Part XIV

Diana and Eloise drop by the next day to make use of the mansion's super-computer in order to look up any news that might involve Paul and his whereabouts.

"Gads, HLM, you just can't keep yourself out of trouble, can you?" Diana comments with a dry grin as the three women make their way to the War Room.

HLM smirks. "Oh, you know you're just jealous you don't have my exciting life, miss hunting-down-her-own-hit man. I'm surprised I didn't come back to find you in about a hundred different pieces and spread over the New York Metro area."

Damn that's weird how that happened...her own dad puts out a hit on her, and she ends up assigned to hunting the idiot her bastard father hired to take HER life down for the bounty on his head. If it weren't so serious, I'd find it funny...

The fire-haired woman smirks. "Oh ye of little faith! I've learned to care for myself quite well over the years, domo."

"Riiight, this has nothing to do with the fact your mouse-man would kick anyone's butt who had the nerve to mess with you."

Bet she never thought she'd be dating a Biker Mouse, from Mars, nonetheless, did she?

A flush spreads over her pale Irish complexion. "Well, hai...Vinnie would, but...that's besides the point! Anyway, we all know your cat-man would do the same, ne?"

Blood rushes to the ice-eyed woman's cheek this time as the complicated whirl of emotions rises within her. "I...err...well...we don't know that he's 'mine' for sure yet..."

Best not to get your hopes up, Moron...you know what happens every time you do...even if it DOES look like that's the way it's gonna turn out...life has a nasty habit of breaking your heart...

Her throat suddenly needs clearing as she flips on the computer dominating an entire side of the room. "Yeah...uh...anyway...info on Paul..."

Weird how he's suddenly a more comfortable subject than Klork...

Eloise chuckles deep in her throat, shaking her head lightly. "Geeze, you two..."

Her words are cut off by the sound of Hank's voice crackling over the intercom. "HLM?"

They both look up reflexively, Eloise grinning sheepishly as HLM hobbles over to answer it. "Yeah, Bones?"

"Can you come to the Med Lab? Klork needs you."

"Wha'? I...uhm...ok...I'll be right there..."

Oh gods...what is it now??

With an exchange of worried glances between the three, she leaves for the Med Lab. It only takes her a few minutes to get there. Klork lies on one of the examination tables, hands clenched into fists and an IV in his arm.

Holy shit...what happened?!

Her brows furrow as she makes her way over to him. "Heya..."

The smirk he gives her when he looks up is weak, but genuine. "Hi..."

Oh man...he's hurting somethin' fierce...

A stool is pulled over, and she gingerly settles on it once her cane is placed within reaching distance. She gently strokes his hair with her right hand, resting her left hand on his. "...what happened...?"

His slight flinch brings a sympathetic cringe from her. "Ah, meds wore off...heh...others aren't kicking in..."

Ouch...man that sucks...

"I'm sorry..." She offers a gentle grin. "Anything I can do...?"

He smirks shakily as he shakes his head. "Nothing I can think of." A wince flickers over his face, making him breath a soft "ow".

"Erk..." As her hand soothingly passes over his hair, she chews her lip lightly.

Maybe a change of subject will help...

"Hrn...well...how are your kids doing?"

He winces as he smirks up at her. "Well...worried about their mother...but well..."

Agh...ok, bad idea then. Yeah, Moron, your light bulb's a little dim there...

He shrugs at her nod, trailing off with a grimace, his voice ringing in her mind. "God this hurts...!"

Chewing her lip some more, she nods and brushes some hair from his brow.

Man...wish I could do that pain-taking trick Lisette does...

"Yeah..."

With a blink, he looks up to her, strain etched into his face, his voice barely a whisper. "You heard that...?"

She blinks slightly and nods.

Agh...if he's in that much pain...gods...what can I do...?

She continues to stroke his hair.

He's shaking...

A trembling sigh escapes him. "Damnit...I was just getting used to walking around freely..."

She bites her lip.

I know that feeling...

"Hank'll find out what's wrong..." She scoots closer.

...gods I wont to hold him...just...really don't want to hurt him more, though...

A weak smile curls his lips. "I hope so..."

HLM grins sympathetically and rubs his shoulder. "I'm sure he will...that fur leaves room for brains, too..."

Some anyway...

His pained chuckle sounds through the room. "Yeah....just hope he won't be so mad at me f'r much longer."

The pained wince brings a cringe from her as she nods. "Me, too..." With a soft sigh, she ventures to place a kiss upon his brow.

Slowly, a strangled purr rises as he smiles. "Thanks, Mo'...I appreciate it..."

Oh, like I'd do anything else...pshaw...

Her return smile lightens her face a bit as she continues to stroke his hair. "Aw hey...it's what I do..." She winks a little with a sympathetic smirk.

Heh...intelligent response, that...damn that word thing...

He leans back with another shaky sigh, whispering, "Why won't this kick in...?"

