Participants:
| Scene Title | Substitute Healer |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Abigail with Chuck, show up at the Teterboro Airport |
| Date | May 26, 2009 |
Teterboro Airport is the oldest operating airport in the NYC area; technically over the border into New Jersey and yet a mere twelve miles from Manhattan, it's officially considered a 'reliever' airport for any issues that may come up or traffic at the other airports in the area. It's very popular with corporate and private aircraft… amongst those, Chicago Air.
There's a large aircraft hangar and offices designated for Chicago Air, and there's been a call ahead to let a Ms. Beauchamp and a Doctor Pepper through the gated fence around it. A plane's just set down in the grey morning light, the steps rolled up to the side of the vehicle and a few beefy-looking men in maintenance uniforms are carrying a stretcher carefully down to ground level, with Xiulan secured upon it to keep her from rolling off.
"Be careful," Cardinal calls up, wearing a black jacket with the Chicago Air logo across the back, rocking on his heels down on the tarmac as he waits, one hand clenching and relaxing by his side. He's wearing shades, so his eyes are unseen, but the story is written on his face. And it's not a pleasant one.
"They better be careful," Xiulan grumps as she pushes up on her elbows and glares at the beefy-looking litter bearers. It is after a momentary pause that a wry smile touches her lips and she notes almost jovially. "You know, if you guys had loincloths, this would perfect." The smile, however, is replaced with a grimace as she flops back on the stretcher and does her level best to ignore the throbbing pain in her right thigh. "I seriously hate this, Card." Seriously.
Abigail had borrowed a car, someone's car, and now she, with the Chuck, aka Dr. Pepper and a plastic hanging case of Pepsi are making their way to the hangar. Going as fast as Chuck can safely make it. Xiulan on the litter garnering a wince from the red head, even at this ungodly hour in the morning.
Chuck following behind Abigail quickly, "What is the rush? I umm let me hold your hand I am still fumbling with my sight." But still managing to follow behind some what close.
"You'll be up and running in no time," Cardinal reassures her in rather wry tones, his head shaking, "So quit your bitchin', you get a litter and everything…" As the stretcher's set down, he takes a step over before noticing the approach of the pair, a look of relief washing over his face. One hand lifts, and he raises his voice in a call over the field, "Abigail!"
"I should have gone for the jerks throat right off the bat," Xiulan mutters. "Won't make /that/ mistake, again." At the shout, the tattoo artist pushes up on her elbows again, a broad smile touching her lips as she casts a wave to Abby. "Abby!" Woot. Mind you, she flops right back down and casts a glare at the nearest litter-bearer. Why? Cause she's in pain, grumpy and well, because she can. "Who's that with her," is uttered a bit more quietly to Cardinal.
'Richard!" Taking Chucks hand she's happy to guide him towards where they're going. "the man's voice is Richard, and the woman's voice is a friend of mine. Very close friend"
Chuck nodding, "Alright, then I suppose I was just back up in case? Well, just let me know what you need then." Holding on to Abigail's hand as to make sure he did not let go. As they moved swiftly to her friends.
"I don't know, she said she'd be bringing this Doctor Pepper guy," Cardinal replies, his hand dropping to slide over the back of Xiulan's own… and then away, as he takes a step from the stretcher, watching them draw nearer. "Hey," he greets, his tone casual, "This must be Doctor Pepper, eh?"
"Doctor…. Pepper?" No, Xiulan does not think Cardinal is serious, that much is clear from the smirk that touches her lips. "Nice, even *I* understand that reference, babe." Lolling her to the side as the pair approach, Xiu reaches out for Abby and actually whimpers. "I been shot… Fiiiiiiix it, Abby." Okay, so that was awfully pathetic, but hey!
Abigail looks to Chuck, a grimace on her face. 'No Chuck, you're.. it. I'll explain, later, at some point, but you're gonna have to do the healing" There's a soft sigh. "I can't right now" but then they're getting close. "Richard, meet Dr. Pepper. Dr Chuck Pepper meet Richard and Xiulan. Xiulan's going to be who your fixing up" No matter how Pathetic it is that Xiulan looks, Abby can't fix her. "Richard, can I.. talk to you?"
