Athens Hospital

Emily arrived to the hospital obnoxiously early for her shift. She headed inside with her normal, hard-pressed stride, though despite her hurried pace she granted everyone she passed smiles. She headed straight for the employee locker room and removed her sweater--the air outside was a little chilled from the rain the day before, she felt--and set her scrubs right with her clip on ID, her waterproof watch, and a couple of pens in her pockets. She also wrapped her personal stethoscope around her neck. The weight of it felt almost comfortable. This uniform, this environment, was where she belonged. She headed to the break room next, and tucked both hers and Sebastian's lunches in the fridge. Sebastian's had a yellow sticky note on the front with his name in her pretty scrawl so he would know it was his. With that done, and his coffee set safely under the warmers by the stove--again with his name scribbled across the front--she set out to the hallways to clock in and check her patients.

She sat herself behind the desk with a plop in the roller chair and sighed almost tiredly. The night before had been... eventful, to say the least. She blushed and smiled in remembrance, and didn't notice when the other nurses were watching her and smirking. 

"Someone is in love," one of them teased, poking Emily's arm.

Emily glanced at them and smiled, but said nothing. Her cheeks pinked. Their teasing kept up a few minutes longer, but only lightly. When it was clear they were not going to get her to kiss and tell, they dissipated to check their patients and other various tasks, leaving her to herself. She checked herself into the logs on the computer, reviewed her charts one more time, and then resolved herself to get up and head on to her first patient, all the while thinking of Sebastian.

She checked the room number again and the name on the file to make sure they matched, then knocked lightly on the door and slipped inside. "Jace Carter?" she asked lightly, just checking to make sure he was awake. She instantly moved to the whiteboard on the wall beside his bed and erased the night nurse's name so she could write her own.

At the sound of a knock, Jace looked up from his magazine that the night nurse had brought him. Seeing a new face, he set it aside with a nod of his head. "Yes, ma'am." He hadn't slept much the night before, he hated being kept cooped in the room. He wanted to go home and be with people but he knew that wasn't going to happen any time soon.

Emily finished writing her name on the board and turned to Jace with a gentle smile. "My name is Emily, I'll be your nurse until this afternoon." she said pleasantly. She checked his file again briefly and commented, "Goodness, hit by a car... your injuries are impressive, too! You must be made of steel." she giggled. She set the files down on the table by his bed and pulled her stethoscope from around her neck, putting the earpieces in her ears. "How do you feel this morning? Are you in any pain?"

Jace watched her for a moment, gauging her humor and such. She seemed friendly enough. "If I say no, will you let me go home?" If he sat just right he didn't feel anything but the moment he tried shifting around it aggravated his injuries. He sighed gently, laying still as he waited for her to check his vitals.

A gentle, humoring giggle swept out of Emily, but her expression was more apologetic than amused. "I'm afraid not. At least, not so easily or quickly." she said honestly. She listened to his heart and his breathing, then checked his pulse in his wrist and again in both of his feet. She scribbled some notes in the file and moved about checking his blood pressure, being sure to avoid the arm with the IV drip. Once all his vitals were taken, she hugged the files to her chest again and smiled at him patiently. "The doctor should be in to check on you soon... He'll be able to give you a more definitive answer about when you can go home, but I would expect to be here about another day or two. You had major surgery to stop internal bleeding and we need to be able to monitor that for a bit to make sure it's stable." she explained. Now that she was sure she'd made clear he would have to stay here a bit longer anyway, she pressed gently, "So? Do you have any pain? Would you like some medication?"

Jace gave a frustrated sigh, clearly teasing her, when she said he wasn't getting out. "It's like a prison in here..." he joked, not wanting to offend her. When she turned serious and asked him about his pain again he couldn't help the smile that crossed his face. "I wouldn't be very manly if I admitted to being in pain, now would I?" He glanced up at her and shrugged his shoulders, gave a sharp wince and a sigh. "Damnit..."

A knowing smile wormed across Emily's face and she shook her head with a scolding tsk of her tongue. "I'll get you something light to start off with. The doctor has you on a liquid diet only for today until we can assess the condition of your inner injuries.... So I'll be back shortly with some jello and tea for breakfast." she smiled. She vanished from the room then, and as promised, returned with a tray for him. On it was a bowl of orange jello with a spoon, and a mug of warm tea. She pulled a capped syringe from her pocket and moved to his IV line to inject his pain medication. "A small dose for now," she promised, "and if you need more, you just let me know."

Adela hesitated when Jace's door came into view, she didn't want him to think she was coming to see him because of Archer... She shook her head, her friend was in the hospital, what kind of friend would she be if she didn't go see him? She gripped her hat a little tighter and knocked lightly on the open door, peering inside, "Hey, how're you doing?"

"Eck..." He scrunched up his nose at the sound of his breakfast but took it graciously. "Thank you, Emily for all your help, it is appreciated." Jace heard the knock at the door and his entire demeanor changed, he physically brighten. "Adela... get me out of here... they are torturing me with jello and tea. You're the police, cant you do something?" He groaned playfully, giving Emily a wink out of the corner of his eye so she'd know he was playing.

"Sure I can, I can cuff you to that bed." Adela said dryly and then smiled, "Good to see you're acting like yourself, but how are you feeling?" She asked.

Jace groaned slightly and shook his head. "That's the question of the day isn't it? Someone just forgot to tell me..." He reached for his remote to move the bed into an upright position so he could see Adela better and then smiled. "I'm ornery... and tired of being here but I'm still in a bit of pain. Make me sound like a baby..." He tilted his head at her, his features softening. "How are you feeling?" 

Adela crossed to the chair next to the bed, "I'm fine," She said, "Don't deflect." Though she knew he would probably know she was deflecting herself, ""I don't doubt you're still in pain, you're lucky you're not in the ICU right now. You could have had severe internal damage."

Jace gave a soft huff and rolled his eyes. "Well I don't and I'm fine... YOU don't deflect." He retorted, narrowing his eyes at her slightly. "Are... are you hungover?" He knew the instant he said it, that he was right. She had been drinking, which wasn't really like her, especially not on a work night.

Adela rolled her eyes, "Shouldn't have drank when I was already dehydrated, it's just a headache." She said dismissively. It wasn't a lie either, she hadn't even been drunk last night...not quite anyways.

Emily gave a lightly amused smile at the pair as she finished writing her notes about Jace's current condition and the pain medication she dosed for him. She closed his file, tucked it safely under her arm, and moved his call button closer to his reach. "I'll leave you two alone. If you need anything--more food, drink, medicine, or just help to the bathroom-- just gimme a buzz. I'm your nurse until this afternoon." she smiled at him. She nodded at Adela and politely excused herself to go check on her other patients.

Jace smiled and thanked Emily as she headed out of the room. Once she was gone he turned to Adela. "There is no way I am asking that young woman to help me to the bathroom!" He shook his head, frowning, he groaned slightly. "How embarrassing..."

"What's embarrassing? You finally realised you were knocked on your ass by a kid?" Madison teased as she entered his room with a playful smile, leaving the door open for Aiden. "Morning Adela." She smiled at the other woman before moving to her brother and giving him a hug. "I don't even know why you're still here. You don't look injured at all." She said playfully before turning towards the door and motioning for Aiden to enter. "Come in." She smiled at him before looking back at Jace. "Jace this is Aiden. He's new in town and has just taken up a spare room at Jade's. I've just offered to take him on a tour round town. Aiden this is my brother Jace. He likes to think he could withstand being hit by a car.."

"Knocked... I was thrown over the car Maddy..." Jace stared at his sister for a moment, shocked before he realized she was teasing. "Brat," he commented when he hugged her back, looking over her shoulder at the strange behind her. "Hey there..." He said hesitantly as he took in the appearance of what he would consider a biker guy but what did he really know? To be friendly he held out his hand for the man to shake.

Aiden cleared his throat as he crossed the room to Jace and clasped his hand, not too tightly to hurt him but enough to let him know he wouldn't be intimidated. Their eyes held for a moment as if in challenge and then they both released their hands at the same time. Aiden took a step back, a knowing smile on his face. Jace was clearly a protective brother, he could handle that.

Adela had been about to make a crack about Jace asking for a male nurse when his sister came in with one of of the two strangers she had seen at Sophie's, "So what brings you to Athens Harbor?" She asked with a friendly smile

"He's going to open a music store, isn't that cool?" Madison replied with a wide grin as she perched herself on the edge of the bed next to Jace. "It's exactly what this town is missing. Right Aiden?"

Aiden gave the officer a friendly smile as he nodded at Madison. "I just wanted a new start, get out in the world and do what I wanted. I'm not sure Athens Harbor is missing anything but I'd love to give it something fresh and new."

