Xanadu Weyr – Infirmary
The infirmary here is intended for human care. It is spotless and smells of disinfectant, cots are lined up against one wall, a curtain can be pulled to give some privacy to the occupants of the cots if they so desire. A cabinet stands off against another wall, instruments and medications stored against when they will be needed. A couple of curtained off beds are used for examinations of patients and the treatment of minor injuries which won't require long term care. A desk with chair is just off of the doorway for the healer to sit and catch up on record keeping after a long days work.
D'had has been in the infirmary far too long for his liking. Okay, so its only been a few short days that the healers have managed to keep him here thus far but he's still not happy with it. At the moment it would appear that all of those on duty are otherwise occupied, which only means its the perfect time for him to make his escape attempt. He's already out of bed and found cloths and boots though his jacket is still missing. A little trail of blood across his forearm leading back to where he took it upon himself to remove the IV they'd put in. While a jacket might be nice to have this evening he's not about to take the time to look for it - opportunity is limited after all so he's on his way out now.
Natali is not a frequent visitor to infirmaries, mind. In fact, the young woman makes it a pointed habit to stay as far away from healers and their bedside manners and their possets and all sorts of well … scary healer-type things, that unless she was dying of some ague or bleeding profusely, she was going to avoid going to the doctors unless her life depended on it. Except, well, she's here now. And since she's not bleeding, hurt or anything out of the ordinary, it might be enough to make someone mighty suspicious. Emerging from one of the curtained off bed areas, the young greenrider's settling her jacket over her shoulders, exchanging a few words with the healer behind her, and a sharp nod. "Well, thank you." she's not exactly brusque, but clearly not at her ease here.
Well then Natali should certainly understand D'had's sentiments on the place given he's of the same point of view. He's not currently at risk of life, though when he was brought in those few days ago he was bleeding rather profusely. He's not now though, which is why he's taking it upon himself to be discharged without telling the healers. Yes, he is planning on strolling right on out the door with his bandaged hand. The sound of that healer's voice behind him does cause him to glance back over his shoulder however.
Indeed. There's no doubt that the greenrider is in quite a hurry to quit the place, her hand curled around a small satchel (hopefully not filled with nasty tasting possets or tinctures) and quite a stroke of luck for the bluerider, she happens to be standing between him and the healer, who flips the curtain back as soon as Natali's made it clear she was making a run for it out into open air. "Shells," she's muttering. "Hate this place." Her path's carrying her right towards a fellow escapee, no doubt.
"Tell me about it," D'had agrees with the young woman's comment as she comes up behind him as they reach the infirmary door. "Ain't no good at sittin' round doin' nothing but waitin' for 'em ta ya somehting they already said and ya don't care ta hear again." Preturbed with healers? Signs point to yes.
"And the needles, they're just waiting to poke you with needles." Yes, Natali has a healthy suspicion of healers. "Or fuss over you worse than my old aunt Lizabe, and cluck their tongues at you as if they caught you doing something wrong." The greenrider doesn't make any comment regarding the fact that D'had is up and out of bed, as far as she's concerned, he's headed in the same direction as she is - out, and that's all that matters. "Don't know why they wouldn't let you go home." she comments to him. "Probably get better there anyway, rather than in this … " a face is made … "place."
D'had chuckles. "I hear ya on that. Always fussin over something." As for why they wouldn't let him go home, "They wanna 'keep an eye on things' or something. Way I figure ifin I need 'em I know where ta find 'em an' if they wanna check on me they can come check. But I got better things ta do with my time."
Natali does manage a giggle then, easing her way down the aisle to the exit with as much haste as she can muster without well … drawing undue attention. There's always that one healer who just /had/ to remember something they needed to tell one, especially if they see one running away. "Fuss fuss fuss. Bloody useless healers, the lot of them." Of course, it's not likely that were she actually dying or something, Natali wouldn't think they were useless, but as long as she isn't, they are. Interesting paradox, there. "Can't blame you." she puts in. "It must be boring sitting here all day too."
D'had nods in complete agreement. "Yeah, they come in every so often and poke at it," he explains nodding towards his bandaged hand. "Make a face, make some notes don't tell ya how nothin's goin' and tell ya get some rest till they come again," he mutters not sparing any love on the crafters.
"Ick," Natali makes a face, "I hate it when healers just poke and prod, like they were examining you for cooking or something." She shrugs her shoulders absently, the movement making the small bag in her hand sway. "And then… well, they give you things. Awful things to gulp down, nasty tasting things." She seems awful fixated on that. "We'd better get out of here," there's a furtive glance over her shoulder, just to see if any healers happened to be coming.
Thea is has been kept by something or other but she's just now striding into the Infirmary and she's in a hurry. She's pushing the door open and sort of skids to a stop as she comes face to face with not only D'had, out of bed and right there at door but Natali too. Her weyrmate gets a narrow-eyed look. "Where are you going?" Natali, however is the recipient of a (mostly) concerned look and partially curious look. "Are you feeling alight?"
