A Sad Familiarity (Open!)

[Marcus Prasad]

This wouldn't be the first time Marcus awoke in a hospital bed, fighting to put the memories of the night before in some chronological order. Nor this would be the first time that his body was wracked in pain and numbness. The sight of an IV drip hooked to his arm was like the handshake of an old friend, The rhythmic beep of his heart monitor a lullaby. He could feel the itchy press of bandages on his face, The Hot Scratch of an Oxygen tube down his throat.

Feel the pain of his face being smashed in. His brain Hemorrhaging as it bounced in his skull.

Feel the cold creep of death in his veins as the world suddenly switched off.

A Ragged scream tore from Marcus' throat, muffled by the oxygen tube as his mind rebelled against the memory. Feebly he brought his hands up to scratch at his face, pulling at the tape around his mouth in a blind panic. He could feel it suffocating him, this invasive THING in his throat. Choking and retching, bit by bit the tube would be pulled out, sending waves of nausea throughout Marcus' body as he leaned to the side and vomited pure bile, wracking his body in painful spasms.

"Not...How I wanted to spend my Friday night."
He gasped, his voice a hoarse croak. Blinking back tears that had been running down his face since he woke up, Marcus took stock of himself and felt an immense wrongness inside of himself, as if his soul was having trouble fitting inside his body much like trying to put on Surgical gloves. His senses weren't working the way they were supposed to be, in fact he could swear he was beginning to SMELL color and TASTE sound. So this was what it felt like to be brought back from the dead? No wonder Zombies were always so cranky.

Fear suddenly gripped the man's heart. Where WAS he exactly? Who had won the battle? Was this a Crow's Facility or Barkers? So great was his terror that Marcus was Paralyzed, eyes fighting to focus on the room around him, trying HARD to find some way to identify where he was. He was Helpless. He HATED feeling Helpless.

'Mabey that was why they left me behind.'
The thought came unbidden in his mind. WHO left him behind? What HAPPENED!??!?!?!?!
Without the energy to scream in frustration, Marcus instead laid back in bed and raged within the solitude of his mind.

[Silk Sanada]

Silk got a call that she had been dreading. When Marcus left he had to practically sedate her to leave and when she came to, she was more than just a little upset. In fact, if it hadn't been for the pets, she would have gone after him. The call struck the woman in the chest like a sledge hammer.

"Miss, did you hear me? Miss?"

Silk swallowed hard as the Nurses words registered in her mind.

"He... He's alive?"
"Yes, amazingly enough. Though h-"
"I'M GOING TO FUCKING KILL HIM!"

There was silence on the other end. A shocked nurse stared at her phone as she heard the angry tirade of a seriously pissed off spanish woman. There was, what sounded like spanish curses being shouted out, then some Japanese, then very clear English ones before the phone was hung up. Silk jumped in the truck and raced into Dragon territory. The guards tried to stop her but when she held a very terrified Bandit out the truck window and screamed that anyone got near her truck she'd toss the cat, they realized who she was and backed off. She'd come through dragon territory before and they knew not to fuck with her. Mostly because... she threw her cat at them.

She screeched into the parking lot and practically fell out of her truck as she tried to turn it off AND jump out at the same time. Graceful while angry, she was not. The cat was stuffed into her bag along with the fox and Brenner, their new addition. She stormed into the hospital, black hair fading into silver locks dancing in frenzied wisps about her.

"Prasad, Marcus."

Silk's tone was sharp. Angry. Her eyes were brown as she hadn't even put in her contacts and this left them free to bore unrelenting fury into the nurse that stuttered and stumbled through the books a bit intimidated by her.

"Er, uh... y-yes Room 109 but he isn't supposed to have visitors!"

Silk walked off, flicking the nurse off and stomping her way down the halls. If this were a paranormal movie and Silk was the crazy psychic chick, you'd see lights flickering and breaking right now. Everyone who stepped into her way quickly moved aside as it was clear she was an angry woman on a mission. Outside the door to Marcus' room she could be heard arguing with a male nurse.

