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Your communit crackles to life and says "*quietly* Niko? It's Clara...you awake
yet?" in Clara's voice.
You say "Yup, sure am." And he sounds alert and everything, cool. "Something
up?" into the communit.
Your communit crackles to life and blares "Not really, no. I just thought I'd
come do a checkup on you and doublecheck the monitors and IV." in Clara's
voice.
You say "Sounds enthralling. No, really." There's a sound like a stifled chuckle, then he adds, "Seriously, sounds good. Can't have the monitors randomly stop working or anything." into the communit.
Your communit crackles to life and says "Er, no indeed, we can't. It's all
right if I come up, then?" in Clara's voice.
You say "Sure, that's fine." into the communit.
A quiet knock sounds at the door.
Clara enters from the Elevator Lounge.
Clara has arrived.
Niko is sitting up, aided in that by a few pillows, and looks to have been reading. "Good morning," he says pleasantly. "The evil diplomats dragged Ela off to some meeting, but she likely won't be gone too much longer."
Clara lets herself in the door, quietly shutting it behind her with a quiet click. She seems to be carrying a full medkit in a bag over one shoulder, and turns about to smile a greeting. "Hey there you. Dragged her off, hmm? Their gain, your loss. How're you feeling?" she asks, crossing over towards the bed.
Niko takes a moment for some form of internal inventory. "Better," he decides. "Any chance you can turn down some of the drugs? I don't like feeling fuzzy, or randomly falling asleep in the middle of the day."
Clara's brows lift at the request, which she seriously considers. "Tell you
what. Let me check the injuries first, and then I'll think about it? I'll
tentatively say yes, though. Scoot down a bit so I can see the abdominal one
first?"
Niko agreeably slides down to a position more conducive to abdomen getting-at-ing, with a short nod. "Sounds fair, sure. You're the doctor, all that. I'm not allowed to think on this sort of thing, after all."
Clara grins slightly at that, dumping the bag at the floor by the bed and
sitting down on the edge to lean over and unzip it before pulling the scanner
from her belt. She tugs up the shirt and peers under the bandage, brows
lifting. "Hey, so far, so good." Starting up the scanner, she notes with
amusement, "Sorry about that. I was a little short the other day, and I
apologize. I was worried about you, though."
Niko shakes his head. "Perfectly justified. I was being stupid. I'm allowed
that from time to time, but it's generally a good idea to make sure it
doesn't keep happening."
"You were being male," Clara corrects absently, watching the scanner readout.
"And that's why you have a cadre of women around you to keep you in line,"
she adds with a grin, moving the scanner up to the rib. "No more infection,
and the rib is healed. So far, excellent."
Niko attempts, with marked success, not to laugh. "Yeah, males are always wrong, women are always right." At the health-related news, he brightens visibly. "Good. Maybe I can get out and about soon, then? Back to work? Anya's probably swamped, poor lady." Of course, he's totally aware of the gap between 'less drugs' and 'back to work', but he -has- to ask.
Clara snorts, utterly amused. "That a fact? Hah. I -wish- I was always right,"
she mutters, eyes still on the readout as she moves it across the burned
shoulder. "And significant cellular regeneration here too. Very go-...back to
work? Uh, no. Not a chance. At least another week before I'll even let you do
paperwork. Anya's doing okay, anyway. She and I had a long talk the other
day."
Niko sighs very quietly, but, to his credit, doesn't argue. That's likely because he already knew the answer. "It's good to hear that she's doing okay, at least. But I'll still feel better when I'm back at work."
Clara reaches up without taking her eyes from the scanner to squeeze your good shoulder companionably. "We'll all feel better when everything's back to normal. Do me a favor and lift your bad arm? I want to check mobility."
Niko does so, albeit rather cautiously. "What is normal?" he murmurs,
pseudo-philosophically. "And my arm's not really been hurting much at all."
Pausing a beat, he remembers, "Can I get rid of the cast sometime, too? I
keep worrying that I'm going to smack Ela with it or something, when I'm
asleep."
