Hoods and Capes 1x1 (KatSea and Elle Joyner)

[KatSea]

"J-juliet? C-c-c-come on Jules, s-s-snap out of it." A quivering voice thrummed against the owner's crackled and bloodied lips as he placed his hand to the broken woman's cheek. The young detective's eyes had swollen a grotesque violet, light patches of yellow encompassing underneath, a mosaic of hues that her partner never wished to see upon her again. Her nose had grown crooked, blood tricking from one nostril and cascading past her lips, a large splint coursing down the middle of her mouth. Her eyes fluttered behind sweat drenched lids, her groan barely audible from the damage done to her chest. Christ, if he had come to check on her five minutes earlier he could have saved her from a lot of trouble...A wave of relief spread through the figure as the unconscious woman slowly came to in his arms, one arm slung haphazardly across her waist.

"C-c-carve?" She mused, disorientated, dizzy, brain feeling as if it had mutated into cotton. She could only register the voice of her partner, one that appeared to be on the brink with such a foreign emotion that it sent whirlpools of nausea down her throat. Attempting to wriggle herself in his grasp, she immediately groaned as rackets of pain shot through her muscles, her bones, skin swollen and sore from the initial attack. "H-h-hey buddy. Didn't expect to see you here." She murmured after several moments of hearing Carver's feet shuffle. Where had he take her anyway? He must have found her in her home...Did, did she miss phone calls? Perhaps she did. She had been preoccupied for several hours after all, and it wouldn't have surprised her if her partner decided to weasel his way in to ensure she hadn't been murdered. For the first time in their career, Juliet was relieved that Carver decided to swing by her home. She absolutely appreciated his concern, and supposed it was appropriate for today. They knew each other. When they were active and available and when they were not, as it was required for the field of work they had participated in. If something was wrong they would be able to reach one another. But today...well, Juliet took a bite far bigger than what she could chew.

"Didn't expect to see you beat up, either." He grumbled his reply, keeping his grip on her firm but tentatively as she struggled to gain her bearings within his arms. "Hey...hey, try not to move around too much, I don't want you to get any more banged up."

"You are saying that like there is any muscle there to rough me up." Juliet cooed, her chest rattling as oxygen became affixed in her throat and nearly suffocated her in her attempt to let out a chuckle. Carver struggled to heave her, allowing her spine to straighten and her lungs open up in accessibility.

"Hush okay? We are almost there...I'm gonna get you some help okay? You'll be safe where we are going, I promise." Juliet's head barely reached above Carver's arm, eyes peeking around her surroundings in utter confusion. She didn't recognize where she was for several moments, noting that the air around them had grown dark with the freshly set sun. The lamplights around them barely illuminated the empty sidewalk ahead, revealing a quiet, tranquil suburban neighborhood, decorated with apartment buildings and complexes. Home...they were heading to Carver's apartment building. That didn't make any sense...but it hit her soon after and she frowned uncomfortably. If he took her to a hospital, it was likely who had beaten her would find her there and...the apartment building was subtle. He probably had a first aid kit. He had a gun there and managed to wiggle an excuse to have a police dog live in his apartment with him. They would be reasonably safe inside and he could make sure nothing happened while she remained in his care. However, her eyes hooded as Carver rushed in through the side door of the apartment building, noting the stairwell ahead. "Alright, this might get a little bumpy, pull at my shirt or punch me if I end up accidentally hurting you." Carver slowly began to ascend the hallway staircase, Juliet's fingernails slowly digging into the comfort of his sweatshirt. God...he just looked like he was about to go to bed or rest in for the night. She really wished she could have reached out to him sooner, the guilt in her building. God. She felt so bad she pulled him out into this situation. But honestly, what happened had to happen, even if it did result in her battered and bruised. She wouldn't change what she did in the slightest, but she did regret how she handled the end all be all.

"Mmm, has anyone told you how beautiful you are when you are worried?" Juliet slurred after a moment, hoping to rise a chuckle out of her friend. Carver did not respond, eyes glued to the task ahead. With the final step onto the second floor, Carver quickened his pace and approached a door number that Juliet did not recognize. Rather than raising a hand from his grasp, afraid he would drop her, Carver called out

"Amelia! Amelia I need you right now! We've got a situation and we need some help out here." Juliet swallowed at Carver's exclamation, suddenly tightening her grip on his sweatshirt. Carver bundled her closer in reassurance, his chest trembling with nerves.

@Elle Joyner

 

[Elle Joyner]

Fourteen. That was the final count. Fourteen stars. It was a little sad, considering how innumerable they actually were. But all the same, she found it a small miracle that she could count as many as she had, and they were beautiful. Bright and shining little beads in the smoke-grey sky... Her own little Evangeline up there... Except she wasn't a Firefly. Or Cajun... And the city definitely wasn't the Bayou. OH wow... Fifteen!

She was so excited, it felt like her heart might beat out of her chest. She could hear it... Hear those stars, calling out to her... Amelia! Ame--

Hold on.

