fic: Lux et Tenebris Part II
Disclaimer: I don't own, just borrow.
A/N: I hope everyone had a very merry Christmas this year and will have a happy new year! Once again, I don't have a beta, so if there are any mistakes, don't hesitate to let me know. Thanks to all that left a review for the first chapter, feedback is always appreciated.
Part II
His mouth was dry and all he wanted was a glass of water. Voices were speaking nearby in a familiar yet foreign language and they went on with their conversation oblivious to his need. Figuring that now was a good time to wake up as any, he ventured to open his eyes, but when he found that he couldn't, a stark panic set in.
He tried to speak, but his raw throat had his voice croaking and nothing came out but a weak “Hello?”
The voices stopped speaking and as his mind raced with confusion when he realized that his whole body ached, his head and chest especially. His stomach also rebelled and a nausea assaulted his senses.
Heart thumped loudly in his chest, the darkness seemed to swallow him whole. For the life of him, he could not remember how he had ended up like this or where he was. He choked on his breath, finding it difficult to catch as a bottomless pit opened up underneath of him. Full blown fear seized hold and threatened to take over completely until a hand grasped his. The sudden contact with another human being brought him back from the brink of an anxiety attack as another hand brushed through his hair on the top of his head. Then he heard a voice speaking softly, reminding him to breathe deeply.
Slowly the panic ebbed and he grew more aware of the voice speaking to him, recognizing it.
“In and out, Will. That's it.” He followed her instructions and felt his heartbeat come down.
Helen felt Will's hand tighten around her own and for the first time in three days he turned his head towards the sound of her voice.
“Magnus?” he asked weakly, his tight throat resisting the act of being used.
“It's me, Will.”
“Water?”
“Of course, you must be parched.” He felt her hand leave his then heard the sound of water being poured into a glass. A moment later a straw touched his lips and he readily accepted the refreshment, taking long gulps.
“Not too fast” She warned him. “You're stomach might not be completely settled yet.” He nodded, feeling his stomach rumble unhappily and she took the straw away. With his throat feeling better he ventured to speak again asking, “Where are we?”
“We're in Manaus, Brazil. Do you remember what happened?”
“No, not really...we were...” He strained to recall. “In... a forest?”
“Yes, the Amazon. You were attacked by a creature called the forest runner. You've been ill for many days due to the effects of the runner's venom..”
Will touched a hand to his head, feeling the bandage that covered his eyes. “How?... What happened to my eyes? Why do they hurt so much?”
Helen cleared her throat. “The creature attacked you by spitting it's venom into your eyes, that's how the poison was transmitted to your bloodstream. Thankfully we were able to create an anti-venom from the creature we caught and treated you before things got any worse, but I'm afraid you'll have to wear these bandages for a while.”
“How long? Will I be able to see after that?” He decided to ask straight out. He didn't want any beating around the bush with this, if he was going to be permanently blind, he wanted to know right now. Even without the benefit of his vision, he caught the hesitation in her voice and quite frankly, it scared him.
“We won't know until the you've had some time to heal. Truly, it's just too soon to tell.”
Will absorbed that while he felt Magnus grab his hand and squeeze it reassuringly. He was too numb to really acknowledge her gesture, the prospect that he might not be able to see again was almost too much for him to comprehend. His whole life he had depended on his ability to see things that other usually missed, what would he do if his sight never returned? He wasn't sure he could live like that.
He hadn't even noticed that Magnus was still speaking to him as he was too wrapped up in his own fears, “.... We should be able to leave soon now that you're doing better and I know a fine ophthalmologist in the city. I've given him a call already and he should be able to see you when we get back.”
Will could only nod his head slightly in reply. “Don't worry, Will. He's the best in his field and a personal friend of mine. He'll take excellent care of you.”
Helen sat down on the bed next to her friend, feeling his hand slack a little in hers as the awareness of his situation sunk in. It was plain to see from the pinched lines of his face that he was still in a good amount of pain and his skin was still a little too warm for her liking, but she worried most about how he might take everything if he did lose his sight permanently. She sighed, unsure of what she could say next that would assuage his distress, for she too was uncertain about the outcome.
