Owner	Pose
Athena	"I think he's dying." Zetha will hear the words coming up from the tunnels below through the open trapdoor. Thaarin and the others had gone down there, to see who had been in the tunnels having come from the convent. She'll also be able to see from where she is, Crane's battered and bloodied body from her vantage point. But then everything starts happening, really fast. Navi is healing Volken and Crane, and then the news of the property inspector being dead is being made apparent to everyone. Then, minutes, or maybe seconds later, several EMTs from the hospital arrive through the tunnel network to take Crane away to recuperate at the hospital, and to wrap up the property inspector's body and haul it away to only light knows where. She'll find herself being hurried to the hospital too. Perhaps she'll remember she had a concussion and make sense of it. Perhaps she'll have forgotten. Either way, she'll find a guiding hand on her back and commanding finger pointing her in the direction of the way she should go to get to the hospital.
Zetha Rumir	It all happens so fast even without the concussion Zetha's head spins. First it's someone might be dying - and with what she saw - it was likely Crane they were speaking of. Now she's being ushured towards the hospital. Whether it's because someone mentioned she needs to be checked out or they know she'll likely be wanting to see Crane once he gets settled - who knows. She's sort of out of it as things try to fall into place around her. And she follows the ushering all the way to the hospital itself. Though she's silent, perhaps just suffering shock.
Athena	It's all a lot to take in. She'd never properly known the property inspector, but he'd been around for a long time, even before Zetha had been an orphan on the streets of Kublop. She likely hadn't had very many interactions with him, but he had been extra kind to her in all of them. He had a wife, and a child, too. Perhaps it's strange, sad, or both, to see his body being taken away, enclosed in a white sheet, all of his identifying features obscured or flattened. She'll find herself in the hospital lobby, watching them cart Crane away on a medical hover berth, his normally caf colored skin a dull and dark beige. Someone offers her a blanket, and some water. Later, someone vaguely familiar is calling her name. "Zetha? Zetha!"
Zetha Rumir	You can't really mourn who you don't know. Of course Zetha remembers the few interactions with him and her heart tugs but it doesn't quite break. Not for the inspector. But for Crane, seeing him being brought in on that medical hover berth, his skin discolored and knowing he's battered and bruised beneath the sheet - that breaks it. She finds herself soon wrapped in a towel and she just sits - wherever she finds that she can. A little out of it, her mind trying to sort through everything. If only they had been faster. If only the monsoon could have staved off another day.... Then a voice is calling her and she looks up and over, but she's still not speaking.
Athena	It's the doctor's assistant, Luli. She would have seen the Mikkian around here and there, she normally had a bubbly, vibrant personality. But today her tendrils are drooping and her brows are furrowed even though she's smiling. "Oh, sorry," she says softly, coming to sit down next to Zetha. . "I should call you Miss Rumir. The doctor wanted me to let you know that he wants you to stay at the hospital overnight today. He's busy with other patients but he wanted to personally check in on you later to make sure you were alright." "I.. I think he doesn't have a lot of faith in Force healing." She chuckles softly, then stands up. offering Zetha a hand another weak smile. "I'll show you to your room?"
Zetha Rumir	"Zetha's fine." The Twi'lek finally speaks, but her voice is soft. Barely above a whisper. "You can call me that." The doctor wants her to stay overnight. Of course he does. But she has people to check on. Crane, Thaarin, Wiis, the Big Scary Man. She can't do all of that from a hospital room. And when Wiis finds out she got hurt? Zetha's not sure she can withstand disappointing the Zabrak any more. Still, she stands, but she doesn't move. "...I want to see Crane first..." It's not really a question or a request. It's a statement. But she'll likely just follow Luli wherever she takes her.
Athena	Luli then smiles warmly at her. "You will," she says, "don't worry. This way, please," she says, heading for a stairwell to their left. "We'll have to go down before we go up," she says, "sorry about that, the storm didn't collapse the hospital but it did break some windows in the stairwell to the upper east wing. And the upper west wing stairwell access is in the basement. It'll be a bit of a trek, but we'll get there, I promise," she tells Zetha. "I'm sorry about everything," she says, as they head for the stairwell, "this must have been really hard for you."
