Ashlyn O'Neil
Magical Folk
Licensed Healer
Do you want me? Or do you want me dead?
Posts: 19
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Post by Ashlyn O'Neil on Nov 11, 2011 20:22:45 GMT -4
As they walked back to the lift, Ashlyn fell into contemplative silence. There was so much she would have to tell Cullyn... eventually. That Ethan was sick, though she was sure thr bright young intern could guess that from the way he looked. It went deeper than that, though. Her father worked tirelessly - day in and day out - searching for a cure. Ethan was like a son to the man, Aidan having been his attending healer since childhood. Of course there was a part of Ashlyn - a part she kept locked away and hidden - that just wanted to ask why God had to forsake such an incredible, selfless human being. But Ashlyn was only set on making Ethan's dreams come true. I t was the least she could do.
"My father likes you." Ashlyn blurted out as a lift arrived. They stepped inside, alone. "Sometimes he regards other healers or interns with less enthusiasm. He's never mean, per say, but... he does like you." Ashlyn's gaze locked onto Cullyn's in the reflection of the lift's metal doors and she smiled wanly. But it soon faded once she heard his mumbles words. "Cullyn.... I'm not stupid. I know Thayne placed you here for some sick reason or another. And nothing I can say will convince him I no longer associate with Alexander. But it's the truth. I just... can't. Not after what he did with me."
The lift doors slid open on the fifth floor, and Ashlyn stepped out, leaving the conversation behind. "Welcome to Poisons, kiddo." Her hand was on his shoulder as she gestured about the word. Two teenage boys were sitting in chairs, giggling, obviously poisoned by some odd substance or another. "I'm sure you'll like it here. Due to - y'know - personal experience and your own antidote expertise." Ashlyn chuckled as she showed him about, keeping her eyes peeled for any sign of Kaeden.
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Post by Cullyn Aynsworth on Nov 11, 2011 21:32:18 GMT -4
Cullyn's eyes widened instantly at the words that slipped from Ashlyn's lips. Mr. O'Neil liked him? But... He shook his head quickly as she went on, not wanting to hear it. "I'm sorry, Ashlyn, but he doesn't even know me. If he knew who I really was...what I really do, I would be thrown out of here and right into Azkaban." Cullyn was whispering at this point, though they stood in the lift alone. He trusted her, but she was one of a select few who knew even some of his secrets. He was actually hoping not to get into this subject at all, but his honest ways seemed to get the best of him at the worst of times.
He shrugged as she went on about Thayne's motives. And though she was usually right, she had no idea what she was dealing with this time around. "He's not after you anymore. Or Sebastian, for that matter. With Vivyan back in his ranks, neither of you are a threat to him. His targets are...bigger. I can usually predict his next move, but I honestly can't tell you why I'm here. Not that I'm complaining. This is where I pictured myself at 18 if I was born into a normal family."
He froze as the lift doors opened, as if some invisible hand of lust and excitement had slapped him in the face when he saw the Poisons ward. "This is even better than I had imagined it." He said breathlessly as he stepped from the lift and glanced around. It took everything he had just to stay in one place, fighting the urge to run around the ward and rifle through all of the drawers and rooms so he could see everything. He could just feel it in his bones: this is where he belonged, where he could spend the rest of his life working. He looked back at Ashlyn who was preoccupied with looking for something...or someone.
He watched her a few more moments before finally speaking up. "Healer Spokane insinuated that you liked visiting this floor." He tilted his head as he looked up at her, an innocent smile tugging at his lips. "Why's that?" He questioned, noting her body language before looking around for some sign of what it could be.
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Ashlyn O'Neil
Magical Folk
Licensed Healer
Do you want me? Or do you want me dead?
Posts: 19
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Post by Ashlyn O'Neil on Nov 11, 2011 21:43:41 GMT -4
Ashlyn dropped her eyes to the ground, feeling a sadness weighing on her shoulders that she hadn't felt in an incredibly long time. "Cullyn, you must listen to me. St. Mungo's is one of the only politically neutral places in the world. In these walls, it doesn't matter if you're affiliated wit hthe good side, or the bad. It doesn't matter if you like the Ministry or hate it. Which is why this place appeals to me so much. What's going on in the world... it's not my battle to fight." And that was true. Alexander had forced her into it unwillingly. And it just so happened things didn't go as planned for the head of the auror office. He never expected his brilliant niece to grow attached to the Aynsworth siblings.