"So you're going to sell instruments and teach people?" Jace asked curiously. "That could be good for this town. I can't keep track of all the kids, maybe this will help some of the others."

Adela nodded, "That sounds great." She agreed, "I can think of a few people who drive all the way into the city for guitar strings and stuff, the demand is there, you should do well." As Adela finished talking the radio on her shoulder came to life with the sound of static and then the dispatcher's voice, "All units, please be advised we have a bolo for an Archer Mitchel, subject is a danger to himself, location is unknown. Officer Bjornesen, report." Adela's face went pale as the sheets on Jace's bed and she rushed out the door. Her voice could be heard traveling down the hall, "Officer Bjornesen reporting. Who gave the tip?" Her voice was professional, face set in a neutral expression but she was struggling to breathe as she headed out to her car and onto the boto streets of Athens Harbor

There was a small knock on the door to Jace's room as Adela came out of it. Emily peeked her head in and smiled at Jace, Madison, and Aiden, and nodded to them all in turn. "Hello again," she said to Jace and entered the room, this time without all those files under her arm. She moved to his bedside and put a hand on the railing, her pretty smile staying on. "How are you feeling? Did those pain meds kick in yet?" she asked lightly.

Jace looked over at the door at the same time Aiden did. He noticed the guy give Emily a nod but otherwise didn't pay her much attention. "Hey, yes, yes they have. Getting a little drowsy but not too bad." He smiled gently at the young nurse, who he quite liked, she teased him back when he gave her crap. "Now Dr. Emily, what do you see about us blowing this joint?" He grinned, knowing she would say no.

Emily let out a good-natured laugh. "Firstly, I'm not a doctor just yet. I'm your nurse." she said, wagging a finger at him in a playful scold. "Secondly, I haven't heard back from the doctor about it yet, so we'll see. If he gets back to us by this evening, we'll have you discharged first thing in the morning." she promised. "Now, I just wanted to check in on you one more time because we got a call about an incoming patient. It's an ER admission, so I might not stop by for a little bit once he gets here. Do you need anything before I leave you to do that?"

"Eh... technicalities," Jace waved his hand at her doctor comment with a smile. "Besides I doubt my real doctor is as pretty as you." He perked up slightly at the talk of discharge. "I guess I can behave until morning... at least I'll try. No, no... you go and help with the emergency. If I need something we'll figure it out." He hoped that the emergency wasn't Archer that they had heard about when Adela rushed out the door.

"Well you won't have to figure it out alone; one of the other nurses or aides on the floor will help you out. You know how the call button works, so use it." Emily smiled, seeming unfazed by his "pretty" comment. She had received flirtatious comments from patients plenty in the past. She disagreed with him though--she thought doctor Panas was quite lovely on the eyes. She adjusted his bedding for him, moved his bedside tray closer to his reach and ensured there was plenty of water at his disposal in the little pink pitcher. As she finished this up, the hospital beeper clipped on her waistband gave a couple rounds of shrill chirps. She checked the screen, turned it off, and said to Jace, "that's me gone. I'll come back as soon as I'm able. Rita will fill in for me until then," she explained. She patted Jace's hand with another friendly upturn of her pink lips, nodded again to Madison and Aiden, and then quickly left the room with long strides both urgent and collected. She headed out into the hall by the nurses station and informed Rita of her patients and that she would be in the ER for their incoming patient. "Thanks, Rita. I'll see you in a bit." she said and headed away from the ICU and down several halls to the emergency corridors of the hospital on the ground floor. She stopped by the nurses station there and leaned against the counter. "Has anyone seen Doctor Panas yet? He was on a personal emergency call this morning." A few of the nurses shook their heads and she sighed, then said, "Well, I guess I'll go get the room ready. Any update on the incoming patient?"

"Not really. The ambulance got called off. Apparently the officer is going to bring in the patient herself." said one of the nurses at the triage station. "We don't have an ETA as of yet."

"Wow, that's risky. Maybe it wasn't anything too serious." Emily mumbled, though that still didn't explain why they needed an ER room. She moved away from the desk and to one of the cordoned off rooms, starting to work with the nurses there to make sure everything was prepped and ready.

---

Outside in the car Jade leaned down and kissed her best friends cheek, whispering softly in his ear. "Listen to me, I'll be here for you, through all of this. Including dealing with being alive. I'll bring Teos by and we can all sit down and talk." She sighed gently when the car came to a stop next to the entrance. "I promise, just... don't do this again. I wouldn't be able to live in a world where you weren't around."

Despite the ambulance having been called off, the reaction to a police car showing up was almost identical. Orderlies were out with a bed to take in the patient, hurt or not. Sabastion stood inside, his normally passive face taught with a furrowed brow and a set jaw as he spoke in low tones with another doctor who looked more concerned. Once the orderlies had the door open and were carefully extricating the semi-dazed Archer from the vehicle and onto the bed and set eyes on what exactly had happened, one immediately shouted back to the hospital. "We're going to need that ER room! Clear a path!" Sabastion looked up at the announcement and, seeing the man's ragged and stained clothing, he gave the other doctor the barest of nods before quickly striding to the prep area to assist in yet another session with one of Jade's friends.

Word made its way through the hospital like wild fire through dry brush. Emily heard the incoming shouts and she and another nurse were there by the roller bed, already beginning to take Archer's vitals as they wheeled him into the building and towards the prepped ER room. "Room four is ready for him," Emily said to the orderlies as they steered. "Pulse is normal, blood pressure is low, 110 over 18." she reported to the other nurse, who wrote it all down.

Archer let them do as they would. "Thank you Jade... thank you Adela." He told them as they pulled him out of the car. He watched as the team of hospital staff prepped him, and rushed about taking vitals and getting him ready for surgery. He wasn't scared. He was a bit cold. He saw Emily and locked eyes. "that's not to low." He said about sarcastically.

Adela hopped out of the patrol car and gestured for Jade to follow, they would go as far as the hospital staff would let them and then they would talk while they waited to hear about his condition. She walked along side the gurney, filling in the nurses, "He refused the ambulance. The bleeding looks to have stopped but, he's lost a lot of blood and his lung sounds collapsed. Archer, I'm going to call your parents." She told him

Jade climbed out of the car behind Archer and followed along side his gurney opposite Adela. "Now don't give the nurses and doctors any trouble. We'll be waiting when they're done with you." She assured him as they wheeled him into the hospital. One of the nurses told them they couldn't come any further so she stopped next to Adela, their shoulders brushing together in comfortable silence.

Emily looked around quickly as they wheeled Archer's bed into place in the ER. "His blood pressure is dropping steadily, pulse ox at less than eighty percent. Has anyone paged doctor Panas yet?" she asked amongst the hurried steps and actions of the nurses around her. Another doctor was already in the room and scrubbing up, but he would need support. "I'm counting five shallow wounds, they look like knife wounds but..." She trailed off and frowned. Another nurse asked her what was wrong and her brows furrowed. "They're fresh on the edges and are long enough to indicate penetration, but... they hardly go past the subcutaneous layer." she whispered, gently tugging on one wound to inspect it. Another nurse was currently in the process of cutting open Archer's shirt with cloth scissors, a third securing an oxygen mask over his face. Emily paused and leaned over Archer's face. "Sir, can you hear me? Can you tell me your name?" she asked, loud enough for him to hear her, but without yelling. "Can you tell me what happened?"

"Emily. After." Sabastion's voice cut through the scuffle to prepare the patient with surprising clarity, possibly due to the sharpness of the order. He was already in the room, ready ahead of the other doctor and only relaxed a fraction once Archer was in place and the anesthetist was tending to him as Sabastion took over Emily's earlier inspection of Archer's wounds. His already taught brow intensified as he, too, grew confused at the state of the wounds. For them to have healed this much he would have needed a few days on his own, but from the state of things he wouldn't have made it that long. What bothered him further was the repairs were almost superficial, regimented almost entirely to the surface. He was now interested in Emily's question but he told himself the same he had said to her. It was just going to have to wait. When given the nod that their patient was properly asleep, he set about working with the other doctor to re-inflate and secure Archer's lung as well as clean and properly close the wounds that were, as far as he could tell, doused in sea water. What in gods name had this man been doing? As soon as they were done, he was going to demand some answers from the officer that had felt it was fine to call off the ambulance after finding the man in this state.