Zetha Rumir	"I made it out better than others..." Zetha offers, shaking her head some. "I should be going home and checking on Wiis. Seeing if the others got out safely. I can't be confined to a hospital bed. It's not fair..." Still she follows. Because she was told to. Because if she defies doctors order while actually actively hurt - he won't be very happy with her. At least the headache is gone for now. But she's not without her own bruises and the singular gash on the back of her head.
Athena	"But the EMTs said after they had a brief look at you that they think you got a concussion," Luli tells her. "The Co Deputy was able to heal you from most of it, but they also said they weren't sure you were fully healed. They didn't have time to give you a full diagnostic. It'd be good to just make sure. Besides, don't you want the doctor to make sure you aren't putting yourself at risk again?" They start descending the stairs. "Anyway," Luli continues, "we already reached out to your mother. She's alright. The mayor and his family stayed to help her with the house and the flooding. They were going to have her spend the night at the guest suite at the mayor's residence, but she refused, so they opted to camp out in the living room at her house to keep an eye on her." Well, of course she'd refused. Wiis probably would have rather been put in an early grave than spend the night at the mayor's house. Perhaps it's welcome news, though. If she was cantankerous enough to refuse sleeping in twelve hundred count sheets from Ghorman, she was well enough to not be worried about. Probably. As they descend, Zetha might notice that the lights are dimmer. And as soon as they reach the basement, it's very dim. And kind of wet. And -really- creepy. It's all cement down here, and it smells like bad science mixed with rotting eggs. It might suddenly occur to her why -- the morgue is down here. "Oh," Luli says with a nervous laugh, "Maybe they didn't fully restore power to the basement yet?"
Zetha Rumir	"All I did was bash my head against a metal rooftop. I'm fine. I've had worse." Zetha offers as they continue to walk. "Yes, Navi did ease a headache I had... and I've been fine since..." Of course she's not going to win this battle, and she's not going to refuse what's being ordered for her to do. So she'll stay. Though as they descend into the basement, Zetha begins to grow a little weary. Listening to how her mother protested about staying in the Mayor's house has her pausing to chuckle. Then she has a good look around. It's dim, creepy and wet. "Are you sure my room is down here?" That nervous laugh doesn't sit right with her either. Zetha's heckles get raised. "...What's going on?"
Athena	"Oh no, of course not," Luli says, "Your room is upstairs, but we have to access the stairwell to get it from here because the other one has broken glass and debris in it. It's uh-- this way," she says, navigating through the dim hallway. Luli herself seems uncomfortable, but it's obvious she's trying not to let it show. As they walk along, Zetha will suddenly hear voices coming from down the hallway. But she won't be able to see anyone from her vantage point. ".... what if... what if we said, 'they're not free'?" "What? Okay, no. That's messed up. You know it." "Oh come on! They wouldn't have access to this stuff if it weren't for us doing our part. We deserve a cut. Seriously.." Luli pauses, frowning, but then just keeps walking, although she quickens her pace. And then suddenly, they're in front of the morgue. The doors to it are wide open, and two morticians are standing there, right inside the morgue, barely a meter away with the berth carrying the dead inspector's body next to them. The sight... is sickening. They've folded down the upper part of the white sheet, revealing the head and torso of his unclothed, deathly pale white body that's still wet from all the rain. His cheeks are sunken in, and in this lighting it looks almost like his body has prematurely started rotting. They've already cut him open, too, it would seem. There's a long silver of a cut running form his clavicle to his belly button. One of them is holding a vial with a piece of soggy, dead tissue coated in half curdled blood. But as soon as Zetha and Luli appear, they quickly cover the body back up with the cloth. "What the kriff are you doing down here!" one of them yells aggressively.
Zetha Rumir	Right. Luli had said that. And Luli's not the type to set up some nefarious trap for Zetha right? Then they continue walking, voices are heard, and Zetha matches Luli's quickened pace. Then the morgue comes into view and what Zetha sees almost makes her sick right there. "What the kriff..." She stammers, shaking her head. "Part of the hospital's a mess. We're trying to get to the other wing...that's all." She offers the truth, tugging her blanket tighter around her shoulders. "I didn't see anything. We're just going to keep going..."
Athena	Luli hurries along as well, quickening her pace. She then reaches a door at the end of the hallway. "Here, here," she says, her tone nervous. "The stairwell is here." She seems quite unsettled. They start up the stairs in silence, which is uncharacteristic for the usually chatty Mikkian girl...
