Some Kind of Therapy

Posted on Tue Nov 5th, 2024 @ 3:19pm by Maeve MacKenna & Hayden Davis

2,001 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Episode 5: Days of Fortune Past
Location: Infirmary, then possibly outside
Timeline: Shortly After Hellfire Club incident

They had all been told to rest up and over the past 24 hours Maeve had been in her room recuperating. The fight at the Hellfire Club had been short but brutal in many ways. So much destruction, both of body and building. Shinobi's words had gotten into her mind and as she had lay in bed all she could think about was how her powers could have killed everyone, levelled a building and she could have lost everyone she was becoming friends with.

One of these people was Hayden. One of the first people she'd met at the mansion, a friendly and bubbly girl who she had chatted with many times and felt a strong connection to. Sadly she had been quite badly hurt with burns from the fire within the club. Maeve had helped her back onto the jet and as she had been ever present on her mind she wanted to visit.

Maeve had spoken with Hank before she entered the infirmary that maybe Hayden would be allowed out for some exercise if she was up to it.

Popping her head around the curtain she smiled at her friend and held out a book. "I don't know if you've read it but its a book on Manannán mac Lir, he's one of my people's old gods, from Gaelic mythology..." Maeve smiled softly as Hayden stirred. "Sorry if I'm disturbin' you."

Hayden rolled her head over as much as she dared so that she could face the familiar Irish brogue. The healing that had been done in the jet helped tremendously. But there was still some doctoring that Hank had to do. The worst parts of her face were covered with medicine and bandages while the majority of her arms were wrapped. Her fingers, though, were free to move and bend and turn the pages of a book.

"No," she said, "you're not disturbing me. The book sounds really good and no I haven't read that one." She wiggled her fingers as her arms lay on top of the covers. "I can still turn the pages. So, do you think I still have my looks?" She giggled as more of the pain medicine dripped into the tube. "Oh, you're also not allowed to hold me to anything I say so long as I'm on Dr. Beast's Pain Tonic." Hayden stuck her tongue out at Maeve and then smiled.

"It's a water god, so I kinda figured you might like it." Maeve beamed as she passed the book over and looked over Hayden as she asked about her looks. "Well, I wouldn't kick ya outta bed." she giggled. "But you might need some moisturiser for a bit." she watched as the pain medication moved into Hayden's arm. "What kind of things would you say that I can't hold against you? I like this kind of power." she grinned. "It's better than being able to control the earth around me." she teased.

"I like reading about other people's water gods and such," she said. "Thanks." She grinned at Maeve's comment regarding her looks, despite being all bandaged up. "Yeah, moisturizer for sure," she said, laughing. "Hey, I might be loopy, but I'm not that far gone yet. I'm not going to volunteer anything, you redheaded siren." Hayden giggled again. "Oh gosh, I'm sorry. I guess that'd be one thing." She pointed in a general direction, "I think there's a chair over there somewhere. Have a seat for a minute. I mean, if you're gonna stay."

"Siren?!" Maeve clutched her chest in mock agony before staging a dramatic swoon, the very notion striking her with faux horror. "For the record, I'm not the pied piper of admirers, nor do I have an appetite for devouring them," she quipped, her eyes twinkling as she scouted for a chair. Hoisting it over, she plopped it beside the bed and peered up at Hayden, her stance now humbled. "Of course I'm sticking around; there's nowhere else I'd rather be. Has Dr McCoy mentioned when they'll spring you from this joint?" Her voice carried a subtle tremor of concern.

Hayden laughed at the dramatic presentation that Maeve put on and then nodded her head. "Record noted." She watched as Maeve sat down and then rolled her head to face her visitor. "Well, the healing on the jet yesterday helped a lot with the injuries, or so I remember Doctor McCoy saying. The last twenty-four hours have been bandages, medicine, and pain killer drips just to cover the last little bit. I think I should be out sometime late tonight. They're supposed to start lessening the drip soon and send me back to my room with pills." She sighed. "Thanks for sticking around for a while; it's nice to have a visitor that isn't the Doctor or someone changing bandages."

"Well that's good." Maeve replied with a smile forming on her face. "I'm glad you won't be in here too long... I think it smells funny in here and I'm not sure if its the hospital smell or Dr McCoy." she whispered as she looked around and hoped he wasn't hovering around and heard what she had said.

"I'd say it's the hospital smell," Hayden answered. "Even the ones I was in after my powers showed up didn't smell right. And all those human doctors were either too scared to get close or too disgusted. That was the worst part, seeing them make a show of it." And now it was time for a change of subject before she started dwelling on that.