For now though, she was just pleased to see him alert again. The last few days had been extremely trying and she had only slept a few hours here and there since they first came into Manaus. Will's pain and fever had been horrific that first night and all of the pain medications at their disposal had little effect. In his delirium he had cried out for hours until seizures wracked his body and she was forced to use anti-convulsants. She struggled for far too long in her opinion to produce an anti-venom from the Runner's toxin, but she thanked her lucky stars that the treatment had been successful and they had managed to reduce his body temperature enough the next day to bring the seizures under control.
The days following that first harrowing night saw Will go from mad delirium to utter stillness. With a ghostly white pallor that only seemed to highlight the injuries to his body, he looked more like a corpse than the lively young man she knew. She stayed by his bed side since then, only leaving for restroom breaks or when Juan insisted that she get a few hours of sleep.
Speaking of which, she turned to look behind her, seeing Juan waiting patiently, she addressed him in Portuguese. “I'm going to call Henry and see about arranging a flight for us. Would you mind keeping an eye on Will for me?”
“Of course.” He replied taking up a chair next to the bed.
Helen walked out of the small infirmary and into the hallway, closing the door behind her before resting back against the door with a sigh. Indeed she was exhausted and the crushing pangs of guilt she felt were still residing deep within. But with Will seemingly on the mend, she felt a wave of relief flush over her and she afforded a moment to lay her head back and close her eyes. Though the rest was brief, it was enough to recharge her and she collected herself once again before taking off to make her call.
Will heard Magnus speak to Juan then leave the room. He wasn't sure what she had said as he wasn't very fluent in Portuguese, but he knew the other man was still in the room as he could hear him shifting in his seat. It was uncomfortably silent after that until Juan broke the tension in his heavily accented English.
“You feeling better, no?”
“Uh...I guess.” Will wasn't in much of a mood for talking, but the Brazilian felt the need to fill the silence and Will was too exhausted to complain.
“Helen...she's been extremely worried for you these last few days. She worked non-stop until she found the anti-venom and after that she's hardly left this room.”
“Sounds like Magnus.”
“Indeed. You're very lucky to have her. She saved your life.”
Will nodded, but couldn't find the words to respond as he was growing more tired by the second, the conversation small as it was, was draining and as Juan droned on about stuff he wasn't really interested in, he fell into a fitful sleep.
One Week Later
Will lay on his bed lost in his thoughts, unaware that the light was off until he heard the door open and a switch being flicked.
“Are you awake?” a gruff voice asked with a grunt.
“Don't you ever knock?” He grumbled in reply as he felt a furry hand encircle his bare bicep.
“It's almost time to go.” Will could almost hear the tsk in Bigfoot's words. “You're not even dressed.”
“Sorry...can't exactly see the clock, you know.” Will snapped back. He didn't mean to be so snippy, but he just couldn't help it. Sure, he felt better physically as the ache in his muscles and the weakness he had the first few days was mostly gone, but he hated this the most. A week in the dark, a week of having to have people lead him around and pick out his clothes or having to rely on others so much was an experience he didn't want in any part to continue. As ready as he was to have the bandages removed from his eyes and be examined by the ophthalmologist Magnus was taking him to that day, he dreaded what the possible outcome might be. From what he had dealt with since he woke up in Brazil, he concluded decisively that living like this was not an option.
After hearing a drawer open and shut again, Will felt a t-shirt and a pair of jeans being handed to him with a grunt. Sighing, he sat up and stood, toeing off his slippers and pajama bottoms. He dressed silently, knowing that the Big-Guy was still watching in case he needed help, even if he didn't want it. Surprisingly, out of all of the occupants in the house, his hairy friend, the one who seemed to enjoy hitting people upside the head for no reason, had been the most attentive to him. Actually, 'mother hen' came to mind when he thought about it. It was a little sufficating being hovered over by him, getting his temp taken or being reminded to eat like a child every time he came by to check on him. Yet at the same time, Will knew that he was instinctively and fiercely protective of those that occupied the house and made up his sort-of adoptive family. It made the young man feel irritated and wanted all at the same time.
Then there were the others.
