On the Road to recovery

Chase sat in her bed, pulling a hairbrush through her tangled mess. She had been in the hospital for nearly a week now, and she had finally been allowed out of her restraints, well... by the professionals. She knew bad things were happening, and she had also been told Khaat was alive, which was nice to know that she hadn't killed her, and that Khaat had had triplets instead of twins, but the worst part was, was that Chase hadn't been there, in fact, during their birth, she had been sobbing in bed like a child, holding onto Calvin's hand like it was the last thing she would ever do.. now?

Well Chase was looking better, her hair was still pretty messy, but she was yanking out the knots. Her eyes were puffy, her clothing rumpled, and a look that was basically blank of all emotion graced her face. It was as though the world had turned off the light behind Chase's eyes, and she just looked, she didn't think, or feel, or wonder, she just... looked. Every now and then a flash of pain crossed her face as she yanked the brush through it, and small tears pricked her eyes at the pain, but besides that she didn't show any emotion as she sat, staring at the wall. Rhythmic motions keeping her mind content for the time being. She counted her strokes carefully, muttering the numbers under her breath. "One hundred and two, one hundred and three." The count kept getting higher, but the amount of knots in her hair were well above the number she was at at the moment. She was about halfway through her hair, and she had already gotten to over a hundred strokes.

After a while of more counting, she started to gently hum, counting in her head, practicing her thinking skills. Her mind was on the fritz, so doing something in her head helped her to keep it organized, and working properly. Suddenly she stopped brushing her hair, and the numbers in her head stopped, and she took a long deep breath, putting her hands over her face, rocking back and forth, her humming growing louder, before suddenly she stopped that as well, and picked up the hair brush and resumed brushing it, counting in her head, a soft hum escaping her lips. It was obvious that this girl belonged in the mental ward, and even though she was obviously regaining the ability to sit up and not try and scratch her own throat open, she was still having a difficult time managing small things, such as counting in her head, without coming close to near break down, but as it was.. she was doing a lot better.

Jack peeked her head into Chase's room, looking awkward and unsure of how to go about this. Once again, she had allowed bad things to happen to Chase and she was not even sure what had happened to her. She had heard about it at work- how embarassing. She was going to make it up. Tell her friend they needed to restart again... something they seemed to do more often than hang out.

Ever since graduation, Jack had become a recluse. She had gotten a job and she was the first there and the last to leave. She returned with burns, with creatures, with research, with essays, and she continued her work. She put on bad gory horror films in the background, made herself some simple dinner, and would then work until she passed out.

So yes, this was going to be just a little awkward. She knew it too. It was not just Chase. Ari had been largely ignored- though Jack was not sure who was avoiding who in that situation. Jack had not even seen Vito. She had seen no one outside those in her office. It had nothing to do with Chase. It wasn't personal.

She walked in and smiled awkardly. "I have a present for you."

Chase found herself looking up from her deadpan stare at the wall, her humming stopped, and she frowned, as though attempting to place Jack in her head, having a hard time sorting out the different faces and names, before she was able to register who it was. "Oh.. hello Jack." She said softly, running the brush through her hair and working on another knot. The first thing that was obvious was the one, very very thin chain attached from her wrist to the bed. Before she had been completely strapped down, no way of moving anything but her head, and now she could sit up and even stand up if she wished.. but never move far from the bed. It didn't make any noise, and appeared to be not there if you looked at it at a certain angle. "A present?" She asked, sorting out the words in her head, her forehead wrinkling with the effort. "Present... oh.." She said a tiny spark of understanding appearing in her eyes.

"You didn't have to... do that..." she said softly, returning her dead pan stare at the wall, finally tugging on the last stroke and making her hair red and shiny again. "Two hundred and twenty three.." She whispered, more to herself then to Jack. Finally though, she tore her gaze up to Jack, and carefully set the hairbrush on the table beside her bed. She had her own room, mostly because they considered her dangerous, and made sure that anyone meeting with her stayed out of the range that she could reach with her chain, and also made sure there was nothing sharp near her, and her fingernails were trimmed daily, making sure she couldn't scratch herself, but it looked as though she had been trying to, the streaks from before still slightly visible, but new small scratches showing up on top of the old, scabbed over wounds.

Jack could not believe the changes in both of them- it was so immense she could not begin to describe. Chase's hair had gotten a little longer, but was ragged and messy. Jack's mane had been cut short and styled in an edgy yet somehow fitting bedhead style. Chase's face looked thinner but unhealthily so, Jack's was becoming more feminine and adult. Chase was in a hospital gown. Jack wore her old knapsack, a long coat, and jeans.

But that was not all the differences. They both wore unreadable expressions, and yet for different reasons. Jack could feel the loss from Chase thrumming in her own ribcage, the fear, so evident her own skin was beginning crawl. But somehow, Chase was the same. Her mannerisms and way of speaking seemed the same, just haunted and scared.

Jack had no idea who she was anymore.

