Blowing off some steam... (PRIVATE: Anime)

"You died, I couldn't save you, the serpopards-" Riley choked, unable to look at her. He took another shaky breath and met her eyes. "It's my fault you're like this. You pushed me out of the way and I watched it hurt you and I couldn't help you because it was still there," he forced the words out of his mouth, his voice wavering as he spoke softly. "You saved my life," he whispered. "Thank you. I almost killed you. I'm sorry." Riley whispered the last part, very carefully moving up to sit on the edge of Salone's mattress, wary of all the mechanisms. The nurse would kill him if she came in here. Riley didn't care.

Salone offered him a tissue from the box on the bedside table. Then folded him into her arms again. Holding him close.
"Trust me, I'll die when I'm ready to. When I do you will not take the credit on it. No! You didn't nearly kill me. I nearly killed myself and saved your life. Not your fault."
She pressed her lips to his forehead. "Every time you blame yourself it hurts me."

She closed her eyes at his touch, "You have no idea how that feels."
When he said those three words her heart skipped a beat and it was repeated in the heart monitor.
A pale blush covered her cheeks and a smile curved her lips, "Did you really just say that?"

Riley watched her, his face turning up into a half smile as he watched her. "Yes, I really did just say that," he replied, his smiling growing as his finger met the scar closest to her lips. "I meant it, too, in case that was your next question."

A nurse came rushing in the room, alerted by the heart monitor. "Is everything-?!" She was cut off when she saw the two teenagers together, in the same bed. "Get off of there!" She screamed at the boy. "What are you thinking?"

Jance was close behind the nurse holding a pop can in his hand.
"I leave the room for five minutes and you make a move on my cousin?" Jance smiled, "Well I'm impressed. Sure your not related?"

Salone felt her face turn beet red. Then the whole thing struck her as extremely funny. She started laughing which only frustrated the nurse even more. Laughing hurt... a lot... eventually she giggled herself into silence. "Woops, must be the pain killers."

Riley winced as the nurse yelled at them, the tone of her voice assaulting his head. Salone started laughing, though, and he couldn't help but join in, leaning into her. He didn't care what Jance said, though he was actually being decent now. It took Salone longer to stop her laughter, but it was obvious that she was in pain. Gently, Riley kissed her scarred cheek and slid off of the side of the mattress, careful of the wires once again. His eyes were probably bloodshot from crying, but most people would probably disregard it as a side effect of his accident. He didn't care much. He sat back down into the seat besides Salone's bed, shooting her a grin.

The nurse scowled disapprovingly at the couple but waited patiently for Riley to get off of the mattress. "I need to change your medicine, sweetie. Can I have your arm?"

Mrs. Peterson returned with two suitcases, one smaller and filled with some of her son's clothing. "Hey, honey!" she greeted upon seeing Riley awake.

"Mom?" he asked, his eyes widening. He'd been expecting this, but he hadn't expected her to show up so soon. He stood up, walking over to her.

"Hi," she said, grinning and throwing her arms around him before he even had the chance to process her presence.

Salone slumped back into her pillows. Her eyes watery from the pain laughing had caused. She grinned at him.
"She showed up while you were sleeping. We got acquainted, but we don't know enough about each other to swap embarrassing Riley stories." Salone teased from the bed. She massaged her temples. The pillows were rather flat and Salone preferred them fluffy but alas, hurt people cant be choosers.

Riley hugged his mom briefly before pulling away. "I missed you!" she greeted emphatically, and he just nodded, feeling guilty. He probably didn't go see his mom often enough, but it was so difficult to find the time, especially when he was still trying to complete high school while at camp.

The nurse administered more painkillers to Salone before moving to leave. She stopped before Riley. "No more shenanigans, hear me?" Riley couldn't help but laugh.

"I can't make any promises, but I'll try to stay away from her," Riley grinned as the nurse left, shaking her head with the hint of a smile on her face.

"Shenanigans?" Mrs. Peterson raised an eyebrow, looking from Riley to Salone and back again. Riley just shook his head.

"Nothing happened, Mom," he chided, suppressing laughter. Of course, his recovery from a nightmare would escalate into some scandalous affair. He tried not to look at Salone, for fear that he'd make her laugh and feel more pain. His mother shot him a look before gesturing to his suitcase.

"I brought you some clothes, be thankful. Without me you'd have to wear Winnie the Pooh pajamas until you left," she said, grinning. "I'm leaving, again, I need to arrange a few things and call your stepfather. I'll be back in a half an hour or so, okay?"

"Fine, mom. I love you." She'd been back only for five minutes and suddenly she was in charge. Go figure. Riley'd been taking care of himself for the past year and a half or more. She replied with an "I love you too" and left. Riley turned to Salone and Jance.

"Hey, you alright?" he asked Salone, who still looked pained. "I think I'm going to go change, if that's okay. Maybe I'll look semi-decent then," he shrugged, smirking slightly. "Though that's doubtful. I still feel like crap."

