sketchycharacter

[ There was a med tech in the primary treatment room whose sole purpose was to direct Nate back towards the cryo unit.

There they were working on Elena, prepping her to go into cryostasis. Adrien was taking a last round of vitals and keying information into the unit when he saw movement and called out sharply. ]

Over here.

[If the tech directed Nate anywhere else he'd be tempted to take a swing. He rushes to Elena's side, or as close as he can get, and goes even paler if that's possible. Jesus, she looks almost dead.]

What the hell happened?

[ Adrien continued to work, his movements methodical and precise, not unlike the way he had mowed through Caducians when they'd been trapped aboard the other ship. Hands that killed with ruthless efficiency, moved with the same ease as they sought to save. ]

The amount of glass that affected her as a result of whatever the fuck happened with the Ingress, further complicated by the shrapnel we didn't have time to remove.

[ He explained in a level, clipped tone. ]

I'd advised her a couple of days ago that cryo was the best solution for her specific condition, at least until we can find some way to morph glass back to organic matter. It was not a solution she was willing to pursue at the time, but now we're past the point of it being a choice.

[ He looked over at Nate. It was time to strip Elena down and get her into the unit. ]

Before she lost consciousness, she said 'cryo' but her mental state was altered. You're her husband, which puts you in the position of confirming this choice for her.

She what? But she never—

[That the glass and the shrapnel formed a nearly lethal combination isn't a surprise. That she'd been recommended to turn to cryo before sure as fuck was. But this isn't the time to ask questions, express his shock. It's not the time to distract the doctor from what he's here for.]

Do it. Save her.

[He doesn't even have to think about it.]

[ Adrien paused briefly and simply arched an eyebrow at Nate for that first bit. When the man gave his permission, Adrien got back to work, though he did mutter. ]

If you two ever learn to talk to one another ...

[ This marriage and it's secrets.

Well for the moment at least, things were going to be getting a little personal as the cryostasis unit required a distinct lack of extraneous clothing.

The dire nature of the situation hopefully would help distract from the potentially awkward.

Either way that robe was coming off as Adrien finished the prep and moved to get Elena settled into the unit. ]

[Any other time, Nate would scowl but privately acknowledge that Adrien has a point. As it is, he can only watch and keep himself from trying to be sick.

He doesn't care that Elena is naked. This isn't awkward to him. It's just fucking tense, his stomach all tied up in knots.

Part of him knows they're in space, god knows how far from Earth. The rest of him is back in Nepal, watching her bleed out in his arms all over again.]

[ It is all actually rather anti-climatic after that. Adrien had all the vitals and statistics loaded into the cryo unit, so as soon as Elena was prepped, she went into the bed and then the unit closed around her.

A soft hiss of a hermetically seal and then rush of the cryo compound at work and then done.

Adrien made one more check of the units readouts to confirm that Elena was safe and then he gave a nod and looked across the unit towards Nate. ]

You can stay with her, if you wish.

[It doesn't need to be climactic for Nate. He just feels sick, watching her be sealed away, and doesn't look at Adrien before stepping closer, as if his presence will somehow help. At first, it doesn't seem like he's even heard him.]

She has to stay here until they figure out what to do about the glass, doesn't she?

[Maybe even longer.]

[ Stepping away from the pod, perhaps to give Nate the illusion of privacy with his wife, Adrien leaned against a counter and crossed his arms.

He was frowning (deeper than usual) as he stared at the pod. He wanted to provide Nate with a different answer than the reality they both knew to be the truth. Which was odd, because usually the doctor gave no fucks about anything resembling a bedside manner.

Well, alright, part of it was Adrien's own frustration at being so thoroughly thwarted by the situation. ]

It's the safest option for now, yes.

contact

Surprise?

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject