(Untitled)

[gabriel_tam]

The room is fairly nice, all things considered. There are several chairs, a porta-cot set up discreetly against one wall for visitors that for one reason or another are reluctant to leave, and it's clear that whoever designed this particular private room in the first place intended to make it seem as warm and welcoming as possible

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[wolflord_andain]

Galadan, Mary's hand still held in his, opens the door to Gabriel's room after a brief exchange with one of the guards outside.

His tread is noiseless, and he raises a hand to caution Mary as they enter the room.

She, of course, may not be silent enough not to wake the Senator.

Galadan can make no provision for that.

[mmquitecontrary]

Mary isn't much concerned with silence at the moment, anyways.

As they enter the room, she pulls her hand out of Galadan's and runs immediately over (boots clattering somewhat on the pristine floor) to stare fiercely down at Gabriel Tam, attempting to ascertain with her eyes alone exactly what's wrong with him. And what the likelihood is that it will get worse.

[gabriel_tam]

Even asleep, he looks older, somehow, than he has previously, with a little more gray to his hair, a few more lines to his face.

Not to mention the neatly-stitched and bandaged wounds that run along the left side of his cheek and jaw and down his throat before disappearing under the neat line of the hospital gown.

There's a small clear tube -- a cannula -- providing him with oxygen. Even so, Gabriel's breathing is a little harsh, a little strained.

He stirs a little at the sound of her footsteps, mumbling something incoherent.

[wolflord_andain]

Galadan stays where he is, watching the door, the girl, and the man in turn.

Most especially he watches to see what Mary will do, and how Gabriel will respond.

There is much too be learned in moments such as these.

[regan_tam]

His hand in hers is still warm. Sometimes, if her thumb shifts to the right spot, she can feel his pulse.

She should move to the cot, she knows. She will soon, probably; her neck is still stiff from having dozed off in this armchair earlier. She's old enough for her bones to prefer a soft bed and a real pillow.

But she can feel her husband's pulse, and she's not falling asleep quite yet. So she'll stay a while longer.

And let her eyes drift closed. Just for a bit.

[gabriel_tam]

He stirs in his sleep, and his fingers tighten reflexively on hers.

Slowly, Gabriel comes awake, and as he does her face is the first thing he sees.

"Regan-- ài rén."

It's quiet, and he's a little hoarse, but there's a great deal of warmth in his voice all the same.

[regan_tam]

She's half asleep at best, and the sound of his voice brings her jolting back to awareness.

"Gabriel?" It comes out hushed, here in this hospital room where the only sounds are breathing and the low whirr of monitoring machines and the occasional mutter of a guard. It'll be another ten or twenty minutes before another nurse comes by.

But, no, he's awake -- drugged, yes, and bandaged and rasping, but awake, and her heart lifts to see it.

"Morning, xin gan," she murmurs with a smile, clasping his hand in both of hers now.

[gabriel_tam]

"Good morning," he answers, with a wry, crooked smile of his own.

"Have you gotten any rest at all?"

[night_hibiscus]

The height of the man, and the hieght of the bed, and last of all the height of Yuna, all factor together to require her to tilt up on the toes of her chunky hiking boots to get a full-body scan of the sleeping man through the lens of her staff.

She tries to be as quiet as she can, as the red and blue lights play on her face once again, but the posture is awkward and she is, perhaps, ill at ease, surrounded by the full might of a machina society, all bent on preserving one life.

There's a bell that hangs by a thin cord from the end of her staff; it jingles, clear and sweet among the beeps and gusts.

[simon_doctor]

Simon is standing between the bed and the door, watching.

If any of the hospital staff step in, he wants to be able to intercept and explain.

[gabriel_tam]

It's the clear chiming sound that does it -- Gabriel stirs and opens his eyes, blinking up at Yuna in confusion.

"Wŏ hăo-- I'm-- who are you?"

[night_hibiscus]

...whoops.

Yuna stills the bell with her free hand, and drops back on her heels. She darts a glance at Simon before speaking. "I'm Yuna. Simon brought me to check on you."

She speaks clearly and calmly; more self-possessed than a wisp of a seventeen year old girl really ought to be. "I was there, when you were--unconscious. In the bar."

"I'm sorry I woke you."

[gonna_live]

Kaylee is smart enough to be quiet.

Means she can sit and occupy herself with the book in her lap.

There's something leafy on the bedside table that wasn't there before; there are two small, colorful paper umbrellas neatly speared into the soil at the base.

[gabriel_tam]

It's some time before he stirs, coughing a little.

His breathing is ragged, with a small wheezing sound to it.

In his sleep, Gabriel's unconscious grimace of pain is unguarded.

[gonna_live]

Her head immediately turns to the table. The cup of water there is empty.

She closes the book, leaves it on the chair, and goes to the sink off in the corner -- there as discreetly as it can be, but -- it's still a hospital room, isn't it.

The sound of running water is quiet; she tests the stream with her thumb first to make sure it's cold.

[gabriel_tam]

His coughing is louder now, and then suddenly breaks off-- followed by a soft, weary curse.

He hasn't seen her yet.

[un_fallen]

A few days into Gabriel's stay when the security staff are less inclined to confiscate all cards from well-wishers on principle, a battered envelope addressed to the senator arrives. It says only:

Tam-Tam,

Looks like I owe you one.

-R

As though to drive home the point (assuming there is a point), the envelope also contains one wooden tile bearing the letter R.

[gabriel_tam]

He's alone in the room when the attendant brings in the mail. She's cheerful and efficient and vanishes quickly. Gabriel's just as glad, really; he's tired of pretending to feel better than he does.

Five seconds after he reads the letter, there's no hope of pretending. The high, buzzing whine of a medalarm cuts through the air as the shock knifes through him, sending his heart rate jolting upwards at the same time that his breathing turns into a series of ragged gasps.

[wolflord_andain]

Galadan was not precisely lurking in the corridor, but he can hear the medalarms well enough, and it is the work of a moment for him to slip inside the room.

There is no immediately visible threat, but that does not always mean much.

When the nurse finally leaves, assured that the Senator is in no danger of immediate death, Galadan steps closer to the bed.

"Gabriel?"

[gabriel_tam]

"Galadan."

Gabriel sounds tired. One fist is clenched tightly around something small, and there's a partially crumpled letter lying on the bedside table.