guarded secret of healing, both Shifters seemed surprised. Jisa wanted to give them a dry look and a sarcastic commentary to boot, so she rolled her shoulders and looked at them both for a long moment, unable to resist.

"Nice subtlety, guys. I can feel your questions invading my personal space." There was no bite in her accusation, however, just a mild, washed out amusement. "I don't suggest the methods used to get rid of it. It's not pleasant, or FDA approved, I imagine."

Jisa hid her smile at Simon's new snidely spoken nickname and Ash's careful reply. If Jisa didn't know any better, which she did, and Dr. What was Ash's age, she would've guessed that they'd be meant for each other, as the age-old assumption went. They were tormenting each other pretty damn well, but that age gap pretty much chopped that horrifying thought into pieces and cremated it just in case. Instead, Jisa decided to just enjoy their unfriendly banter for the moment through the fuzzy clouds in her head.

The doctor's words floated away into the background when Jisa sensed that the conversation no longer required her attention. Absently, she swung her feet slightly, sensing the childish nature of the action but not particularly caring. Dr. What told her to keep pressure on her wound, so she nodded her head, not owning the energy to open her mouth. Her neck felt like rubber, and it took all she had to keep her head even semi-upright. She couldn't even smile at the continuing abuse between the doctor and his patient.

"I, uh... don't know," she replied slowly. "A little bit, I suppose, but I can't tell compared to the... rest of me."

DON’T WANNA SPEND MY TIME AFRAID OF DYING
I WANT LOVE IF LOVE WANTS ME

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