ASH: Dahlia

[Laraqua]

He gives Nurse Sarah an odd look as the trio enter the corridor and he shuts the heavy door behind him. "You got a thing for the serge?" he asks curiously.

[Mr. Handy]

Sarah blushes yet again. "Wh-what?" she stammers. "No. I mean, he's good looking and all, but, well, I don't really know him that well...I thought he had a thing for me, actually." She looks at Morrison. "Does he?"

She turns back to Dahlia, embarrassed. "No, I didn't see what happened to the kids in the hospital. They seemed okay when I ran up to the roof, but when I came back down everyone was gone. I'm so glad you were all right. There was also a little boy in the parking lot just before all this started. He lost his whole family. I tried to save his father, but...it was too late. I did save him, though, and he was in the ambulance with me. But then he and everyone else just kind of...vanished. I hope he didn't end up like those other children."

[Laraqua]

"I don't know who's got a thing for who," says the sergeant, then lowered his gaze as he led the others off down the corridor. "To tell you the truth, he's a bit old-fashioned, so if he calls you a 'girl', a 'dame' or a 'bird', he means no disrespect and is probably not flirting with you. He knows just what a woman can do in a war. He just mocks everyone. Not everyone's a sensitive, bright chap like I am." He brushes his nails against his shirt. "I'm the better catch, I think."

A man scoots out into the hall on a wheeled chair and arches an eyebrow. "Y'reckon?" he jeers, rolling his eyes, then scooting back to his position at the desk. The man seems to be going over dozens of schematics with a pencil while a woman in a suit watches.

[Mr. Handy]

Sarah nods. "I was afraid of him at first," she admits, "but I've come to realize that he's on our side, and it's good to have him there. I...I don't think I'm ready for another boyfriend yet, anyway. I got badly burned by my last one."

[Laraqua]

"Afraid of him?" Sergeant Morrison snorts. "Him?" He pauses thoughtfully. "Well, I suppose we soldiers would be nerve-wracking to you civvie sorts, us all up in our uniforms and all." He pats his rifle lovingly. "You were, uh, frightened of me, too, of course?"

[Mr. Handy]

"Oh. yes, of course," says Sarah, with a lighthearted tone and a smile on her lips. "Absolutely terrified."

[Laraqua]

"Heeeey, what's so bleeding scary about Blackworth? He didn't even have his cane so it's not like it was references to House that intimidated you. Oh, bleedin' hell, House'll be on again soon only it won't coz there's nothing to air it. That really pisses me off, pardon the language. I been watching it all year."

[trixie]

Dahlia chortles a bit, and puts her hand in front of her mouth to muffle it.

Sarah's so pretty....it's no wonder all the boys want her to be their girlfriend....hee hee hee

Dahlia skips down the corridor with the other two, glad to be going somewhere, and discovering something. Sitting and talking was fun and all, but for Dahlia, it lacked a certain amount of adventure. She wanted to go places....see new things....see more scary things....or well. Maybe not the last one....

She giggles at the conversation. "You watch House?" she asks Morrison incredulously. "I didn't think anyone with medical background liked that show." She looks up at him and grins. " 'Cause it's so hokey is what I mean." she quickly adds.

[Laraqua]

"If it's on the telly, I'll watch it," he says. "I prefer medical dramas anyhow. And I don't really have much of a medical background. It's just that my mum was a nurse and I picked up a few things in the..." He paused. "...in the place I grew up in."

[trixie]

Dahlia notices his pause, and feels compelled to press. Why did he pause? What secret is he keeping?

"Where'd you grow up?" she asks with sudden interest.

[Laraqua]

"As a kid? Northfolk. Ended up in Stoke Newington during my, uh, teenage years. You?"

[trixie]

"Liverpool" Dahlia says proudly. "Same as John Lennon."

She shrugs at Morrison. "What can I say, I'm a Beatles fan. You have to admit they're pretty cool for an oldies band."

[Laraqua]

Morrison looks confused when Dahlia pronounces herself a Beatles fan but his expression clears at the words 'oldies band'. "Sergeant Blackworth is certainly a fan of old bands which is why tonight is so important to him. We found a CD of precisely his sort of music." He pauses, a quizzical look on his face. "Though I'm sure neither of you are all that interested. Particularly the dear nurse who's got a lot of things on her mind rather than dancing with ruffians."

They find themselves a floor down and in the middle somewhere. A wide window looks in on a series of medical bays. The group can observe exercises machines in one room, beds in several others and various complex medical machines in some of the others. If anything, this military outpost is surprisingly well-equipped.

[trixie]

There's a dance going on tonight? Like, what kind of music did he find? Dahlia grins. That would be kinda fun. I haven't had lots of fun in a long time...

Dahlia walks through the medical facility, amazed. She spies the treadmills and such in the exercise room, and for a moment remembers Rebecca's sleep over, where they all went into her parent's exercise room and started horsing around. Rebecca had gotten on the treadmill and started it, but she pushed the wrong button and flew off the back of it. That was SO funny...she bumped her butt big time! hee hee hee

[Laraqua]

Morrison rubbed the back of his neck. "I dunno. Maybe it's not on tonight. I mean, you two have got a lot of work on your hands. Better get an early night. Come to think of it, you two are probably tired now. Want me to show you to your rooms so you can nap?"

[Mr. Handy]

"I watched the first episode of House to see what it was like," says Sarah, "but I never really got into it. I do like Hugh Laurie, but he's best as a comic actor, like in Blackadder. I'm fond of the Beatles' music too, but it's my dad who's the real Beatles fan. I think I would like attending that dance when you do have it. It has been a long day, though I did manage to catch some winks on the flight over." And I'm sure I'd have a rather full dance card, she thinks, since all the guys will surely want to dance with me, "I can stay up a bit longer if that's okay with you, Dahlia. I could at least meet the patients, and if there's anything they need me for it probably shouldn't wait until morning." She looks around the medical lab with fascination. "You've certainly got the latest equipment here. Puts the hospital to shame. Amazing stroke of luck having all this stuff here, not to mention those cages down in the basement. What did this place used to be before tonight, anyway?"

[trixie]

Dahlia can't help but feel suspicious of Morrison. It seemed strange to her that he'd rub the back of his neck nervously. I don't think they want us around tonight.....what are they gonna be doing?

She looks at Morrison strangely for a moment, studying his face.

[O.C. Psychometry roll 12/16]

[Laraqua]

"Maybe the dance wasn't tonight," he says, then turns to open up a medical bay door. Inside are several men and three women, each badly cut and injured. Their wounds have been sutured and bandaged but by the looks of things, quite poorly.

[Mr. Handy]

"Oh, dear," says Sarah when she sees the injured people. "These wounds are going to need to be resewn and redressed." Then she walks into the medical bay, smiling at her patients. "Evening, all. I'm Sarah Carpenter, a nurse from Mercy Cross hospital. This young lady is Dahlia, and she's going to be my helper. Dahlia, I'll walk you through what I'm doing so you can learn, and you can hand me things when I ask for them. Sergeant, I've got some medical supplies I've salvaged from the hospital, but I could use a proper medical kit if you've got one." She looks over the patients and goes over to the one who appears to be in the worst shape. "Hi, what's your name?" She gets to work, showing Dahlia what she's doing at every step, and expertly cleans, rebinds, and rebandages the wounds.

[Laraqua]

"You do a better job than me, that's for sure," says Sergeant Morrison.

Most of the patients have been given rather large doses of morphine. Their wounds - large gashes, gun shot wounds, shredded limbs - will require hours of patching up. It was going to be a long day. Perhaps Sarah wouldn't have the energy to dance at the end of it.