Terrible Patient

Participants:

lynette_icon.gif ryans3_icon.gif

Scene Title Terrible Patient
Synopsis The pair meet up for the first time since the dome came down and Ryans learns about the power-swapping incident.
Date March 10, 2011

Pollepel Island: Ryans' Room


He wasn't in the infirmary where he was suppose to be, Benjamin Ryans cot was empty. Leaving one of the infirmary workers flustered that he slipped out yet again while their back was turned. He was still weak from the infection and the stab wound hadn't been healing all that fast.

Yet he still attempted to slip out numerous times, mostly to be drug back by a patient redheaded nurse.

This time, Benjamin is determined not to go back. The infection was subsiding and the wound finally showing some progress, but he was absolutely at the end of his patience. He doesn't like being stuck laying around.

So he isn't. There will be the sound of someone rummaging around when Lynette approaches his room. Inside, the co-leader of Special Activities is rummaging through a chest of clothing, pulled from under his bunk. Lengths of dark brown hair, clings to a forehead damp with sweat from the effort it took to get there. He seems gaunt and thinner then normal, eyes sunken from the illness. Luckily, it won't take long for him to recover that healthier look.

The bandage on his stomach is clearly visible as he is still bare from the waist up, clad only in a pair of gray sweats they threw on him to give him something other then the blood incrusted jeans he had been wearing the day of the train theft. He holds up a button up shirt and tosses it on the cot, soon followed by a worn pair of jeans.

With one Lynette off in the city and one Lynette cut off from the pack — so to speak — and languishing in the flu side of the infirmary, there is but one useful Lynette on the island. And she had plans to correct how long it's been since she's talked to Ben Ryans. Not that she didn't peek her head into the infirmary now and then, but only briefly to check on him. And it was just now that she'd gone to see how he was doing to find him gone.

The responsible thing would have been to grab Megan and give her the heads up.

Instead, Lynette has been looking around for him on her own; a search which has led to his room. Jackpot. She peeks in, then slides over to lean against the doorway. "Last I heard," she starts, her tone a little amused, "Benjamin Ryans was terribly sick and bedridden. I guess that just goes to show how the rumor mill exaggerates things, hmm?"

The way his body goes ridged like a deer frozen in headlights, Benjamin Ryans knows he's been caught. "I'm fine." He grunts out grouchily, not looking at her at first, taking the time to put the chest away. Something that should be so easy, takes a bit more effort. And like usual, he repeats the same thing… "I have work to do."

Hands press against his knees, as he slowly rises to his feet. He feels exhausted, but he's working hard not to show it. Only once he's standing does Ryans finally look in Lynette's direction. He can't help but smile a little. "Hello, lovely lady," he rumbles out softly, though he doesn't yet move to approach her, yet. "You are a sight for old eyes."

He reaches down to grab up the dress shirt and moves to throw it on. It's amazing how a simple stab wound to the stomach can, make the move common acts painful. He grimaces as he tugs it on, but not bothering to button it yet.

"Hey, I'm not here to put you back in be— well. Not yet anyway," Lynette says with a crooked smile. But she gets more serious after a moment, "You're a grown man, no stranger to injury. I figure you know your own limits by now, and how far to push yourself."

Lynette smiles when he looks her way, and she chuckles a little. "It's good to see you, too. I'm glad you're out of all that mess." The dome, of course. When he starts to put on his shirt, she stands off of the wall and comes over to take care of those buttons herself. "I'm glad you're back," comes as a mild comment, even though that smile of hers gives away that there's more to it than that.

Head tilted down to watch her work at the button, Ryans is quiet, a hand moving to rest on her hip. A familiar gesture, a gentle weight though he has to work to not let his hand tremble too much. His gaze flickers up, blue watching her through lengths for dark hair, as if trying to read her. Head tilting ever so slightly.

