And A-Healing We Will Go

Participants:

elisabeth_icon.gif hadley_icon.gif

Scene Title And A-Healing We Will Go
Synopsis Liz pays a visit to a healer who's willing. (OOC: Replaces a retcon due to misunderstandings)
Date July 26, 2009

Piece of Cake Bakery/Hadley's Apartment


Though she's moving stiffly, Elisabeth's injuries are far less severe than Helena's and other people's and she doesn't want to tax Mrs. Hadley's abilities beyond what is needed. So Liz waits until Sunday morning to maneuver herself out of Cat's penthouse to visit the healer to make sure the lady has time to recover if she needs it. In truth, Liz has no idea exactly how much energy it may take from the lady — Liz has only heard of her by reputation. Her assumption is based on what she knew of Abby's ability. Mostly, Liz just looks like she's had a rough weekend — her left arm is bandaged up and in a sling and she moves like her torso hurts as she makes her way to the door of the older woman and knocks.

The bakery is open, but at this time of morning everyone is in church already; it's not particularly busy. Mrs. Hadley is bustling around in the front, eyeing the display carefully from the customer-side. At the sound of the bell, her automatic carol rings out: "Welcome to the Piece of Cake!" The smile sent at Elisabeth turns into a concerned expression almost as soon as the woman walks in. "Oh, dear!"

Elisabeth clears her throat and glances around. "Good morning," she says quietly. "Catherine sent me over, Mrs. Hadley. I hope…. that it's not too much an imposition?" she asks with a rueful smile. She's wearing a pair of comfortable sweatpants, a T-shirt, and sneakers. "I'd kinda like to be able to get back to work tomorrow, if it's at all possible."

"Catherine, dear? I don't remember anyone by that name." Mrs. Hadley lifts her voice to call out, "Brian! Watch the front for a moment!" And with that, she's setting a hand at Elisabeth's other arm and starts urging the younger woman towards the stairs. "But you come on upstairs and we'll see what we can do, dear." That a stranger would turn up on her front shoppe-step and need healing doesn't seem to worry or even faze her much. Just another day in New York City.

Glancing warily toward the back, Elisabeth follows Mrs. Hadley through the store to the stairs and makes her way up them far more slowly than she usually would. The climbing part is definitely paining her. But she makes it with a minimum of fuss. And once they're upstairs, she offers, "I hope that it's not too much of a problem, ma'am."

Whoever Brian is, he doesn't come out soon enough to see much. Mrs. Hadley closes the door behind once they're upstairs — she shows no impatience at the time Elisabeth needs to climb — and urges the woman over to a comfy recliner with doileys on the arms. "Don't be silly, dear. If you can help, you do, and that's just the way the world ought to work. Has anyone told you about the details? Sit, sit, take a load off, you look absolutely exhausted."

Elisabeth grins faintly. "I've been told that it may impact my other abilities for a while, but other than that, no … no details." She lowers herself gratefully into a chair. "Only that you might be able to help me get back on my feet, since I'm not missing a limb or anything."

"Well, it doesn't look like you're going to die at any moment," Mrs. Hadley assures, with a quick grin to cement that fact. She drags a footstool over for herself and takes a spot kitty-corner, so she can reach out and wrap hers around Elisabeth's undamaged hand. "So, you'll have a few hours when you won't be able to use whatever gift you have." It doesn't sound like the old woman knows what it is, nor does she show any sign of caring for that matter. "I'll be turning it to help heal you very quickly, so it'll feel like you've just used it all up in a great burst. Does that make sense, dear? It won't be gone, just need time to recover."

Her blue eyes on the older woman are alert, though a little hazy from painkillers. "No, I'm not about to die. Just some … melted muscles," Liz grins a little. "I don't think I've ever used my ability to that level before. How long will it be out of commission?" Not that she uses it every day or anything anyway.

While she speaks, Mrs. Hadley's fingers brush slow and firm circles into the skin of Elisabeth's hand, an absently reassuring touch. "Oh, only a little while. A few hours, if that long. It's never exact, dear. What about the body is, after all? But it's started now, so we'll just give it a bit more to get to working properly, hmm?"

