La Dracu [OPEN]

[Ainsley (DELETED 8973)]

She was leading a crew of two down into the abandoned sewer area, her pace not much less than that of a hustle. "He was shot in the leg. Thigh. Upper thigh." Ainsley was trying to convey as much important information as she could remember about the guy in the sewers. "I did what I could...you've got to he-"

She was cut off by the sound of the voice of the very guy she had been trying to save. Someone was trying to kill him? The person who shot him maybe? "Shouldn't there be police?" Ainsley asked, her hurried steps, now that of a jog. Police would have been a lot better and helpful, especially if someone was trying to kill him.

She saw two shadows in the near distance; his frame and the other woman's. Claire. "I think she's a cop." Ainsley remembered the way the woman talked, as her feet slammed into the ankle deep water. Who had he been talking to? Was he delirious? Ainsley was sure it was that and now a cop trying to kill him. Still...there were no tall tell signs that anyone else was around the two of them. "We're coming! I've got help!" Ainsley shouted at the two figures, just before the two behind her pushed their way around and past her to get to work.

[Mardvosa (DELETED 9357)]

Having heard Ainsley's call, and knowing they would be there in just moments time, Maryl had no choice but to call upon the powers that she still knew so very little of, and had always been lightly afraid to make use of. She had no idea where they came from, how they came into being and if they had any lasting effects, but it was the only way this was going to end without bloodshed, for the secrecy of her condition was paramount to her survival in a place that was fully aware of the existance of vampires.

[Power: Somnambulism 2] She leant closer to look deeply into Arun's terrified gaze, her amber eyes glowing more brightly than they should as she stared directly at him, a gentle smile on her face that made the world briefly seem to be falling away and create a sensation of confused peace as a stangely warm feeling would roll over Arun's back. Comforting, yet eerie in a strange and otherworldly way, she repeated the last words she spoke that would echo in Arun's mind like a soothing, almost angelic voice that seemed as beautiful as it felt compelling: "You're going to be allright. Relax." For a brief moment it seemed as if Arun was in a different world entirely, shimmering, shadowy forms in the background that could not be focused on as his gaze was forcefully pulled to Maryl's visage, before she began to release her focus on the power. As the sensation began to fade, the return to cold reality would be strangely confusing, as if too much had happened for one's mind to process, leaving Arun likely dazed for a brief moment, which was exactly what she needed.

She turned to face Ainsley and the medical team as she still held pressure on the wound and the leg, nodding briefly in acknowledgement before going: "Thank God you're here, he's starting to act weird, I hope it isn't from the bloodloss." She exchanged places with a person from the medical team and took a step back to give them space, or assist where needed. It seemed as if the man was going to make it, and Maryl began to ponder her actions. Even though it was her own shot that hit Arun on accident, this was probably the first person since the turning that she had even attempted to save. This was her decision, a selfless act of her choosing. This was proof that the monstrous side of her did not always had to have it's say. There was a certain sense of pride, in that. Yet still, the day was far from over, and it felt like only the beginning of these struggles with herself...

[Arun (DELETED 9048)]

At the sound of several pairs of footsteps, the bleeding gypsy-sorcerer keened upwards, peering over the shoulder of the woman who waited with him. Company helped him to relax, if only a little – a godawful illness had stolen through his limbs and his muscles, blood loss stealing any further movement from him. And then…

Well. He had no idea what was happening; whatever wits he had about him were lost, all the stress that had built up beneath his tongue and behind his eyes dispersed like steam out of a bathroom that had previously been shut up tight. He slumped in place, the order to relax heard and succumbed to even if it wasn’t done willingly. He could hardly hear the words when the woman told the others he was starting to act weird. He might have protested had he understood, but the fever had started to take hold and help was here. Arun cared about nothing but the trained hands that were now taking control; the paramedic’s touch was surer than the others, and the man tried to swallow his fear and cling to hope instead.