"I understand you have your secrets. And I'll respect that. But I'll be damned before I see this place fall to the darkness." With that, she let the conversation drop. She shrugged off her worries and maintained her professional front as she guided Cullyn through the ward, pointing out various antidote stations and peculiar case studies, such as the giggling boys. But then he was questioning her, and Ashlyn's eyes narrowed and redness crept onto her cheeks.
"You're not the only one with secrets," She muttered, shifting her attention back to the long hallways of the poison ward. She hadn't caught any sign of Kaeden yet, and vaguely wondered if he had been called to assist in another ward. "If you must know, it's an old friend of mine. He's known me since Hogwarts days, if you can believe it." Ashlyn sighed and stuck her hands in the pockets of her robe. "But I suppose you'll get to meet him another day. No need to worry." There she was, avoiding the true reason why she loved this part of the hospital.
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Post by Cullyn Aynsworth on Nov 11, 2011 22:22:04 GMT -4
Cullyn would have liked to get it all out in the open while they were already on the subject of Thayne and the dark side, but it wasn't the time nor the place. And if his older brother found out...well, let's just say a second attempt to end the boy's life would likely happen. The first was purely 'heat of the moment' from all that was happening. The second would surely be intentional. He sighed as he listened to her rant about stopping The Darkness from taking over this hospital. She was one person. Thayne had an army. But he would let her feel tough and invincible for now.
He chuckled as he saw her blush in response to his question. So it was definitely a someone. "Seems like you have quite the crush on him. Maybe something more?" He grinned as he thought about Ashlyn being with someone romantically. No doubt she would be the one wearing the metaphorical pants in the relationship. "We could stop by later. Maybe get an indepth tour of the ward." He teased, glancing at the pair of boys in hysterics before grabbing Ashlyn's arm and leading her back to the lift. No need to dwell on the absence of a man who would likely turn up at some point today. This was his job afterall.
"Would you mind showing me to the Intern offices? I'd really like to get my stuff put away so we can get to work." He pushed the button for the lift and waited, adjusting his bag from one shoulder to the other. He bit his lip, the awkward silence quickly getting to him. "Thanks for taking me on as an Intern, Ashlyn. You really didn't have to. Even though Thayne wanted it..." He shrugged, watching the lift doors slide open. "I'll try not to be too much of a pest."
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Ashlyn O'Neil
Magical Folk
Licensed Healer
Do you want me? Or do you want me dead?
Posts: 19
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Post by Ashlyn O'Neil on Nov 11, 2011 22:33:08 GMT -4
"Not a crush. Just a friendship," Ashlyn corrected hurriedly. The last thing she needed was yet another St. Mungo's staff member ragging on her about Kaeden. Besides, it wasn't as though her affection was being returned. A favorite story concocted by the mediwitches was that she was already with Kaeden - and cheating on him with Abel. It was utterly ridiculous. But Ashlyn had learned to turn a deaf ear to the gossip. People would always make assumptions. It wasn't worth her while to bother correcting them any longer.
She nodded in response to Cullyn's question, then fell silent once more as the lift arrived. She hit the button for the next floor below, and once it got there, she led Cullyn down a long corridor lined with various offices, and a conference room for the board of trustees. Finally, she pushed into an office - slightly larger than her own - that housed two desks, filing cabinets, and chairs. One of the desks was already neatly organized, but the other half of the room was completely bare. "I'll allow you to get settle. Just come find me when you're done."
Turning on her heels, Ashlyn left, shutting the door to Cullyn's shared office behind her. A short ride on the lift later and she was back in Accidents and emergencies, quickly and nervously unlocking her own office, then re-locking it behind her. She collapsed into her desk chair, head in her hands, one single thought resonating through her aching mind.
What have I gotten myself into now?
