Jean and Topaz - Checkup
Feb. 4th, 2018 02:37 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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xp_logsTopaz heads to the Medlab after her ordeal for a check up by Jean.
Jean's footsteps echoed softly down the hall. She wore tennis shoes, something practical for being on one's feet most of the day. She'd already been on shift but when the team came back with Topaz, Jean had just gotten home and offered to do the post-rescue exam. One more patient for the day couldn't hurt. Knocking on the door to the exam room, Jean paused.
"Topaz? May I come in?"
A long pause followed - too long for someone who knew she had no choice about this. "Yeah," she finally said. She was already sitting on the exam bed, her hoodie balled up in her lap so her arms, and the forming bruises, were exposed. She was staring at the wall to her right, and didn't turn to look at Jean.
Opening the door, Jean stepped inside. "Thanks," she said with a soft, warm smile. She carried a tablet, complete with stylus, and sat it on a nearby table as the door closed behind her.
"Sorry for this one last stop. I'll try to make it quick," she said, noticing the bruises immediately.
"How are you feeling, physically? Any injuries to your chest, stomach or head?"
She'd heard vaguely what happened if only for the sake of being an X-Man and for updating Topaz's medical chart. Asking her how she was emotionally was moot.
"Not really." She sounded distant, as if her brain wasn't quite connected to reality or the conversation. "I got tossed around a bit but I didn't hit my head or anything. Might've overdone it on the magic, but nothing you can really do about that."
"Probably not," Jean admitted as the tablet floated over to her and she began to scribble a few things down before putting it down on a nearby tray. The last time she had really spoken to the girl was when they were trapped in Topaz's mind. She hadn't really seen her except when stressed or dissociated. It was unfortunate.
"May I see your arms?"
"Huh?" Topaz looked at Jean, then at her arms. "Oh, yeah." She held her arms out, not really sure what else to do.
Gently taking Topaz's arms, Jean turned them over, studying them for any swelling or fractures.
"Nothing broken. That's good," she said, writing it down in the chart, then glanced up with a hint of dismay.
"Do you have any cuts? I...see blood on your clothes. Is any of it yours?"
Topaz looked down at her knees. Her pants were soaked. These probably weren't salvageable. Too bad. She liked these jeans. "Oh. Yeah. I mean, no. It's not mine. It's um.... honestly I have no idea like four people died tonight." Five if she counted Alice. Again.
Jean seemed to take that information pretty well, if only because of the debriefing. The smell of blood and a hint of decay hung in the air. She would've caught the scent even without seeing it. Parts of blood that hadn't fully dried stained the protective paper on the exam bed.
"Okay," she said, doing a once over just to make sure before writing that down too.
"I'm sorry this happened to you. It's probably not a comfort, which is understandable. But if you need anything to help you sleep, let me know. Sometimes...there can be nightmares after these situations. Or insomnia, or both."
Her words held an air of apparent familiarity.
Insomnia was pretty much an old friend of Topaz's right now. She was sure there wouldn't be much sleep in the next week or so. "I um... I think I'll be okay." She scrubbed her eyes with her fingers, the other holding on tight to her sweatshirt. "Ya know, seen one dead body, you've seen 'em all. I think that's how it goes."
Jean studied the girl. "Unfortunately, they've been different for me every time. It's okay if you're not okay. In fact, it's usually expected."
"Of course it's expected." Topaz looked back at the wall. "Everyone's just waiting for Topaz to snap."
There came silence, but Jean's face didn't show pity, but rather, understanding.
"Not everyone. And if they are? Screw them. You're stronger than that. I've been in your mind," she said. She stood.
"Well, you're good to leave. But if anything residual happens medically, let me know, okay?" She could've been more through with the exam but it was clear Topaz needed some time alone and she wasn't showing any overt signs of physical trauma.
"Yeah, brilliant, I'm good." Topaz sighed, hopping off the bed and pulling her hoodie back on. People were more likely to notice the blood-stained pants before the bruises on her arms, but she felt better with them covered. "Thanks Doctor Grey."
Jean nodded a little. "You're welcome. But you can call me Doc Jean if you want. Or just Jean."
"Um... Doc Jean, then." It wasn't a personal thing. Topaz had trouble calling anyone older than Amanda by their first name. "Have a good night."