Clara's eyes glance up, dancing with mischief, but also with approval. "I doubt she'd appreciate that, no. If it were me, I'd likely hit you back. And no, the cast stays on unless you want that wrist regenerated." She rises and reholsters he scanner to start fiddling with the IV.
Niko nods very slowly, though not without a soft cough at the mischievously dancing eyes. "Well, yeah. That's what I meant. Can I get it regenerated?"
Clara pauses before adjusting the level of painkiller, still amused. "I'm glad
she's here with you," she notes quietly, then clears her throat and turns to
check the monitor. "You can if you want, yes. I brought the field one with
me, just in case."
Niko shoots a vaguely apprehensive look towards the bag of doom, but all he
says is, "I'm glad she's here, too. Of course, it being her rooom and all,
it'd be kind of wrong if she wasn't."
Clara crouches down to start to pull the appropriate machinary from the bag,
but pauses and looks up with a rueful grin. "I think you know what I mean,
Mister Obtuse," she teases, then shakes her head. "Now, before I dial that
cortrazime down, do you want me to zap you or not?"
Niko says lightly, "I have to be obtuse. I'm male. And... well, want isn't
quite the word, but I'd definitely prefer it before you turn down the
cortrazime."
You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.
Clara rolls her eyes and sets the unit on the side of the bed, starting up the
various switches as lights flash over its surface. She pulls a bottle from
the bag next and without warning uncaps it to squirt a thin stream of liquid
along the length of the cast, which dissolves it neatly into two pieces.
"Okay...ready?"
Niko nods, though not without a look of interest at the nifty little squirt
bottle. "As I'm going to get, yeah."
Clara replaces the dissolvant and tugs aside the cast before starting to hook
electrodes over the wrist and arm. Finally she covers the joint with a length
of thick felt again an rests her hand on the power. "On the count of three,"
she offers gently. "One, two...three." Zzzap.
Well, we all know by now what Niko's going to do, as this has happened often
enough. He goes rigid, but he manages not to make a sound. Ooh, nifty, the
monitor's showing that his heart rate's increasing--though still below that
happy 85--so something's still moving.
Clara is indeed watching that heartrate, but is even more interested in the
blood pressure that's making all sorts of nifty number climbs. Still, the
numbers start to edge back down again as she powers down the unit after a few
seconds and peers at you carefully. "Niko? Niko, it's over. Just relax, now,"
she suggests, starting to remove the accoutrements.
Niko takes a deep breath. "Hate that," he murmurs, "But it's still not as bad
as my nose. Whole -face- hurt for a week."
Clara winces significantly, restowing the generator and straightening the
blanket. "Ow. Ow ow ow. Why in the world did you let them regenerate your
nose? A broken nose won't stop you from doing anything." She does a gentle
manual check of the wrist. "Looks good so far. You know the drill...try not
to use this hand for three days."
Niko shakes his head. "I was stupid. Male. I know. Won't use my hand." He takes
another deep breath, releasing it slowly. Ah, look. Coherency is returning.
"Thanks, Clara. I appreciate it."
Clara shakes her head, fingers moving over the wrist carefully. "Couldn't have
it marring those good looks," she teases gently, then peers up at you as she
straightens. "Okay, now...do you still want me to reduce the painkiller? I
will, but after the regenration, it's up to you."
Niko rubs lightly at his wrist. "Uh, maybe hold off on that? Maybe tonight or something? Ordinarily, It wouldn't be a big deal, but with the rest..."
Clara inclines her head lightly, then bends back over to fumble with something in the bag for a moment before coming up with another hypo. "Compromise," she explains, and presses it to the wrist. "Time released local. Should last until tonight, and I'll only dial the cortrazime down a little."
Niko nods agreeably to that. "Sounds like a plan, thanks. Maybe it'll be enough that I can follow that." He gestures towards his reading material. "I'm making a really bizarre jumble of it all. Entertaining, but confusing."
Clara rises to start the adjustments to the IV, glancing at the material. "Oh?
What're you reading?"
Niko's tone is a bit amused. "Story about King Arthur. I don't like the treatment of Galahad, though. They've got him as kind of stodgy and boring."