That star sounded awfully frantic. And a lot like her neighbor. Officer Carver was a kind soul, though they had only talked maybe once or twice in passing. But she was pretty sure he wasn't a star... at least not the sort that glittered up in the sky all pretty-like... No. Officer Carver was a man. A good man, but just a man... and...

OH! And he was standing outside her door, calling for help. Maybe he needed to borrow sugar? Or a wrench or something? She didn't have a wrench. Or sugar, now that she thought about it, but she could still answer. She probably should've answered about thirty seconds ago, when he'd first started hollering. She had to wonder, though, what he meant by 'we'... Maybe he had guests, and they needed to borrow her bathroom? Maybe it was a flat tire situation... Not that she knew the first thing about changing a flat tire, and why would he come to her, anyway? That would've been awfully silly, considering he was a fairly capable man... Sugar seemed more likely. And hey... she did have some sugar packets tucked away in the pantry that she'd saved up in case of an emergency...

And she still hadn't answered...

"Sorry!!" Calling out as well, Amy raced for the door, giving the handle a twist as she pulled it open, "I was just trying to figure out if I had any sug-- Oh... oh no." Blinking, Amy stepped back as her eyes took in the sight before her. Without recognizing quite what she was doing, she'd already stepped back, holding the door for the man.

"Come inside. Quickly."

---

TAGS | @KatSea

 

[KatSea]

"Thank you..." Carver muttered, quicker than he had meant to as the door pried open. Slipping inside the unknown apartment, Carver took no time to inspect the new environment, rather finding the closest flat surface to lie his dependent friend upon. Noting the nearby couch, Carver slowly propped Juliet against the closest pillow, fluffing it with a brief shake before assisting her to lie down. Juliet slowly raised her curled hand, pressing her knuckles gingerly to Carver's flushed cheek.

"Mm, honey you should get some water in you. You look a little pale..."

"No shit, Jules. I think you are going to need it more than I am. Don't worry, Amelia is a nurse, she's gonna take care of you, I promise..." Carver raised his calloused hand to drag it through his ragged mess of hair, only to be halted by Juliet's feeble yet determined grasp.

"I...Carver, I am perfectly okay...Christ am I battered but I am going to be okay. It honestly didn't...ow...go as bad as I thought it would." Squirming slightly on the couch, Juliet readjusted herself to get a better glance at her partner in solving crime (and crime in general she would tell people, she always got a good giggle out of the lame pun and the horrible twisted grimace that would display itself on Carver's face).

"You are getting help. damn it." Carver claimed, voice light but firm. He looped his fingers around her wrist in turn, giving it a tender squeeze before prying her off of him. "Besides...It's probably safer here anyway. Just in case. I doubt...I doubt it'll get any worse than it already has." Pinching the bridge of his nose, he took a deep inhale before turning to meet Amelia, his gaze apologetic. "I am sorry for barging in...we just really need help. Juliet...a case went wrong and she ended up taking the ambush for it." The lie tasted bitter against Carver's tongue, but he knew Jules'...sensitivity to the given topic. This wasn't a good time to drag Amelia into this, either. He just wanted this cleaned up as soon as possible. "We will get out of your hair soon, I promise, and I am so sorry for barging in at this time of night but...she needs help, and I want to make sure she's okay. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if there was something worse going on..."

"i wouldn't forgive you either." Juliet slurred with a light giggle, settling with a light wince as she allowed the cushion of the couch to absorb her weight. "Because you should already know I am perfectly okay...Promise...just...ow...Hey, scars are sexy though, right? This is no biggie..."

"...Juliet I swear to God."

 

[Elle Joyner]

Wow. She... she did not look good. Whatever the poor woman had been through, it could not have been pretty. She was lucky that Carver had found her, really. She was lucky that whoever had done this to her hadn't meant, it seemed, to finish the job. Or maybe they had. Maybe they didn't know she'd survived. Maybe they were looked for her... This was probably a situation that those close to Amy would've told her to avoid. A dangerous situation -- in over her head sort of situation. But this poor woman needed help, and she wasn't going to ignore that just to keep herself safe.

As Carver laid his partner out on the couch, Amy approach behind her, surveying the woman with... well, it wasn't quite a frown, but it wasn't fully a smile either. It was easily the most serious expression Amy could muster, and she did her best to contain any overtly inappropriate grins or giggles, knowing full well the battered lady wasn't likely to take it all too well if her nurse was laughing at her like a lunatic.

The officer turned back to Amy after a moment's reassurance to the injured woman, and Amy did smile then - waving the man's apologetic speech off with a gentle shake of her head, "Please. You don't need to apologize. It's no trouble. I was just counting stars, but there aren't many, tonight. Just fifteen, far as I could see. Not the best place for it, I guess, the city. But I like to... anyway. Lemme just..." holding up a finger, Amy twisted away and headed towards the small vestibule that led out of her apartment. Beneath an accent table was a small bag, almost the shape of a bowling bag, with pineapples printed on the outside of it. This she grabbed, before heading back to the couch. After setting the bag on the coffee table, she beelined for the kitchen to wash her hands.

