Breathe deep, breathe clear

[transonicbubblegum]

Ten l o n g days and nights.

Time has blurred into one long continuous stream that feels so surreal it must be a bad dream. Or at least, that's how it feels for the student that has kept constant vigil at San Fransokyo Memorial Hospital. Leave had been allowed for the students following the fire at the showcase. They had called it a 'tragic incident' and expected students to return after the funeral that had been held on a rather rainy afternoon.

Tragic isn't even close.

Go Go had begrudgingly attended classes only at the insistence of her fellow classmates, but there was no heart in it for any of them as they struggled to push through the hours until they could go where they felt they needed to be most. For her, it meant sitting in the warm ICU room where her professor has been making a slow recovery. She came whenever the other students were visiting of course, but would always return at the shift change for the night nursing staff to arrive. It was easy to slip in with them distracted during orientation rounds. At first, the nursing and nursing aides had insisted she leave, threatening to call security, but a few brief words, and she had managed to stay put. The girl only ever seemed to leave to go stretch her legs, visit the restroom, and get a drink of water before returning right back to her perch. She never bothered the staff or the patient, and perhaps that's the only reason they allowed her in to watch over Professor Callaghan. That, or they felt sorry he had no blood-relations to visit.

Given that she, nor any of the other students, would be contacted if anything went wrong, Go Go had to make sure for herself.

Seated on the window sill as always, she keeps her legs pulled up tight against her chest with her arms wrapped snugly around them, making herself as small as she can while her weary eyes stay locked on the monitors and machines surrounding the inflatable bed that constantly cycles air quietly beneath her teacher. Steadily, the ventilator pumps air in a regular rhythm, providing an audible reassurance that the man laying covered in so many bandages and lines is still, in fact, alive. Every so often she dozes, head resting against her knees just right, but she never completes a full sleep cycle before awakening to the sound of another beeping from a machine.

The numbers on the monitors and machines are so foreign to her. If Tadashi-




If he were here, he could easily translate all of them. Only from experience has she learned what sort of numbers at different spots are acceptable and which are not by watching the reactions of the nurses and doctors checking on him so frequently.

By now the smell of burnt flesh had diminished quite a bit from the first night she had spent in the room, and it makes it much easier to resist the urge to wrinkle her small nose whenever she has to take a deeper breath in an effort to keep herself calm.

All she can do is wait, and for someone that so loves speed...

it's hard.

Comments

[augmentedboundaries]

Callaghan is, and has been, aware of being 'out of it' for some time. Consciousness is...spotty at best, but he's been spoken to, made aware of the situation, then gone out again- and then had the cycle repeat a few times. It's not so much that his memory has failed, is that he's only ever so able to process it. Through the drugs and the pain and the haze and the memory...

a charred, blackened hand

"you won't get extra credit for this, mister hamada-"

aching, dragging, falling

He starts a bit, emitting a low sound; a sound muffled by something in his mouth. And yet he can't quite bring himself to be concerned about that, not when his whole side feels as though it's still trapped under that ceiling beam and burning.

It hurts.

And for a few moments, that's all he can really think about, hand forming in to a loose claw as he tries to reach across his body for the perceived source.

[transonicbubblegum]

Dim lighting meant to keep the patient calm makes it difficult for weary eyes to spot subtle movements, but something above the standard deviation of motion during his more sedate periods draws her focus back from the variable numbers to the bed with that start. She heard something beneath the shift in flow from the ventilator, pushing and drawing air alternately as it records measurements of every inhale and exhale.

Narrowed eyes spread wider as her focus hones in on that right hand as Callaghan begins to stir awake. Her lips part as her own breathing goes still, and though part of her body feels faintly numb from prolonged stillness at the window, she manages to urge herself up to her feet rather swiftly. A darting glance is given to the doorway and out into the hall, but none of the nurses or the aides are within sight for the moment.

With a slight hesitation, she steps closer to the bed.