Chuck nodding as he looked over at the man, his visions slightly blurring as his nervousness as to the sudden situation of getting dragged here without any notice or idea of what was going on, but he was here regardless. Then glancing down at the woman on the stretcher and offering a comforting smile, "Yes, Doctor Chuck Pepper is here to take care of you." Now unable to hide his chuckle. "No one ever believes the name." Swatting down, "Okay, now that we are past the pleasantries, I am going to have to touch you, to be exact I will need to lay my hands on to your skin around the wound. Will that be okay?" As he is not hovering over the woman waiting for an answer as Abigail and Richard step away leaving just Chuck and Xiulan.
Oh, yeah, that look, statement, and particularly the ominous pause can't mean any good at all. Cardinal looks at her for a moment, before bringing one hand up, fingertips pinching the bridge of his nose in a motion that pushes the shades up a little bit. "Great," he mutters under his breath, "More bad news, as if I haven't gotten enough in one day. Do a good job, Doc, she took the wound in a good cause."
The hand drops, and he moves to step along off to one side, gesturing for Abby to follow, "Sure, c'mon. Lay it on me, babe."
What? "Wait…" He's fixing her? Blinking once, Xiulan glances from Abby to Doctor Pepper to Richard and back to Abby. "What's going on?" Curious? Heck yeah she is curious. She's also not real sure about Doctor Pepper. She does, however, manage to offer a polite, albeit tight, nod to the man. "Um. No offense, Doc. I mean, I just don't know you, you know?"
And then he is talking about touching her and it is about all Xiulan can do not to lash out. Fortunately, she doesn't deck the healer. She does, however, note in tight tones, "Okay… just… go easy, Doc." She does, however, glance over toward Abby and Card, one brow arching as her gaze sweeps back to Chuck. "So, how long you known Abby, Chuck?"
Abigail moves far enough away from Chuck and Xiulan calling over "He's good Xiulan" Before she looks to Cardinal. "Something happened. I can't heal anymore. It's, my gift is in possession of someone else. I haven't told many people, but Chuck can do what I do. He can fix Xiulan"
Chuck closing his eyes and he slightly flinches as he feels the blood get on his hands and the wound. "Ooh this must hurt." Making the obvious statement, "Well, actually, me and Miss Abigail are just professional acquaintances. I hope that is alright." Now fully resting his hands on Xiulan's wound, "Oh my looks like the bullet entered from the back and blew out the front. But in the process almost shattering your femur. You lucky it's mostly in place but you have bone shards all in your leg. This is going to take a minute." Beginning his commentary, "First lets get the bone back together." Taking in a deep breath as now the bones shards start to move back to the femur. If someone was looking at the thigh they would see her thigh moving rather awkward as though the muscles were flexing and trying to move things around inside the leg. But it was seeming to be moving on it's own. But causing no pain to the patient in fact while he hands where on her she felt no pain it was like he naturally put some sort of natural anesthesia in the area.
Smiling now as his bone was now healing, "Well, good now that bone is back together. Okay I will need to place my other hand under your leg on the entry wound." Only giving her warning before he moved his hand and placing it on the entry wound while leaving his other hand on the exit wound.
"What? Your…" Cardinal stares at her for a moment, and then he slaps the heel of his hand to his brow, head falling back. "Case. Tyler… fucking… Case. Jesus Christ." A grimace twists to his features, and he glances back to the stretcher, "We need to fucking find that guy— alright. Alright. How good is this Pepper guy? I've got a… weird case that just came up. One of Logan's Evolved goons turned a… friend of mine's hand into fucking bone."
"Yea…" Xiulan's words are cut off as her muscles start to move on their own, her brows furrowing as she lapses into blatant staring. It is only once she realizes that it doesn't hurt that she glances back up at the doc's face and notes. "That is about the grossest thing I have ever seen." Oi. Vey. Course, she smiles when she says it, her shoulders rising and falling in a slow shrug, hands bracing on the litter beside her hips. "Oh, it hurt alright. Don't worry though, Doc, we got serious payback." And then some. And from her tone she's intending to get a lot more of it. "So, how long you been doing this trick," is asked curiously.
