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xp_logs Marie and Amanda take a break from rescue efforts to eat and maybe even exchange a joke or two.
Amanda armed sweat from her forehead with a tired sigh and went back to work. The numbers of victims was gradually decreasing, but that wasn't necessarily a good thing. There were just less survivors to find, after three days. Stuffing the last bottles of water that would fit in the bag slung over her shoulder, she turned to head back to the aid station. Making sure the doctors and nurses kept hydrated and fed was just as important as making sure the patients were.
Marie landed next to the same station Amanda was headed towards. "Help!" she called out as she ran the last few steps. The bandages the EMT had affixed to the woman she was carrying were already seeped through with blood and her complexion had turned waxy. Marie would be damned if she was going to lose another victim to this disaster, so she called out again, trying to hurry the speed with which a doctor or nurse would reach her.
'Help' was one thing guaranteed to get the attention of everyone there and Amanda rushed forward with the medics. By virtue of being closer she reached them first and was already putting pressure on the worst of the bleeds as Marie carried her. "Over to the tent," she said curtly, nodding towards the structure. "There's medics there."
Marie nodded in response and the two girls jogged over to the tent and settled the woman on a stretcher. Several medics immediately swarmed over her, fitting an IV before whisking her off to somewhere deeper within the tent. "Thanks," she said, finally turning to face Amanda once she lost sight of the woman.
Amanda shrugged a little, making her way to wash the blood off her hands at the station provided. She looked exhausted. "All part of the service," she said with a tired smile. "They'll take care of her. Regular bunch of miracle workers, the doctors here. How're you holding up?"
Marie followed behind her, peeling off the latex gloves she was wearing and grabbing another pair. "Ah'm still standing," she replied wryly. "An' in the scheme of things, that's pretty gosh darn good."
"Considering there isn't a hell of a lot else that is?" Amanda grimaced. "Sorry, bad joke. Seems to be the only thing keeping me going at the moment."
"We all need a bit of humor, dark though it may be, during times like this." Grabbing a bottle of water off a nearby table, she thirstily gulped it down. "And you?"
"Okay." Marie have her a Look and Amanda shrugged a little. "Tired. And there's this weird buzzing in my head sometimes. But I'm still upright, so I can still help."
Amanda's explanation did little to lessen the Look on Marie's face. "What kind of buzzing? Have you been checked by the docs?" She ignored the thought that she herself had waved off any medic who tried to look her over, shooing them on to other patients.
"They're busy," Amanda said simply. "It's probably nothing, just stress." She waved her hand at the devastation. "Not exactly a health spa, yeah?"
"No, but Ah say we book an appointment at one as soon as we get home." She rubbed her eyes tiredly, not even sure when that would be. There was just so much to do and the pace didn't show any signs of slackening. "At least we seem to be making a difference," she said, her eyes traveling across the groups of tents that had popped up over night and the many volunteers who had sprung up equally quickly.
"Yeah, the work everyone's been doing is amazing." Amanda splashed water on her face - it helped, a little. "Not to mention what the bond... um, what the team did earlier. Any more word on how people're doing? Angelo was saying something about half the team being out."
Marie stiffened, torn between wanting to tell Amanda what had happened, but not knowing where to begin because she didn't know any of the details. All anyone would tell her was to 'Ask Jim/David/Haller' and that line was getting old. She settled for an abbreviated version of the truth. "A lot happened altogether, so people didn't have time to recover from one thing to the next. Stoppin' the tidal wave took a lot out of the psis and then there was still more." Not to mention one of the team going crazy and lashing out at everyone in sight.
"Well, people are saying things would have been a lot worse without 'em." Amanda had faith in the medlab team, even reduced as it was. Hell, they might have even called in extra help from Scotland, with McCoy and Bartlet as well as Moira. "Still, makes you think about how dangerous powers can be. One person doing all this?"
Except the person who is responsible for this is named Magneto. Not Julio. Lowering her tone, she pulled Amanda over to the side. "Is it common knowledge, that a mutant was involved in all this?"
"It's rumours, mostly. San Diego isn't in an earthquake area and there were enough people around who saw what was going on before the cameras got blacked out that they know t wasn't natural." Amanda took Marie's cue and kept her voice down. "No-one knows who was involved for sure, but there's all sorts of rumours flying around."