"Can you tell me how you're feeling, Miss? Where the pain is and what sort of pain it is? Be as specific as you can." Looking to Carver for a moment, she gestured to a chair caddycorner to the sofa, "Have a seat. This shouldn't take too long." Dying her hands, Amy returned and settling down on the floor in front of the couch, she opened the bag, unfolding a towel on the coffee table before removing the implements from inside, piece by piece, "I'd like to check your blood pressure, first, if that's alright?" As she readied the sphygmomanometer, attaching the cuff gingerly to Juliet's arm, she continued, a little softer than before, "You said you were attacked? You don't think they'll try again, do you?"

 

[KatSea]

"If you wanna see a good amount of stars..." Juliet slurred, lips throbbing with each subtle movement she subjected them too. She grimaced, propping herself on her darkened and swollen elbows. "Ah...ah...." She hissed out quickly, her breath sharp as she forced herself back onto the couch. "Woo...heh, this is gonna hurt a lot more in the morning..." With a light whimper, Juliet struggled to find her bearings and conformed herself to ease the pain as much as she could. "If...if you want a good amount of stars...Jethro here knows a good spot a couple cities over...middle of nowhere..."

"Jules." Carver pleaded, light as he crouched besides his reclining friend, raising a hand to meet hers. Juliet curled one finger around Carver's, her grasp feeble yet determined as a wave of comfort creeped under her skin. "Try not to over exert yourself, okay? I know you have a hard skull and the pain tolerance of crazed ape but...I really don't want you to hurt yourself any more than you are, okay?" His thumb gingerly ran against her healthy skin, careful not to skim against a scrape that decorated her knuckles. "Besides, your energy needs to be saved for later. You know, when you can get back on your feet and be able to kick some ass in the next couple of days. Just...try and relax. I promise. You are going to be okay, this won't take too long at all. Besides, Amelia is far more experienced in this than I am. You are in good hands..."

"A-a-am I gonna be able to go home after this?" Juliet questioned lightly, the strength of her one finger grip tightening around Carver's hand. His brow creased into a scowl, his head coming to a light shake.

"That is up to you, lovely, but I wouldn't recommend it. Especially if this escalates..." Carver pursed his lips, using his free hand to scrape free strands of hair from his demeanor to clean his sight. He let a strained sigh to clatter through his clenched teeth. "Don't worry. I will take care of that. For now, we just need to answer Amy's questions and she can take it from here."

"Its...its throbbing miss." Juliet explained, frowning as Carver and her joined hands fell limp against the young woman's stomach. "Hands hurt...my face hurts a lot...I have a throbbing pain in my head but that's starting to go away a little...my chest and belly hurts too." She continued, sheepishness coating her tone as she twisted her face away from Amelia, feeling rather aware of how much of her was bruised now. "G-g-go ahead sweetie." She stammered, swallowing harshly as the contraption came to loop around her forearm. "Y-yeah. I was attacked. As Carver said, case went poorly. It was a good thing he was there...I'm afraid they may try and finish me off later but...I...I sort of doubt it. I don't think they know where I am anyway and I don't think they will waste any more of their energy on me. Im okay.." Besides. I think I learned my lesson...

 

[Elle Joyner]

Ooh... That was a conversation she would definitely need to have with the officers when all of this mess was cleared up and his partner was feeling better. Stars were on the top ten list of Amy's most favorite things. There was something about them that felt... safe. Like the whole world could go horribly wrong, but as long as the sky still held a blanket of stars, everything would be okay. She had dreams, a lot of them, and almost always, there were stars... fields of them, splashed across the heavens. Guardians. Protectors. Seeing more than just a few smattering here and there would be... well... pretty glorious. But right now, she had work to do.

Her focus remained on the blood pressure meter as she watched it rise, nodding faintly to the woman's response. Throbbing. Generally came with blunt force... Whatever she'd been through, there was a pretty good chance she'd have quite an ache in the morning, "We'll check for a concussion... Probably not too unlikely, considering all the bruises. Looks like you might've broken a rib or two, as well... and that index finger on the right hand doesn't look so good. I don't have a lot of materials here for fractures, but... I can try to make a splint." Biting her lip, her eyes flickered to Carver, "Officer Carver... Would you mind helping me collect some things? Won't take long, I promise." Rising to her feet, she gestured to a door a little ways away from the couch, which led to the apartment's second bedroom.

When he followed along with her, Amy opened the door and after gesturing him inside, she pointed to a cabinet in the corner of what looked to be a make-shift office and craft room, with a pleasant smile, "...There's some gauze on the top self, and Popsicle sticks just below in a glass jar. I'm thinking I can at least give her a temporary splint, but at some point she should probably consider an x-ray just to make sure it isn't worse than I think. We'll wrap her belly, too and ice it... How long has the abuse been going on? Oh... I should probably have some extra pain medicine in my bathroom, from when I twisted my knee, ice skating..."

