aftermath

[dogbitesman]

This was not a bus. Nor was it the Times office. From what William could recall in the dimly accessible vestiges of memory, these were the most likely places to have woken up, and it was mildly confusing when his surrounds proved to be neither

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[headline_maker]

Under the current circumstances, bursting into the clinic at full throttle and disturbing its many residents would have been neither wise nor proper, but it took quite a lot for Sacharissa not to do so anyway. When she did come in, it was at a normal pace and very calmly.

And then she saw William try to sit up. Immediately, there was bustling and she was over between the beds, looking from one to the other. "Lie back down," she said. It wasn't quite a command, but there was no doubting she didn't intend to hear arguments either. "You need your rest."

[dishabille_mal]

"He doesn't listen," Maladicta said weakly and fondly, grinning a little and turning her head to watch Sacharissa and William.

[headline_maker]

"He never does," Sacharissa said, sighing. To be honest, she likely would have worried all the more if he were obedient. Reaching to take one of William's hands, she bent down to kiss Maladicta on the forehead.

[dogbitesman]

"I listen, I just don't obey unthinkingly," William said, as he obediently lay back down.

But only because he had given thought to the situation and made the independent decision to do so.*

*In other words, "could not remain upright any longer."

[headline_maker]

"As long as being independent doesn't ruin your health," Sacharissa said primly, turning back to him to offer a kiss and squeeze his hand slightly. "How are you two feeling?" She would be fussing until they were both back on their feet, however long it took.

[dishabille_mal]

"William's more awake then I am," Maladicta murmured, and then was quiet.

After a moment, she added, "I don't think that's fair."

[dogbitesman]

"Uninformed," William said, breathing evening out. Maybe there was something to be said for this lying down business.

But he was still uninformed. This would not stand. So to speak.

[headline_maker]

"Ah," Sacharissa said, frowning a bit. "Well, everything that was here the other day has completely disappeared -- all the nasty undead creatures. It was the hallucinations, as far as I can gather, all of them, just coming to life. More of them than we thought, even. Beyond the injuries, there were a number of deaths, but most people don't seem to be too bad off." It was the fear that was left, really -- cuts and bruises, yes, but moreover, the fear.

[dishabille_mal]

"Oh," Maladicta breathed, "good," and reached over to touch Sacharissa's shoulder.

[dogbitesman]

"That is good," William said, absently; half because of tiredness, half because of distraction. "The deaths, was it ... do you know who they were?"

[headline_maker]

"The smith Kate, Youko Kurama, Katurian Katurian and Ragetti." Sacharissa reached up to touch the hand which lay on her shoulder as she spoke, glancing over to Maladicta with a small smile.

[dishabille_mal]

Maladicta's eyebrows drew minutely together. She frowned at the ceiling, seemingly confused.

"...That's it?" she said. "That's all? Four people?" And then she blinked rapidly for a moment and said, "Oh. Four people," in a very different tone of voice.

[dogbitesman]

"I suppose it's a lot, proportionately," William said, frowning. Then he tried to sit up and look at Sacharissa, with limited success. "You did get their ages, cause of death, known associates and family members, yes?"

[headline_maker]

Sacharissa arched an eyebrow, as if to ask if he were joking. "Of course," she said. "I have it all." Really, she knew better than that by now. "We're just fortunate, I suppose, that the number wasn't higher." She was lucky in that regard herself, even with the two of them lying on either side of her now.

[dishabille_mal]

"I was just expecting the count to be a bit higher," Maladicta mumbled. "I need to speak to Mister Vimes. Where's a doctor?" she said, lifting her head a little.

"How long do we have to stay in here?"

[dogbitesman]

"Both valid questions," William said, looking around from his pillow. "Although I suspect the first answer is 'around soon' given this is the clinic, and... well, the doctor will have the answer to the second."