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Clara comes out of Surgery looking fairly well raked over the coals, but pleased at the same time, and heads off towards her office to confer with the skeleton. Or hide more penguins. Or bring monsters to life. Any thunderstorms in the forecast?
A rumble of thunder sounds from the fourth floor. Rumblecrackleboom.
It's alive!!!
In the lower right hand corner of your monitor, a tiny Frankenstein's penguin blinks, complete with neck electrodes and all. [to Riley]
Simple text replies, 'Hey love. How'd surgery go?'
In equally plain text, 'It went. The patient's in recovery, but still unconscious. Should be fine though. I'm a little more concerned about another patient, though. (to Riley)
This time at least the text is variegated shades of blue, 'Something's wrong?'
No matching attributes found.
Answering with a light, cheerful orange font is 'I'm not sure. The patient is taciturn and I fear shows signs of distraction. I'm not sure what to do.' (to Riley)
The colors are reversed, the blue going back the other way. 'Maybe a large stick?'
A long pause, then rainbow colors alternate in the lettering. 'Maybe. I might need one. Maybe a nerf stick. Or maybe not. Cucumbers scare me.' (to Riley)
There's a small smiley face accompanied by, '*snicker* Avoiding vegetables in the mood is good.'
The Frankenstein's penguin reappears, followed by, 'Ah-hah! The patient shows signs of life! I may not need the stick, vegetable or no, after all!' (to Riley)
The smiley face blinks, 'Me? Huh?'
An answering smiley face raspberrying bounces along behind, 'You, huh. I've tried to be good, but your friendly neighborhood doctor is a little worried about you, sailor.' (to Riley)
The smiley face attempts to look sheepish, 'I'm fine.'
Clara pulls a water gun from her desk that she's been sitting at all along and does target practice at the coatrack. ;)
Sans animation, but in rainbow coloring again, 'Suuuure. This is why you're hiding in your office? Another triple shift day, Mister Addison?' (to Riley)
Letters return, each in alternating orange and yellow, 'I spent all morning will the review board. Had to catch up.'
The electroded penguin returns, heralding, 'Yes, I know. I've been on tenterhooks ever since. Are you all right? Do you need anything?' (to Riley)
A penguin wearing sunglasses waves, 'I'm fine, honest. I even met with Kya and everything. I've not been entirely anti-social.'
Hey, this penguin's got the good life. Now he's got a beach chair and a little umbrella. 'I don't know that I call a meeting with your ward social, but it'll do. Please tell me she discussed her recent acquaintance with you?' (to Riley)
The letters of the reply are simple, 'Yeah, sort of. I hope I got her to take a second look at her association with Valentine.'
Preceded again by the monster penguin (is Clara doing experiments over there?) is, 'You and me both. I nearly unloaded on her down in the Grand Hall when I realized who she was talking to.' (to Riley)
The type is simple, 'Yeah, she seems bound and determined to deal with all the wrong people. I hate to do this, as much fun as this is, but I prolly ought to go ahead and get on out of here before Anya hurts me.'
In equally simple type, 'Aaah. Excellent idea, love. I'll stop nattering at you then. Love you.' (to Riley)
The penguin looks hopeful, 'You gonna be off this level any time soon?'
Answered by a Beatrice Potter type bunny in a nurses uniform, 'I'm technically off duty now. I've just been dictating the details of the surgery into my medlogs.' (to Riley)
The penguin waves, 'Well then I'll look forward to seeing you soon, love of my life.'
Clara finally finishes dictating and sets everything to order before heading up to change. This is good since given the state of her clothing, someone might really think she was a vampire. Of course, she's not. She's the Frankenstein of penguins. Please ignore the sets of tiny electrodes on the shelf.
Dangling from the coatrack, Purloined Penguin peers. Maybe a bride?
Clara tosses cookies at the coatrack. That's tomorrow's project.
Dangling from the coatrack, Purloined Penguin can wait. It's been a lot longer than six minutes. Another day won't make a difference.
Dangling from the coatrack, Dust Puppy blinks winsomely at the penguin?
Dangling from the coatrack, Purloined Penguin woo hoos!
Dangling from the coatrack, Peanut hides from the critterlings and isn't edible. Really. Look! Chocolate!
Peanut> Purloined Penguin ooh. Chocolate-covered peanuts.
