Tending to my prisoner [ Locked to a_soul_awake ]

[cantseethis]

Atticus wasted no time in seeking out Hope once he'd been informed of what happened. The problem was, he hadn't received the whole story. Or at least he couldn't have because when he arrived to the Medical wing instead of finding Dr. Chandler he had found a temporary replacement instead. He was even more surprised to learned that her new

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[a_soul_awake]

Hope had never done well when left to her own devices with no entertainment. The cell they threw her in was pretty basic. There was a bed, a little desk and a toilet with a sink. That was it. There was nothing, absolutely nothing to distract her mind and considerable intellect. This was a problem.

She paced for awhile, then did some mental math, went back to pacing and finally just laid down to try and sleep. She thought she might be losing it when she heard Atticus's voice. It seemed rather soon to be developing hallucinations.

"Well, at least I'll have some company," she said as she sat up.

[cantseethis]

Seeing her sit up on the bed he quickly moved to sit beside her. Placing his hands on her shoulders he gave her a quick glance over to assess that she was alright before asking her himself. "Company is fine and all, but are you alright?"

[a_soul_awake]

She laughed a little, surprised. He was real. "What are you doing here? Atti, you're going to get in trouble."

[cantseethis]

Atticus shook his head and let go of her shoulders. "I'm not exactly stopping by to see if you know where they put the creamer, dear."

At least he knew that she was alright. Well, from what he could see. "I'll be fine. At the moment, it's you I'm worried about. What happened? Why are you in here?"

[a_soul_awake]

She sighed and looked down at her hands. "I would've thought the camp gossip network would know by now. It's not good, Atti. I killed someone, a soldier."

[cantseethis]

"The only reason I knew to come looking for you in the first place is because Emma told me--......." He paused when she spoke, not wanting to interrupt her, but he wasn't really sure he heard her correctly. But when he repeated it in his head he let it register.

"I see....care to talk about what happened?"

[a_soul_awake]

She got up, she had to get up, and started pacing. She had nothing else to do but to pace, twist her hands together nervously and move somehow.

"A soldier attacked Ric and me in the hospital. He was going to shoot Ric if I didn't stop him. I was just trying to stun him, I didn't mean to. I didn't know I could. I didn't know."

[cantseethis]

He watched her get up and pace, his eyes following her back and forth, back and forth, as he listened. Now that he heard her side it made more sense. It was pretty hard to believe Hope had killed someone in cold blood, much less at all.

Standing up from the cot he moved to stand in front of her, blocking her pace trail. He reached out to take her hands and give them a gentle squeeze. "It's alright Hope, that's understandable. I'm sure Rictor is very appreciative of what you've done for him. And I'm relieved to hear you're alright."

[a_soul_awake]

"I'm not alright," she huffed out a breath. "I'm in a cell, that Captain fellow is running an investigation and I'm pretty sure if I'm found guilty I'll be in a cell for the rest of my life. Or executed, I'm not sure which but the point is I'm going to be trapped either way."

She didn't want to be in this cell for another minute, much less the rest of her life. All this isolation was going to screw with her mind, she would go insane if she didn't get some sort of stimulation.

[cantseethis]

Atticus frowned but kept his calm demeanor. He reached up to cup the side of her face gently, brushing a stray hair behind her ear. "Try and keep calm, Hope. You don't want to exert yourself."

He knew she had every right to be upset at the moment. But he didn't want her to over worry herself. It wouldn't help the situation. "Listen to me, if they do this investigation correctly, then you were acting in self defense. If he would have killed either you or Ric then he endangered his own life making that decision. You will not be in a cell the rest of your life, nor will you be executed, and I won't leave you alone in this cell until that verdict has been made."

[a_soul_awake]

"Exert myself? How?" She gestured around the empty cell. "What is there to exert myself over?"

She shook her head. "You shouldn't. If you're caught and don't say I never get caught because they'll figure out I'm talking to someone even if they can't see you."

[cantseethis]

He tapped the side of her face gently. "Your head. The most important thing right now is for you to keep your head on straight. Calm yourself."

Atticus rolled his eyes. "Then I will be quiet. I'm not leaving."

[a_soul_awake]

"I'm trying, I am, but God Atti, this is hell. There's nothing for my mind to do. I'm so bored and it's driving me mad. I need something, anything to keep my mind busy."

She hugged him tight because she was really terribly grateful he was here even if it could make things worse.

[cantseethis]

"I know love, I know." He held her and tried to rub her back soothingly.

"If you'd like I could bring you a book or two? Whatever you want, I'll get you."

[a_soul_awake]

"I don't want to get you in trouble."

But a book would be wonderful. She just needed something to keep her mind busy, then she wouldn't cause anymore problems.

[cantseethis]

Atticus pulled back enough to look down at her, giving her a somewhat stern look. "Really, Hope? Come now. Who am I? Where am I? Trouble? Me?"