A proper, professional tourniquet was applied to the leg and Arun only mumbled nonsense as his body was lifted, carried toward and exit and a stretcher, that would take him to an ambulance that would eventually carry him to a hospital. He was already looking forward to the too-crisp white linen of hospital beds, already looking forward to feeling better again. He clung to that vision of dim lighting, of a nice-looking nurse – nice-looking, in that she was warm and welcoming – and maybe he’d get a visit from the women who’d found him. Names, if given, were lost in his dazed memory. Their faces, too, might be a little blurry. But he’d hope to be able to thank them.

He didn’t remember the trip to the exit nor to the stretcher that waited for him. He didn’t remember because, despite wanting to, he just … couldn’t stay awake. The grit and grime of the abandoned system was left behind, and the last thing Arun saw before he passed out was the moon, bright through the trees.

[Ainsley (DELETED 8973)]

There had been an internal struggle within Ainsley for the next twelve hours. She hadn't been to the hospital since...Gabriel. Not that it was common practice for the woman to have been there before she was pregnant, but there was a feeling of...dread when thinking about going there. She was sure he was fine-maybe. In her mind, people didn't die of gun shot wounds unless they had been shot in their head, or chest. Arun was fine. She kept telling herself that as an excuse to not go see him.

But...what if he wasn't? It wasn't common that babies died during childbirth, yet...She supposed as rare as it might be, that he could have died from being shot in the leg. There had been a lot of blood. Ainsley decided the first thing she would do was call to see if he had a room. If he didn't, then there would be no reason to go see him. So, she did just that. After two short rings, a woman picked up the main line at the hospital with a cheerful good morning. "Hello, I'm wondering if you could patch me to Arun Dumitrescu's room? Please?" His last name had probably been slaughtered and sounded like Doomitrestku, but she hoped that it would be easily identifiable. Neither name sounded common in Ainsley's mind.

The voice came back on with his room number and then a direct line that she could get him at, before patching her through. She had only let it ring once, before hanging up. He had a room. As she suspected, he hadn't died. Ainsley spent the next hour 'psyching' herself up, before she grabbed a blank piece of card stock and started designing a 'Get Well' card for Arun. After a few alterations and other colors of card stock, the card was finished. A blue and white card that had 'Get Well Wishes,' written on it. A blue jay accompanied it in the right hand corner, before she wrote in the middle of the card she had designed especially for him. Ainsley placed it in an envelope, sealed it shut and headed for the hospital.

There was no need to stop at the desk and ask for directions. The woman at the desk had told her his room, so she headed for the fifth floor and to room '503.' She took a deep breath in, calmed her nerves, then knocked on the door. "Hello? Arun?" Ainsley held the card up high enough to show him why a complete stranger was visiting him. "I brought you a card."

[Arun (DELETED 9048)]

When Arun had woken up, he didn’t know where he was. The room was bright, and he felt like he should have a headache but it lurked somewhere just out of reach, gnashing its teeth, threatening to lash out at him but its claws never got the chance to sink in. He supposed it had something to do with the fluid drip he had attached to his arm. Fluid, amongst other things – the nurses came in to check on him every two hours and it really didn’t matter if he wanted to sleep or not. By the end of this ordeal he would never forget his name or date of birth ever again.

Ultimately, it was Vasile who’d told Arun what had happened and how he’d got there. Shot, he said. They’d even pulled a bullet out and everything. Said the thing was lodged in there, partly blocking the artery which was why he didn’t bleed out as much as he could have. Oh, it would have been fatal if he’d been left any longer, yes. But without that miraculous positioning of the bullet he’d have been dead long before the paramedics got there.

Vasile was animated about it all – the guy had been called only minutes after he’d got home from an near-all-night-rave; he’d survived on energy drinks and caffeine while waiting for his brother to wake up. There was some garbled talk about money, too – they weren’t ‘proper’ Canadian citizens yet, but Mami and Papi had taken care of it. They couldn’t come, of course. But they were glad their son was alive, and awake. There’d been a Skype call somewhere in there, too. Eventually Arun had pleaded Vasile to go home. He told Vasile that he should sleep, when it was Arun who really wanted the rest. Later it would probably hit Arun, how close he’d come to death. But he was just too exhausted to think about it while he lay there in that crisp, white hospital room.

