Fic: The Summer Intern (cont.)
Jan. 23rd, 2011 08:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jeriendhalJust a short bit today. Muse was put on hold by grocery shopping and then taking Tom on a ride on the Baltimore light rail into the city. Which was freaking cold (the city, not the train).
Nan faded back over to observe by the wall, as Dr. Pouncer called down a ferin intern from the gallery and started another series of exams on the overwhelmed doe, while the First One stayed close to her and kept her calm. After about a half-hour another intern was called in with an robo-wheelchair, a fresh set of hospital greens and a warm blanket. A few minutes later the doe was wheeled out, clutching the First One's hand like a lost child, with Nan following. She was brought out into a large sun room/greenhouse, with floor to ceiling windows ten meters high. Full spectrum lights illuminated the room, keeping the dark clouds and wet rain pounding at the windows at bay. The ground was covered with soft grass that was pleasant on her footpads and there were several trees planted in the floor that served as resting places for convalescent ferin. They looked down at the newcomer with eyes wide with curiosity as the wheelchair stopped in the middle of the room.
"Where's the alpha for this ward?" the First One called out. From the trees a buck with a splint on his ankle dropped down from the trees by his tail, doing a handstand on the ground as he let go of the branch. He rolled over, coming upright, balancing on his good foot.
"First One," the alpha said, bowing as he planted his tail on the ground to steady himself. "Is this the doe we heard about?"
"Yes," the First One said. "Watch over her for me while she gets her strength back, a'right? She's had a rough time of it."
"Yessir. We'll take good care of her."
"Good lad."
The doe, who still had a grip on the First One's hand, looked up at him in alarm. "You're leaving?"
"I'll be back," he reassured her. "You can feel me through your bion link, right?"
"Y-yes."
"Then you know I'll be nearby. I can be here in ten minutes if I need to be. I'm the alpha for this whole village, this whole continent. You need me, I'll be here. Understand?"
She nodded silently. After a moment she asked, "Do I have to stay inside?"
"You don't have to," the First One said. "This is a hospital. It's enclosed to keep things sterile. But this ward can be opened to the air when the weather is pleasant. The windows are shut right now just because nobody likes getting rained on."
"Can I go outside right now?" she asked meekly.
The First One looked down at her with a face that was utterly devoid of the snark and cynicism that seemed his default. "This is our land. You can do anything you like. You're free here. No one here will give you orders, no one is going to demand that you obey them. Though I'll ask that you stay here until you've got your strength back, so you'll be at your best when you decide what to do next." He squeezed her hand. "But for now, if you want to go outside, we'll go outside."
He bent over and scooped her up in his arms. Cradling her carefully, walking as if he was carrying spun glass, the First One headed towards the large double doors that led directly out into the village forest. Nan hastily stepped ahead and held it open for them, as the First One carried the doe out into the pouring rain. He cradled her naked body as the warm rain soaked them both, the doe staring up at the sky and trees in wonder.
Nan faded back over to observe by the wall, as Dr. Pouncer called down a ferin intern from the gallery and started another series of exams on the overwhelmed doe, while the First One stayed close to her and kept her calm. After about a half-hour another intern was called in with an robo-wheelchair, a fresh set of hospital greens and a warm blanket. A few minutes later the doe was wheeled out, clutching the First One's hand like a lost child, with Nan following. She was brought out into a large sun room/greenhouse, with floor to ceiling windows ten meters high. Full spectrum lights illuminated the room, keeping the dark clouds and wet rain pounding at the windows at bay. The ground was covered with soft grass that was pleasant on her footpads and there were several trees planted in the floor that served as resting places for convalescent ferin. They looked down at the newcomer with eyes wide with curiosity as the wheelchair stopped in the middle of the room.
"Where's the alpha for this ward?" the First One called out. From the trees a buck with a splint on his ankle dropped down from the trees by his tail, doing a handstand on the ground as he let go of the branch. He rolled over, coming upright, balancing on his good foot.
"First One," the alpha said, bowing as he planted his tail on the ground to steady himself. "Is this the doe we heard about?"
"Yes," the First One said. "Watch over her for me while she gets her strength back, a'right? She's had a rough time of it."
"Yessir. We'll take good care of her."
"Good lad."
The doe, who still had a grip on the First One's hand, looked up at him in alarm. "You're leaving?"
"I'll be back," he reassured her. "You can feel me through your bion link, right?"
"Y-yes."
"Then you know I'll be nearby. I can be here in ten minutes if I need to be. I'm the alpha for this whole village, this whole continent. You need me, I'll be here. Understand?"
She nodded silently. After a moment she asked, "Do I have to stay inside?"
"You don't have to," the First One said. "This is a hospital. It's enclosed to keep things sterile. But this ward can be opened to the air when the weather is pleasant. The windows are shut right now just because nobody likes getting rained on."
"Can I go outside right now?" she asked meekly.
The First One looked down at her with a face that was utterly devoid of the snark and cynicism that seemed his default. "This is our land. You can do anything you like. You're free here. No one here will give you orders, no one is going to demand that you obey them. Though I'll ask that you stay here until you've got your strength back, so you'll be at your best when you decide what to do next." He squeezed her hand. "But for now, if you want to go outside, we'll go outside."
He bent over and scooped her up in his arms. Cradling her carefully, walking as if he was carrying spun glass, the First One headed towards the large double doors that led directly out into the village forest. Nan hastily stepped ahead and held it open for them, as the First One carried the doe out into the pouring rain. He cradled her naked body as the warm rain soaked them both, the doe staring up at the sky and trees in wonder.