Peanut> Dust Puppy challenges the peanut to Quake.
Peanut> Peanut yeeps! No chocolate covering! Hrm...Quake. Don't know that game very well.
You say "*very quietly* Sleeping, sailor?" into the communit.
Your communit crackles to life and says "Nope, not yet. Just kinda shmoozing on the couch." in Riley's voice.
You say "Aaah. Okay, just checking in. Enjoy relaxing, love." into the communit.
Your communit crackles to life and says "What about you?" in Riley's voice.
You say "Hrm? What about me?" into the communit.
Your communit crackles to life and blares "What're you up to? How're you?" in Riley's voice.
You say "Aaah. I'm up to just a hair over five-nine, and I'm just fine. Hot water is a wondrous thing." into the communit.
Your communit crackles to life and announces "Hot water is indeed. Fixes a great many of the world's ills." in Riley's voice.
You say "And thensome. Anyhoo, I was just comming to say hello. Enjoy your evening, dear. G'night." into the communit.
Your communit crackles to life and says "I uh...is there any chance we could get together at some point this evening? Just for a minute or two if you're busy..." in Riley's voice.
You say "*chuckle* I'll make you a deal. Let me finish changing clothes, and you can have my undivided attention. Where are you?" into the communit.
Your communit crackles to life and says "I didn't mean to interrupt. It wasn't a big deal or anything, I just wanted to see you. I like getting a chance to see you, it's not anything that's any hurry or anything like that." in Riley's voice.
You say "Ri-ley... *snicker* I just finished way too many hours of surgery. Now hot water was nice, but a hug from you would top off the night. Now unless you're busy or you were bluffing, are you going to tell me where to meet you?" into the communit.
Your communit crackles to life and blares "Never too busy for you, love. And I really am just shmoozed on the couch at my place." in Riley's voice.
You say "Be there in a few then." into the communit.
There's a muffled, 'C'min.'
Riley has hauled himself off the couch, although a rumpled blanket across it is indicative that that was indeed where he was. As you step into the room he moves to take you into a careful hug, "One hug, as ordered."
Clara lets herself in, tennis shoes slung over her shoulder because mainly she was too lazy to pull them on. She drops them by the door, damp hair flopping in her eyes slightly. "You rang, oh-..." She cuts off lightly at the hug, delighted as she returns it and doesn't quite let go. "Wonderful man."
Riley does move to disentangle himself however, careful. He gestures to the couch, "Have a seat? Want me to snag you something? A soda? Something to eat?"
Clara looks faintly surprised, but affably moves to a corner of the couch to sink into it and pull her knees into her chest. "No, no I'm fine, love. Riley, what's wrong? You're acting like a cat in a rocking chair factory."
Riley sinks down next to you on the couch, "Things are fine, I'm just a little jumpy, it's been a bizarre day. I'm more relaxed than I was, just a bit more time."
Clara lowers her knees and holds her hands out to you, looking decidedly concerned as she lowers her voice. "Want to talk about it?" she offers. "I'm a good listener."
Riley just shifts in close to you. "Not too terribly much to talk about. They weren't even angry, in fact they had some nice things to say. But getting questioned under truth gear and drugs is never a riot. I'm fine, honest. Just working off the jumpy. They were almost complimentary even."
This gets Clara's arms wrapped about you as much as she can as she shifts to her knees to rest her head against your hair after wincing. "Saints above," she murmurs in a shaken voice. "I had no idea they'd do that to you. Love, you -know- you're supposed to report for counseling directly after that. How can I help?"
Riley does not appear adverse to having your arms around him, and he relaxes a measure, shifting into the embrace. "I'm fine, honest. It wasn't too bad. They rummaged through my brain thoroughly, but they stuck to the subject pretty much. No worse than it had to be. It was either that or submit to summary punishment. Which they didn't want, and nor did I."
Clara exhales slightly, rubbing her cheek against your hair comfortingly in an almost feline gesture. No, she's not part Zaeltan, although she does draggle pretty badly in the rain and overfrizz from hairdryers. "Thank goodness," she murmurs, tightening her hold a bit. "Then there were no more disciplinary measures issued?"
Riley takes a long measured breath, relaxing a bit further still. "None at all. They even forestalled the additional halfblacks. Said we did a good job. But they had to have an insane amount of information, and it had to hold up in court. So they used the gear and all."