Henry was busy, but still came by his room at most meal times to eat with him. He said it was because it gave him excuse to be away from Kate and her horrible table manners, but Will had the sinking suspicion that he was trying his best to keep him company and cheer him up, which he had to admit to himself was no small feat. Henry even tried to lighten his mood by reading comic books to him, describing the scenes from X-men as best as he could, but without a point of reference to what the characters looked like since Will had never been much of a fan, it hadn't worked out so well. Instead, Will suggested having the man read him some of his professional journals for him. Henry, despite his claims that they were less interesting than watching glue dry, gave it a try. Will appreciated Henry's efforts, but all too often he just wanted to be left alone.
Kate only came by a couple of times. Will got the distinct impression that she was avoiding him. When she did come by it was usually just to drop a tray of food off when Big-foot couldn't do it and even then, she wouldn't stay much longer than to ask if he needed anything. Will could understand her reluctance to see him, his face was still covered with sores and he had to be a sight. Not that she wasn't sympathetic, but she was a person of action and not words. She probably just didn't know how to act around him, seeing him in a way where she couldn't do much to help.
Magnus too seemed to be doing her best to spend as little time with him as possible even though she had apparently been on constant vigil with him when he was sick in Brazil. There was something odd about the way she acted around him since they got back. She was polite and friendly with him, but it was almost as if she was too polite, too nice. He couldn't quite place his finger on it as it was a lot harder to pick up people's body language when he couldn't see them, but in her voice he could hear how uncomfortable she was to even be near him. He mostly chalked it up to his imagination, Magnus wasn't the type to go out of her way to avoid people, but he knew she was a master at avoiding herself. Something had to be bothering her about him and that didn't sit well with him.
Once he was dressed, Bigfoot grabbed his hand and placed it on his shoulder. Will allowed himself to be led out of the room. He especially hated having to be escorted everywhere he went. However, the one time he had tried to venture out on his own after he felt better, he had gotten completely turned around and somehow ended up in Henry's office when he had been looking for the kitchen. Embarrassed, he had to let Henry walk him back to his room. Since then, he had to rely on the others and it wasn't something he was comfortable with.
Helen had been waiting in the foyer for Bigfoot to bring Will. When she saw them approach, she still had to steel her emotions against the raw guilt she still felt whenever she saw her young protege in the state he was currently in. It had been her choice to take Will to the Amazon with her and it had been her hurtful words that had sent him walking off alone. While his memory of that day didn't include their little spat in the forest, she was haunted by it. He wouldn't have been hurt if they had been together, of that much she was certain. Since they had returned, she told herself that she needed to give Will his space and let him recover, even if it was more for her own benefit than his. Of course, she still kept a close eye on him, surreptiously watching him though the security cameras, but it was difficult to see him just lying there when it had been all her fault. It had been much easier to stay by his side when he was barely conscious of her being there, but with his extraordinary ability to read people, she knew he would pick up on her feelings of guilt and try to persuade her that it wasn't her fault. She would have none of that, she deserved her culpable emotionsand the only way she wanted to assuage them would be for Will to be whole once again.
As they approached. She smiled a bit to her large assistant and nodded, taking Will's hand from his shoulder.
“Ready for this?” She asked him.
He inhaled deeply and let it out. “I suppose I'm as ready as I'll ever be.”
Helen noted the trepidation in his voice, she felt it too. She just prayed for a good outcome after he had the bandages removed and for a return to normalcy in their friendship.
Will too hoped for things to be normal again or at least as normal as their lives usually were. When he thought about it more, he realized that Magnus wasn't just Helen led Will out to the car and the two rode in silence until they arrived at the office of Dr. Benjamin Rouch. She had been friends with Ben since the 70's when he first began his practice. He was intimately familiar with her work with abnormal population and she had consulted him many times before when it came to proper evaluation of some of the various species she brought in. But now with her friend in need, she hoped his expertise would be able to help him better than she could herself.
“We're here.” She announced, parking the car.
Will had been unconsciously twisting at his shirt a little bit as he waited for Magnus to shut off the car and lead him to the office where they were immediately greeted by a cheerful, bearded yet neatly groomed, rotund man in his middle sixties.
“Helen!” He smiled broadly, walking over to her jovially and grasping her hand while kissing her cheek. “It's been too long. You seem to get younger each time I see you while I on the other hand just get balder and more grey.” He laughed a deep belly laugh while touching the thinning crown of his head.
“Indeed it's been too long.” Helen smiled in return then turned to Will. “Ben, this is Dr. Will Zimmerman....”