Clara's lips quirk as she focuses on the changing of drug levels. "Mmm. Sir
Galahad, huh? Can't say as I blame you. Lancelot was always a lot more
interesting, I always thought."
Niko shifts a bit so that he's half-sitting up once more. "Depends what you read. I read something--oh, ages ago--told from Galahad's point of view. Wasn't quite the traditional Arthurian legend, but it had the Grail, and Merlin, and an Arthur of sorts, and Galahad was... a cop, I think. Only his name was Hal." He realizes that he's starting to get the plot jumbled, and shakes his head. "Maybe I'll tell you about it later."
Clara's brows quirk at that in puzzlement before she shrugs and does a final
tap at the monitor. She gives the device an approving nod, then crouches
again to start to reassemble the medical kit. "Cops are good. Can't say
anything bad about security keeping types," she adds with a grin. "And you
sir, are -well- on the way to recovery. Whatever that woman of yours is
doing, she needs to keep it up."
Niko smiles fondly at that. "I'll tell her. She'll be glad. She takes good care
of me, though, yeah." He pauses a beat, then says, perhaps a bit awkwardly,
"I guess it all did work out for the best."
Clara pauses in updating the monitor, then finishes it quickly before kneeling
down beside the bed and reaching for your good hand, a wistful smile in
place. "It did, didn't it? As much as I care about you, I can't begin to tell
you how thrilled I am for you right now. You -deserve- this kind of
happiness."
Niko smiles rather boyishly at that. "Right back at you," he murmurs. "Just
have to get Riley and me back to ourselves, and we can all have chili
together or something. Or Ela can cook Hellenic maybe. Her cooking," he adds,
with a decidedly pleased grin, "is phenomenal."
Clara returns the grin, reaching up to ruffle your hair. "I would -love- that. I'll even offer to go out and buy soda. Even the stuff in blue cans for you and green cans for Ela. Riley and I can drink the red can soda of destiny." She exhales a soft sigh, contented. "Thank you, Niko."
Niko looks a bit confused by that, despite the grin for the mention of the blue
cans, and a soft snort at 'red can soda of destiny'. "You're welcome... but
why am I being thanked?" Oh, he's certainly a guy.
Clara's lips quirk as she shakes her head, amused. "Just for being a truly
wonderful guy. For being so sweet over the earlier mess. For being Riley's
friend."
Niko still seems just a little confused. Maybe it's the drugs. "We all get to live happily ever after," he says slowly, "So that earlier mess doesn't really matter. And Riley's easy to have as a friend. Would be even if he wasn't my brother." And he smiles at that last--no, he grins.
Clara can't help but return the grin, adding a wink. "Gotta love genetic scans. I have to be honest in saying that I was pretty tickled after I realized that you two were okay with it. Have you...talked to your family yet?"
Niko shakes his head, with a small grimace. "I'm not sure if I'm going to be
able to," he admits. "See, Mom and Dad are of the old school. They don't
really use all that much in the way of technology. I'd rather do it
face-to-face, as too much can be misunderstood in a letter, but they likely
won't go for a subspace call. I'm thinking about sending a comm-stat letter
to one of my aunts, and seeing if she can get them to do it just this once.
But I wanted to wait til I was back on my feet and all. I don't want to worry
them."
Clara tilts her head thoughtfully, considering this. "I can't see any harm in waiting," she notes softly. "Your parents are still your parents, regardless of biology. If you get extended family from the deal, so much the better."
Niko nods firmly at that. "I don't know how much I'm going to get, extended
family wise, though. I mean... Riley, yes. But our... original father?" He
shakes his head. "I don't think so. Maybe there are more of his offspring
running around, though," he adds, a bit dryly.
You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.
Clara ducks her head, smiling slightly as she plucks absently at the blanket at the edge of the bed. "Tell me about it. I likely have half a dozen siblings myself I don't know about. But you have Riley, and that's a gain, in my opinion. Even gaining a brother is a plus, in my book."
