Forge & Dani - The Return of Sheldon 2

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Forge visits Dani in The Box. She's doing only marginally better than the night before, but Forge helps. They discuss Samson, being insane and frybread.



Forge walked down the medlab hall, his footsteps echoing off the metal floor. Sunday mornings tended to be when everyone slept in here, so he made a habit of waking up early. Normally he'd be headed down to the shop to get a project done, but today he had other priorities.

Stopping in front of a flat metal door, he sighed deeply. Room X. "The Box". Designed to contain and protect from any form of psionic contact. He hated the very concept. Locking up someone "for their own protection" didn't sit well with him, even when he knew it was necessary.

Placing his hand on the access panel, he typed in the access code Dr. McCoy had given him, and watched the small window iris open in the middle of the wall. He tried to smile as he looked in.

"Hey, Dani."

Jerking her head up from where she sat curled up on the floor, Dani looked up through the knots in her hair at the wall. She was still wearing her clothing from the day before, but considering how she had tried to destroy the inside of the box, it was a good sign. Fortunantly, the box had been designed for this eventuality and only the mattress was not bolted to the floor.

"Meh," she mumbled, blinking as the harsh fluorescents hit her eyes.

Forge winced, seeing how haggard she looked. "Dr. McCoy told me about the letter, about Sheldon. Being a bit of a prick about things, if you ask me. But I know that they've got lawyers to handle this stuff - you don't have to worry about it."

He leaned in, resting his forehead on the cool glass of the window. "How you holding up?"

"Oóxésta*," she stated after drinking some water from the little room sink, there were no cups. Tilting her head slight, she blinked, "I hate him." there was no need to say who he was.

*alright

"No shame in it," Forge answered. "He's quite detestable. I have to admit," he said with a barely-restrained smile, "you know that's the only time I've ever hit anyone? There aren't words for how damn good that felt."

"Hésévávónó'e!" she exclaimed, trying to reach out through the plexiglass. She was confused when she couldn't and kept trying over and over again. "I can't feel you, Hahkota. They won't let me!"

"You've got to get it under control, Dani," Forge tried to explain, "I'm right here. You can see me, hear me, I'm right here with you." He leaned into the window, hands flat on the glass. "If this takes a few days, or a few months - I'm not going anywhere."

Nodding, Dani placed her hands over his, "Don't go?" she asked pitifully, "I'm trying. I feel better now, really," she gave a shakey smile. She knew she couldn't leave until she was calm enough to handle not only her emotions, but the rest of the school too.

"Wouldn't dream of it," he answered, reaching over and hooking a stool with his foot, dragging it over to the window. "I hear Mr. Dayspring's been working with you about shielding stuff. He probably knows what it's like better than anyone, he's got to shut out everyone here all the time. Can't imagine what that's like. Hell, I have enough trouble wading through the journals."

He smiled in at Danielle. "Things seem to be calming down there, too. Well, except for Shiro and Clarice, but you probably knew that."

"They're happy," she agreed, remembering, "and scared. It's okay. I liked the tai-chi class. Was soft."

"Probably good for you. I read where that stuff's a good thing for pregnant women," Forge agreed. "I just figured, you know, with the sudden influx of all this romantic coupley stuff, might be giving you some problems." He smiled to himself. "It seems to be driving Mr. Dayspring. Insane. Or more so."

She shook her head, it had felt good, even if it wasn't her real feelings. "So I'm insane now too? I guess I am," she gestured around the bare room, "No padded walls, but I bet they could. I don't wanto to be crazy, Hahkota. I want to be me again."

Forge just shrugged at that. "Who're they to say, really? You're not the only one hanging on by your fingernails some days. I-" he took a deep breath, "-I've started seeing Doctor Samson about... stuff. Reasons I came here. He helps a lot. Just listens, and says the right thing at the right time." Forge wiped his eyes briefly then sat up straight, looking into the small room where Dani was. "He's helping me get my head on straight. Making things easier."

"I've seen Dr. Samson too," she nodded, "He feels good. We talk about stuff too. Back home," she sniffed and wiped her nose, "Namshim* died only a few months ago. Just after I got married. I miss him."

*my grandfather

"Oh, Hahkota," she really wanted a hug and he looked like he could use one too, "Can you come in? Or can I come out? For a minute?"

"I..." Forge steeled himself, then typed in the access code. He had his meds if anything went out of hand, after all. The door slid open, and he slowly walked in. "Hey, not a bad place," he joked. "Not saying I'd like to build a summer home down here, but the gray is really quite calming."

Danielle cracked a wan smile, standing up and holding him tightly, "I'm sorry."

"Hey," he responded, patting the taller girl on the back. "Don't be. We take care of each other, right?"

She nodded into his head, not letting him go, "You take good care of me," she agreed, correcting him, "I don't take such good care of you all the time."

"Bullshit," Forge immediately responded. "You make sure I eat, you give me crap when I'm being all moody, and you stick around even when I'm being King Jackass. Nobody else has really ever done that."

She shrugged, finally letting him go, and sat back down on the mattress on the floor, "You're not such a jackass. I mean, you're at least tied with your roommates, which isn't so bad. And you help me with all those blueprints and diagnostic papers. You know useful stuff, even if it is your power. I can cook. And make babies."

"Tied?" he smirked, "I'll have to work harder." He looked around the small room, finding it slightly better than the prison cell he'd envisioned, but not by a lot. "Dr. McCoy's going to shit if he finds me in here. But you know what, I don't care." He reached into his back pocket, pulling out a wrapped packet. "So I brought some of the leftover frybread from Saturday. Want some?"

"Ooooh!" Dani leaned over, grabbing the packet, "Frybread!" she quickly opened it, ripping a piece off and devouring it before pausing and offering some to Forge. "They gave me bran flakes this morning," she made a face.

Forge stuffed a chunk in his mouth, chewing slowly. "Consider this the beginning of a potentially profitable smuggling career," he mumbled, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. "Kind of like the Underground Railroad, fighting the injustice of hospital food."

"Well, when one of the cooks is sick," she agreed, woeful that the frybread was gone. Next time, she was introducing Forge to frybread with cinnimon and honey, "Thanks. For coming in. I feel better."

"Any time," Forge mentioned. "they haven't built he door that'd stop me yet."

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Fortunately, Hank is up in his room, trying to fight off a hangover and pick up the broken bits of his self-esteem. *g* The smugglers get away with it! Alas!