"I'm glad to be back, as well," He murmurs softly, hand squeezing her hip a little. "Mission accomplished and then some, though I imagine I made some enemies there." A knowing smile touches his lips. He wasn't overly subtle, the surviving Institute now know he's still without the city… or near it. Not to mention the Humanis folks.

He studies her a moment longer before he asks, "Something's bothering you." Blame years of watching Mary make similar faces, or that he partially survived his job watching peoples body language. "What happened while I was gone?" What had people again neglected to tell him?

"Well," Lynette says as she glances up at him, "Only the dull people have no enemies." Her hands still to lay softly against his chest, but his observation makes her lift an eyebrow. "One of these days I'll get used to how you just know. Are you sure you're not secretly a telepath or something like that?" She looks down a moment, though, shaking her head softly.

"A bit ago, Brian and I were making a supply run and… some people from the institute found us. They had the armor and everything, which was good for me, at first. But ah… their leader, he switched our abilities. Like what happened to Hana. Now I have Brian's… multiplicity." She does try to deliver the news without too much emotion gumming things up, but the Institute coming straight for her? Her hands tighten around the cloth of his shirt and at this close proximity, he can tell she's the one trying not to tremble. But for her, it's in anger.

"You forget… I'm an old widower with two daughters," Ben softly teases, the deep words vibrate under her hands, before quieting to listens to her story.

Fingers tighten on her hip, a hand reaching up to curl his larger hand over her smaller one, but not to pull it from his shirt. It's there to comfort, to hold there. A glance would show her that anger is flashing in Benjamin's own eyes. But there is also a touch of fear that speeds the beating of his heart under their hands. He hopes she can't feel it.

Ryans' jaw tightens under his own feelings. The Institute has always been a rather sore subject for him. Though he takes a hold of one positive thing about it all. "At least, you're okay despite…" despite not having her ability. It's that small bit of relief that has him pulling her closer, maybe a touch protective, even as the hatred for the people that destroyed so many seethes under the surface.

He adds another reason to his long list of reasons he wants to see them go down. If he can with his help.

And Lynette takes that comfort willingly. Gladly. She leans against him for a long moment before there's a nod and she looks up at him again. "Yes, other than the switch, I'm alright. There was a bit of a scuffle, but I'm getting better at those. Slowly, but surely," she says with a small half-smile.

"At first I was just glad they left. Without taking us with them. But now I wonder if they aren't just trying to get on my nerves. I mean, I've had my ability for half of my entire life and my control is mostly second nature. Most of the time. But now I feel like such a novice. I wish I understood their game in this one." Sheridan she understood. Hated, but understood. This, though, she can't say the same for.

Fingers tuck blonde hair behind her ear, even as he looks distract. Eyes not even really watching the action of his own hand, mostly unfocused and lost in his own thoughts. What Lynette said turning over his mind, trying to see the reasoning.

When he palm of his hand comes to rest warm against the curve of her neck, Benjamin sighs heavily and he seems to focus on the councilwoman again. "It doesn't make sense," he agrees, head moving side to side slowly. "I would have expected they would take you in." Shut her away in a metal coffin. The thought bringing another surge of anger, grip tightening around her again.

It loosens again when he realizes he is feeling rather protective of the woman in his arms. Benjamin's brows tip down slightly, as he studies her. "I think you'll do okay," he finally offers with confidence. "You adapt well and easily from my experience."

"That's what I've been expecting, too. I'm not sure what to make of this. But I think the me that's over in the city might try to go see Richard Cardinal. Since it's his… future self calling the shots, maybe he has some insight into why this is going on." Lynette slides her hands up to wrap her arms around his shoulders, practicality falling away as worry comes to her features. "To tell you the truth, I was hoping they'd forgotten all about me."

That doesn't seem to be the case, though. "I am trying. I can't tell you how odd it is to be here looking at you and also being in New York City, walking through a park. I'm not sure I could do more than two. Not yet, anyway."