Emily was right there beside Sebastian, lending her aide to his perfect medical ministrations of Archer's lung and other, more superficial wounds. She provided suction, dabbed with gauze, and helped suture, watching Sebastian's hands with an apt sort of hypnosis. Once Archer was closed back up and bandaged, Emily helped Sebastian disrobe and then began to pull her own coverings off. The anesthesiologist was seeing to Archer's progress waking up, and the other nurses would take him to the ICU to recover post-surgery. She leaned in close to Sebastian and said quietly, "You saw those wounds, right?" She looked up at him, her blue eyes inquisitive and a bit alarmed, and her tone politely similar. "How they were healed? But only on the surface?" she asked. "What would cause something like that?"

"The only theory I have does not fit this time frame," Sabastion admitted as he watched the nurses move Archer to the ICU, his expression shrewd but for the moment it did not hold the previous annoyance. He shoved his hands in his coat pockets, the gears of his mind evident in his pale eyes. "I intend to question the officer that brought him in, as well as Jade I saw was with him as well. I need to brief them on his condition anyway." Only then did he look at Emily, raising one eyebrow slightly. "Would you like to accompany me?"

Emily's face didn't light up with the flattered and bashful smile she might have normally given him at that question. She was far too determined, curious, about this new patient's condition. She gave him a decisive nod and finished removing the rest of the surgical covers from her body, stuffing them down into the appropriate hampers and trash bins before turning to him. "Let's go see what they have to say."

---

Madison had watched the exchange between Jace and Emily then gave his shoulder a gentle slap once she had left. "Stop flirting with the staff." She told him as she straightened up. "And try and get some rest. I can stop by later if you like. Bring you some clean clothes if you really are getting discharged tomorrow. Which means I should give the apartment a clean up and make sure we have enough food. I'll be coming back of course, can't having you living alone when you're injured." She told him then glanced at Aiden. "Guess we're not going to be housemates after all."

"What? Maybe she'll get the doc to release me if I'm nice to her. It's not flirting really... besides you of all people know I'm taken." Jace sighed heavily, laying his head back against his pillows. Sometimes it drove him mad how deep his feelings for Adela ran, especially while she didn't return them fully.

Aiden gave a small shrug to Madison comment. "That doesnt mean we can't hang out all the time. I'm new, you aren't getting rid of me that easily." His dimples appeared as he gave her a heartfelt grin, his entire face practically lit up when he smiled.

"Who said I wanted to get rid of you? You offered to dance with me remember? I'd ask you to move in if it wasn't for my brother.." Madison replied playfully with a smile of her own. "I'm not letting you go anywhere." She smiled at him a moment longer before looking back at Jace. "Hey don't start pouting on me now, ok? Think happy thoughts. Now can I do anything for you or can I go show Aiden around town?"

Aiden raised his eyebrows curiously at her forwardness. It was nice, refreshing that she was so open and honest. Most women weren't like that now a days. He gave her his hundred watt smile and nodded his head. "Good to know."

Jace waved her off at her question. "I'll be fine, besides if I need anything one of the nurses aren't far away." He gave her a soft smile before turning his attention to Aiden. "Behave or when I'm better I'll come find you."

"Stop it." Madison scolded Jace softly before she leaned down and gave him a gentle hug. "Just call me if you need me OK, I'll never be far away. Now.." She started as she straightened up and turned to look at Aiden with a smile. "Ready to hit the road?"

Aiden was about to respond when Madison stepped in. He pursed his lips together, trying to hold back a smile as Jace got in trouble. He cleared his throat and nodded to Madison, moving to the door to hold it open for her. Jace sighed from his bed as they left. He'd have to get over her being around men, and soon. She was old enough to make her own choices.

Madison headed to the door but paused to look back at Jace. "Be good.." She said with a smile before turning and leaving his room. "So where would you like to start? Down by the shops, or the beach or maybe even the marina?" She asked Aiden curiously.

Jace stuck his tongue out at her causing Aiden to chuckle softly as he followed Madison out of the room. He linked his hands behind his back as he walked beside her, listening to his options. "I haven't seen the ocean yet, that could be a nice start."

"Well then let's start with the beach shall we?" Madison smiled at Aiden then turned and headed for the exit, leading the way to BotO The Beach.

---

Adela watched the doors close, feeling more helpless than she liked to admit, "Alright, I think we need to have a long talk." She told Jade without pulling her eyes from the doors until she was finished speaking.

Jade crossed her arms over her chest and sighed heavily. "Yeah. Let's go somewhere more private. This isn't really something you just tell people." She wished Teo's and Ate were here to help her. She really didn't know what to tell Adela and what not too. She chewed on her bottom lip as she turned to face Adela. "Teos knows more about all of this than I do... I've only just learned."

"Okay..." Adela wasn't sure who Teos was, but she lead Jade over to a quiet area to the side of the waiting room. She had used the area before to talk to family members of car accident victims and the like, they wouldn't be overheard if they didn't raise their voices.

Jade stared at Adela for a moment, taking in a deep shaking breath. "I want you to know, I'm trusting you with this. I don't want to be locked up because people think I'm crazy or... a science experiment. I'm not." She waited a beat, letting it sink in to Adela how important this actually was. "Teos came into town a few days ago and has unveiled to me that he thought I was the descendant of Poseidon. Well it wasn't until Ate came to me and explain that I'm actually his daughter. He also told me their are others like me, Archer happens to be one of them." She took in Adela's appearance, the soft green hue around her shimmering slightly. Jade had grown used to seeing them, they no longer drove her crazy or gave her a headache. Now that she could see them she realized just how beautiful they were. "And you." She said softly before continuing on. "It's why I have such an affinity for water. When I had my accident the other day something... changed... I can now use my powers and I can see who the descendants are." She waited a beat, chewing on her bottom lip. What else could she tell Adela? She didn't know who she belonged to and she didn't want to upset Teos or Ate by saying too much. "Do you have any questions?"

Adela stared at Jade, expression unreadable, "Poseidon. As in the Greek god? Jade...I know your parents." Adela's brain refused to let her accept what she had just been told. But, what Jade had done defied logic, maybe the explanation did to.

Jade nodded her head gently. "You know my mother and... adoptive father." The word stuck to the back of her throat like bad milk. It wasn't a word she'd ever thought she'd say or involve her. She cleared her throat softly and sighed, taking a seat in one of the cushioned chairs. "Adela, believe me... I know how crazy this all sounds but... I talked to him." Her eyes welled up with tears at the memory. It had felt amazing, talking to him, listening to his deep rumbling, comforting voice. "I talked to him through a conch shell... how perfect." She chuckled softly, rubbing at her wet eyes. "He's always been there, watching... waiting for the time where he could tell me who he was."

Adela sat next to her friend, shaking her head, "You realize how crazy that sounds, right?" Though here she was, after seeing a friend survive wounds he shouldn't have and another heal him.

"No, Adela, I think its perfectly normal to speak to a Greek God." Jade snapped, sighing heavily. "Look I don't really care if you believe me... I don't need you to. I know and others know but the day you find out what your own powers are, remember how crazy I sounded today." She ran a hand through her tangled hair, pulling it out of its braid and combing it straight. "I should probably get out of here before the Doctor comes asking us questions that we can't really answer." She stood from her seat and looked down at Adela. "Sorry for snapping its just... you have no idea how I felt when this started happening. I thought I was going crazy so hearing it, doesn't help."

"Jade, I do hope you're not leaving just yet," the familiarly accented voice of Doctor Panas interrupted as he and Emily managed to find the two rescuers to the side of the waiting room. His expression, not quite stoney, still managed to convey he was not in the mood for half truths or diversions. "I have some questions I'd like to ask you both, and I'd like to discuss Archer's status as well."

Emily stood slightly behind and beside Sebastian, her hands folded lightly in front of herself. He was the doctor, and the focus should be on him, but she still nodded her head at Adela and Jade politely in greeting and offered them a strained smile. She was interested to see what they had to say about Archer's baffling wounds. Jade already looked tense and stressed, and Adela had the authoritative air about her of a police officer waiting for bad news.

Adela was a bit stunned by Jade's reaction but shook it off quickly, "It's alright, Jade," She said, "And don't worry about the doctor, just let me-" She broke off when a doctor and a nurse approached. She stood, tucking her hat under her arm reflexively, "How is he, doctor?"

Jade gave a soft sigh at Sabastion's voice and shook her head. Of course she wasn't lucky enough to get out of there without being asked questions. She turned to face them taking in Sabastion's White aura and Emily's soft cobalt. She crossed her arms over her chest, taking her bottom lip into her mouth. Of course everyone who surrounded her life would be a descendant... Except for Madison, which she thought was a bit strange. "What can I do for you... Doctor?" Jade never called him Doctor. Never. She did so now, that way she could distance herself from anything emotional. That way she didn't do or say anything she'd regret.