[augmentedboundaries]

He can't reach- there are things on his arm, holding him back, perhaps not completely but he can still feel the tug. Callaghan grimaces, and that simple motion makes his face hurt; even so, it doesn't compare to how tired he still feels, how hard it is to move his hand-

-it comes to rest on his chest as he makes a quiet huff of frustration. He shouldn't be tired, he just woke up, didn't he? But- this isn't his bed, his bed isn't propped up like this, and all of this has a feeling of wrongness that is only beginning to really be understood.

His head turns slightly, single eye blinking a few times as it tries to focus. His breathing would quicken, if it could; as it is, the heart rate monitors will no doubt show the change, as if the next muffled sound isn't sign enough he's awake.

[transonicbubblegum]

Given how many machines are in the room already, the space around is limited. Alone now though, the distance to the bed seems so much further without other familiar warm bodies also standing bedside. She feels nervous approaching, but anxiety has never kept her from pushing forward. Despite their small length, her steps finally bring her to that right side of the bed as Callaghan settles his arm to his chest.

Without thought to it, one hand finds the way up to the bed rail, just enough to let her finger tips rest on the plastic surface. Just enough to give her that extra bit of contact for balance and confirmation of her position. Her brow furrows slightly at the muffled sound and the change of the numbers on the monitor nearby, but she draws a mask of calm back into place as Callaghan begins looking around.

She wants him to see something more reassuring if he is really waking up.

"...Professor Callaghan?" her voice comes out quite soft, barely louder than the sound of the ventilator.

[augmentedboundaries]

There's definitely someone there, but it's still a bit fogged through the lingering throb of pain and disorientation. Robert wants to ask who it is, but even working his mouth- maybe there isn't anything actually in it, but it doesn't feel right, to say nothing of the rest of the things on his face. Nose. Eye. Arm. Hand...

Everything.

Distantly, he recalls that he's in a hospital- he thinks. Maybe. Was that what they said? He shakes his head slightly, then stills, the voice pulling him back to the here and now and...

"Hhn."

He still can't manage words, though he's trying. But it seems like it's not even worth the effort, when it's already seeming so difficult to raise his hand back towards the edge of the bed, and- turn his head that way, cheek resting against the pillow as his vision falls on them.

Her.

What is she doing here...? His brow furrows slightly, a spark of confusion bleeding in to his face.

[transonicbubblegum]

The fact that he can manage any sound around the trach in his throat is something that speaks to the strength still in his diaphragm. That, at least, they had said had remained intact even if the lungs themselves need more time to clear.

Her gaze turns from his face when he makes the effort to reach his hand out in her direction, and without any hint of reluctance, she lifts her hand from the bed rail to slip up and under around his hand to find a clasping grip with her fingers curling in under his thumb. She doesn't know if the nurses would be alright with it, but at the moment she doesn't care. The feeling of something else organic while surrounded by so many tubes and lines and machines might be something he needs right now.

At least her hand is warm.

Grasp tightening to squeeze his hand as she supports the weight, she looks back up to that eye focusing on her, and she manages to pull one corner of her lips up and back in a half smile. It's forced, and it shows only for a few seconds. She's never been good at faking a smile. Still, the effort is there as she wracks her brain for what to say. She thinks about the things the nurses are always saying to him...

It's a place to start at least, "Hey... You're in the hospital still, Professor Callaghan. It's night right now."

[augmentedboundaries]

It says something about his state that he focuses more on the warmth of her hand than the forced expression on her face. Normally, he'd arch his brow, maybe drop a bland comment meant to provoke the truth of how she felt- now, he just closes his eye for a long moment, squeezing back slightly.

None of that explains why she's here, but for a split-second, he doesn't question it.

And then the second passes, and he opens his eye again, trying to frown and finding it painful; he aborts it for a squeeze, which is somewhat less painful but still feels as though his hand has only a fragment of what strength it should.

He can hear. He knows. He just...needs another moment or two to remember why, a hundred percent, but he's not letting go for those moments because there again is that memory of heat and not being able to breathe.