"Ma'am you were told not to ent-"

The sound of choking could be heard along with a cat hiss and in through the door burst Silk. Bandit clutched in one hand ready to be thrown.

"MARCUS FUCKING PRASAD!!! YOU ALMOST FUCKING DIED!!!!! HOW DARE YOU!!!"

He should have enjoyed the solitude while he could. Now he had to stare down the barrel of a loaded gun, that was Silk.

[Marcus Prasad]

Despite the Dynamic violent entry, Marcus barely moved a muscle. Not a shriek of fear nor twitch or spasm. He laid there on the bed, staring blindly at the ceiling as the machines continued to monitor his vitals. So absorbed within the confines of his own mind as he was.

"Actually, that is incorrect."
Spoke a slightly accented voice from behind Silk. Standing at the doorway was a Short indian woman wearing a Doctors coat and holding a clipboard in her hand.
"From our reports, The man HAD in fact died. CAT Scans support this in that his brain shows signs of post-mortem Decay. Brain death if you will. Luckily for him the 'Candy tears' he had ingested Staved off the worst of it."

The young woman had spoken quickly, excitedly. When she stopped, she stared at Silk for a moment, confused before suddenly perking up.
"OH! My Apologies!"
Quickly she would shuffle over to Silk and extend a hand.
"Doctor Vanessa Krisnamurthy. PHD in Neurology. I've been Studying your husbands Brain for the past few days now and I must say I have NEVER in my life as a Physician had the opportunity to study the brain of a man who had more or less come back from the dead! It's all VERY Exciting!"

[Silk Sanada]

Silk stood there, her angry face reverting to a blank confused canvas as Marcus didn't even twitch in fear. This annoyed Silk, but before she could inflict any more pain on the already greatly injured man a female voice caught her ears and made the spanish woman jump slightly. She turned to look at the short little Indian female talking about what had happened to Marcus. In truth, Silk hadn't been fully filled in. She hadn't let the nurse tell her much more than Marcus was severely injured and now hearing that he DID in fact die and it wasn't just a close call, the spanish woman found herself feeling... PISSED OFF EVEN MORE!

That is right. Hearing that her best friend had died and came back to life pissed her off even more. Why? Because he even dared to die! That broke his promise! He promised he wasn't going any where and for how ever long he was dead, his promise was broken. Silk hated broken promises. As she constructed Marcus' new punishment, she let the little doctor ramble, that was... till she heard the word "Husband's". Then Silk snapped out of her torture filled thoughts. She knew some hospitals, if not most, threw you out for not being related to the person. She didn't want to leave Marcus alone if what the doctor lady said was true, so Silk swallowed down what ever bile rose in her throat at the thought of being married again.

"R-right... husband."

Silk managed to figure out her words. Something like that confused the hell out of her. How could people think they were married?! What kind of nut job was this quack of a doctor?

"I'm sorry for my yelling... I... I was just really worried about him."

Silk had to play the part of some worried wife now, instead of the insanely angry woman that she was.

"Wait... He's been here a few days?!"

Silk had just recently been called. She would set her bag on the bed and quickly stuff Bandit in it so the weird doctor didn't notice them. Bandit and Aiko kept Brenner down and quiet. The pup wanted very much to love on Marcus, but the older pets knew it probably wasn't safe to come out yet. Silk stared at the smaller woman.

"How come I just got the call today? Why wasn't I called sooner!?"

Silk's voice really did sound fully concerned now. The thought that Marcus had been like this for a few days... Her normally angry features softened and she turned a worried brown eyed gaze to Marcus.

"I TOLD YOU NOT TO GO YOU IDIOT!"

She shouted at him. He was really in for it the moment this doctor left. Brain dead or not, she'd shake him back into being and MAKE him remember he feared her more than anything else in this world or the next.

[Marcus Prasad]

"I'm sorry for my yelling... I... I was just really worried about him."