Sabastion raised an eyebrow at the term of address but did not acknowledge it further, answering Adela instead. "He's stable, and I'm confident he'll make a full recovery, but my work is strictly physical. He'll be held for 24 hours, at the very least, most likely longer at my recommendation. If you want to help with that, I'd like you both to tell me what exactly happened, to the best of your knowledge." He was addressing them both now, picking up on what body language he could.

Adela's expression showed relief when the doctor said Archer was stable. She sighed, "I found Mr. Mitchel in much the same state as he arrived here. Miss Sachiel was already there with him. I approached and assessed the situation, informing Jade and Archer that an ambulance was on the way. Mr. Mitchel became agitated and combative. Rather than rick him doing harm to Miss Sachiel or further harm to himself, and seeing that he didn't appear to be bleeding any more, I called off the ambulance and brought him in myself." She spoke as an officer giving a report, keeping her emotions in check and avoiding any indication that she might know why he wasn't bleeding.

"That was a very... risky thing to do," Emily spoke up gently to Adela, watching her with a tilt of her head, "considering he had a collapsed lung and several stab wounds." Her pale blue eyes watched Adela skeptically, but her tone was completely polite. She sounded more contemplative than anything else. She looked towards Jade instead next and said, "You were with him before her? What did you see about the extent of his condition?"

Jade took a deep breath, glad that Archer was doing okay. Her biggest fear was that her minor healing had caused him even more issues but that didn't appear to be the case. She relaxed visibly, her arms falling to the side as she took in the three people before her. Adela had done an amazing job explaining what had happened without touching on the wounds. She had a feeling she wouldn't be able to be that professional and still skirt the truth. "I was, I found him in a little cove, the water rising up around him. I could see the blood in the water and it rising higher. So I climbed in after him to wedge myself beneath him so he wouldn't drown but I couldn't really tell where the blood was coming from. I saw the knife but no wounds except for what looked like newly healed ones but that didn't make any sense." She sighed, shaking her head. She hadn't realized she'd held Emily's eyes the entire time she spoke.

Adela was switching between familiar and formal names, and Jade had mentioned blood in the water but couldn't see that it was coming from the cuts. Sabastion wasn't an oceanographer, but he was fairly certain that if blood had stayed near Archer in the water, they were still coming from wounds when she arrived and Jade would have noticed the source. "Archer was not in much of a state to fight medically trained emergency response staff," Sabastion commented mildly. "And his wounds were not so much healed as they were closed. The repairs were almost nothing more than cosmetic. He could have bled out internally, or suffocated from the collapsed lung. What did you do to him?" He asked them both, the question nothing more than the standard question. They had refused the ambulance, they clearly had done something more than dump him in a car and drive him here. They were friends of his, there was blood, they surely would have tried to do something to stop it and although he couldn't medically indicate what that was in this case, it had to be something. At this point, his best guess was they had somehow been the cause of all of this.

Adela's eyes hardened a little. She didn't like the doctor's tone or the implication that she or Jade would harm Archer. She looked at the nurse, "You want risky, try being a uniformed officer at an anti-police rally turned riot. Working in medicine, you should know as well as I do what adrenaline can make someone capable of. I made an assessment and deescalated a situation, that's my job." She said pleasantly and shifted to addressing both of them, "I've told you what happened, if you want more details you can look up the incident report once it's filed. In the meantime, I need to write said report and Miss Sachiel needs to change into dry clothes." She looked at Jade, Adela was used to stressful situations, but seeing Archer in the condition he had been in had shaken her to the core. She could only imagine what Jade was feeling, "Let me take you home." She said.

Emily glanced at Adela as she spoke, then back at Jade before casting a sidelong look at Sebastian. She nodded at Adela's clear dismissal and said in a calm and professional tone, "Mister Mitchel is in the ICU coming out of his surgery now. He'll be awake soon. You are free to come see him after we move him into a patient room in an hour or so, depending on how he reacts to his treatment. Thank you both for your time." she said and tossed another sidelong glance at Sebastian before turning to go.

Jade forced a small smile at Adela's offer to take her home. At least she knew Adela wasn't freaked by any of this. "Thanks, that'd be great." She turned her attention to Emily and Sabastion giving them a nod of her head. "If I remember anything I'll be sure to let you know." She hated lying to them, especially Sabastion who had helped her with so many injuries but without Teos being there she wasn't comfortable bringing everything out in the open. Turning she wrapped her arm around Adela's waist in a sisterly fashion and headed for the doors.

Sabastion nodded and offered a quiet 'thank you, Jade' in return as she left with Adela. Only once they had again exited the hospital did he turn and head back to the main desk to complete paperwork, speaking quietly to Emily as he did so. "I'm not permitting any visitors for Archer until Dr. Oneiro has a chance to speak to him and I am certain those two were not the cause of his injuries, physical or psychological. I want to know what drove him to this, and I want to know what happened with those wounds... Run some blood tests. Clotting agents, foreign bodies- I want a skin sample checked for his rate of dermal and epidermal mitosis." He was scribbling on a sheet in Archer's file as he spoke and frowning, trying to work this all out in his head. "I can get a lab tech on all of this," he ended after rereading his notes. Only then did he look at Emily. "Thank you for your help. You've done very well lately. When I see you working you feel more like a colleague than a student." He'd have to get her a coat for her graduation.

Adela escorted Jade out to her patrol car and reluctantly drove for boto Jade's house.

Emily was nodding along with Sebastian's orders and writing them down on a pad of paper from her pocket as they reached the desk. She had no problem remembering things, but she always wrote it down, just in case. She didn't look at him until he looked at her and bestowed her with such a compliment. She smiled at him and nodded in agreement. "You do, too." she said quietly. That idea excited her. She was about to open her mouth to say something else when another nurse interrupted her.

"Emily, by the way," she said, leaning up to her, "the hospital director called for you while you were in the OR. She requested you go to her office when you're free."

"Oh..." Emily said, blinking. She glanced down at her notepad of tests for archer and then said to the nurse, "would you mind getting these underway then?"

The nurse smiled and shook her head. "Nope! I'll get it handled. Just hurry back."

Emily nodded and watched the nurse scurry away with her notes, then looked at Sebastian a bit nervously. "I wonder what this will be about." Hopefully it wouldn't have anything to do with her clumsiness or the way she had been acting at work around Sebastian over the last couple days.

---

Archer's dreams had been strange and dark. A combination of all his worst days and the fears and dark thoughts that drove him to try to take his own life. A dark cocktail of deep self loathing and hatred of those he held grudges for. His blood pressure had spiked and he saw a man in branded armor and a red aura about him. He looked at Archer and then started to slay all of his brothers in arms. Archer tried to scream at him but his voice fell short, and he rushed as the man turned to face Jade and Adela. Archer cried for him to stop, and this time is voice escaped him, but the smile beneath the Corinthian helm and laughter shook him. Then angered him. He reached the figure and thrust his hand grabbing for his throat. Archer's vitals spiked and the orderly held him down as he started to twitch and shift in his sleep, yelling the names of men that to stop this. Nurses from the ICU came over just in time to see Archer grab the orderly by the throat as he shot upright. A large nurse grabbed Archer's other arm before he could swing, and Archer calmed down as the light took away the darkness of his dreams. He let the orderly go and relaxed. "Sorry." Archer managed to get out past the small breathing tube. The orderly nodded between coughs before giving a thumbs up to Archer as if to say it was okay. The second nurse let him go. "Mr. Mitchell..." a wide-eyed nurse said. "You're... awake... so soon."

"Mister Mitchell, just breathe for us, okay? You're fresh out of surgery, you need to relax for me, just lay back on the bed." one of the other nurses told him gently, a hand on his shoulder, gentle but guiding in a gentle push back down towards the bed. "Just relax," she said again. "Are you in pain? Can you show me a number on your fingers what level of pain you're in on a scale of one to ten?" she asked, taking a moment to shine a pen light in his eyes to track his pupil reaction. "Eyes are tracking, dilation normal," she reported.

Archer placed his hand on his breathing tube. Then managed to speak. "Four." He then placed the hand on the chest tube and spoke up again. "Six." He licked his lips a bit then coughed out. "Water..." he looked at the speaking nurse and felt a bit calmer.

She nodded as another nurse wrote down his reported pain level on a chart. The nurse beside him checked his vitals once more and explained to him, "You just came out of major surgery, Mister Mitchell. Surgery to repair a collapsed lung. We cannot remove the breathing tube just yet, so we cannot give you water to drink yet. We can get you some oral sponges to wet your mouth, though." she said softly. She looked to another nurse nearby and said, "Page doctor Panas. We'll need his say so if we're going to remove the breathing tube." she said. The nurse nodded and vanished from the room. A few moments later, his voice came over the loudspeaker of the hospital.