He still - can't - but only on his own. There's still air coming in to his lungs, and it's not the burning sort, either. His vision moves from Go Go to some of the equipment beside of her, then back down, following some of the cables and lines back to him. Intensive care, something about third and fourth degree burns, fire-

-he looks back at Go Go, eye widening with a surge of surprise- and concern.

[transonicbubblegum]

Each squeeze given is reciprocated, and as he seems to settle briefly, she lowers his hand back down to rest his arm against the bed. Her grasp remains firmly held, not ready to let go of that connection with him even as she hopes the transition down will help him relax a little. She can see that pain coming through in his expression, even if less than half of his face is visible for the time being.

Silence hangs until that spark of alarm shows, and straightening through her back, Go Go responds quickly. Shaking her head, she reaches her other hand to wrap over the top of that hand she already holds, doubling her contact with him, "It's okay, Professor. You're going to be alright. The doctors said you've been making a lot of progress in the right direction."

That look...she doesn't like it on him.

Knowing that he cannot speak for himself, she looks around briefly. The nurses were using some sort of chart with him before...but she doesn't see it out. Not ready to leave the bedside anyhow, she thinks of another possible way to communicate-something Callaghan can do to express more than basic emotions.

"Do you think you can text with one hand? I have my phone... You can type things to me."

Old as he may be, Professor Callaghan is still young enough to have grown up with texting around, right?

[augmentedboundaries]

That's only so reassuring. As much as it's nice to know that even with all the discomfort he's going to be 'alright' and 'been making a lot of progress', that doesn't answer one of the more pressing questions in mind.

On one hand, he thinks he's 'asked' it before, or at least- no, that had to be some of the dream, right? Assuming this isn't one.

Still, he nods, and for good measure tries to turn his hand in a vague thumbs-up gesture. Assuming the keys aren't too small, he should be able to manage with that, though he was only ever so good at that sort of thing. A full-sized keyboard, on the other hand...but, well, that would require his other hand, and that doesn't seem very responsive right now.

[transonicbubblegum]

Easing her grasp on his hand when she feels it moving, Go Go shows a flicker of a real smile in response to that nod and thumbs-up gesture. Nodding once back to him, she releases his hand with just her overlaying hand and reaches down into her pocket to retrieve her phone. Tugging it free of her pocket, she activates the touch screen and taps open the note application. Once she judges the device to be ready with the screen in a locked orientation, she finally withdraws her other hand and slips the phone in its place.

"Here...just type short hand and don't worry about mistakes."

Given that she translates single-hand texts from Fred without trouble, this should be easy enough.

Anticipating that he would not have the energy to turn the phone to show her constantly, Go Go pays great mind to the lines strung low along the bed, and steps with care to move to stand up closer to Callaghan's shoulder rather than down at his hand. Leaning in just slightly over the bed rail, she focuses on the screen to see what he types.

[augmentedboundaries]

This will work. There's another brief glance at the room at large, and then Callaghan's attention returns to Go Go in full; and then, specifically, to her phone. He works his hand for a few moments, trying to find some strength for it, or at least make it feel less useless.

And by the time she's settled by his shoulder, he feels ready to try. It takes him a minute to understand the layout, and there's still a part where he feels like he needs to fix it, but then he just gives up and continues in hopes she'll understand;

t ss d s h i

[transonicbubblegum]

At first, the letters coming onto the screen don't make much sense, but as those last two letters appear, a sense of dread has already made it harder to swallow. The intention is clear, but for a moment she doesn't understand-until she recalls a warning from one of the doctors.

He may not remember much for a while.

Brows furrow down as her gaze breaks from her phone with a prolonged, tight blink of her eyes. Opening only partially, she turns her head to look back to her teacher as her heart sinks lower down in her chest. Voice quieter again, she asks to confirm, "...you're wanting to know about Tadashi, right?"

Only once she has some sign from Callaghan, she forces the words passed her lips, "...Tadashi...he died at school."