"Oh Of course! But please be mindful. His brain is in a state of flux and even the slightest-"
Unfortunately that was about as far as the good doctor got before Silk started off again. She was tempted to call for security, fearing the woman to be a Barker Assasin, but she could see Genuine concern in the Spanish womans eyes.

"Ma'am PLEASE Keep your voice down or I'll have to call Security. The Hospital is on a high state of alert right now. You must understand, This man has been in and out of Surgery since he was admitted here. It was quite touch and go. We couldn't afford to move him prematurely."

[Silk Sanada]

Silk being told to quiet down... that was why she hated hospitals. They always wanted you to be quiet or to listen to their stupid rules. This place made her skin crawl. Last time she was in the hospital it was because she'd lost her child. As that painful memory stabbed at her insides, Silk turned her eyes to Marcus who lay there almost looking like a vegetable. Seeing him so weak in that moment, the spanish woman felt another pain. The inaudible sound of her heart ripping at the very sight of him like this, brought a few tears to her eyes. Quickly, she'd wipe them away. Bandit and Aiko would peek out quickly. Seeing them Silk knew she had limited time because they would want to be out and checking on their friend.

Marcus meant as much to them as he did to her. The pets ducked back into her bag, managing to keep Brenner subdued with random treats that Silk kept in the big purse.

"Well then, I believe it is time we get going."

Silk finally said. No doubt the doctor assumed she meant that she'd be leaving. Silk left her bag on Marcus' bed and stepped out of the room to snatch up a wheel chair and push it over to his beside. She couldn't stand to leave him here like this. She needed to get him home. Both for his sake and her own. She'd go up to his machines and begin pulling them off him. Not harsh like she'd done to herself, where she tore herself from the machines and left her body riddled with scars, she was careful with Marcus. It was scary how calm she was now. The thought of bringing him home made her that way. Leaving him here was NOT an option.

[Marcus Prasad]

Doctor Krishnamurthy nearly had a heart attack when she realized what Silk was doing.
"MA'AM! NO! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR DOING!"
She Ran to Silk, Trying to Pull her away from Marcus, Screaming for Security to come.

In the resulting Melee, Brenner, the little puppy who could would spill out of Silks bag and land in a sprawl atop of Marcus' Chest, Whimpering at his damaged master as he sniffed around, smelling the Wrongness on the wounded wolf as he made his way up to Marcus' Face, letting loose with a flurry of affectionate puppy kisses.

Unbenownst to the women, The man's hand suddenly twitched.

[Silk Sanada]

At first the call for security didn't worry Silk at all. She believed she'd be long gone by the time they got there. When the doctor got involved, Silk found herself greatly annoyed.

"Listen lady, don't make me put you in your own hospital."

Silk growled during the struggle trying to keep calm so that she wouldn't injure Marcus. It wasn't easy. Silk was willing to bring him home by any means and if that meant seriously damaging someone till they couldn't move or walk anymore, Silk would do it. Following the pup's lead, Aiko and Bandit came out. Both made a soft whine as well. Seeing their friend injured so badly wounded them as much as it did Silk, who was now struggling with the security guards and doing a damn good job at getting her way, like always.

Aiko would cuddle herself next to Marcus' cheek and give him a gentle nuzzle. A soft whimper leaving her as if she wanted the despondent boy to wake. Bandit on the other hand took to lightly pawing at Marcus' nose trying to get a reaction from the man. Occasionally a meow would escape sounding like he was commanding Marcus to wake after slapping his nose.

[Marcus Prasad]

Partial Brain damage is an interesting experiance Marcus had to admit. It was much like trying to operate a machine where the circuit board controlling it has faulty soldering and quite a few of the diodes are burnt out. Trying to send a signal was a risky prospect. On one hand, it would travel an incomplete line and result in nothing at all happening. On the other hand, it would travel along a crossed wire, creating a short circuit which would result in blindingly painful seizures as the sensation of molten lead for a nervous system kept him company for a few hours.

