(Untitled)

[246th]

She's walking away from Clive and thinking about what she said to Nick the other day, what she told him about integrity of justice and how they all matter, because they have to matter, because they ought to, if she's doing her job properly. Some of them just seem to mean the world. Innocent until proven guilty, four words to live by but it's

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[dumbassbastards]

Rollie's not sure what it is that makes him turn around--a hitch of breath, maybe a tingle at the back of his neck--but he does and he sees someone sitting on the step he's just vacated, someone who definitely was not there before. Who maybe wasn't anywhere near here before.

"Hey, are you all right?" he says, spotting the way she's curled in on herself and trembling. "Can you look at me?"

[246th]

She manages to lift her head, still clinging onto herself, and she swallows. She barely registers the sky and the trees. Mostly, she wishes that Billy was there.

"I'm..." She trembles and closes her eyes for a moment. "Oh, God, I think I'm...I'm bleeding."

[dumbassbastards]

"Clinic's inside," says Rollie smoothly. It's not his clinic, but it's closer and fully equipped and he's nothing if not practical. "Can you get up? Can you come with me? I can find someone to help if you can't."

[246th]

"I can get up," she says, because she's got to get upp, because she's decided that she's got to. She reaches out and takes hold of his arm. "I'm sorry. I'm not...usually like this."

Obviously.

[dumbassbastards]

"Don't worry about it," says Rollie. The last thing she needs right now is for her to get even more upset or stressed. She seems more shaken up than physically injured, but he won't know anything until he gets her inside. "It's not far. Tell me what's going on with you as we walk. Just up the hallway. Not far."

[246th]

"I was in Court," she says, leaning a little weight against him and still wishing he was Billy. Fuck, she'd even take Clive at this point. "Biggest. Case of my career. Murder trial." She lets her head dip a bit when another stabbing pain hits her. "And then..." Her teeth grit. "Bloody Gary Rush."

[dumbassbastards]

"Almost there," says Rollie, just to keep her motivated, keep her going. "Tell me what he did to you. Where's the pain? How bad is the bleeding?" Introductions and explanations can wait.

[246th]

"He grabbed me," she says, aware of how much of her weight she's leaning against him. "Slammed me back against the wall. I thought...he was going to hit me." She presses her hand against her belly. "It's like...stabbing. And...I don't...not a lot? I don't know."

[dumbassbastards]

"It's probably just stress," says Rollie. "Fear. If you feel like you're going to throw up, just let me know and I'll try to make sure you don't do it on your shoes. Here, up on this bed here. I'm a doctor. I'll take care of you."

[246th]

And the most wonderful thing about it is, she trusts him. Utterly, in that moment. She gets up onto the bed and starts pulling at her gown.

"I need to get this off."

[dumbassbastards]

She doesn't, strictly speaking, but if she's feels like it's constricting her breathing or her abdomen then it's worth the few moments it takes to help get it off her.

"Anything else I should know?" he says before he examines her. "Take some deep breaths. You're safe now. He didn't arrive with you."