2014.03.10 - Not Such A Bad Patient

When Fern arrives the day after Leo's text message, there isn't an answer at the door when it is knocked on. Walking down the hall with Bandit however is an older woman with glasses. Her hair is pulled in a tight bun and she wears conservative business clothes as she says, "Bandit... sloooow down! You are pulling my arm off!" She sounds whiny and breathless, and suddenly Fern will find herself being leapt on as Bandit tries to lick her face while whining unhappily.
The older woman, likely mid- to late-40s is gasping for breath. "Oh, hello," she says breathlessly. "You are...Fern Fiddlehead, right, young Luthor's lady?" She raises a hand to wipe some sweat off her face and push her glasses up, "It's cold out, and the dog is making me sweat! But he was peeing on the floor," and she ughs at that.
While 'I'm alive' isn't the most reassuring status in the world, at least it kept Fern from unnecessary worry and the chore of pacing a hole in the floor of her dingy apartment. It is a small thoughtfulness that she will be eternally grateful for. She was finally able to sleep with that news, and woke to a to-do list that ends with showing up on Leo's doorstep. The little redhead has a fabric grocery bag hanging from each hand, neither one looking especially light, and the noise Bandit makes draws her attention around to the approaching pair. One bag is released, her hand dipping into a pocket that always holds a dog biscuit or two these days. Take the man, take his dog. 
 
There's a tentative smile for the woman, a biscuit held out for Bandit, as Fern answers. "I am. I'm sorry I wasn't here earlier, I'd have taken him and saved you the trouble." She knows what a handful the large dog can be and feels for the poor woman. 
"Oh, don't worry about that, he wouldn't have even realized you were there," the woman states. "And he needed specific medical care. He's still out cold last I checked, but I can let you in. He still looks beaten up, but he will live. I just dread writing the report to Mr. Luthor," and she sighs at that. "He gets very... displeased... when young Luthor is damaged or upset." She makes a bit of a face at that thought. But she soon goes to unlock the door, and let Fern in. "Make sure the light stays on over him, and you likely do not want to stay under it for very long, talk about a bad sunburn Miss Fiddlehead." She unclips Bandit's leash once they are inside with a thankful sigh.
Bandit grabbed the biscuit and is chewing it up as he heads inside, but only eats half of it before the rest is left behind as he then races to the bedroom with leash off to check on Leo.
"If he wakes up, make sure he eats something, it will help his healing. I tried to get an IV in, but....well, that was epic fail. I don't have the equipment here, and young Luthor just had to come home to rest. Anyway, just keep things quiet. Mr. Luthor hasn't been by, if he does, just escape until he leaves," apparently part of the 'survival guide' for Luthor's personal scientists.
"I'll check his vitals and head out, unless you need anything? Oh! Can you drop me a message when you leave? Until he's up and about, someone will need to be nearby and walk the dog." The slightly hyper woman goes to pull out her cell phone. "What's your number?"
 
Cheeks that were flushed from the cold day drain of color as Fern quietly listens to the woman's account. Leo is obviously hurt much more than she had let herself consider, and the fact that he sent a text at all takes on greater significance. Her brow is knit in concern as she trails the... doctor? nurse?... and Bandit in, moving to deposit the bags on the kitchen counter after kicking her boots off just inside the door. So much information so quickly has Fern's head swimming just a bit, and she responds without really thinking, giving her phone number. There's a pause before she asks, "Was he hurt terribly badly?" She does and doesn't want the answer, but it's best to be prepared. 
The woman nods, "Yes," stating it clearly, without thoughts to feelings. Fern gets a text message with a cell phone number and a message that reads: Dr. Karla Zeigg, Bio-Engineering Researcher, LexCorp. - Basically, like a business card. It also includes her work contact information. "He should make a fully recovery however. His Father will be the one to evaluate him later. As a unique meta-human," careful with the terminology she uses anywhere outside of a secure lab, "he requires special medical attention."
Dr. Zeigg then heads toward the back room, scolding Bandit, "Stop... whining!" Oh, yes, her stress level has been increased thanks to the dog. But after a moment or two, she exits. "I'll leave his care to you then. I have work that must be done in the lab before I can sleep tonight. If you notice anything strange, just drop me a message."
 
