Post by Dr. Althea Lannsman on Dec 10, 2007 7:19:12 GMT -5
[All is not lost! Written by Nicholas Lannsman]
Nicholas lay down in the bed, pristine white sheets cautiously laid over him, fresh bandages covered his body and the warm interior of St.Mungo’s Hospital was the closest thing Nicholas could have imagined as heaven. A slight rustling of fabric forced him to crack open his good eye and look out to where the noise had originated from. A young witch, one of the doctors of the institution, stood beside his bed with a looked mixed in between displeasure and irritation. He long brown hair was tied in a ponytail and she looked down at the paper in her clipboard, letting out an exasperated sigh.
“Well, Mr. Lannsman, it appears you’ve gotten yourself into quite the mess this time.” She said, her voice tinged with frustration. “Several broken ribs, as well as seven broken fingers. Minor lacerations and a mild concussion, broken ankle, a punctured lung and a year of full rehabilitation ahead of you. It appears whoever did this to you had cast a Dark Magic alteration of the Cruciatus Curse on you, and you’ll have to heal up the Muggle way for the most part.”
The young woman picked up his wrist and began to take Nicholas’ pulse. “That’ll go for feeding you as well. We’ll have some Muggle experts from the Ministry here within the next few days to set up some equipment that’ll help you. You won’t be eating for a while; we’ll have to use an intravenous to do so.”
Nicholas cast her an apologetic look, his voice was a cracked and hoarse whisper. “I’m sorry Doctor Lannsman, I was looking forward to supper tonight, sweetheart. I think I might be a little late.”
The Doctor’s withering gaze broke into one of worry as Nicholas tried to place his other hand atop hers, but grunted in pain as he made it about halfway. “Nick, please, don’t move, okay? You’re wounds have never been this bad…” she began, as concern tinged her every word and action. Gently, she took his arm and placed it back down on the bed. Her hand moved over to a strand of his black hair and she tucked it behind one of his ears. Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked down at him. “Oh, god Nick, what did you get yourself into?”
His bleary had finally found its way to look at her face before he started to speak, his voice raw from screaming. “He was going to kill her Althea. I couldn’t let that happen.”
She looked at him, confused. “Kill who?”
“She was waiting for a subway, some poor muggle woman. I didn’t have a choice, honey. I knew that Donnely and Petya were on their way…I figured that if I could hold out on the Cruciatus Curse, they’d get to him…” he managed to say laboriously, wincing on occasion. Althea continued to run a hand through his hair, a angry look flashing across her face.
“So you thought of jumping in the way of that Curse would have saved her, and stalled for time? Nick, what about our kids? You should think about them too! I can’t raise them alone…I don’t want to be called in one day to go to the morgue and have to…” her voice began to crack slightly with emotion. Nicholas tried to move his hand, a little more successfully this time the rub the small of her back once. She laughed a bit when he flashed her his warm smile.
“I’d never leave you to fend for yourselves, Althea. If I ever do something like this again, it’ll be for one of you. But I’m certain that day will never come. I’m just happy I was able to see your smile again.” He muttered softly, his scarred face beaming with adoration. “I’m quitting the Ministry, Althea.”
“Yes, and there won’t be any going back.” She said, as she got up with a tone of finality about that discussion. Althea looked to him again, and her look of worry turned into one of joy as she leaned in and kissed him tenderly. “I’m so happy you’re safe, you big dummy.”
Wounded as he was, Nicholas still managed a slight bow with a slender inclination of his head. “Always at your service, my lady.” He said, with all the tenderness he could have mustered with his broken body.
With that, the doctor rose and began to fix Nicholas’ sheets. “Well, Mr.Lannsman, if you ever need anything, let one of the nurses know right away. We’ll be doing our best, and you need your rest.”
“Could you tell my wife that I love her, then?” he asked with a small grin on his face. She sighed a bit and couldn’t help but smile.
“I love you too. Now sleep, or I’ll go get some more of that Muggle stuff to knock you out.” She whispered calmly. Nicholas began to move slightly, and slowly into a more comfortable position before finally closing his eye.
“Tell the kids I’ll see them soon.”
She waited until he was asleep again and swiped a tear away from her cheek. Again, she leaned it and kissed him, and ran her hand through his hair one last time as he slept. “Gryffindors.” She muttered to herself, as she sighed.
