[037] - action

[slaying]

[Buffy had never before noticed the terrifying effect of blood on snow. Especially when it was her own. In California, blood had a habit of sinking black into the dark, uncovered ground. But as she walks slowly back into the village, she winces to look over her shoulder and see the sporadic trail of bright, bleeding red behind her. There's a bad

Comments

[lt_linguist]

[Uhura is carrying a bag of items back to the house from the shops in town - some random electronic parts, as well as various other items she thinks might be useful in some way or another. Just doing her job, trying to pass the time, the usual.

Until she spots someone familiar, clearly in pain.]

Oh my God. Buffy.

[In an instant, she'll have a strong but firm grip on you, Buff. She has to stop herself in the act of reaching for a nonexistent communicator - still getting used to the lack of technology here.]

Where are you injured?

[slaying]

Uhura?

[The name comes rather forcedly, like Buffy has to expend effort in order to find the pronunciation; however, the firm grip helps and she makes good use of it. Oh. Something didn't feel right at all.]

Does my everywhere count as an okay answer?

[lt_linguist]

Well, I don't think it's in line with standard protocol, though it gets the message across.

[Feeble attempt at a joke, there. Uhura's face is lined with concern and concentration as she steers Buffy in the direction of the porch.]

You should've gone right to the clinic, you know.

[slaying]

I don't do clinics. I'm a no-hospitals kind of girl. [This is help that she takes so willingly, having gained a certain trust in Uhura through her association with Jim and what she has seen of the woman around the house.] Bones'll be around if it gets too serious. [Which it clearly already has.]

[lt_linguist]

Ugh, you sound just like the Captain. No wonder you get along so well. [As they move up the steps, she helps keep pressure on the wound. It's the only thing Uhura knows how to do - her medical training never went past basic first aid.]

We're getting you to bed, then I'll find Dr McCoy.

[slaying]

Bed sounds...good.

[Her words trail, smush together. They get lost somewhere between her mind and her tongue--torn up in her gut along with the rest of her.]

[lt_linguist]

[Her mouth is a thin line. She hasn't known Buffy for long, but she knows her well enough to realize there is something very wrong here. She raises her voice, though it's pretty obvious there's no one else in the house right now.]

Doctor McCoy! [A pause, then, under her breath:] Ti'amah! What I wouldn't give for a communicator. I didn't think he was going to be at the clinic today. Try to stay awake, okay Buffy?

[slaying]

Consider me on staying-awake duty. [There's a nod, and it's defiant. Oh--she is not a quitter. And even if her physical constitution is gone, she has mentally steeled herself against the pain.]

[lt_linguist]

[Uhura's mind pauses for a split second to be astonished at the amount of blood Buffy appears to be losing, then refocuses on the task at hand - getting her into the bed, keeping pressure on the wound, keeping her conscious - and whether she should leave Buffy even long enough to grab her journal and scribble a message for McCoy.

There's a lot of blood.]

Do you remember what they used to do this?

[slaying]

I think...[She pauses, licking her lips between breaths. Her eyes shut and she tries to think and not to sleep. Think. Remember.] Like a bread knife, only...maybe like a giant's bread knife. And if the giant had wanted a Buffy sandwich, but not in that other way. And--have I ever told you that my sister's a giant? [Oh, how she wishes it was the blood-loss talking. But her eyes open back up and she huffs a bitter smile into existence.]

[lt_linguist]

[Delirious? Buffy looks really pale, but Uhura just can't say for sure.]

Is she ten feet tall?

[slaying]

She used to be just a little taller than me, but one day? Poof. Giant. That's magic for you.

[lt_linguist]

Someday you might have to tell me that whole story.

We could probably use a little magic right now. [Technology would be preferable, but Uhura is willing to try anything in a pinch, and if this doesn't qualify as a "pinch", she's not sure what would.]

[slaying]

N-no. The whole magic thing? It backfires. Often. I'll stick with McCoy's bedside manner.

[lt_linguist]

He's a grump, but he knows what he's doing. Better than me.

[She looks at the other woman's pale face, then looks at the wound, which is still bleeding despite Uhura's efforts.]

Do you think you'll be okay here while I go see if I can find McCoy?

[slaying]

I think I can manage. [She nods.]