Salone closed her eyes as the needle full of pain killers went into her upper back. Sweet Isis she hated needles.
Jance was still shaking his head and muttering about shenanigans in the corner as the nurse left.
"Blimey, I honestly hate needles. I think I've mentioned it before." She slumped back onto the bed. "Laughter too at the moment, It hurts."
Salone grinned, "I honestly don't mind the Pj's or the shenanigans."

Salone stared at the ceiling. The beeps and hums were rather annoying. Salone entertained the thought of holding her breath to make her heart rate slow down just so the nurse would run in again like a fluffy feathery chicken. It was a rather amusing thought really.
A tiny smile snuck across her face at the idea of getting him Winnie the Pooh footie pajamas for his birthday.
She fell asleep again with a small smile on her face.

For Jance however it was a different story. He wasn't calm and he was checking his watch every few minutes. Could she had really gotten far? He was worried about Zahra. She would have left a note under normal circumstances. But it wasn't normal. Were could she have gone...

((Jance will NEVER guess where Zahra is LOL))

Riley went to the bathroom and changed into a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt, combing through his hair in the process. He came back into the hospital room to find Salone asleep, looking content. He smiled and decided to leave her alone, turning to Jance, who didn't seem so happy. "Hey, you okay?" Riley asked him. As much as he didn't like the guy, he figured he would ask. He wasn't that much of an asshole.

((Pardon your french and what if Jance borrowed Hound O.o))

"It's nothing," He said. It was a down right lie of course but it was said in a way that said he didn't want to discuss it. He ran his hand through his hair causing it to stand on end. Namien crawled out from under Salone's bed. Yawning, showing her huge teeth. The golden white wolf trotted over to stand next to Jance.

((To make things more interesting, I had Zahra contact Jance. I used texting because it was most obvious but if you don't want him to have a phone I could make it email or something! I'll edit this post and the other one in that case.))

Jance's phone buzzed with a text message.

Jance, it's Zahra. I'm on my cell phone. I was kidnapped from camp by Anundar, who wants me to go to this Nordic place Jotunheim with him. I have no other option besides running away, and I won't get very far, as we're in Norway. I'm so sorry. Please trust me. I'll try to make it out, I promise. Don't come looking for me. I'll come back. Anundar won't hurt me. I don't know how much longer I'll have service, but I'll keep my phone with me. Text me, as long as you can do so without getting hurt. Thank you. I'm sorry. -Zahra.

Riley just nodded. He understood, mostly because he usually hated sharing his problems with other people as well... specifically those involving his father. Instead he went and sat at the edge of Salone's mattress, alternating between dozing off, playing with the hem of his t-shirt, and checking to make sure everything was alright with her. He wasn't even surprised when a wolf crawled out from beneath the bed. At this point in his week there wasn't much that would surprise him.

EDIT: just reading the hound part. That might be interesting. I'd have to get Bob's permission to involve Jance, because originally it was just he and I posting. I'll talk to him about it, though!

Jance was staring out the window when his cell phone went off. He started as he didn't use it very often. Pulling out the I-phone he unlocked it at read the text. Then, he pulled out his glasses and reread it three more times.
Don't come after me... Honestly... knowing Jance he'd go after her anyway and smash Anudar's brains in. After all, he is quite bull headed.
Z,
Crack his skull open for me. Can you find out the significance of Jotunheim for me? I will help you in anyway I can. Currently I'm in the emergency Ward at a hospital in Florida. Figured out who my Dad is while you were gone. A guy named Kenny who lived in Massachusetts. Anyway, my cousin managed to get her back sliced open by a serpopard and this was the closest help she could get too.
Give my love to Anudar by smashing him in the back of the skull with his hammer.
-Jace
Without taking his eyes off the screen he poked Riley awake.
"What does Jotunheim mean to you?"

((Oh dear,
What if Salone met Anudar? That would be an explosion waiting to happen. ))

Riley jerked awake. "Whaa-?" he began, before his head was able to focus itself and he realized that Jance, of all people, was the person who woke him, and he wasn't even looking at him. "Jotunheim?" he asked, brow creased. "Is that a person? What the hell-?" Riley blinked, staring at Jance as if he were crazy. "Are you serious, with that cell phone in here? Are you trying to get us all killed?" Anger welled up inside of Riley's tired brain.

((That could be interesting, but she's injured and would have no real reason to attack him, would she?))

"No, I'm not. This is a special phone. Helps if you know extremely smart people. Jotunheim is a place and I'm trying to figure out were it is." Jance looked at Salone asleep before putting his phone back in his pocket. He ran his hand through his hair before look at Riley.

"Google doesn't really have a human opinion. That wasn't the question anyway. I asked what does it mean to you?" Jance said just as Salone opened her eyes again.
Salone looked back and forth between them,
"Should I go back to sleep?"
She sat up, messing with her oxygen tube. Then she ripped it out of her face.
"Okay, I've made up my mind. Time to go."

Riley sighed. "It doesn't mean anything to me. I'm Greek and concussed. Why would you ask me about a Nordic place? Where'd you even come up with it, anyway?" he asked, mildly annoyed at Jance's brash attitude. He jumped when Salone spoke, turning to look at her and gaping as she pulled out the oxygen nubbins in her nose.

