Demons, Part 8
Friday, January 25th, 2008 08:24 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lizziecWarning - this fic contains distressing themes.
Nothing could have prepared Jack for the sight that greeted him as he walked through the door. He had not seen Len properly since the term had begun nearly three months before, and in the twilight he had first seen his girls in at the Auberge he had not taken in her appearance. Now as she lay motionless in her bed Jack was struck by her appearance. Her usually healthy, shining hair was dull and limp against the pillow, her face thinner, her eyes dull, almost lifeless. Jack inwardly cringed, aware inwardly that at least part of this was his fault, at the very least for not having been aware of his daughter’s deep unhappiness. In her turn, Len looked at her father coolly, unemotionally.
Jack gently seated himself on the edge of Len’s bed and took her hand in his. It was cold and he rubbed it to try and warm it up. For once Jack was unsure of what to do. There was one set of things he would do as a physician, and another he would do as a father, but as both he felt utterly incapable of doing either.
“Len, there are things that I have been told of today that I wish I had known about before, to help you, to fix them, to make it better. Please talk to me now, tell me what caused you to feel so awful that you had to go to the Auberge, to consider…” Jack’s voice died away as he considered the full awfulness of what his daughter had decided upon, especially within the confines of their faith. He tried again. “Please, tell me what is the matter and I will do whatever I can to help fix things. I love you, Len. You and your siblings mean the world and more to me. Please let me help you.”
Jack had continued to rub his daughters’ cold hand as he spoke to her, and was shocked when she pulled it from his hand and turned to face the wall. Jack accepted that there was nothing more that he could do for her that evening and left the room feeling utterly inadequate. Outside the door was a probationary nurse who Matron Graves had sent to stay with Len knowing that the doctor would not want her to be left alone, and Jack sent the young nurse in while he went to find and consult with whatever of his colleagues he could find still in the San at this hour. Eventually he tracked down Frank Peters and poured out the whole sorry story to him. Frank noted that Jack was almost as worn down as his daughters and left his colleague sitting in his office while Frank went to examine Len.
Frank decided at that moment to take control of the situation for the rest of the night, feeling that everyone concerned had had more than they could deal with for one day. He ordered an injection for Len so she would sleep, knowing that above all else it was what she needed. He ordered the probationer to spend the night “specialing” Len, sitting in her room in case she were to wake. He checked on Con, who after tossing and turning for a time had managed to sleep, and asked Matron Graves for another probationer to wait in Con’s room in case she were to wake in the night. He left a standing order for a sedative in case she were to wake and be unable to sleep again, and instructed another nurse to make up a bed in Dr Maynard’s office and ensure that there were supper waiting on his desk. Finally Frank ‘phoned Joey from Helen Graves’ office and told her that Jack would not be home that night and would instead sleep at the San. Joey had protested, but Frank had managed to placate her.
As Frank went back into his own office he saw Jack deep in thought and looking 10 years older as he went over the events of the evening in his head, from his initial irritation with what he appeared to be his daughters irresponsibility, to his shock at finding them as he had at the Auberge, to Con’s tearful interview, his mind dwelling most on his abortive interview with Len. Frank put his hand on his colleagues shoulder and told him with authority that he was not going home that evening, before steering him to Jack’s own office where he forced him to make a good meal and lie down. With that, Frank left Jack to sleep, knowing that he would need all his reserves to face what was to come the next day, when Jack would have to begin patching his shattered daughter and strained family back together.
That's all of that fic for now folks ;)
Nothing could have prepared Jack for the sight that greeted him as he walked through the door. He had not seen Len properly since the term had begun nearly three months before, and in the twilight he had first seen his girls in at the Auberge he had not taken in her appearance. Now as she lay motionless in her bed Jack was struck by her appearance. Her usually healthy, shining hair was dull and limp against the pillow, her face thinner, her eyes dull, almost lifeless. Jack inwardly cringed, aware inwardly that at least part of this was his fault, at the very least for not having been aware of his daughter’s deep unhappiness. In her turn, Len looked at her father coolly, unemotionally.
Jack gently seated himself on the edge of Len’s bed and took her hand in his. It was cold and he rubbed it to try and warm it up. For once Jack was unsure of what to do. There was one set of things he would do as a physician, and another he would do as a father, but as both he felt utterly incapable of doing either.
“Len, there are things that I have been told of today that I wish I had known about before, to help you, to fix them, to make it better. Please talk to me now, tell me what caused you to feel so awful that you had to go to the Auberge, to consider…” Jack’s voice died away as he considered the full awfulness of what his daughter had decided upon, especially within the confines of their faith. He tried again. “Please, tell me what is the matter and I will do whatever I can to help fix things. I love you, Len. You and your siblings mean the world and more to me. Please let me help you.”
Jack had continued to rub his daughters’ cold hand as he spoke to her, and was shocked when she pulled it from his hand and turned to face the wall. Jack accepted that there was nothing more that he could do for her that evening and left the room feeling utterly inadequate. Outside the door was a probationary nurse who Matron Graves had sent to stay with Len knowing that the doctor would not want her to be left alone, and Jack sent the young nurse in while he went to find and consult with whatever of his colleagues he could find still in the San at this hour. Eventually he tracked down Frank Peters and poured out the whole sorry story to him. Frank noted that Jack was almost as worn down as his daughters and left his colleague sitting in his office while Frank went to examine Len.
Frank decided at that moment to take control of the situation for the rest of the night, feeling that everyone concerned had had more than they could deal with for one day. He ordered an injection for Len so she would sleep, knowing that above all else it was what she needed. He ordered the probationer to spend the night “specialing” Len, sitting in her room in case she were to wake. He checked on Con, who after tossing and turning for a time had managed to sleep, and asked Matron Graves for another probationer to wait in Con’s room in case she were to wake in the night. He left a standing order for a sedative in case she were to wake and be unable to sleep again, and instructed another nurse to make up a bed in Dr Maynard’s office and ensure that there were supper waiting on his desk. Finally Frank ‘phoned Joey from Helen Graves’ office and told her that Jack would not be home that night and would instead sleep at the San. Joey had protested, but Frank had managed to placate her.
As Frank went back into his own office he saw Jack deep in thought and looking 10 years older as he went over the events of the evening in his head, from his initial irritation with what he appeared to be his daughters irresponsibility, to his shock at finding them as he had at the Auberge, to Con’s tearful interview, his mind dwelling most on his abortive interview with Len. Frank put his hand on his colleagues shoulder and told him with authority that he was not going home that evening, before steering him to Jack’s own office where he forced him to make a good meal and lie down. With that, Frank left Jack to sleep, knowing that he would need all his reserves to face what was to come the next day, when Jack would have to begin patching his shattered daughter and strained family back together.
That's all of that fic for now folks ;)
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Date: Fri, Jan. 25th, 2008 11:39 pm (UTC)Your writing skills ++