The way you move aint fair, you know. [Diane}

[Diane McLain]

Diane looked at him, a little shocked as she put her arms around him quickly, "Sh-she was just joking, baby," she said, holding him as tightly as she dared and running her fingers along his arms, whispering shushes and sweet nothings, "It was just a joke, no one thinks you'd hurt me, Brendan..." she said, looking at Bexi with wide, strict eyes, a look which said Now look what you've done. She loved Brendan, but she also loved Bexi in a sisterly way. To see them disagree would be like finding herself torn in two, though she knew she would always choose her love.

["Bexi" Leggert]

Bexi blinked, stepping back and letting them get on with whatever it was that they did to work things out. She didn't understand it, and couldn't even pretend that it made any sense to her. Why did people react so badly to pain? Couldn't they see it was a defence mechanism, that it was designed to help the body, and how sorely they would miss it if it was gone? Not that most people even thought about that...

She sighed, taking careful steps back, still limping unnaturally. It was really starting to get on her nerves, "I did say I was kidding, mate. Anyone can see she means the world to ya. And... pain equals bad, right?" she added with a shaking voice, ignoring the further glare that Diane was giving her. Even as Diane glared, she could tell that it wasn't hate or even dislike. It was family, shots of warnings rather than disliking.

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[Brendan Reid]

Brendan caressed Dianes cheek, gazing into her eyes. He looked back at Bexi, an apologetic look on his face.

"Im sorry. Everyone just assumes I did this to her. That this was my fault. And it wasnt.." He looked back at Diane, kissing her cheek gently. "Why is it always the other person they assume?"

He pulled her closer, her skin feeling cold to him. Or maybe it was just him. He shivered, rocking her slowly.

"They keep it like a meat locker in here, dont they?" He asked Bexi, wondering if she had ever been in a hospital. "Maybe its just me.. Im probably running a fever. Been cut open so many times its not even funny anymore.."

["Bexi" Leggert]

Bexi nodded sharply, smiling as she accepted the apology, "Those guys must be nutjobs to think that, mate." she said with a coy smile as she folded her arms, before the latter part of his sentence made her realise.

"Oh fuck..." she thought, walking back to Diane's side so that she could rest her bag against the bed, rattling through it quickly. "It's not fucking cold, is it?! You're meant to fucking warn me, Diane," she gasped a little desperately as she flicked through her bag, getting so scared that her pouch full of thermometers slipped one of them out, it falling to the ground. "Fuck..." she muttered, before taking another and putting it in her mouth.

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[Diane McLain]

Diane rolled her eyes slightly. Bexi was used to this, why was she getting so uptight about it now, "Bexi, relax, its not even that cold." she told her, leaning forwards and grabbing the thermometer from her mouth, looking at it. "See, you're fine, just put on a jacket." she ordered her quickly, knowing she had to relax more than she needed the warmth, though both were important.

Diane leaned back in her bed. The last thing she needed was to be worrying about Bexi right now - she was in danger so often that it barely made her flinch to see her worried. She took Brendan back in her arms, kissing him on the cheek. "No one blames you, Brendan. No one has said that." she told him softly, trying to avoid her cousins fit to force her to snap herself out of her attention-seeking spiral.

[Brendan Reid]

Brendan looked at her, wondering what was wrong. He had never seen someone act so drastically to him saying it was cold. Did she forget her coat?

"Are you sick?" He asked, looking over at her. He held Diane close, pressing her to his chest, his hands interlaced at the small of her back. He looked at Diane, then at the girl. He was concerned for her, about her. He kissed Dianes, neck gently, then kissed her ear. He looked back at the girl.

"You okay, Bexi?" He asked, shivering a bit. He felt colder than normal, but just assumed it was a fever trying to fight off some sort of infection.

["Bexi" Leggert]

Bexi slipped her jacket on quickly, tightening it around herself quickly as she looked around a little nervous. She didn't appreciate how relaxed Diane was being, but knew that she had put her through enough worry over the years as it was. Bexi nodded, smiling shyly at Brendan's concern, "I'm fine." she told him, grabbing the thermometer back from Diane, taking a quick look at it before putting it back into her bag of 'goodies'. "Just a little skitsy today," she said with a shrug, zipping her bag back up and putting it back on her shoulder.

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[Diane McLain]

Diane looked at Bexi, noticing with slight curiosity that she certainly was acting 'skitsy', and it was making Diane nervous. "Bexi... has a medical condition where she needs to check her tempurature regularly," Diane explained, as she often did. Too many people people reacted doubtful or unsympathetic, oftentimes even jealous if she let Bexi introduce it as 'immunity to pain'. It was a bad thing to gloat in a hospital, even if it did have as many downsides as any other life-threatening conidition.

"Bren, baby, you're warm..." she said, putting her hand on his forehead. She looked to the IV, and back to Brendan. Hopefully it was just feeling warm and not actually a infection, or something worse. "You feeling OK?"

[Brendan Reid]

Brendan nodded, although he was feeling a little queasy. He just ignored it, pretending to feel okay.

"Yeah. Im fine, baby. Its probably just because of the medicines. Its okay." He said with a smile, pulling her closer, his arms looking extremely pale. It was probably because he hadnt eaten in a month. He tended to get pale when he didnt eat. Although he wasnt quite this pale. He was white as a ghost. He shrugged, leaning against the wall.

