|
Post by Jules on Feb 11, 2009 23:04:43 GMT -5
Camilla felt like a machine. She kept going, and going and going, without stopping. She kept herself infected with the painkiller, and would've been terrified of the thought of going off it had she room for fear. All the want in the air was almost crippling, combined with her own hunger since she couldn't abide having more then a tiny amount when people were starving, combined with weeks of very little sleep, she was not feeling her best.
Or looking her best. It had been a while since she'd set eyes on Jasper, but she had finally found a spare moment to bring the three outlaws a good supply of Joy. In the back of her mind, Camilla would've liked to look better when she saw Jasper again, but she'd given up on her appearance a while ago. She knew she had to look kind of ragged, but she'd been avoiding mirrors.
Using her sense of Jasper as a guide, she poofed from the hospital and arrived outside a cute little cottage dead-center of a little copse of pretty trees. She trudged up the steps and banged on the door.
|
|
|
Post by Miss Jack on Feb 11, 2009 23:30:51 GMT -5
Jasper opened the door, as he always did, since it was just better luck for him to decide if it was safe to acknowledge whoever happened to be on the other side. His carefully indifferent face blanched as he caught sight of Camilla.
"Are you alright?" he blurted. "What happened to you?"
|
|
|
Post by Jules on Feb 11, 2009 23:49:09 GMT -5
"What? Nothing...I'm fine." She must look worse than she'd first though. Sighing, she handed him the bag stuffed with jars of Joy. "How're you? Have you been eating? Staying low? I'm sorry it took me so long to bring you anything, I've been so busy." She tugged at her snarly curls and frowned a little. She really should have done something before coming over.
"I've missed you." She admitted with a smile.
|
|
|
Post by Miss Jack on Feb 16, 2009 0:47:07 GMT -5
I've missed you, too. I know this because I think about you every other thought, and in weaker moments, more than that. This general summary of feelings remained just that as he continued to stand there, staring, still with a look of slight horror, saying nothing.
"Me? Have you been eating? Have you been sleeping? Have you been taking care of yourself at all?" Now he sounded almost angry, as if it were somehow her fault she'd not been taking care of herself when he couldn't.
He stepped back and opened the door wider, pressing his lips together. "Get in here."
|
|
|
Post by Jules on Feb 16, 2009 0:54:32 GMT -5
"I slept some last week." She replied defensively, "And of course I eat, but there's so many people who need Joy, it wouldn't be fair to take more than the bare minimum, just because I'm stronger." She didn't like the mother-hen tone he was taking with her, even though it was the same one she had used on him mere seconds before. Other people needing taking care of, not her. Speaking of which, she slipped the vial out of her pocket and reinfected herself just to be safe. Every night she carefully examined herself, since she wouldn't be able to tell if something was broken, or if she had a knife sticking out of her back.
She cocked an eyebrow at him, "Is that an order?" her tone slightly incredulous at the idea. But she slipped in anyways, pretending not to have noticed that he hadn't responded to her stating that she'd missed him. "And what about a thank you? You're getting a lot more Joy then a lot of people out there."
|
|
|
Post by Miss Jack on Feb 16, 2009 1:18:29 GMT -5
His shoulder's slumped and the rigid tension to his face slackened. He sighed. "I know. I know, and I'm grateful. Thank you. You're giving us too much as it is." He glanced away. "I just get worried..."
He led her into their little cottage, keeping a hand on her arm, as if she might try and flee if he didn't. "Would you at least sit down for a minute?" (or an hour, or a day).
|
|
|
Post by Jules on Feb 16, 2009 1:29:54 GMT -5
"Well, ration it, I don't know when I'll be able to get more, or how much I'll have to spare for you. But I will keep you fed." Tucking the vial away again, she followed him without protest and was grateful to sit on the nearby couch. "Yes." She breathed with a sigh of relief. Unfortunately, it was one of those couches you sank into, and instantly Camilla felt like she might not be able to get up for a week.
