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Post by Roland Ferrera on Jul 19, 2009 22:01:07 GMT -5
Roland gave her a crooked grin. "I was sure you were going to insist on staying overnight and watching me sleep," he teased. "But you're right, I am pretty tired. And I want to check on Riley and the baby. But I promise you... I'll still be here in the morning. I'm not going anywhere this time."
He shifted position and put his arms around her, holding her close for a minute. "I'm sorry for what I put you through. And I'm very happy to be home."
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Post by Cara Ferrera on Jul 19, 2009 22:08:13 GMT -5
Cara shrugged, hugging him back. "I will beat you senseless for what you put us through later, rest assured," she teased, amazed that she was even able to tease him right now. She stood up, kissing the top of his head like he was still just a child. To her, he always would be.
"I will see you in the morning." She glanced at Mathieu, and then left. She knew there was nothing she could say to him, and she felt sort of faint and dizzy. Some fresh air would do her some good.
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Jul 19, 2009 22:21:17 GMT -5
When Cara was gone, Roland turned to his father. He felt a little awkward now, especially seeing the abrupt way his mother had left without saying a word to Mathieu. For whatever reason, his absence had caused a rift that would not be so easily mended. And it bothered Roland more than he could say.
"Dad... What happened?"
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Post by Mathieu Ferrera on Jul 19, 2009 22:43:06 GMT -5
There were times when Roland's eyes could almost qualify as weapons. When under the heat of his gaze, it could be hard to keep one's cool. Roland knew this and, when asking someone questions that he knew they didn't want to answer, he usually turned the full force of his gaze on them as a sort of reinforcement.
Mathieu knew all of this, but it was still hard to respond when faced with it. What was he supposed to say? He couldn't look at Roland, and instead stared down at the hospital-issue sheets.
"It's nothing, son," he said stiffly. "I... I handled things badly. I couldn't talk to her. I couldn't deal with losing you."
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Jul 19, 2009 23:33:21 GMT -5
Roland sighed. He really hadn't expected this to happen. But he was starting to learn that you could never really predict how people were going to react to things. He was also starting to learn a little more about the strength of love and the effect it could have on a person.
Ever since he was a child, Roland had been a person who felt things very deeply. He was young and passionate and just selfish enough to think that other people didn't feel as deeply or love as hard as he did. If anyone in his family had been abruptly killed, Roland would have been completely devastated. He just honestly never realized that he was just as important to his family as they were to him.
One thing he knew, however, was that he couldn't allow his parents to split up over him. They had already been through too much together. And if they couldn't make it, would he and Riley have a chance of making this work?
"Dad... you have to go to her. Talk to her. Please. Don't let what I did tear you two apart."
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Post by Mathieu Ferrera on Jul 19, 2009 23:53:08 GMT -5
Mathieu sighed and continued to evade Roland's gaze. Really, he had always considered the separation with Cara to be a temporary one. He had always figured that eventually, something would snap him out of it, and he would come back home to her. He wasn't sure what would have done it if Roland hadn't turned up alive again, but now he didn't have to wonder.The only problem was, it was clear that Cara wasn't just going to take him back easily. He was going to have to convince her. And he wasn't entirely sure he had the strength yet.
The truth was, Roland being back didn't magically make things better, as Mathieu had imagined it would. Losing him, even temporarily, had shattered something in Mathieu. And it worried him, because there was a possibility that someone in the family could really be killed next time. They were in the middle of a war, and in war, people died. Sometimes even innocents. This had all been too close for comfort, especially after nearly losing Jamie and Cyrus in the Hogsmeade attack.
"I'll try," he said simply.
He stood up and squeezed Roland's hand once before releasing it. "Good night, Roland. We'll see you in the morning. And.... I love you."
He smiled slightly, then he was gone.
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Post by Chase Kelly on Jul 20, 2009 0:04:15 GMT -5
Chase had been checking in on Roland between visiting other patients, and when he finally saw first Cara, then Mathieu leave, he had one of his nurses prepare a meal, and Chase was the one that took it to him.
