((Loved the arc last night Necris.))
Jenny opened her eyes, the ding of the elevator alerting her that she'd reached her floor. She pushed off of the wall where she'd been leaning, half-asleep on the ride up, and stepped onto the ward.
It was early in the afternoon, but the place was mostly empty. She waved to a few nurses as she passed by, and they waved back before returning to their work. Even under her thick sweater she shivered and made a mental not to talk to someone about the thermostat. The place was eerily quiet, and her footsteps seemed out of place in the silence.
Rounding the corner at the end of the hall she nearly ran over the hospital administrator, Dr. Chamberlain. Sorry Bill.
Shaking spilled coffee from his hand he looked up and nodded. As she began to step around him and continue on he held up a hand for her to stop. Jennifer, we need to talk.
Her face was serene, but on the inside she groaned. She had really been hoping to avoid all of this today and just go about her business. Please, I've told you before, call me Jenny.
Another nod, Of course. The silence that followed was awkward, and entirely too long, but eventually he spoke. Jenny, I wanted to talk about what happened Thursday.
Her heart skipped a beat, but she realized there was no way he could know about what had actually happened. She thought of Trey, broken and lifeless. I'm really sorry about that, but I couldn't make it in time. It was an emergency. She avoided the specifics as she didn't think he'd really believe, or understand, why she had spent most of Thursday night avoiding Crey and Sky Raider forces. Or why they'd left a man behind.
Look Jenny, I know you took a big risk when you told me about your work as a hero, but you assured me it wouldn't interfere with your work. He took off his glasses and rubbed his temples with the other, Yet I just got off a call with the Peterson family who were very unhappy that their son's surgery had to be cancelled at the last minute because his surgeon disappeared. Dammit Jenny, they donated half of the equipment in this hospital. There's a whole damned wing named after them.
She searched for the right thing to say, but she was still emotionally drained from her escape from the Peregrine Island disaster, and the loss of a friend. All she managed was, I'm sorry. I'll make it up.
Dr. Chamberlain sighed, Sorry just doesn't cut it, Jenny. He met her eyes as he continued. Look, you're one of the finest pediatric surgeons in the northeast, and we're very glad to have you on staff. But this isn't a job you can just half-***, it takes serious commitment. I took a big risk when I hired someone as young as you, fought the board on it in fact, and I want to see you succeed. I'm not saying you should stop the hero thing, I know that's important to you, but maybe you should take some time to figure things out and get your priorities straight.
She opened her mouth to protest, but nothing came out. She thought of everything that had gone on over the past few weeks and realized he was right. Life was pulling her in every direction and she wasn't sure if she knew where she was headed. Alright. I'll take a week.
The director nodded, Good. Get your head clear and we'll talk again. He smiled and then continued on his way, rounding the corner, and disappearing from view.
Jenny looked after him for a moment before turning and heading down the hallway. Reaching the doors to the play room she pauses briefly before pushing her way in. The kids are all there, the ones that can get out of bed anyway. Scattered about in twos and threes, they play games and watch tv and act as though none of them is dying when all of them are.
One of the younger kids spots her and jumps up. Jenny! A few of the kids run over to her, the littlest ones hugging her legs. She tousles the hair on a few of the bigger kids and smiles at all of them. The little one pipes up again, Are you going to read to us some more?!
She nods and the kids all run off to where the reading area is, fighting over the best seats until everyone is sitting and waiting for her. She follows them over and sits down in the biggest chair, the storyteller's chair as the kid's call it. Next to the chair is a table full of books and she picks one up, holding it up for all the kids to see and they cheer.
Flipping open Treasure island, she glances at the kids, Now, where were we?
Another of the younger kids shouts out, The pirates!
The whole book is about pirates, stupid. The older kid sticks out his tongue at the little one.
Jenny hold up a hand and the kids quiet down. Now, now, I think I remember, Jim was hiding in the woods. Looking up over the top of the book, she saw them nodding. Okay, but if it gets too scary, you just let me know. The younger kids nod eagerly, while the older kids scoff at the thought of being scared, even as they edge closer.
Out the window, the darkened clouds mirror her own mood, but she never lets it show. Not in front of the kids. She reads to them, doing her best to entertain. It's something she can give them. She can't save them all, but she can make them happy.
It's something, at least.
Maybe less time on the forums would help.