For the couple moments the doctor is in with Leo, Fern just stands, staring at her phone she's retrieved from her coat pocket, and the message that glows up at her from the little screen. Her lips purse in a thoughtful moue, brain churning until Dr. Zeigg returns, her reprimand of the dog drawing Fern back into the here and now. She stuffs her phone away, shrugging out of her coat and nodding. "I don't plan on leaving until he wakes," and even then not for quite a while, "So I'll keep an eye on him and text you immediately if needs be." But... strange? At this point that's something of a relative term. "Thank you," she adds, quietly earnest. 
Dr. Zeigg nods, "My pleasure." When he isn't breaking apart a room, luckily the young man has calmed down from his 'birthing' and terrorizes her far less. But she soon grabs her purse, taking the keys with her before she advises, "Oh, young Luthor's keys are on the coffee table if you need them." She is then out the door, hurrying on her way.
Bandit can be heard whining softly from the bedroom, likely that was what was driving the good doctor bonkers.
 
Fern doesn't wait for the click of the door shutting, tossing her coat onto a chair and turning immediately to hurry into the bedroom. But halfway her steps falter, and she stops. She doesn't know what she's going to find in the familiar room, so she takes a moment to brace herself, taking a deep, calming breath. Leo doesn't need a panicked girlfriend right now, he needs someone to rely on. Funny, she didn't ever think Leo would actually need her, and it lulled a part of her into a sense of complacency. This brings it home with a gut punching thud that even Leo may have his vulnerabilities. After a second, her back straightens and she continues, her pace no longer frantic, but no less hurried. As she rounds the doorway, she's already saying softly, "Hey, Bandit baby, it's ok." 
Over the bed is a large sunlamp that shines brightly down on Leo. Leo himself is in PJ bottoms, don't ask if he changed himself or not, he won't remember anyway. His body has marks all over it from bruising to broken skin, though a sort of liquid that hardened clear was used to hold his open wounds closed so they can knit faster. Beneath him between him and his bed sheets is a thick white cloth that has only a few spots of blood on it. His lower lip is busted, he has a black left eye, and there is a cut on his right cheek that is being held closed. He is breathing however, steadily.
Bandit is at the side of the bed, pawns resting on the bed as he looks at Leo. His head whips up and back to look over at Fern and he makes a small whining sound, before he wags his tail a bit. He isn't as excitable as he normally is, as if he senses his Master is hurt.
 
Again, her steps pause as Fern looks at Leo. At least it's not a more scary environment with machines and tubes and wires, but the young man, usually so robust and active, looks oddly diminished in his unconsciousness. She finishes crossing the distance, reaching Leo's bedside, her hand resting for a moment on Bandit's head as she murmurs, "You're such a good boy." But even in that reassurance for the dog, her focus is on the still form. 
Every injury that she can see is inventoried so that she will be aware if any changes come, because she will be on that phone to the doctor in a quick minute. Finally she leans, pressing her lips softly to Leo's forehead in a kiss, lingering to whisper on his skin, "I love you. You big stupid hero." It's a touch of frustration at having fallen in love with someone so often in danger, a touch of bravado in the face of crisis, and mostly words filled with tender caring and concern. Straightening, his hair is brushed back gently, and Fern spends several minutes just watching the rise and fall of his chest as he breathes. Finally she turns to Bandit. 
"C'mon, sweetie. Let's go make daddy something to eat when he wakes up. I'll let you be taste tester for the chicken." It can't hurt to give the big dog some TLC as well, to try and ease his worry for his boy. 
 