“Hello..” Will began distractedly, holding out his hand almost as an afterthought.
“Yes...” the older man took his hand it pumped it with a strong, but friendly grip. “Helen has told me a lot about you, young man...mind if I call you Will?”
“Uh..Sure, of course.” Will replied. He felt a hand on his shoulder, pushing him forward.
“Well, let's go have a look at you, shall we?” He was led into down a stretch of what he assumed to be a hallway, directed to a room and shown to a raised chair for him to sit in.
Will took a few calming breaths while he sat, then heard the doctor sit down next to him close enough for him to feel the other man's breath on his face. He was grateful that the doctor apparently had good dental hygiene as he moved in closer.
“Helen, would you be so kind as to turn off the lights?” Ben asked.
“Of Course.” She replied. Will heard the switch then felt a pair of hands behind his head, gently undoing the gauze that held the bandages to his eyes.
“Alright, we'll take it slow. The lights are off so they shouldn't hurt your eyes, but take your time trying to open them after I get these off, Okay?”
Will nodded and swallowed in anticipation. Helen had changed his bandages daily, but he had been instructed to keep them closed each time, now however would be the first time he had attempted to open them. He had been tempted to rip off the bandages himself many times and test his eyes out himself out of frustration, but with everyone watching him like a hawk and dropping into his room at all times just 'to check up on him' he never would have dared.
Feeling the gauze unwind and the pressure of the bandages lessening over his eyes, he held his breath as he felt the pads over his eyes being peeled off. Next a cottonball passed over his eyelids, cleaning the crusts that had embedded in his eyelashes.
A hand clasped his shoulder once his eyes were cleaned. “Okay...go ahead and try to open your eyes.”
At first his eyelids refused to obey the instructions his brain was sending them to open, but slowly they inched their way apart.
Helen watched from the other end of the room. She wanted to sit by Will's side, but at the same time she was too apprehensive to approach. Feeling foolish, she finally steeled up her resolve to walked over and take a chair by his side.
Will almost had his eyes open all of way when she heard him gasp and begin to hyperventilate.
“Oh God...I can't see anything.”
To Be Continued....
( Lux Et Tenebris Part III )
A/N: I hope everyone had a very merry Christmas this year and will have a happy new year! Once again, I don't have a beta, so if there are any mistakes, don't hesitate to let me know. Thanks to all that left a review for the first chapter, feedback is always appreciated.
Part II
His mouth was dry and all he wanted was a glass of water. Voices were speaking nearby in a familiar yet foreign language and they went on with their conversation oblivious to his need. Figuring that now was a good time to wake up as any, he ventured to open his eyes, but when he found that he couldn't, a stark panic set in.
He tried to speak, but his raw throat had his voice croaking and nothing came out but a weak “Hello?”
The voices stopped speaking and as his mind raced with confusion when he realized that his whole body ached, his head and chest especially. His stomach also rebelled and a nausea assaulted his senses.
Heart thumped loudly in his chest, the darkness seemed to swallow him whole. For the life of him, he could not remember how he had ended up like this or where he was. He choked on his breath, finding it difficult to catch as a bottomless pit opened up underneath of him. Full blown fear seized hold and threatened to take over completely until a hand grasped his. The sudden contact with another human being brought him back from the brink of an anxiety attack as another hand brushed through his hair on the top of his head. Then he heard a voice speaking softly, reminding him to breathe deeply.
Slowly the panic ebbed and he grew more aware of the voice speaking to him, recognizing it.
“In and out, Will. That's it.” He followed her instructions and felt his heartbeat come down.
Helen felt Will's hand tighten around her own and for the first time in three days he turned his head towards the sound of her voice.
“Magnus?” he asked weakly, his tight throat resisting the act of being used.
“It's me, Will.”
“Water?”
“Of course, you must be parched.” He felt her hand leave his then heard the sound of water being poured into a glass. A moment later a straw touched his lips and he readily accepted the refreshment, taking long gulps.
“Not too fast” She warned him. “You're stomach might not be completely settled yet.” He nodded, feeling his stomach rumble unhappily and she took the straw away. With his throat feeling better he ventured to speak again asking, “Where are we?”
“We're in Manaus, Brazil. Do you remember what happened?”