"Are you serious? Salone, you can't just go ripping your IV out of your arm. You were hurt pretty badly. Maybe we can get the nurse to let you out, but even then..." Riley's head still ached, and he'd only had a concussion. He couldn't imagine Salone felt well enough to leave. "Maybe we can get you some nectar or ambrosia?" He knew Salone would be difficult to argue with, but he didn't know what to do. "I can't just make some crazy escape from the hospital. My mom will freak. I can't do that to her," he protested.

((Bob says that Jance can show up at Jotunheim, but I'm thinking he should find them at the end. Bob's character Chris is also trying to track them down for some reason and he'll be there too, and then Jance and Anundar can clash. Maybe once they get out of Jotunheim, or towards when they're about to leave?))

((Once they get out, I think))

Salone listened to Riley bluster for a few moments before raising her hand, "Do you have any idea how many people have died in this room? Almost a hundred of them and they are banging around inside my brain. Not the most pleasant thing in the universe." She said this while feeling for the I.V. tip. "Mentally, I'm down grading a lot. "
Pulling up the tape she gently pulled out the I.V. wincing. Then she pulled a box of band-aids out of the Du'art. She put one on were the I.V. Had been. Then, she put them back.
"Now," She said, slowly getting out of the bed wincing and still attached to the heart monitor.
"Dang it this is backless. Rather breezy. Were are my clothes?"
She had an 'aha' moment.
"Jance can you go get my gym bag from hound?"
Jance nodded and was out the door.
Salone un braided her blonde hair.

Riley just sighed, unable to sway Salone. He felt guilty for forgetting about her powers and how they must have been affecting her, but at the same time he didn't know if it was right to let her get up and leave if she was still in pain.

"Uhh, Salone? You're still attached to the heart monitor, there are a bunch of electrodes taped to your chest that you might want to remove," he spoke, blushing and looking away as he realized that she wasn't wearing much beneath her hospital gown... not that it mattered, as much of her back and torso was wrapped in bandages anyway. "Do you want me to get someone? I'm pretty sure you can't just pull those off without getting electrocuted, or something..." Riley spoke.

Mrs. Peterson walked into the room. "Well, I talked to your-" she began before realizing that Salone was sitting up, trying to detach herself from the machines. "What-?!"

"Mom, we need to leave. It's not safe to be here for so long, we could be attacked her. The hospital is filled with-" he stopped. He was about to say dead spirits but didn't let himself. That was too personal, and he didn't think Salone would want him to share that with his mom, even if she'd understand. He exhaled. "We just need to leave. Things are happening back at camp-" Riley was lying through his teeth now, and it killed him.

"But you're not healed!" she protested. "Riley, you can't just-"

Riley pleaded with her silently, meeting her eyes. "We have to go. Can you get my stuff from my room? I need to take care of a few things. I'm sorry, Mom."

"Will you at least come back to camp with me?" she asked, the hurt evident in her eyes and she argued with herself.

Riley shook his head. "Salone can get us back more quickly, and we really need to go. I'm sorry." He glanced back at Salone for a second.

"Okay," she conceded, turning before hugging Riley quickly. "I love you," she muttered before turning down the hall.

"I-" he began, but it was too late. She wouldn't be able to hear him. Oh well. He'd see her before they left, hopefully. That didn't stop him from feeling guilty, or getting incredibly distracted.

Jance's phone received another message:

Jance, hi,
I'm in Jotunheim. I managed to get service, somehow. My dad must be looking after me, after 16 long years. Anyway, I'm alright. Stuck sleeping within twenty feet of Anundar, but I'm alright. I would smash open his skull if he wasn't my only way out of this place. Jotunheim is some Nordic realm in Norway, ruled by Giants or something. I'll have to ask Anundar more about it. He brought me here for "training," but from what I've gathered it's filled to the brim with monsters and other Nordic mythological creatures... trolls, giants... etc. Great for me, especially when I'm not nearly skilled enough to fight half of the things. At least Anundar won't let them kill me... probably. Don't come after me. Please. I don't want you getting hurt. I'm sorry about your cousin, and I'm glad you found out more about your dad. I miss you. Stay safe.
-Zahra

"Electrocution? Your worried about electrocution." She let out a noise of amusement after Riley's mother left. "Please, I have done this loads of times."
Jance walked in carrying her duffel bag. He handed it to her.
"Here you go," He said.
Salone held the back of her hospital gown closed as Jance read his text. He frowned at it then put the phone in his pocket.
In the bath room Salone put on her work out clothes. She wrinkled her nose at the smell.
Then she ripped off the electrodes.
Then she was out the door. "Okay we have about a minute and thirty seconds."
Then she was out of her hospital room closely followed by Jance.

Salone was waiting outside the hospital next to Hound. Jance was talking to her hurried and quietly.
"I think your idea is stupid and dangerous," She answered him. "But I guess it runs in the family."
Jance nodded and jogged off hailing a taxi.
Salone saw Riley come out the door. She was about to throw her arms around him but saw the look on his face. So she opted to be worried, "You okay?"