Leah merely offers a tired, heavy, tight-lipped smile and a small dip of her head in return. Having lagged a few steps beside Crux, she brings her arm up to block the side of the elevator door to keep it from trying to shut as she exits, falling into step behind the younger woman.
#Hospital – September 16, 2022
Crux casts a couple of awkward glances at Leah as they walk down the corridor, looking on the verge of speaking before reconsidering as they arrive at a door. "This is it." she says, pointing at the door with her thumb. She remains standing in place for half a second before clearing her throat and leading the way into the room. "Hey RC, y- oh, uh... hey. 'sup?" She nods her head in acknowledgement of Holly, the nurse who is seated next to
The room is a simple single-patient room overlooking the woods outside the hospital. RC is lying in the bed dressed in an oh-so-familiar hospital gown. The arm opposite Holly is hooked up to a blood bag. The lanky young batarian certainly looks better than he did bleeding out in the snow, the color returned to his skin, but there's brusing visible along the neckline of his gown.
Holly doesn't acknowledge Crux right away, entirely focused on her task. Only when the vial is filled and the needle withdrawn does she look up in the direction of the new arrivals, one hand keeping pressure on RCs arm while the other drops the sample on a tray behind her before grabbing a medigel canister and applying a tiny, precise dot. "Oh. Hi! We're just about done here, you can come in. That's-... as long as you don't light up
another cigarette." she reminds, but it's not exactly a forceful admonishment. The young woman's gaze shifts to Leah before Crux responds, eyes widening a little. "Ms. Mercier... Dr. Halisi mentioned that this was your doing again-" Her hazel eyes go wider still. "That is-... I mean-"
RC seems content to remain silent for the time being, still in the bed aside from his head moving a little as his gaze falls on Crux, and then Leah, dark eyes focusing on the latter as Holly stammers.
Leah doesn't attempt to break the silence as they make their way down the corridor. She merely glances about, perhaps looking for any sign of Halisi. The silence gives her a chance to dwell on just how poorly that talk will probably go. No, that's not fair... Halisi has been nothing but understanding. Everyone has. Perhaps more than she deserves after all of the problems she's caused. Many of which can be traced back to this very
hospital... Well, an iteration of it, at least. Hospitals have never felt like the most warm and cuddly of places to Leah. She certainly spent her fair share of time in them when she was younger, being poked and prodded in military hospitals. And then there was her mother... The fact that the familiar, almost overwhelming sanitized scent of a hospital makes her think of her mother almost feels like an insult to her memory... But
it's the past year that causes the hospital corridors to send a shiver down her spine. A feeling she tries to will away. Thankfully they arrive at the room soon enough. Leah puts on the friendliest smile she can muster as she peers in through the door, green eyes slipping from RC to Holly as she begins to speak. With her hands full she's unable to raise a hand in greeting so a nod will suffice for now. The nurse's words as she
addresses Leah directly are quick to cause the smile on her face to slip away, but she does her best to make sure things stay light. "It's-... fine, Holly." she assures the stammering nurse. "I guess my reputation precedes me..." she sighs, injecting some playful sarcasm into her tone in an attempt at keeping the conversation from turning awkward.
Crux casts a slightly curious look Leah's direction at the 'again', but remains silent as she walks further into the room, hands digging into the pockets of her looted jacket.
Holly winces a little, flashing an embarrassed smile. "...sorry. It's been a busy day." she says as she leaves the chair, grabbing her tray of medical supplies. Before stepping away from the bed she looks towards RC, smile turning more genuine. "I'll be back in two hours for dinner!" The smile widens and then she blinks and it falls away. "With. With dinner. Your... dinner." Her eyebrows furrow, and she weighs her options before
deciding on just... stepping away. As she nears Leah she addresses her in a quieter tone. "I, er, I know you Redrock lot like to ignore doctor's orders, but he really does need rest. So... try not to take too long?"
RC 's focus shifts to Holly as he's addressed, her fumbled words drawing out snicker, smile lingering as he lifts his hand in a wave goodbye to the departing nurse.
Crux wastes little time in claiming the now empty chair by RCs side, exhaustion shining through as she slumps into it.
Leah's smile resurfaces and she gives a small snicker at Holly's initial statement. "It sure has..." she agrees, drawing in a heavy breath. The short interaction between RC and the nurse helps fortify her smile and she cants her head Holly's way as she approaches. The mention of Redrock gets a small, amused lift of her brow. Seems her reputation isn't the only one drawing attention around the hospital. "I'll be in and out.
Promise." she says, her tone sounding as if she would be lifting a hand in 'scout's honor' if her hands weren't full at the moment. She starts to step the rest of the way into the room before stutter stepping and casting a glance back over her shoulder. "Oh! Um-... Holly?" she calls back, "You don't happen to know if Halisi is still around, do you?"
Crux sips her hot chocolate, studying the batarian in the bed with a frown, which prompts him to make a face at her, drawing out a soft, tired smile out of Crux in turn.
Leah gives a few short nods, drawing in a heavy breath that might give away just how she's imagining Halisi is feeling about all of this, "If you don't mind. I'm gonna swing by her office once I'm done here." she says, cocking a thumb back in the direction of RC and Crux. It seems as if she might have more to say but, after weighing it in her mind, decides against it. But, as she turns back towards the room, she's quick to change her
mind and once again swivels in the nurse's direction, speaking up before Holly has a chance to escape, "Uh-... just-... one more thing." she stammers, a wince entering her features as she's quite aware that Holly probably has a whole backlog of work to do that doesn't include standing around having a social session with her. A backlog of work that she hasn't exactly helped today. "It's just-... I know things were a bit hectic
before-..." understatement, "...so I'm not really sure if I ever got the chance to say-..." she trails off, giving a small shrug of her shoulders as she briefly raises onto the outside edges of her boots before settling back down, well aware that the words leaving her mouth probably don't cut it, "...thank you. For everything you did back at Redrock. I know that-... umm-..." she trails off, seemingly deciding better than
to continue taking up any more of the nurse's time, settling for a small shake of her head, "...just thank you."
