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Post by Sean Leviner on Nov 14, 2011 12:09:44 GMT -5
Sean nodded. "I know." He didn't k ow What it was like... he had his brother and two loving parents. But he wanted to offer her more too. "I know I'm not family, Lydia... but she doesn't have to be all you have. I'm here, too."
It was a gentle statement, just letting her know That she wasn't alone. At least he'd be around for as long as he could be. He wasn't sure how much time he could promise her.
"But trust me... not giving up on her... that takes strength and courage."
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Post by Lydia Kenyon on Nov 14, 2011 22:53:52 GMT -5
In that moment, the last of Lydia's defenses crumbled. She wasn't sure what she had expected when she brought him to meet Sarah, or even why she had done it. Maybe she had been testing him, or maybe in her heart she already knew he would understand. Whatever her intentions had been, Sean had passed with flying colors, and the statement from him--a kind of promise--broke through her tough shell and lodged in her heart.
She was falling in love with him. Oh, there were plenty of things she didn't know about him, but suddenly that didn't seem to matter. She'd planned to keep her distance, to approach this cautiously, but it was too late.
Another tear slipped from her eye, and she smiled up at him. "Thank you," she said again. "It helps... knowing I'm not alone."
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Post by Sean Leviner on Nov 15, 2011 11:46:40 GMT -5
It did something to him, deep in his gut (or was that his heart?) to see her cry. He felt kind of helpless, and he thought he would battle the entire world to stop anything from hurting her.
"I know... and I'm here any time you need me." His hands pressed deep into his pockets, his mind jumping between so many thoughts that he couldn't get a solid grasp on any of them.
"Maybe there's something we can do. Sometimes, you know, the muffled come up with some wild breakthrough that we don't always come across. I'm sure you've already thought of that, but I could look into it for you. If you'd like."
Merline... now he was getting involved and he didn't even know if se wanted him That close. He just wanted to help her. "Sorry," he added, afraid he stepped over his bounds. "You can just tell me to bugger off, too."
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Post by Lydia Kenyon on Nov 21, 2011 0:18:23 GMT -5
Amazingly, she smiled. Something strange and unspoken passed between them and she could almost feel what he was thinking. He would fight for her. She knew it almost as clearly as if he had said it aloud. She could feel warmth spreading through her, where once it had been cold and empty. She'd kept up her hopes for Sarah for so long, she'd had to fight all her own battles, even when she was weary and broken, and it was nice to have someone who could fight her battles for her, even for a little while.
"I subscribe to several muggle medical journals about brain injuries and comas, and once a month, I spend the day in the London library, just looking to see if there are any new breakthroughs or treatment options," she said. "I even found something recently about electrostimulation, and the healers in charge of her case are looking into it. I appreciate the offer, though... Honestly, it's just nice to have a shoulder to cry on once in a while."
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Post by Sean Leviner on Nov 21, 2011 15:20:59 GMT -5
Sean nodded, stopping himself from offering to accompany her to the library. He couldn't explain what was going through his head, but every instinct he had told him not to make her do This alone anymore. It was an instinct as powerful as survival, and he wasn't sure what to do with it. He didn't want to come across as creepy.
"I know." He did, he knew the value of sharing your burden more than she realized. It's why he confided in Daniel.
"I'm not sure what else to say," he admitted, glancing at her again.
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Post by Lydia Kenyon on Nov 23, 2011 1:47:04 GMT -5
Lydia smiled again and squeezed his hand. "You don't have to say anything else," she assured him. "Really, you didn't have to say anything at all... just listen. I think that's what I needed. I actually feel better than I've felt in a long time."
Even though the rest of the hospital staff knew about Sarah, it wasn't something that she ever talked about. It was just one of those things that no one talked about. She had always thought it was better that way; that she couldn't do her job properly if everyone was busy worrying about her. She saw it with Kieran, how people looked at him differently since the Hogsmeade attack had taken away nearly everyone he cared about. She didn't want them to look at her that way, so she kept her emotions locked away. It was strange how Sean brought them out so easily.
"Come on, let's go back to the cafeteria. If we're really lucky, they'll be putting out some fresh coffee, instead of the sludge that's usually there..."
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Post by Sean Leviner on Nov 26, 2011 1:24:05 GMT -5
Sean cocked his head to the side slightly and smiled a little. "Hmm... yeah, that just listening thing isn't going to work here. I'm a guy, you see. And I work in Law Enforcement. I like to fix things. Especially for you."
That last bit might have been saying too much, but Sean wasn't actually worried about that anymore. He didn't think Lydia would mind if he said too much, or nothing at all. So far, he couldn't do wrong by her.
He nodded, gesturing back towards the cafeteria. "You live on coffee, don't you? I suspect you would have to, with the hours you keep. I'm like that, too."
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Post by Lydia Kenyon on Dec 2, 2011 1:01:32 GMT -5
Lydia found herself blushing. She honestly couldn't remember the last time she had felt like this... she was almost carefree. Even the raw emptiness she usually felt after visiting Sarah seemed to have faded, and she was completely focused on the man by her side.