 

[KatSea]

"Oh thank God I don't have a concussion." Juliet breathed, lips quivering slightly as sweat began to lightly coat her demeanor. She raised their joined hands to her cheek, allowing Carver to receive the briefest skim of heat that illuminated her features. This poor woman's body was most likely in overdrive after having experienced that swift and brutal and attack, and all Carver wished to do for her in that moment was transfer her pain to him. To take her bruises, her fractures, and to suffer under them silently so she would never have to. He leaned over, granting her a brotherly, chaste kiss upon her forehead before retracting onto his haunches.

"Hmm?" he questioned at Amelia's sudden request, his mind seeping back into the reality around him as he propped himself back on his feet. I do appreciate what this woman is doing, but good God...I just wish I could grab her and heal her on the spot...

No. That's not going to happen. As much as I wish it were that simple, it can't happen...

It's not like you are actually a superhero who could possibly do anything after all...all of them are outside right now, unable to reach her. It's not like you can just erase this, as much as you want to. We just need to take a deep breath. She's safe, she's safe and we aren't going to let her be hurt any more. It's that simple. That's all you can offer her and you know it, boy.

"Hey...dork, don't get so touchy. Don't wanna report you to HR..." Juliet cooed, her voice full of teasing and amusement. She squeezed his hand once more, finger gingerly digging into the back of his hand. "Go on now then...didn't think it would take a little beat down to make you go soft on me...Mister Carver." Wriggling her sore hand in his direction, a sharp and pained gasp escaped her as she immediately dug the source of pain deep down into her stomach, holding it and cradling it there. "Woo...okay, you know what I don't think a kiss there would hurt either Carve. Ow...Ugh, why couldn't I have invulnerability or something like that...be cool like one of those bad arses on the street..."

"You telling me you ain't a badass buttercup? Lying straight through your teeth, doesn't suit you Jules." Separating from her, Carver bit down harshly upon his lip, barely able to manage a simple bob of his head. "Comin, Amelia." He called out, soon following in her direction as he coursed his hand up and down his arm, hoping to soothe the adrenaline that coursed through his system. Once he was certain that there was a reasonable distance between him and Juliet, Carver turned towards Amelia and grumbled.

"Please tell me you don't think she has too many broken bones...God, I can't imagine how hard it would be to breathe with even one broken rib...Juliet doesn't deserve this bullshit. But...thanks for helping. Just promise me you think she's gonna recover okay. I'm...I'm not worried that this is going to be severe beyond repair but Christ I don't want her walking out of this with a limp or something." As selfish as it sounded, Carver wanted to insure that his partner was still in optimal condition to...well, be his partner. He did care for her wellbeing outside of the work force, but honest to God he couldn't imagine anyone else being able to fulfill the role. "Thanks." He complimented awkwardly as he was directed towards where the supplies were stocked. His fingers latched around the gauze, entire body tensing at her last question.

"This is the first time I am aware that she had even been abused at all, to be honest with you. She...listen, it's complicated. I should have seen this coming but she told me she was gonna be okay. i was...horribly wrong, but Juliet is stubborn, and I sort of trusted her that she would be okay." His lips twisted into a grimace. "I'm just glad I checked in on her when I did.

 

[Elle Joyner]

A small, weary smile appeared on Amy's lips, as she shook her head, "You don't need to explain yourself, or feel the need to justify anything. I get it. Really. It's a terrible thing for her to have gone through, and I expect it's probably pretty horrible to talk about for you, too. You really don't owe me anything more than that, and you don't have to worry about me saying anything or telling anyone or anything. It's not my place to ask questions or poke holes. I'm just... concerned, is all."

As she spoke, she moved about the room, collecting items from other cabinets and retrieving a vial of medication from a locked drawer. Her last destination was a mini-fridge, from which she produced several disposable ice packs. With her arms full, she looked back at him, "If I could though... just... I know I have no business saying it, but.. she really shouldn't go home. She's probably scared. Really scared. To leave. I imagine it's probably the worst possible thing she could think of right now. What the future would hold. The questions people would ask. The things they'd say or assume... And I don't blame her for wanted to stick it out. Try and make it work. The problem is that people don't often change. Not really. And it usually only gets worse. But she's probably most scared of the loneliness. And that's where you come in, Officer Carver. You're a good man. I can tell, just from the way you are with your partner. And you might be the best bet she has of getting out from under this. She's a step ahead of most women in her situation. And that's a really good start..."

Eyes shifting to his, she pinched the edge of her lip between her teeth, "Anywho... I won't say anything to her about it. Don't need to add on to the stress. Just know you can be honest with me. There's no need, really, for stories about ambushes or anything. Would you mind getting the door? We should probably get back out there. I'm gonna guess the last thing she needs right now is to be alone with her thoughts."