Doctor Panas. Paging Doctor Panas, you are needed in ICU. Doctor Panas.

Emily looked up at the page and then looked back at Sebastian with a small frown. "ICU... do you think that's our OR patient?" she asked, then shrugged and sighed. "Looks like we'll both be busy for a few moments. I'll come and check in with you after my meeting with the hospital director later. Don't have too much fun without me."

Archer nodded to the wet sponge. He looked at the hole staff. He locked eyes with the nurse explaining he had collapsed a lung. He rolled his eyes at her saying they had to keep the tube in. "Oh joy." As they paged the doctor he waited a moment and wondered if he would ask about his reasons for this.

"I make no promises," Sabastion replied, but he was frowning, eyes skyward at the page. He certainly hoped Archer wasn't awake yet. His blood pressure had still be low when he left plus the lingering anesthesia. He had expected a couple of hours, at the very least, and not very coherent for another few after that. He returned his gaze to Emily and offered a little quirk of his lips. "I'm sure everything is fine, go to your meeting," he encouraged with a little jerk of his jaw toward the administrator's office before he stepped past her and headed for the ICU. He didn't need to look for where he was needed, an orderly was waving him over and without pause he strode over to Archer's room, his steps only faltering when he saw Archer's rather alert eyes taking in the room and the small staff tending to him. Those tests couldn't come back soon enough. "Mr. Mitchel, it is good to see you awake," he said sincerely, offering a quiet thanks as a nurse handed over a file. He didn't look at it yet, however, he was still looking over the man in front of him. "I'm Dr. Panas, but you may call me Sabastion if you prefer. I'm in charge of your physical care." He glanced at the file only to check two things. The time between arriving and the time he awoke, as well as his level of pain. It wasn't completely out of the norm, but it was enough to add to his curiosity. He looked at the machines and with a nod to the nurse he set the file aside, stepped around the bed to tube side and lifted his hands a little to indicate what he was about to do as a nurse brought a tray over. "You seem very stable. We're going to try to remove the tube, alright? Your lung is inflated so you shouldn't need it anymore, but it might be a little uncomfortable. We have you on a low drip so you shouldn't feel any more pain, just try not to shift ok?"

Archer nodded to the doctor and took a deep breath before letting his body relax. "Can't happen fast enough Doctor." Archer told him. It wasn't the first time he had a tube- chest and breathing. He didn't enjoy them, but this was at least far more comfortable than the ones the army had put in him. He knew there was more coming sooner rather than later in the questions department. Though that would not be tell after the removal of the breathing tube.

Sabastion gave him an understanding nod before accepting gloves from the nurse. "Now, when I tell you to, I need you to take a deep breath and hold it, alright?" Archer seemed experienced though so it only took half a moment for him to be certain of his cooperation before he gently took hold of the tube and clipped the suture holding it in place. With a soft thank you he accepted the vaseline gauze, four by fours, and tape from the nurse and carefully placed it held back from the tube. "Ready? Deep breath, and hold it-" In barely a breath of his own Sabastion had removed the tube and covered the hole with the prepared gauze, accepting two more pieces of tape from the nurse to secure it to his side. "You'll just need to keep it dry for a couple of days. Make sure you cover it with something water proof like plastic if you must shower. After that, replace the dressing, a simple band aid will suffice, and you should be perfectly fine after that. At least, for the collapsed lung." He offered a little quick of his lips at the man in the bed briefly before he turned to assessing the stitching they had put into his wounds. "You were already healing well when you came in," he informed the other man. Nothing seemed to be pulled. Yet. "Someone must have performed some very unique, but helpful, first aid."

Archer complied as the tube was removed and as soon as he was told he could speak he let out a. "Fuck me... that doesn't hurt any less the third time." He shook his head as he let his breath ceatch. He looked confused at the doctor when he brought up unique 'First aid' and didn't really know how best to answer. "If you say so." Archer locked his eyes before adding. "Your the doctor after all. You'd know better than I."archer knew what happened was just the kind of thing that would get him admired after a sucide attempt. "So when can I go home?" Not that he really had one to go to after his mother threw him out for sleeping with Adela and Jade. Then there was no way Jade was going to let him live there with her... at the least archer didn't want to stare at her sober for any amount of time. It was a constant reminder he was a fuck up. He then woundered and asked quickly. "Is Adela still here?"

"She and Jade left soon after your surgery was finished," Sabastion replied mildly, his tone more kind than anything else. There wasn't a lot of reason to be gentle in tone with Archer. Sabastion guessed he would only find it condescending and so he kept his tone level instead. "As for when you can go home, we'll monitor your physical progress, see how things go but I don't expect it to be long. You'll be speaking with Dr. Oneiro as well. That part is not my expertise so I will not guess how long it will take." He righted himself and carefully folded the blanket back into place around Archer's waist and lower torso before meeting his eyes again. "Do you have any other questions or concerns? I am happy to answer them."

"Nothing as of now." Archer said with a nod. "What time should I expect the next Doctor." He asked hopping sooner rather than later. He hated having to wait. He also wanted to go talk to Adela and Jade.

"Well she had not been expecting you for a few more hours," Sabastion replied. "But your condition seems well enough. I'll see if she can see you now. If you need anything press the call button-" he motioned to it on the side of the bed, "A nurse will come help you, but if you prefer Dr. Oneiro or myself, you can request us. Try to rest for a moment while I have her paged." He waited only a breath more, making certain Archer had nothing else to say, before nodding a farewell and heading out of the room past the officer already stationed at the door. At the main desk he filled out the file while instructing the staff there to not allow Adela or Jade near Archer until they had the okay from both physicians, no phone calls at all either, and page Dr. Oneiro to Archer's room. He accepted the initial results of the tests he had ordered earlier and with no patients for the moment, headed to his office to look them over as the page for Dr Oneiro sounded over the intercom.

It was only a few minutes after that a quiet knock rapped on Archer's door, despite it already being open. Short silver hair sat above a face too young for the color to be natural. Dr Oneiro smiled at him, not the closed lip smile of thousands of other doctors, but instead one that showed her teeth making her instantly seem several degrees more casual. "Mr. Mitchel," she greeted, tucked her notebook under her arm as she entered the room and strode over to his bed in a few smooth steps to extend her hand. "I'm Dr. Oneiro. Welcome back to Athens Harbor."

"Thanks." Archer looked the women head to toe and smirked. "Your not who I was expecting." He sighed and looked Oneiro in the eyes. "Your the shrink right?" There was no way he would attempt to off himself and they would let him walk out with out meeting a psychologist. His eyes went deadpan, and he stared at her like she was nothing more than an enemy trying to crack him for information. He hated psychologists...

She smiled at his first words, but the word 'shrink' made her face sober as quickly as his did. "I see you're familiar with my work in the Munich Circus," she replied stoically. "Well I'm afraid I retired from that life some years ago," she added as she pulled up a chair next to his bed and took a seat, only then giving him the friendly smile again. "I'm just a boring, small town doctor now." Her smile softened a fraction, though if it was hurt or sympathy was unclear. "Mr. Mitchel, it's rather obvious you don't like me, but dont you think that's a little unfair since you don't even know me? I don't think you would like it if I made assumptions about you and chose to dislike you based on that, now would you? So perhaps we can make a deal? You know I have to ask you some questions now, but to keep it even how about you start us off. You ask me a question, then I'll ask you, and we can continue like that. If you don't want to answer something you don't have to, but I would really like to get to know you so I hope you will." Her friendly smile was completely back in place and she settled her notebook on her lap as she waited patiently for his reply.

"Circus?" Archer looked rather confused about that then nodded as she went on. "I'll play your game." Archer knew this one well, and the longer you sit totally quiet the less likely they are to let you go home. "What made you want to do this job?" He decided to start small and if she pissed him off he would take this into a strange direction.

"This job, specifically?" Dr. Oneiro replied, eyebrows raised slightly and pointing at the floor to indicate the hospital. "There was an opening when I graduated medical school. But if you mean psychology in the general sense, I just find the way people think interesting. Same four parts to all of our DNA, but the pathways formed in our synapses are unique to each and every person, exponentially more so than a fingerprint and psychology is a study of both the physical and sensory observable aspects of those pathways. Romantically speaking, it's a map of the soul. What about you? Did you always want to join the military?" she asked in return, relaxing back into her chair as her hands fiddled idly with her pen but made no move to take notes.

"No. Just worked out that way. Like a job you walk into and your to damn good at to leave it." Archer said watching the pretty woman. She was a lot easier on the eyes than the last psychological analyst he felt with. Made the home experience easier. "You have a family? Or married to the job?"