Rarely though, Barely rarely, The Signal went through and the machine operated as it was supposed to albiet with much stuttering and belching black smoke everywhere.

Under the pets urgings, Marcus' consciousness began to fight to the surface like a swimmer with weights attached to their feet until finally he was able to slowly bring an arm up and pull Bandit, Brenner and Aiko closer to himself in the best approximation of a hug he could manage, sending the Little Husky puppy into a fit of wiggling affections. He still couldn't see, and his hearing had a distorted far away quality, but he was beginning to have a good idea as to what was going on at the moment.

He needed to speak. But talking was like trying to catch the words as they flitted around like Butterflies. The amount of concentration required just to keep himself from slipping into a bone shaking fit was astonishing.
Pulling Bandit Close, he would whisper haltingly.
"Ba....nnnngggg....dit. M-m-make. Ma..ke stop."

[Silk Sanada]

Aiko and Bandit gave soft happy sounds the moment Marcus pulled them close. He was their friend. He had taken care of Silk, taken care of them and seeing him like this hurt and frustrated the duo. His little bit of movement did give them a bit of hope though. In the back ground Silk could be heard threatening many ways of murder upon the security and that annoying doctor.

"I swear to god, if you are going to use that stun gun, you better use it quick and make it fucking count!"

Angry spanish women don't like being tased and if you miss... god help you. Bandit was hugged closer and the struggled whisper tugged at the old cat's heart. Marcus wanted the fighting to stop, and stop it shall. Though, the problem with this plan was... Marcus picked someone just as chaotic as Silk to stop a fight. He would have been better with Aiko, although Aiko didn't have the brains of Bandit, so it was a toss up really.

The sound of the stun gun could be heard, but it had missed and to the great dismay of the doctor, as Silk landed a really solid jab into the woman's sternum. Bandit, finally having seen enough, squirmed free of Marcus' hold and stuffed Brenner where he had just been. The pup was all too happy to be closer to his owner, and affectionately loved on him even more. Aiko continued to give her affections as well. Bandit slunk very feline like to the edge of the bed that faced all the drama. His rear went into the air, tail flicked aggressively, fangs bared and a loud angry hiss came from him.

It got the attention of the doctor who was close and still reeling a little from the jab. She straightened up a little more annoyed now.

"Where the hell did this cat come from?!"

Though she didn't get an answer as a struggling Silk finally managed to subdue the guards by giving them a friendly little sleeper hold. They probably wouldn't be out too long. Bandit would jump over the doctor though as his focus was his owner, she was, after all the source of all the chaos. His claws out, he landed on the spanish woman's shoulder and dug in. Sharp razors pierced flesh and Silk let out a yelp. He had learned long ago a quick way to stop Silk was to cut her deep enough to distract her from the chaos she wanted to cause.

It worked. Silk's arms stopped flailing in random directions, she stopped trying to kick the doctor in the ass or crotch. She was just, done.

"BANDIT WHAT TH-"

The cat raised his back and his fur bristled with anger. Another hiss sounded from his open fang filled mouth as his tail lashed angrily at the air. He'd give her a glare and then turn calmer eyes to Marcus. Silk's brown eyes settled on him and she was torn between those emotions she'd been suppressing for so long. She was still very angry at the doctor. Frustrated that she wasn't being left alone to knock out said doctor. Worried for Marcus. Scared that he might not be the same and just in general ready to scream and throw a chair out the window.

His job done, Bandit jumped off Silk and gave the doctor a pointed glare, warning her he'd get her too if she stepped out of line. He was back on the bed in no time, perched protectively on Marcus' chest giving both women a dark look. With everything building, Silk let out an annoyed kind of growl and Bandit settled his stern angry glare on her daring her to do something. Silk didn't though. She was just frustrated, and angry, and sad and worried and scared.

"I just want him home..."