"You look tired," he observed quietly, setting the tray of food next to Roland's bed. If he were honest with himself, he didn't expect Roland to eat it. Not yet, anyway.
"Anything I can do for you?"
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Jul 20, 2009 0:19:48 GMT -5
Roland had been staring after his father, deep in thought. Somehow, he was going to have to repair the damage he had caused. He owed it to them, and to the other kids, to fix things. He just had to figure out how.
He was still thinking about this when Chase came in with a tray of food. Roland looked at it with a raised eyebrow. "I'm a vegetarian," he informed Chase as he looked at the piece of meat on the plate. He leaned back and yawned. "I am getting tired... but is there a chance I can go see Riley again?"
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Post by Chase Kelly on Jul 20, 2009 0:26:32 GMT -5
Chase frowned. "Are you messing with me?" He honestly couldn't tell. And to be honest, it seemed like something Roland would do, just to be difficult. Then again, maybe he legitimately didn't eat meat. "I really can't wait until you're released tomorrow. No offense."
He leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest. Roland was technically well enough to go home now, but it was for his own safety that Chase decided to keep him overnight.
"She's sleeping now," he replied, relaying what Lydia had told him when he asked about arranging a room for them. "But she's been talking in her sleep... saying your name. There's an extra bed in there for you, and I'll have a nurse bring you... something with more leaves. Don't wake her up."
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Jul 20, 2009 0:36:53 GMT -5
Roland laughed, but it was half-hearted. "None taken," he said tiredly. "I can't wait to leave."
He poked at the food on his plate a moment. "I'll be honest with you, I probably would lie and say I was a vegetarian to avoid eating this. But I'm actually serious."
He shrugged. He somehow doubted that he would stay awake long enough to eat anything, anyway. He was starting to crash, now that all the excitement was starting to fade. He just needed to make sure he was moved into the room with Riley.
"Thanks. I just... we'll both feel better if we're nearby. Can we go over there now?"
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Post by Chase Kelly on Jul 20, 2009 0:41:53 GMT -5
Chase laughed in turn. So he was right, Roland would have made up something like that. The thought make him smile and he shook his head. "I'll bring you something else."
When Roland asked if they could go to Riley's room now, Chase was quiet for a moment, something unreadable running through his eyes.
"Yes, you can. But there are rules." His eyebrows went up as if he was emphasing the importance of this. "You sleep in seperate beds, you don't wake her up. And if you both happen to be awake at the same time, I want you both to eat."
He didn't actually expect the first to be followed, and it wasn't that he thought they'd be having sex. They were both just healing still and needed the space in those small beds.
He nodded his head towards the door. "Let's go."
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Jul 20, 2009 0:53:56 GMT -5
Roland frowned. He already didn't like the rules. He had, of course, been fully planning on slipping into Riley's bed when the healers were all gone. And no, it wasn't with the intention of doing anything inappropriate. But he was worried about her, after the stress of the day. It could trigger a nightmare, and he wanted to hold her and try to keep the nightmares at bay.
"All right," he said reluctantly. "But she has nightmares sometimes. And she sleeps better when she's with me. If she starts to have a nightmare, you'd better believe I'm slipping into her bed."
He got to his feet, and wobbled slightly, just proving exactly how tired he really was. But he soon steadied himself and nodded. "After you, Doc."
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Post by Chase Kelly on Jul 20, 2009 1:00:15 GMT -5
"At least you're honest," Chase replied dryly. "We have potions that would give her a dreamless sleep. I'll grab a couple, just in case. You might do well to take one, too."
He didn't know what happened, and he wasn't going to ask. But, he mused as he lead Roland back down the hall, they had both come in injured, and they'd been awfully panicked about each other. Something stressful and traumatic had happened, and the stress wasn't good for either of them.
He quietly opened the door to Riley's room, allowing Roland in first, and then he went to the cabinet in the corner and grabbed two potions for a peaceful sleep. He set them next to the tray of untouched food between the two beds now.
"Get some rest," he told Roland, already smiling to himself, wondering how he'd find them in the morning.
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