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Post by Gail Atrova on Oct 25, 2010 22:53:48 GMT -5
  {a continuation from the thread "Nothing Will Ever Be The Same"}
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------Gail would, of course, never admit it, but even with his minimal amount of leaning on her, she was having trouble supporting his gargantuan frame. She wasn't a weakling - any person who bunked at the Athena cabin could testify to this. But she was just so small compared to the giant son of Zeus that she looked like a dwarf carrying a lifesize human being. Nevertheless, she struggled on, desperate to make sure he got the care he needed from the right people. She helped him down onto a cot, not even able to begin imagining the kind of trauma he'd gone through to get in this state. Already, in her mind, she was plotting to take revenge on whoever had done this. The rational side of her would argue that she was defending the weak because it had been her that had injured him in the first plave. She was the reason he was like this.
But there was a deeper side of her - one that Gail tried not to acknowledge 99.9% of the time, that told her that there was something deeper compelling her to the need to protect Nick. As per usual, however, she ignored it and within a moment the thought was lost forever. As the healer came by and began looking at Nick, Gail perched herself on the edge of his bed, dubbing herself his personal guardian. After all, if she'd never injured him, he never would have been hurt like this. She was convinced of it. And that, in itself, made her feel guilty. Of course, the less rational side of her argued once again that there was something more to that emotion, but Gail dismissed the thought again.
She'd have to watch over him. That was the only way to get rid of her guilt. She would watch over him, protect him, do whatever he needed until he was fully fit again. It was the only way to be rid of this guilt, and she was determined that she wouldn't let herself live with it. She was going to do something about it, and to her this was the only logical way to go about it.
"I need to get his shirt off... to look at his sides. Will you help? It will probably cause him pain," the healer was now saying, and Gail perked up when she noticed that she was being spoken to. But as soon as she realized what she was being asked to do, a blush rose to her cheeks and she hastily stood and went to help the healer. This wasn't her line of work - in fact, she could barely stomach injuries - but if someone asked for her help, she'd give it. Gail did her best to ignore the toned muscle the lay underneath the shirt as she gently helped to peel the shirt away from Nick's injured torso. As soon as she saw his injuries, she hissed in sympathy and felt a fresh wave of guilt almost overcome her. "I'm so sorry... that looks painful," she murmured, resisting the urge to touch it.
"These ribs are horribly broken. We're going to have to reset them for him to heal properly. Do you think you could stay and hold his hand so he has something to hold onto?" The healer now asked, looking between Gail and Nick as though she was delivering bad news. Gail shook her head, displaying that she didn't mind at all, and she sat down closer to Nick's head, reaching for one of his hands. "They have to reset your bones, if you heard the healer," Gail said to him quietly, not entirely sure just how much pain he was in. "But I'm here, okay? Just hold onto my hand while they do what they need to do." She tried giving him a feeble smile.
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Post by Nicholai Hawthorn on Nov 13, 2010 15:29:03 GMT -5
As the moved into the big house, Nick tried his best not to crush his little savior. Cause it wasn't that she was weak, but he knew for a fact he was huge. There weren't many (if any) campers at camp that where even close to his size. When they finally got to the cot he laid down on it, letting out a groan of pain as he did so. He thought Gail would of gone back to whatever she had been doing once she knew he was in good enough hands. However when he had looked up again, his vision focusing enough to see that she was still at his bedside. But why?
He wasn't able to think on that much because soon the healer had come to look him over, feeling his sides gently but still causing him to curse in Russian because the pain made him want to punch the girl. His ribs where broken, they had already figured that out. Did she really have to go poking around on his chest?! She was really about to drive him totally mad, and it wasn't really a pretty aspect when he was angry. Things tended to fry. He tried his best to stay awake, and not let whatever Phobos had done to him get the best of him, maybe deep down he did have a bit of his fathers pride.
He vaguely heard the healer tell Gail that they needed to get his shirt off. This was really how Gail was going to see him shirtless? Bruised and gross? How could this get any worse. However the next second he wished he hadn't have asked because as they lifted his arms to take off his shirt he was hit with another avalanche of pain." Nah...feels like a message.." He tried to joke before he winced again when she told him that it looked like it was painful. He closed his eyes as they finally got his shirt, he was even able to drift for a few moments before he felt a small hand take his own. It was Gail...He looked up at her with pained and tired eyes, what she said first wasn't really comforting. However when she finished he smiled weakly, in to much pain to really think clearly. He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it softly before whispering " Благодарю вас ангел." Having her there with him was a comfort to him, probably more than it should of been.