"That's two questions," she pointed out, pointing at him with her pen for emphasis as if to chastise him, but her smile didn't falter. "My father is still alive, enjoying a well deserved retirement. No siblings, few aunts, uncles, cousins I see on the larger holidays when I have the time to travel. I wouldn't consider myself married to my job, but we've had a lot of dates and I'd say we're pretty serious." She gave a short but gentle chuckle. "Are you enjoying being back in Athens Harbor?"

"Strange question to ask considering the situation we find our selfs in." Archer said with a smirk before answering. "Everything I came home for has been lost to me, and I chose this over staying in the army... I have loved two women my hole life and one didn't make her feelings clear. I slept with the other- both of them are supper pissed off, my mother disowned me over that, everyone tries to treat me like a hero- witch is annoying and frustrating- or a monster and run away from me like I may snap and kill everyone in the room, my night mares are still bothering me, and I tired check out early.... all in all I guess we should chalk this up to a pretty decent home coming." Archer was smiling now. Why hide it. He tried to off himself. Might as well enjoy the company. She was a good sport after all. "Is the smile an act or are you really this happy about talking to a damaged product?" Archer watched her eyes. He wanted to see her real answer. Not just the one she said, but what her eyes and facial expressions would tell him.

She didn't answer immediately. Her eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly in thought rather than criticism and her smile softened but she showed no other signs of what she was thinking. She instead lowered her eyes to her paper and wrote something, it took a few moments even though her pen moved so little it was almost as if she was drawing straight likes across it. It was followed by moving to seemingly random places on the page to make small marks and shorter lines, then she settled it on her knee where it was crossed over the other and let her fingertips touch the edges only to keep it balanced. It was then that her hazel eyes settled on his again, her gaze steady and her blinking slow and regular. Her breathing remained unchanged, her shoulders settled back and unhunched, chin level with the floor and neither tucked defensively nor risen defiantly or arrogantly. "I enjoy talking with people, so no, it is not an act," she assured him. "Is that how you think of yourself?" she asked in return. "As a 'product'?"

The reaction was as expected, she got a bit concerned with being asked if the smoke was fake but stone walled him. He could see the gears turning when he asked his question and made the statements he did. She was not as easy to rattle as military shrinks. "Old habits. It's what you refer to a hurt soldier as. ''Damaged goods' or 'broken' are common. 'On the sick, broken, and lame list.' Stuff like that." Archer sighed. "What are you looking for by asking the questions you are?"

Her gentle smile widened a little at that and when she answered, her words were sincere. "You. We all need places and things that make us feel safe and happy, it allows the body to recuperate. Unfortunately, sometimes, someone finds the small stresses piling up until they feel they can't find that relief and so they go to great lengths to try to find it. Sometimes those feelings are caused by a chemical or hormonal imbalance and can require medication, but I suspect you'll be happy to know I don't think that's the case with you. You have very real stress in your life and coming back to what should be your home and not finding the comfort your body and mind would need can, and has been, very detrimental. It is absolutely understandable. If you'd let me, I'd like for us to keep talking. I'd really like to try and help you, under all the bad." She smiled at him for another moment, then turned her attention to her notepad to write something quickly, before returning her gaze to meet his once more. "I wouldn't like to call you any of those things," she started her question. "May I call you Archer?"

"Yes, if I can call you by your first name." Archer was a bit relieved to hear she didn't think he had a chemical embalance. Surprised- but happy. A smile crept to his face. He had a fine enough question on his mind. "So what do you want to know?"

Her smile in response was as genuine as his. "Yes," she agreed with a little nod. "You may call me Effie, if you like, and what I would like to know is anything you'd like to tell me. I'm sure you understand I'm under oath, I won't tell anyone else about what you tell me. You could even lie to me if you really want. I just want you to feel comfortable talking to me, about anything you like, or don't like. Whatever is on your mind." She didn't ask a question this time but she hadn't indicated she wouldn't answer his. The question exercise was an ice breaker, not a way to conduct an entire session.

"Okay..."archer thought a long moment. He had never liked talking to the doctors that tried this kinda thing in the army. He had never really talked to anyone about any of this. "I had a family in the army. Brothers. He were close as you could be." He looked st his hands and then went on. "There all gone." His eyes grew a bit distant. "I was there very time. I watched it. One by one all seven of my brothers tell I was the only original..."

Effie wrote a short note, but was ready to talk as his words trailed off. "Do you maybe feel some kind of.. guilt? That you couldn't save them or.. that it wasn't you instead?" she asked gently. "Or maybe feel it was somehow your fault?"

"No, Effie, it ain't like that. It's this crushing feeling of being alone. The more I am alone the more I think back on it... an alone doesn't mean just being around people." Archer was going to have to try to explain something hard for most civilians to under stand and he had trouble finding the right words for a moment before he went on. "It's like having a family that you choose to be part of and your part of it for life. You will kill for that family, and the members of your family will kill for you. You do everything together. You survive out in hell as a unit. Just two four man teams who make up this family of warriors. You figure when it's time to go... we're all gonna go at the same time... guess I feel like the one that missed the bus to the party." Archer shook his head. "Here I am talking about death like it's the goal..." archer played with his wrist band for a bit before shaking his head.

Effie nodded, but more to indicate he still had her attention. She hadn't written anything, but she did appear to be thinking it over. He was right, what he was thinking. She couldn't understand soldier life or war because she had never seen it, much less lived it, but the feelings of having those you feel you'll be with forever, only to have them all leave in some way or another, and in such a short period of time. She could at least see how that could throw someone into desperation. And then to come back to what should have been his reason to keep going, and have that reject him. Well, it might almost make sense to think one really should have died back then too. "Have you spoken to them?" she asked, her tone still patient. She still gave no sign of leaving, or even wanting to. "The others left behind? Your brothers' family and friends?"

"I gave the flags to the familys at the unit manorial service." Archer said a frown on his face. "It's not easy to give a wife, or grieving mother that flag... the worse one to give the flag to was Pup's mom. He really was just a kid. Nineteen. He enlisted at seventeen. His legal name was Jacob Radvanskie. His mom thought he was a truck driver, and he was when he came into the Army. He passed Special Forces selection with flying colors when he got out of basic training. He took a hell of a lot of shrapnel- got cought with Ramirez in a blast... any way- his mom looks at me and she's speaking Check, his kid sister is translating. She asks me 'why my boy? He was just a truck driver, why do they shoot my son?'" Archer paused for a bit and looked Effie in the eyes. "I still am not to tell her what happened. I can't look her or any of the wife's or family members in the face, god just thinking of talking to Mrs. Radvanski or his kid sister. Makes me want to go live the rest of my life alone in the woods." He looked out the window and just said it. "All cards in the table Effie. I can't tell you if I will or won't try to kill myself again. Jade is pissed at me, Adela is hurt, and my mother threw me to the curb. Told me I was just like my cheating father, and she wanted to never see me again."

His declarations weren't immediately met with a response, but hard truths rarely came with fast answers. She rolled the information around in her head for a few long moments, taking in his expression and posture as he sat in the hospital bed with that same look that was somehow calculating but not judgmental. When she felt she was finally able to answer, the words were slow, measured, as if she wanted to make sure he followed along, "I know it is of little comfort to you, Archer, but I believe you are stronger than you give yourself credit for. You seem to keep so much inside for the sake of those around you, to spare anyone these terrible things you've seen and experienced, like with Mrs. Radvanski, and I don't know him of course, but since he didn't tell them himself, I think Jacob would be grateful to you for sparing his mother and sister the details of his passing. I know it is hard to weather these things alone, and to add to that the feeling that you have lost the support you returned home for, it can feel like you have nothing, but the truth of what Jade or Adela or your mother feel aside, one thing is very different from what you felt hours ago. You are not alone, and you can know that now, because you have me, and I want you to be selfish with that knowledge, ok?" She smiled a little, clearly hoping to at least make him feel some kind of relief. "Any time you want someone to be there, you can call on me. And feel free to test that, if you don't believe me. I have not met Jade, or Adela, or your mother, so I can only promise you my company- Which, might not be what you want, of course, if we were to play cards or something. I'm told I have a mean poker face." She pursed her lips and furrowed her brow in a mock of intimidation, but it didn't last, relaxing once more into the gentle friendly smile from before.

"Well that dose make me feel a bit better." Archer sat in scilence a moment before asking Effie a question. "Well the day has come. I'm finding myself enjoying the company of a psychologist..." archer looked a bit surprised over that.