As she walked away, she couldn’t help but smile at the way her husband still laid there grinning.
Nicholas lay down in the bed, pristine white sheets cautiously laid over him, fresh bandages covered his body and the warm interior of St.Mungo’s Hospital was the closest thing Nicholas could have imagined as heaven. A slight rustling of fabric forced him to crack open his good eye and look out to where the noise had originated from. A young witch, one of the doctors of the institution, stood beside his bed with a looked mixed in between displeasure and irritation. He long brown hair was tied in a ponytail and she looked down at the paper in her clipboard, letting out an exasperated sigh.
“Well, Mr. Lannsman, it appears you’ve gotten yourself into quite the mess this time.” She said, her voice tinged with frustration. “Several broken ribs, as well as seven broken fingers. Minor lacerations and a mild concussion, broken ankle, a punctured lung and a year of full rehabilitation ahead of you. It appears whoever did this to you had cast a Dark Magic alteration of the Cruciatus Curse on you, and you’ll have to heal up the Muggle way for the most part.”
The young woman picked up his wrist and began to take Nicholas’ pulse. “That’ll go for feeding you as well. We’ll have some Muggle experts from the Ministry here within the next few days to set up some equipment that’ll help you. You won’t be eating for a while; we’ll have to use an intravenous to do so.”
Nicholas cast her an apologetic look, his voice was a cracked and hoarse whisper. “I’m sorry Doctor Lannsman, I was looking forward to supper tonight, sweetheart. I think I might be a little late.”
The Doctor’s withering gaze broke into one of worry as Nicholas tried to place his other hand atop hers, but grunted in pain as he made it about halfway. “Nick, please, don’t move, okay? You’re wounds have never been this bad…” she began, as concern tinged her every word and action. Gently, she took his arm and placed it back down on the bed. Her hand moved over to a strand of his black hair and she tucked it behind one of his ears. Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked down at him. “Oh, god Nick, what did you get yourself into?”
His bleary had finally found its way to look at her face before he started to speak, his voice raw from screaming. “He was going to kill her Althea. I couldn’t let that happen.”
She looked at him, confused. “Kill who?”
“She was waiting for a subway, some poor muggle woman. I didn’t have a choice, honey. I knew that Donnely and Petya were on their way…I figured that if I could hold out on the Cruciatus Curse, they’d get to him…” he managed to say laboriously, wincing on occasion. Althea continued to run a hand through his hair, a angry look flashing across her face.
“So you thought of jumping in the way of that Curse would have saved her, and stalled for time? Nick, what about our kids? You should think about them too! I can’t raise them alone…I don’t want to be called in one day to go to the morgue and have to…” her voice began to crack slightly with emotion. Nicholas tried to move his hand, a little more successfully this time the rub the small of her back once. She laughed a bit when he flashed her his warm smile.
“I’d never leave you to fend for yourselves, Althea. If I ever do something like this again, it’ll be for one of you. But I’m certain that day will never come. I’m just happy I was able to see your smile again.” He muttered softly, his scarred face beaming with adoration. “I’m quitting the Ministry, Althea.”
“Yes, and there won’t be any going back.” She said, as she got up with a tone of finality about that discussion. Althea looked to him again, and her look of worry turned into one of joy as she leaned in and kissed him tenderly. “I’m so happy you’re safe, you big dummy.”
Wounded as he was, Nicholas still managed a slight bow with a slender inclination of his head. “Always at your service, my lady.” He said, with all the tenderness he could have mustered with his broken body.
With that, the doctor rose and began to fix Nicholas’ sheets. “Well, Mr.Lannsman, if you ever need anything, let one of the nurses know right away. We’ll be doing our best, and you need your rest.”
“Could you tell my wife that I love her, then?” he asked with a small grin on his face. She sighed a bit and couldn’t help but smile.
“I love you too. Now sleep, or I’ll go get some more of that Muggle stuff to knock you out.” She whispered calmly. Nicholas began to move slightly, and slowly into a more comfortable position before finally closing his eye.
“Tell the kids I’ll see them soon.”
She waited until he was asleep again and swiped a tear away from her cheek. Again, she leaned it and kissed him, and ran her hand through his hair one last time as he slept. “Gryffindors.” She muttered to herself, as she sighed.
As she walked away, she couldn’t help but smile at the way her husband still laid there grinning.