Silk finally said in almost a meek voice. She had been worried about him after he left and seeing now the outcome of what happened... Silk wanted more than anything to take him home now, away from the horrible hospital. Back to their home where he wasn't hooked up to machines and didn't look so messed up. Where she could look at him and not have the thought of his death in her head, but now it wasn't just the doctor in her way, it was Bandit. Silk knew the cat wouldn't have stopped her if Marcus had been better. If Marcus had just a broken leg or something, Bandit would have let her rip the doctor and those stupid guards apart.

However, Marcus didn't just have broken bones... he was seriously hurt. It wasn't just a flesh wound this time. That hit her like an anvil the longer her eyes lingered on him. Another annoyed growl left her and Silk kicked one of the unconscious guards, earning another glare from Bandit. Though what was she to do? What could make her feel worse than this? She should have gone. She should have tried harder to stop him from going. There was a lot she should have done and those thoughts began to build up Silk's anger as the seconds ticked away.

[Marcus Prasad]

Theme Music

"I just want him home..."

"I...Nrrrrrgh...S-s-share.....Sssssenti...ment."

This was getting frustrating. The man hated Hospitals just as much as Silk despite his familiarity with them and one part of him that would always be Marcus clung to the idea that he NEEDED to LEAVE now! He couldn't explain why, but he felt that his was a hurt that the doctors could not cure.

Losing concentration fast, Marcus suddenly began to Tense and spasm, feeling a fit coming on before somehow managing to hiss
"HOME!"

The little madam doctor looked from Silk to Marcus, realizing that releasing him would rid herself of two major problems, freeing the hospital up for the rest of the injured soldiers.

Smoothing herself out, The woman let out a sigh.
"Very well then. I must admit, though I can sympathize Ms. Prasad with your plight, next time please just trust us to our jobs and wait in the waiting room for us to bring him down. Give us an hour for a check over and we'll wheel him out to you."

[Silk Sanada]

When Silk heard Marcus struggle to speak she about lost it. That annoying blur of water covered her vision as tears threatened to start, but like so many time before, Silk blinked them away. Though her breathing did change for a moment. It was still long enough for Bandit and Aiko to notice that Silk didn't like the idea of Marcus struggling like that. She was doing her best to hold it together. She bit into her cheek to prevent herself from releasing another angry growl. As Marcus began to seize and his body tensed up, Silk's wall broke. Though no sound escaped, the silent tears of all her frustration began to drift down her cheeks and her jaw clenched tight.

Bandit and Aiko tried to nuzzle and cuddle against Marcus, trying hard to stop his seizing. The doctor finally gave in. She'd let Marcus go home. Of course it was under the stipulation that Silk wait out in the lobby. The spanish woman wasn't fond of leaving his side. What if she walked away and something bad happened while she was waiting? Still, a part of her knew if she agreed and went out to wait patiently, the sooner they would be out of there. Silk wouldn't thank the doctor. She wouldn't give the doctor some grateful hug and sob into the smaller females shoulder muffled thank yous. There wasn't anything for Silk to be thankful for. She had intended to take Marcus no matter what. Thanking the doctor for something that was bound to happen wasn't something she was going to do. HOWEVER...Thanking the doctor for keeping Marcus alive... that was another story. This doctor HAD been the one to perform some of the surgeries he needed, or at least she'd been there for them.

Silk had to be grateful for that. The tanned woman would walk over to Marcus bed and biting down on her lip she raised her hand to put it on his head to see if she could sooth him somewhat. As her hand raised it trembled slightly. Seeing him this banged up was too much. It shook her to her core. It didn't help her realize her own mortality, just added to her fear of others and their mortality. She'd lean down giving Marcus a soft kiss on the forehead.

"I'll be in the lobby..."