[augmentedboundaries]

Go Go shouldn't take that long to reply. Her delays, usually, have to do with critical analysis; this isn't the sort of situation that calls for that. Callaghan is trying to look back up by the time she speaks, and he manages a slight nod, working a dry mouth as his stomach flutters in that falling sensation.

because that

He shakes his head, perhaps a little too quickly, as though by simply denying it he could make those vague memories of the same question and the similar answer and no, no, he pulled him out-

He was there. In the fire. He came for him, and he doesn't even realize his hand is trembling until he's looking back down to convey something else but-

Breathe. Or let himself be breathed for. His fingers claw, almost, pressing more firmly on to the keys-

p u kl lk r d io ut

he took him out he brought him out the stupid idiot kid the idiot he couldnt have he had to

[lasersushi]

The room is unwelcomingly familiar to Wasabi by now. On a certain level, he can appreciate it and what it holds; the state-of-the-art design, machines, efficiency. That part of him that has grown to love and treasure order finds it a perfect example of everything being in its place, everything being set up to encourage and promote growth and healing.

On a more emotional level, it's painful to have someone he personally knows - and looks up to - needing it all so desperately.

He follows the check-in procedure with the quiet, subdued manner of someone who's familiar with it and wishes they weren't. In short order he's heading for the room, a small envelope in hand - a 'get well soon' card from some of the other students, he figured he'd take care of the delivery since he was visiting anyway - and carefully opening the door.

And while he's not surprised to see Go Go, she's more often found by the window...not half-wrapped around the bedrail, her hand in the professor's. Wasabi hesitates, trying to understand- and then, quietly, approaches to rest a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey."

That position doesn't look in the slightest bit comfortable.

[transonicbubblegum]

Forehead plastered to the top of the bedrail with one arm slung over and the other through the opening down lower, she had somehow managed to tuck her shins in against the back side of the chair to lay on the right side of her hip. Hand still latched onto Callaghan's, the touch more than the voice stirs her awake. A dulled jolt awakens her muscles, and her head snaps up a couple inches with a throated hum of response as her eyes reluctantly split open, one slightly more than the other.

After a mild delay, one that is quite long for Go Go given her usual reflexes, she looks to the hand on her shoulder, then follows the logical turn to peer tiredly up at the owner of that familiar hand. Staring at Wasabi dumbly for several seconds, she then pipes out in a hoarse whisper, "...Wasabi? Wh-at are you doing here...? What time is it?"

Her voice sounds raw from use, having talked far longer than she likely ever has before in her life over the course of the night. Any time she thought Callaghan was starting to wake up, she would talk again. Sometimes about concepts he had taught her at school, sometimes about the most inane topics. Eventually though, exhaustion had overtaken her. Her ten days of acting as a sentinel has finally taken its toll, likely due to the simple fact somewhere inside her subconscious had latched onto the reality that Callaghan is out of immediate danger and it was safe to finally rest.

Really, the red bar mark across her forehead should speak to how deeply she had been sleeping just a moment ago.

[lasersushi]

At this point, they're going to need to get a bed for Go Go, too. But Wasabi doesn't stay as much, instead keeping his touch light as he looks from her to Callaghan, and then back, brow furrowed.

"It's a little after ten. I sort of figured I'd drop by and see how he was doing," he explains, before pulling up his other hand with the card, "and set this up, too."

Don't want to make a mess of the recovery room, after all. He'll find a good spot for it, where it won't get in the way.

But, more pressing; "How long have you been here?" He can guess the whole night, but- come on, Go Go. If you're going to stay after visiting hours you should at least set yourself up more comfortably. He knows better than to suggest otherwise, but still...

[transonicbubblegum]

There's a dull blink before she closes her eyes and groans, barely resisting the urge to hit her head against the bed rail so conveniently near. Instead, she brings her half numb hand up from over the rail and rubs at her tightly shut eyes as she withdraws her other hand out through the gap away from that larger hand in the bed. Slowly, she starts to shuffle herself out of her awkward position, her sore body and lack of coordination making it a slow process.