Zetha Rumir	Zetha follows, matching pace to keep up, but her body is really getting tired. Maybe she's not as well off as she thinks. "Seriously. Don't commit that to memory. If asked, feign ignorance. They shouldn't be working with the doors open anyway..." But what was in that vial and did they pull it from the inspector's body?
Athena	"They never do," Luli says, morose. "It's actually against protocol..." she trails off. But then she finally says, "It's okay, don't worry about me, I've seen plenty of dead bodies before. It just comes with the job," she says, "I just thought how unpleasant that must have been for you. Unless you've seen your fair share of dead bodies before..." she laughs nervously again, trying to ease the tense moment with a joke, but maybe it didn't land. It might occur to Zetha that she probably hasn't ever seen a dead body like that before...
Zetha Rumir	"You make a habit of going down to the morgue and watching them work?" Zetha asks, and if she had eyebrows, one would be raised. "Listen. It's okay to admit that that was a bit...gross...and such. Anyway....how about we get me to that room..." Then she grins. "And no. I've never really seen a dead body before...not until today."
Athena	"Oh," Luli says, "I'm sorry," she says, "I don't mean to make humor a coping mechanism. The doctor says that a lot of people with emotional and psychological trauma do that..." About four flights of stairs and several left-right-left turns down whitewashed hallways, they arrive. Luli doesn't open the door right away though. Instead, she peers through the narrow window first, then looks over at Zetha with an encouraging smile. "You can go in now," she says softly.
Zetha Rumir	"Does it help? If it helps you then why are you apologizing? My coping mechanism is still tossing things into a box, chaining the box and stuffing the box into a hole." The Twi'lek shrugs as they walk. A long way. Untul they're in front of a door. As they pause, she notices that Luli doesn't open the door right away. Instead, there's peering through a window, and then she's told she can go in. Odd, but okay. So she opens the door and lets herself in, prepared to be confined to a bed for the next 12 or so hours.
Athena	"No, of course not -- it ..." then she trails off. "I'm just really glad you're seeing the doctor for counseling sessions." She might be surprised to find the Crane is in there, too, actually. There's an extra berth in there as well, pushed up right next to his, effectively forming a queen sized mattress. He looks asleep, and there's an IV for blood transfusion going into his left arm. However, when Zetha comes in, he stirs a little.
Zetha Rumir	"You and a few other people. I suppose myself included. Sometimes." Zetha says and then she smirks, as if somewhere in there was a joke. Either way, she shifts to enter the room. When she sees Crane laying in that bed, another one pushed up beside his own, she skips a breath. Cause there he is, battered and beaten, blood transfusion. Her heart skips but she steps further into the room. As he stirs she stills, but only for a breath, before she's climbing into the bed pushed next to his and reaches her closer hand over to touch against his arm.
Athena	"Well, suppressing feelings and using humor as a coping mechanism isn't healthy," she says, "just remember that." She giggles softly when she quickly climbs onto the bed next to Crane. "If you need anything extra, just look in the drawers by the door," she says, and then she dims the lights a little and closes the door. When she touches his arm, his eyelids flutter open. "...Zetha?" he says weakly. He looks a little better than the last time she'd seen him. He's a little less pale, and his skin feels warm, at least. There's a faint scar that bisects the far end of his brow where his head had been split open earlier. And the blood transfusion bag is nearly empty, so that process must have been almost complete.
Zetha Rumir	"Thanks Luli, I appreciate it." Zetha offers before the woman dims the lights and leaves the room. When she hears Crane utter her name, she gives his arm a gentle squeeze. "Crane..." She offers. "Thank the Light you're still alive...when I saw you earlier..." She pauses, the words that she needs to say aren't coming. So she just lets her hand rest on his arm for the moment. She also has so many questions, but Crane needs time to regain his strength. So she'll wait.
Athena	He seems a bit groggy and out of it for a moment, but after he shakes away the initial sleepiness, his eyes light up. He sits up, with much effort, and rubs her cheek gently with one hand. "Why'd you come after me?" he says, brows furrowing a little. "You could have died."