Effie curled her lips inward and bit them together, looking down at her pad and writing a few notes to better hide the smile trying to creep onto her face. She really didn't think asking him if he had said 'I'd die before I like a psychologist' was a good idea, since it had kind of actually happened, so she kept it to herself. Only once she regained her composure and finished her notes did she look up again, her calm smile back in place. "I'm glad," she admitted. "Since we'll need to spend quite a bit of time together, it really is better if we don't have to fight each other. I think I have all I need for my initial visit though. I need to check a couple of things once I step out, so if you could give me your input? I need to approve guests, at least for now. Is there anyone you don't want to see? We don't have to say you were the one who asked for the break, we can say it was the mean ol' psychologist."

"I can't think of anyone who is not aloud to see me." Archer could see Effie was enjoying the conversation. "How much time?" Archer knew this was likely to be a regular part of his life. The good news was Effie was fun to talk to, and she was easy in the eyes- that helped. "Like what once a week or so?"

Effie nodded. "I think that will do at first, and we'll adjust as we go. Of course, if you want to see me more often, I'd be happy to meet with you." She offered him a more pointed smile and finally stood, closing her notebook. "I'll let the front desk know to allow you visitors and have them bring you in some food. I'm sure you're hungry by now. I'll stop by in the morning, but I think, as long as you come see me, you'll be alright to go home after the 24 hours is up. Oh!" She opened her pad again and wrote something down, tore the little piece of paper off, and held it out to him. In tiny, neat little script was her name, Effie Oneiro, and her phone number. "Call me any time you need to, alright?"

Archer nodded as he took the paper. A bit confused because that smile of hers was so hard to read. He decided that maybe it was best that way. After all she was the doctor. "Thank you... I'll call if I every need to talk or just feel board and want someone to hang out with."

"Good, I'm glad. Now, if you don't need me before then, I will see you tomorrow and hopefully we'll be able to get you all checked out. Good day, Archer." She gave him a little wave and finally left him be so she could ask for some food to be taken in, sign the paperwork allowing visitors, and sort her notes. When Sabastion returned te next day she'd talk to him about releasing Archer. She wrinkled her nose to herself. That'll be fun, she thought sarcastically.

---

It was about five minutes after Sebastian returned to his office that Emily was released from the hospital director's meeting. It was another three or four before she came through his door with a gentle knock, and practically vibrating with contained enthusiasm. It had taken every ounce of willpower not to skip and leap through the halls of the hospital on her way here, and naturally she didn't wait to be called in before entering. She closed his office door behind herself to give them privacy and went to stand in front of his desk, grinning from ear to ear. Emily waited for Sebastian to acknowledge her before speaking though. He was filling out patient files and her intrusion had been interruption enough.

At the knock, Sabastion had looked up to see Emily, gave her a vague motion with his hand to go ahead and enter and returned to the forms. When she stood in front of his desk for a moment, however, he realized she had closed the door and, curious, looked up at her with a raised eyebrow, glancing at the door pointedly. Her face looked like it may split in two so he carefully laid his pen in the file and closed it before leaning back in his chair and giving her an amused quirk of his lips. "Yes, Miss Cornary?"

Emily almost giggled. She bit her lip and said, in as calm a tone as she could without exploding, "I believe you mean doctor Cornary." Her face lit up even more and she moved around his desk to him quickly. She planted an excited, hard kiss on his mouth and then let out a gleeful shout and began to bounce around the room. "I'm done with my residency! The hospital director called me to her office to explain that my school miscounted my hours for the past year! I'm done! And she offered me a job!" she yelped, grabbing his hands.

Sabastion had enough humility to blush at the sudden kiss, the combination of physical pleasure and what she just said sinking in at the same time. Wait, that meant she wasn't a student anymore. She took his hands but he went a step further. Several, actually. He graced her with a rare smile, something sparkling in his eyes more than she had seen before and he was out of his chair, arms around her, twirling her around. "I'm so proud of you," he breathed and kissed her cheek before setting her on her own feet again but did not release her from his arms. "Congratulations," he added and kissed her forehead, a tad more gently this time. "Your patients will be lucky to have such a wonderful physician."

She beamed up at him, pale blue eyes sparkling and lips pulled back in a toothy grin. She hugged him just as tightly as he held to her, their bodies flush. "Thank you. She said I start my shift as doctor after my next day off, once all the paperwork is finished. For tonight... I think this yacht party we're going to is going to be an apt celebration. Well... that and what I'm going to do to you after..." she purred with a grin, her hands playfully tugging at his shirt.

Sabastion released her to take her hands from his shirt, lifting them so he could press a gentle kiss to her fingers. "If you say such things, I may be tempted to start our celebration on my desk, and it is too early in your career to be fired for misconduct. For now, finish your shift. I will be headed home once I finish these papers and afterwards I promised we would buy you a new outfit for the party, did I not?" His lips quirked up at her again and one of his hands released hers to gently cup her face. "Go on, there will be time to celebrate later."

Emily heeded his words, a bit excited at the idea of risque work sex on his desk, but agreeable to his reasons why they should avoid it. Her smile stayed on, absolutely unbreakable, and nodded at him. She did, however, stand up on her tiptoes and kiss his lips again, just as hard and excited as before, before releasing him and heading to his office door with a skip in her step. She paused and looked back at him. "I'll see you after work, colleague." she winked and then slipped out of his office and down the hall.

Seriously, the death of him, Sabastion thought to himself again as he sat on the edge of his own desk to wait for his swollen lips quirked at the edges to calm down. A few minutes of deep breaths, eyes closed thinking of other things and letting his professional life once more take precedence over his personal one, and he was finally able to stand and put away the files in his desk before making his way out of his office. He actually needed to do one other thing before he could go. At Jace's room, he knocked before entering, looking around questioningly before his gaze settled on Jace, one eyebrow raised. "Good day Jace. I'm a bit surprised. No visitors?" he asked conversationally as he stepped over to the bed.

Jace looked up at the sound of the knock. He smiled gently, "Hey Doc..." He had been relaxing, staring off into space as the TV drone on, just for the noise. He gave his shoulders a light shrug at Sabastion's question. "I heard there was an accident with Archer so I'm sure that's what Adela and most likely Jade ran off to do and Maddy is showing the new guy around town. Other than that I'd only expect really to see Cayson." The boy had visited him several times while he was in here, bringing him magazines or something to read. He seemed like an okay kid, just had a rough go of it. "Is Archer okay?" He asked, clearly concerned about his friend.

"Archer is doing very well," Sabastion assured him as he carefully set about checking some of Jace's bandaging. He had him move a little to test the reaction of his wounds, but kept the movements minor. "I suppose I expected some of your students to be here, but it hasn't been long so perhaps they haven't heard. Have you missed any classes due to the accident?" He had never taken one of Jace's classes, he honestly didn't know what the schedule was for them.

"A few, but I'm going to be training Cayson so he can help me around the dojo. As far as my students go..." Jace's smile was soft, clearly full of love for them. "Most of them are minors but I didn't want them to see me like this. They know I was hurt but now by what yet, or how. The parents have done a good job of keeping it quiet." He looked down at what Sabastion was doing and raised an eyebrow. "So what's the verdict, Doc?"

"Well, Jace, I don't see any reason we can't have you discharged today," Sabastion replied positively and offered Jace a quirk of his lips that would be a smile. "If you feel you're ready to go, I'll sign the papers. Unfortunately with the broken rib you won't be able to do any activity for two months while it heals, and I'll need you to come in every couple of weeks for a check up until you're back to perfect health, but there's no reason to keep you in the bed. Would you like to call anyone to pick you up?" That last part wasn't completely a question. Jace wasn't allowed to walk all the way back to the dojo in his condition.

Jace groaned softly, "Thank you! I would love to go home..." At the doctors question about calling someone he frowned. Who could he call? Madison was out with Aiden, Jade was busy and Adela was on duty. He huffed a sighed as he mulled over things in his mind. "Uh... I'm not sure who I can get... I'll text a couple people and see who responds first..." He reached over and picked up his cell he decided to ask Jade and Adela, if they couldn't come get him then he'd move to more drastic options, like Cayson possibly. Hey, I know you are probably busy and I hate to impose but the Doc is discharging me and I don't think walking is an option to him. Anyway you can swing by fast and just run me home? Both girls would get it but he wasn't sure if either would respond.

There was a light knock on the door and Emily slipped into the room, the skip in her step as evident now as it was when she'd left Sebastian's office a bit ago. She checked Jace's vitals and scribbled them down in her chart like always, and absently nodded at Sebastian and Jace each in turn as she did. Once his chart was tucked away, she turned to them both and asked, "So? Good news? Are you going home today?" She smiled at Jace prettily and tilted her head.

Adela had been sitting in the department parking lot when she got Jace's text. She looked at it and responded, I've got you, I'll head over. before puting the cruiser in drive and heading for the hospital. She parked in the hospital lot and headed up to Jace's room.

