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In the infirmary, today...

~

Humming under her breath, Alison turned her back to the door, pushing into it as it swung open slowly, a plate of food balanced in one hand, a stack of books somehow managed with the other. Turning to strike a pose for the occupant of the room, she beamed (literally) and caroled out a cheerful "Taadaaa! Books and food, what more could a girl ask for?"

Paige looked up from where she had been staring at her hands; a book spread open on her lap that she wasn't really read. Her neck snapped up at Alison's entrance and she couldn't help but grin widely. "Why hello there, Alison. What do you want? I assume as much as you have brought me bribes."

She beckoned the books over, tilting her head to read the spines. "And very good bribes I might add."

Flopping in the chair next to the bed, Alison pulled her best innocent look (which was rather good at that) and placed a hand over her heart, dramatically. "You wound me! Why, I wish for nothing more than your brilliant company, of course!" She swooned rather convincingly, before stretching out in the chair with a more normal expression. "And Hank begged me to come and drag you out of the doldrums, at that."

"You'll live," Paige replied shortly, picking up one of the books to run her hands over it. "Might I mention how much I love how the good doctor is keeping me in the basement and expects me to be giddy about it?"

"Oh, I think Hank was just thinking his usual flair and charm would be enough to keep him out of any serious trouble," Alison chuckles, thinking that Paige is to books what dragons are to treasure hoards. "Every now and then that doesn't work, and then he goes running for help like a five year old boy with his hand caught in the cookie jar. It's horribly cute really."

"The Star Trek DVD's could only last him so long, really." Paige looks up to give Alison a fond look. "Thank you, though. These are very much appreciated. Do I dare ask what you've brought me to eat?"

"Mmm, Lorna's been cooking up a storm these days," Alison leads over to peek under the cover of the plate carefully, as though something might leap out and attack her. "Ooooh, I think you'll like this!" She presented it to Paige solemnly, before holding out the napkin and utensils for her as well.

Taking the plate, Paige inspected the pasta dish that Lorna had obviously made especially for her. It was one of her favourites and she made Lorna make it as often as she got up the nerve to. Today, however, she knew it would taste like cotton and feel like steel in her stomach. Setting it on the end table she smiled over at Alison. "I'll eat later."

Alison raised an eyebrow, not believing that for one minute. "Hank seems to think you won't, hon," she replied, settling for bluntness really. "Is there something else you'd rather have than pasta? I can easily get something else, but you do need to eat, you know."

"Could I just… get some soup or something? Something I don't have to chew very much." She looked sheepish, turning away.

"Of course," was the simple reply. "If you'd like, we can work up a list of things you'd like to get while you're down here. It'd set Hank's worries on the food angle at rest, and then I could come visit you without everyone nagging me to get you to eat. Watcha think?" she winked, knowing Hank was lurking outside the door just waiting to get his hands on that list.

Paige couldn't help but laugh at the hint of blue that showed behind the doorframe. "Of course. I'm sorry I worried him."

Alison sniggered at the sight of Hank dancing a happy little jig back to his desk, forgetting (or likely not) that both of them could easily see him through the window of the medical bay. "I think you just made his day," she whispered gravely to Paige, nodding solemnly.

"I wish he would have just told me. I like making lists, I would have done so." She nodded, absently petting her book.

"I think it only occurred to him after you started glaring at him for keeping you in here for observation," was the amused reply. "He muttered something to me about how farmgirls weren't supposed to gives looks that evil, and the wall melting behind him. And speaking of lists, why don't you make me a new one for a new batch of books you'd like, mm?"

"Me? Glare? Never. He must be thinking of another farmgirl," Paige answered innocently without a second thought. "All right. I'll even make a list of the lists I need to make."

"Mmm, good," was the approving reply, Alison never having a doubt that Paige was well supplied in pens and paper while down here. "In the meantime, what can I do for you while I'm down here? Or are there any dragons you'd like for me to slay once I get back upstairs?"

"I'm all right, actually. I just pick up things on my travels to class and whatnot. Not to mention the boys have been kind enough to bring me most things and I have Doctor MacTaggart bring some of the things that they shouldn't." She shrugs and gestures around the lab. "It's like my room except down the stairs instead of up and really, really cold."

Alison eyed the room contemplatively, and grinned. "Well, I can bug Hank about turning up the heating, but otherwise... I'm almost tempted to suggest we just bring in a few buckets of paint and have fun," she chuckled, then cracked her fingers. "Anything you'd like brought down from upstairs for a while until Hank sets you loose?"