While he was paying attention to Gail, the healer had went out of the room to get some bandages, some stuff to clean him up and something's that looked almost like surgical hooks."Keep his attention, I doubt either of you would like to watch this..." She whispered to Gail before she gently cleaned around Nicks broken ribs. After a moment she went to one of the areas, she took one of the hooks and stuck it slowly into his bruised skin causing Nick to wince again. However he wasn't prepared for what happened next, the healer hooked her tool under the broken rib (making sure not to damage his lung) before she used it to reset it back into place. There was a snapping noise as she did so, however it was muffled by Nicks yell of pain. He was usually okay with pain, but this was something he just wasn't ready for. He squeezed Gails hand, but even threw the pain he tried to remember not to squeeze to hard and hurt her. Once she had reset one rib Nick looked up into Gails eyes, breathing hard...looking at her was the only thing that seemed to ease his pain.
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Post by Gail Atrova on Nov 21, 2010 21:25:38 GMT -5
{a continuation from the thread "Nothing Will Ever Be The Same"}
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- While Gail was typically a fairly strong girl, she wasn't exactly able to stomach watching surgical procedures. And also, while she'd read countless books on medicine and the like, she hadn't been prepared at all for what was to occur in setting Nick's ribs back. Nor was she really prepared for what Nick did after she spoke to him.
She blushed profusely as he'd kissed her hand - no boy had ever done that, save for one. But Gail wasn't really going to bring him to mind right now, considering as that was a chapter of her life that she'd rather not revisit ever. Besides, Nick wasn't even in his right mind - the poor boy was writing in pain and was practically out of it. She knew that if he'd been reasonably conscious and thinking right, he wouldn't have ever considered doing such a thing. And then, of course, there was always the mystery of what on earth he'd said in Russian. Of the three languages Gail knew, Russian was now one of them, and therefore she'd had no idea of what Nick had said. Which bothered her considerably.
But that bothering her had no comparison whatsoever in contrast to seeing the hook enter Nick's skin. She looked away immediately, unable to stomach looking at it. Had her stomach not been so strong, she was sure that today's lunch wouldn't have stayed in her stomach for too long. Instead she decided to focus on Nick, and to try and comfort him. She refused to look at the procudure being done and continued to hold his hand. Gail squeezed Nick's hand right back - trying to ignore the fact that his grip on her was a little too tight for her muscles' liking. But she ignored it. After all, he needed something to hold on to, and she was sure she would be squeezing the crap out of someone's hand if she were in the same position.
When the nurse asked her to distract him and keep his attention, Gail became flustered. She'd never been any good at this sort of thing. "Well, erm... a new Pegasi was born the other day," she said randomly, using her free hand to tuck a strand of her short blond hair behind her ear. Gail wasn't exactly an animal lover, and Pegasi especially bothered her considering as Gail was also not exactly fond of heights, and in turn flying. But it was something to say. "Once you're able to walk maybe I could take you there to see him sometime." Oh, Gail what are you doing? her mind demanded of her. Are you asking for trouble?
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Post by Nicholai Hawthorn on Nov 26, 2010 23:34:50 GMT -5
Nick usually had a very high threshold for pain, but this was like nothing he had ever experienced. However after the healer had reset two of the son of the sky gods ribs, he had been able to keep himself more calm and collect threw the pain. All but the clenching of his jaw and squeezing Gail's hand where the only real signs that he was in pain. Though even if he was in pain, he still caught the look on the young woman's face when he kissed her hand.
He didn't regret it, even though he had only met her for a little while before he left for the quest. Her staying with him meant allot, and that was the only way he could think of expressing it. He wasn't sure what it was, or why. but in such a short time the daughter of Athena had already gotten under his skin, he had a feeling that she would be a part of his life, little did he know how big she would be. As they set another rib he heard a crack, and groaned threw his teeth, meanwhile he saw Gail turn her head away from his chest quickly. He himself didn't dare look at anything but her, because judging by how much it hurt....he had a feeling it looked just as bad.