The mention of Richard Cardinal gets a press of lips, not actually a man he is all buddy buddy with. Probably tolerated mostly. But he does admit, "It is probably a wise move." He says with with a bit of a sigh.

"So two of you?" Ryans can't help but ask, brows lifting a little. "A useful talent." His tone stays even, thoughtful. The old man views the young man where the ability originated as a goof ball. Still not sure what to think of Brian. "There are time I wish I could be more then one place at once." Like there with her and finding out what his wayward daughters are doing. "I can't even imagine what that must be like."

"Technically there's three. But one of us is down with the flu. She got cut off," Lynette says, her tone hinting at just how unpleasant that experience was. "Cut off from me, and from the ability. I made the third one to make sure things were still working… properly. And then it seemed prudent to keep one here if I was going to the city… just in case something… happened.

"It does have it's perks, I'll give it that. But I miss my lightning. This just… isn't me. Not that I won't be taking full advantage of it, but once we figure out how to put everything back to normal, I will be extremely happy." Lynette looks up at him, her smile warmer as she notes, "I wouldn't argue with more Ben Ryans in the world."

"I know plenty of people that would argue that," Ryans counters gently, but there is a warm smile given in return. She can feel the pad of his thumb brush lightly along her jawline. "But you're right. It's not you, the ability you were born with defines you." Even if it was an ability that could hurt him if he pissed her off.

He keeps her held close very mindful of the stab wound, but she can probably feel his body shaking from, exhaustion. Ryans is still recovering after all, even his the look on his face says his thoughts are probably somewhere they shouldn't be right now. It's been awhile since he saw her after all.

"I can't help but wonder," Ryans starts softly, looking slightly amused at a thought. "How the strong emotions of one effect the other." His head dips down to press his lips to her's in a kiss that says that yes.. he really missed her.

"Ah well, they don't have my particular insight, I dare say." Lynette smiles more at that brush, but that look on his face gets one of her eyebrows arching upward. But no arguments. It has been a while.

His words make her breathe out a gentle laugh, but that kiss keeps her from replying. And she returns it, too, because she's missed him, too. And it's very possible there's a Lynette grinning like a fool somewhere in the middle of the city.

When the lips part, Ryans gives a content sigh and smiles down at her. Back of his fingers move to brush against her cheek and he even looks like he's going to lean in for another kiss. That kiss doesn't come as the tall man, suddenly sways and vision swims a bit. A reminder he's not quite up to par, yet.

In the privacy of the room, Ryans allows a huff of a chuckle to leave him as he steadies himself with a hand on her shoulder. "Hell of a kiss," he jokes, but the smile is one. "But.. I think I better lay down… just for a minute or two." That last added quickly, since he still insists he has work to do. Yet, he still reluctantly lets her go to sink onto the cot.

But just looking at him, he looks older at that moment and worn down. Exhausted really.

Ryans hates it.

Lynette does her best to help steady him, being careful about his wound. "Well, it's about time. I've been trying to sweep you off your feet for months," she says, teasing gently. But she nods about him laying down, and while she doesn't help him back into the cot, she does move to sit down next to it, slipping her hand into his.

"You know, this may just be the perfect opportunity for me to get you back for sitting with me through the withdrawal," she says, her smile gentle and crooked as she looks at him, but the worry is there, lingering behind her soft expression. "So if you need something, let me know."

There is a relieved sigh as he lays back on the cot. His cot. Ryans feels he can relax there, already eyes seem heavy. There isn't any drifting off yet, as he turns his head to watch her sit there on the floor next to him. His larger fingers lacing with hers.

The hand is brought up long enough for him to plant a gentlemanly kiss on the back of it, eyes watching her though. "Couldn't ask for better company." It might sound a bit cheesy, but it's true. Ben worries that having her there will make it hard for him to sleep, but it doesn't take long before he's out. A few minutes will stretch into a few hours.

At least, Ryans finally and successfully flew the coop.


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