(no subject)

[gonna_live]

Kaylee knows what's to come: if she's not careful, if they're not lucky, everything will settle in his lungs and he'll die.

Kaylee isn't going to let that happen.

Kaylee sends a wave.

hey jordie this is kind of an emergency and I need you to trust me and not ask too many questions so check out the attached vid.

he is real sick with the damp-lung which he said you call CPB here. I will tell you how he got it once we can talk face to face but if you know what it is like in adults at all we do not have the time to waste with me getting all the germs off me and coming out to you and that's even assuming I could leave him alone which I can't and you know why. you are not safe from this unless you got the second shot simon says. he did not which is why he is like this now. I have seen folks through this illness before and I can do it now but there are things I need.

if you can get these to our door we will owe you so many favors. and I will give you answers I promise.

- something to make you cough up the yellow stuff
- nickel chrome wire 80-20
- a real big stock pot, big as you can find
- enough plastic sheeting to cover a bed tent-like, and I can splice them together so don't worry about a whole one
- paracetamol because we are running low
- soup
- juice
- something cool for his throat and sweet too
- crackers for the soup
- tissues
- mag salts (they might have a different name? i don't know? they're the ones you soak in and it relaxes you for a bit and takes the ache out)
- coffee and a lot of romance stories or if you can't bring yourself then something good to read because he is sleeping a lot

please please please let me know. I will find another way if you cannot. and I can set up a temp account and give you access to it if you want. let me know. and if you are bored you could even get the shot ha ha.

thank you jordie

The return wave comes, and it's short:

I'll be there this afternoon. Let's talk through the door. No answers now.

I have an appointment for the vaccine tonight. You call me if you need anything regardless.

See you soon.

She runs her hand over her face again, looks down at the plans, nods, and minimizes the window.

***

Kaylee touches Simon's forehead. It's a lot cooler.

"Hey. Handsome. I got something for you."

Jordie came by, and came through: there's a steaming cup of coffee on the bedside table. (It's not the only thing that's steaming. Kaylee's in shorts and a tank top, and her hair's frizzed. A lot.) She feels like a new woman.

"Come on. You got to wake up. Simon."

Comments

[gonna_live]

Kaylee's jaw sets, and her hands tighten on her coffee.


"No," she says.

"You must've dreamed it."

[simon_doctor]

"I remember looking up," he says, his voice distant and soft, "and seeing you looking down at me, and ... I remember I wanted to tell you I was all right, and not to cry, but I was too tired to get the words out."

Still studying the edge of the blanket, folding and refolding it between his fingers.

[gonna_live]

"You dreamed it," she repeats.

Calmly.

[simon_doctor]

He raises his head and looks at her, for just a moment.

[gonna_live]

Her expression is an admission (a tired, creased-with-worry admission).

But her eyes don't leave his, as though daring him to say something to contradict her.

[simon_doctor]

The unspoken admission is enough.

He lets go of the blanket, and holds out his hand toward her, palm up.

[gonna_live]

She takes it.






"Because you're upset," she says, tightening her grip. "And not for any other reason."

[simon_doctor]

He squeezes her hand back.

"I'll be all right." Still soft, but no longer distant. "I've got you to take care of me."

[gonna_live]

"This isn't the time to relax, Simon." Gently. "As I'm pretty sure you know. And if you don't, you ought to."

[simon_doctor]

"I know. Just ... a moment to breathe."

[gonna_live]

"...until you can't?" she finishes, wry. "Somethin' like that, anyhow."

[simon_doctor]

"I'm --"

Whatever he was going to say there, it's obliterated by the cough that rips upward through his chest, scraping the edges raw.

He tries to stop, and for several seconds he can't.

[gonna_live]

She keeps a tight hold on his hand until it's over -- and reaches for the bottle of water on the floor by the nightstand.

There's a straw in it. A pink one.

"Like I said," Kaylee says, with another crooked smile, and holds it out.

[simon_doctor]

He takes the bottle, and inhales tentatively before drinking to make sure that the cough isn't going to come back just yet.

[gonna_live]

"There's some kind of ice cream, too. I didn't look at it too close. -- oh, and Jordie sent somethin' else over, too, but it's in the other room -- want me to go get it?"

[simon_doctor]

His eyebrows go up slightly, in curiosity. "Yes, please -- what kind of something else?"

[gonna_live]

Kaylee pauses for a moment after she stands to consider this.

"It's got to be some kind of inside joke." She shakes her head. "You'll see."

She picks her way around the edge of the bed, giving the stock pot a wide berth, and slips between the two layers of plastic and out of the room.

[simon_doctor]

Simon takes another swallow of water while he's waiting.

Inside joke? he wonders.

[gonna_live]

She returns a moment later carrying what appears to be a folded blanket. There's a piece of paper in her other hand, which she holds out. "This was on top."

In a terrible, barely-legible scrawl:

I expect to get this back.

Meanwhile, Kaylee's unfolding the blanket. It's dark brown, with a lighter-brown pattern on it (and medium brown shading).

It appears to be a monkey who is also a cyborg shooting down a helicopter.

She holds it up for his perusal.

[simon_doctor]

Simon ... stares.

And begins to laugh.

[gonna_live]

"...looks like I called it," Kaylee says, and drops the blanket on him.

[simon_doctor]

He's still laughing, and doesn't slack off until the cough starts to threaten in earnest.

"I don't believe it," he manages finally, his voice weak with residual effort. "She actually made it. That must have been ..."

One last tiny puff of laughter escapes his lips.

[gonna_live]

Kaylee sits down gracefully and picks up her coffee again.

[simon_doctor]

"Years ago," he says, by way of explanation. "There was ... some video, I don't even remember the name of it. And Jordie invited all of us over to watch it together."

He runs his fingers over the handmade blanket, tugs it a little closer.

"It was the kind of thing with chases and explosions and a lot of unrealistic gunfights. And --" Amused. "A cyborg monkey. Which was central to the plot, I think."

[gonna_live]

Kaylee looks bemusedly from Simon to the blanket.

"Well."

"I guess I read stuff that don't give me much room to talk."