Holly has already started moving again by the time Leah speaks up, and she ends leaning back slightly to remain in view from the door. She props up a polite smile to cover the slight impatience born from the fact that she indeed really does need to get on with her work, but as Leah reaches her point her expression softens, the smile turning more sincere, and she offers a small nod. "Of course." she replies before slipping away.
Leah's smile returns and she, thankfully, lets Holly go this time. Drawing in a breath, she pivots back towards the pair in the room and finally enters the room fully. "They set you up with your own room and everything. Not bad." she muses as she gives an exaggerated glance about while meandering over beside Crux, "Not bad at all." As she glances down at the young batarian her smile softens, "I'm Leah, by the way. I know you already
know that, but-..." she gives a small shrug of her shoulders, "...considering everything that's happened today, I don't feel like it's too late for a formal introduction."
Crux ' chatter becomes audible as Leah nears. "...asked yet, but-" She trails off as the biotic joins them, looking up at her.
RC turns his four dark eyes on Leah, straightening a little even though he's still lying back against the elevated head of the bed. Her words draw out a faint chuckle, which makes him wince from pain, but a smile soon crosses his lips at her introduction, and he tilts his head to the left. "RC." he offers in return. He sounds a little hoarse, not that it's easy to tell with batarians.
Leah gives a small nod of acknowledgement, unable to offer a hand to shake with one wrapped around her drink and the other holding the drink carrier. She seems unsure of what to say before finally letting out a small sigh, her smile dropping away once more with it. "What you did this morning was very brave, RC. I'm not going to pretend to be happy that you all showed up at my doorstep the way you did but-... If you hadn't done what
you did, I might not be here right now." And it might very well be true. In a life or death combat situation, seconds save lives. Who knows how things would've went if RC hadn't drawn their fire. Though, the truth is if RC hadn't made the decision he made, there would have probably just been two more bodies on the Mercier yard. And on Leah's conscience. But that's neither here nor there. "My family might not be here right now,
RC draws in a breath, the look on his face conflicted as Leah speaks, but her final words draw his attention. "They're-... how, how are they? Your family? They're... okay?"
Crux looks curious about Leah's response as well. She of course knows they're alive, and has told RC as much, but there's a wide spectrum between 'alive' and 'okay'.
Leah swallows, eyebrows pinching together briefly. 'Okay'. Hard to really know what okay even looks like after everything they've been through this past year. "They're a bit shaken up." she admits, "But they're safe. Unhurt. That's what's important." At least that's what she's convinced herself. Survive for now, deal with the scars that come from survival later. She had hoped to spare her father from ever having to see this part
of her life, but there's no putting that genie back in the bottle now... "How about you?" she asks, perhaps trying to escape from an uncomfortable topic, "How are you holding up?"
Crux doesn't look like she entirely agrees judging by the look on her face, but she manages to refrain from commenting verbally.
RC doesn't seem to notice, focused on Leah. "I-.... I just need-.... I didn't know." He lifts his hand to gesture vaguely but insistently at his forehead, tangling the transfusion tube a bit in the process. "We-.... we didn't know. I'd never-..." he trails off into a grumble before a quiet "I'm sorry..." slips out, his gaze falling away as his hand lowers.
Crux shifts uncomfortably as RC makes his somewhat clumsy apology. She draws the mostly empty cup of hot chocolate closer to herself in her lap, looking down at the plastic lid.
Leah's gaze shifts from RC, to Crux, and back. As he speaks, a somber look crosses her face. There's a part of her that, of course, is none too happy with the pair. They signed on with the Talons. This wasn't some victimless crime. They put her in danger. They put her family in danger. But, at the same time, if it hadn't been them it would've been someone else. She's well aware that there's no shortage of hired guns on Omega.
And, perhaps, their replacements wouldn't have been quite so bound by their conscience. A deep breath hints at the thoughts that are at odds with one another in her mind, but she thinks better than to voice her frustrations to a man in a hospital bed after nearly dying to help her and offers a small nod. "I know." she offers softly, "Crux and I-... we talked." she continues, shooting the seated woman a glance. "So-... don't
worry. I know that you didn't-... you weren't aware of-..." another sigh slips out, "...everything."
RC relaxes again, the painkillers in his system making it easy to let that happen. He nods and goes silent.
Crux nods in confirmation of Leah's words and reaches out to take RCs hand, her frown returning as she once again studies him in his injured state.
RC 's restful silence is short-lived - once his gaze falls on Crux, and her jacket, his attention turns once more to Leah. "Crux told me about Rae." he says, quietly and not without effort. "I knew she wouldn't back down." The words are little more than a sigh, laced with tired regret, and his eyes are all back on the yellow jacket as he says them. Maybe if he'd made a different choice she'd be alive. Or, more likely, he and Crux would've
joined her in death, possibly bringing the same fate down on a girl he's certain has suffered enough even though he knows nothing of her personal story.
Crux chimes in with "Rae's been psycho since she started dusting up.", but it sounds more like she's trying to convince herself not to care than anything, and she can't help but add: "Knew her for a long time, though..." There's not really any blame lacing the words, just... a somber, drained regret, much like RC.