Clara finally settles back into the corner of the couch, attempting to pull you back with her so that she can serve as a sort of pillow. "We did do a good job. -You- did a phenomenal job, leading us all like that." She sighs faintly, gaze sympathetic. "Are you still working off the drugs?"
Riley is more than game to snuggle up against you, using you as a pillow. "I think the worst of it's off now. They gave me something to counteract the obsessive desire to hand out random factoids. Which is good, I can imagine what that conversation with Kya would have been like otherwise. Just some of the side effect stuff is all. And even that's all but gone I think. And I didn't lead anything. It was a group effort."
Clara can't suppress a low, amused laugh, nuzzling at your hair and folding her arms over your chest from behind. "Oh, dear. Well, I did tell her to go to you for details. I wouldn't tell her anything beyond that Valentine was a dishonorable discharge. And that I didn't trust her. And you did lead, mister. Subtly, and very positively, but you lead. Try to fool the enlisted, love."
Riley is quiet a moment, relaxing at last to the point that he no longer seems likely to jump several feet if startled. "I didn't really tell her much. She didn't seem to want to know too much."
Clara purses her lips as she unlaces her hands and starts to work at any knots in your upper chest and shoulders. "Somehow that doesn't surprise me. It's as if once she gets her mind wrapped around an idea, devil take the hindmost if all the facts support that it's not the wisest of courses."
Riley relaxes still further as the knots are banished, starting to give in to the overall tiredness factor. "And she seems almost bound and determined to do as many unwise things as possible to prove she's grown up. Which is backwards of course."
Clara smothers a small smile and leans her head forward to brush a kiss at your temple as she continues to work. "I think it's a stage everyone goes through. I'll admit I'm a little surprised to see it on someone past adolescence, but everyone has differing maturation rates."
Riley mmhmms quietly, his agreement somewhat distracted in tone. Eventually he tries to edge up, though it's with obvious reluctance. "Much as I'm enjoying that, y'need t'be relaxing too."
Clara doesn't try to stop you, but does look distinctly disappointed. "I'm sorry?" she ventures, nonplussed. "I thought I was. Uh...I should go on back to my quarters then? That was what you wanted to talk about?" And she's almost able to keep that hint of dismay from her voice.
Riley blinks several times, but he does snuggle back in close. That being where he wants to be after all. "Just didn't think this was exactly relaxing for you. And I didn't really so much want to talk about anything, just to be with you. All this morning in all the insanity I just wanted to see you. Knew that would fix everything."
Clara can't conceal a faint sigh of relief as her arms come back around your shoulders in a hug where she stays for several moments without speaking or moving. Finally she shifts her face to your hair for a moment to brush a kiss at the side of your head before grinning. "I'd have been there with you if they'd asked for me. As it is, you don't even want to see the report I had to send up my direct line of command."
Riley begins to relax again, regaining ground lost by even a brief stint outside the safety of your arms. "They didn't ask. Kinda' weird. First time I've ever been under without any medical personnel present." He pauses a moment, "The report?"
Clara stiffens slightly at this information, brows quirking as she asks very cautiouly, "You had -no- medical observation under those circumstances?" No, she doesn't sound happy about this. "None at all? Interesting."
Riley shakes his head slightly, "Not that I could tell. Mind ya' I wasn't the most coherent. But it was brass only as I could tell."
Clara leans her head against yours and absently resumes searching out knots, although her voice is thoughtful. "Which contradicts every ethical tenant I've ever been taught. If the doctor that administered the drugs -left-." Okay, so she's never been noted for a slow temper.
"Wasn't a doctor that did the drugging," Riley explains in a quiet tone, the knot removal making him rather unworried by much of anything. "One of the brass did it. Somebody'd written her out instructions."
Clara's hands remain gentle although she herself has tensed without realizing it, the short fuse having well and fully burned down. You were put in danger, and for something she should have been on hand to help you with. "I see. I'd very much like to know which farce of a doctor wrote those out. So would Conley, most likely."
"Dunno," Riley is a little less relaxed, reacting to your tension reflexively. "I was already under gear by the time they shot me up with it, too snozzed to ask or object."
