The Hospital: Patch

[tribe_patch]

Coming back from the bottom of the stairs, Patch tried to put the thoughts of insecurity to the side just long enough to get everything set up for when they brought in Tai-San. He could do this. There wasn't even much he needed to do! Get a bed ready, get some smelling salts or something, try to wake her up...it was all he could do! Unless he

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[_salene_]

After making an incredible ass of herself once more today, Salene entered the hospital and stopped to look around. It was mostly empty, one kid was still passed out in one of the beds, and of course Tai-San with Alice hovering was in another. Dax was stood near Patch who was frantically searching through medical texts, it was all just such a mess. Why did she feel such despair and defeat over a few set backs today?

Pulling her shoulders back and taking a deep breath, Salene stopped at Tai-San and gave Alice a rub on the shoulder, showing her support and hopefully comforting her, watching as the volunteer began the routine Patch had set in place long ago with every new patient.

He'd really made this more efficient than Salene could ever have imagined in a hospital, she really was glad he was back now. When they'd first come back from the war with the Technos, and Dee and Patch had gotten lost and not come back for a few days, she'd been real worried. Not just because he was a fantastic doctor, and she was a wonderful sheriff, but because they were her friends, members of her Tribe, too. When Cloe had fallen, and it had been up to Salene to take care of her as the only somewhat medically knowledgeable person around, it had freaked her out. She knew next to nothing, tidbits of what she'd learned from Patch, things she'd picked up over the years, nothing like what Patch had taught himself.

Giving Alice one more comforting pat on the back, Salene walked over to where Dax and Patch stood, "So, what do you think Patch? Anything yet?" Salene was sure to be gentle, she knew he got stressed easily and sometimes felt a little freaked out, but if you just talked him through it, calmly, gently, he knew what he was doing, and he'd find the courage and strength to go after the situation.

[_hawk]

Hawk came downstairs from the Extra Cafe and entered the hospital quietly. What a hectic day this was turning out to be! He didn't want to interfere, and the doctor was thumbing through books frantically while Salene and Dax stood over him, watching, talking quietly. Hawk moved across the room to Tai-San where some girl was hovering over her and, well what she was doing, Hawk wasn't entirely too sure. He stood back a bit, more next to the bed beside Tai-San than at her bedside, observing her, not wanting to interrupt the quiet vigil Alice seemed to be holding.

The real concern here, Hawk knew, was if she'd broken anything in her fall. There were ways to nurse her back to health if she had, but she had to have the strength of spirit to pull through. Amber had done so, a knock to her head had almost killed her, the pressure on her brain, and she'd gotten quite sick, feverish, nearly dying. It was the strength of her spirit, her will, that pulled her through, and now Hawk would help apply the same methods they had applied to Amber so long ago.

Before he could do that, however, he had to know for sure what was wrong with her, if he could find out, and when the girl hovering over her walked away, Hawk moved in, around the bed from Alice, leaning in and pulling Tai-San's eyelids open. Her eyes looked good, and he held his dreads back with one hand as he leaned in to listen to the pace of her breath. It was steady, and strong, and he stood up, pressing his fingers to her throat to find a pulse. It too was steady, and strong, normal, and he stood up, looking down at her with worry. There were no bruises on her forehead, nor lumps, and he simply reached out a hand to begin feeling for any forming bumps on her head anywhere, especially in worry spots.

[tribal_alice]

Everything seemed to take on a life of it's own, as soon as Alice had demanded that someone go and get a backboard, it had almost immediately arrived, or maybe Alice was beginning to black out and lose track of time. Salene told them how to put Tai-San on the board, and if Alice hadn't been annoyed with Lex and the way he was behaving, she probably wouldn't have been as annoyed with Salene as she had suddenly felt. It was irrational, Salene was their leader, and a good one, and a good person who knew what to do, but it still just rubbed Alice the wrong way.