Chase's insisted no present was necessary but Jack reached into her pocket and pulled out a kneazle kitten, walking over to Chase and holding out the little thing- it had been bread by some teacup cat and a kneazle, so it was small but hardy. Jack had used some spells to prevent the nails from scratching as well as the cat from biting, so all bases had been covered.

"Some people in the department have been talking about the healing power of animals on people who need joy. You don't have to keep him, I just figured you might want a visitor who won't ask you fifty questions."

Chase watched blankly as Jack reached into her pocket, and pulled out a small kitten. An unreadable expression crossed Chase's face as she looked at the tiny kitten. "Oh.." She whispered, her eyebrows moving up into her hair, and a small tiny smile flickered across her lips. "Adorable.." she said, her voice so soft it was as though she had lost it and had forgotten it was there. Her eyes were wide as she stared at the kitten that was held out to her, and she carefully reached forward, very gently she held out her hand and smiled as the kitten moved onto hers from Jack. The kitten looking up at Jack for a moment before turning to look at Chase's amazed face. "So small." She whispered, and gently brought the kitten to her chin.

She heard a small purr, and she looked at Jack in surprise, obviously over excited about the tiny kitten, but unable to show the right emotions. "Thank you.." She said softly, her eyes searching Jack's and a small innocent smile on her face. It was as though her mind had simply reset in the last few days. From torture to nothing, to slowly regaining her emotions, the transformation of her emotions clearly visible, each struggling moment obvious and heart wrenching for anyone who had to watch it, it was on reason no one seemed to come into her room besides Calvin and nurses. Chase smiled slightly and gently pet the kitten, and smiled at Jack carefully. "Thank you.." She repeated.

Chase held out an unsteady hand and Jack reached under her friend's hand and braced her wrist, before gently placing the kitten into her hand. She paused until she felt Chase had the kitten balanced before moving her hand away. Jack used to be incredibly useless at such simple gestures before she had gotten her job at the Ministry. Having to feed baby dragons, and weird crossbreeds had given her a more watchful touch.

Jack watched Chase carefully and saw the struggle. She had heard a few of their old classmates who had visited Chase say she was sort of creepy. Naturally, Jack had slipped a dungbomb in their bags as she spoke with them briefly and brushed passed... and then waited until they had gotten farther down and she had been able to turn and set off the dungbombs...

That had been in the reception area though. Jack found Chase to be un-Chaselike but apparently, Jack had dealt with weirder. She watched patiently and raised her eyebrows as huge amounts of emotion ecploded onto Chase's face- and by that she meant very little, but Jack could sense and feel the emotion, and she could see the bits of the success of the struggle as evidence on her expression.

Jack was patient and she was firm. She was not going to pat Chase's hand and tell her how great it had been. She was not going to break into tears at Chase's bedside and beg her for a smile. She was going to look Chase in the face, unafraid, and push her to see more, without demanding anything. And the kitten had been perfect. Proved what they thought right.

"No problem," Jack responded. "You can have him or give him back, like I said, don't feel pressured one way or the other." That way, Chase had to make up a decision, battling both emotion and rationality, and making both work. "How's it been here? What have they been doing for you?" Again, Jack was trying to push Chase to feel, to try and explain... If she got frustrated, Jack had stories to try and lull Chase back into peace, but she wanted to try and help her friend first. And tough love sometimes came off as polite.

Chase wasn't used to this, and she couldn't help but stare at Jack, the blank expression on her face showing everything and nothing at the same time. Her hands were shaking as she gently held the kitten, careful with it, keeping her hands in a gentle grip, When Jack spoke of letting her either keep the kitten, or give it back, she stared at the kitten, her eyes wide, the expression gone again, her mind struggling to kick back into motion. It was like trying to get old dust out of her system and clear out the working space, she took a long time to respond to Jack, her eyes locked on the kitten, working hard to get her mental process to make a decision. "Errm..." She whispered and then looked up at Jack. "I would like to keep it..." She said softly, her blank stare turned on her, gently petting the kitten. "Does... does.. He have a name?" She asked, picking the kitten up VERY carefully with her shaking hands and checking.

Even that little movement seemed to take a lot from her, and she gently put the kitten down. Her arms were very shaky from her attempt at brushing her hair. When Jack asked her about the Hospital, Chase's blank expression got, if possible, more blank. Like she was working, but was afraid, afraid of showing it. The kitten tumbled over the blankets and Chase watched it carefully, her eyes following his movements. "They are good... they give me.... potions.." She said struggling to remember the right words, struggling to keep her mind where she knew it was safe, but being forced to think about things, and getting dangerously close to the parts she had blocked off, the parts she had been carefully tending and removing the last few days. "I... People visit me.." she said softly, and then carefully touched her hair. "Mandi... told me my hair was messy.. so I brushed it... "She said softly, her eyes finding Jack's again. "They... don't come in here much.." She said slowly, her eyes falling back down to the blanket, and she reached out, pulling the kitten back to her, smiling and gently stroking him. "He's got a little white beard.. "She said looking at the kitten, her lips turned up slightly in a smile. But she said it so simply, without amusement or emotion, she just.. said it, and it was almost creepy.