"Sometimes things can't be fixed, except by time," she said with a soft smile. "But I appreciate the offer, anyway."
It had frustrated her, too, for a long time. Seeing Sarah like that--alive, but somehow not--it killed her just a little each day. She was there, so close and yet so far. And Lydia was powerless to fix it. No matter how many times she sat at her sister's bedside and tried to talk to her, read to her, even sing to her.... there wasn't much she could do but wait and pray.
It was a relief to change the subject. Lydia nodded and grinned. "Yeah, coffee is pretty much essential in my line of work. Especially since I seem to get stuck with the night shift a lot. We actually have a better coffee maker in the staff lounge."
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Post by Sean Leviner on Dec 22, 2011 23:42:17 GMT -5
"Yeah, well... I'm a guy. We don't like to be told we can't fix things." Sean shrugged, eyes on the floor as it passed under his feet.
His eyes rose and glanced at her as she continued, though, and he couldn't help but feel like a lot had just happened in those three sentences. Sean wasn't stupid- quite the opposite, really. He was just very quiet about it, and a little awkward when it came to girls. This kind of thing was Dan's forte, not his. But, due in part to his line of work, he was pretty good at paying attention to what people said, and what they didn't say.
So she'd divulged her usual schedule to him, and whether she meant to or not, it mean she trusted him enough to give that information away. Of course, he wasn't worried about her trusting him, or she would have never introduced him to Sarah. Secondly, he was pretty certain she'd just invited him into the staff lounge for coffee... or why else mention it? Instead of pressing this, he decided instead to focus on that first bit of information.
"Why do you get the night shift so often?"
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Post by Lydia Kenyon on Jan 2, 2012 2:18:11 GMT -5
"Healers don't like it much, either," she reminded him lightly, with a hint of a smile on her face.
Sarah was the reason Lydia had become a healer. Part of her had hoped that she would be able to help treat her sister, and maybe even find a cure to bring her out of the coma. And even if she couldn't, maybe she could help other people's family members... to bring them back from the edge of the veil, like she could never do with Sarah. So Lydia was a doer, just as Sean was. That was the reason she couldn't completely give up hope... because it seemed that as long as Sarah was still alive, there had to be something that could be done.
She sighed and shook her head. She was starting to accept that the matter was out of her hands... but that realization had not come easily. It had brought many tears of anger and frustration and bitterness. And yet telling Sean felt somehow... cathartic. It was easier to see the glimmers of hope shining through the trees.
"I actually like the night shift," Lydia confessed. "It's not like I have anyone to come home to, except a cat. Galen has a wife, Chase has a girlfriend... It's easier to let them have the early shifts, while I take the late shift. When it's quiet, I can sneak up and visit Sarah."
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Post by Sean Leviner on Jan 3, 2012 1:35:28 GMT -5
Sean couldn't help but smile softly. "Yes... I suppose that's true, as well." Well then... that made them quite the pair, a couple of tragic perfectionists. Sean's smile, oddly, grew.
"It's going to be all right. You know that, don't you?" Sean couldn't promise this to anyone but her, and he probably had no right to promise it to her, either. It wasn't like he'd seen some happy reunion in a vision or anything. He just had a good feeling about her, and when he was with her. Deep down, something in him knew that she would be okay. And hopefully that meant Sarah would be, too.
"That seems fair. It's kind of you, too. I don't know... I think it'd be too quiet for me."
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Post by Lydia Kenyon on Jan 5, 2012 0:31:55 GMT -5
Tears glittered in her eyes, but she smile softly at him. Many times in the past, her fellow staff members had said the same thing to her... that everything would be all right, that things would turn out as they were meant to. But when Sean said it, she really believed it... as if him saying it would somehow make it true.
"I have my days where I give up hope and rage at the world, and I have days when I know, deep down in my soul, that everything will turn out for the best," she replied. "Right now, I'm feeling pretty positive. I think... I think sometimes I just need to talk about it. Thank you for being here."
Somehow, she wasn't actually sure when, she had moved closer to him and placed her hand on his cheek. Realizing this, she blushed, but she didn't move away.
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Post by Sean Leviner on Jan 14, 2012 2:41:43 GMT -5
Sean was about to tell her that it was no problem. Or that it was his pleasure, or one of any number of dismissive phrases in his head. But she cut him short, and he had to fight to keep his face impassive as she stepped closer.
The fight not to lean into her touch was lost, however, and he let out a quiet, slow sigh. He didn't know exactly what was happening here, but he liked it. He almost melted when her cheeks tinged pink.
"If you don't want me to kiss you," Sean said, his voice low, and the sentence forming before he could think enough to stop himself, "You should say something now."
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Post by Lydia Kenyon on Jan 17, 2012 2:11:40 GMT -5
Lydia felt her breath catch in her throat, and she wasn't sure whether it was because of the look in his eyes, the low rumble of his voice, or the words he said. Maybe it was all of those things. It didn't matter, though. She couldn't have spoken even if she'd wanted to.