"I can't stay long though. I have a lot to do." She patted the cushion next to her and smile through a sudden yawn. Just because she couldn't feel the pain of being so over-tired didn't mean she wasn't exhausted.
|
|
|
Post by Miss Jack on Feb 16, 2009 2:05:08 GMT -5
"I know you will," he murmured, then moved to sit next to her. Maybe, if he made her feel comfortable, safe enough, she would sleep...
His gaze flicked once at the vial she tucked away. "If you're not careful, you'll get dependant on those," he said.
|
|
|
Post by Jules on Feb 16, 2009 2:12:07 GMT -5
Camilla leaned against him readily, pulling her legs up on the couch. It felt really, really good to be this close to him again. When she did sleep, it wasn't in her bed. She preferred the couch since he'd left---it didn't feel as empty. A dozy warmth spread through her and she sensed the danger of getting too comfortable, but she didn't have the willpower to do anything about it anymore. Even with the constant outcry of hunger of thousands of Dreams and Nighmares rattling in her head, she felt herself unwinding.
It was him. She lifted her head and kissed him--softly--she wasn't in the mood for much more right now. "I wish you had stayed." She informed him bluntly.
|
|
|
Post by Miss Jack on Feb 16, 2009 2:32:20 GMT -5
His arm moved around her with ease, and he tucked her close to him. "I miss you," he said in response, moving fingers into hair that had the tragic feel of neglect to it. "I wish I could help you," he added in a whisper. And then froze. Because he knew someone who could help her. Hadn't he sent Donovan to the Straight and Narrow because his old war-buddy had asked where his assets were most valuable? Now he wished he'd sent him to the hospital.
However, it could wait... until after she'd rested.
|
|
|
Post by Jules on Feb 16, 2009 2:38:49 GMT -5
Camilla pressed her lips together and swallowed her words. She wanted so badly to convince him to come back with her, but clearly that ship had sailed and she wasn't going to make a fool of herself. It was mostly unsuccessful, "You could, you can, if you would--" She shook her head. "Nevermind."
Cuddling in close, she felt more at ease than she had in weeks. She felt warm and safe and only slightly melancholy. And she was therefore in a dead-sleep within milliseconds.
|
|
|
Post by Miss Jack on Feb 17, 2009 23:17:41 GMT -5
Technically, it had been a wish, and some unseen force was pushing at him, edging ideas not quite his own to the surface. A slightly vague image of ushering her home from the hospital, back to their home.
When her breathing became heavy, he shifted her in his arms, pressing a kiss to her brow as he eased her into the mold of the couch. He left the room and returned with a blanket that he tucked around her shoulders.
|
|
|
Post by Jules on Feb 18, 2009 7:52:48 GMT -5
When Camilla awoke a good three hours later, she almost regretted it. The painkillers had worn off, and she felt the toll of everything she'd been forcing herself through. None of the pain was sharp, or unbearable, it was just a dull ache of still utterly-exhausted limbs. A head ache started almost immediately, as with conciousness came the awareness of all the wants and needs of the Isle of Morpheus, louder now than they'd ever been.
With a small groan she sat up and placed a hand to her head, reaching into her pocket for the vial.
|
|
|
Post by Miss Jack on Feb 18, 2009 21:28:04 GMT -5
Jasper had alternated the past three hours with watching her, sitting there pretending like he wasn't watching her, and taking impatient laps around the house only to return to watching her.
As she woke up and reached for the vial, he placed his hand over hers.
"You're only feeling what your body needs you to feel, and you've been masking with all of the pain killers. Instead of numbing yourself you need to eat and rest."
|
|
|
Post by Jules on Feb 18, 2009 21:44:21 GMT -5
Camilla shook her head, "There's no time, too many people need me." She tried to take the hand holding the vial back from him. "Besides, I just napped and I ate..." Well, she couldn't really remember when she'd ate last, and she was really, very hungry, but she wasn't starving. "I ate." At some point last week, anyways.
"Jasper, I'm fine, I know I'm not doing myself any favors, and when things stabilize I promise to take a bit of a break, okay?"
|
|