Zetha Rumir	"You were in trouble... Thaarin said you had been taken hostage. And then with the monsoon... if we hadn't have come..." Zetha offers and then tilts her head into the had on her cheek. "I came because I was worried for you. And I didn't die - as you can see..." But she's in a bed pushed up against his own. Is this because she's here to stay with him or something more concerning?
Athena	This seems to occur to him. His brows furrow even more. "Did you tell them you wanted to stay the night?" he says, "is that why the berth is here?" He pauses. "Are you alright? Did anything happen to you?"
Zetha Rumir	"There...may have been an explosion...and Thaarin may have shielded me from the brunt of it but I wound up slamming my head against the metal roof of the convent." Zetha admits. "Nothing too major. I might have a concussion...but I feel fine over all." Then she offers him a soft smile. "Though asking to stay the night might have been a better path to go down..."
Athena	Exerting a significant amount of effort, he leans forward and attempts to turn her head gently so that he can try to get a look at the back of her head. "What? Did they look at you? Was Navi there? Did she heal you?"
Zetha Rumir	"It took a while. We had to get down to the tunnels...and that was a blessing because it's where we found the big scary Mandalorian who had been carrying you. Navi healed me of the headache but that's all she managed. She also healed the big scary man. And you." Zetha explains this further. The gash in the back of her head is a few inches long but not that deep. "Doc wants me to stay over night. He'll come see me in the morning..."
Athena	His expression softens. "Volken..." Then he frowns when he sees the gash. "It's not bleeding anymore," he says, "but I still think it should be covered. Can you lie down?" he asks. And then he actually gets off the berth, and nearly stumbles face first into the wall. "..." Somehow, he manages to make his way over to the drawers by the door. He opens them, but doesn't appear to have found what he was looking for in them. His brows furrow in bemusement.
Zetha Rumir	Zetha makes a face and then shakes her head. "Crane, you should be resting..." She offers gently and then she shifts a little when he falls forward. "Look it's fine. I'm fine. I promise...just...please get back to bed." She offers while he shifts forward and then he's at the drawers. A tilt of her head is given as she watches him. Thinking she may see that bemusement on his face. "What is it?"
Athena	"I thought there would be some bandages in here," he says, "but there's not, just... contraceptives --" But before Zetha can respond to that, the nurse droid in the corner activates. "Good evening, Ezekiah Crane," it drones monotonously, "the hospital patient intranet has notified me that your blood transfusion is complete. Please be seated while I remove the IV." Crane hesitates, but finally complies, sitting back down on the berth. "We need some bandages for Zetha," he tells the droid, "she has a wound on the back on her head." "I can fetch the required medical supplies," the droid replies, "please do not leave this patient room. This is a mandate given by Dr. Soren Cassias."
Zetha Rumir	There's a blink when Crane mentions whats in the drawer. Was someone out there hoping...surely not! She actually flushes purple. Then the droid activates, but the name said causes Zetha to blink again. Of course she'll wait until Crane is seated and the droid is likely working on either removing ivs or getting bandages. She'll wait a breath and then looks to him with a smile. "Ezekiah?"
Athena	The implication seems totally lost on Crane. He seems mostly concerned about getting Zetha bandaged up. The droid removes Crane's IV and then exits the room, returning a few moments later with a roll of bandages. It then will proceed to secure a patch of it over the gash on the back of her head if Zetha will allow it, despite Crane's reluctance to let it do the bandaging, not him. He takes her hand gently, leaning against the headboard of mediberth. "Yes," he says softly, "that's my first name. No one really calls me that." His expression softens. "I'm sorry about your injuries. And for making you worry about me."
Zetha Rumir	"Why not? It's got a nice sound to it..." Zetha offers while the droid is allowed to banadage her head. When Crane apologizes she waves a hand in the air. "I've suffered worse for less... it's fine." A pause and then a breath. "What happened anyway? Why were you taken hostage? Inside the convent no less..." Figuring the most accurate story will come from the person who experienced it.
Athena	He shrugs. "No one has ever known me well enough to feel comfortable using it, I guess," he says. "But if you want to call me that, I don't mind." he says suddenly putting an arm around her waist and pulling her near. He frowns pensively. "I... don't remember, really. I think that Mandalorian went crazy. I'm not sure why. The doctors told me I had a terrible concussion. Thanks to Navi, I'm alright now." He lies down, and tugs her arm, beckoning her to lie down next to him. "I thought I was going to die. And then I thought about you, and I felt terrible that I wouldn't be able to say goodbye, and about how sad you would be."