Vasile had been gone quite a few hours and Arun was allowed the rest he required (aside from the nurses waking him up every couple of hours to check his vitals). The nurse had just left so Arun was only dozing when there was another knock on the door. He expected work colleagues, maybe, though he doubted Vasile had the presence of mind to let them know. Instead, he blinked as he tried to recognise the face of the woman who did step inside. She knew his name, so he must know hers…?

It took him a good ten seconds before his shoddy memory came back, just enough to recognise her. ”Aaaah,” a smile graced his tired features. ”From last night,” he said, accent of a non-specific Indo-European descent. ”Come in, come in. I should be giving you a card. You saved my life!” he said. If he could, he would have got out of the bed to wrap the stranger up in a rib-splitting hug. As it was, he’d been told not to move. So he had to stay put.

[Ainsley (DELETED 8973)]

Ainsley stayed in the doorway until he was willing to receive her. If he wasn't in the mood for visitors, then she would leave the card at the station and ask the nurses to deliver it when he was ready to check out. No harm, no foul with her. They were still strangers, no matter what the scenario was that they found themselves within.

When he told her to come in, Ainsley entered and then very gently reminded him of her name, "Ainsley." She set the card on the tray table near his bed, before waving him off. "Anyone would have done it. Well, maybe ninety-eight percent of the population. So there's really no need to thank me. I only hope if I find myself in your sort of situation that someone would do the same." Really, deep down, Ainsley believed all people strove to be good, even if they stumbled, so nine times out of ten, they would do what was best, or right. She slowly, and cautiously took the empty seat at the foot of his bed, then started speaking again.

"I just thought I would stop by and see how you were doing." A smile was given to Arun, as she finally found the seat cushion, then glanced around his room. "When are you breaking out?" She kept the conversation light and humorous for now, not that she had anything else really to ask. Maybe who was picking him up, because who liked to take a cab home from the hospital after nearly dying? Just seemed wrong on so many fronts. "The sherbet is pretty good. Stay away from the turkey wrap. The lettuce is a little droopy in my opinion."

[Arun (DELETED 9048)]

The sorcerer was definitely looking a little worse for wear; he did normally look a little tired, a little too hyped on too much caffeine. For no honest specific reason, since he was a teenager, Arun suffered insomnia. Whether or not the issue was gone, now, he wouldn’t know. During those years he’d got addicted to caffeine and energy drinks and now it was just habit. Even if he could sleep, he wouldn’t. His heart was always racing a million miles an hour.

Here, in hospital, he was mellow. The new, foreign blood running through his veins – and it felt strange, the more he thought about it, that the blood he had now was not his own – had helped to calm his addicted nerves, and the constant drip of fluid kept him hydrated and flushed. But still, he spoke fast and acted perfectly fine despite the black rings under his eyes.

”I am alive!” he said. ”Thank you, Ainsley,” he repeated with a nod, committing the name to memory, now, and indicating that he appreciated the reminder. ”I cannot complain about anything. Even droopy lettuce,” he said with a laugh that crashed with a snort. He cleared his throat, that smile still resting upon lips that were a little paler than usual, but had definitely regained colour since he’d been brought into the hospital the night before. There’d been jokes among the staff – he was a special case. Blood loss from something other than vampire fangs!

”You will take my number. And if there is anything – anything – that I can do for you in the future, you will ask. I am sure the opportunity will come, that I can pay you back,” he said, glancing at the tray on the table nearby, food devoured and remnants waiting for collection. ”I take it you have been to hospital recently?” he asked, completely innocent, assuming it had to have been for something like gall stone removal, or something similarly benign.