"Can I borrow your notes later?"

At least she has enough brain left in her skull to know that she missed out on the first session of the day-that is assuming of course she has the right day of the week in mind.

There's a quiet murr of sound before she answers his question evasively, "A while." A pause follows as she tries to roll over to kneel in the seat without success, then goes on to give him the good news that had pulled her from the window to the bedside as she gives a push with her arms in a second attempt, voice stronger with the physical effort, "He woke up last night. All the way awake."

Finally managing to get herself upright, she pushes herself free of the bedrail to sit up in the seat on her knees with her hips on her heels. Woozy, she slumps almost immediately against the back of the chair, and murmurs a reminder for herself that she hopes Wasabi will help her with, "...gotta bring him a tablet from the lab. With a charger."

[lasersushi]

"Yeah. Yeah, that's fine." No hesitation to the request at all, and no hesitation to start to help her up, too. He tries to keep it as just help, instead of picking her up, but- she's clearly exhausted. Whatever sleep she got wasn't enough.

But.

"...he did?"

That's enough to make him smile, a little, even if he's still focused on keeping her from falling over. His hands are quick to find her shoulders, gripping as he glances back at the sleeping form. Tablet. Charger.

Sounds like the professor.

"Okay, but- first thing, we've got to get you some actual sleep. Honey said she was gonna swing by later, but she could probably make it sooner if I gave her a text."

[transonicbubblegum]

Although her jaw tightens when she feels that help from Wasabi, she doesn't make any movement to reject it as she would under other circumstances. Even her stubborness has limits within the bounds of reason. The last thing Callaghan needs is her falling out of the chair and waking him up, or worse, pulling out a line on her way down to the floor. Once up against the back rest of the chair, she grabs hold of it with both arms as those much larger hands find her shoulders. Again, Go Go doesn't shrug him off, instead accepting the support to steady her as she works to muster up the strength she knows will be required to get up on her own two feet again.

"Mmhmm... Didn' last too long, but we did talk a little. He typed on my phone. 's too small though...hence the tablet."

At the mention of bringing Honey Lemon to the room earlier than she intended, Go Go immediately shakes her head as she bows it forward to curl away from Wasabi, voice finding more volume again, "No, no...! I'm fine. I just need a minute. Once I can see straight, I can manage." The last thing she wants is anyone else seeing her so run down.

Red imprint on her forehead aside, the petite speedster is looking rather pale.

[lasersushi]

He's expecting to be pushed away at any moment, but as long as she lets him, he'll give what support he can. Good morning, Go Go. Don't mind him while he already tries to figure out if he can fit your bike in the back seat of his car- probably. He's sure as heck not letting you pedal home in this state, if he has any say at all.

But- he does pull his hands back at her 'outburst'. "Woah- okay, easy, I was only gonna let her know that he woke up for a bit." A beat. "...what'd you talk about, anyway?..."

Actually, maybe he shouldn't ask. After another look to make sure that she isn't about to fall over- or at least has the chair to steady her - he half-turns away, giving the professor a long look of concern.

(The fact that it doubles for giving Go Go another few moments to pull herself together is just a 'bonus'. Maybe he just doesn't know enough, but he doesn't see much of a change in Callaghan from last time.)

[transonicbubblegum]

Humbled slightly from her snap at Wasabi when he explains his reasoning for wanting to text Honey, Go Go buries her face in against the palm of one hand as she closes her eyes with her head staying down. She is a mess, and she knows it. Really, she can't even think of the last time she's had something to eat that counts as real food.

Voice somber, she answers him, "...don't think he'll be able to wake up like that again for a while anyhow. Took a lot out of him." There's a bit of hesitation to answer regarding the major subject of their conversation, but Go Go knows it is important to communicate with the others about it. Hand lowering from her face to grip at the chair, she digs her nails at the surface uncomfortably, "...about Tadashi. He didn't really remember asking before. ...he got it this time."