Jack watched Chase, unfazed by the struggle that did get through, unfazed by the blank empty look in Chase's eyes. Neither would stop Jack. Chase did not need a friend who would weep for what she used to be. She needed a friend to kick her arse into gear and help her get back to normal. These healers would not mind having Chase there for years. Jack was getting Chase out of her- as soon as possible.

She finally spoke, deciding she wanted the kitten. A win of emotions. Had rationality won, she would have questioned it soon, said she had to ask Calvin- Reid had caught Jack up regarding the two- etcetera. This was pure emotion- she liked the kitten, she wanted it. Either way would be a victory, it meant some process had been done, but the emotional victory was a lot more indicative that Chase was become herself again.

"It doesn't have a name, that's up to you," Jack said, again prompting thought. Chase carried on about the hospital and Jack nodded. "They ever stop helping you and you tell me. I will come in and kick ass, okay?" She nodded. Chase mentioned the white beard and Jack grinned. "Indeed." She paused and then thought of something. "So how's Calvin? Good friend, right?"

Jack knew what she was doing. She was giving Chase a chance to tell a story.

She told Chase that the little kitten didn't have a name, and Chase couldn't help but stare at her wide eyed, the idea of even THINKING of a name.. a name for this adorable ball of fur, this little tiny kitten that she could take care of and love, and have there for her to watch when no one else wanted to look at her... so understanding and forgiving, it was like a breath of fresh air in a stuffy room, and is kinda what the room was, it was kinda dark, sure she got food everyday, and every now and then someone would help her up and walk her down the hall, stretch her legs, but her blank stare, the quietness, it unnerved even some of the veteran nurses in the hospital. Here was a girl, who on any other time had been bright, cheery, happy, active, in love. And now.. she was either sobbing hysterically, or had a dead stare at the wall. And in fact her stare did resemble the one of a dead person, there was just nothing there in her eyes, and Chase was almost, great full that Jack could look at her and not flinch away.

"A name..." She whispered more to herself, before looking down at the tiny yellow kitty, with a cute little white beard. The white beard made her think of something and she softly said. "Albus... " She said softly, looking at the kitten, before looking up at Jack. "Is... Is that okay?" She looked to her for permission, just like she had been pretty much forced to do for the last few days, before she did anything, or basically said anything, she made sure it was okay, made sure it wasn't overstepping her boundaries, boundaries that the thing little chain gave to her.

Chase wasn't sure what to say about the hospital though, she knew Jack was attempting at humor, but a smile just couldn't find her lips, and she turned her attention back to the kitten as Jack asked about Calvin. Chase's eyes went kind of wide, and something sparked, just hearing his name automatically brought back sensations that were normally lost to her. "Calvin." She said slowly, drawing out his name, as she tasted it on her lips. "More... I mean... I mean he's.. more then a friend now.. I mean.." Chase was struggling with herself, and her hands gripped the blanket as she watched the Kitten tumble over as the ground beneath him moved and he mewled, sitting up and blinking at Chase, who immediately picked him up gently and snuggled him under her chin, making sure he was okay, before gently sitting him back down, her eyes carefully avoiding Jack's.

"We... We... He... I..." she struggled against her own processes, unable to make complete sentences, and struggling hard with it, her mind rebelling the use of thought. "I just.. I'm..." She frowned and gently pet the kitten, watching as he curled up in her lap and dozed, leaving her to her own thoughts again, ones she didn't know how to organize, her mind felt like the spongebob episode, where he forgot everything except fine dining and breathing, and when asked his name, he couldn't find it, chaos ensued, and he shut down and barked like a dog. (Lets. just. say. Calvin REALLY liked Spongebob). So she sat there for a long moment, chaos flickering across her face, and through her eyes, but she stayed really calm, her breathing even, as she attempted to sort out the chaos. "He likes me... and I like him.." She finally whispered, almost afraid, and then looking at Jack, as though asking permission if that was alright too, a habit she had fallen into so deeply, she was afraid of stating things from her own life before making sure it was okay to say.

Jack knew that Chase was struggling, but she also knew that was a good thing. A struggle was a lot better than no struggle. At least it meant Chase was working hard to overcome, that she had the will to overcome. Jack would have more of a problem if she knew that Chase had given up on herself. A struggle gave her immense hope for her friend.

Chase came up with the name Albus and Jack was taken back to the white tomb- she shook thoughts of what had transpired from her mind. She could not be at all weak right now. Chase looked up at Jack, asking if it was alright. Jack almost reassuringly nodded before realizing the harm in it. Instead, she leaned against the wall and shrugged. "I dunno. Don't ask me," redusing to enable her friend.

Chase began to explain and Jack could see the earnest frustration on her face. How she wished to correct Jack, to spill everything. She got closer but Jack wanted more. She knew she was pushing Chase, but no one would ever be able to accuse her of it- she would claim ignorance. She nodded, a dawning look of realization. "Oooh, so like best friends. That's nice."