 

[KatSea]

"This is just...I don't want to say it's awkward, but it sure as hell isn't a comfortable situation. Listen, Juliet's household was...remarkably stable before this, so this comes as a shock to both me and herself. She...she hasn't told me who did it yet, but..." No. There was no way it had been Silas, considering the fact that he wasn't home at the time, and there was no way that he could have returned home that night. Carver bit lightly into his bottom lip, desperate not to pierce the skin and coat his tongue in copper. A gentle, firm grasp looped around his wrist, but the moment his eyes flickered down to meet his hands, there had been no sign of anything clutching him. "It's just hard. Juliet is a damn good woman and a damn good officer and...hell, she would never deserve this sort of thing."

"No. She's not going home, at least...I'm going to try and insist that she stays at my place tonight. I'm...Im gonna sleep on the couch tonight and let her take the bed. I don't want to force her to stay...but I have a feeling she's not gonna head home tonight. I knew Juliet is a smart woman, and she's probably not gonna be comfortable sleeping in her own bed. I'll be honest, I think the intention of...of what happened was to inflict some serious damage. I don't know if they wanted to..." The word barely danced across his lips, and it took all the strength in his body to swallow the syllables back down his throat. "Whatever the intention was...It's not good. But I can keep her safe. I've got a guard dog and a gun. She'll be in good hands." He wasn't entirely certain if this was a promise to himself or Amelia, or perhaps to both of them, a promise that Juliet would be able to awake the next morning, safe and sound. "Yeah. Yeah. I'm not gonna let anything happen to her." He had already seen too many horrible situations with abused women in his line of work, and his own personal experience from a lifetime ago. Amelia had been absolutely right. Juliet was a step ahead of the game, and it was on Carver's conscience to insure that she got out of the game altogether. "She's tough. Tougher than most cops I meet on the force...but that's not to say she's still a human being and is...fragile. Mentally, she'll be fine after a couple of weeks. She'll laugh and taunt off her new scars at the local pub or something like that. I'm just afraid she's gonna snap physically."

"Thanks...I just came up with the story because I knew she didn't want to talk about her situation. I think she's sort of embarrassed about it, to be honest with you. I think whoever managed to...to do this caught her off guard. She'll probably boast that if she did have a gun at the point she would have..." Quieter, he went to go grab the handle of the door, opening it politely for Amelia. He gingerly extended one finger and folded his thumb, creating the formation of a gun. "Pap pap." For once, the entire night, Carver wanted to laugh, memories flooding behind his eyes as a familiar warmth spread through his chest. Ease. He was at ease.

Leading Amelia back towards a nearly slumbering Juliet, her eyes flutter back to revealed a tired hazel coating. Blinking several times as a sharp gasp cut through her lips. However a moment, she eased back into her couch, an apologetic frown taking up her features. "O-oh! Hey there Jethro. Sorry...I was having some reallly weird quick dreams I don't remember at all but woooo that was a weird one!"

"Juliet..." Carver pleaded, almost halfheartedly as her spare hand came up to mess up with his puff of hair. Carver's eyes crossed, glad to have got a positive response as Juliet giggled in reply. "Good God, you become any more loopy and Amelia is gonna have to split the pain medication in half for us..."

"Oh, hush, I'm always like this." Juliet protested, pouting as she lowered her hand. She fidgeted uncomfortably, humming as she glanced back and forth between Carver and Amelia. There was all the medical equipment...She sucked in a shallow breath, slowly extended her bruised arm as she nibbled her bottom lip. "Well, doc, what's your second opinion?"

 

[Elle Joyner]

Stable.

It didn't seem terribly stable, but Amy wasn't one to argue. Carver knew Juliet better than Amy... He probably knew her better than most. If he was convinced her homelife wasn't a mess, despite the implications, then it was probably true. Sadly, it didn't take much for a person to snap... though her earlier assumptions were swept aside as Carver also noted Juliet's husband didn't seem the sort... Maybe Amy had misread the situation. It wouldn't be the first time, which was partially why she rarely even mentioned her instincts. Just because her intuition was rarely wrong didn't mean it couldn't be, "...People rarely deserve the terrible things that happen to them, Officer Carver. Life rarely disperses the bad stuff fairly between the good and evil... What's important is that those people who don't deserve it have people around them that remind them of that. The fact that she has you is a pretty good balance. And it sounds like she's strong enough to get through this mess, mentally and physically."

He continued, and Amy gave a firm nod, "Good, good. She should be somewhere safe and comfortable. And it helps if she's right down the hall... I can come and check on her a little easier. Though... if it's really as bad as you think... if you're afraid that whoever did this to her was genuinely trying to.. well, you know... then I dunno..." Biting her lip again, Amy sighed, "I know it isn't my place, but... maybe you should convince her to press charges? If they tried once, they might try again, and next time you might not be there to make sure she's safe afterwards. These things... tend to escalate, not get better and it might not be the best idea to... protect whoever it was." Blinking, she smiled wearily, "But then again, people make mistakes, and maybe... maybe I'm wrong. I've been wrong tons of times."

