G
Gunhand4171
"How are you feeling Raphael?" Ivory asked, the Medic Uso had brought with the group was stringing up a new unit of Raphael's blood that she had taken for storage before this whole thing began. She had been watching him throughout the night, occationally changing bandages and fluids as needed, though now that morning had come she had decided to speak to her patient, gently waking him with her voice.
Raphael stired. The surgery took quite the toll on him. All of his bones were reset, a full course of anti biotics, feeding tube, IV fluids, and oxygen mask. He looked up and blinked. "Ivory?"He asked with a raspy voice through the oxygen mask. He brought his hand up to see if she was really there.
She would reach for his hand, gently holding it in hers and rubbing her thumb along his palm, "You were hurt pretty badly." She explained, "And the facilities here are make-shift at best. It could be a while before you are feeling like your old self. Are you feeling any sharp pain anywhere?"
He slowly looked himself over. "I believe the question is where does it not hurt...*cough*" He felt all the tubes on his body. His wing was on fire and rapped up. He also felt a cold patch on his neck. "What's this?" he asked poking his neck and instantly regreting it.
She would take hold of his other hand and gently pull it away from the patch, "Please don't touch the medical equipment," She said firmly, "I don't need you injuring yourself any more than you already are." She would place his hands down by his side, and then turn her attention to one of the fluid bags, making a slight adjustment to the drip to slightly up the level of painkillers dripping into his body. It wouldn't be long before he would feel a soft surge of warmth that helped to blot out the pain.
As the warmth spread through his body he visably sunk into his bed. "Thank you." He said feabily. "How pissed is she?" He asked closeing his eyes.
"Uso?" Ivory asked, "She hasn't stopped by yet... I don't think I am one to judge her mood but she certainly isn't her usual cheery self... though she also isn't one to stay mad for long." She would sit down on the edge of the bed, being careful not to damage Raphael's wings as she put one hand on his leg, "Besides, naked is a good look for you!"
Raph chuckled softly. "Should have saw the leash they kept around my neck." He said pointing to his neck. His wing fluttered softly but his wrapped wing just kind of hung there. "What happened to my wing?" He asked with fear in his eyes. "Why won't it move..."
"It is broken, and it needs time to heal. I promise I will have you feeling good as new in a few weeks." Ivory would get back up off the bed and go to his wing, checking to make sure that it was being held steady by the splint they attached, "Just try not to move it and it will be fine. Once you get more hydrated we can try nanomachine therapy to mend you... but for now you need rest."
He sighed. "Okay...okay." He said calming himself. "I bet everyone is angry at me..." He said testing each limb to see which ones he could move. He cound't use the entire left side of his body. He could only move his right arm, leg, and wing. "Well this sucks." He said trying to wiggle his left index finger.
She would bop him on the nose with one of her fingers, "Stop moving." she said placing a soft hand on his right arm, "I haven't spoken to everyone... but Cyrus is very happy to have you back. I don't think anyone is mad at you."
He quit moving and just laid still. "Can I see Uso please Ivory?" He asked softly. "I miss her..." He said looking over to her.
"Only if you promise not to move." Her tone stern, like a teacher asking her children to behave.
He smiled softly. "Yes mom..." He replied weakly.
"Oh hush, I'm not old enough to be your mom." The medic playing hurt as she turned towards the door, "Now you be good while I'm away."
It would seem like quite a bit of time would pass before Uso walked through the door, "So you nearly died." She said curtly.
When Uso entered Raph smiled warmly. "Hey Uso... you missed it. I had a collar and leash." He joked
"No, you don't get to mention fun things. You nearly got yourself killed and I am mad at you." Her arms crossed over her chest, her voice firm, "You stop taking these things seriously and you'll get killed. There are no ST backups out here."
Raphael looked up her, tears in his eyes. "Oh trust me, I am not letting you do that to me." He laughed. "Gods I thought I wasn't going to see you again..." He said looking up at her.