Dax was a good man, not making Alice walk backwards, and together they got Tai-San put onto a bed, gently, before he walked away. Sinking down into the chair next to her bed, Alice leaned forward and put her forehead in her right hand, willing Tai-San to wake up with her mind. "Where are you Tai-San? You gotta wake up now, you told me you kept all of us safe from the Technos, now it's my turn, to keep you safe," Alice didn't even know what she was saying, but seeing her lay there, looking so pale, strapped to a backboard, it was upsetting.

She didn't notice Salene coming over to comfort her, she simply focused on Tai-San and willing her to wake up, she didn't notice the volunteer doing what she was supposed to do, it wasn't until Hawk came over and pulled her eyelids up, looking in her eyes. "What...what're you doing?" she asked, watching with confusion as he leaned in towards her face with his ear, then felt her pulse. When he began feeling her head for lumps, Alice felt anger move through her, what was this little tree hugger doing to her? "What..what's going on? Sal? Why is he doing this?" She didn't know why she was so upset, surely he was simply helping, but the fact that he was suddenly feeling her head up and leaning in and pulling her eyelids up, it just disturbed her. Couldn't he leave Tai-San to rest in peace?!

[tribal_may]

May entered the hospital like she had just hours before hand, but thankfully, this time she wasn’t the one hurt. Her hand involuntarily reached up to touch the bruise that surrounded her eye. Wincing in pain, she let her hand drop back to her side before walking over towards where everyone was gathered. She watched as Hawk took Tai San’s vitals, something she remembered seeing in First Aid class. It was interesting the comparison of Hawk to Patch. Patch flicked through the pages of a book and Hawk went right to the body.

It made her think of Pride for a moment, just the way Hawk was so careful with Tai San. The Ecos were always so gentle with other people and of course with the earth. Her eyes rested on Tai San, and she began to wonder if Tai San could bring Zandra back to life, could she do the same for others in the Tribe. Blinking herself out of that thought, she moved past Salene and to where Dax stood. She slid her hand down his arm, then into his hand. It was a simple gesture, but one of love.

[sheriff_lex]

Lex wasn't at all too excited about the group that followed him to the hospital. He would try and hold it together as much as he could..for Tai San's sake. Lex hoped Dax wouldn't try and open his fat know it all mouth for a change so things could try and progress as fast as they could. Besides, he figured it would be best for him to just bide his time on this one..for Tai San, and knowing Alice was there. She never hesitated to put him in his place before, and he didn't want her getting the better of him now..especially since that would only give Dax more fuel in the future.

Lex watched as the Tai San was put on the bed. He had his own concerns for her, concerns outside and beyond the others. Tai San had been Lex's first true love, and he wasn't yet ready to toss those feelings aside. Especially since he hadn't even gotten a chance to really sit and talk with her. Why did he let himself get so caught up in so much crap every day when the things that were most important to him were so close. Lex hoped Siva was ok and wouldn't give him any grief when he came back. After all, even she knew how important Tai San had been to him.

Lex watched as Hawk checked Tai San's vital signs, followed by Alice's short freaked out comments. He knew that most likely Hawk knew what he was doing or he wouldn't be doing anything at all. Lex figured Hawk used some of that woodsy, nature stuff on her. Tai San would probably appreciate it..they both could be so weird sometimes. Either way, he was glad someone was doing something..especially since the volunteer over there wasn't doing anything. "Don't worry Alice, I'm sure Hawk knows what he's doing..I'm sure they deal with this all the time in the woods?" Lex looked to Hawk as if needing some sort of reassurance himself, "right Hawk?"

[mallrat_ellie]

Ellie and Luke came downstairs and entered the hospital, stopping by the doorway and lingering. Ellie felt her sister's angst before she saw her, the tension in the room was thick, causing Ellie to suddenly feel more in the way than of much help. "Maybe we should go," she said to Luke quietly, looking at him to give her an answer, to tell her what he thought. She looked back to Alice, however, and she could tell she needed someone, some comfort.