"So I'll most likely have the small bandages off my face and wrists. It'll be easier to put on any topical ointment or moisturizer that way, too. I want to keep the ones on my arms overnight, though. The way I roll around while sleeping...yeah, not cool. But I still have to change them." She paused a second, hesitating. "So, um, do you think you'd be able to stop by my room later and help rewrap them after I put on the ointment?"

"I hear a lot, people are afraid of what they don't understand." Maeve shrugged. "Sometimes I see them look at me as a tool to use. Their eyes... they look as if they want to either use me for their own ideas or dissect me in some lab somewhere." she added as a shiver ran down her spine.

Shaking from that thought she realised Hayden had said something else and listened intently to her words, the hesitation of the request to come. "Of course I'll come and help you. I wouldn't want you to be uncomfortable though, but you know me. I can be gentle, sometimes." she smiled and placed her hand atop of Hayden's to comfort her.

Hayden took note of Maeve's hand and smiled. "Thanks," she said, patting the redhead's hand with her other one. "It shouldn't be as gross as when it first happened. Lots of red and pink skin where it's healing and no blisters. So yay! And the only way I would be uncomfortable is if I had to sleep with my arms unwrapped. You're a lifesaver, Maeve."

A young man came in wearing a white lab coat, and checked Hayden's chart. "Looks like it's time to start weaning you off the good stuff," he said with a smile. He adjusted the drip and looked at Maeve. "And you must be the reason why I have a wheelchair request. While Hayden here can walk, we don't want to take any chances since she's still on this." He gently tapped the IV bag with his finger. "I'll be back in a minute with the wheelchair and you two can rock and roll." He smiled and went back out.

Maeve turned back to Hayden. "I figured you'd want a wee escape after being couped up in here for a bit. I know a wheelchair isn't exactly cool but I'll try and keep it on smooth parts of the paths." Maeve's face lit up at the prospect of getting her friend out of that hospital bed, getting some fresh air and getting herself out of the infirmary. It felt like they spent too much time in there as it is.

"Oh absolutely," she said. "I love the outdoors. I have to be out there everyday for a little while, at least that's what it feels like. One of my favorite things is to take a book and a picnic lunch and just sit outside under a tree. But for now, a ride around the paths is perfect. Thanks for doing that." Hayden smiled up at her friend.

"Must be your connection to water." Maeve thought out loud. "I feel more at home outside as well, just calmer and more settled. Like I'm with the earth, I feel the planet... Does that make sense?" she asked feeling like what she was saying was more confusing than helpful. "And you don't need to thank me." Maeve added, smiling gently. "My mum always said it's the small gestures that mean the most to someone."

Hayden nodded, "Yeah, I'd never thought about it like that before. It makes sense, being connected to the water and all." She paused a second to let it sink in and saw the young man bringing in the wheelchair. A small gesture, indeed. "Looks like my ride's here." She grinned at Maeve and started trying to sit all the way up. 

"Hold on there," said the young attendant as he rolled the chair next to the bed and locked the wheels. "Let me get your IV bag hung up here first and then we can get you settled." He looked at the redheaded friend of his patient and smiled. "Would you mind at all helping Hayden to sit up and steady her for the ole switcheroo? We don't want any undue strain on her arms. Plus, she'll probably be a little dizzy from the medicine."

"Maybe if I throw you in the fountain the water will heal you." Maeve joked as the man from before brought in the chair that would free Hayden from her sterilised prison. "Of course." was her reply in helping her friend up. "Don't know what a switcheroo is but if it gets her outside, sure." she added as they began to help Hayden up. "Careful." Maeve said as she gently began to touch her.

"He means moving or switching me from the bed to the wheelchair," said Hayden. "Switcheroo is a cutie way of calmly saying it." Between the both of them, Hayden had been gently moved into the chair and was settled enough for the attendant to leave. She looked up at Maeve, "Thanks. And if you try to toss me in the fountain, I'm gonna pull you in, too," she said, returning the joke. "Well I'm ready when you are. Time to rock 'n roll."

"Ah." Maeve shook her head and then shrugged. Americans could be weird at times with how they spoke but then again if they heard how you spoke when back home they'd probably think it was another language altogether. Maeve laughed at Hayden's response to being thrown in the fountain. "And ruin my hair? Do you know how long this takes to straighten? No thank you." she giggled as she began to push Hayden towards the infirmary's exit.

As they left the mansion a blast of fresh air hit them. "This is much better." Maeve smiled as she also felt the heat of the sun on her face.

Hayden closed her eyes for a moment, letting the warmth wash over her. When the fresh air made contact with Hayden's face, she let out a long sigh. "Tell me about it," she said with a soft smile. "Feels like I’ve been stuck in a cave for days." She opened her eyes, looking up at Maeve with a grateful expression. "Thanks for bringing me out here. I think I needed this more than I realized."

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