Uso continued to look at him with sterness in her eyes. "Stay on the ship from here on out. If you go to train your little army bring one of the Ragna-soldiers with you, and do it while in power armor."
He sighed and closed his eyes. "Please don't hate me..." He said as a tear fell. "I was...I didn't know what to do..." He said.
Uso shifted her weight to one foot, her hips moving to one side, "... So what happened with Julie?" She asked.
He eyes looked away. "Cyrus refuses to tell me. He has banned me from going to find her." He said with a hint of contempt. "Once I am up and moving I will find her with or without his help." He stated firmly.
"I asked what happened to Julie." Uso replied, "And I'm pretty sure I didn't stutter the first time."
"I don't know damn it." He stated flatly. "We were ambushed. Julie told me she had an Aunt that she wanted to stay with so I went to see if she was there. Julie got tossed down a well and I jumped in after her." He said. "I woke up with a rusty chain around my neck with half my body broken. I don't know what happened to her after that. But, I know that Cyrus knows. And he is going to tell me."
"You've got a job to do here. Go after her and I'll break your fucking neck."
Raphael looked a bit taken aback. "I'm sorry damn it!" He yelled, though it came out raspy and cracked. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I haven't I suffered enough?" He said looking down at all the tubes and wraping around his body.
"No, and you're still fucking crying about it. I can tolerate you being cute when you're doing your job well. Shit like this makes you PROFOUNDLY un-funny." She replied.
"Then why did you waste your fucking time to find me? You could have just let me die..." He replied coldly.
"I did leave you to die. Cyrus and Errowyn saved you."
He just stayed silent.
"UH... Uso..." Ivory said, barging in on them, "I... Can I speak with you a moment? I would like to get some hemosynth material for later."
Uso would look over her shoulder at Ivory... and then head out the door.
"I'll be right back..." Ivory would mouth sorry over to Raph, and then close the door behind her.
Raphael felt like he had been shot in the heart. He picked up his good hand and ripped the oxygen mask from his face. He breathed heavily, as anger and grief gripped him. 'Left me to die? She fucking left me to die!!!' He thought. He wanted to punch something. He wanted to... to...
He let his arm fall down to his eyes. He just wanted to go home. He was beyond done. He just felt an empty void in his chest.
Ivory would come back into the room a little while later, quietly picking up the oxygen mask and putting it back over his face. "I told you not to touch the medical equipment..."
He looked away. "Maybe everyone would be better off had I just..." He didn't finish the statment
"Don't talk like that." Ivory said, "We're all glad to have you back. Even Uso... She is just... passionate."
"Bull shit Ivory." He snapped. "She told me to my fucking face that she would have let me die..."
"Cyrus and Errowyn were handling it." Ivory said, as if that made it better. "Just.... relax ok? Your heart rate is already spiking"
Cyrus stormed in, his eye alerting him to a spike in Raphael's stats. "What the hell is wrong with you now?" Cyrus asked nodding to Ivory.
Raphael just turned away. "You should have left me Cyrus..."
Cyrus stormed up to him and slapped Raphael across the face.
"CYRUS!" Ivory snapped, "YOU STOP HITTING MY PATIENT!"
"YOUR PATIENT IS ACTING LIKE A WHINNY TEENAGER!" He yelled back turning to Raph.
Ivory watched sternly, staying close and watching over Raphael protectively from the other side of the bed.
Raphael held his hand up to the growing red spot on his face. "What the hell Cy!" He yelled rasply
"I hit you because you're acting like a little bitch! I did not train to act like this you fucking idiot!" He yelled. Cyrus turned and stormed out slamming the door behind him.
"I'm so sorry...." Ivory said, sitting back down on the side of the bed, and gently running a hand through his hair, "You're having a terrible day..."
Raphael's eyes glistened. He just closed his eyes and rubbed the spot where he got slapped. It stung like fire. Cyrus's mechanical hand left a pretty red hand print across his face.