Zetha Rumir	The physical contact is a little surprising. At least the frequency of it, but perhaps it's part of that whole settling after a near-death experience. Who knows. "I'd like to call you that if you truly don't mind." A sort of name for him all to herself. That has a bit of a romantic ring to it. "I heard Thaarin talk about someone dying...and then I saw your form. I knew he was talking about you. I know Navi helped and managed to get you away from the edge of death.." She says this much and when he tugs on her arm to get her to lie next to him she doesn't hesitate. Curling up against him as much as he allows. "It ever happens again, and you do die, I'm finding away to bring you back so I can yell at your for dying on me." Of course, that usually ends with killing the person again but - that does against Zetha's pacifism. "In all seriousness...I am very glad you did not die..."
Athena	"I don't," he says, giving her a small smile. He touches her nose softly, and when she curls up against him, he puts his arms around her waist again. "Oh," he says, "interesting. The part where I thought I was going to die was before that. Or was it? I don't remember much," he says. Suddenly, when she playfully threatens to find a way to bring him back so she can yell at him, his expression becomes distant and pensive.
Zetha Rumir	"Wasn't there so I'm not sure. In fact, the only thing I ever saw of you was how you looked on the ground in the tunnel..." Zetha offers this gently. Course she's about to maybe say something else when she notices that shift in his demeanor. The look that becomes distant and pensive. "What is it? What's wrong? Is it what I said?" Asking this with a bit of worry behind the words.
Athena	His attention suddenly snaps back to her, and he gazes at her fondly, smiling. He traces one of her lekku gently. "No, I just..." he trails off. Then his expression becomes solemn and pensive again. "There's something I've been meaning to tell you."
Zetha Rumir	That doesn't help the worry to go away and Zetha shifts so that her closer hand can take his. "Well...whatever it is...I'm sure it'll be alright. You can tell me." Course the expression on his face tells her it may not be the best of news. She still offers him a smile, trying to perhaps give him a bit of comfort as he finds the words.
Athena	"... I think I'm in love with you," he says after a moment's pause. Then he immediately says, "You... don't have to say it back. I'm sorry if I've overwhelmed you..."
Zetha Rumir	It's almost visible, the relief that exhales out of her when he speaks those words. Of course, she flushes purple in her cheeks and looks away for a moment. "And here I thought I was being crazy..." she starts, "Cause I think I'm in love with you too. I just didn't want to say it too fast...or put you in some awkward position somehow..."
Athena	He seems both relieved and enamored when she says that she thinks she's in love with him too. "Oh," he says, "I was thinking the same thing." There's a pregnant pause. "Ah.. I'm not sure how this whole 'confessing my love' is supposed to go. Am I supposed to kiss you now? Are you supposed to kiss me?" And now he does seem to be in an awkward position.
Zetha Rumir	"I mean, that's how it goes in A World Beyond..." Zetha offers, perhaps in a way to remind him that they both enjoy those type of novels. "Unless you don't want to kiss me. You don't have to do what you don't want to do..." And there's sincerity in her words when she says this, her hand that holds his giving a gentle squeeze.
Athena	"I do," he says, but he's still hesitating. "I do.." He seems nervous, like for some reason he's not sure she wants him to. "Ah... I'm so bad at this.."
Zetha Rumir	Zetha actually gives a soft smile and then leans in to brush her lips gently against his own. Tender but quick. "I think we're both bad at this. So at least we can be bad at it with each other and that's not so bad in the end." She whispers while watching him a moment.
Athena	He doesn't say anything then, but whatever nervousness he had been experiencing seems to dissipate. He kisses her back very intentionally this time, perhaps for longer than he ever had.
Zetha Rumir	She holds the kiss for that length of time and perhaps a breath longer before gently pulling back. Her eyes meet his own gaze and she smiles, but also feels like she's looking at him for the very first time but with different glasses. "I love you, Ezekiah." No more thinking. Just a confident admission.
Athena	"And I love you too, Zetha Rumir," he says softly, tapping her nose again gently. He seems to be getting tired again, though, his arm around her waist is going limp. She might get distracted anyway, there's the muted sound of voices right outside the door of the patient room they're in. She won't be able to tell what they're saying, but she'll be able to recognize the voices. Thaarin and the doctor...
