xp_logs | Hope & Cecilia | Visit to the medlab (backdated)

Backdated to last Tuesday - Cecilia stops by the medlab to check in on Hope and feel guilty.

Cecilia stood above Hope's bed in the medlab, her arms crossed, watching the girl sleep for a minute. It had been a fairly restless evening, and after her plans for a twilight run had been dashed by rain, she'd wandered around the mansion until, eventually, she'd ended up here.

Which figured. it was time. Since coming back from Avalon, she'd managed to avoid all but the most cursory medlab duties. Amelia had been more that happy to help fill her shoes for a bit, and it seemed Jean understood (though whether that was due to the older woman's empathy or her telepathy was still unclear). But Cecilia hadn't really seen Hope since Avalon, and she was due to check in on the girl at some point.

She grabbed a nearby chart and began scanning and flipping through slowly, hoping not to wake their sleeping patient. Apparently she wasn't doing enough to keep the rustling of pages quiet, since moments later, she saw Hope begin to stir.

"Hmmm?" Hope slowly opened her eyes, having become away someone was nearby. Blinking a few times, the form slowly became clearer, resolving into the form of Dr. Reyes. She blinked again and pushed herself up on one elbow. "Dr. Reyes? Is something wrong?"

"No, no, no." Cecilia shook her head and offered a smile. "Just, you know," she glanced around. "Some nightly medlab rounds. Making sure you're okay after..." After what? After she'd brushed the girl aside? After Cecilia's powers supremely failed and let her younger partner drift out to the ocean? "After everything that happened in Avalon." She hugged the chart closer to her chest. "You need any water or anything?"

She rubbed at her eyes and sat up a little more. "No, thank you." Hope hefted the bottle from the small cabinet besides the bed and showed it to her. "I have some here. And thank you for checking in with me. I am recovering well, I think. With a little luck I might be able to leave tomorrow."

"Good," Cecilia nodded, "good. I mean, that will be for Dr. Grey to decide." She held the chart out again and took a closer look. "But I think she'll release you soon enough." She scanned the page and let out a small breath. Thank God. If Hope had sustained any real damage, she would never have been able to forgive herself.

"I'm glad you're okay." Cecilia dropped the chart on a nearby table and came around to the side of Hope's bed. "I mean, we all are," she added quickly. "But I'm glad - I was worried, maybe..." She shrugged. "It's good Namor and Dr. Grey were able to help you like they did." Namor. There was another person she owed a visit, and probably an apology.

"I think I heard someone mention you helped me when I was out of the water though. On the beach..." Hope tilted her head a little, finally feeling more awake. "It was not just Dr. Grey and Namor who made sure I was alright. And the volunteers who made sure I got to the medical post swiftly of course."

She opened the bottle, pouring some of the water in the glass and taking a sip or two. "It's not just Dr. Grey, Namor and the volunteers I owe my thanks to. It's you as well, Dr. Reyes."

"Oh." Cecilia shuffled her feet slightly and tried her best not to look sheepish. "Well, you know." She gave Hope yet another awkward shrug. "Just doing my job. Healer's duty and all that." Not to mention the added responsibility required when someone drowns because of one's own incompetence. "Anyway, you were an easy patient," she pointed out, inwardly wincing at how clinical she sounded. "Didn't take much CPR to get you breathing again. It's not like... I mean, Dr. Grey did the really important part."

"Without me breathing that would not have helped much." Hope muttered sarcastically to herself, but then her eyes widened comically. "My apologies. I should not have said that. I... I think might not be fully awake yet."

"No, don't apologize," Cecilia said, a little shocked by the idea that Hope would feel guilty or something. "I mean, you're right, of course, I just..." She looked up for a second, then sat in a nearby chair, quiet as she considered the absurdity of this whole conversation. After weighing a few things, her head snapped up. "Jesus, Hope, I basically let you drown. After," she shifted positions, "being kind of a bitch. I let us separate, which I shouldn't have done since I'm twice your age and ought to be responsible. Don't thank me for saving you."

Hope stared at the seated doctor with growing concern. "Dr. Reyes..." She ventured carefully. "This is not your fault. I was caught by the water and it was a rock that tripped me. Perhaps separating was not the best choice to make, but we were running out of time. We had to get those people evacuated."

Reaching over, Hope put her hand over Cecilia's. "Please, do not blame yourself. It was me who tripped over that rock, so by the same logic we can blame me or the rock. It was a stupid accident."

"I have a force field," Cecilia said flatly, avoiding eye contact. "I should have..." She just shook her head. "I'm glad you're okay," she repeated again.

"Even with you having a force field, it was still an accident. I was simply too far away and I think I would have been too far away for Sue as well to grab me." She paused for a moment, then kidded: "At most it was the field trip curse I keep hearing about. Though I am about to start believing in it after the Slendermen and the scorpion monsters."

Cecilia snorted. "Not sure the field trip curse counts when you choose to head straight to the danger, but I catch your meaning." She still wasn't convinced she couldn't have done something, but she figured she'd let it go for now. "So," she nodded to the chart, withdrawing her hand from Hope's, "uh, astral plane?"

"A very strange place." And Hope could not quite stop the minor tremble in her voice. "I didn't understand much of what I saw, to be honest. Dr. Grey explained some, but still..."

"No, no." Cecilia shushed her. "I don't want to upset you. You've got enough to focus on with recovery. And if there's anyone who can help you figure all of this out, it's Jean. Dr. Grey, I mean. And the professor. Can't say I know much about any of that." She leaned back in her chair. "I find the real world complicated enough."

"I do plan on talking to them about it." Hope nodded, her voice steadying once more. "Though probably when I am back in my own bed though..."

"Bet you're looking forward to that," Cecilia smiled knowingly. Had anyone been in the medlab for this long since she'd returned to the mansion? She doubted it. Probably best to change the subject. "You handled yourself pretty well down there, you know. Very empathetic in a way I don't expect most teenagers to be."

"It was nothing." Hope denied modestly. "I was taught to be a good hostess since I was young. At the core it's much the same in that you are trying to put people at ease."

"Since you were young?" Cecilia lifted an eyebrow. Ah, teenagers, perfect at making people in their 30s feel ancient. In any event, being a good hostess was not a virtue necessary in the Reyes household, so it wasn't as if Cecilia could relate. "I think it's more than that, though. Plenty of people raised the same way wouldn't have been nearly so good at handling themselves under pressure."

"You have not met my mother." Hope muttered before stifling a yawn. "She has some very set ways."

God bless WASPs. "I bet," Cecilia grinned. Hope's half-yawn made her glance at her watch, and she frowned. "If you're tired, I don't want to keep you. Last thing I need is a lecture from Dr. Grey."

"I'm sorry, but I think I should do that. We both might get one." Hope paused for a moment. "But please, Dr. Reyes, don't blame yourself for what happened. It was not your fault."

Cecilia smiled as she stood. "Thanks." She still didn't entirely agree, but if Hope wanted to absolve her of any guilt, Cecilia wasn't going to let her think she'd failed. "Get some sleep, Ms. Abbott," she said, using her most affected doctor-like voice to try and bring some levity back to the room. "We want to get you out of here."

Hope settled back down with a small smile. "I suppose I have to follow doctor's orders, especially if I do wish to get out. Sleep well, Dr. Reyes."

"Same to you." Cecilia walked to the door. She turned around and looked at Hope for a second, grabbed her chart, smiled again and walked out.