Participants:
Scene Title | Of Cacti and Cops |
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Synopsis | Ygraine visits Trask in hospital. Conversation turns to friends, and being shot by them. |
Date | December 27 2008 |
St. Luke's Hospital is known for its high-quality care and its contributions to medical research. Its staff place an emphasis on compassion for and sensitivity to the needs of their patients and the communities they serve. In addition to nearby Columbia University, the hospital collaborates with several community groups, churches, and programs at local high schools. The associated Roosevelt Hospital offers a special wing of rooms and suites with more amenities than the standard hospital environment; they wouldn't seem out of place in a top-rated hotel. That said, a hospital is a hospital — every corridor and room still smells faintly of antiseptic.
Trask's room is done up for the holiday season, a minature Christmas tree is posted next to his bed where flowers normally go, he sits in not the normal gown, but a terry clothe robe, watching saturday morning cartoons.
Given the somewhat more clement turn in the weather, Ygraine is able to spare the invalid the glare of her day-glo rider's waterproof coveralls, instead arriving in a less eye-wrenching outfit of biker's leathers - albeit with the flag of the United Kingdom across the back of her jacket.
She arrives bearing a small, festively-wrapped box and a card, knocking politely upon the door before poking her head around it. "Ahh… hi. And belated Merry Christmas. Elisabeth said you'd welcome a visitor…."
Trask blinks, upon seeing who it is, and smiles a little weakly, his left arm is in a sling, and his left leg is propped up still, kept straight. "Ygraine…I didn't expect to see you here."
Ygraine chuckles softly, offering him a sheepish grin and a slight shrug. "I can disappear as rapidly as you'd like me to. But…." She ventures inside, moving close enough to hold out the card to him. The leaf of the envelope has simply been tucked into the fold, rather than sealed shut, leaving it comparatively easy to open even one-handed. "I'd been trying to leave messages for you, and getting rather frustrated that you weren't bothering to get back to me. I'd just started to get worried when Elisabeth picked up on my next attempt… and she told me where to find you. And that she thought you might welcome someone calling in."
Trask says, "I didn't ask you to leave. I'm sorry…I think my phone got lost in the fight. Liz must have picked it up, or had my calls forwarded. Especially the first couple of days I didn't get much chance to answer it."
Ygraine offers another chuckle, moving to perch on the visitor's chair. "Yeah. I felt rather guilty", she confesses. "Though you don't need to sell me the gas main explanation. Whatever elements of truth there might be in it… "gas main explosion" was the line used in World War II by the British government to try to cover up developments in German rocket technology. It became a popular byword for "blatantly obvious cover-up", so I can't help but feel… wryly amused to hear it now. But, ummm - belated Merry Christmas, anyway. I'm glad to see you sitting up and talking."
Trask chuckles, "This was actually friendly fire, from another cops weapon, they…got confused, visibility was very bad…between the explosion and the weather." He starts to open the card.
The image is an artistic photograph, apparently taken from somewhere high in a snow-clad mountain-range, of the sun rising through a sea of clouds. White turns to pink and gold, mile-long shadows are cast by peaks, and the sky is filled with light.
'Merry Day after Boxing Day!
Hope that the hospital Christmas dinner was good, and that you recover soon.
Ygraine'
Ygraine winces, then nods. "I was out in the weather myself - missed the whole event happening, as a result. Trying to get a few deliveries made through the blizzard, using my motorcycle to complete contracts that simply couldn't be done by pedal-cycle any more…."
Trask says, "Liz brought me a christmas dinner, so I didn't have to try to Turkey alaking. Your lucky then. I'm sorry I wasn't able to get more info on your friends…"
Ygraine winces, then shakes her head. "I think I can tell you this, since you'd run into it if you did go poking. They were kidnapped. One's believed dead. The other's free. It's now a federal case. But… sorry. I'd not been going to dump that on you."
Trask nods slowly, "Well…the Feds will find out the truth then, I did some asking around but….I'm sorry about your friend.
Ygraine nods meekly, then forces a smile. "Thank you for trying, in any case. I… I know you didn't have to. And inter-department politics can be nasty enough even when you've got official reason to nose around outside your normal area of operations."
Trask smiles softly, "So you visiting someone else as well?" He nods to the box.
Ygraine looks confused, glances down, blinks, then laughs and shakes her head. "No, no." She leans forward, offering the item in question to Trask. "Just undo the ribbon and the lid should lift off…"
Trask pulls on the ribbon, as directed, when it comes undone he lifts the lid.
Within is a miniature flowering cactus. "I figured that I might as well get something easy to look after, and… well. That seemed like it might be a little different to most of the flowers you were likely to get while in hospital…." Ygraine offers another sheepish smile and shrug.