Niko looks a bit puzzled at the mention of half a dozen random siblings, but
nods firmly at your latter statements. "Definitely a plus. I've always wanted
a brother, and to end up with -Riley-..." He shakes his head, a slow smile
crossing his face. "It boggles the mind. But you're not going to hear me
complaining."
Clara grins slightly at the puzzlement and explains, "My parents never
married," before nodding firmly. "Good. It was a surprise to me too, but
those codon patterns just set off bells in my head." She glances up at the
monitor. "That local hitting you yet?"
Niko nods, carefully wiggling each finger, then gently easing his hand back and
forth. "Yeah, thanks." He takes the absence of marriage in stride, nodding at
that as well. Squinting towards the monitor, he adds hopefully, "I don't
really need that thing any more, do I? It's not like my numbers are doing
anything odd."
Clara climbs to her feet, amused as she checks the monitor more closely. "Nice
try, tiger. Sorry, but it stays. As long as you still have air conditioning
to your innards, I need to know your vitals." She taps a small monitor at her
belt. "Which relays to right here now."
Niko doesn't look all that surprised, but, again, he had to try. He wrinkles
his nose a bit at the belt-monitor, grumbling good-naturedly about a lack of
trust, then says, "Y'know, I've been wondering this literally since the day
we met, but -why- do you call me tiger?" And, as he just read that log, he
can vouch that he was, in fact, called 'tiger' by Clara on the day that they
met.
Clara stoops to scoop up her bag, eyes widening with surprised. "You know, I
have no clue? It just seemed like something that fit you, and since no one at
Cannerton went by their real names practically, it just slipped out." She
grimaces apologetically. "Sorry, I'll cut it out."
Niko shakes his head, with a crooked grin. "It's okay, really. I was just
curious is all--see, that's what one of my aunts used to call me,
approximately."
"Yeah?" Clara asks, grinning. "Well, like I said. It -fits-. I could go into
details, but then Ela would walk in mid-explanation, and likely misunderstand
completely. Suffice it to say you're adorable, yet dangerous. Now...how about
a nap, oh scary one?"
Niko mumbles something about the term his aunt uses also being one that is
applied to a seasonal hurricane, with a soft laugh, then inquires,
"Dangerous? First folks tell me I'm nice, then they say I'm dangerous. Talk
about confusing." He shakes his head fractionally at the mention of a nap.
"I'm not sleepy, Clara. Really."
Clara regards you for a moment, then holds up a finger as she checks the
monitor at her belt, pressing a few buttons on it to check another readout,
then nodding as she shifts her weight. "You are nice. You're also fully
trained Security. I wouldn't want you mad at me, to say the least. Giani
assures me that you're rude and obnoxious, but she always giggles when she
says that."
Niko beams at that. "Giani says the nicest things. She's great." He pauses a
beat, then adds, "I'm not all that likely to get mad at you, though, so
you're safe in that."
Clara snickers quietly, shaking her head. "Giani's a wonderful nurse, but a
ditz. I do adore her." She glances up and grins. "No? See, this is a good
thing. I'd likely be really annoyed if you did."
Elasia walked in, no really, from outside even. Dressed in diplomatic gear and carrying her briefcase (It's -not- a magic bag, really!) she must have been in some meeting. An evil one probably. She offers a quiet wave, "Afternoon."
Niko nods agreeably enough to Clara's assessment of Giani, then flashes Elasia a chipper smile. "Hi, love. Hope the meeting wasn't too evil."
Clara is standing by the bed, a full medkit slung over her be-jacketed shoulder
and the remains of Niko's cast in her hands. She glances back at the
greeting, grin broadening. "Hey, the woman of the hour! My dear, I have to
compliment you. This stubborn and obnoxious patient is doing wonderfully
thanks to your care."
Niko stagewhispers, "I thought I was -rude- and obnoxious?"
Clara glances back at Niko with a quick raspberry. "Pipe down, you. Yes, yes.
Rude, too," she adds, laughing.