She shakes her head bewilderedly, brows furrowed. She notices sweat beading on his brow just before they both look over to see Hank come in.

The blue-furred doctor strides over with a sigh. "Bad news...the meds they put in your system counteract the pain meds we have...nulling them...I'm going to try to find a way to take some of that pain away...but it will take a while..."

Shit...man...

Gritting his teeth, Klork winces. "Great..."

She chews her lip slightly as she continues to stroke his hair with a gentle touch. Her heart aches at his pained sigh, almost a whimper as he winces.

I hate seeing him like this...

Hank's lips curl in a thin smile. "I'm sorry..." He removes the IV from Klork's arm. "It would probably be a good idea not to introduce any more chemicals than necessary into your system for a while."

The pained young man nods with a flinch.

"If there's any change," the big blue doctor goes on, "I will be in the lab, trying to find something that will help you...as for now...go somewhere you're comfortable...? It may help a little with the pain..."

Klork nods as he slowly sits up, almost falling over again. "K..."

The young woman helps the man who stole her heart off the table and supports him the best she can as Hank disappears deeper into his lab. "...heh...where to...?"

He shakes his head as he leans on her with a wince, perhaps a little more than he really wanted to. "Anywhere...."

She nods a little.

Ow...hurting...he doesn't need to know about it...poor guy...hrn...fireplace is close-ish...screw stairs...gyah...damn nerve endings shaddap yer mouths...

She leans heavily on her cane, hiding any pain she's in, as she helps him to the couch. "Heh...man...feel like an old lady helping her old man somewhere..."

He chuckles, face pained at even that, settling onto the couch. "Heh, it's a foreseen vision."

Funny, but I like that vision...

Holding his side gingerly, he winks.

Gah...I know that feeling all too well...

She can't hide the sympathetic cringe as she smirks lightly. "Very well could be... Before I join you, though...anything I can get you...?"

He shakes his head with a wince. "I'll be ok, honest." Another wince.

Man...I really REALLY hate seeing him like this...

She nods slowly and makes sure the fire's going alright before sitting by him. "Ok..."

After a bit, he leans against her. It's obvious he's holding back any pained outbursts. She, in turn, carefully wraps her arms around him and leans back, being careful of her own wounds.

Heh...yeah, last thing we need is one of us bleeding all over the other...

Softly, she lies her chin on his hair. As he rests against her, a shudder wracks his body.

Man...

She holds him, stroking his arm and chewing her lip as he tries calming himself.

There's something I can do...there's GOTTA be something...man...I wish dad had taught me some magic that would help Klork now...maybe if I sang...hummed...something...helped keep Seijin from the pots and pans that one time...

She begins to hum a soft song she learned during her brief stay in Underhill to him. At feeling him begin to relax in her hold, she starts singing the liquid Elven words that go with the lullaby.

Woah...didn't realize I knew that...it's doing some good, so hey...why the hell not?

She keeps the soft singing up until the end of the song, feeling his body relax against her. She swallows a little to remoisten her throat. By now, he's in a light sleep, face still pained, however. She tugs a blanket over them both, doing her best not to disturb him. Her eyes wander to the fire, briefly entranced by its flickering.

Hrn...wonder if I could get rid of that pain...worth a shot...

She looks back down at him as she begins humming again, smiling softly as he relaxes even more. She brushes hair from his brow as a purr starts up and he curls closer to her.

Heh...geeze...had no idea how soothing this was...

Curling her arms around him gently, softly stroking his hair, she watches him sleep. Her voice continues on with its soothing song.

I love him...it's so damn hard to believe, but I do...and I'd do anything for him...

She feels him drift into a deep sleep and grins gently. His purr fills her ears and gently massages her battered body.

Hrn...always knew there was a reason I liked cats better than dogs...

She feels herself begin drifting in the warm softness of that land between consciousness and unconsciousness.

Mm...haven't felt this nice in a long time...

His purr tips the scales closer to sleep. And sleep she does, very lightly, two soft voices intruding upon her semi-formed dreams.

Hn...know those voices...

The voices alter back and forth, the subject being mainly on Klork; his past and hopes for his future.

Ooh...ok...Birman and Quinlan...hmph...watching us sleep...the nerve...fathers...

They talk a little about Seijin and how much he's like Klork; how he'll be a heartbreaker when he grows up.

Yeah...gonna haveta beat the girls off with a stick...the boys for Celes...girl's a beauty...she'll be ravishing when she grows up, like Lisette...

The conversation draws to a close with the two men wishing each other well on their respective journeys.

Hrn...dad's leaving the day after tomorrow, huh...? I'll have to take him out to lunch or something...

At last, there's silence, save Klork's soft "mm" as he curls closer, his gentle purr and the crackle of the slowly dying fire. A tender smile adorns her lips as she hugs the man in her arms soothingly and drops off into a deep slumber.

Part XIII
Part XV
Otherworldly Comforts Index