She assured him. Though he probably knew she wouldn't go anywhere with out him. Silk was more likely to burn down the entire hospital than leave with out Marcus. Bandit took that as his cue to start nudging the other two back into the bag as they couldn't do Marcus' check ups with a fox and a husky sitting on him. First in the bag was Aiko. She peered, waiting for Brenner. The feline would lightly grab at the pup by his scruff and begin to drag him to the bag. Brenner was gaining weight so Bandit wasn't making too much progress. Silk reached down and lifted them both up. She put Bandit in the bag and then Brenner. It took a lot for her to tear herself away from Marcus' bedside but she had to remind herself he'd be down soon.

"If he doesn't come down...I will come back up."

Silk wasn't all that great at thanking people. Threats on the other hand... yeah, she had that down to a science. She knew when people wanted her gone and most hospitals were glad to see her go. The spanish woman neared the door only to stop for a moment in the doorway.

"Thank you though... for... not letting him die."

She would have been really lost then. Marcus was all she had.

[Zack Asiv]

It will take 2 extra OoC weeks for Marcus to recover leaving the hospital early.

[Marcus Prasad]

"Of Course Ma'am."
The petite Doctor said gently with a slight bow.
"Here, we always strive to do our best for our patience. Please keep that in mind next time you wish to Liberate one of them again."
She added with a quirked smile before leaving to gather Marcus up.

With Three Orderlies and alittle patience they managed to get Marcus clothed, Situated and into his Wheelchair with him having lost whatever lucidity he had accumulated for the time being. Soon the heart crushing sight of a man who was once overflowing with vitality would be seen being wheeled outside, his shoulders slumped and head bowed.

"Ma'am? He's ready."
The Orderly would say before stepping away from the Shell of a once great Wolf, now reduced to an unfeeling cripple.

[Silk Sanada]

Silk saw her friend being wheeled out. The way he looked almost destroyed her right then and there. Her eyes stung with tears which she promptly blinked away. She mentally assured herself that she'd get him back on his feet, then break his legs for being so reckless. She stood up and walked over to grab the handles of Marcus' wheel chair.

"Thank you."

She didn't look too happy though. She looked more concerned, but who could blame her. Silk rested her purse with the animals in Marcus' lap. She had already signed him out.

"Don't bother him till we get him in the truck guys."

The pets stayed put listening to Silk. Though they huddled through the bag, as close to Marcus as they could. Silk would wheel him out and around to the big ass truck waiting for them. She'd left the tailgate open in case she had to make off with the whole hospital bed. She slammed the gate shut as she walked by to the passenger side.

She put the breaks on the wheelchair and picked up her purse from Marcus' lap. She put it in the center of the truck. Three furry heads peeked out watching her. Silk looked at her large vehicle.

"Should have thought this through better huh?"

She said to Marcus with a weak smile. The only way up into the truck often times was to jump. That wouldn't work here though. She would pull her friend up and wrap his arm around her shoulder.

"C'mon Marcus...You took care of me... Now it's my turn to take care of you."

She got her balance with Marcus, who was almost dead weight. She grabbed a hold of the truck door with one hand and wrapped her other around Marcus' waist. She would pull them both up with a soft grunt.

"Uuuuup we go~"

She said more for her own encouragement than his. Standing in the doorway of the pick up, she would carefully nudge Marcus into the passenger seat. Once he was sitting properly, she buckled him in. She would look at him for a while. Seeing him like this was worse than torture. Though he wasn't dead. She had to remind herself that. Her hand would rest under his chin to pick his head up so she could look him in the eyes.

"We got this..."

She gave his lips a soft kiss and patted his knee before jumping down out of the truck. She shut the door and grabbed up the wheelchair. She tossed it into the bed of the pick up and walked back around to the driver's seat. She hopped in and turned on some music. Surprisingly enough, the music was calm, almost quiet. She even pulled out of the parking lot normal like. Not the crazy reckless way she normally did. It was a sign of how worried she was about him. She only drove this calmly when she had was worried about something. This was by far the most she had ever worried about something.

She stopped at every red light and stop sign. Used her turn signals. She drove perfectly and Bandit and Aiko were worried about her now. Silk had never had to care for someone in this state. They wondered if she could handle it.