Paige laughed, shaking her head. "Really, Lee. I'm fine. Besides, it gives me the guilt trip edge later on."

A quiet laugh greeted that comment, and Alison tapped the side of her head lightly. "I'll have to remember that. Not telling the others, they can figure it out on their own," she winked, and then leaned her elbows on the side of the bed, sobering up. "How are you doing, Paige?"

"I'm just fine, Lee. Bored out of my mind with all this husk journal writing, but fine."

Alison just leaned back in the chair, raising an eyebrow at her, not saying a word - waiting her out, calmly.

"Okay, minus the part where Jono hates me and I almost kissed one of my best friends and I'm stuck in a basement. Minus that."

Keeping a completely calm expression, and thanking every single second spent on honing her acting skills, Alison rose from the chair, and plopped herself on the bed next to Paige, nudging her shoulder slightly so she'd have enough space to sit without balancing. "Fine minus that, mmm?"

"Yes, exactly." Paige tried to smile but it came out as more of a wince.

"Mmm," she nodded wisely, staring ahead with a 'this is me thinking' expression. "Don't think Jono hates you, hon. Don't think he can, really. D'you want to talk about the minus that some? Or just take more time to work through things by your lonesome, first?" she asked, not mentioning the third alternative to such things, because she knew Paige would never want to go the 'forget about it' path, for the injustice it would do to the aforementioned said best friend.

"Oh, he will find plenty of reasons to hate me sooner or later. Or at least wonder why the heck he's still here. He used to tell me, sometimes, that I helped him stay. But I'm not. I'm helping him blow things up." She put her book on the chair, freeing her hands so that she might throw them into the air. "Angelo told me that he didn't hate me either. What did I do? I almost kissed him. What is wrong with me?"

She paused, laughed and let her head drop to Alison's shoulder. "I'd like to talk about it by the way."

"So I see," was the warm reply, as Alison slipped a comforting arm around her shoulders. "I think Jono's too busy hating himself to find any to spare for others, hon." And the way he looks at you when he think no one notices, as though you'd hung the very moon and stars? He won't ever be able to hate you, hon. "And Angelo has a good head on his shoulders. He'd tell you if he were really upset with you, I think. Or at least, he wouldn't lie about hating you."

She tightened her arm around Paige's shoulders briefly. "How do you feel about both of them, hon?"

"I... It's Jono, Lee. It's the most cliché sort of fairy tale, opposites attract... love ever. I can't even breathe when he's near and my heart must certainly think it has to pound double time to make up for his. It's so Shakespeare it's sick!" She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. "And Angelo is none of that. Angelo is falling in love with your best friend since grade school. He's picnics and going row boating."

"I don't get it. I just don't. I love him, Lee, you know that? Jono. I actually love him, even with everything that's happened, and I would never, ever hurt him. What is wrong with me?"

Alison's lips quirked slightly at the ever present question of teenagers around the world - and wondered what Paige might make of her solution. "I'd say you're trying to establish a balance in things, hon." You can't balance out Jono on your own, otherwise said, and Angelo brings that balance you need to ground you... She tilted her head slightly, leaning it atop Paige's. "You know... you wouldn't be the first to fall in love with two people, who love you in return. Of course, the tricky bit here would be seeing if they can love each other as well, mmm?"

Paige turned three shades of pale, her eyes suddenly very wide. She opened her mouth to speak but all that managed to come out was a squeak. On the third time she finally managed, "As in... three? Tri... somethings?"

"A triad," was the serene reply. "Think about it and see how you feel. Just don't tell Sam I suggested that, would you? He'd kill me," Alison smiled fondly at the thought of how Sam might react to that, and patted Paige's arm.

"Oh no. I learned early that you don't tell Sam anything related to boys." She went over Alison's words again and made a small meeping noise. "A... triad. Oh my."

Hiding a grin Alison nodded wisely, then hopped off the bed. "Why don't I got get you some soup, mm? You can work on your food list in the meantime."

"List? What- oh. Yes, list. Sure," Paige jumbled, distracted.

"Food list," Alison repeated, wondering how many times the boys' names might make it onto said lists, as opposed to food. "Be back soon, hon!"

"Mkay," Paige agreed, without having a clue what Alison had said. She pulled out her notebook and pen, stared at the lines for a moment and groaned. "Aw, crap."