"I see," Clara responds in a quiet tone, mental gears spinning as her hands move up onto your shoulders. "Very interesting indeed." She shakes her head slightly, blinking and forcing herself to relax externally, even nuzzling at your hair with a grin. "Well, be that as it may. Why don't you stop by Medbay in the morning love? I'd like to check you out."
Riley is lulled by the nuzzling and the seeming relaxation into easing back again. He's zonked enough to take things at face value. "In the morning? Is the afternoon okay?" He's -agreeing- to this? Um, did the world just end? Riley compliant to anything, let alone medical examination? "Morning's got a meeting."
Clara considers this for a long moment, obviously still keyed up from both surgery and this recent bombshell, before venturing another hug. "How about we compromise. I go get my medical kit and give you an exam right now?"
"F'you like," Riley agrees, still all compliance. Too bizarre for words. "No meeting right now. Just being with you, and since it's you who wants to."
Clara starts to ease herself from behind you, stealing a kiss before moving away. "You just stay right here, love. I'll run down to Medbay and get what I need, all right?"
Riley mmhmms agreeably, still agreeing to pretty much everything in fact. He slides down to a bit of a sprawl on the couch. "Y'okay, I'll be right here. It's a nice couch. Better than the old one."
Clara starts to go, then hesitates as your words filter through the layers of worry. Turning back to crouch by your side, she tilts her head with a cautiously curious expression. "Riley? Darling, this couch is better than the old one? What old one?"
"The one from when I first got here. It was too short. It had come with the room. Whoever had my room before must've been very short." Riley peers up at you a moment.
Clara relaxes visibly and smiles down at you for a moment before stealing another kiss. "Hey, us short people gotta have couches too," she teases gently. "You just stay put on your monster size couch, and I'll be right back, okay?"
Riley murmurs acquiescence, offering you a vague grin. "Me and the couch will wait for you to get back, yup. Have fun?"
Clara laughs quietly and heads over to slip on her shoes, then heads out the door. Gone perhaps only ten minutes, she returns with her large medical bag and oddly enough her portable computer, which she starts to assemble on the coffee table. "Still awake?" she asks in a soft, comforting voice, rummaging in the bag.
Riley tilts his head at your words, eyes tugging open. "Yep, sure am. I was just sorta' daydreaming kinda." He rummages over onto the coffee table, pulling a plastic key from a low fish-shaped dish. He pushes the key across the table at you.
Clara pauses in pulling out a hypo, blinking at the key, then at you curiously, then drops to her knees at the side of the couch. "Vampire time, darling. What's the key for?"
"Wasn't sure if you had one, after all this I suddenly couldn't remember." Riley explains in a roundabout fashion, "To here and all. It's your home too. You have your room with your drums, and I have an office, so here I can share."
Clara starts to pull the hypo away after getting the needed sample, but is astonished into motionlessness as she blinks at you, arms held up almost in first position. "Your quarters," is about all she gets out at this, thoroughly taken aback.
Riley blinks a few times, worriedly puzzled at this reaction. "Is that bad? You explained about needing space to ourselves, and I understand that, but to be honest the space I consider 'mine' is my office. And since we both have spaces, well, is it bad to have a space to be for us both?"
"I don't know what to say," Clara admits, still utterly nonplussed as she turns to feed the sample into the computers miniature intake slot, then pulls a stethoscope from her bag and hooks it in her ears. "Take your jacket off, please?" she asks, as if her mind were whirling at light speed. And it is.
Riley is still exceedingly biddable, taking every command without so much as the hint of complaint. He sits up enough to remove the jacket, exposing the bright orange t-shirt beneath. The jacket is folded and set aside, "You don't have to take it if you don't want it. I just thought...well, that it was possible you might."
Clara gestures at the t-shirt as well, almost absently. This might be since her gaze is in the key with a look one would reserve for making the acquaintance of a new and possibly dangerous species. "Maybe I'm misunderstanding," she says slowly. "Are you asking me to move in with you?"
Riley tugs the shirt off as well, without question or hesitation. He seems to consider the question a moment. "No, but only cause you'd already said you didn't want to. I don't want you to do things you don't want to do. But I would like you to think of it as part of your home. This way you can get in and out and all without having to knock. And if I wasn't here, you could get in."