"Thanks," Jean said, grabbing the tablet. "Hope yours gets better."
Jean's footsteps echoed softly down the hall. She wore tennis shoes, something practical for being on one's feet most of the day. She'd already been on shift but when the team came back with Topaz, Jean had just gotten home and offered to do the post-rescue exam. One more patient for the day couldn't hurt. Knocking on the door to the exam room, Jean paused.
"Topaz? May I come in?"
A long pause followed - too long for someone who knew she had no choice about this. "Yeah," she finally said. She was already sitting on the exam bed, her hoodie balled up in her lap so her arms, and the forming bruises, were exposed. She was staring at the wall to her right, and didn't turn to look at Jean.
Opening the door, Jean stepped inside. "Thanks," she said with a soft, warm smile. She carried a tablet, complete with stylus, and sat it on a nearby table as the door closed behind her.
"Sorry for this one last stop. I'll try to make it quick," she said, noticing the bruises immediately.
"How are you feeling, physically? Any injuries to your chest, stomach or head?"
She'd heard vaguely what happened if only for the sake of being an X-Man and for updating Topaz's medical chart. Asking her how she was emotionally was moot.
"Not really." She sounded distant, as if her brain wasn't quite connected to reality or the conversation. "I got tossed around a bit but I didn't hit my head or anything. Might've overdone it on the magic, but nothing you can really do about that."
"Probably not," Jean admitted as the tablet floated over to her and she began to scribble a few things down before putting it down on a nearby tray. The last time she had really spoken to the girl was when they were trapped in Topaz's mind. She hadn't really seen her except when stressed or dissociated. It was unfortunate.
"May I see your arms?"
"Huh?" Topaz looked at Jean, then at her arms. "Oh, yeah." She held her arms out, not really sure what else to do.
Gently taking Topaz's arms, Jean turned them over, studying them for any swelling or fractures.
"Nothing broken. That's good," she said, writing it down in the chart, then glanced up with a hint of dismay.
"Do you have any cuts? I...see blood on your clothes. Is any of it yours?"
Topaz looked down at her knees. Her pants were soaked. These probably weren't salvageable. Too bad. She liked these jeans. "Oh. Yeah. I mean, no. It's not mine. It's um.... honestly I have no idea like four people died tonight." Five if she counted Alice. Again.
Jean seemed to take that information pretty well, if only because of the debriefing. The smell of blood and a hint of decay hung in the air. She would've caught the scent even without seeing it. Parts of blood that hadn't fully dried stained the protective paper on the exam bed.
"Okay," she said, doing a once over just to make sure before writing that down too.
"I'm sorry this happened to you. It's probably not a comfort, which is understandable. But if you need anything to help you sleep, let me know. Sometimes...there can be nightmares after these situations. Or insomnia, or both."
Her words held an air of apparent familiarity.
Insomnia was pretty much an old friend of Topaz's right now. She was sure there wouldn't be much sleep in the next week or so. "I um... I think I'll be okay." She scrubbed her eyes with her fingers, the other holding on tight to her sweatshirt. "Ya know, seen one dead body, you've seen 'em all. I think that's how it goes."
Jean studied the girl. "Unfortunately, they've been different for me every time. It's okay if you're not okay. In fact, it's usually expected."
"Of course it's expected." Topaz looked back at the wall. "Everyone's just waiting for Topaz to snap."
There came silence, but Jean's face didn't show pity, but rather, understanding.
"Not everyone. And if they are? Screw them. You're stronger than that. I've been in your mind," she said. She stood.
"Well, you're good to leave. But if anything residual happens medically, let me know, okay?" She could've been more through with the exam but it was clear Topaz needed some time alone and she wasn't showing any overt signs of physical trauma.
"Yeah, brilliant, I'm good." Topaz sighed, hopping off the bed and pulling her hoodie back on. People were more likely to notice the blood-stained pants before the bruises on her arms, but she felt better with them covered. "Thanks Doctor Grey."
Jean nodded a little. "You're welcome. But you can call me Doc Jean if you want. Or just Jean."
"Um... Doc Jean, then." It wasn't a personal thing. Topaz had trouble calling anyone older than Amanda by their first name. "Have a good night."
"Thanks," Jean said, grabbing the tablet. "Hope yours gets better."