Marie pursed her lips. "Ah guess rumors can't really be avoided. Hopefully we can put a spin on it all, so there's not too much backlash," she said, continuing to speak in a hushed tone. It always amazed her that as much as Erik always spoke of furthering the mutant cause, all he ever did seemed to be to further the hate people had for them.
"The FOH will be putting whatever bad light on it they can, but they do that every time someone stubs their toe." Amanda shrugged again. "I might even see if someone at the Snow Valley Centre's up for producing a press release or something debunking the mutant theory, but I'm not sure how much good it will do."
"Every little bit helps, y'know?" She looked around the bustling tent and motioned to another one nearby. "Wanna grab a bite real quick before gettin' back to work? Doug'll scold me if Ah miss another meal."
"You and me both," Amanda agreed wryly. And truth be told, she needed to get off her feet - she had a sneaking suspicion she'd have to go back to New York soon with the way she was feeling. "Once a mother hen..."
Marie laughed for what felt like the first time in ages and nodded in agreement. "It's a hard habit to shake once you pick it up," she said, placing her hand on the blonde girl's back and gently escorting her in the direction of food. "An' Ah would guess you last ate around the same time Ah did."
"Something like that," Amanda admitted, grateful for the support. She'd get back into it once she'd rested.
The girls were silent as they filled plates with food and on the walk to an empty picnic table. Taking a big bite out of the sandwich, Marie thought about the past few days as she chewed. It had been just about the craziest week, and that was saying a lot for Marie. She had faced down Magneto, been set on fire, accepted a date from Doug and then spent countless hours doing all kinds of rescue work. "You ever wonder how normal adults our age spend their days?" she asked Amanda while raising an eyebrow.
"You mean this isn't normal?" Amanda teased, swallowing her own mouthful before answering. Food. So good. Even if the tea was the awful American stuff. "I'm all disillusioned now."
Marie almost spat out the water she had just sipped. "Ah was just kiddin'. This is so normal. Weird is sitting at home, chowing down on chips while watching this whole thing unfold on T.V," she said, raising her hands in mock defensiveness.
Amanda giggled at Marie's reaction. She hadn't laughed much lately either and it felt good, lessened the pressure in her head. "That's what Wanda and I were doing, actually, when this all happened. Right up to the point the cameras went out."
Feigning innocence, Marie blinked her eyes. "Yes. And how on earth did that happen? Ah reckon Ah have no idea." Her tone became a little more serious as she continued, gesturing to a small news crew nearby. "They sure didn't waste anytime in gettin' new ones out here though."
"Of course not. Biggest disaster story since... fuck I don't know, the Big Headache, I suppose. As long as they keep out of the way and out of my face, I'm happy." Amanda scowled a little at the crew, biting into her sandwich a little forcefully. Publicity really wasn't something she wanted.
Marie made a face. "Ah'm afraid Ah haven't been so successful at avoiding them. Hard to avoid a camera shoved in your face with several tons of steel lifted above ya. But Ah keep hoping that the footage isn't making it on the six o'clock special. Ah'm not exactly ready for my close up," she said while pointing at the blue scarf tied around her head.
"I'm just blending in with the crowd, which suits me fine." And in her dusty jeans, battered Docs and Red Cross t-shirt and bandana, Amanda did look just the same as the many rescue workers crowding the city. "They've been driving Clarice nuts, what with the purple and the teleporting and all, she's prime time material. Almost makes me glad I'm doing this the mundane way."
"At least all the footage right now shows how mutants are helpin' out. Maybe that'll change a few minds, make folks realize most of us are just tryin' to help." You always were the fucking cheerful optimist, weren't you Rogue? Marie blinked. Where on earth did that come from? Suddenly, she wasn't hungry anymore and dropped the half eaten sandwich back on her plate. "Ah think Ah'm gonna head back out. Still plenty to be done."
Amanda looked a bit surprised, but nodded. "Fair enough," she said, and grabbed the energy bars off her own tray and Marie's and pressed them into Marie's hands. "Here, take these for later, yeah? Little pick me up."
Her hand closed automatically around the bars and she shoved them in the pocket of her sweatsuit. "Thanks," she said softly. And another mother hen is born. Squeezing Amanda's arm, she turned to go. "Ah'm sure Ah'll see you around," she called out over her shoulder. "Take care of yourself and you better tell Moira about those headaches when you get back."
"Oh, I will, don't worry." Amanda waved her away. "Go on, do the hero thing. I'll catch you later."