Clara nods again, rather slowly, then tears her eyes away from the key to concentrate on listening to your heart for a moment, then shifting the disk to the side. "Deep breath, please," she says quietly, still lost in thought and tensed as if poised to flee.
Riley looks rather mournful at your apparent nervousness. He's managed to screw up again it seems. This doesn't keep him from being obedient to your request however, and he takes a long breath.
Clara listens at various places, eyes still distant even as she concentrates on what she's hearing. After several long moments, she abruptly turns back to scoop up the key in one hand and lift her arms over your shoulders, expression solemn. "Thank you, love."
Riley blinks several times, not really certain, but he does bring his arms up in an attempt to hug you. "Didn't mean to offend, hon."
Clara attempts a gentle kiss, then notes very quietly, "Not offended, Greg. Startled. Very, very startled. I'm afraid it was the last thing I was expecting." She glances down for a moment, half grinning. "I think my stethoscope may never be the same, though."
Riley returns the kiss just as gently, "Startled?" he questions softly, "Why startled?" He murmurs an apology to the stethoscope.
Clara chuckles and reluctantly pulls away to pull off the scope and return it to the bag in trade for a scanner. "I'm not really sure. Maybe because I thought you were asking for cohabitation." She pauses the scanner for a moment and lifts a hand to your face seriously. "If I ever change my mind...could I tell you?"
Riley can't quite keep the fleeting expression of hope, painful in its intensity, from his expression. He controls it swiftly however, "I'd be all ears, love. All ears."
Soft apology filters through Clara's own expression at the flash of hope, but offers a quiet smile as she continues the scan. "Six-eight of all ears. That's just a -frightening- image, you know," she decides, then turns to the computer to examine the results of the bloodwork.
Riley sinks back into the couch's cushioning, not yet bothering to put his clothing back on. He's not been told to yet, and he was told to remove it. So it gets to stay off. Thankfully he's starting to gain some of that weight back, so he's not as skeletal. "I'd be able to hear things like there was no tomorrow though."
No shirt? Now isn't that a shame. Too bad Clara rather likes this view, although at the moment she's kneeling on the ground before the coffee table, frowning at the monitor. "Damn. I knew it." She taps in a command to save the information to datacrystal, then shuts down the computer and turns back to peer up at you. "Love, I hate to tell you this, but you're still under the influence. What they gave you was a glucose nutrient mix. Don't get me wrong! I approve of this. And by now you've likely thrown off enough of the truth inducer to probably lie to me if you really tried. But the command inducer is still going strong...I could likely order you to wear one of my dresses and you wouldn't think twice."
Riley blinks several more times, "They lied... That's awfully rude." He doesn't really seem too upset though, everything's really calm for him. "Rather impolite."
Clara zips up her medical bag after restowing her gear, then kicks off her shoes and without warning decides that your lap looks like a rather comfortable place to sit, and attempts to end up there. "Terribly. But I promise not to suggest any of my clothing. None of it'd fit you anyhow. Now, question of the night. Do you want an antidote now or in the morning? It's a stimulant, is why I ask."
Riley is more than game to end up with you in his lap, he shifts his arms around you with a pleased grin. "Whatever you think's best, love. I trust you. On one hand sleep would be nice. On the other, if something were to happen in the night..."
Clara looks as though something completely unfit to be said in mixed company crosses her mind, given the rather mischievous gleam in her eyes, but only notes most innocently, "I really do think it's up to you. Try, Greg. You should be able to make a decision if you try," she urges gently. "Besides, if you're up all night, the TV is lousy. Nothing to do."
Riley's brows knit as he honestly attempts a decision. He's obviously having to make an effort of it, fighting the drug to do so. "Wait I guess," he says at last, very quietly. "Maybe have the stuff ready though in case something does happen. How long does it take to kick in?"
Clara isn't swaying the issue. Nope. Not a bit. She's nuzzling your hair because it's so darned convenient, actually. "'Bout five minutes. I can mix it up in about the same amount of time. Definitely want you to have it by morning, though. I don't care what meeting it is, you don't need to be susceptible for it."
Riley can't quite stifle a chuckle, "Anya'd probably -really- like it if you left it though. Give you all kinds of bribes."
Clara laughs as well, settling her head on your shoulder complacently. "Probably, yes. And she's one of the very, very few people I'd trust around you like this. Not that she wouldn't have fun, but she'd never hurt you."