“No, not really...we were...” He strained to recall. “In... a forest?”
“Yes, the Amazon. You were attacked by a creature called the forest runner. You've been ill for many days due to the effects of the runner's venom..”
Will touched a hand to his head, feeling the bandage that covered his eyes. “How?... What happened to my eyes? Why do they hurt so much?”
Helen cleared her throat. “The creature attacked you by spitting it's venom into your eyes, that's how the poison was transmitted to your bloodstream. Thankfully we were able to create an anti-venom from the creature we caught and treated you before things got any worse, but I'm afraid you'll have to wear these bandages for a while.”
“How long? Will I be able to see after that?” He decided to ask straight out. He didn't want any beating around the bush with this, if he was going to be permanently blind, he wanted to know right now. Even without the benefit of his vision, he caught the hesitation in her voice and quite frankly, it scared him.
“We won't know until the you've had some time to heal. Truly, it's just too soon to tell.”
Will absorbed that while he felt Magnus grab his hand and squeeze it reassuringly. He was too numb to really acknowledge her gesture, the prospect that he might not be able to see again was almost too much for him to comprehend. His whole life he had depended on his ability to see things that other usually missed, what would he do if his sight never returned? He wasn't sure he could live like that.
He hadn't even noticed that Magnus was still speaking to him as he was too wrapped up in his own fears, “.... We should be able to leave soon now that you're doing better and I know a fine ophthalmologist in the city. I've given him a call already and he should be able to see you when we get back.”
Will could only nod his head slightly in reply. “Don't worry, Will. He's the best in his field and a personal friend of mine. He'll take excellent care of you.”
Helen sat down on the bed next to her friend, feeling his hand slack a little in hers as the awareness of his situation sunk in. It was plain to see from the pinched lines of his face that he was still in a good amount of pain and his skin was still a little too warm for her liking, but she worried most about how he might take everything if he did lose his sight permanently. She sighed, unsure of what she could say next that would assuage his distress, for she too was uncertain about the outcome.
For now though, she was just pleased to see him alert again. The last few days had been extremely trying and she had only slept a few hours here and there since they first came into Manaus. Will's pain and fever had been horrific that first night and all of the pain medications at their disposal had little effect. In his delirium he had cried out for hours until seizures wracked his body and she was forced to use anti-convulsants. She struggled for far too long in her opinion to produce an anti-venom from the Runner's toxin, but she thanked her lucky stars that the treatment had been successful and they had managed to reduce his body temperature enough the next day to bring the seizures under control.
The days following that first harrowing night saw Will go from mad delirium to utter stillness. With a ghostly white pallor that only seemed to highlight the injuries to his body, he looked more like a corpse than the lively young man she knew. She stayed by his bed side since then, only leaving for restroom breaks or when Juan insisted that she get a few hours of sleep.
Speaking of which, she turned to look behind her, seeing Juan waiting patiently, she addressed him in Portuguese. “I'm going to call Henry and see about arranging a flight for us. Would you mind keeping an eye on Will for me?”
“Of course.” He replied taking up a chair next to the bed.
Helen walked out of the small infirmary and into the hallway, closing the door behind her before resting back against the door with a sigh. Indeed she was exhausted and the crushing pangs of guilt she felt were still residing deep within. But with Will seemingly on the mend, she felt a wave of relief flush over her and she afforded a moment to lay her head back and close her eyes. Though the rest was brief, it was enough to recharge her and she collected herself once again before taking off to make her call.
Will heard Magnus speak to Juan then leave the room. He wasn't sure what she had said as he wasn't very fluent in Portuguese, but he knew the other man was still in the room as he could hear him shifting in his seat. It was uncomfortably silent after that until Juan broke the tension in his heavily accented English.
“You feeling better, no?”
“Uh...I guess.” Will wasn't in much of a mood for talking, but the Brazilian felt the need to fill the silence and Will was too exhausted to complain.
“Helen...she's been extremely worried for you these last few days. She worked non-stop until she found the anti-venom and after that she's hardly left this room.”
“Sounds like Magnus.”
“Indeed. You're very lucky to have her. She saved your life.”
Will nodded, but couldn't find the words to respond as he was growing more tired by the second, the conversation small as it was, was draining and as Juan droned on about stuff he wasn't really interested in, he fell into a fitful sleep.