A simple nod is D'had's reply to Natali. He certainly knows where she's coming from with that. With no healer in sight behind them it would seem they were lucky in getting out without getting caught… Almost were, as Thea makes her appearance from outside. "Home," is his gruff, one word answer to her question. Don't try to stop him embedded in his tone.
Natali has been so engrossed in looking over her shoulder for any healers behind them that she's completely gone and forgotten to inspect the front entrance. "Erp," the greenrider's head snaps forwards at the sound of Thea's voice, the brunette looking as if she'd been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. "Me?" Innocence can be feigned, honestly. "I'm fine, really fine, honest to Faranth." That doesn't come out quite as smoothly as she likes, and might even have a little jittery tone to it, her fingers jiggling, which makes the bag in her hand shake against her leg too.
Thea remains right there in the door blocking the way. His answer has her brows lifting. Really, knowing the man she should not be surprised, but she is. Very. She crosses her arms, leans a shoulder against the doorway and just gives him a disbelieving stare. "Really? You're… sure you want to do that, Donn?" Eyes drift over his shoulder to Natali, "You're fine." She says it like she doesn't really believe it, but she's not going to pry and ask about the girl's personal medical issues. A smirk touches her mouth, "This… is why you came down here, because you are fine, um hmm."
D'had snorts. "Looks fine ta me," he comments after giving the greenrider a quick once over. For the Weyrwoman's question of him, "Really." While he doesn't say it aloud his voice, and the look he sends Thea, says he's not saying here another night if he has any say in it.
Natali IS fine, thank you very much. The grateful look that the greenrider flashes at D'had is smug enough, but nothing out of the ordinary. "I just had to come down here for…" she might say more, but then clamps her mouth shut. "It's a personal issue, ok. I'm not dying, I'm not sick, I'm not going to fall down on the floor and have a seizure or anything. It's just … girly things." See, she is fine. Except for the girly things. Whatever they are.
Thea doesn't move anything except maybe her eyebrows, which hike up even further. "And you want to go right…now. Are you absolutely sure you want to leave right this minute?" She's just making sure she's got it right, apparently. She nods an easy agreement about Natali's appearance. "Yes, indeed. I completely agree with you, Donn. She's the picture of health-" Then Natali speaks and her eyes, which had traveled back to the greenrider just LIGHT UP. And there's a wide smile of delight for her stepson's weyrmate. "Oh honey. That's wonderful!" Beambeambeam. Her gaze slides back to D'had, "When did you last have fellis, by the way?"
While Thea might light up at Natalia's explanation, Donn just tunes out completely when there's mention of 'girly things'. Lalala he has no interested in hearing what the girl doesn't want to say. There's that 'huh?' sort of look when Thea questions him again. Oh, right, he's supposed to answer that. "Whenever they made me take it." It's not like he's good at keeping track of the exact time anyway, but in here where he has no reference that's another thing completely. "Now you, my dear," he continues even as he reaches out with his good hand for the Weyrwoman's shoulder in an attempt to stride right on by her, "are in my way."
Oh. No. Oh no no no. Natali's eyes widen at the words coming from the goldrider — the stepmother of her weyrmate — and she just goggles at the weyrwoman for one long moment. "It's … wonderful?" a pause, the greenrider making heads and tails of the conclusions that might or might not be jumped to. "Um… oh, I mean.." she does blush, quite furiously now. "I suppose it is wonderful," she peeks downwards at the bag dangling from her hand. "Yeah, really wonderful." Oh boy. Is she just going to dig herself a nice hole right here.
And Thea will just take that as confirmation, giving Natalie a brightly-approving smile, "You're going to have to take care of yourself and get a lot of rest and eat right and-" She'd go on but there's a hand on her shoulder and she's sidetracked from her enthusing. Back to D'had. She doesn't budge. "Why do you want to leave? You're supposed to be resting. And you're not going to get that at home. With the twins and… and… just no. You're staying here."
"Ain't gettin' any here either," D'had grumbles. "Gonna sleep in my own bed." He's not in the mood for arguing, but an apologetic look is given to Natali - she wasn't supposed to be drug into this conversation.
To one greenrider. Open mouth, insert foot. Ntali's ears have turned a furious red — in fact, so have her cheeks, and her face. "That's what the healer said," she mumbles, just loud enough for Thea to hear. "I mean… " just how is she going to finish that sentence anyway? "I've got a whole list of instructions I'm supposed to follow to the letter." Which means she'll probably disregard something along the way, no doubt. The look from D'had has her smiling a little at him in sympathy. Maybe if she can turn the topic of conversation away from herself … but will unfortunately likely land it right back on the bluerider. Sorry. "Can't think anyone can get any rest here," she comments. "I'd even watch the twins if it meant he could get rest at home."
Thea sweeps look ‘round the Infirmary, as if seeing it with a new eye. People bustling around, coming in and out, the sound of voices echoing, the racket coming in from both caverns and clearing, the healers doing their healer-y duties amongst the cots. Yeah, it's not the most conducive place to get rest. And thus, her ire born of anxiety for his tendency to overdo evaporates and she reaches out an arm as a peace offering to her weyrmate, saying gently, "Come home. I miss you in our bed. The healers can make housecalls. And I can take a few days off. And Hali can stay there to help when I can't be there. We'll pay her extra, hmm? Besides," she practically twinkles at the both of them "You're going to be a grandfather! You need to get healed so you can spoil the child rotten." So saying she tsks at Natalie, "Oh no no! You're resting. Like they said." So maybe she’s jumping to conclusions but… they have the green light to escape?