Amanda armed sweat from her forehead with a tired sigh and went back to work. The numbers of victims was gradually decreasing, but that wasn't necessarily a good thing. There were just less survivors to find, after three days. Stuffing the last bottles of water that would fit in the bag slung over her shoulder, she turned to head back to the aid station. Making sure the doctors and nurses kept hydrated and fed was just as important as making sure the patients were.
Marie landed next to the same station Amanda was headed towards. "Help!" she called out as she ran the last few steps. The bandages the EMT had affixed to the woman she was carrying were already seeped through with blood and her complexion had turned waxy. Marie would be damned if she was going to lose another victim to this disaster, so she called out again, trying to hurry the speed with which a doctor or nurse would reach her.
'Help' was one thing guaranteed to get the attention of everyone there and Amanda rushed forward with the medics. By virtue of being closer she reached them first and was already putting pressure on the worst of the bleeds as Marie carried her. "Over to the tent," she said curtly, nodding towards the structure. "There's medics there."
Marie nodded in response and the two girls jogged over to the tent and settled the woman on a stretcher. Several medics immediately swarmed over her, fitting an IV before whisking her off to somewhere deeper within the tent. "Thanks," she said, finally turning to face Amanda once she lost sight of the woman.
Amanda shrugged a little, making her way to wash the blood off her hands at the station provided. She looked exhausted. "All part of the service," she said with a tired smile. "They'll take care of her. Regular bunch of miracle workers, the doctors here. How're you holding up?"
Marie followed behind her, peeling off the latex gloves she was wearing and grabbing another pair. "Ah'm still standing," she replied wryly. "An' in the scheme of things, that's pretty gosh darn good."
"Considering there isn't a hell of a lot else that is?" Amanda grimaced. "Sorry, bad joke. Seems to be the only thing keeping me going at the moment."
"We all need a bit of humor, dark though it may be, during times like this." Grabbing a bottle of water off a nearby table, she thirstily gulped it down. "And you?"
"Okay." Marie have her a Look and Amanda shrugged a little. "Tired. And there's this weird buzzing in my head sometimes. But I'm still upright, so I can still help."
Amanda's explanation did little to lessen the Look on Marie's face. "What kind of buzzing? Have you been checked by the docs?" She ignored the thought that she herself had waved off any medic who tried to look her over, shooing them on to other patients.
"They're busy," Amanda said simply. "It's probably nothing, just stress." She waved her hand at the devastation. "Not exactly a health spa, yeah?"
"No, but Ah say we book an appointment at one as soon as we get home." She rubbed her eyes tiredly, not even sure when that would be. There was just so much to do and the pace didn't show any signs of slackening. "At least we seem to be making a difference," she said, her eyes traveling across the groups of tents that had popped up over night and the many volunteers who had sprung up equally quickly.
"Yeah, the work everyone's been doing is amazing." Amanda splashed water on her face - it helped, a little. "Not to mention what the bond... um, what the team did earlier. Any more word on how people're doing? Angelo was saying something about half the team being out."
Marie stiffened, torn between wanting to tell Amanda what had happened, but not knowing where to begin because she didn't know any of the details. All anyone would tell her was to 'Ask Jim/David/Haller' and that line was getting old. She settled for an abbreviated version of the truth. "A lot happened altogether, so people didn't have time to recover from one thing to the next. Stoppin' the tidal wave took a lot out of the psis and then there was still more." Not to mention one of the team going crazy and lashing out at everyone in sight.
"Well, people are saying things would have been a lot worse without 'em." Amanda had faith in the medlab team, even reduced as it was. Hell, they might have even called in extra help from Scotland, with McCoy and Bartlet as well as Moira. "Still, makes you think about how dangerous powers can be. One person doing all this?"
Except the person who is responsible for this is named Magneto. Not Julio. Lowering her tone, she pulled Amanda over to the side. "Is it common knowledge, that a mutant was involved in all this?"
"It's rumours, mostly. San Diego isn't in an earthquake area and there were enough people around who saw what was going on before the cameras got blacked out that they know t wasn't natural." Amanda took Marie's cue and kept her voice down. "No-one knows who was involved for sure, but there's all sorts of rumours flying around."