Fern's brought the fixings for chicken soup, having stopped at a few small stores on her trip over to gather the ingredients. It's easy to lose herself in the work of peeling carrots, cutting them along with celery and an onion, readying a clove or two of fresh garlic, all while the chicken simmers in a pot of water to make the stock. She doesn't hurry as she works, taking care with the knife, letting the time slip away as she makes the preparations. Finally, she fishes the chicken out of the water, tossing in the vegetables to simmer before putting the chicken up to cool enough that she can start tearing the meat off the carcass. As she works she hums absently, not wanting to turn on the stereo and risk disturbing Leo's rest. There are many glances toward the bedroom door, but she resists every urge to go watch him. Mostly. Alright, so she does slip away several times between tasks to stand in the doorway, but it's just to make sure nothing has changed. 
It will take a closer inspection, but Fern will notice beyond the wounds and bruising, that Leo has lost quite a number of bounds which causes his face to be sunken in a bit, and as well as about the ribs. There is no stirring yet at the kiss to the forehead, as Leo continues to sleep peacefully still.
Bandit makes another soft whining sound, but seems to appreciate the attention and praise. He reluctantly trails after Fern, looking back at Leo before he follows after her. He keeps trying to lean against poor Fern in the kitchen, one would think he was a cat! Though he's doing it for comfort rather than to purposely drive her crazy. And each time Fern goes to check on Leo, Bandit is right with her. However, the dog seems more cheerful the longer Fern sticks around, as if he thinks things are going to get better now.
Bandit is certainly not ignored, being the focus of much of Fern's care, an attempt to ease his worry along with her own. He gets several scraps as she's working, perhaps more than he ought but it's a special time, and food comforts every creature. If she can't yet coo over Leo, she'll coo over Bandit. "The doctor said he'll be fine," she murmurs, to herself and the dog both. "Everything always looks worse than it is. And chicken soup is magic. Just ask Julius." Of course, her Jewish former boss from the restaurant would agree. Finally she's reached an impasse with the creation of the soup. The veggies are doing their thing, the chicken isn't yet cool enough to deal with (if only she had super fingers that didn't feel the heat instead of the overly sensitive ones she's stuck with!), and, after pacing around the apartment a few times, she's back at the bedroom door. 
She slips in quietly, followed by the aroma of the soup, and perches lightly at Leo's bedside. There's room for Bandit to be included and not kept from seeing Leo, but as before her attention has now settled mostly on her wounded boyfriend. "The soup will make you feel better," she whispers to his sleeping form, "but you sleep as long as you need. We aren't going anywhere." Well, until she has to run Bandit down for a potty break. Soft words go on, about anything and nothing, just so that he can hear her voice, just in case it gets through his deep sleep. As she talks there are soft touches, stroking his arms, fingertips gliding along his jaw, tender and loving. Finally, she stops talking and sighs softly, looking to the steadfast pup. "Want to go check on the soup, buddy boy?" 
The heat from the lamp is intense, makes one worry about the blankets beneath Leo perhaps. Definitely why there was a warning not to lay beneath them for any length of time. They don't seem to be harming Leo at all however.
Bandit gets his paws up on the edge of the bed as well, staring at Leo intensely, tail slowly wagging. He has loved the attention, and has relaxed more, whining much less than originally.
There is a rough sound as Fern speaks to Bandit, "Not sure what I want more...you to keep touching, or the food I smell." His voice broke as it is used, but it is definitely Leo. He reluctantly opens his eyes, wincing, and then making a slight groaning sound. "Owie..." Yes, he just said owie.
Bandit barks happily, tail wagging frantically, but he doesn't leap at or lick Leo like he normally does.
 
Fern's attention snaps back immediately, a gasp escaping her lips, "Leo!" Her hand slips down, into his, the other resting lightly on his bare shoulder. "Shhhhh. You probably shouldn't move just yet. Do you want sunglasses or something?" The light is intense, but she doesn't want to turn it off, he looks far less than a hundred percent still. "Can I bring you anything?" She leans close with the questions, starting to feel the heat of the lamp more intensely on her hand, but not yet willing to pull her it away from his. 
"No...it's fine. Bright light or darkness don't bother me like it does normals," Leo says with a bit of a slur to his voice, though his stomach growls. "Alright...food...water..." Yep, those things be great right about now. Leo himself feels hot to the touch, like he is burning if he was a normal human being.
"I'll bring you both," Fern promises softly, but she still doesn't rush to move from his side. For a moment she looks down at him, her face lightly pensive. "I don't know when I've ever been happier to see someone wake up." With a lean, there's a soft press to his lips, a few seconds of contact before Fern straightens. "You scared Bandit," she chastises with quiet understatement as she moves to rise from the mattress. 
Leo hides the wince from the soft kiss till Fern leaves, cause honestly...he didn't want her to stop even with the pain of his busted lip. "My apologizes," he says as Fern heads out of the bedroom. It takes effort, but he raises a hand to pet Bandit with the dog's assistance and tilts his head, smirking a bit. "Hey boy." He closes his eyes, being one eye is still almost swelled shut, not hard to do with that one, as he awaits Fern's return. He isn't saying a lot, being his voice sounds so rough.
 
There's a brief racket from the kitchen that carries even to the bedroom, as the ice maker spits out some crushed ice into a glass for Fern. She makes quick work of getting the meat off the chicken, stirring it into the soup before getting a bowl. Everything is put on a tray so she can carry it easily back to Leo, and she adds an ice cube to the soup as one last thought, even though it may not be necessary. She is still completely human, and thinks as one, and doesn't want him trying to eat soup that's too hot. Some habits she'll probably never be able to break. Returning to the room, she looks at Leo as she approaches, her face lightly pained, in sympathy. "You look like a hundred miles of bad road, love." At least she's not sugar coating? "I don't know if you should sit up. How do you feel? I have the doctor's number in case we need to call her." 
"Doctor?" A pause in confusion, "Oh, must be one of Father's scientists," Leo states as his mind starts to work. He moves to try and set up and grunts, a look of intense displeasure at the feeling of pain that seems to knock the wind out of him. How did he make it home yesterday, was it yesterday? He...doesn't remember. "Want to sit up, a bit, can you help? Pillows." He things there is one beside him, ya...there it is, he found it when he turned his head. That would stack two pillows at least. "More on the couch." He doesn't care where Fern gets them, he just wants to feel less infirm. His brain struggles to process the information and pain, something he has never experienced on this level before and it makes his heart beat quickly.
 