[Ainsley (DELETED 8973)]

Ainsley nodded her head and smiled at Arun's enthusiasm about being alive. "Well, it wasn't just me either. That other woman probably did a lot more than I did. Has she been by to visit?" Would she? Maybe it was just another night in Harper Rock for the woman. Wasn't she a cop or something like that? It had been the vibe Ainsley got off the woman, from memory. She probably wouldn't stop by. Cops were used to that sort of thing. Still, maybe she would. The hopeful side of Ainsley banked on it.

She laughed at the mention of droopy lettuce, then looked around his room for signs that she had not been the only visitor here since Arun arrived. Did his brother know he was here? She would ask him later. Maybe offer to call him for Arun. When he mentioned giving her his number, Ainsley smiled and nodded her head. "Okay." Chances are she would never call Arun, because Ainsley couldn't think of anything she needed help with. Well, nothing he could help her with. No one could. Still, it was a kind offer, and as Ainsley suspected, she believed Arun to have been in the wrong place at the wrong time given his statements. That deep down he was good spirited and hadn't been up to anything seedy down there. Not like the officer had suspected for either of them.

His question had Ainsley staring at a spot above his head, before she shook her head. "Not very recently. A few months ago." She admitted, not giving any details about why she had been here. "Everyone was really nice here. No complaints outside soggy lettuce." She forced a smile on her face, as her eyes moved back to Arun, before circling back to an original thought and to change the topic. "Did your brother come by? Did anyone call him?"

[Arun (DELETED 9048)]

Arun shook his head; he was a familiar kind of person, someone who welcomed strangers the same way a person might welcome a good friend. Ainsley was sitting at the chair at the end of the bed but he wanted to invite her to drag the chair closer, to sit beside him rather than so far away. He’d been told on numerous occasions that not everyone was so comfortable around strangers, however, so he let it drop. He shook his head, frowning, confused.

”There was another woman…?” he asked, again shaking his head. The confusion soon passed, his mind still whirling a hundred miles an hour even if his body couldn’t keep up.

”Yes, someone called my brother. I don’t know who, but he was here. Not too long ago! I don’t think. I don’t know how long I slept,” he said. He shifted, almost restless. ”Yes, everyone has been fantastic. I haven’t had to stay in hospital before,” he said, looking around again as if it were a whole new world. ”It’s not so bad. They bring me food, they take away the rubbish, I can watch the TV all day,” he said, though the TV was currently off. ”They come and check on my wellbeing often. The bathroom, though, the first time… that was embarrassing,” he said. Even filled with someone else’s blood and lacking energy, Arun was a fast talker. He liked talking. It kept him occupied.

”Thank you for visiting,” he said. He’d already said it. Hadn’t he? Or had he just thanked her for the night before? Either way. ”What do you do? Why were you in the park?” he asked. He wanted his visitor to stay – best way to do that was to keep her talking.

[Ainsley (DELETED 8973)]

Ainsley nodded at the question before she smiled at Arun warmly about his brother. "Good!" She all but exclaimed, though it was good on a lot of accounts. Everyone seemed to have been treating him good, which was all anyone could ask for. How many stories had she heard about a grouchy nurse, or a doctor with a horrible bedside manner? Too many.

When he mentioned the bathroom, Hannah glanced towards it. It could have been embarrassing for many reasons, none of which she would ask about. Whatever it was, Ainsley decided it was too personal an area and topic to talk about. "You don't have to thank me. Just seemed like the right thing to do. Though, I could have called. I just didn't know how you would be doing." She admitted before pointing to the card she made. "I make greeting cards. Something different for the person who wants to be different." Okay, so not a great slogan, but it was rare to find her cards in multiple households (which could be a good or bad thing).

"I was walking. Taking a short cut through the park to go home. I saw someone come in the way we must have all came in, and then heard the gunfire." She nodded, indicating that was pretty much the story, and it had been. There was no precise reason as to why she had been there, but she wasn't comfortable telling that story to just anyone. "Word of advice, I would stay away from that place. I heard a lot of...chaos down there." That summed it up nicely, and Aisnely felt obligated to warn him, if he couldn't remember.