"I used to have a friend like that. Only he couldnt feel anything. It was kind of odd. He broke a bone once and didnt even notice. Id always have to wrap his wounds and daddy made carry a thermometer and check him for fever alot. Told me he could get overheated easily. But he was cool. I miss him alot.. He used to always ask me what pain was like. And I told him it was bad, but it would go away. Thats how you got through it." He gasped, his chest feeling heavy, what with all the talking. "He was funny. Used to be the class clown. Everyone would be jelous of him. But I wasnt. Id rather feel pain than nothing at all. Some kids even tried to beat him up once, see if he really couldnt feel. It was pretty horrific... Gave me nightmares for weeks. Until him and his family moved away. Name was Ory. He moved to.. Maine or something. I dont know."

["Bexi" Leggert]

Bexi looked at her with shock, her body completely still as she looked at Brendan in shock. "Someone-someone else...?" she asked, her oftentimes false smile slipping in shock. She was astounded; the chances of having the disease were one in a million - actually, one in three million to be exact - and so the chances of knowing two was phenominal.

Bexi smiled nervously, looking down, "I mean, uh... yeah. I have that too." she said, more than a little uncomfortable. She had really expected the end of his story to have been that he died, and even now he wondered if the other boy was still alive. And although she often cursed people for not understanding, to know exactly how deep her disability went made her uncomfortable. But that wasn't all. "Yeah, I'm gonna.. have to go now. Have fun guys," she said quickly, limping out the room before they could object.

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[Diane McLain]

Diane was also looking open mouthed at Brendan, amazed that he knew someone like Bexi. Then she turned to Bexi as she left, with barely enough time to call her back with concern. She frowned, wondering why she was running away so quickly, as she put her arm back around Brendan. He was warm. She closed her eyes, putting her head on her shoulder. "She doesn't like being around ill people. If she caught it she wouldn't know and wouldn't be able to stop herself," she said smiling as she took in his warm. She was very cold, and now she was starting to get hungry and thirsty. "Don't mind her, you'll like her when you get used to her."

[Brendan Reid]

Brendan nodded, pulling her closer. He was growing colder by the moment, and he was starting to shiver. He tugged the blanket out from underneath his legs and wrapped it around Diane, what was left of the blanket draping down on him. But she came first, so that was okay with him. He wrapped his arms around her, his teeth beginning to chatter. He shivered, wondering why he was growing colder and colder by the second. He burried his face in Diane's neck, his breath hot on her skin.

"Good lord, Im freezing.."

[Diane McLain]

Diane took him tightly in her arms, feeling his warmth with concern. She had hoped they would both be leaving soon, but if Brendan had an infection - or worse, if Brendan had caught the Diane's - then it could be a long time before he could leave. If ever. She pressed her lips against his forehead sympathetically, not wanting him to see the worry in her eyes.

A doctor came in, and Diane quickly explained, "He has a fever," firing the words out quickly.

The doctor looked at him concerned, before pulling a thermometer out of the draw. "Could be an infection, also could be a withdrawal from the drugs he has been given recently. We'll observe closely," he told him, giving him the thermometer to check the tempurature.

[Brendan Reid]

Brendan crossed his eyes, looking down at the thermometer that was reading 102 degrees Fahrenheit, and continuing to rise. He assumed that was high, and the concern on the doctors face only confirmed it.

"So, whats this mean, doc?" He asked, spitting out the thermometer as it began to beep. Final reading? 103.4 Fahrenheit.

He looked up at the man in white, then back at Diane. He knew this hospital visit wouldnt end quite as soon as expected. Something had seemed too good to be true.

"I know Im not leaving, but Diane will be able to leave, right? She'll be able to get back to her normal life, right?" He asked, him realizing that him and Diane wouldnt be together much anymore. But as long as she was happy, it didnt matter how miserable he was. He looked over at her, forcing a smile. He realized he could be loosing her forever -again- and somehow, it didnt hurt as bad anymore. He had came to terms with things a long time ago. Diane deserved happiness -the happiness he obviously couldnt give to her- and he would do anything to get out of her way. He would never be normal, probably never be able to get back home. But maybe she could return to what she once had, to what she had had before she had met him.

"She wont have to suffer anymore, will she?" He looked up helplessly at the doctor, his heart broken beyond repair. Sometimes, thinking did more damage than it was worth.

[Diane McLain]

The doctor looked at the thermometer, putting it away and taking the chart to write down some things in his trademark bad handwriting. "We'll be keeping you in for a little longer, yes," he said. Diane took Brendan's hand and squeezed tightly, looking at him with concern. "Your fever will be maintained with magic as best we can, and we'll have to observe exactly whats causing it."

Diane looked at Brendan, trying to smile sympathetically as she held him close, kissing the top of his head softly. She rested her head on his, closing her eyes softly. "Diane should be free to leave today, though."

Diane's eyes flew open, "What?!" she gasped, jumping up in shock. "But-but the zappy thing! I-I was dead a few hours ago! I still can't eat!"

The doctor looked at her with a shrug, "We've done all we can and right now you just need rest. Staying in the hospital will only increase your risk of another healthcase infection, or for them to pass between the two of you. Besides, even if you stayed we couldn't keep you both together in intensive care - there are far more patients that need care."

Diane looked down, holding tightly onto Brendan and resting her head against his once more. She was vaguely aware of the doctor leaving, but she was too wrapped in her emotions to care. She did really want to leave the hospital, even to the point where even if she wasn't with Brendan she would go assuming she'd be able to return. But she was afraid of the world, afraid of falling ill again with no one around. Because there was no one but Brendan. No one else had bothered to visit, except Bexi who had shown up by sheer fluke, and would run at the first sign of a virus. "I'm...I'm not ready to go..." she muttered under her breath, her chest still aching as the yellow bruises were turning black on her chest.