Fern sets the tray on the dresser, rushing out to fetch more pillows as she's calling, "Stop moving then, and wait for me to come back." It only takes a few seconds, and when she returns it's with her arms filled with every pillow she could find and carry. They're dumped unceremoniously next to the bed as she leans to gingerly help Leo to sit upright for a moment, holding onto him with one hand while she stuffs some pillows behind him with the other. She pulls back to look at him, asking, "How's that?" It's enough to prop him almost to his shoulders, and will be topped off with the bed pillows for him to rest his head back against. 
The young woman hasn't missed that the doctor is actually a scientist. It's been brought more clearly to light with these events that there are still some large gaps in their knowledge. She's not pressed him to tell more than he's been willing, but that won't last forever. Still, it's not the time. Yet. The lamp is carefully tilted, pulled back just a little to change the angle so Leo can still get the full benefit of the light in his new posture. 
Leo feels lighter than he should, and though muscular, he isn't as heavy as many would expect anyway. He really did loose a chunk of weight. He grits his teeth as even his back is marked up with wounds and injuries. He draws in a hiss of breath when he leans back against the pillows finally. He sighs a bit though at the new tilt of the light which causes it to shine clearly on him, as it seems to feel good to him. He is sweating a bit from the strain of sitting up.
"Remind me... not to take on an... army of Parademons solo in the... future. Bad idea." And Leo tries to smile a bit lopsidedly, but doesn't work out so great with the busted lip.
 
Her own smile in return is wry, as is the tone of Fern's words. "I would hope it won't take reminding after this." She brought a couple of cloth napkins from the kitchen, and takes one up now, along with the glass of ice chips, moving to sit on the bed at the edge of the lamplight. "I don't want to start you with a big glass of water, so try this first. Then we'll move up in a minute." With a spoon she scoops up a few chips, offering them to him without letting him do it himself yet, before lightly blotting his forehead with the napkin.
 
Leo looks at Fern oddly, wait, he looks odd with one eye almost swollen shut. Then again, he has no idea what being babied or doctored is like. But he opens his mouth and lets Fern feed him the ice chips, letting them melt insanely quickly on his tongue. He moans a bit at the cool liquid soon slipping down his throat. You know, his stomach feels gnawingly empty, but more ice chips are definitely needed, "More ice," he says roughly. Yep, he doubts he will need reminded of this pain and suffering.
 
Fern is quick to oblige, falling easily into the role of temporary nurse. It's easy, after all, what with being in love with the patient. This is going to be a crash course in Being Taken Care Of 101 for the young Luthor, hopefully he won't be a difficult student. There's another spoonful of ice offered, a moment for him to swallow, and then a third. While that mouthful quickly melts, Fern uses the spoon to dump a few chips into her palm, and gives them to Bandit so he doesn't feel left out. Looking back to Leo, she asks, "More ice, or want to try a little soup?" 
Bandit licks at Fern's hand, tail wagging happily. He seems delighted Leo is awake, and to be in company of the two that he is being shockingly well-behaved.
Leo looks at Bandit a bit suspiciously, but he then goes to nod, before he grunts and says, "Yes. Alright, need to heal faster. It's an order, body." He already hates this pain thing very, very much. The promise of being a good 'student' isn't showing yet, but maybe Fern will get lucky.
This actually seems to amuse Fern a bit, and she smirks as she goes to fetch the tray. "Let me know how that works out for you, ordering your body around like that." She flips little legs down under the tray, and puts it across Leo's legs, the glass of ice chips at two o'clock, the bowl of soup at six. After a second thought, she moves the glass of ice over to the bedside table, out of the direct beam of the light, before they end up with a glass of hot water. She offers him the soup spoon. "Want to try it yourself?" 
Leo eyes the soup, and stubbornly moves his right hand toward the spoon. The pain is obvious as the expression flickers across his battered face. He manages to grasp the spoon kind of, but fingers not working right, he almost sends it flying out of the bowl, and he draws in a hiss of breath. "Hell," the word growled out. "I can't even concentrate with my TTK right now to do it." And maybe Fern can see the panic in his blue eyes at... being this helpless.
 