She has a name to the man who did this to her. Tyler Case. "I don't rightly know. I've healed him, not he me. His eyes are still funny, but.. You can ask him" Abigail murmurs, looking over and watching Xiulan. "I'm sorry Richard, I would do it, if I could but… I can't"
Chuck ignoring any comments except for anything that his patients might say. Smiling as his eyes are still closed, "Oh well, a few years now.. I run an clinic in…the Little Italy district." As a bead of sweat now rolled down his forehead. Shaking slightly now as unknowing to Xiulan her tissues in her leg was now regrowing and reattaching itself to each other. "You are lucky, you got some of your muscles all torn up and most of the bullet left your thigh, though he was using hollow point hence all the bone damage on impact. You want a souvenir, because here comes a small shard from the bullet that was nicked off when it hit your bone. The bullet seemed to have tumbled out the front as it exited hence the rather large exit hole. Sorry don't mean to bore you."
His hand now slightly flinching as now the shard is in his hand, removing his hand away from the wound and setting it further up on her leg. Then moving his hand back over the wound, but if she took a quick look when his hand was removed she would have seen that the tissue was almost completely reformed/replaced and the wound was completely closed even under her leg. Now he placed his hand over the once open hole to finish up the last of the healing process. "You seemed to have lost a lot of blood. You have O positive blood. Well, okay you will feel your heart rate increase but that is alright." Giving a reassuring smile as his eyes are still closed and then squinting his eyes tighter as your heart rate increases and you are getting a sudden feeling of energy from the new blood now.
"Don't be ridiculous, it's not your fault that Case power-mugged you or something," Cardinal says with a tight shake of his head, offering her a faint and rueful smile, "Thanks for… findin' that guy and bringing him out here. You didn't have to, and I appreciate it, Abigail." He looks back over to the medic, then to the young woman, smile fading a touch, "Things're gonna get bad soon, you know."
"Definitely not boring, Doc," Xiulan murmurs. Blinking in response to the bullet shard being settled on her thigh. "And yeah, I will be keeping that." Pointedly picking up the little bit of metal, she cups it in her palm and sighs quietly. It is in response to the mention of blood loss that she dips her chin and smiles wryly. "There was a ton of blood, yeah. Probably didn't help that I was in the midst of hand-to-hand with one the shooter's buddies." Pause. "But they're all dead, so we're even." For now. Course, the sensation of growing new blood leaves her speechless, only the sound of her throat clearing as she glances over toward Cardinal and Abby. It is after a moment of consideration that she calls out, "You two going to share with the class, or am I in time out?"
Abigail looks over to Xiulan, another frown. She doesn't want to, not in front of Chuck, but at some point… especially if frankly, she'll be sending folks to him. "We should go over ad yes… Because it never gets any better" The red head sighs, her steps now taking her back to the reclining Chinese goddess. "Chuck is healing you because A man named Tyler Case hit me up in the alley while I was talking with someone. I can't heal anymore. I don't do anything anymore. I'm just… Abigail" Get it out, lay it out there. "Please don't let it be widely known, I'm still.. Some people think it might be temporary, I don't know. All i know is that I pray and.. there's nothing"
Chuck letting out a sigh as he is almost complete. Lastly making sure all the nerves and muscles were back in the proper place and all responding correctly. Forcing every muscle in her leg to move to make sure they were all responding and healthy. It was necessary but did it more or less to bring his patient back to him to make sure that she felt what her leg was doing, "Please your business is here with me right now not with them." Finally, opening his eyes and letting out a long deep sigh, "There I am finished and your leg is good as new. Though, I noticed a few things, you had torn some muscles during your play time but that is healed up now and all the bones shards in your legs are back in place, so you should have no problem. Also, you are full up on blood too." Smiling, a moment, "Anyone else hungry and thirsty here?" Falling down on his butt from his swatting position. "Sorry the only thing I can't fix is the holes in your pants. I am not a cloth tailor, just a body tailor." Smiling again as he was trying to focus his eyes on his patient now.
"I'm not going to tell a soul." Cardinal shakes his head as he heads back along with Abigail towards the no-longer injured woman and the healer— bringing a hand up to one of the maintenance guys that've been taking care of the plane, voice lifting in a shout, "Hey! Get some food over here, the doc's famished. Get a bottle've water for the guy, too, he came a long way."