Finally, someone's making sense besides him. "Well I'm glad ya missed me at least. And ya got that right, they can come see me if they wanna poke at it. Can swing by if they need, but I'm sleepin' at home." He had that in his head after the first night at the infirmary, but it wasn't until now that he found an opening in which to 'escape'. "Wait. What?!" he blurts at the grandfather remark. Sorry Natali, but you're not the one he's thinking when he hears that remark. He just wants to know who to beat up.
Natali can't help but take a look around the infirmary too, repressing the barest hint of a shudder. This is a scary place, really it is. With crazy people. "See," she points out, "better to let D'had make an escape from here and then he'll get better so much faster. This place gives me the creeps, no wonder nobody gets better here." the greenrider rocks back on her heels a bit, the offer of babysitting so generously given not quite managing to have quite the effect she hoped. Because now the topic is starting to turn back to her. "Ok, ok, I'll rest. A lot. Just like they said." Thea might have jumped to conclusions exactly, but she's not particularly far off the mark where Natali and impending parenthood might be concerned. Maybe not quite /now/ but there's things in that little bag she's holding that will be of a very useful nature for that particular scenario.
There's a delicate little snort from Thea. "At least?! I did more than miss you, Donn." Like sit up at night here with him and not sleep in their bed at all. But he knows that, so his comment has totally sent her into a bit of pique. She tilts Natali a bit of a confused look. Yes, she already said she agreed with the man's sentiments about getting out of Dodge, a rapid reversal for her, to be sure. But they've won her over. Why are they still standing here where the healers can catch them? She's not following D'had's reasoning either, about who exactly might be pregnant. So she notes to Natali, "The twins will run you ragged, trust me on that. Not exactly restful." And since D'had isn't accepting her offer to slide under his arm she… just stands there confused for a moment before saying smoothly, "Ahhh, you'll… be a grandfather someday? And so I'd like you to be around for that?" If he's going to jump to his own conclusions, well. She's clueless.
D'had snorts. Fine, don't tell him. He'll find out soon enough. "Right.." he 'almost' believes that that's what she meant, but he'll go with it if it means they're getting out of here now. "She can watch 'em for awhile if she wants." He's not going to say no to assistance from someone known. "I dunno about you, but I'm ready to get outta here now." Which just means enough talk, let’s walk now too. Arm slips around Thea's shoulders to turn her back in the direction she came. The wave sent to Natali in the process meaning to say she can tag along if she likes.
Why are they standing around indeed? With a final look over her shoulder to see if there are indeed healers around who can catch them, Natali scoots towards the doorway. "I suppose you're the expert on the twins, Thea." Hey, Nat's sleeping with the weyrwoman's stepson, no need to stand on ceremony there, right? "And if they're not going to be easy and it's hard to rest like that, maybe I'd better not. Although if it really would help…" she trails off, glancing over at D'had for a brief second. That wave is unmistakably understood, although considering the greenrider lives in the weyrbarn /right/ next door, she's headed in the same direction anyway.
"She, like you, needs her rest, Donn." Thea is firm on that regarding his statement on the greenrider's offer to help watch the infamous twins. And if D'had doesn't put two and two together why she is suddenly so worried about Natalie's rest, well. Hardly her fault. Blame the fellis. "Hali can help and I have enough marks to hire the extra help we need." She turns and moves out. The faster they get there, the faster she can get him to lie down and rest. He'll want nothing more than to REST, right? Comical what might ensue at home with Thea telling him he must 'Stop that!' SLAPSLAP. 'You need to rest!' And threaten to take him back to the Infirmary. Natali is given a smile. "And you're going right to bed, aren't you?" She'll be over to check!
The walk home from the infirmary isn't nearly as long as the walk there was. "Nothin' but rest can make ya crazy," D'had notes roughly in reply as they being the short journey. He certainly has no interest in sleeping all day. It will be interesting to say the least. "Sure Hali can help, but she's got things she needs ta do too, rest don't mean she can't do nothin'. She wants ta help let her help for an hour or two." No one said she had to keep them all day.
"Suuuure," Natali sounds totally convincing, doesn't she? "Going to go lie down as soon as I get home." the greenrider nods, managing a cheeky little smile. See, she is definitely convincing. She tags along easily enough, ready to begin the walk home, the bag swinging gently from her fingers as she walks. "I could watch them just for a little while," she suggests. "Never had sibs of my own, so I'm really not sure about kids sometimes."
"We'll see." That's Thea's response to both D'had and Natali. Yeah the greenrider is going to be lucky if she doesn't visit hourly and check to make sure the young woman is resting. As for D'had. Whatever it takes to keep him in bed. Thea… is going to have to get creative most likely.
Classic miscommunication. This is how rumors get started, y'know. But at least it allowed everyone to escape the infirmary.