One Week Later
Will lay on his bed lost in his thoughts, unaware that the light was off until he heard the door open and a switch being flicked.
“Are you awake?” a gruff voice asked with a grunt.
“Don't you ever knock?” He grumbled in reply as he felt a furry hand encircle his bare bicep.
“It's almost time to go.” Will could almost hear the tsk in Bigfoot's words. “You're not even dressed.”
“Sorry...can't exactly see the clock, you know.” Will snapped back. He didn't mean to be so snippy, but he just couldn't help it. Sure, he felt better physically as the ache in his muscles and the weakness he had the first few days was mostly gone, but he hated this the most. A week in the dark, a week of having to have people lead him around and pick out his clothes or having to rely on others so much was an experience he didn't want in any part to continue. As ready as he was to have the bandages removed from his eyes and be examined by the ophthalmologist Magnus was taking him to that day, he dreaded what the possible outcome might be. From what he had dealt with since he woke up in Brazil, he concluded decisively that living like this was not an option.
After hearing a drawer open and shut again, Will felt a t-shirt and a pair of jeans being handed to him with a grunt. Sighing, he sat up and stood, toeing off his slippers and pajama bottoms. He dressed silently, knowing that the Big-Guy was still watching in case he needed help, even if he didn't want it. Surprisingly, out of all of the occupants in the house, his hairy friend, the one who seemed to enjoy hitting people upside the head for no reason, had been the most attentive to him. Actually, 'mother hen' came to mind when he thought about it. It was a little sufficating being hovered over by him, getting his temp taken or being reminded to eat like a child every time he came by to check on him. Yet at the same time, Will knew that he was instinctively and fiercely protective of those that occupied the house and made up his sort-of adoptive family. It made the young man feel irritated and wanted all at the same time.
Then there were the others.
Henry was busy, but still came by his room at most meal times to eat with him. He said it was because it gave him excuse to be away from Kate and her horrible table manners, but Will had the sinking suspicion that he was trying his best to keep him company and cheer him up, which he had to admit to himself was no small feat. Henry even tried to lighten his mood by reading comic books to him, describing the scenes from X-men as best as he could, but without a point of reference to what the characters looked like since Will had never been much of a fan, it hadn't worked out so well. Instead, Will suggested having the man read him some of his professional journals for him. Henry, despite his claims that they were less interesting than watching glue dry, gave it a try. Will appreciated Henry's efforts, but all too often he just wanted to be left alone.
Kate only came by a couple of times. Will got the distinct impression that she was avoiding him. When she did come by it was usually just to drop a tray of food off when Big-foot couldn't do it and even then, she wouldn't stay much longer than to ask if he needed anything. Will could understand her reluctance to see him, his face was still covered with sores and he had to be a sight. Not that she wasn't sympathetic, but she was a person of action and not words. She probably just didn't know how to act around him, seeing him in a way where she couldn't do much to help.
Magnus too seemed to be doing her best to spend as little time with him as possible even though she had apparently been on constant vigil with him when he was sick in Brazil. There was something odd about the way she acted around him since they got back. She was polite and friendly with him, but it was almost as if she was too polite, too nice. He couldn't quite place his finger on it as it was a lot harder to pick up people's body language when he couldn't see them, but in her voice he could hear how uncomfortable she was to even be near him. He mostly chalked it up to his imagination, Magnus wasn't the type to go out of her way to avoid people, but he knew she was a master at avoiding herself. Something had to be bothering her about him and that didn't sit well with him.
Once he was dressed, Bigfoot grabbed his hand and placed it on his shoulder. Will allowed himself to be led out of the room. He especially hated having to be escorted everywhere he went. However, the one time he had tried to venture out on his own after he felt better, he had gotten completely turned around and somehow ended up in Henry's office when he had been looking for the kitchen. Embarrassed, he had to let Henry walk him back to his room. Since then, he had to rely on the others and it wasn't something he was comfortable with.