Zetha Rumir	Probably best that Crane goes to sleep, so if he falls into laying down fully she'll at least ease him down and pull the covers over him. Her eyes go to the doors to the room a moment later. Noting the voices but it's all faint gibberish from where she's sitting. So she settles back and waits.
Athena	After a minute or two she'll be able to tell the conversation is... kind of heated. Thaarin doesn't sound very happy. Eventually, the voices hush, which is followed by the sound of footsteps receding into the distance. There's a quiet knock a few seconds later.
Zetha Rumir	A single eyebrow lofts as she notices the tone of the conversation and then they furrow a bit. Who was upset in this instance? She likely will never know. At the knock, she actually stands up and walks to the door opening it a crack to see who is waiting on the other side.
Athena	It's Thaarin. He immediately notices that 'Crane' sleeping on the mediberth behind her, and his expression goes from unreadable to concerned. "I'm... sorry, is this a bad time?" Perhaps, but the room she'd been put up in (probably courtesy of the doctor) has a screened balcony and by now, the storm has let up to a light sprinkle and no wind. They could talk out there, without bothering Crane.
Zetha Rumir	"I don't think so. Crane's resting and I...I'm not tired. Come on." Zetha offers gently to Thaarin, opening the door a bit more to give him berth to walk in. "I heard they checked on mom and she's safe. Albeit stubborn as a bantha like always." Offering those words while crossing the room to slip onto that screened balcony. Waiting for Thaarin to catch up and perhaps begin to say whatever is on his mind.
Athena	He hesitates, but then follows her to the balcony. Once there, he closes the door behind him and leans gently against the screened wall, arms folded. "I know," he says softly, "I stopped by on the way over, "she's fine, the house is just a little wet. She wanted me to check up on you," he says, "although I'm not sure if that was just an excuse." He gives her a faint smile. "How are you feeling? Better, I would hope," he says, "and performed admirably today."
Zetha Rumir	"Depends on what you think the excuse was. My credits would be on getting us in a room together..." Zetha says, shaking her head with a soft chuckle. "Me? I'm fine. Shaken a little, I guess...and I'm not sure what you mean by admirably. I barely did anything but bash my head on something..." She looks out over the balcony. "You going to clue me in on what you and Soren were so heatedly whispering about in the hallway?"
Athena	His scarlet eyes flash in amusement. "Well, I do think someone owes you credits, then..." "If it hadn't been for your quick hands with the welder, we might have all been crushed under a collapsing roof." He moves closer to her, and when she asks about what he and Soren had been talking about in the hallway, he waves a hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it," he says. "I hope you didn't resist treatment for your head trauma," he says, "you could have gotten a concussion..."
Zetha Rumir	"She doesn't like Crane." Zetha states, likely suddenly. "And apparently no matter what I try to explain to her about you and I she just...doesn't want to hear it. I suppose she'll get over it. One day..." When he tells her to not worry about what he and Soren had been arguing about her purple gaze shifts to eye him for a moment and then there's a light scoff. "Fine. Keep your secrets." She offers. "No one's offered me treatment yet. Except for the droid what bandaged the back of my head. But I won't resist...if it's offered...Not like I'd be able to sneak out of here quietly."
Athena	Thaarin chuckles softly, but doesn't reply to her statement about Wiis getting over her and Crane one day. "Well, good," he says. "I'd imagine that the doctor will come in and see you later, to make sure you're alright and decide when you can go home." There's a pause. "I know today has likely been a lot for you," he says, "and I just want you to know--" There's another pause. "That you have people who care about you and will be happy to listen to how you feel anytime," he says. He suddenly averts his gaze.
Zetha Rumir	Zetha watches Thaarin for a good but silent moment or two before she turns her head to look back over the balcony again. "Are you on that list?" She asks gently, perhaps not wanting to hear the answer for fear of what the answer might be. "I'm fine. If you're worried. Today could have ended much differently and it didn't." There's a pause as she takes a steadying breath. "We can always be thankful for that."
Athena	He still won't look at her. "I would like to be," he says, quietly. "Yes," he says, "you're right. And I'm not worried. I just wanted to reassure you, that's all." He straightens. "I should go," he says, "the doctor will likely be in shortly to see you."