His eyes went to their intertwined hands and he brought as much strength as he could to speak." I'm, not hurting you am I?" He asked hoarsely before 'crack' and another rib was snapped into place and he couldn't keep himself from squeezing her hand again. However when she spoke again, it brought a tired and weak smile to his lips. Even though pegasi where a kind of horse, and that was Poseidon's territory they where also flying horses. So Nick had always had a soft spot for them, flight and the sky was always something that made him feel close to both his parents. His father, the lord of the sky and his mother a beautiful army pilot. " I would like that.." He said as he squeezed her hand, but this time not because he was in pain, but as a small sign of affection.
with one final crack! and a groan the healer said.All done, now just have to bandage him up. Can you get him to sit up? She said to Gail, but all Nick could sat was." Seriously? You just rearranged my insides and you want me to sit up? " He said sounding very grumpy. However once he was up he fell silent, trying his best not to show pain as the wrapped his well defined but broken chest. When he was laying down again the healer looked at him.You will have to get allot of rest if you wish to heal... That was when she noticed that Nick had fallen asleep the moment his head hit the pillow again, like he had finally felt safe enough to close his eyes and let his guard down. The healer looked at Gail. Make sure he knows he needs to rest? She said before leaving the daughter of Athena with the injured Hercules.
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Post by Gail Atrova on Dec 5, 2010 20:55:50 GMT -5
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "No, of course you're not hurting me. A few bruises here or there, but nothing I can't," (she winced as he once again began squeezing her hand) "handle." Gail let a small sigh, blowing a stray strand of her short blond hair away from her face. She couldn't even fathom how much pain Nick was going through at the moment - despite being a demi-gods, she'd never broken any limb or bone while at Camp Half-Blood. Then again, this was only her second year, so she didn't want to jinx it.
As she watched the pain contort in Nick's face, Gail's resolution strengthened. She would make sure that noy only Nick would get the help he needed, but she would be the one to nurse him back to health. Something tugged at her heartstrings, seeing him lying there helpless on the hospital bed. Gail told herself it was guilt, and ignored the 2% of her who said differently. The only way, logical way, anyway, to get rid of this "guilt" was to help him. And help him she would. Gail was already thinking of the training sessions she'd have to miss, what she would tell her siblings, throwing away the schedules she'd made for herself mentally, and just general all-around planning. In order to gain full mobilization back, Gail knew Nick would have to go under extensive recovery. She was willing to provide whatever it took for him to get well again.
"I'll take you once you're better. I promise," she told him with a small smile. Gail could tell that the idea, while it wasn't all that terribly exciting, still made him happy. And for some reason, that made her happy too. Even if they were a bunch of four-legged buzzards that smelled like manure.
Gail sighed at his grumpy response to the healer, and she looked at him pleadingly. "Nick, please. She's only trying to help, I'm sure. Do as she says." Her voice almost sounded desperate. Gail had never been good at any of this - at the comforting, the healing, the sitting-at-the-bedside thing... nobody had ever needed it from her. But seeing as she was the only one around at the moment... he needed her here. And that was her guilt speaking. But it was just as she was saying this that she realized he was asleep, and the healer quietly recommended she stay with him. "I'll make sure he gets the message," the daughter of Athena said quietly before turning back to the son of Zeus.
Ever so softly, so as to try and not to wake him, Gail reached out and pushed a strand or two of his dark hair away from his face. He looked so peaceful when he was sleeping... innocent, helpless. There were bruises and cuts that he had sustained on his quest - more heartstrings tugged as she looked down at him. And so the daughter of Athena sat there for hours, transfixed by the son of Zeus, until finally sleep began lulling her into its sweet embrace. With a final yawn, Gail glanced out the window. It was dark - probably too late to just head back to her cabin anyway. Keeping Nick's hand in hers, Gail rested her head on the edge of the son of Zeus's bed, shifting around until she finally found a comfortable position.
What she never noticed was that as she fell asleep, Gail naturally rested her head against his side, and her other hand reached out to touch the one that was already holding hers. Little by little, she drifted off to sleep.
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