Power turned inwards, turned to self: what does it feel like, to have the sound of a heartbeat thudding (shockwave ripples, not just the beat but the pressure) against the inside? Under the skin, breaking apart the damage, settling everything into place like a puzzle arranging itself while it hops up and down on a big bass drum? The sensation grows the longer the old woman holds her hand. It isn't painful, just… strange.

The sensation is… odd. And Elisabeth catches her breath, jerking upright suddenly as sound waves thrum through her body in a way she's never felt before. Her eyes fly to Mrs. Hadley and she almost pulls her hand away, but she's been assured that the woman is good at her job. It just feels something like standing in front of a subwoofer set on high. "Oh…" she murmurs in surprise. "That is… the oddest feeling ever." But the pain is going away very quickly, and for that she's very grateful.

Not just the pain. The painkillers are speeding away as well; they're nothing more than chemistry interfering with the body's ability to feel a hurt, after all. "I'm told it can be," Mrs. Hadley agrees with a little laugh, keeping her hold even through the jump. It's a practiced grasp. "Different for everyone, after all. There we are, almost done, sweetheart." With the damage healed, the shuddering pound that ought to be shaking the entire apartment and instead is only rattling around against the underside of Elisabeth's skin, turns to a new purpose. The little things go next. Tiny scars, the toxins that build up from muscle use, even the need for sleep, they all fade away. When she lets go, it's like the younger woman just spent a week or more at an amazing day spa sleeping the days and nights away. Her nails weren't painted, but an old busy body can only do so much.

"Good lord… I feel…. bizarre," Elisabeth says with a grin. "Amazing, but… bizarre." The feel of sound pulsing through her body just makes her whole body feel like it's humming. "How long does this sensation last again?" Because it's sort of a high, really.

Unfortunately, it's already starting to fade. "Oh, probably not much longer now, dear." Mrs. Hadley gives her arm a light patpatpat, then straightens to help pull the various splints and slings and the like off. The power… settles down. It's not gone, just rather heavily used in one big burst. Time for recovery.

Slipping out of the sling with help and unwinding bandages, Elisabeth flexes her hand and looks both grateful and relieved. "Wow…." She looks up at smiles. "Mrs. Hadley… I can't begin to give you enough thanks." Abigail's healing feels amazing, but this is a different kind of sensation. She's actually somewhat sorry to lose that feeling, it was nice. Different!

"You just hold onto these for a moment, and I'll go get a bag so you can take them home," Mrs. Hadley informs. It isn't until she rises that the stiffness of her own motions becomes clear. It isn't over the top, just a faint pallor, a slight creak of bones. Tiny signs that it wasn't entirely free and clear for her. Still, she gives Elisabeth's shoulder another patpatpat and heads for the kitchen. "Seeing you ready to bounce around the room is thanks enough, dear. Just try not to get yourself hurt again, hm?"

She looks worried and moves to stand. "Mrs. Hadley, can I get you anything?" Elisabeth asks gently. She hates that a healer may take on her pain. "Let me get you a cup of tea so you can rest a moment."

One of those knitted-tube things is stuffed full of plastic grocery bags. Mrs. Hadley tugs one from the hole in the bottom and offers it back to Elisabeth. Her smile is weary, but whole. "I need to get on downstairs, dear. Do you need to take a shower or anything before you head out yourself? Clean up any mess?" Bleeding isn't a clean process very often.

Elisabeth shakes her head slightly. "No, ma'am. I'll wash up in the sink, if you don't mind." She was pretty heavily bandaged, so they soaked up anything that leaked out of the stitches that Sal put in. "Thank you," she says quietly. "I appreciate it." She goes ahead and tucks her things into the plastic bag and does in fact use the sink to wash her arm, and then she vacates Mrs. Hadley's apartment as quickly and quietly as she came.

"You come back if you need anything else, but don't go stubbing your toe just to see me, dear," Mrs. Hadley notes to the younger woman with a quick flicker of a grin. "Just stop by the bakery, hmm? Good luck."

Liz grins at Mrs. Hadley. "Count on it, ma'am. Cops just love baked goods," she says cheekily.


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