Ivory would just sit there with him, her fingers trailing down the side of his face, warmly holding his cheek for a moment... then trailing down to his chest.
His hand fell from his face. "Gods, why do they not understand...?" He asked softly. The hell the went through in the caves. No one truly understood. Even he as an IPG agent, who was trained for such a thing, was still unprepaired for the pyschological toll it took on his mind. Not getting to see sunlight, having sleeping drugs thrown in your face, having your wings plucked like a pet bird. He felt like a plaything for everyone elses agendas. Even now... He just dropped his hand to Ivory's and closed his eye tightly, trying to shut out the world.
"I think it was nice the way you were willing to be a father for Julie and Jacob. I am sure you'll make a great dad someday." Ivory said, rubbing his chest with her hand, trying to help change the subject.
Raphael shook his head. "I wasn't very good at it. I drove Julie away. She probably hopes to never see me again." He said sadly.
"Kids don't always appriciate what you do for them, especally at that age." Ivory replied, "I think she'll look back on her angel fondly. Besides, you'll need to get better before you can go make sure that they are taking good care of her."
Raphael just nodded. "I don't know. I was just hopeing to that another child wouldn't have to leave through what I did." He replied softly. "But, I guess that I would have made for a shitty parent. How could I be a guardian to a girl of a xeno phobic world?" he asked no one in particular.
"The same way you would be a parent to any kid." Ivory replied, "I was a lot younger than you when I had Snow, it wasn't easy raising her either..."
"I bet..." He said softly looking at Ivory. He took a deep breath. "Hey, at least Cyrus and Uso are working well together now it seems." He mentioned off handidly.
"I Haddn't noticed... Cyrus really seems to enjoy working with Errowyn... They're kinda cute together." Ivory replied with a smile.
"Yeah... They work well together." He said with a look of longing. "I want that with Uso... To bad she is ready to space me."
"Raph.... Uso is single for a reason. She isn't an easy person to be around all the time."
Raphael smiled warmly. "No, I could stay by her side all the time. She is sarcastic and funny. I love being around her, I just wish that she felt the same." He said sadly.
Raphael stired. The surgery took quite the toll on him. All of his bones were reset, a full course of anti biotics, feeding tube, IV fluids, and oxygen mask. He looked up and blinked. "Ivory?"He asked with a raspy voice through the oxygen mask. He brought his hand up to see if she was really there.
She would reach for his hand, gently holding it in hers and rubbing her thumb along his palm, "You were hurt pretty badly." She explained, "And the facilities here are make-shift at best. It could be a while before you are feeling like your old self. Are you feeling any sharp pain anywhere?"
He slowly looked himself over. "I believe the question is where does it not hurt...*cough*" He felt all the tubes on his body. His wing was on fire and rapped up. He also felt a cold patch on his neck. "What's this?" he asked poking his neck and instantly regreting it.
She would take hold of his other hand and gently pull it away from the patch, "Please don't touch the medical equipment," She said firmly, "I don't need you injuring yourself any more than you already are." She would place his hands down by his side, and then turn her attention to one of the fluid bags, making a slight adjustment to the drip to slightly up the level of painkillers dripping into his body. It wouldn't be long before he would feel a soft surge of warmth that helped to blot out the pain.
As the warmth spread through his body he visably sunk into his bed. "Thank you." He said feabily. "How pissed is she?" He asked closeing his eyes.
"Uso?" Ivory asked, "She hasn't stopped by yet... I don't think I am one to judge her mood but she certainly isn't her usual cheery self... though she also isn't one to stay mad for long." She would sit down on the edge of the bed, being careful not to damage Raphael's wings as she put one hand on his leg, "Besides, naked is a good look for you!"
Raph chuckled softly. "Should have saw the leash they kept around my neck." He said pointing to his neck. His wing fluttered softly but his wrapped wing just kind of hung there. "What happened to my wing?" He asked with fear in his eyes. "Why won't it move..."