And she didn't. Merlin, she wanted him to kiss her. It had been so long since she'd been kissed... Sixth year, maybe? The mere idea of kissing Sean right now made her feel giddy and alive... like Sleeping Beauty, awakened with a kiss.
Her eyes locked with his, and she smiled slowly in an unmistakeable invitation.
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Post by Sean Leviner on Jan 17, 2012 2:36:29 GMT -5
Oh, Merlin, that smile she was giving him was enough to undo him. It would have been a struggle, especially while she was looking at him like that, for him to remember the last girl he'd kissed. Or liked. Or hell, even genuinely smiled at.
She didn't say no. In fact, she was saying yes in as many ways as possible without actually uttering the word, and Sean took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as he dipped his head, lowering his lips to hers.
Just centimeters from starting a kiss, he paused, closing his eyes and breathing her in, trying to take in everything about her before he finally pressed their lips together. It was gentle, and respectful, because that's who Sean was. But there was no question he wanted to press deeper as he cupped her face in his hands.
He didn't, though, breaking the bond between their lips much sooner than he would have liked.
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Post by Lydia Kenyon on Jan 17, 2012 23:30:32 GMT -5
As far as first kisses went, it was pretty close to perfect. Oh, maybe they could have been standing somewhere more exotic than in the hospital hallway, and maybe she could have been wearing something other than scrubs, and they wouldn't have had coffee on their breath, but ultimately, she wouldn't have changed a thing. It was over too soon, of course, but somehow even that was perfect. It was fleeting, and stolen, and incredibly sweet.
Lydia's knees felt like rubber as she opened her eyes and looked up at him. She couldn't have contained her smile in that moment, even if she'd wanted to. "Thank you," she said softly.
She was tempted to kiss him this time, but somehow the moment felt too precious to escalate things just yet. She wanted to let the kiss hang in the air, and to feel the soft tingle his lips had left behind.
"If this is a dream, please don't wake me up."
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Post by Sean Leviner on Jan 18, 2012 20:42:56 GMT -5
Thank you? Well, that was.... Not what he expected to hear. But the way she looked at him and the softness and vulnerability in her eyes just made nothing else matter. Besides, thank you wasn't bad, it just caught him off guard.
He was pretty sure he was dreaming too, though, now that she mentioned it. He thought he'd feel more awkward, since he was so out of practice with this kind of thing. But he didn't. He felt... Perfect. An somehow, he felt completely in control of things. That alone was a feeling he hadn't had in at least a year.
It took his breath away, with a realization that felt like a tidal wave, tht she grounded and calmed him. He smiled. "I won't, if you won't."
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Post by Lydia Kenyon on Jan 20, 2012 1:58:55 GMT -5
They were both out of practice, and somehow that was what made the moment that much sweeter. She'd said "thank you" because she honestly didn't know what else to say in that moment. She was pretty sure it was too soon to start talking of love or anything like that. But the feelings that were coursing through her were pretty intense, and maybe it was love. She didn't know... she'd never been in love before. The idea sort of scared her a little, so she pushed it out of her mind.
Instead, she began to laugh. It was a giddy, girlish laugh, and she dimly realized that she hadn't laughed like that since she was 16. "I'm glad your brother's in his room," she commented. "He'd probably tease us both pretty badly..."
They probably looked a bit ridiculous; the two of them standing in the hospital hallway, blushing awkwardly. They were just two sleep-deprived, overworked people who didn't even know what they were supposed to do after a perfect kiss.
"How about if I take you to the staff lounge?" Lydia suggested, smiling lightly. She didn't realize it, but the smile was more than a little flirtatious.
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Post by Sean Leviner on Jan 21, 2012 13:51:52 GMT -5
The quiet, awkward moment was overcome, and Sean laughed- a real, honest laugh that it seemed only Lydia knew how to pull from him.
"Yeah... yeah, I'm really glad he's bedridden too." Especially considering the habit he was making of walking in on his brother and Victoria. Daniel would have had a field day witnessing that little kiss.
Her next words, however, caused his eyebrows to raise before he could even think about it, and he laughed off the image it put in his head. "Are you trying to take advantage of me, Doctor?" He nodded, though, showing that he was, of course, kidding. He even took her hand, reluctantly finally taking a step back.
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Post by Lydia Kenyon on Jan 25, 2012 1:02:47 GMT -5
It had been a very long time since Lydia had attempted to flirt. And even then, she had never been very good at it. She remembered in her fifth year when she had tried to flirt with a handsome Gryffindor boy by talking about his favorite quidditch team, only to have the boy think that she was a big quidditch fanatic, which she most definitely was not.
But somehow, Sean made it easy. She felt more comfortable around him than she'd ever felt with anyone else, and that made it easier to speak freely. "Hmmm... would it be a problem if I was?" she said teasingly.
She wasn't even sure why she was inviting him to the staff lounge. On the late shift, many staff members spent their down time there. None of them would have a problem with Sean being there, but she didn't know if they would be alone. Still, it felt more private than the cafeteria, and nicer than just standing in the hallway.
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