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Post by Cullyn Aynsworth on Nov 12, 2011 13:25:58 GMT -4
Cullyn could tell this was a frustrating topic for her. Healer Spokane must have just been the leader in a whole parade of people who teased her over the subject. But he wouldn't join in on that. Not when he knew what it felt like to feel something so strong for someone just to have it ripped away. "Well, I'm sure he's a lovely friend then. Can't wait to meet him." He said simply with the faint memory of a smile fading from his lips. Something was bugging her now and he knew what. She was one to wear her emotions on her sleeve, which is clearly why quite a few people knew about her liking of a Healer on the Poisons floor.
He was silent the rest of the way to the offices, eyes on the floor most of the time. The vibe he was getting from her...he didn't want to be here already and he had just started. He looked around his new office, eyes studying the occupied half of the room as she spoke. His space definitely wasn't going to be that organized. Anyone who has seen his room can verify that. He watched her leave, calling out before the door closed behind her. "I can put in a request for change of Healers, Miss Ashlyn. I'm not here to make your life miserable. I just want to learn..." And with that, she was gone and he was left to unpack.
He took a seat on the chair behind his desk and placed his bag on his lap. Little did anyone know that he had packed nearly half of his room in there. This wasn't Hogwarts, but he still had his potions studies to do. He looked at the drawers in his desk. Three down each side and one long, thin one in the middle that locked with a key. Perhaps a spell protected it against a simple Alohamora? He opened his bag and then the bottom left drawer, proceeding to stuff all of the maps and packets into it, having to jam them down just to get the drawer to close.
Next he pulled out two framed pictures: one being Holden's sketch and another being the four closest Aynsworths as youngsters. A toddler Cullyn, 9-year-old Thayne, and Vivyan and Graisyn aged somewhere inbetween: they all stood smiling for the camera, Thayne putting Graisyn in a loving headlock as the picture moved on and Vivyan picking up the little Cullyn from behind, hugging him tightly and kissing his forehead when he giggled hysterically and tilted his head back to look up at her. By the time the picture restarted it's infinite loop, the four had fallen to the ground, all laughing like this happy moment would never stop. But it did. What seemed like a normal, healthy family was turning darker every day to the point that the people in that picture no longer existed.
Cullyn smiled as he arranged the two frames on the left side of his desk, then pulled out two of his journals, a notebook, several colored ink pots, and a whole mess of quills. He organized them on his desk to the best of his ability and then started unloading his book collection into one of the corners of his side of the room. Twenty-three books stacked in messy piles later and his bag was empty except for a small silver ring on a chain. He pulled it out, flipping it over and over in his hand, watching the Aynsworth crest appear and then disappear with every flip. Remember where your loyalties lie. Thayne and his ridiculous mind games. He sighed as he put the necklace on and tucked the chain and ring into his dress shirt.
He disposed of the bag in the middle right drawer before opening the top one with the key that was left in it. It seemed safe enough... He shoved both journals and the notebook into it before closing and locking it. The key was shoved deep into his right pocket as he surveyed the other side of the room again. Perhaps he'd have to wait and meet his new office buddy at a different time. He just hoped they didn't mind the clutter in the corner of the room. There weren't many other places to store such big books, though. Especially twenty-three of them. And this wasn't even a quarter of his collection.
He made his way back to Ashlyn's office, moving slowly to give her enough alone time. Obviously she was in fear of the hospital's future. But if it was as mutual as she had said, Thayne wouldn't have it targeted. There must have been someone here that had something he wanted. But only time would tell... He stopped at her door, rocking back and forth on his toes a few times as he debated whether to knock or just go straight to the main office and request a change. But he decided that was Ashlyn's decision, since he didn't mind either way. His hand came up and gently knocked on the door, rechecking his pockets as he waited for an answer. Right pocket, key. Left pocket, like always, glasses. Check, check. He patted the inside of his robe, even though he could still feel it settled in there: his wand. Check. More waiting.
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Ashlyn O'Neil
Magical Folk
Licensed Healer
Do you want me? Or do you want me dead?
Posts: 19
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Post by Ashlyn O'Neil on Nov 12, 2011 16:51:38 GMT -4
Indeed, Ashlyn's greatest concern revolved around the fate of the hospital. She saw no reason why it would be a target for Thayne. Of course that wasn't saying much. Unfortunately for Ashlyn, she had grown too attached to the people who worked here, and her profession, that the thought of anything being a threat to that love horrified her. It was just quite.... sudden. Though she knew that ultimately this had nothing to do with her, it was still a difficult concept for Ashlyn to accept.
