and then she'd say, 'it's okay, i got lost on the way, but i'm a supergirl and supergirls don't cry'

[lucked]

Up until now, everything's been easy. As strange as it might be for most people to imagine, Claire Bennet's leap off the Compound has been the best thing that's happened to her yet on Tabula Rasa. Maybe it isn't the healthiest- after all, where the leap from the Compound was supposed to help her shed that mask, come face to face with all that fate'

Comments

[lucked]

"You are so not going anywhere near my hair," Claire shook her head, a warning look in her eye. As thought to protect her locks, she pulled them over her left shoulder, away from where Sam stood, although she was also finding it quite hard not to smile at the very thought. "Besides, my hair is way too fine to be a beard. Not that I've really known a lot of people with beards or anything, but sometimes my dad didn't shave when he got a few days off work, just so that he could come around and tickle me with it. I always complained so much, because it was all scratchy and stuff."

Lifting her chin, Claire managed a small laugh, before shaking her head. "Meanwhile, my hair is carefully tended to. Back home, I used Herbal Essences. Here, I use whatever plant oils I can get my hands on. Less convenient, but probably better for my hair anyway." With a small sigh, she rested her head against her pillow again.

"But, you've got me pegged right, don't worry. I mean, yeah, sometimes I get mad when friends joke too much about a serious situation, but you weren't making fun of it or anything. Just distracting me, and laughing like this, it's good."

[not_so_smooth]

"Oh sure jump off a building but heaven forbid I touch your hair," Sam said, rolling his eyes a bit and hoping it wasn't too soon for "you jumped off a building but..." comments.

"And they do say that laughter is the best medicine, although I'm not sure that was still true if you had stitches somewhere on the torso."

[lucked]

She slipped a little further under her covers, feeling embarrassed. While Claire didn't think that Sam had intended to send a barb her way with his words, it did feel silly, in retrospect, to be joking so lightly after what happened. Laughter was the best medicine for the moment, and Claire was still glad for all that Sam had done for her, but at the same time, it was a fleeting relief.

"Well, I'm not going to jump off a building again anytime soon, so hopefully that becomes a nonissue," Claire offered a crooked smile. "And hey, it is totally possible to laugh inside my head, and not wheeze enough to pull my stitches. Which I did get, since... punctured lung, they had to cut in and make sure the bones were set properly again, it's kind of gross."

[not_so_smooth]

"That is pretty gross, and now every time I get hit in the side I'm going to freak out that's going to happen to me, so thank you for that," he said, grinning back at her. He was glad she said she wasn't going to jump off a building again soon (although soon was not as good as never), at least she was able to talk about it in some sort of fashion.

"But look, I wasn't going to hang around too long unless you want me too. I figured you'd have a lot of people coming to check up on you today and you'll probably be sick and tired of it before the day is out."

[lucked]

"As long as you drink plenty of milk and don't waste away to a fine, brittle pulp in bed, I'm sure that your bones will be fine and strong," Claire shook her head with a soft laugh, even as she felt the color slightly draining from her cheeks in spite of herself. Fortunately, it seemed like Sam had pretty thick skin, that he wouldn't honestly be that traumatized by all that had happened to Claire. But she did have to be careful about how much she revealed to others who stopped by.

With a softer look, she glanced up again, wishing more than anything that she could give him a tight hug as thanks for having stopped by. "I do want to hang out with you," Claire said first, "and be dorks and learn about the difference between kung-fu artists and ninjas, but... I've been enough trouble for the doctors already. So I should probably get some sleep. But as soon as I'm discharged, we need to hang. You still haven't brought me fruit yet."

[not_so_smooth]

"Anytime, Claire," Sam said, giving her a smile. "You know, except when they're changing your bedpan or something. Aaaand I have no idea why I just mentioned that, pretend I didn't. And no, no fruit yet but I do have a map of the where I've found fruit trees or bushes on the island."

That part was true at least, she'd thrown down the gauntlet at that and he intended to pick it up.

"But take care, okay? I want you to get well soon."

[lucked]

At the mention of bedpans, Claire let out a surprised gasp, before grabbing a pillow and chucking it in Sam's direction, dissolving into scandalized giggles. Even if it meant getting scolded by one of the nurses later, there just wasn't any way for him to defend what he'd just said. "No," she shook her head, laughing. "No, I'm not going to just let that one slide, oh my god, Sam."

Leaning back against her remaining pillow once more, she waved after him.

"But talk of pee aside, it really was great of you to visit, Sam," she sighed, expression largely content. "Thank you."

[not_so_smooth]

Sam laughed and cringed into a defensive position as she let another pillow fly. He wondered just how many she had there to throw at him. Probably more than he actually wanted thrown at himself.

"I'll come again in a few days, okay?" he told her, smiling at how pleased she currently looked. "Bring you some more things to keep you from getting bored."

[lucked]

Whether or not he was fully capable of the cheering up he could do, Claire appreciated the efforts nonetheless, more than she could really describe without bursting into tears. Everything that day just felt overwhelming, sometimes in a good way, sometimes in a way that made her feel far too close to the damsel in distress that she was always claiming that she wasn't. Either way, she tried to keep it casual while Sam was still there.

"I look forward to it. Provided you don't talk about bedpans again," she warned, allowing herself a brief laugh as she shook her head.

[not_so_smooth]

"I promise, not bedpan talk from here on out," he said, raising his hands in surrender as he backed up to leave. That was a topic of conversation that he would be more than happy to avoid in the future.

"I'll come back and check on you later, okay?" he promised. He wouldn't stay very long any of the times, but he would make sure that she was doing okay.

[lucked]

Claire's expression softened as she watched him back further out of the room, feeling apologetic over not having the energy to properly engage with everyone who'd visited her that day. But as far as conversations in clinics went, Sam's had been one of the most energizing, and for that she couldn't be more grateful.

"You'd better keep that promise," she laughed softly, waving after him. "But okay. I'll be waiting."