Elasia offers Niko a fond smile and then an abashed one at Clara, "I don't know
if I can take credit. Y'all are the ones that've kept him patched together. I
just feed him and threaten cruel and dire fates if he doesn't listen to you."
Setting down the case on a table she chuckles quietly, "Obnoxious I'll buy,
and stubborn, but rude Niko? Do I have to tell your mother?" The last in is a
decidedly teasing tone.
Niko flashes an amused grin to Clara, then makes a decidedly ack-like sound at
Ela's threat. "No, bad, anything but -that-." Of course, he's trying not to
laugh. "Mom would be furious."
"Oh, credit you get. Definitely," Clara responds, readjusting the kit a bit on her shoulder. "Oooh, hey, a threat that works!" She winks down at Niko, grinning. "Okay, mister. Arm's fixed, dosage lowered. I'd offer to clean your windshield, but I don't think that's under the Fleet healthcare benefits."
Elasia notes the de-casted hand, or rather she had earlier, but now finds place
to ask about it. "Finally get fed up with the cast, love?" She slides to sit
on the far edge of the bed, out of the way.
Niko wrinkles his nose at Clara. "My windshield is already spotless, thanks,"
he says, with a grin. Nodding to Ela, he says, "I was feeling better and all,
figured I might as well get it out of the way."
Clara snorts vaguely at that and shakes her head, muttering something about stodgy knights before she gives the security officer another hair ruffling. "He shouldn't use the hand much for three days, Ela. Otherwise, he's about a week from being back to normal. But if you two don't need me for anything else, I'm going to run a mail check, then check on my other patient."
Elasia nods to Clara, half-grinning, "Thanks for the heads up, and for
everything. Not everybody would've let me haul him up here, I appreciate
that."
Niko nods agreeably to Clara. "Tell him hello for me, when he's awake? And
thanks, Clara. I really do appreciate all this, even if I -am- a stodgy
knight." He pauses a beat as his words run about the same as Ela's, and
chuckles quietly. "Well, yeah. What she said."
Clara taps at her her head beneath the at-angles curls, grinning. "It helps if
the doc knows the connection between here, the heart, and the overall
recovery rate." She nods at Niko affably. "I will indeed. Hopefully that
cough of his will be faded today since Honalee gave me a heads up on the
cause."
Elasia offers a rather distantly sappy smile at the first part of Clara's comment, looking at Niko a long moment before nodding to the second.
Niko nods, looking as if Clara is confirming something he'd thought. "Daresay
she'd be helpful, yeah," he says, grinning towards Ela as he catches the
sappy smile. He reaches almost absently for her hand. It's not to show off
the absence of cast at all, no way.
Clara isn't smirking. Nope. She's just...grinning. "Mmm. Helpful indeed," she
notes, then clears her throat before winking. "You two have a good afternoon,
then. Holler if you need anything at all," she adds, then turns to head
towards the door.
Elasia is missing any and all subtexts, but she doesn't seem to object
overmuch, taking Niko's hand carefully in deference to its previously
battered state. "Have a nice day, Clara."
Niko nods agreeably to Clara. "Have fun, all that."
Clara leave the room.
Clara has left.
Niko settles back against the pillows a little better. "She knocked down the
cortrazime a bit," he notes, "So I'll hopefully be a little more together,
and less prone to random naps."
Elasia sheds her shoes so she can sit cross-legged on the bed, "That's a good
thing, although random naps are kind of amusing." Her eyes flash in a teasing
fashion, "You're awfully cute when you sleep."
Niko suggests, with a grin, "I can pretend to sleep? Would that be enough?"
Elasia considers this, giving it due weight and consideration. Eventually she
just edges over to drop a feather light kiss on your lips, "Nah, you're cute
awake too. Together is good as well, wouldn't want to have say your arms fall
off and get lost under the bed."
Niko takes a moment to follow the conversation, then chuckles. "I like my arms attached," he says, lightly insinuating one around you. "Couldn't do this if they were under the bed, after all. Was the meeting awful?"
You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.
