Crystal and Nathan - Breakfast in Bed

[x-aerial.livejournal.com]

Helping out in the medlab, Crystal provides Nathan with food and conversation. Some concerns are voiced while other worries are left unsaid.



Crystal stood near Nathan in the medlab, holding a tray of food. He'd been conscious for less than a day, awakening yet another time in a medlab bed. She wondered at that, at how many times it had been already, and how many times more it might be. Certainly no other mansion resident had spent such a large number of times in such a state in the medlab. Other people were content to limit their number of stays to the fingers on one hand; Nathan seemed to be competing for some sort of record.

"Good morning, Nathan," Crystal greeted the patient. "Are you hungry?

Since when did Crystal become chirpy? Nathan seriously considered her question, though. "Suppose eating is good," he murmured, his voice still sounding like someone had been sandpapering his vocal cords.

"Yes, eating is good," Crystal said, adjusting the bed and tray so he could eat comfortably, "and as you are being served by royalty refusing to eat would not be taken well. It is good to have you back with us. People have been worried."

Nathan's already-wan smile turned more feeble as the bed moved upwards. It was moving very slowly, of course, but even that much movement sent a wave of pain through his injured chest, and by the time he was upright enough to eat, he was as white as a sheet, beads of sweat on his forehead.

Crystal sent some cool air his way, light winds surrounding him, the beads of sweat evaporating. "You do not look well at all, Nathan," she noted, stating the obvious. "Perhaps it would be best if I spoke to one of the doctors about obtaining pain medication for you?"

"It's about that time," Nathan conceded, his voice weak and tight. "After lunch, though." He took as deep a breath as he dared, then forced himself to smile again at her.

The young woman nodded, then sat down next to his bed. "Eat, then, and we will find you some nice painkillers for dessert." Thoughts went through her mind, things she would like to say but wasn't sure should be said, especially right now. She didn't want to upset him or cause him to lose what little appetite he might have. How many times could one person survive all that Nathan put himself through and how long could he continue to do it before his luck ran out?

If there was one thing you could say for the mansion's infirmary, the quality of food was considerably better than any hospital he'd ever seen before, even when you weren't up to much eating. Nathan tore a corner off the piece of toast, chewed and swallowed. "You have the thinky face," he observed softly.

"'Thinky face'? Is that a technical term? I am not sure that I am aware of that one." Crystal sighed softly. "You have a wife, teammates, friends, and a couple of cranky doctors. I am sure that at least some of those have already spoken to you about what is on my mind."

"You might be surprised." That came out sounding almost dry. Nathan eyed the yogurt, then picked up his spoon.

"All right, perhaps they have not quite had the time yet," Crystal allowed, "although I believe that this is not your first stay here in recent weeks. Arriving at the infirmary, leaving, and then finding yourself in further need of the medlab constitute separate stays. All right, if you wish for me to be blunt, I suppose that this is what forms the basis of my current thought process regarding you: how many times, Nathan? How much will you continue to be able to take, both physically and emotionally, before you simply cannot do this anymore? How many times must your friends and family need to worry about your chance of survival?"

"Is this just you?" Nathan murmured, "or has the queen been sticking her oar in, too?"

"Does it matter?" Crystal shook her head. "Yes, Nathan, my sister considers you to be her friend, and I am sure she would be quite concerned to know all of the details of your recent adventures. However, I am not the mansion or palace snoop; I do not gossip to others about events concerning others. Am I not allowed to worry on my own; do you not think that I am capable of having my own feelings and voicing them? Perhaps the two of us are not close, but that does not mean that I do not hold you in high regards, that I do not respect you and all of the effort you extend into helping others. It does not mean that I am not allowed to worry about you."

"Joke, Crystal." He took a spoonful of the yogurt before he went on. "I know. This whole situation... kind of a little excessive."

"I am not quite sure of the specifics of the events leading up and resulting in your two consecutive medlab stays taking place within mere days of each other," Crystal said. "I know what I need to know as someone who helps in the medlab, and whatever parts Forge has chosen to tell me about his own part in the recent events. I am aware, however, that one such stay appears to coincide with the surprising arrival of six infants who are now going to Muir."

"Funny coincidence, that." It was a very feeble little joke.

"Oh yes, so very amusing. I am not going to press you for information, Nathan," Crystal told the injured man. "You can tell me what happened or not, it is up to you. It is not my place to demand such knowledge, that is not why I am here."

"I did a good thing. I think. Maybe a couple." Nathan tried another corner of his toast.

"At least six, I would say," Crystal offered.

It got a ghost of a smile. "Jean and Moira get to claim them. I was somewhere else."

"Doing something entirely unrelated, I am sure." Crystal smiled a bit at Nathan. "How is the toast?"

"Nice bread. Real butter. You'd think someone paid close attention to putting this tray together." Despite the words that were almost bantering, there was an undercurrent of something else in Nathan's hoarse voice, something very close to sadness.

"Rumor has it that you are on very close terms with one of the red-headed doctors currently staying at the mansion," Crystal said with a small grin, still not wanting to press Nathan about what had happened, wanting him to confide in her only if he wanted. "Fresh bread, genuine butter... only the best for you, yes?"

"It's the small things." He wasn't so sure about the scrambled eggs, though he did try them, next. "I wish..."

"You wish what, Nathan?" Crystal asked gently.

I wish Carly was in the room next door? He wished that she'd had the opportunity to be here, see the genuine kindness people around here could muster. He got the sense she hadn't had much of that, even with Trask. "I wish this all could have ended differently," he said instead, almost inaudibly. "I'm glad for the babies. But they weren't the only ones who deserved this."

"Deserved what?" Crystal asked, confused, trying to piece things together. "To be here? To be safe?" Nathan had said he wished things could have ended differently... others had not made it to the end of whatever had happened, had they?

"You asked me how much more of this I could take." He smiled, but the amount of pain in the expression was almost overwhelming. "I don't know."

"I am truly sorry, Nathan, for whatever it is that has happened," the young woman said softly. "I suppose you have many things to think about, yes? Maybe it is enough already, perhaps you have done so much that you have reached the point at which you can step back and think of what might happen should you continue on this way. I am sure that Moira and Rachel would not be against the idea of spending time with you while you put on your own 'thinky face.' You have many people who can help, who are there for you, both as friends and for the work you do. You can have one more, if you would like."

"I appreciate that," he murmured, and meant it. "Don't think I've got much to do except think about it right now, though."

"Maybe those painkillers we spoke about will help you rest now?" Crystal suggested. "More food can be brought to you later."

"I think that'd be good." It was hard to keep one's thoughts off the darker paths when one hurt this much. Although the painkillers also made him dream, and he wasn't sure that was preferable.

"I will be back soon," Crystal promised as she stood. Walking away to find the doctor on duty to get the medication, she left Nathan to his thoughts.