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[headjacked]

Heyyyyyyyy, kiddo, you've reached me. Me who is Rhys. Anyway, not sure why you're trying to get in contact with the king of the dweebs, but I'm sure you've got your reasons. Reasons you should probably re-examine. I'm just sayin'.

Last chance to back out.

No?

Don't say I didn't warn ya.

Comments

[nursetemple]

[Damn it, he sounds just as bad as she is. Closing her eyes, she takes deep, slow breaths, trying to calm her heartrate down. She can do this. She'll be okay.

It wasn't really death.]

I'm fine. I mean - not exactly fine fine, but I'm fine enough. It's just that I can't quite... use my hands, right now? So I kinda need some help, and I was told it's possible you're still in the area.

[headjacked]

How does that even work, is it just the hands or the rest of your arm ---

[ Not!! Important! ]

Nevermind, we're actually not far. We can meet up and give you a h- that's probably too soon, isn't it.

[nursetemple]

Just my hands. Like two useless paperweights at the end of my arms right now. My arms work fine.

[Yeah. It's weird.

His pun, under other circumstances, would make her laugh. But right now, she can't do much better than a strangled scoff, mixed with what sounds worryingly like a sob. She really doesn't want to cry.]

Okay, good. [Her voice trembles as she speaks.] I would like that.

[headjacked]

Me too. But what's with your hands, wh -

[ What could it be. What COULD it BE.




It clicks very abruptly. Her hands, her voice, she... ]

Wait, Claire, did you die??

[nursetemple]

[Oh. Yeah. Maybe she should have started with that. She feels her cheeks burn, and the embarrassment come back tenfold.]

I, um... There was an anomaly, Rhys. Yesterday.

[She drops her head, closing her eyes tightly as she fights tears.]

I'm sorry.

[headjacked]

That's not something you need to apologize for, jeez!

[ That's not something you scold people for either, Rhys. He catches himself. ]

You're back now, though. Worst case scenario averted.

[nursetemple]

I wasn't gone for long at all. A day, apparently.

[She licks her lips, looking at her hands some more. Useless lumps they are.]

Oh, America offered to walk me to the aquarium. He's also around.

[headjacked]

Yeah, good -- good. And soon you'll have Angel, she can help with anything... uhhhmmm... a bit personal...er.

[nursetemple]

[Claire opens her mouth, closes it, looks dead on at the wall in front of her, and then closes her eyes tightly.]

Yeah, huh-uh. Sure. That, um. That'll be good. Okay. Yeah, so... I'll see you later?

[headjacked]

Absolutely! And. You can always drop me a line, if you're bored or lonely or. Whatever.

[nursetemple]

[Claire raises an eyebrow. Is he - no, surely not.]

Are you flirting with a just-revived woman, Rhys?

[headjacked]

Wh -- no, this is just talking! Not every conversation between two good-looking people is flirtation, Claire. GOSH.

[nursetemple]

[She can't help but chuckle.]

You think I'm good looking?

[Now she is flirting, Rhys. Coping from a recent traumatic event, maybe?]

[headjacked]

You'd have to be completely blind not to, and I'm only half blind.

[ He giggles a little at his own bad joke, and the fact that she isn't shutting him down despite the whole... just came back from death thing. ]

[nursetemple]

That's nice of you to say.

[And she's not just saying that because Alfie never tells her he thinks so. It's just. It's nice, and it's changing her mind, reminding her that she is, in fact, alive. It's the little things - smiling, flirting, communicating.]

It might only be one eye, but it's discerning.

[She chuckles right back, once again wishing she could rub her hands against her face.]