Her eyes fell on another framed photo on her desk. One of her and Ethan, in front of the Eiffel Tower during their first weekend of travel. He held her bridal style, and as time progressed, she jumped from his arms only to scoop him up the say wy with some effort. I'm sorry, Ethan...
Ashlyn grabbed a file off her desk and left her office. She went to go check on Miles von Gnarls. The wizard was chipper, though slightly subdued by the sedative potion. Ashlyn set about adjsuting some bandages over a particularly deep cut from the shattered cauldron. Pleased with her work, she finally administered the man another dose of sleep potion before returning to her office. Cullyn would be back any minute.
Two minutes after she settled back into her chair, there was a knock at the door. "Come in," Ashlyn commanded, filling out the time of the latest potion on von Gnarls' chart. Once her intern was inside and the door shut, Ashlyn looked up from her work. "I'm not going to request a change Cullyn. Just because your brother is a positively insipid prat, that does not change the fact that I'm honored you want to learn from me. I couldn't have asked for an intern with a more positive attitude."
She coughed slightly. Good. Now that was cleared up. Ashlyn had no choice but to push thoughts of St. Mungo's future from her mind as she stood up and handed Cullyn a stack of six files. "These are my rounds. Look them over while we walk. And hopefully by the time we're though with the checks, something interesting would have happened." She chuckled and led the way from her office once more.
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Post by Cullyn Aynsworth on Nov 12, 2011 23:29:46 GMT -4
Cullyn pushed the door open to her office, stepping inside and leaning back against the frame as it closed. A smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he listened to her. "You get used to his idiocy after a while. Once the whole intolerable git stage passes, he's actually quite bearable." He joked softly, cautiously taking a few steps toward her desk. Thayne was always going to be an uneasy topic for them. But there was no getting around it. Pretending he didn't exist could work, but only for so long.
He took the files without question, nodding like a student listening to an interesting lecture. He began flipping through the first one before they even left the room. Male, 26, dragon bite. He grinned to himself, thinking that Thayne might end up in this exact situation if he didn't get through his whole I-want-a-pet-dragon phase without actually buying one. Could teach him a lesson, though. "Is a dragon bite rather normal around here then?" He questioned, never having actually seen one. Infact, he usually just repaired battle wounds. Anything would probably be out of the ordinary for him right now.
He shuffled the top file to the bottom of the stack and opened the next one. Male, 13, bludger to the head. He cringed at this, feeling a dull ache rush through his forehead before fading away. "Poor little bugger..." He mumbled as he followed closely behind Ashlyn through the ward. He flipped to the short, messy notes made about the incident leading to his hospitalization and shook his head. Playing with his older brother's Quidditch set. Probably just wanting to follow in his footsteps. The feeling was familiar to him, no doubt.
"Is this all you do then? Make rounds and wait for something interesting to happen?" He looked up from the notes to watch her work on her rounds, now staying back a bit so he didn't get in her way. "Seems like it could get dull pretty easily... Wouldn't you rather work with your father? Or in the labs?" He wasn't meaning to pry. He was simply curious, because his views on the hospital seemed to be completely different from hers in most ways.
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Ashlyn O'Neil
Magical Folk
Licensed Healer
Do you want me? Or do you want me dead?
Posts: 19
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Post by Ashlyn O'Neil on Nov 13, 2011 0:22:46 GMT -4
"Y'know, my father would be the one to ask about that. Since his specialty is in dangerous magical animal bites. But this fellow? It was a bloody mess, so they rushed him straight here. Dai Llywellyn is overfilled at the moment, so dad put him in my care for follow up." Ashlyn explained as they walked along. She popped int other rooms as they went, introducing Cullyn as her intern and checking vital signs, administering potions if time for another was due. Admittedly not the most amusing work, though it was odd for A&E to be so empty.
