A Visit Slightly Overdue

[Ailith Rayner]

Ailith had been meaning to go the whole week. It wasn't as if she was really busy. She just ... well she'd never been to a hospital to visit and since Madeleine was in a coma, she guessed she didn't see the point. What do you do? What do you say? What for? They say people in comas can hear and stuff but ... Ailith wasn't sure. So, she finally shifted herself after dinner and headed for the Hospital Wing. She got to the ward doorway and hesitated. d**n... Lee. He was sitting in his apperently usual spot at Madeleine's bedside hand in hand with her and watching her face. Jude had been to see Madeleine the other day. Lee had been there and Jude had come back definately not in the same mood as he'd left. He didn't say much about what had happened but Ailith didn't think it was just the fact that Madeleine was getting worse. Poor Lee.

Ailith walked quietly but loud enough so that Lee wasn't suspecting Ailith of sneaking over to Madeleines bed.
"Hi Lee, how's she doing? Any different?"
Lee turned his head and Ailith felt a wrench in her chest. The guy was really suffering. She doubted he got any sleep... or much food. Ailith shifted her gaze to Madeleine who was almost the opposite, where Lee looked troubled and tired, Madeleine look peaceful and rested. Not that that was necessarily a good thing.

[Kira & Lee Norris]

Okay, so he was going crazy.
Sitting in total silence for hours on end just did things to you. Or maybe it was the whole not getting answers back thing when he did talk. He tended to feel a lot like he was just talking to himself. Madeleine sure as heck wasn't listening. Whereever she was... never mind. He didn't like thinking about it.
"Hi Lee, how's she doing? Any different?"
He jumped. There. He'd been doing it again. He'd been tuning out and losing himself in his own little dreamworld. Crazy Lee, haha. Jude thought he was crazy. At least, he reckoned he did. Jude felt sorry for him. He wished people would stop feeling sorry for him.
For god's sake- he wasn't the one in a coma here!
"Apparently, she's getting worse," he muttered, looking at Ailith and being irresistably reminded of Jude. "The nurse said to... to brace ourselves."

[Ailith Rayner]

"What?! Sorry I know I'm blunt when it comes to these things but that's a bit ... well never mind." Ailith was surprised to hear that the Nurse of all people had said that.
"She still has a chance though doesn't she? I mean it's not like Nurse Gornray's ripping off the heart monitor muttering 'lost cause' is she?" Ailith found it hard to believe that Madeleine was going to die like this. In fact she didn't believe it at all. maybe AIlith had too much faith. Was that possible in situations like this?

[Kira & Lee Norris]

"Nurse Gornray doesn't muck about, or try and avoid the truth," Lee shrugged. "She's straight to the point. That's sort of why I like her."
He understood exactly what Ailith was saying though. She still had hope. That was nice. Cool. Yep. Niiice.
He was doing the crazy thing again, wasn't he?
"What happens happens," he shrugged.

[Ailith Rayner]

"I suppose." Ailith sighed and frowned at the depressing wires connecting Madeleine to a big machine on her right. It seemed horrible to Ailith that a living thing should be connected to a hulk of metal in such a way that the metal could tell wether that living thing was dead or not. But, then again, that hulk of metal was a blessing really. A certain conformation of a passing. Ailith shuddered inside. Too morbid, stop it. She pulled a chair closer to the bed and sat.
"Do you talk to her?" Ailith made a slight change of topic mainly for herself.
He nodded, "Go ahead."
"Ok, um... Hi Madeleine, sorry it's taken so long for me to get down here ..." This was so weird. Almost too weird for Ailith but what the hey, if it was true that Madeleine could hear her then she would just be talking to a friend. If she couldn't well, did it matter? "... don't take offence, I've never visited someone in a hospital wing or even a hospital before. I don't really know what I'm doing." Ailith thought more about what to say. It was surprisingly difficult to talk to someone who was clearly not about to answer you. "Thanks for letting me help at the front line. I know I was asking a lot and I hope I didn't get you into too much trouble with Levi."
At that Lee flinched, Oops, watch it.
"By the looks of things I think I have. He hasn't been here much. And if you can hear me you'll know this anyway. If you ask me Levi wasn't good for you anyway." Ailith glanced at Lee. "You definately mean much more to other people than him. Except maybe Kira, she's been a bit sour apperently. That'll all clear up when you wake up though I'd bet. Speaking of which I hope you do wake up soon. It's been quite annoying having battle training without you. Levi's been a bit slack. I don't think he likes me much... at all. Ah what do I care? He the biggest assh...em... well anyway."
"You shouldn't say that about him." His head had snapped up now, looking at her instead of Madeleine. "He's her choice. You shouldn't say stuff like that.."
Ailith raised an eyebrow. "Whatever, the guy hates me! Im just sayin' the feeling's mutual. She knows I don't care who she picks, if the guy's that pompus I'll say so. Maybe not in so many words but they know. She must see something I don't. Doesn't make any difference to me." She looked at Lee who had turned his head again. "I'm sorry. You're right. I'll keep my mouth shut."
Aililth stood. "Well some people have a giga-pile of homework to do which should have been started four days ago." Ailith smiled. "Boy are you gonna have work to catch up on!"
Ailith put the chair back before saying, "Bye Madeleine we miss you loads. See you later Lee." She lowered her voice, "Sorry again."