A quick smile to Xiulan, then he looks to Chuck, "Thanks, Doc. I might… have somebody else for you to look at, but I don't know if you'd be able to do anything about it. He's on Staten, too…"
"Then just pray to pray, Abby," Xiu observes. "I mean, first off, we don't love you for your ability. Secondly, who am I going to tell? Cardinal? I mean, come on, he knows." Yes, she's making light of it. Of course she is, no reason to let the healer get all upset. "It'll come back, Abby. I mean, if it is from god? Who better then you to take of others." And yes, -that- is from the heart. Course, her leg is moving on it's own and /that/ is a pointedly unpleasant experience. "Wow, lets never do that again, Doc." And Doctor Pepper is on the receiving end of a smile. Full up on blood, too. "Kind like the Jiffy Lube of the medical world?" Ha. Course, Xiulan is immediately getting to her feet and testing the leg out. She has more then enough of being laid out, thank you. Course, Cardinal is beamed at and promptly leaned on, Xiu's chin settling on his shoulder. "Have I mentioned how much I -love- vertical?"
"I Pray for more reasons than my gift" Abigail points out. "But, that's why Chuck is here. He was all I could think of to help you." Whether it'll come back or no… She's not going to touch that. She won't get her hopes up. She wants it ever so desperately to come back. "Thanks you Dr. Pepper. For coming" One of the Pepsi's she has if offered to the physician, the caffeine to help bolster him.
Chuck looking at the woman a bit fuzzy and attempting to squint his eyes to better focus. "Ah, sure I guess you would call me the medical equivalent of a Jiffy lube. But I like to think I have a bit more class. Continuing to sit there on his butt for a few moments, "I shouldn't have healed you so quickly." Shaking his head and letting out a few sighs. "Generally something like that would take thirty minutes but in your case and you being Miss Abigail's friend, I couldn't waste a moment. Believe it or not that simple took but a few moments, but the cost was me being tired, I didn't even get a chance to eat before Miss Abigail got me, I had just finished up with a patient as well. Poor kid had a broken leg too." Slowly getting up and walking over to accept the Pepsi kind of blinding reaching out a couple of times before snagging it successfully from Abigail's hand, "How ironic a doctor pepper is drinking a Pepsi." Smirking at the joke. "Thank you, for the soda and I am just doing my job Abigail." Popping the soda open and taking a few drinks of it before lowering it.
As the Chinese woman tries out her newly-repaired leg, Cardinal lifts a hand to help steady her— fingers sliding down the line of her back as she leans in against him, arm curling about her. "At least now you'll stop bitching," he teases lightly, looking back to Chuck with a rueful smile, "The boys'll get you something to eat. Might just be a sandwich from the fridge, but I'll treat you to dinner sometime if you want." A pause, "Do you, uh, mind if I bring another guy to come see you, Doc? His affliction's a little… weird… an Evolved fucked with his hand. I'm hoping you can fix it, though."
"Who got messed with?" Xiulan asks as she glances up at Cardinal's face. Frowning faintly, she exhales a sigh, one arm settling around Card's waist as she glances back at the Doc and smiles. "And if you ever have the urge to get a tattoo? Let me hook you up, won't take but a moment, despite what you want and it's completely pain free." Apparently, Xiu's feeling less secretive about being evolved. At least with regards to the healers. "So," she adds in an aside to Cardinal. "We're going after the bastards that shot us down, right?" Cause, if not, she's gotta start making her own plans for revenge.
Abigail just eases back, letting Cardinal and Xiulan get some face time. They're an item, sorta. So she eases down, taking a Pepsi for herself and cracking the cap.
Chuck nodding, "Err, well I don't see why not. As long as he still has a hand then I am sure I can assist your friend. Just can't get to drained in a day or I won't be able to get myself home on my own power, I would have to have poor Abigail carry me home." Then out of nowhere a man appears with a sandwich for Chuck that was wrapped in cellophane. Accepting the sandwich with a simple, "Thank you." Quickly opening up the sandwich and eating it slowly along with drinking his Pepsi. Nodding at the woman as to the tattoo offer, "Ah, maybe someday.." Taking a seat on the ground. Seeming a bit wore out. Doing a process that would normal take a hour to do he just did in a matter of 5 minutes.