"Oh! Though I do have a story for you. When I was an intern, a dragon handler from the Ministry wound up in A&E. Spike to the chest from a Hungarian Horntail. It waas pretty gruesome." Ashlyn shuddered at the memory, though it quickly faded with her anger at the patient who decided to get up and walk out of the ward. Taregan. That fool! Ashlyn had raised quit a fuss at the ministry until he showed up at her disciplinary hearing. His testimony that it was his own fault saved her neck from expulsion.
Rounds were finished and Ashlyn dropped a handful of the files off at A&E reception, for those patients who would be transferred to less traumatic wards. "Patience, Cullyn. It's not normally this slow." As if on cue, the A&E loundspeaker sounded over their heads, informing them of an emergency that had occurred in Hogsmeade, involving many Hogwarts students. Magically crafted pipe bomb placed at a protest meeting. Suddenly the ward burst into action, and it was all Ashlyn could do to snatch onto Cullyn's wrist so he didn't get lost in the sea of healers and interns preparing for the arrivals.
Various pops were heard over the room as bloodied Hogwarts students appeared on the scene, accompanied by some frantic (and some mildly annoyed) looking professors. A series of ehanged featuring hospital lingo soon followed betwene Ashlyn and Cycles, and she glanced back at her intern. "Cullyn, stay close and mind. Watch carefully, and if I tell you to get out, do so without question." With that, she sprinted off to ease a particularly beat up girl onto a stretcher. Abel appeared at her side, wheeling the girl into an emergency surgery room, and Ashlyn rushed onto the next victim. A huge gash cut the young man's forehead in two, and various other wounds covered his body. But there was no mistaken those blue eyes, that slightly shaggy black hair, the skinny frame, and that blue striped scarf wound around his neck. Ashlyn gasped slightly as she eased a busted up Holden onto a stretcher and sprinted off to get him into another room. There was no way Ashlyn would leave the boy in the hands of the other healers. He was hers.
Once in the room, Ashlyn quickly donned a pair of gloves and set about meticulously removing bits of glass and splinters of wood from Holden's head wound. "Cullyn, the cabinet behind you. Top shelf. It's blood replenishing potion. Fill the IV, stat!" Ashlyn called as she finished removing a large piece of glass from the bloody skin. She balled up a bunch of gauze and pressed it to Holden's forehead. His eyes flew open. "Cullyn....?" He muttered out, before slipping into a state of unconsciousness. The gauze bled through quickly, and Ashlyn removed it, replacing it with another and fumbling for her wand. Two carefully articulated spells later, and the wound set about the tedious process of healing, restricting the blood flow.
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Post by Cullyn Aynsworth on Nov 13, 2011 1:45:25 GMT -4
Yet another mental note for Cullyn to remember. Try to get more time alone with Mr. O'Neil. There was no doubt in his mind that the man would have some advice for him on getting into the ward he so desperately wanted to be in. Cullyn stiffled a yawn with the folders in his arms, finally paying attention for the first time in a few minutes. "That sounds pretty wicked, actually." He perked up a bit from the story. Maybe there was hope for this place afterall.
"I'll take your word for it." He murmured, having a peek around the A&E reception desk and smiling innocently at a few Healers who were looking offended by his innocent investigation. He was about to ask Ashlyn when break was, but the loudspeaker interrupted him, drowning out his boring attempt at small talk. The instant rushing of people came as a bit of a shock and when Ashlyn grabbed his wrist, he knew things were about to get serious.
Cullyn did his best to stay by her side, though he was getting shoved this way and that by Healers, students, and professors running around. Nothing like a bit of semi-organized chaos to wake you up. When he finally made his way back to her, she was helping a student onto a stretcher. But as he turned to see the damage to the student, his heart stopped for what seemed like minutes. It couldn't be him...not here, not like this.
When he finally got over the intial shock and the adrenaline started pumping, he helped push him into a room. Time seeming to be moving in slow motion now, he was doing everything he could not to rush to Holden's side and take his hand. No, Ashlyn needed his help. And without a second thought, he ran to the cabinet, shaking hands shuffling through vials on the top shelf till he found the potion he needed. He grabbed a syringe from one of the other shelves and measured out a dose of it before rushing over to Holden's side.
