Character: Luc and Sam Location: By the pool Summary: Luc spots Sam by the pool on his way back to the suites from walking Bosie and sees an opportunity to ask her for a favour. Rating: None
Weirdly enough, Sam liked sitting by the pool. Sure, she loved it when she could get her hands grubby, and never say the girl didn't love to work. However, when it was all said and done, she liked having an hour or so to herself to sit and watch the water ripple, seemingly blue and perfect. She folded herself into a lawn chair, a book forgotten in her lap, and stared quietly out across the pool, and into the distance.
It had been nearly two weeks. Two weeks and no sign of Jonas. She was starting to think the worse had happened -- but she couldn't be sure. Not until she really went out and looked for him -- and now that she had a home-base, well. There was no excuse. She had to find out what happened to him. If he was alive, he was here. If he was dead... then she needed to know that as well.
The book on her lap, Human & Animal Medicine, looking almost despondent as its pages fluttered from distant desert winds.
Luc was still spending almost all his time in his apartment. If he wasn't 'on call', he was napping, or reading. Although the big library haul hadn't been completed yet, Bridget had managed to pick up a medical text on obsetrics, and he had read it from cover to cover already, taking notes for himself. He did have to get out for an hour or so every day to walk Bosie, however.
Usually, quite intentionally, he slipped out and back without running across the other inhabitants of the suites - he wasn't really ready to just socialise with people yet. But today as he rounded the edge of the building and saw a figure by the pool he stopped himself from just ducking out of the way and going inside by another route. He recognised the girl as the veterinary surgeon with the big ideas about chickens and goats and gardens. Wide-eyed enthusiasm aside, he did know that he might need her help, and now seemed as good a time as any to broach the subject.
Sam looked up as she heard footfalls coming across the pool area, and she froze a little in her seat, eyes narrowing in suspicion. That was until she saw the dog, and her attention went to the animal. A smile replaced her scowl, and she moved out of bed and shifted towards the dog, putting her hand out, cupped, for the dog to sniff.
"Oh, hello there, beautiful puppy, what's your name?" She barely acknowledged the owner - just putting all her attention on the dog before her.
"His name is Bosie," Luc answered in his mellow baritone, hunkering down to scratch behind the weimaraner's as he snuffled and licked a little at her hand.
"Well hello, Bosie." Sam said, shifting her hand so she was scratching him between his ears, her smile flicking to on and staying there.
"Ha, he won't like you so much the first time you have to treat him for something," he added as Bosie knocked his nose affectionately against Sam's hand.
She arched an eyebrow at the other man, finally recognizing him. He was the tall fellow in the back, the other doctor. The one no-one ever saw. She gave Bosie another long scritch, and answered cheerfully, "Maybe, but I'm planning on countering that with a lot of pets and treats."
"He misses people," the doctor commented now, sounding a little regretful. "I guess he's suffering a little from my hermitage."
She lifted her head a little, looking at him curiously, "Well, Doctor Griffin, hate to state the obvious but if you want that to change ... maybe you should come out of your hobbit hole more often."
Luc shot her a wry smile. "Perhaps. I've been a bit all business - don't really want people having to go to Kathleen."
"Considering how much she has on her plate right now? Understandable." Sam leaned down to really give Bosie the petting he deserved, her hazel eyes giving him a 'c'mon now' look. "Well, just saying, you might have people be more willing to knock on your door if you came down and talked to everyone once and awhile."
She snorted softly, "Not that I'm any great paragon for being social. The only person I ever seem to talk to is Bridget."
Luc chuckled quietly. "I suppose I don't really do company right now."
"That's kind of an understatement... but I get it. Animals are usually better company." She gave him a tart look, even as she rubbed Bosie's ears. "Not that I will be able to take care of our animals, without the proper equipment that no one is willing to barter for me..."
The doctor smirked, shaking his head a little. "Don't think I'm not sympathetic, but it's like I said before - I'm not passing you medical equipment that I might need for people. There are bound to be veterinary surgeries in town with everything you need. You just need to sweet talk someone into taking you."
"Yeah, right. Oh hey guys? You mind spending a few hours of our gathering time to get me some surgical tools and books for animals? I know we only have two dogs and are getting some chickens, but it'll totally be worth it instead of food." Sam sighed, giving Bosie's ears another rub, before sitting up.
"You might be surprised," Luc said, straightening and shrugging slightly. "After all, aren't they off looking at libraries to raid right now? If they're prioritising book preservation you might be onto a winner."
"Knowledge is important ..." Sam sighed as she pushed her hair out of her face. "I'm not sure vet tools are up there with history books, but at least I'll get the veterinarian textbooks I need."
"Well, I for one would rate vet textbooks above history books, albeit below people medicine." The young man smiled slightly.
"You've officially made my day, just a little bit. Even if you think people medicine is more important than animal medicine." Sam said wryly, folding one leg under hers. "Although, I get it. You're doing it all on your own, until Kathleen's on her feet again, and you're crappier with people than I am."
"Thanks for the resounding support," Luc responded dryly. "But actually, that's why I came over to talk to you. Would you be open to doing a bit of training and study to apply your skills to people? I'm hoping that there aren't going to be any more emergencies requiring a staff for... well, preferably ever. But after last week... I don't want to have to pull Kathleen in like that again." He hesitated. "I'd be in your debt," he added.
Sam pressed her lips together, before one eyebrow raised. She didn't like people, not really. Animals she did like, and that's why she treated them. But this was the end of the world, and she had to make some frigging concessions.
Not without getting something important to her, though. "...Enough to go out with me to a veterinarian hospital so I can get equipment for my small office?"
Luc sighed, his mouth flattening to a line. "If you can locate somewhere for yourself - or better, with someone else. I don't want to have to stray too far for too long, that's all. Want to be on-hand. If you can find somewhere, though..." Something seemed to strike him. "You could ask Cassidy, the truck driver. She seems to be on-hand for just about everyone. Once you two had found somewhere to raid then yes, I'll help."
"Excellent. Then I'm more than happy to learn to adjust my skills to help two legged animals instead of four legged ones." Sam said, grinning at him unrepentantly. "And just for that, I'll make sure that Bosie gets to reap the benefits of my experience first."
"Oh, Bosie will just love that, won't you, boy?" Luc said, tutting at the dog and scratching his head while he wagged his tail in appreciation of the attention.
"He will when he doesn't have fleas, worms, or a variety of other doggie diseases. Hell, we'll all appreciate it if he doesn't have fleas." Sam answered dryly, before leaning over to give the dog another set of head scratches.
"Well, I can deal with fleas or worms, obviously, but it's good to know you're on hand if anything serious goes wrong," Luc said with a nod. "One of those luxuries I can't say I expected to have. I suppose that's the advantage to being in a group."
"I didn't expect to find a group period, so I'm guessing we're all gaining some perspective on this one. Not to mention a lot of advantages none of us expected." Sam said quietly, as she looked down at the dog, then up at Luc.
Luc smiled hesitantly, then, after a moment's pause, said, "Look, I'm not trying to get out of it or anything - I mean, I enjoy it. But if you ever wanted to walk Bosie..."
One corner of her mouth lifted up, and the other one. "Thanks... I'd really like it. Once in a while. So you don't get jealous, or anything."
The doctor nodded, clearing his throat, brow furrowing a little as though he needed to be serious again after this moment of reaching out. "Yes, well. Any time, you know how to find me."
"I'll be over tomorrow." Sam said, picking up her textbook, and lifted an eyebrow at him. "You did want me to get started right away on the lessons, right? So tomorrow, prepare to be invaded."