"I'll bring him to you, then, he… still has a hand, it's just been ossy-fied or something," Cardinal's nose wrinkles in a brief grimace, "I still need to check in on him and find out what the fuck the guy did — and, Tuck, babe. The guy who runs the poker game?" He shakes his head, "I appreciate it, Doc, I really do. You got a card?"
Tuck. "Oh. Ossy-fied?" Apparently that isn't a word Xiulan knows. She does, however, step away from Cardinal at least long enough to give Doctor Pepper a hug. "I really appreciate you coming out here and fixing me up, Doc." That said, the man is released and she sighs as she returns to leaning against Cardinal. "So, we need to talk, babe. I mean, I /need/ to learn to fire a weapon. I need to learn your other skills, as well." Yeah, it's /so/ time to get serious.
Chuck nodding, "I do." Reaching into his pocket and holding out a card. "I have an assistant that works for me that takes my messages so that I am not being disturbed with patients. But my clinic is in the Little Italy district. Look me up anytime. Though, I maybe getting a new assistant in the clinic but that is beside the point. Here is my card, I haven't got a cell phone yet. I think I would forget to charge it to be honest." Continuing to go back to his sandwich and his can of Pepsi.
"Turned to bone, or something," Cardinal says with a shake of his head to Xiulan, before reaching out to accept the card with a faint smile, "Thanks, Doc. I'll give you a call, then… Little Italy? A'ight, I know where that is. Again, I really appreciate this."
Xiulan grimaces at the explanation, her shoulders rolling as she shifts her weight from foot to foot in an effort to remind herself that her leg is functioning again.
"Come on Dr. pepper, I'll drive you home. You can rest in the car. We have traffic to beat home" The Red Head offers. "Call if you need anything from me Richard, Xiu. I'm glad your both alive" Goes without saying that the odds of them calling her to use her ability is nil. "Tell me when lessons start up again Xiu"
Chuck nodding, "Just glad I could help out. Besides my evolved state I am a certified Doctor with the Washington state board and the New York state board." Smiling again and nodding towards Abigail, "Okay, ready when you are." Making his way over to Abigail and ready to follow her out.
"I'm glad you're doin' alright, all things considered, Abigail," Cardinal nods over to the redheaded ex-healer, offering seriously, "And if you ever need anything, just call. Even jus' an ear. I've got your back, if you ever need it."
"Whenever you are ready, Abby," Xiulan offers with a smile. And before the redhead can take off, Xiulan is stepping in to hug her, brushing a friendly kiss over the healer's cheek. "Let me know if there is anything else you might need, alright? I mean, we can always just hang out, or go to lunch, or a movie." It doesn't have to be about healing or tattoos. Leaning back slightly, Xiulan gives another little squeeze, dark eyes crinkling at the corners. "Heck we could get really crazy and tattoo your whole body if you wanted." And it could be gone the next day, so it's all good.
There's a smile. Tattoo her whole body. What would it be like to have a huge koi fish on her abdomen, or her lower back. "I will. Do you both need a ride or are you good? I have to get chuck back to his clinic, but I can drop you off in Chinatown and Richard where he needs to be, I got the car for as long as I need it today" The physical contact form Xiulan is welcomed, hesitant at first an then it's a squeeze fest before letting go. 'Movies.. sound good. I took the week off from work and holed up in a ferryman place"
Chuck offering a friendly wave as to say good-bye, "Well, please call if you need anything. My clinic is easy to find since everyone knows about it in Little Italy, all you have to do is just ask." Standing a few feet back from Abigail as she was saying her farewells.
A step over, and Cardinal offers a brief, one-armed hug to Abigail if it's accepted. A quiet chuckle as he allows, "I'd offer, but I think I'm gonna be pretty fuckin' busy for awhile now… I'm good, I'll probably take the 'copter over. Xiu? I know you have to get back to the shop…"
"We'll do all of it then," Xiulan decides without so much as a pause. "As for a ride, yeah, that'd be great. I really need to check on the shop and get some things done." Tossing a smile over to Richard, she dips her chin in a nod. "Take care of business, babe. You know where I'll be when you're free." And, as soon as Abby's ready, she does accept that ride. Her shop is probably a wreck by now. Oi Vey.