Stepping into the main room, Amy looked away from Carver as Juliet stirred, a delicate frown touching her expression, "Are you sure they were dreams? You're not experiencing black outs? Feeling dizzy or overheated?" Settling down before the woman, she observed her for a moment, pulling a flashlight from her kit with which she carefully shown in Juliet's eyes, "...You'd better try to stay awake, just in case. I can't rule out a concussion..." Sitting back, her fingers looped around the gauze that Carver had carried out, "Meanwhile, let's get those fingers splinted, and put some ice on those ribs... I highly recommend you get this all x-rayed, Miss. Just... just in case."

 

[KatSea]

"Not fucking fair when you think about it." Carver mumbled, although made no more argument on that matter. He knew it was true. He saw it everyday on the job, watching a woman falter underneath a stalker or an abuser, a college student who may have gone over their head and ended up paying the price, or seeing countless deaths that occurred without cause or reason. It wasn't fair by any stretch of the word, but it still didn't calm the rage that threatened to consume Carver. It was one of the reasons he went into the law force in the first place, but now that it struck Juliet, a little too literally, he was starting to feel a tang of bitterness enter his mouth. "Believe me, she is. She's...she's a lot tougher than she presents to be honest with you. I'd never take her in any type of fight, cause she'd kick my ass."

"I...I don't know if she's gonna want to press charges. The situation is a little bit difficult. She's worried if she presses charges, well, the situation will only get worse. That somehow more people are gonna come looking." Carver realized now that Juliet had only given him a name of her husband's associate, someone he had only met once, and realized there were other potential individuals who could...come after her again. If that was the case, even if her husband couldn't directly get his hands on her, someone else would be able to. Why? He had been incarcerated rather briefly, and while the trial was a long one, it wasn't during this time Juliet found herself in trouble. But now? Maybe they found something on her that required...attention. Carver frowned at this idea, massaging his brow as panic settled into his system. "Yeah I know. I've seen the escalation. It's horrifying and there's no way in hell Im going to let Juliet go through that. So I'm...I'm just hoping that they'll leave her alone if she goes off the radar for a little bit. Then there's the matter of our work together..." He didn't need to worry about that now. For right now it was just Juliet the person he needed to worry about, not what horrible scenario could arise from the situation she was thrust into. Eyes locked back to hers as they reunited, Juliet looked up sheepishly to Amelia and frown as she shifted underneath the covers she had tossed over herself.

"No, no they were dreams...I'm sure of it...I tend to get these when I'm stressed anyway. I'm not too dizzy...I feel a little light headed but ti's nothing major. I don't think I'm overheating...if I was I wouldn't be clutching this blanket so tightly." To prove her point, she wriggled a little bit more, ducking half her face underneath the fabric and giving Carver's palm a gentle poke. "Im gonna stay awake though...for the two of you of course~. Besides, I'd rather not have those dreams again." Frowning, she reached out her battered hand and offered it to Amelia, childish fear transforming into a beacon behind her eyes. "Er...yeah. That...that might not be a bad idea. I just...I don't know if that's safe."

 

[Elle Joyner]

"I know it doesn't seem like a good idea, but... Well, I know what you do is important, and I would hate to think that you couldn't do it as well, because something didn't heal right. If you'd like, I know a friend who works in Urgent Care... I could give her a call and see if... if she'd take you in and keep it off your record."

Biting her lip, Amy settled into a seat across from the woman, gesturing to the other empty chair nearer the couch for Carver, "Either way, seeing how we're all in for a long night, do you need anything? Want anything? When I didn't feel well growing up, my mom would make chocolate cinnamon pancakes... At least I think..." They were so foggy sometimes, those memories. Like a big hazy curtain was pulled across them. But she could see it. The kitchen. A black and white checked floor, lemons on the wallpaper and the fridge... Mint green with a bright silver handle. It had to be real...

"Hmm. Anyway, I'd be happy to whip some up. Yeah... You know what? That's what I'll do..."

The rapid fire conversation, one-sided and brief ended as Amy rose and without waiting to hear any protests, she made her way into the kitchen, rifling through cabinets and drawers with a quiet but flurried focus, "On the table there, Officer Carver, there are some pain meds... Extra strength Motrin's the best I can do without a script. She can have two every eight hours. If you run out, I've got more, but try to stay ahead of the pain... Maybe I'll add some vanilla extract... Oh shoot. Might be out..."

With a clatter, a bowl appeared and as she considered her options, she whisked flour and eggs together, nearly absentmindedly, words muttered quietly, almost beneath her breath, "Just a thought... That's all. Brush it off and move on..."

 

[KatSea]

"That...that would be greatly appreciated if you could do that, darling. Believe me, I wouldn't want this to set improperly, especially considering my line of work." Juliet's lips curved into a deep crease, thinking about returning to the station after having been severely beaten. She could call out for the day, stating that she had been gaining negative feed of her own household and driven sick by it, afraid to even leave her residence, but she wasn't sure how to address the day after that, and the day after that. At least with being on the force, she would have Carver constantly by her side in the case of shit hitting the fan. She had her weapon, her partner, her own chief, but now she was feeling exhausted and didn't know how to visualize the future ahead. "Um...C-carve, m-maybe that hot chocolate you showed me? The secret recipe you absolutely refuse to tell me?"