Helen had been waiting in the foyer for Bigfoot to bring Will. When she saw them approach, she still had to steel her emotions against the raw guilt she still felt whenever she saw her young protege in the state he was currently in. It had been her choice to take Will to the Amazon with her and it had been her hurtful words that had sent him walking off alone. While his memory of that day didn't include their little spat in the forest, she was haunted by it. He wouldn't have been hurt if they had been together, of that much she was certain. Since they had returned, she told herself that she needed to give Will his space and let him recover, even if it was more for her own benefit than his. Of course, she still kept a close eye on him, surreptiously watching him though the security cameras, but it was difficult to see him just lying there when it had been all her fault. It had been much easier to stay by his side when he was barely conscious of her being there, but with his extraordinary ability to read people, she knew he would pick up on her feelings of guilt and try to persuade her that it wasn't her fault. She would have none of that, she deserved her culpable emotionsand the only way she wanted to assuage them would be for Will to be whole once again.
As they approached. She smiled a bit to her large assistant and nodded, taking Will's hand from his shoulder.
“Ready for this?” She asked him.
He inhaled deeply and let it out. “I suppose I'm as ready as I'll ever be.”
Helen noted the trepidation in his voice, she felt it too. She just prayed for a good outcome after he had the bandages removed and for a return to normalcy in their friendship.
Will too hoped for things to be normal again or at least as normal as their lives usually were. When he thought about it more, he realized that Magnus wasn't just Helen led Will out to the car and the two rode in silence until they arrived at the office of Dr. Benjamin Rouch. She had been friends with Ben since the 70's when he first began his practice. He was intimately familiar with her work with abnormal population and she had consulted him many times before when it came to proper evaluation of some of the various species she brought in. But now with her friend in need, she hoped his expertise would be able to help him better than she could herself.
“We're here.” She announced, parking the car.
Will had been unconsciously twisting at his shirt a little bit as he waited for Magnus to shut off the car and lead him to the office where they were immediately greeted by a cheerful, bearded yet neatly groomed, rotund man in his middle sixties.
“Helen!” He smiled broadly, walking over to her jovially and grasping her hand while kissing her cheek. “It's been too long. You seem to get younger each time I see you while I on the other hand just get balder and more grey.” He laughed a deep belly laugh while touching the thinning crown of his head.
“Indeed it's been too long.” Helen smiled in return then turned to Will. “Ben, this is Dr. Will Zimmerman....”
“Hello..” Will began distractedly, holding out his hand almost as an afterthought.
“Yes...” the older man took his hand it pumped it with a strong, but friendly grip. “Helen has told me a lot about you, young man...mind if I call you Will?”
“Uh..Sure, of course.” Will replied. He felt a hand on his shoulder, pushing him forward.
“Well, let's go have a look at you, shall we?” He was led into down a stretch of what he assumed to be a hallway, directed to a room and shown to a raised chair for him to sit in.
Will took a few calming breaths while he sat, then heard the doctor sit down next to him close enough for him to feel the other man's breath on his face. He was grateful that the doctor apparently had good dental hygiene as he moved in closer.
“Helen, would you be so kind as to turn off the lights?” Ben asked.
“Of Course.” She replied. Will heard the switch then felt a pair of hands behind his head, gently undoing the gauze that held the bandages to his eyes.
“Alright, we'll take it slow. The lights are off so they shouldn't hurt your eyes, but take your time trying to open them after I get these off, Okay?”
Will nodded and swallowed in anticipation. Helen had changed his bandages daily, but he had been instructed to keep them closed each time, now however would be the first time he had attempted to open them. He had been tempted to rip off the bandages himself many times and test his eyes out himself out of frustration, but with everyone watching him like a hawk and dropping into his room at all times just 'to check up on him' he never would have dared.
Feeling the gauze unwind and the pressure of the bandages lessening over his eyes, he held his breath as he felt the pads over his eyes being peeled off. Next a cottonball passed over his eyelids, cleaning the crusts that had embedded in his eyelashes.
A hand clasped his shoulder once his eyes were cleaned. “Okay...go ahead and try to open your eyes.”
At first his eyelids refused to obey the instructions his brain was sending them to open, but slowly they inched their way apart.
Helen watched from the other end of the room. She wanted to sit by Will's side, but at the same time she was too apprehensive to approach. Feeling foolish, she finally steeled up her resolve to walked over and take a chair by his side.
Will almost had his eyes open all of way when she heard him gasp and begin to hyperventilate.
“Oh God...I can't see anything.”
To Be Continued....
( Lux Et Tenebris Part III )