Riley settles in close to you, murmuring something vague and contented. "There'd be a lot of pictures."
Clara lifts a hand to brush through the hair above your ear gently, half smiling as she finally starts to relax. She knows what's wrong, she knows how to fix it, and she has evidence. The rest can wait till morning. "And they'd be vastly amusing. But I'd still rather get that antidote in you before I leave in the morning."
"Me too," Riley agrees quietly, eyes half closing in a contented fashion. "Cause as much fun as Anya would have, it might be counterproductive."
"Staff meeting?" Clara questions quietly, fingers tracing light patterns in your hair without much order to them, disarraying the curls hopelessly. "I probably ought to call one." Like to find out which of her doctors gave instructions for truth inducement drug administration.
Riley is quite content and comfortable and altogether complacent. He edges on towards dozing. "Yeah, some of the old timers. Gonna get together to come up with ideas for the new folks. Nick's getting the first batch, but there'll be a few more. And we'll all need to help with them all."
Clara lifts her head slightly to kiss the edge of your ear with a feather light touch. "Hey, what do you say we crawl in bed, hmm? As lovely as the couch is, I'd have to practically sleep in your lap if we stay here. And you'll function better with a full six or seven."
Riley starts to disentangle himself in an attempt to go set up the bed. He's nothing if obedient in this state. "I like you being in my lap."
Clara giggles as she's unceremoniously dumped on the couch, managing to avoid the floor neatly as she climbs to her feet. "Well, I may just keep you doped up on this all the time. Eliminates all the work in training a man," she teases with a wink, crossing over first to let down the bed, then sitting on the edge and holding out a hand. "I like being in your lap. We're even."
Riley cannot really help being this ridiculously commandable, and he's going to feel very silly when this is over. He takes the proffered hand, sliding to sit next to you on the bed. "Works for me, yup." He stifles a yawn, kicking off his boots.
Clara isn't laughing, but only by sheer dint of effort before she scrunches up just enough to squirm under the blankets and scoot over to give you enough room. "Riley? Love, this is -just- a suggestion. All right? Not an order. But you might be more comfortable sleeping in sweats than in your uniform pants. It's just a thought," she adds gently, even obligingly closing her eyes. It's either that or turn ten shades of red.
Riley is however truly obscenely agreeable and clambers back from the bed to rummage in the closet for his battered set of sweats. "Probably more comfortable, yes." He ducks into the necessary, returning after a few moments dressed in the battered old clothing. He slides under the blankets, curling up. "Nice."
Clara actually cracks an eye at hearing the door shut, still painfully shy despite progress, and props up on an elbow to call for the lights to shut off, then scoots in close. "Gotta get that antidote in you," she decides with quiet amusement. "I miss you arguing with me and being in charge."
"I'm not ever in charge with you. Not in here." There's a pause and Riley adds, "Though I do argue." He edges in, snuggling up close and moving to wrap his arms around you.
Clara allows herself to be drawn in, exceedingly pleased with the situation as she slips an arm about you firmly, cuddled against your chest. "You do argue, and even if you don't realize it, every relationship has a dominant partner, love. I just didn't realize we did until tonight," she murmurs, thoroughly amused rather than upset at the revelation.
"Not in charge," Riley asserts in a vaguely sleepy fashion. "Stubborn, but not in charge. Follow you anywhere like Pen and tennis balls."
Clara simply smiles, rather pleased with the retort, and snuggles a bit closer, letting her eyes close. "Yes, dear," she murmurs. "Tennis balls don't follow me, though," she asserts with overdone innocence.
Riley is tired enough he doesn't quite understand for a moment, but then manages a snicker as he does. "Love you."
Clara lifts her head just enough to plant a light kiss at your jaw, then settles back in, still fairly amused. "Love you," she replies softly. "Sleep now, Greg. Sweet dreams."
Now see, there's was another instruction. And Riley follows is as neatly as he has the others. Murmuring a quiet, "Night love," he drops directly to sleep, not passing Go.
Clara knew precisely what she was doing, too. The flip side of being a military doctor is knowing all the pharmaceutical means of interrogation, although her intentions are purely benign at the moment. Shifting to tap a command at her comm to wake her well before dawn, she settles back in to relax and enjoy the dark and warmth before drifting off as well.