"Mm? You mean the eighteen and up recipe? Don't think I can make that for you tonight, Jules, but I can still make you the PG-13 version of it if you'd like. And the pancakes sound good to you too?"

"Who would dare refuse cinnamon and chocolate chip pancakes? Good God Jethro, I may be in no condition to make any logical sense, but Im not a crazy lady. I will happily accept anything you give me." She beamed, appreciation seeping off her weary and darkened demeanor. Even in times of stress and uncertainty, Carver could sense the utter hope and optimism that poured from her heart. God...this lady really was something else, wasn't she. There wasn't any doubt that she was holding back on the emotional trauma of the whole ordeal, but she was far too stubborn to tell Carver of the turmoil. He couldn't imagine losing his own partner and then being forced to get thrust through the ringer due to their actions. It wasn't Juliet's fault Leonard turned out to be a psychotic serial murderer and masked villain. It wasn't her fault someone tracked her down to where she thought she was safe and beat her within an inch of...

"Yeah yeah, we got it, blondie. We'll be back shortly for you, hot chocolate and pancakes ready. By the way, you...um...is there anything else i can get for you? I can go back to my apartment if you need any clothes to change into or anything. They uh, they will probably be way too big for you, but I don't think that would be too big of a concern for you..."

"I would appreciate it but...don't worry right now dear. Please. Just stay for right now. Please." Juliet frowned, the sight sending waves of nerve wracking guilt through Carver's system. No. He wouldn't leave. especially not now. Especially when there was another innocent civilian here. He didn't imagine that they would think to look here, but he just wanted to be sure he didn't leave any corner unchecked.

Once again shuffling behind the young nurse, he pinpointed his target on the kitchen table and eagerly scooped it up between his fingers. Alright. Two every eight hours. That shouldn't be too difficult to remember. He was going to ensure she got more of eight hours of sleep tonight anyway, so that shouldn't be too hard on the young woman's body. "Hmm? Everything okay over with you Amelia?"

 

[Elle Joyner]

As Carver appeared beside her, Amelia nearly jumped, wide blue eyes shifting to the man before her smile warmed her features with a familiar sunniness, "Oh, gosh. Yeah. I'm fine! Totally fine!" She, after all, was having a much easier night than poor Juliet. No point complaining about silly old... "She's taking all of this really well. I'm glad she seems more willing to get some real medical help, though. It's important you two stay in tip top shape."

Grinning, she reached up again for the flour before her eyes shifted down to the bowl, "Whoops. Did that already... Would you lass me those eggs, please?" Adding a few pinches of cinnamon to the dry mix, a brow quirked, "I don't normally make these... Mom only taught me the recipe for a lot of people, and I don't have many guests. Not that I'm complaining, of course! I know lots of people, but it always just works out that I'm there, not here. That... I don't really like being alone, so I don't mind making the trips. Erhm..." Cracking an egg, she pinched her cheek between her molars, "Work keeps me pretty busy, too. Though they've had to cut our shifts. It isn't their fault... Just hard to pay everyone fairly, you know? And it does give me more time to do the things I like... Not that I don't like my job."

Clearing her throat, she watched the batter swirl between the blades of the whisk, "Sometimes I forget things. Not... Not big things like people's names or where I'm going or leaving the stove on. But... Well, my cousin... She thinks I should see someone about it, but I'm not sure it's really that big a deal. Anyway... That... That's what I... Just now..." Eyes turning to him, she shrugged, "I can't really remember if my mom made these or if I just made that up... That's all. No big deal. Could I have the chocolate chips, please?"

 

[KatSea]

"Oh! Sorry, Amelia, I did not mean to startle you there." He apologized sheepishly the moment wide eyes greeted him. A toxic mixture of guilt and awkward scorched at his cheeks, although it quickly dissipated with the reassurance she gave him. He never did enjoy the feeling of sneaking up on someone, well...that wasn't true in the slightest. He did not enjoy frightening innocent women in an environment they felt safe in. He recalled doing this to an old cadet he had made friends with several years ago, accidentally frightening her every he sauntered past her, sending the young woman into a defensive, wide eyed stance. Shaking away the affectionate memory, he raised a brow at her. "Yeah, I'm glad about that too, she's a pretty cooperative young lady. She...she can be stubborn though, so I'm rather happy about this. It's not an ideal situation but...it's a lot better than I thought it would be. Juliet's been through the fucking ringer the last week, and this was the outcome I had been fearing. But...thanks to you it's cushioned the blow considerably. Seriously. She needs a safe place and I'm glad you are helping with that.