Trask smiles and attempts to lift it with one hand out of the box, "It's lovely, thank you." He chuckles softly, "You know you didn't have to come by."
Ygraine nods. "I know. But… I'd like to think that you're not on some sort of surveillance operation that would require you to be nice to me beyond what'd normally be required of a police officer. I'd like to think that I was nice anyway, but I definitely try to be nice to people I notice being nice to me…. And Elisabeth seemed to think that you might appreciate a little company."
Trask chuckles softly, "Yes this is all part of a big conspiracy to gain your trust, thats why I had a fellow officer shoot me, to get your sympathy." He chuckles and shakes his head, "Your a nice girl, Ygraine, there doesn't always have to be an ulterior motive, and I do apprciate it, very much."
Ygraine sticks her tongue out, then grins. "And I was _trying_ to suggest to you that maybe people might just want to be nice to you because of their experiecnes of you being so to them…."
Trask chuckles, "I know what you were suggesting, I was giving you a hard time about it.
Ygraine blows a raspberry this time. "You must be feeling better, if you're up to tormenting your visitors", she observes with a smile. Have… how's the person who hit you doing?"
Trask says, "She…is dealing with it, it wasn't her fault…it was a comlete white out, and there was a man next to me, shooting at her…she was just trying to help."
Ygraine chuckles softly. "I'm not asking if you blame her - I was wondering how she was doing with not blaming herself." She shrugs gently. "Not that it's my business, I admit."
Trask nods to the tree, "She seems to be over compensating some… but… I am hoping to have a talk with her, after I get out, and make sure shes ok.
Ygraine glances to the tree, quirking a smile at it. "Maybe she just thinks you're nice, too", she suggests, but does bite back on giving voice to the speculative thoughts occurring to her at present. "I hope that you both get over this without lasting damage."
Trask says, "I do too…we are good friends, I hope nothing changes."
Ygraine offers him what she hopes is an encouraging smile. "So… have you had enough of a random Brit's company? Or should I just shut up and let you get back to watching holiday-time TV?"
Trask smiles softly, "If you have somewhere else to go I won't keep you, but you're not exactly bothering me."
Ygraine chuckles. "I can keep you company for a while, if you like. Though I'm afraid that for all my extensive track-record of injuries, I've got no experience to share on how best to go about recovering from gunshots…."
Trask chuckles, "This is my first actually, and my 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th."
Ygraine winces sharply. "Ow! _That_…? Ow. I'm impressed that you're sitting up at all", she says. "Ouch. I've mostly just broken things and torn muscles and ligaments…."
Trask says, "Well two of them were caught by the vest, so they don't really count." He smiles, "I guess I'm not very entertaining.""
Ygraine laughs, shaking her head. "That still leaves five… and aren't I meant to entertain you? I'm afraid I've not done a very good job…."
Trask smiles, "So what have you been doing lately?
Ygraine chuckles. "Most recently? Rather a lot of riding through snow on a motorcycle. Even in a blizzard, some people'll call up a pedal-cycle courier company and ask them to deliver something…. More personally? I'm due to take my fiancee off to meet my parents, tomorrow. Flying over to Britain. We spent Christmas Day itself with her family, so I'm taking her to Edinburgh for the New Year celebrations there, and to meet my own folks…"
Trask smiles, "I hope you and Jennifer have a wondeful time."
Ygraine grins. "So do I. Do you have any plans for when you get out of here, or what you intend to do?"
Trask says, "4 weeks of sitting at home on my new playstation, then 12 weeks of paperwork at the police station….pretty full schedule."
Ygraine chuckles softly. "Well, if you need a hand breaking in some of the games…."
Trask chuckles softly, "A hand breaking huh?" He grins, "It was another chistmas present."
Ygraine winces, then sticks her tongue out again as she blushes. "That wasn't meant to be a crack at the sling. But… sure. I'll gladly help you get the most out of it."
Trask grins, "How long you spending in Scotland?
"Only a week or so. We should be back a couple of days after the New Year. And then… should be returning there later in the year, for the civil partnership ceremony…." Ygraine smiles bashfully. "Not that it's recognised in most states over here, of course. But…"
Trask smiles, "I am very happy for you….." He lies back looking a little drained
Ygraine cocks her head, expression concerned. "Want me to go?", she asks gently. "Or would you prefer companionable TV-watching in silence?"
Trask says, "It's up to you, I just…don't have as much energy as I use to."
Ygraine nods thoughtfully. "If you want anything, let me know. I'll stay for a while. Close your eyes and have a rest, if you like."
Trask smiles, "Thanks Ygraine."
Ygraine shakes her head. "You're most welcome. It's not much, but I'm glad to do it. Now let yourself relax and get some rest…"
December 27: Float On |
December 28: Darkest Before the Dawn |