Zetha Rumir	When Zetha looks back, noticing he still isn't looking at her, she actually gives another scoff. "I want you to be..." She offers. "But you can't even look at me right now. So what am I supposed to infer from that?" Then, suddenly, he's saying he should go and that earns a shake of his head. "Of course you do. I never do get but a handful of minutes of your time." She turns away from him then. "I'll wait for Soren and then hope to go home. I'd like to check on mom myself."
Athena	His expression becomes slightly pained, and his brows furrow. "Nothing. Don't infer anything, don't overthink." "Listen, I would stay. Really, I would. On this rare occasion, I have time to spare. But I can't, and I'm sorry for that. I still want to be your friend and I'll be here for you if you need me, in a limited capacity. Just not right now." And he turns to leave, his expression having gone cold and unreadable again.
Zetha Rumir	Oh if Zetha had something to throw at him she so would. Right at the back of his head. Watching him turn and walk away with that cold expression tugs on her in a way she can't describe. She stays on the balcony after he's gone, leaning on it's railing to just watch the city as the rains continue to come to a stop.
Athena	A few minutes later, there's a quiet knock, and the door cracks open. The doctor lets himself in silently, then says, softly, "Zetha, you awake?" "I want to have a look at your head."
Zetha Rumir	She's awake, and still on the balcony. Though she might hear the soft knocking and so she goes to the door separating balcony from room and then slips into the room. "I'm awake. My head's fine. You should just let me go home."
Athena	"Sit down please," he says ignoring her request. "Just because you don't have a concussion anymore isn't an excuse for you to be released prematurely from the hospital. Now let me look at your injury."
Zetha Rumir	"What were you and Thaarin arguing about in the hallway just a moment ago?" Zetha asks, arms folding across her chest. Of course this doesn't stop her from moving to the bed to sit down so that Soren can have a look at her. "I don't understand people sometimes...why does Thaarin claim to want to be my friend but gives me a cold shoulder?"
Athena	"Boundaries," The doctor says vaguely, "why don't you ask him that question yourself?" he says to her. He looks the wound over, and seems satisfied with what the droid has done. He gestures for them to go out onto the balcony so as to not disturb the sleeping Crane, whose rest seems completely unbothered despite multiple people coming in and out of the room.
Zetha Rumir	"I can't if he doesn't ever give me a chance to! The minute the conversation gets tense he buckles, goes cold and walks away!" Zetha shouts as soon as they're on the balcony. Once they're out on the balcony she moves back to her position of leaning against the railing. "I take it there's something else you want to talk about with me?"
Athena	"You can ask him another time," the doctor says, "I'm sure you'll see him around." "Just wanted to make sure you know I didn't sign for you to be released until tomorrow morning. So I'm sorry but I won't have you going home to Wiis tonight." Then he shrugs. "I should be asking you the same question, Zetha. Your boyfriend almost died, and you got a concussion. I should hope that by now you don't think putting all of that in a box you'll never reopen again is the healthy default."
Zetha Rumir	"May not be the healthiest option, but it's the one that works for me." Zetha offers before giving a shake of her head. "Whatever you're after in this moment, Soren, you're not going to get it from me. I'm fine." Until she's not, but that's all she's going to say for now. She does pull her comm from her pocket and flips it open to write out a message to Wiis. <<Hey mom. Glad to hear you're doing alright, and still being stubborn. I'll be at the hospital overnight. Just to be safe. See you soon.>>
Athena	"It's the lawful option," the doctor says with a shrug. "He's also a client of mine, as well. I can't share details, Zetha. If he won't tell you, well then. I'm sorry. He didn't take my advice." Soren sighs. "I'm not after anything," he says, "except your physical, emotional, and mental well being. Have you really taken time to self reflect on everything that's happened to you in the past twenty four hours? You might feel fine right now, but unprocessed trauma has a habit of rearing its head at inopportune moments. It's called a -trigger-." Perhaps he's being slightly sarcastic.