He set the syringe down on the metal table by his side and grabbed a needle, about to stick it into his arm when he spoke suddenly. He remembered him... "Holden! Holden, I'm here." He forced out through the lump in his throat, taking his bloody hand just as he went unconscious again. He shook his hand a few times, trying to wake him, but he was out cold. He gritted his teeth and went back to starting the IV, attaching a series of tubes and setting it all up before inserting the syringe into one of the tubes' various entry points and gently pushing down the plunger. When he was finished, he tossed the syringe aside, completely lost and confused as he took his hand again. "What else do you need me to do, Ashlyn?" He whispered, misty eyes never leaving the boy's bloody, wounded face. A blast from the past when he least expected it...and in the worst way possible.
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Ashlyn O'Neil
Magical Folk
Licensed Healer
Do you want me? Or do you want me dead?
Posts: 19
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Post by Ashlyn O'Neil on Nov 14, 2011 17:28:54 GMT -4
As usual when emergencies occurred, Ashlyn's mind slide effortlessly into a crystal clear, heightened state. Her moves were graceful, without hesitation, precise. Although she too bore an emotional attachment to the boy in front of them, Ashlyn kept her emotions in check. Much in the way she had sacrificed her own well being for the sake of saving Cullyn's life. Did she regret it? Not in the slightest. As the skin around Holden's head wound began to turn back to a normal flesh tone - as compared to a violent looking red - Ashlyn moved quickly to the next serious wound, a gaping tear across his chest, imbedded with a twelve inch long splinter of wood.
Ashlyn felt her stomach flip uncomfortably, but kept herself in check as she leaned oer Holden's prone figure, tearing away the material of his shirt and shredded Ravenclaw scarf. Only then did she realize the extent of the injury, and that she should have attended to his chest before anything else. "Cullyn," Ashlyn said sharply. "To the lab. Grab as many bottles of blood replenisher you can carry, as well as neomycin serum. Go now." She shot him a look, silently pleading with him to back off and leave her to tend to Holden while he fetched the supplies.
Once Cullyn left, Ashlyn set about the tedious process of extracting the long piece of food from the chest. Her well trained eye saw that it had come within an inch of piercing his left lung, and sighed a quiet exhalation of relief. But still, the damage was severe. Een as Ashlyn worked to remove wood and glass, her hands continued to fill up with Holden's blood. She continuously halted her work for sake of siphoning off the blood with a spell, but still, time was of the essence. Within ten minutes, she had the wound mostly cleaned and began the healing process, starting with the lowest of skin layers. She worked, layer by layer, until finally fastening sittches ion top and stealing a glance at the clock.
Where was Cullyn?
Ashlyn paused in her work to check Holden's vital signs once more, and try to rouse him from his current state of unconsciousness. Her attempts were unsuccessful, and his pulse rate was dropping at a disturbing rate. She hurried over to the bottle Cullyn had left unopened on the counter. In a quick move, she drained the rest of it into a syringe and injected Holden's IV. That would tide him over until Cullyn could return.
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Post by Cullyn Aynsworth on Nov 14, 2011 19:03:54 GMT -4
Cullyn took one look at Holden's chest and felt the room spin around him. His hand clung tighter to the boy's and Ashlyn's words barely registered his ears. "Oh-" The second syllable got stuck in his throat, nearly tripping over his own feet as he ran for the door. He could handle the nearly disconnected limbs of Thayne's followers. Even reconstructing a girl's face that was mutilated during one of The Darkness's target practices in the pitch black manor backyard. But apparently when it came to fixing someone he loved, he was pretty much useless. Always good to know for future reference...
He pushed his way through the crowds of people, ignoring the stares as he ran as fast as he could towards the lab. He hit the door at full speed, expecting it to open at his touch. But when he found himself laid out on the floor moments later, he quickly realized there was a passcode for the room. He mentally kicked himself for the stupidity, his whole body aching as a Healer rushed over to help him up. "Please..." He started as he got to his feet, panting and trying to catch his breath. "I need in the-" He pointed at the door, not able to finish his sentence, the Healer giving him a sympathetic yet confused look as she punched something into the key pad to the right of the door. She opened it for him, watching him limp inside before rushing off to help with the chaos.