Elasia lowers herself down to the bed, edging further into the arm. (Are you insinuating something? ;) "True enough, and I -like- this," she murmurs. There's a pause and something of a shrug, "Not too bad I guess. Just a lot of discussion, some very complicated issues, and endless taking of notes."
Niko looks rather pleased, as his insinuation hit its mark, and got you where he wants you. (Insert twirling of mustache.) "Sounds like lots of no fun," he murmurs, leaning closer to give you a quick kiss. "I'm glad you're back."
Elasia looks rather pleased at the kiss, her face lighting a bit further. "It
wasn't too bad really. Just involved. And I missed you." She settles in
comfortably, "I'm glad to be back. There's nothing quite like having a Niko
to curl up with."
Niko suggests, with a quick grin, "I could go to the meetings with you, and we
could scandalize your fellow diplomats? That way, you could get work done
-and- I could curl up with you."
Elasia all but splutters on a snicker at that, "The -look- on some peoples faces..." She continues to laugh quietly, "That alone'd be worth it. You'd probably be bored to death though, and then where would I be?"
Niko's wicked little grin suggests that he's willing to risk a little boredom,
but he nods amiably enough. "Good point, I guess. Besides, I'll be back to
normal in a week, so I'll be back to work." Of course, Clara said she'd let
him do -paperwork- in a week, which is not quite the same thing, but he's not
going to mention that.
Elasia runs a finger lightly across your chest, careful to avoid damaged bits,
"I can't decide to be happy or sad about that. On one hand, I want you to
feel better more than anything, but on the other..." SHe chuckles, "I -like-
holding you captive in here."
Niko grins crookedly at that. "Oh, help. Captivity is awful, terrible." His tone is fond, though, and gives the lie to his words. "But..." He hesitates, then inquires tentatively, "You did still want me to stick around once I'm back to normal, didn't you? I... well, I thought I remembered that."
Elasia's fingers trek up your chest and to the good shoulder, still doodling aimless patterns. "Of course, I want you to stay forever, and never leave. But, well, once you're on your feet again and all it becomes the game of conflicting schedules again. This way I can always find you."
Niko makes a sound not unlike a sigh. "That'll get interesting," he murmurs. "But I think we can work around it, hm? And I'll be in Security, like as not, unless--I have to take care of something somewhere else."
Elasia rests the hand on your chest, stilling its tracing patterns as she settles in a bit closer with a stifled yawn. "But I can't go down and pester you in Security...much." There's a quiet chuckle with the last word.
Niko considers that for a moment. "Well, depends on how much work you want me to get done," he teases lightly, "And how much you mind Anya's teasing." His arms tighten briefly around you, then he inquires, "Tired?"
"Anya's teasing I can handle, the woman's already had after me about
butterscotch." Ela's tone is half embarrassed, half-amused. "But somehow I
think they'd object to me disturbing you excessively." She shakes her head
slightly, "Not too much. I'm just warm and comfortable, and I guess parts of
me seem to think I should be."
Niko winces a bit at the mention of butterscotch. "She's gonna give me the worst time about that," he mumbles, though not without humor. "And you're right, I guess, about the disturbing and all." And he does sound a little disappointed at that. Muffling a yawn of his own, he adds, "If you feel like sleeping, hon, go ahead. I'll likely drift off too, eventually."
Elasia gkances up at you a moment, a hint of worry in her dark eyes, "But
aren't I supposed to be keeping you company and all? I can hardly do that
asleep."
Niko shakes his head, with a quick grin. "You heard Clara. You're already doing
a great job. You deserve a little rest."
Elasia doesn't looks altogether certain of this, but she does settle down a
bit, getting comfortable. "F'you're sure..."
Niko shifts closer to kiss your temple, not moving away as he murmurs, "Positive. Get some rest, hon. I'm not going anywhere."
Elasia doesn't really need further reassurance, with the odd hours she's been
keeping, and the general lack of real sleep, she's snoozing softly rather
quickly.
Niko smiles fondly, very gently easing away from you. "And she says -I'm- cute when I sleep," he murmurs, the words barely audible. Still moving slowly and quietly, he reaches for his reading material--something about King Arthur.