Zetha Rumir	"I haven't even been able to reflect on the last twenty four minutes much less twenty four hours..." Zetha offers this before giving a shake of her head. "So maybe now isn't the right time to have me stop and think on everything that's happened." Then she flips open her comms again and lets out a sigh. The next message is to Thaarin. <<What is it that you won't say to my face? You keep me dangling on the string, Thaarin, pretty soon I might just cut it with my own scissors. Let me know when you're ready to talk.>> That done she sighs and looks out over the balcony again. "It's going to take a lot of effort to clean up this monsoon's mess..."
Athena	"I was just asking about whether you'd made an attempt or not," he says, his tone becoming instructive and paternal, "and it sounds like you haven't. If you haven't made the time yet, you should think about when you can." Thaarin doesn't respond, but at least Wiis replies, and asks her if Thaarin had come by to see her. "It'll happen, in due time," the doctor says, "the Republic has supplied ample funding for the humanitarian effort."
Zetha Rumir	"No. Soon as I got here I was met by Luli who led me to this room. With a stop and a barking at by two people in the morgue cutting open the inspector's body. With the doors open, I might add..." Zetha begins explaining. "When I got to the room Crane stirred awake and was awake enough to talk for a little bit." She further offers that but nothing more. "Then he fell asleep and that's when I heard you and Thaarin arguing in the hallway and now here I am. Cold shouldered by Thaarin and given the fifth degree regarding reflection by you. Now. If you have any insight as to where in all of that I could have put reflection time, please, tell me."
Athena	The doctor frowns when she mentions the morticians who'd been working with the doors open. He seems to find that concerning but he doesn't comment on it. "Alright, that's fine," the doctor says calmly, "no need to become defensive. It was just a suggestion, a suggestion to think about when you could take time to do it, not a reprimand for not having done it already. I just don't want 'I haven't had time' to be the excuse for suppressing your trauma indefinitely, that's all."
Zetha Rumir	Zetha closes her eyes, breathes in, holds it for four, and then breathes out again. "Sorry, Soren. I'll make time. I promise." She finally lands on that and gives the doctor a smile. "Probably sometime later this evening when the room is quiet for more than half a minute." She smiles then, looks at her comms to see the message Wiis has left her and groans. She responds in the positive that Thaarin did come by. And that's all she puts.
Athena	"Good," the doctor says. "And I see you're doing well self regulating your emotions." "Now, I don't want you to think about what I'm going to ask you for the next 48 hours. But after that, take it into consideration." "Has the Baron reached out about a specific time for visiting the lab?"
Zetha Rumir	"Not yet. But I'm sure the monsoon didn't help any." Zetha offers and then holds up a finger, "Just wanted to say. I won't think about it. I'll be busy self reflecting on other things." She offers this with a smile and then - as if suddenly - her shoulders drop and she lets out a sigh. "I think I want to lie down a while."
Athena	The doctor nods. "You're probably right," he says, but he suddenly gets this distant look in his eyes. Zetha will know this look. It always meant he was thinking about something he wasn't going to share. For a doctor who talked constantly about self reflection not suppressing trauma, he certainly seemed like he himself had a lot to hide. "Well, that is what I like to hear," he says, standing up. "You get a good night's rest," he says, "and I'll see you tomorrow morning when you get discharged." A pause. "And about Thaarin." He sighs. "He isn't ill intentioned. He never was. You probably knew that, but I just wanted to make sure you knew. He's a wonderful person with flaws, and I think that you should give him space. That would be the healthiest choice for both of you."
Zetha Rumir	Zetha watches him as he looks a bit distant but she says nothing. Instead, she nods as he speaks again. "I will. I look forward to getting let go in the morning." Though whether she was -actually- going to leave might yet be known. It may depend on how Crane is doing in the morning also. Still, she walks back into the room and to the bed that was moved against Crane's own. "By the way....and one last thing..." She looks to Soren once more. "If you find out who put contraceptives in one of the drawers of this room...give them a stern talking to please?" She gets into the bed then, not quite snuggling to Crane, but she does gently place her hand over his own.
Athena	"Really," the doctor says, his tone hard to read. Crane puts an arm around her. Perhaps he's awake, perhaps he's asleep and the movement is instinctual - but by the time Zetha registers it, he's fast asleep again for sure. "Well it isn't unusual for those in a relationship to process grief and trauma together through physical intimacy," the doctor says, "and it never hurts to be prepared if the timing feels right." And before she can further question him about it, he heads for the door of the patient room and goes to exit.