"It is broken, and it needs time to heal. I promise I will have you feeling good as new in a few weeks." Ivory would get back up off the bed and go to his wing, checking to make sure that it was being held steady by the splint they attached, "Just try not to move it and it will be fine. Once you get more hydrated we can try nanomachine therapy to mend you... but for now you need rest."
He sighed. "Okay...okay." He said calming himself. "I bet everyone is angry at me..." He said testing each limb to see which ones he could move. He cound't use the entire left side of his body. He could only move his right arm, leg, and wing. "Well this sucks." He said trying to wiggle his left index finger.
She would bop him on the nose with one of her fingers, "Stop moving." she said placing a soft hand on his right arm, "I haven't spoken to everyone... but Cyrus is very happy to have you back. I don't think anyone is mad at you."
He quit moving and just laid still. "Can I see Uso please Ivory?" He asked softly. "I miss her..." He said looking over to her.
"Only if you promise not to move." Her tone stern, like a teacher asking her children to behave.
He smiled softly. "Yes mom..." He replied weakly.
"Oh hush, I'm not old enough to be your mom." The medic playing hurt as she turned towards the door, "Now you be good while I'm away."
It would seem like quite a bit of time would pass before Uso walked through the door, "So you nearly died." She said curtly.
When Uso entered Raph smiled warmly. "Hey Uso... you missed it. I had a collar and leash." He joked
"No, you don't get to mention fun things. You nearly got yourself killed and I am mad at you." Her arms crossed over her chest, her voice firm, "You stop taking these things seriously and you'll get killed. There are no ST backups out here."
Raphael looked up her, tears in his eyes. "Oh trust me, I am not letting you do that to me." He laughed. "Gods I thought I wasn't going to see you again..." He said looking up at her.
Uso continued to look at him with sterness in her eyes. "Stay on the ship from here on out. If you go to train your little army bring one of the Ragna-soldiers with you, and do it while in power armor."
He sighed and closed his eyes. "Please don't hate me..." He said as a tear fell. "I was...I didn't know what to do..." He said.
Uso shifted her weight to one foot, her hips moving to one side, "... So what happened with Julie?" She asked.
He eyes looked away. "Cyrus refuses to tell me. He has banned me from going to find her." He said with a hint of contempt. "Once I am up and moving I will find her with or without his help." He stated firmly.
"I asked what happened to Julie." Uso replied, "And I'm pretty sure I didn't stutter the first time."
"I don't know damn it." He stated flatly. "We were ambushed. Julie told me she had an Aunt that she wanted to stay with so I went to see if she was there. Julie got tossed down a well and I jumped in after her." He said. "I woke up with a rusty chain around my neck with half my body broken. I don't know what happened to her after that. But, I know that Cyrus knows. And he is going to tell me."
"You've got a job to do here. Go after her and I'll break your fucking neck."
Raphael looked a bit taken aback. "I'm sorry damn it!" He yelled, though it came out raspy and cracked. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I haven't I suffered enough?" He said looking down at all the tubes and wraping around his body.
"No, and you're still fucking crying about it. I can tolerate you being cute when you're doing your job well. Shit like this makes you PROFOUNDLY un-funny." She replied.
"Then why did you waste your fucking time to find me? You could have just let me die..." He replied coldly.
"I did leave you to die. Cyrus and Errowyn saved you."
He just stayed silent.
"UH... Uso..." Ivory said, barging in on them, "I... Can I speak with you a moment? I would like to get some hemosynth material for later."
Uso would look over her shoulder at Ivory... and then head out the door.
"I'll be right back..." Ivory would mouth sorry over to Raph, and then close the door behind her.
Raphael felt like he had been shot in the heart. He picked up his good hand and ripped the oxygen mask from his face. He breathed heavily, as anger and grief gripped him. 'Left me to die? She fucking left me to die!!!' He thought. He wanted to punch something. He wanted to... to...