That was one reason Go Go had put so much effort into keeping Callaghan at ease. She didn't want him to return to that grief before he had rested fully and could handle it.

[lasersushi]

...that had to have been a hard conversation. Wasabi looks back, pride be darned- and, again, a light hand to her shoulder.

About the only good thing about it - and even then, it's hardly any comfort at all - was being assured that Tadashi...went...quickly. Nonetheless, the thought brings a lump to his throat, and he has to take a moment to recompose himself.

It's not - quite - gratitude, but it's hardly pity, either. Support, certainly, and comfort, but...most of what they've had to say on it, they've said. Tadashi should be here, with them, offering the professor support as well...

"One of us'll be here when he wakes up again, in case he...needs anything. With the tablet," he adds after a moment, "if he wants to use it. It shouldn't be too hard to get one."

Heck, they'd probably all pool their funds together to buy one, if necessary.

"Let's get you home while he rests. Alright?"

[transonicbubblegum]

Gaze drifting briefly to that light touch against her shoulder, Go Go closes her eyes for a moment as she actually shrugs into the contact rather than to dislodge it with the tips of her short hair brushing against the back of his hand in the motion. It is only when he speaks again that she looks up from under her drooping bangs, listening as he assures her that someone among them, someone she trusts, will be here at the ready for Callaghan with that tool for communication.

Her lips press together firmly, gaze turning back to their teacher for a few seconds before she finally relents and nods her head with a rushed exhale.

Nails easing from the plastic, Go Go gingerly shifts herself away from the support towards the front of the chair with one hand actually coming up to hold against Wasabi's wrist as the other grabs for the edge of the seat under her. The effort brings out a faint tremble in her, but she manages to get her feet on the floor. Touching down one heel uneasily against the flat surface with the other forefoot the only contact on the other side, just trying to sit up straight under her own power is a challenge with a little sway threatening to tip her one way then the other for several seconds before she centers herself.

[lasersushi]

That's an 'alright'. And it's pretty obvious she isn't walking anywhere.

Alright, then. Wasabi makes a bit of a face, then sighs out a breath.

"Come on, I'll give you a lift."

He'll just be shifting down in what could be a surprisingly graceful motion. Either way, he's positioning himself so that his back's to Go Go, and taking her hand in his to help maneuver them in to position. Short of actually pulling her on to his back, the message is clear enough what he means by 'lift'.

"You rode your bike here, right?"

[transonicbubblegum]

Go Go has been around Wasabi long enough to know that his size is in complete contrast to the sheer finesse he can muster with barely any sign of effort. That in itself does not surprise her. What does catch her off guard is the offer for a lift with a visual cue as to the type of lift he intends to provide. There is no resistance in her as Wasabi guides her hands up onto his shoulders, tired eyes suddenly a little wider than usual with brows raised.

A piggyback ride.

The muscles in her arms tense as her first instinct is to withdraw entirely, but she stops herself as logic kicks in and overrides her urge prior to taking any action. She cannot possibly walk herself the long way down and out of the hospital, let alone make her way home under her own power. Other choices for vacating the room include use of a wheelchair from the hospital for transport, being carried under Wasabi's arm, or possibly over his shoulder. Of all her options, this is the least offensive to her pride.

"Yeah," she manages to get out to confirm to use of her bike to make it to the hospital after classes yesterday evening.

Closing her eyes as she inhales, that breath is held for a silent count of three, then she opens her eyes and puts her effort into one motion to rise off the chair to stand only to promptly flop forward against his back. Arms scrambling with quiet fear from feeling so weak, Go Go wraps them over his shoulders snugly and clings as soon as she finds that grip.

Tucking her lower face against the back of his shoulder as she feels her cheeks turning warm, she narrows her eyes as she gives him a warning, "....tell anyone I didn't kick you the whole way, and I will make that stupidly symmetrical face of yours lopsided."