"I'm discharging him right now, actually," Sabastion confirmed with a nod. "I'll go sign the papers now. Emily, can you help him so he's ready when his ride arrives?" He looked at Jace again. "Although it was a short stay this time, I'm sure your students will once again be very glad to have you back. I'll set up your next appointment and you'll receive a confirmation call in a few days." This was pretty much a reiteration considering Jace had been in more than once for injuries, though Sabastion was fairly certain this was the first involving a car. "Remember to rest and I'll see you soon." He waited until he received a nod in return from both before giving a final little wave and leaving the room to complete the release process.

Jace smiled softly as Emily came in. "Hey Doc!" He stared across the room at the two as they discussed him being released. He was clearly happy with this revelation. "I told you I'd be getting out of here." He looked over at Sabastion and chuckled. "Right... rest. I'll give that a try." He muttered as the doctor left the room.

Emily nodded at Sebastian as he left the room, then turned back to Jace with another smile. "Exciting! I had your clothes washed yesterday, so they're all clean and ready for you. Let's get this IV out of your arm." She moved to put on some gloves and gather the things she would need, then moved to his bedside and began to remove the IV catheter from his arm.

Adela strode purposefully through the halls, approaching Jace's room as Sebastian left, "Doctor," she greeted him pleasantly as she passed him and knocked gently on Jace's door.

"Thank you," Jace was saying as a knock sounded at his door. He assumed it was the doctor forgetting something since he hadn't had a chance to look at his phone. He was slightly surprised to see Adela standing there. "Adela... I didn't actually expect anyone to come, thank you..."

"The only thing that would keep me from picking up a friend who needed a ride is work. But as long as you don't mind a ride in a police cruiser, there's no issue there." She said.

Emily nodded in greeting to Adela's familiar face. She had been in with Archer a bit ago. "It's a busy day for you," she said to the other girl in a tone no less friendly than she spoke to anyone else. It was almost a stark contrast to the tone in which she'd spoken to her about Archer before. She looked at Jace and finished bandaging his arm with a cotton ball and band-aid now that the IV was removed, then set about cleaning up her mess and properly disposing of the items. "Is there anything else you need, Jace, before I go check on your discharge paperwork with the doctor?"

"Nope, I think I'm good, Doc. Thanks." Jace gave her a friendly smile, glad to be ride of all the wires. He carefully swung his legs off of the bed and got to his feet, wobbling slightly from lack of walking. He gave himself a moment for the blood to return to the lower half of his body before crossing the room to his little cubby and grabbing his clothes. He stripped off his gown to reveal shorts underneath. His broad, chiseled chest rippled with his movements as he pulled a shirt over his head and bent to put his socks and shoes on. "I'm so ready to get out of here..."

Emily, with natural grace, averted her eyes as Jace began to strip and dress. "I'm sure you are," she said, a modest smile on her lips. "But don't go anywhere until I come back. There are some papers you need to sign before you can leave." She gave Adela another nod and added, "I'll be right back," before excusing herself from the room. She opened the door only wide enough to slip out of it, then closed it again to afford Jace some privacy.

Adela on the other hand, didn't mind appreciating the sight of an attractive man. She just watched him the same way she would have had he been wearing a shirt, "I'm surprised she let you stand on your own." She said, "You know hospital policy says they have to wheel you out, right?"

Jace looked over at Adela once he finished lacing up his converse and smiled wickedly. "Has that ever stopped me before? I rarely roll out of here in one of those damn things. I don't intend to start now." He walked across the room and gently placed his hands on Adela's shoulders, staring down into her captivating eyes. "How are you holding up? I heard about Archer, the doc says he's doing good." Even with his feelings for this petite, young officer, he knew she had feelings for Archer and genuinely cared if she was okay with his currant state.

Adela looked away, eyes getting a little misty, "He tried to kill himself, Jace." She whispered, "He did it because he knew he screwed up and he thought he made me and Jade hate him." She took a deep breath and looked at Jace again, "But he'll be alright and he'll get help now. I volunteered to take a shift on the one-to-one watch so the chief sent me home to rest a bit before coming back here for that."

Jace watched her carefully, noticing her eyes misting and gently pulled her into his arms. He ran his hands up and down her back comfortingly as he murmured into her ear. "I'm sure with all of our support he'll be okay. I don't see him making sure a rash desicion like that without having issues before hand." He gently kissed the top of her head with a sigh. "I'm sorry this has happened... whatever I can do for you guys. I'm here."

She rested her forehead against his shoulder for a moment and then shook her head, "I just can't stop seeing him like that." She whispered.

"I know... and I wish I could take those images away..." Jace's strong hands continued to rub her back, trying to soothe her as much as he could.

Another soft knock interrupted their moment and Emily opened the door and peaked in. She had a small gathering of papers in her arms and she smiled at them. "I'm back! Oh... I hope I'm not cutting into anything?" she asked, looking at the two of them and their rather intimate embrace. "It's just those discharge papers..." she smiled, holding up a pen.

Jace looked up at Emily as she entered the room. His face had been buried in Adela's hair but he pulled away enough to shake his head. "It's fine... We were just discussing Archer. We'd like to see him before I leave if we could." He gently guided Adela to the chair and with one arm around her shoulders he took the pen and signed what he needed to.

"Oh, um... Unfortunately, I cannot share patient information with you about him, it's all confidential... but you won't be able to see him just yet. He's in an appointment with another doctor right now. I'll stop by his room at the end of my shift and see if he wants to update his contact list and add you two to the visitors' roster. Is that okay?" Emily offered with a shrug and a small smile.

Adela stepped back from Jace, her expression unreadable when she looked over at Emily. "That would be great." Adela said, "Oh, I'm sure the department already called, but the chief set up a rotation to keep him on watch, the first officer should be here soon if he's not here already." She told Emily since she was Archer's nurse too.

Emily gathered up the papers as Jace finished signing them and took her pen back with a nod at Adela. "I'll check in on that. He's free to call you guys anytime, okay? I'll tell him you say hello." She smiled at Jace and Adela politely, then said playfully to Jace, "You're free to go. Try to avoid stepping into open traffic." She winked at him and waved, then left the room, this time leaving the door open behind her.

"Thank the gods..." Jace looked down at Adela and gently pulled her against him, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Come on, lets blow this Popsicle stand." He gave her a soft, reassuring smile as he led them out of the room, leaving with the same things he came here with, Adela included.

Adela smiled a little, nodding to Emily as she left. She looked up at Jace and nodded again before walking with him out to her patrol car. She opened the passenger door for him, they may not have made him sit in a wheel chair, but she wasn't going to let him strain himself at all after such a bad accident and multiple surgeries.

Jace waved to the nurses at the nurses station as they left. The swish of the automatic doors bringing him comfort. He really did hate sitting around doing nothing. "Hey, since you can't see Archer yet, would you like to go to the yacht party with me? Maybe take your mind off of things?" Jace asked as he slid into the passenger seat and relaxed into the cushions.

Adela gave him a confused look, "Yacht party?" She asked, then held up a finger to request that he wait a moment as she shut the door and got into the driver's seat, "What's this about a yacht party?" She asked as she fastened her seat belt.

"Jade invited me... Risk I guess is throwing a huge party on his yacht. I was going to ask you sooner but with being hit by a car and all, I never really got around to it... Plus I didn't want to get in Archer's way." Jace cleared his throat, turning away from her with a sigh. He was having a harder time than he thought he would, trying to do the right thing and not make things hard for her.

Adela glanced away when he mentioned Archer. She didn't want to think about that right now. She started the engine and pulled out of the parking lot onto the boto streets of Athens Harbor.

---

With Jace disharged and all of her other patients situated, Emily was all too relieved when she checked the clock and found it was already almost the end of her shift. She dropped off her files and folders with the charge nurse at the nurse's desk and gave her report to the nurse following her shift. She was surprised--she had managed to go her entire shift without breaking or spilling anything, hurting herself or anyone else, and otherwise without any accidents. That rarely happened, and it said something about her elated mood. She was trying not to run down the hall to the locker room out of excitement. Once inside the locker room, though, she started to hum and sing, dancing in muted jerky motions, and pulling off her stethoscope and nametag as she did. She righted everything in her locker, pulled her inky black hair out of her ponytail, and kicked her locker closed. Once it was locked, she headed out of the hospital with her backpack, humming and waving goodbye to colleagues as she went. She couldn't wait to get home and see Sebastian. He had said he was proud of her. That alone gave her butterflies. She was grinning the entire way back to boto Sebastian's house.


BotO Athens Harbor
Blood of the Olympians