He began going through all the cabinets, dumping out a small plastic bin of tongue depressors and filling it with all the bottles of blood replenisher he could find. Now what was that other thing? He rubbed his sore forehead which had banged off the glass door pretty hard during his lapse in judgement. If only he was at home in his own lab. The potions he had there, of his own creation, would have worked faster than this by-the-book nonsense. He limped as fast as he could across the room, eyes scanning the labels of bottles as he tried to remember. Serum...serum... He made a grab for it as it registered in his brain again. Neomycin serum. His hand wrapped around three small vials of it before making his way back to the plastic bin, adding the vials to the overflowing pile of potions before snatching it up and foolishly starting to run back to Holden's room.
He hugged the bin close to his body, though still managing to lose two along the way. "Spill! Back there! Someone clean it!" He yelled at the receptionist as he awkwardly limped and waddled past the A&E desk. He burst through the door, face a brand new shade of red as he caught Ashlyn's eye. "Got it..." He murmured, carefully sliding the bin onto the metal table near Holden's bedside. He handed her a vial of neomycin serum and then started filling a syringe with more blood replenisher. He shot it into the IV, ignoring the increasing pain in his head as he looked over at Holden's face. What had he gotten himself into...
"Did you try waking him again?" He asked as he went around the table, taking Holden's hand once more and leaning down so he was closer to his face. "Come on. Wake up." He stopped himself, realizing he was nearly yelling at the unconscious boy. "It's me, Cullyn. Come on, Holden. You must want to punch me for disappearing without a word. I got your letters. I never replied. Punch me." He shook his arm gently, viciously fighting the urge to grab him by the shoulders and shake his whole body to wake him. "I deserve it, Holden. Wake up and punch me."
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Ashlyn O'Neil
Magical Folk
Licensed Healer
Do you want me? Or do you want me dead?
Posts: 19
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Post by Ashlyn O'Neil on Nov 14, 2011 19:32:14 GMT -4
It wasn't long before Cullny burst through the doors, arms cradling a bin full of the necessary potions. She grabbed the serum from Cullyn and set about dabbing it over the stitches, then onto the wound in Holden's forehead. The antibiotic serum would prevent any infection as well as seal the wounds cleanly and quickly, with virtually no trace of a scar. Ashlyn went through an entire vial and then another, making sure every inch of Holden's damaged skin was covered. Without it, he would bleed to death due to the lack of natural healing mechanisms in the thin boy's body.
She used two and a half vials in total, then set about working on Holden's less severe cuts and scrapes. He certainly did get the worst of the pipe bomb, though the reason why was obvious. For as long as she had known him, Holden McDermott had always been the first to speak out and take charge. No doubt the attack had been carefully executed to take out him above all others at the protest. Of course Ashlyn didn't mention this out loud. There was no need to fueld Cullyn's already imploding temper.
After cleaning the last of the blood from Holden's body and getting him situated into a hospital robe, Ashlyn set about recording his vital signs as Cullyn continued to administer the blood replenisher. She kept quiet, though noticed a particular jump in Holden's pulse once Cullyn began speaking. Not long after, Holden's heart rate returned to normal. Ashlyn glanced at Cullyn who was shaking Holden. "Cullyn, back off. We don't yet know if there's spinal or brain damage. You're only making it worse," She said harshly, setting her magical stethoscope to the side. She carefully turned Holden onto his stomach, so she could observe his back. She ran her fingers along the boy's bony spine, checking for any abnormalities. Ashlyn was pleased she found none, and that his back was free from any abrasions. "You must be careful," She warned Cullyn, as she moved Holden onto his back. "I've no doubt he'll regain consciousness, it's just a matter of time. The important thing is we got his heart pumping, and saved him from the brink of physical collapse with that blood replenisher."
Ashlyn pulled off her gloves and imposed of them, before crossing to a sink within the room and scrubbing her hands and arms free of any trace of Holden's blood. Just then, there was a knock at the door. She popped out of the room to discuss with a terrified looking female intern - one of Healer Spokane's, if she remembered correctly -before heading back inside. "Cullyn, listen to me. They need me in emergency surgery. A girl at the protest has a shard of glass embedded in her spine. Right now, Holden is in stable condition. Stay with him and monitor his vitals. If there's a negative change in pulse, come get me immediately," Ashlyn rested a hand on Cullyn's shoulder, looking him directly in the eye. "Think you can handle this?"