Letting go of Luke, Ellie was drawn to her sister's side, and she quickly put a hand on her back, "It's ok Alice, look, Hawk is helping her, and Luke came down to help too, she's looking just fine, right?" Ellie glanced over her shoulder to find Lex there, no she couldn't ask him, he was probably just as upset by this as Alice was, if not more. Looking to Hawk, Ellie watched as he felt around her scalp, "Right Hawk? She's just fine?"

[luke_]

Luke let Ellie lead him, he wasn't a doctor of any kind, but he'd taken first aid courses and been a scout as a young boy, and he knew he could help if they needed him to. Letting Ellie fly to her sister's side, Luke calmly and quietly walked to the back of the room where Patch stood, going through books while Salene and Dax and May stood around him. Clearing his throat nervously, Luke put his hands behind his back and tried to seem inconspicuous, "I don't mean to intrude or interrupt, but if you need help, Patch, I have some background in first aid. I think you've done a fine job so far, but if you need just, anything at all, I'd be more than glad to offer my services," his eyes darted to Salene, then May and Dax, before he looked to the floor and back over to Patch.

He felt some kind of closeness to Tai-San, at least, he'd worked with her when they'd both been Chosen to get Brady back to her Mother, and he respected her and the way she'd seemingly tried to keep the Guardian at bay. It was, of course, because of her that the Mall had not been blown sky high that one day, Luke couldn't let her go out like this. It was a simple fall down the stairs, and just like when Salene had fallen, Luke hoped to help her in any way that he could.

[tribe_patch]

Patch could tell people were filling up the hospital and that just made him even more nervous. Were they waiting for him to know what to do?!! Things like this couldn't be rushed!! He took half a second to glance up at the gathered crowd and noticed Hawk looking Tai-San over. Well, at least he seemed to know what he was doing...Hawk'd probably be better suited for the job than he was... It was discouraging, but right now was NOT the time to let personal jealousies get in the way of helping someone. Nor was it the time to feel inadequate.

The sound of Luke's voice slowly but effectively ripped him away from the words that had begun to melt on the pages of the medical book Patch had clutched tightly between his fingers. "What? Oh,..." Patch gave Luke a warm smile that whether he knew it or not, bordered very dangerously on patronizing. "No, it's ok. I know first aid." For some reason, Patch took Luke's harmless offer of help to be much more weighted than he knew it was meant to be. This many people gathering around was starting to put Patch even more on edge. Tai-San, Luke, Ellie, May, Lex, Dax, Alice, Salene, Hawk, along with a number of volunteers. They would all be watching his every move, seeing if he'd do the right thing. It was enough to make him want to scream. "Just...stay right here." A much softer less strained smile came to his face. "I'll be sure to ask you if I need any help."

Realizing he couldn't put it off any longer, Patch set down the book and walked up to Tai-San, standing beside Hawk and giving him a questioning look. "What do you think?" He wanted Hawks opinion before he opened his mouth and made an idiot out of himself for the second time that day.

[_dax]

Dax took a step beck as Salene arrived, Patch was looking more agitated, and now Dax just felt like he was in the way. He hadn't meant to rush the poor little guy, he just wondered if Patch needed anymore heavy lifting. People kept pouring in, which made Dax feel relief and concern over at the same time. He was glad the Tribe cared, at least, a small handful of them, but at the same time he didn't want them to add stress to Patch. When he looked around, however, he realized it was people who cared about Tai-San, and then May was there. A tiny lopsided smile broke the concern on his face, and the closer she got to him the better he began to feel.

Giving May's hand a squeeze, Dax looked back to the others, then to Luke as he arrived and offered his first aid skills. Patch ordered them to stay right there, but Dax felt in the way. "Hey," he said quietly to May, "If they don't need me anymore I should go clean the Cafes, then I can head to bed. Do you want to just go on without me and I'll meet you there?"