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Late Night at the Hospital
Apr. 11th, 2015 12:03 pmThe doctor who padded down the hallway from a lounge towards the pediatrics wing looked nothing at all like any of the doctors on staff. His long hair was pulled neatly back into a ponytail. The white lab coat was new, as was the nametag on it, proclaiming him to be "Doctor D'Ambrosio". The ID pinned to his coat proclaimed him to be a doctor from the Alberici Group research center in Venice, Italy. It was late and most of the children were asleep, but he stopped at one particular door and smiled it its occupant.
"Clara, you should be sleeping." Gregorio's English was good, but his Italian accent was strong, and she smiled at him wanly, as she usually did.
She sat up in bed, reading a book. Harry Potter, the title said. He smiled. When Gregorio had learned it was one of her favorites, but she didn't have them in the hospital, he'd bought them for her to read. She was more tired today, he noted, but she still sighed at him. "I can't sleep, I've tried. I'm too restless." Her arms bore fading marks from when she'd been more energetic, clawing at herself when she couldn't move around. Her neck was dotted with strange marks that most of the doctors thought were needle marks. The race was on to identify the poison she was given and save her life.
Gregorio knew the truth, that a vampire had been using her to feed upon and the only reason she'd been spared worse was because her parents grew alarmed and demanded their doctor do something for her. He cupped her cheek in one of his cold hands. "Shall I sing you to sleep again?"
She laid her book down, but bowed her head. A tear fell down her cheek to the blanket. "What's the point?"
"Bella." His nickname for her, spoken in a reproachful, cajoling tone, made her look up at him. He stroked her hair back from her face. "We always fight, even when it seems hopeless. I've seen your results. You feel worse, but I think you're going to get better soon."
"But...they don't even know what's wrong with me." She sniffed, and Gregorio reached behind him to hand her a kleenex.
Gregorio smiled. "Trust me, bella. You'll be back home in no time. But you do need rest." He reached over to close her book and set it carefully with the others, then held her hands in his. His singing was more of a chant, in a language that was neither Italian nor English. For a moment, her skin shone with health, even as her eyes closed and she surrendered to sleep. As long as he continued to chant, she appeared perfectly healthy. His voice faded away after a few minutes, when he was sure she was asleep, and he turned to leave the room.
And nearly smacked straight into one of the hospital staff. He bowed his head. "Ah, sorry. I was just checking on her."
"Clara, you should be sleeping." Gregorio's English was good, but his Italian accent was strong, and she smiled at him wanly, as she usually did.
She sat up in bed, reading a book. Harry Potter, the title said. He smiled. When Gregorio had learned it was one of her favorites, but she didn't have them in the hospital, he'd bought them for her to read. She was more tired today, he noted, but she still sighed at him. "I can't sleep, I've tried. I'm too restless." Her arms bore fading marks from when she'd been more energetic, clawing at herself when she couldn't move around. Her neck was dotted with strange marks that most of the doctors thought were needle marks. The race was on to identify the poison she was given and save her life.
Gregorio knew the truth, that a vampire had been using her to feed upon and the only reason she'd been spared worse was because her parents grew alarmed and demanded their doctor do something for her. He cupped her cheek in one of his cold hands. "Shall I sing you to sleep again?"
She laid her book down, but bowed her head. A tear fell down her cheek to the blanket. "What's the point?"
"Bella." His nickname for her, spoken in a reproachful, cajoling tone, made her look up at him. He stroked her hair back from her face. "We always fight, even when it seems hopeless. I've seen your results. You feel worse, but I think you're going to get better soon."
"But...they don't even know what's wrong with me." She sniffed, and Gregorio reached behind him to hand her a kleenex.
Gregorio smiled. "Trust me, bella. You'll be back home in no time. But you do need rest." He reached over to close her book and set it carefully with the others, then held her hands in his. His singing was more of a chant, in a language that was neither Italian nor English. For a moment, her skin shone with health, even as her eyes closed and she surrendered to sleep. As long as he continued to chant, she appeared perfectly healthy. His voice faded away after a few minutes, when he was sure she was asleep, and he turned to leave the room.
And nearly smacked straight into one of the hospital staff. He bowed his head. "Ah, sorry. I was just checking on her."
