(Untitled)

[jill_langston]

When the shaking in her hands started to get worse, Jill pretended not to notice it, she pretended not to pay attention to how things began to shake harder when she picked them up or how papers fluttered from her grip. It was nerves or it was the heat or it was her anxiety and Jill was completely unwilling to admit that it might have something to

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[formerfratboy]

Nick wandered past the kitchen, wondering if there was anything in there to catch his eye. He was getting sort of hungry, and was hoping that someone had made an awesome meal he could snitch food from.

Instead, he came across Jill, cursing and bleeding all over the kitchen.

"Hey, hey now," he said, coming into the kitchen and snatching up a clean towel, which he pressed into Jill's hand. "You okay?"

[jill_langston]

For a second she wasn't even sure if Nick was talking to her, but a moment later Jill nodded, smiling gratefully at the towel and pressing it against her finger.

"I'm fine," she said, sounding apologetic. "The knife slipped." And thank Christ she hadn't had an accident in the lab yet. The last thing she needed was David treating her like she was going to break again.

[formerfratboy]

"Yeah, happens to the best of us," he said, going over to the sink and turning on the water for her. "Once, when I was a kid, my mom told me to go cut up something for dinner, probably carrots or potatoes or something, and I ended up sinking the knife into my finger." He had plenty of stupid stories to tell to distract her; this one was just the start.

[jill_langston]

"I figure everyone does it at least once," Jill said with a forced laugh, going over to run her hand under the water, washing away the blood. "How old were you?"

[formerfratboy]

"Eight," he said, leaning up against the counter. "First time of many, believe me." He smiled, watching her wash out the cut. "How's it looking?" She seemed to still have all ten fingers attached, which was a plus.

[jill_langston]

"It's deep, but I'll be okay," Jill assured him with a faint grin, turning off the water and pressing the towel back to her finger again. "And this sure isn't the first time I've done this either," she admitted, her smile growing a bit more.

[formerfratboy]

Nick looked at the cut speculatively. He probably wouldn't have gone to the clinic to get it checked out, because he was convinced he could do everything on his own, and he didn't think Jill would go unless he dragged her there. But, it was pretty icky looking. "Want a band-aid or something? I'm sure they've got some sitting around in the clinic just waiting to be slapped on kids with splinters."

[jill_langston]

Jill cracked a grin at that, looking amused as she said, "Is that what this it? A kid with a splinter?" It was better to be that than the woman with the shaking hands, so she didn't mind all that much.