(Untitled)

[ihearttomgordon]

Run, run, as fast as you will, I can catch you, little gingerbread girl

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[spirited_lissie]

Felicity had spent the previous day in the jungle, looking up names of plants, but the news of what had happened traveled quick and she had spent the rest of the time at the homestead. But then Trisha hadn't come during the evening, and when she found out what happened, Felicity was emotionally torn: what sort of bully would torment a small girl and how bad was she hurt?

Lissie wanted to rush over to the infirmary, but then she caught sight of some of the other patients and she made herself quiet.

"Trisha?" she called out. "I'm sorry to wake you, but I heard what happened and was concerned."

[ihearttomgordon]

She looked at the other girl strangely for a moment as if trying to work out how she was. Finally she said, "I'm okay. But they won't let me stay asleep," she explained irritably. "I have a concussion or something," she added. Someone had told her that and explained that they needed to keep waking her up to make sure that she was okay. She hurt a lot and she was tired so to Trisha it was just annoying.

[spirited_lissie]

"I had one when I was first learning how to ride," She said. "But I'm glad you're alright. I heard what happened and it made me angry." not to mention helpless.

Felicity looked down a moment. "Oh, I thought you might be bored, so I got some books from your room, if you feel like reading. Or I could tell you more of Penny?" She took a seat next to her bed.

[ihearttomgordon]

"I've got a headache," Trisha said, frowning, not at all in the mood to read though normally she would have been. "But if you want to talk about Penny, I guess that's okay." She didn't mean to sound unenthusiastic, but her spirits just weren't at their highest. She was mad about what had happened, and she wished that she'd been able to do something except be dumb and try to run away.

[thewordofweb]

My concern seems more palpable now than it did in the war. I've been at Trisha's bedside for what seems like ages and I refuse to leave, a hand on the blankets beside her and worry written over my face. I haven't slept yet, on the off chance she'll wake when I do, so exhaustion is my constant companion as I clasp her hand. "Hey, kiddo," I breathe out as she finally seems to respond to my idle ramblings. "About time you woke up."

[ihearttomgordon]

"I wanna go back to sleep," she mumbled, still trying to fight her way up out of the fog. She squeezed his hand and looked at him, taking in his tired and concerned face. "I'm okay," she said automatically, hoping to take that look away. Trisha was real glad that Webster was there, but she wanted Joe too, and Mom and Dad, and even Pete. Her dream had left her feeling confused about what had happened, and it showed on her face.

[thewordofweb]

I squeeze her hand tighter than before, trying to shuffle my chair so that I'm nearly hugging the bed. "You had me worried there," I admit, my voice riddled with anxiety as I stare at her from this strange subverted angle my head is at. "And if I lose you, I'm not going to have anything left, so you can't go," I say, trying to downplay the strife in my tone to no avail.

[ihearttomgordon]

"I'm not going anywhere," she said confidently. She'd been scared, really scared, when the man had attacked her, at least she thought it had been a man, but she knew terror and her dreams had been much worse that the five minutes before she'd been hit. She hugged him awkwardly, glad that she wasn't hurt worse. "Did someone come find you?" she asked after awhile.

[spirited_hero]

[ihearttomgordon]

Trisha looked at Zell in confusion until he spoke, saying his name and asking after her. She nodded, and winced when she did it. The whole side of her face was throbbing and her head ached. "I'm okay," she said anyway, putting on a brave face.

"Zell," she asked, "What time is it?" She almost asked him what day, but she thought that it had to have been just one night, she just couldn't figure what time it was.

[spirited_hero]

[ihearttomgordon]

"I guess not," she said, sounding disappointed, but not surprised. If it was 10:30 then she guessed maybe it had only been the night.

"Did they find him, Zell? You know, the man?" she asked, hesitating. She was pretty sure it had been a man anyway.

[o_heart]

He'd actually been talking to the puppy he's holding in his good arm, a little teddy bear of a creature that, right now, appears to be sleeping and drooling on his arm. He hefts her weight and then looks at the little girl that he's woken. He gives her an apologetic smile. He's been in the clinic being rebandaged, having his stitches cleaned and listening to renewed round of Dr. Woodcomb's concern.

"Did I wake you?" he says. "Sorry. I was trying to work out what her name is."

[ihearttomgordon]

Blinking up at him, she realized she didn't recognize him, but he was smiling at her and the way that he spoke put her at ease almost immediately. Trisha was a little confused by what had happened, but she let the spinning thoughts go for the moment.

"It's okay," she said, nodding. "They would have woken me up anyway," she explained, meaning the doctors. She peered curiously at the puppy and then at his face.

[o_heart]

"You're pretty beat up," says Hotch, shifting the puppy's weight in his arms and scratching the top of her head with bandaged fingers. "Do you need anything? Since I'm here?"

[ihearttomgordon]

Trisha nodded. She hadn't seen her face, but she didn't need to see to know that a deep purple bruise had spread from her cheekbone to just above her ear beneath her hair. She couldn't help moving her face, but every time she did she got a sharp reminder.

Thinking for a second, she licked her lips and naturally asked, "Water?" Trisha didn't feel nauseous anymore, so she thought she was up to it.

[lt_blade]

The adrenaline and shock of the previous day had worn off, leaving Sonya feeling the full force of her injuries: the burns, wounds, and breathing was no fun either. To top it off, the concussion she had meant she couldn't sleep it off as long as she wanted.

Sonya tried to walk it off, passing by Trisha's bed just she herself was waking up. She went over to her bedside, pale from trying to not show how much pain she was in.

"Morning, Trisha." she kept her voice soft, more because speaking only made the pain in her chest hurt more. She also didn't want Trisha to hear that she was angry: angry because the prick decided to beat up on kids and she wasn't able to witness his death. "mind having a visitor?"

[ihearttomgordon]

Trisha shook her head, wincing slightly as she did. It was nice to see someone that she knew. "Are you okay, Sonya?" she asked, looking up at her. Trisha knew she felt bad, but Sonya looked bad. She hadn't yet seen herself.

[lt_blade]

Sonya was never one to sugarcoat and it was pointless to lie when she looked like she did. "I will be,hun. It just hurts when I breath." she smiled, trying to joke it off.

"What about you? I heard what happened." Her face turned serious as she reached over and gently squeezed Trisha's hand with the one that wasn't in a sling. "I'm sorry."

[ihearttomgordon]

Trisha shook her head and this time she didn't wince, but set her face firmly. She was going to be brave about this, she'd decided. She wasn't going to whine. "I'm okay," she said. "It's just bruises and stuff. They'll let me go soon," she said with a confidence she didn't feel.