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Post by Cullyn Aynsworth on Nov 14, 2011 20:22:08 GMT -4
Cullyn jumped back from Holden instantly when he heard Ashlyn's harsh tone. She was right. He wasn't thinking clearly. And if he couldn't control himself at times like these then he should just quit now and go back to being a full time Darkness Doctor. Though he seriously was considering it at this point... Who was going to come through the door almost dead next? Matteo? That would definitely push him over the edge.
He found himself slowly backing away from them until he bumped into the counter clear across the room. As his gaze turned to the gleaming tiles on the floor, his thoughts went on to a different subject. Not Holden laying unconscious and injured not far from him. But to who had done such a disturbing and violent act against a group of students. Surely his brother wouldn't be responsible. Thayne used to have brainless outbursts all the time. But now his acts were planned and scheduled and definitely directed at people more important than some students. And Graisyn would have informed him if their oldest brother had planned something this stupid.
So what now? Cullyn didn't know how this whole revenge thing worked. He didn't know how to harm. Just heal and forgive; even granting Thayne forgiveness for trying to kill him. But that was himself, not the boy he loved. He hated to admit it, but the only way he was going to make sure the people responsible were caught and killed was to submit, if even for a day, to the dark part of his heart he had refused to acknowledge for years. And he was going to need help from the Elite Circle. Oh, that would be an interesting meeting.
He looked up when Ashlyn spoke somewhere to his right, obeying her command to listen. He shrugged under her touch, having to force himself to keep eye contact with her. "I got it, Ashlyn. Just go." He answered softly, though his voice was steady and void of emotion now. His thoughts quickly turned back to Holden as he brushed past Ashlyn and went back to his bedside. "Why you?" He whispered as he looked down at his emotionless face. Was this what he looked like last year when he laid in bed unconscious for days? How anyone could stand this was beyond him. He felt useless, but he did what he was supposed to. His eyes turned up to the monitor and he stared. He stared at Holden's vitals on the screen like he was somehow keeping them moving. There was an intensity in his eyes, but his face was bare and the pain pulsing in his head was just background noise. Everything in the room was silent now except for the beeping of Holden's heartbeat on the machine.
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Holden McDermott
Magical Folk
7th Year; Ravenclaw
Resistance is futile.
Posts: 10
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Post by Holden McDermott on Nov 15, 2011 1:06:45 GMT -4
Holden remained unconscious, oblivious to the world around him. Surely when he awoke, he'd be confused. Everything had happened so fast. One moment he was giving a speech to a group of students, laying out the plans for the next protest. Then there was a loud explosion somewhere above him, and before Holden knew what was happening, he was prone on his back, in danger of bleeding to death. Shortly after being snatched up by a professor and apparated to the hospital, he lost consciousness, regaining it just once to see the blond haired, blue-eyed boy who had haunted his dreams on end looming above him, concern written all over his face.
Why is Cullyn here? Holden thought before surrendering himself back to the blackness. It was so much more pleasant than dealing with the pain and contemplating his imminent death. Little was he aware of the healer and her intern working on him, the blood replenishing potion entering his veins, Ashlyn's deft movements healing him up and making him better.
Slowly, the blackness faded from Holden's mind. Blue eyes slid open slowly, just a crack at first, enough to survey what was in his immediate field of vision. It wasn't much, just the top of the Iv, and the expanse of bare ceiling. Finally, he shifted his gaze and turned his head sideways, silently taking in Cullyn's form beside him. In the past year and a half, he had grown taller, stronger, and even more handsome. Though now, with worry darkening every one of his features, he looked more vulnerable than Holden had ever seen him in their brief encounters.
"Cullyn..." he choked out, his throat dry. He tried to sit up but was immediately hit by a sharp pain in his chest and a pounding in his head. His hand flew up to his forehead, withdrawing when he felt the rough superimposition of stitches. "Cullyn." He stated again, more firmly, drinking in the sight of the boy he had missed so much. He took a deep breath, immediately choking with the effort. "Don't leave me," He pleaded quietly.
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