Clarice, Madelyn - Late Sunday night

[x-madelyn.livejournal.com]

Following Jono Go Boom, Clarice and Maddie in the medlab. Maddie's comfy couch claims another victim.



Alison was settled for the night, Nathan was as comfortable as the silly man would let himself be, and Moira and Hank were still busy with Jono. Not a lot else to do... "Clarice, you should probably go up to bed," she suggested to her assistant, who was looking noticeably tired.

"No way," Clarice stated, shaking her head and pausing her knitting. This time she had a foot of light blue material hanging off her leg, "You need to sleep too and I know you won't."

"So you'll drive yourself into exhaustion to keep me company, eh?" Madelyn shook her head. "Fine, kiddo, can't argue with you when you've got that face on. How about I make us some hot chocolate and you keep me company while I'm compiling reports for tonight?" She gave the knitting a look. "Just what is it you're making? Every time I see you lately, you have knitting in various colours following you around."

"It's a sooper seekrit plot," Clarice explained, "but you'll like it later. And it gives me something to do while I'm watching over you or a patient," she paused, carefully undoing a stitch, "If something happens to Jono, I want to be here."

Madelyn didn't point out that there wasn't a lot else that could happen to Jono, or if it did, there wasn't a lot Clarice could do about it. "He's in good hands," she said, turning the various room monitors over to automatic scanning and setting the alarms should anything change. "Come on, I think there's even some of those little marshmallows left."

"MMmmmm, marshmallows," Clarice followed, leaving her knitting on the chair. She could come back in a week and no one would touch it. "I know they're doing what they can, but what if he goes boom again? Who'll get us out? We don't call this the Dungeon because it's got lots of windows."

"The Professor's down there, remember? Jono's nothing _but_ psionic energy right now, so I think Charles' big brain can encourage him that going boom again is a bad idea." Madelyn led the way to the kitchenette, turning on the electric kettle. The used mug collection was getting a little scary - everyone had been too busy for washing up. Wrinkling her nose, she found two clean ones up the back of the cupboard - they were Easter rejects, with chubby, fluffy rabbits all over them. "Besides, this is probably the best place to go boom - the walls are all reinforced against anything short of a nuke."

Wrinkling her nose at the fluffy bunnies, Clarice turned the hot water on and began scrubbing some of the coffee mugs. "This is totally gross," she pronounced, nodding at the mess. "You made me read that chapter on disinfectants and bacteria, and yet Lorna would have an apoplectic fit if she saw this!"

"It's a good thing she avoids this place like the plague then, isn't it?" Madelyn replied, grinning as she scooped chocolate mix into the mugs and prayed for fresh milk. She didn't voice the thought that Lorna hadn't been to see her critically-ill friend, or hadn't even asked about her. Must have been one hell of an argument they'd had. "Still, I shouldn't complain about a lack of custom, considering the numbers we've had lately."

"Can we declare an injury free day and just relax?" Clarice asked semi-rhetorically, wiping a mug with the words SANTA IS REAL on it, "I mean, we've earned it. Hell, we earned enough for maybe even two days!"

"We've been trying, believe me, but every time we think the worst is over, there's another catastrophe." Madelyn fished the marshmallows from their hiding place in one of Marie's old protein shake tins, where no-one would think of looking. "Maybe we should try reverse psychology?"

"Couldn't hurt," Clarice agreed, setting the last mug on the drying rack. It resembled a badly designed pyramid instead of a full drying rack. "Maybe Capt Sprains-his-brain would be more careful if we weren't here?"

"We can but hope." Chocolate made, complete with marshmallows, Madelyn gave Clarice a thankful smile. "I don't know how we managed before our dish fairies moved in. Thanks."

"Jubes does your laundry, I do your dishes, you, Doclady, are set. Now all you need is someone to rub your feet, and don't even think I'll do it!" the purple girl took the hot chocolate gingerly, blowing steam off the top. "Thanks."

"Who needs a boyfriend when I have my loyal assistants?" Madleyn laughed. "Besides, you two are easier to pay off. Chocolate goes a long way."

"We're not warm in bed though," not that Clarice knew, she'd never slept with a guy, but she imagined it would be nice, "and chocolate only goes so far!"

Madelyn nearly snorted chocolate at that. "Well, there is that," she managed, spluttering a little. "But believe me, kiddo, you get used to not having it. And don't blaspheme against the holy chocolate."

Curling up on the couch in Maddie's office once more, Clarice drank her chocolate solemnly, "Never against chocolate," she agreed. "I think you get 30 days PMS for that."

Madelyn snickered. "I think that would be classed as cruel and inhumane punishment." Taking a seat at her desk, but shoving the chair back so she could prop her feet up on it, she tilted her head at Clarice. "So, how are you coping, kiddo? It's been a rough few weeks."

"8th ammendment," Clarice muttered to herself, she'd had to memorize all the ammendments for class, but that was one of a few she actually remembered. Possibly because she might need it in the future. "I'm...doing better. Saturday night helped, even though I'm going to miss Sarah. She was refreshing. You? How long since you've had 8hrs sleep?"

"Two nights ago," Madelyn replied promptly. "Don't worry about me, kiddo, I've got a vertiable army making sure I eat and sleep. Between you and Kurt, I'm fine."

"Good," Clarice said between yawns, "Sleeping is good."

"Sleeping is very good," Madelyn agreed, watching Clarice with a small smile. The Couch of Sleep claiming another victim.

"Thanks for the chocolate," Clarice muttered, stretching out. Somehow, she knew the chocolate wasn't supposed to make her sleepy...

Chocolate by itself didn't make someone that sleepy, but chocolate combined with too little sleep, a drunken night, a very comfortable couch, and a mild sedative did. Madelyn refused to feel guilty for the sedative part - it _was_ very mild, and Clarice had proven stupidly stubborn when it came to sleeping. A bad habit she was picking up from her mentor, she supposed. Getting up, she tucked the blanket that lived on the couch around the sleeping girl and smiled. "Night, kiddo," she said, before turning out the light and heading back to the observation room.