Marie pursed her lips. "Ah guess rumors can't really be avoided. Hopefully we can put a spin on it all, so there's not too much backlash," she said, continuing to speak in a hushed tone. It always amazed her that as much as Erik always spoke of furthering the mutant cause, all he ever did seemed to be to further the hate people had for them.
"The FOH will be putting whatever bad light on it they can, but they do that every time someone stubs their toe." Amanda shrugged again. "I might even see if someone at the Snow Valley Centre's up for producing a press release or something debunking the mutant theory, but I'm not sure how much good it will do."
"Every little bit helps, y'know?" She looked around the bustling tent and motioned to another one nearby. "Wanna grab a bite real quick before gettin' back to work? Doug'll scold me if Ah miss another meal."
"You and me both," Amanda agreed wryly. And truth be told, she needed to get off her feet - she had a sneaking suspicion she'd have to go back to New York soon with the way she was feeling. "Once a mother hen..."
Marie laughed for what felt like the first time in ages and nodded in agreement. "It's a hard habit to shake once you pick it up," she said, placing her hand on the blonde girl's back and gently escorting her in the direction of food. "An' Ah would guess you last ate around the same time Ah did."
"Something like that," Amanda admitted, grateful for the support. She'd get back into it once she'd rested.
The girls were silent as they filled plates with food and on the walk to an empty picnic table. Taking a big bite out of the sandwich, Marie thought about the past few days as she chewed. It had been just about the craziest week, and that was saying a lot for Marie. She had faced down Magneto, been set on fire, accepted a date from Doug and then spent countless hours doing all kinds of rescue work. "You ever wonder how normal adults our age spend their days?" she asked Amanda while raising an eyebrow.
"You mean this isn't normal?" Amanda teased, swallowing her own mouthful before answering. Food. So good. Even if the tea was the awful American stuff. "I'm all disillusioned now."
Marie almost spat out the water she had just sipped. "Ah was just kiddin'. This is so normal. Weird is sitting at home, chowing down on chips while watching this whole thing unfold on T.V," she said, raising her hands in mock defensiveness.
Amanda giggled at Marie's reaction. She hadn't laughed much lately either and it felt good, lessened the pressure in her head. "That's what Wanda and I were doing, actually, when this all happened. Right up to the point the cameras went out."
Feigning innocence, Marie blinked her eyes. "Yes. And how on earth did that happen? Ah reckon Ah have no idea." Her tone became a little more serious as she continued, gesturing to a small news crew nearby. "They sure didn't waste anytime in gettin' new ones out here though."
"Of course not. Biggest disaster story since... fuck I don't know, the Big Headache, I suppose. As long as they keep out of the way and out of my face, I'm happy." Amanda scowled a little at the crew, biting into her sandwich a little forcefully. Publicity really wasn't something she wanted.
Marie made a face. "Ah'm afraid Ah haven't been so successful at avoiding them. Hard to avoid a camera shoved in your face with several tons of steel lifted above ya. But Ah keep hoping that the footage isn't making it on the six o'clock special. Ah'm not exactly ready for my close up," she said while pointing at the blue scarf tied around her head.
"I'm just blending in with the crowd, which suits me fine." And in her dusty jeans, battered Docs and Red Cross t-shirt and bandana, Amanda did look just the same as the many rescue workers crowding the city. "They've been driving Clarice nuts, what with the purple and the teleporting and all, she's prime time material. Almost makes me glad I'm doing this the mundane way."
"At least all the footage right now shows how mutants are helpin' out. Maybe that'll change a few minds, make folks realize most of us are just tryin' to help." You always were the fucking cheerful optimist, weren't you Rogue? Marie blinked. Where on earth did that come from? Suddenly, she wasn't hungry anymore and dropped the half eaten sandwich back on her plate. "Ah think Ah'm gonna head back out. Still plenty to be done."
Amanda looked a bit surprised, but nodded. "Fair enough," she said, and grabbed the energy bars off her own tray and Marie's and pressed them into Marie's hands. "Here, take these for later, yeah? Little pick me up."
Her hand closed automatically around the bars and she shoved them in the pocket of her sweatsuit. "Thanks," she said softly. And another mother hen is born. Squeezing Amanda's arm, she turned to go. "Ah'm sure Ah'll see you around," she called out over her shoulder. "Take care of yourself and you better tell Moira about those headaches when you get back."
"Oh, I will, don't worry." Amanda waved her away. "Go on, do the hero thing. I'll catch you later."