Before the spoon can take any unplanned side trips, Fern reaches and gently takes it from Leo's hand. She let him try, now it's her turn. "Hey," she says softly, peering at him intently. "You'll heal. It'll take a little time, it's only been a day. Until then, I'm here to help you." Her eyes take a glassiness as she goes on, her voice remaining deceptively light. "It breaks my heart to see you hurting, but it makes me feel a little better if I can at least be useful to you." She looks down, scooping up some soup, just broth. "You don't often actually need me. So let me be here while you do." Her eyes raise and the spoon is brought up. 
"Hey," Leo says, voice breaking a bit. "Don't do that." He means cry. But he does say, "You are... always useful to me Fern. I'm stronger because of you." Leo honestly believes this. But he has to soon swallow his pride and get spoon fed by Fern, which he is at least thankful it's Fern and not one of his Father's scientists. Ugh, talk about awkward!!! He's less prideful with Fern.
 
It's not really crying if it's just one tear, or two, is it? Lips pressed, Fern manages a crooked smile at Leo. "Well, you're going to be stronger, if I have to force you to eat this soup." Which she won't, because once again her aptitude in the kitchen shows in the flavorful concoction. What she learned from her mother was honed by Julius, to the point where she would make one helluva Jewish mother one day. "You need fuel to keep getting better. Gotta feed the machine." 
"Ya, just wait till the bathroom trip later," and Leo tries to roll his eyes at that. Alright, such a boy thing to say, or something. But he's trying to keep the mood light. He then takes another bite when it is presented. His stomach growls again, apparently not happy with that little bit of water and food. Poor Fern is going to have her work cut out for her, because she will find out that though he switches between the two, Leo is very thirty and hungry, and will put a dent into both as quickly as Fern can feed him/help him drink.
 
At least her knowledge base is broad enough that Leo's voracious appetite doesn't entirely surprise Fern. She's been around accelerated healers a few times, and isn't unfamiliar with the reality of her 'feed the machine' quips. Healing burns through calories like nobody's business, she's learned. She doesn't try to make Leo talk while he eats, but just makes sure to get a good amount into him, until she's scraping the bottom of the bowl. "More?" She's not ready to move him on to a sandwich just yet, but there is sliced ham as well as a loaf of fresh bread from the bakery up the street from Leo's place waiting in the kitchen. 
Leo seems to think about that, looking exhausted that the effort of being fed took. "More water," he states. "But I... think I need to sleep. Strange to sleep so much." Still, he manages to move his beaten up hand to touch Fern's own hand, his own fingers shaking slightly. "Thank you," he says quietly. His voice isn't so rough now, but he sounds tired and exhausted. The emotion he feels right now doesn't help and drains him as well, it is intense and overwhelming.
 
Fern swaps the empty bowl for the glass of now melty ice chips. "I forgot to get straws, but lets try a few sips now that it's melted." She leans close as she helps him drain the glass. She looks down as his hand finds her own, taking a gentle hold of it, bringing it up to kiss softly before she rests it back onto his stomach and puts the glass aside. "You're welcome, Leo. Thank you for coming home to me." There's a quick wrinkle of her nose, her version of a wink. "I brought my tablet, and I'm reading a book on it, so after I tidy up the kitchen Bandit and I will come sit in here with you to keep you company while you sleep. And if you need anything, I'll be right here." That smirk surfaces again, "Even if it's to help you to the bathroom." 
Leo smiles a bit lopsidedly, barely really, "Sure. That works, love." His hand then relaxes and lowers, and he starts to close his eyes and sigh. When Bandit goes to climb up a bit to lick his hand, he raises it a little bit to rub his nose before relaxing it again. It isn't more than a minute and likely less before Leo is out like a light again, even in the slight upright position he is in.
Bandit whines gently, seeming a bit worried when Leo falls asleep again and looks up at Fern expectantly.
 
By the time Fern puts the glass down on the tray and turns back, it seems, Leo is already well on the way out. She sits still, watching as his breathing takes the rhythm of sleep, reaches to push the pillows so he's just a little bit more comfortably reclined, then kisses his forehead softly again. It takes a long moment before she straightens, and when she does there are moist lines on her cheeks. Her eyes find Bandit, and she sniffles softly before she whispers to him. "He scares me too, big boy." Rising, she turns to get the tray. "Come help me with the leftovers, and we'll come back to watch over him. I think there's a few pieces of chicken with your name on them. Maybe even a carrot." She doesn't think to eat herself, not yet. But she'll be here for a while, there's no rush. 
Category:Log