He let his arm fall down to his eyes. He just wanted to go home. He was beyond done. He just felt an empty void in his chest.
Ivory would come back into the room a little while later, quietly picking up the oxygen mask and putting it back over his face. "I told you not to touch the medical equipment..."
He looked away. "Maybe everyone would be better off had I just..." He didn't finish the statment
"Don't talk like that." Ivory said, "We're all glad to have you back. Even Uso... She is just... passionate."
"Bull shit Ivory." He snapped. "She told me to my fucking face that she would have let me die..."
"Cyrus and Errowyn were handling it." Ivory said, as if that made it better. "Just.... relax ok? Your heart rate is already spiking"
Cyrus stormed in, his eye alerting him to a spike in Raphael's stats. "What the hell is wrong with you now?" Cyrus asked nodding to Ivory.
Raphael just turned away. "You should have left me Cyrus..."
Cyrus stormed up to him and slapped Raphael across the face.
"CYRUS!" Ivory snapped, "YOU STOP HITTING MY PATIENT!"
"YOUR PATIENT IS ACTING LIKE A WHINNY TEENAGER!" He yelled back turning to Raph.
Ivory watched sternly, staying close and watching over Raphael protectively from the other side of the bed.
Raphael held his hand up to the growing red spot on his face. "What the hell Cy!" He yelled rasply
"I hit you because you're acting like a little bitch! I did not train to act like this you fucking idiot!" He yelled. Cyrus turned and stormed out slamming the door behind him.
"I'm so sorry...." Ivory said, sitting back down on the side of the bed, and gently running a hand through his hair, "You're having a terrible day..."
Raphael's eyes glistened. He just closed his eyes and rubbed the spot where he got slapped. It stung like fire. Cyrus's mechanical hand left a pretty red hand print across his face.
Ivory would just sit there with him, her fingers trailing down the side of his face, warmly holding his cheek for a moment... then trailing down to his chest.
His hand fell from his face. "Gods, why do they not understand...?" He asked softly. The hell the went through in the caves. No one truly understood. Even he as an IPG agent, who was trained for such a thing, was still unprepaired for the pyschological toll it took on his mind. Not getting to see sunlight, having sleeping drugs thrown in your face, having your wings plucked like a pet bird. He felt like a plaything for everyone elses agendas. Even now... He just dropped his hand to Ivory's and closed his eye tightly, trying to shut out the world.
"I think it was nice the way you were willing to be a father for Julie and Jacob. I am sure you'll make a great dad someday." Ivory said, rubbing his chest with her hand, trying to help change the subject.
Raphael shook his head. "I wasn't very good at it. I drove Julie away. She probably hopes to never see me again." He said sadly.
"Kids don't always appriciate what you do for them, especally at that age." Ivory replied, "I think she'll look back on her angel fondly. Besides, you'll need to get better before you can go make sure that they are taking good care of her."
Raphael just nodded. "I don't know. I was just hopeing to that another child wouldn't have to leave through what I did." He replied softly. "But, I guess that I would have made for a shitty parent. How could I be a guardian to a girl of a xeno phobic world?" he asked no one in particular.
"The same way you would be a parent to any kid." Ivory replied, "I was a lot younger than you when I had Snow, it wasn't easy raising her either..."
"I bet..." He said softly looking at Ivory. He took a deep breath. "Hey, at least Cyrus and Uso are working well together now it seems." He mentioned off handidly.
"I Haddn't noticed... Cyrus really seems to enjoy working with Errowyn... They're kinda cute together." Ivory replied with a smile.
"Yeah... They work well together." He said with a look of longing. "I want that with Uso... To bad she is ready to space me."
"Raph.... Uso is single for a reason. She isn't an easy person to be around all the time."
Raphael smiled warmly. "No, I could stay by her side all the time. She is sarcastic and funny. I love being around her, I just wish that she felt the same." He said sadly.