"Hmm? Oh yeah, I can do that." Swiveling back, Carver located the egg carton before retrieving two of them for her, plopping them by the counter for her. "Hmm? Oh, I hear you. I never did any of that baking shit but my old friend Jen used to a lot. She used to drag me to her apartment sometimes to perfect her sugar cookies with a kick to impress a man she liked one time..." Feigning a shudder before giving her a toothy grin, he balanced his elbows against the counter and leaned down to get a better view of Amelia. He scooted aside, however, giving her plenty of room to work with the pan. "I've heard that hospitals have been struggling recently, particularly when it comes to admitting injured officers. I've heard the chatter there about it...I am terribly sorry about that." Frowning, he turned once more to grab the chocolate chips she required, laying it out smoothly on the counter.

"Hmm, well if that worries you then handle it how you think it would be appropriate to. It's okay to be forgetful. Believe me, I forget a hell of a lot...I'm surprised the chief doesn't give me more shit about it." God speaking of forgetful...Did...did I remember to make sure she was taken care of tonight?

You didn't. But that's okay.

Meh...I guess this is for the better, anyhow. Just hope that she's taking care of herself...

You worry yourself way too much, boy.

"There you go. By the way, do you have milk? I'm gonna try and see if I can futz around with this and make sure she gets something warm to drink."

 

[Elle Joyner]

"Oh!" With a giggle, Amy shook her head, "No, no... Please don't apologize. It was my own fault for being such a space cadet. My mom always said I'd make a great astronaut." After stirring the pancake mix, she turned on the burner and set a pan over the flames, before flicking a pad of butter into the center of the pan. The first pancake was pooled over the butter and as she adjusted the heat, she glanced over and up at the officer beside her with another soft laugh, "And you don't need to thank me. It's my job to help people. I don't see why it needs to just be at the hospital. And if she's safer here, well, then I'm doing what I do even better, right? Besides... I get it. Sometimes it's better to keep things to yourself."

Pausing, she reached for a spatula and flipped the first pancake just as the edges bubbled up, "Secrets aren't always bad. Sometimes they just keep people safe or happy. And there's nothing wrong with that, so long as it's what Juliet wants. Though... I do hope she takes my advice about the x-ray. Broken ribs are awfully difficult to deal with, even with proper medical care. What you two do? It's really important... and I'd hate for this to slow her down." Transferring the golden brown pancake to a plate, she pooled another into the skillet.

"It's sort of a blessing in disguise, I suppose... The hospital being slow staffed these days." Giving a small shrug, she smiled faintly, "Sometimes, when there's too many workers, it's really easy to start forgetting that people are that... people, you know? When you've got to work harder, you concentrate more and you connect better. Trouble is, you also have more patients, and that means you can't spend as much time with people as you might like, but I come in sometimes, when I have off, just to sit with them. I think it would make me feel better if I was stuck there, you know? Just to have someone come and say hello." Biting her cheek, she turned her full attention to the second pancake, "It doesn't really... worry me... but I guess the fact that it worries Imogen is what makes me think something isn't quite... right. Not a whole lot worries her, you know? But I dunno what talking to a therapist is gonna do to help me." Chuckling lightly, she pinched her shoulders upwards again, "They'll probably just tell me I'd make a good astronaut, too."

At his question, she gestured to the fridge, "Second shelf, right behind the orange juice. Should be a full carton. Can I ask you something, Officer Carver...?"

 

[KatSea]

"Mm, I mean, I don't know how well your small frame could adjust to the overall pressure and vacuum of space..." He teased, lightly, folding his arms across his chest and tiredly watching her work. He noted the light rumble of his stomach, a wave of embarrassment touching his cheeks. "I mean, I still think it's important to know that you are appreciated for what you do. Even if it is your job. It's still something you could have turned down. And for your help I am...very appreciative. I know we do not know each other particularly well but...it means a lot for you to let us into your home. Seriously. That's something I can never repay you for."

"It's meant to keep her safe. If this was any other case she would have gotten the X-Ray before even letting me touch her. We just don't know who we can trust at the moment, considering her situation, and I am afraid if we turn to one wrong person she's gonna get royally fucked. And not in the particularly enjoyable way..." Brow scrunching, he scratched thoughtfully at his temple. "I can never understand what it would be like to be a nurse. I imagined having the detective job to be one of the most difficult, but with the amount of people who have to take care of and treat...I really am impressed by what you do. That and you seem personable enough for the job...The way you handled and comforted Juliet, I dont know if a lot of other people could manage something like that."

"A therapist?" He questioned suddenly, both worry and confusion settling against his demeanor. Hey man, better to you if you could admit that you needed that shit. Carver never found them particularly helpful, especially when they repeated all the shit you already know. Sure, help was out there, but paid help was over fucking rated. "Hey man, power to you. They'd probably pick and prod until they tell you something you already know."

"Oh! Thank you." Prying open the fridge, he peered back the orange juice to retrieve his treasure. "Er, sure." He replied, uncertain as he recoiled from the fridge to peer back at Amy. "Whats up?"