Hospital; Friday evening; Slate and Ketty
Being stuck in the hospital was boring as hell. Sure Ketty got visitors throughout the day to break up the monotony, but they had to come to her. She was stuck with conversations in the same dreary scenery all day. It sucked, but at least she was alive and still had all her limbs.
She'd been doing a lot of reading to pass the time, and as such she had a book in front of her when Slate stopped by in the early evening. Ketty looked up and smiled a little bit. "Just the person I was hoping to see today." She stuck a bookmark in between the pages and closed the book. She'd been hearing some things and she wanted to discuss them.
Slate headed over to the hospital. He was pretty stir crazy with the whole forced vacation thing and at least with visiting Ketty he would get to see his friend and he'd probably be aiding in saving her from going stir crazy too. At least they were probably giving her some good medication, right? He brought a wheelchair along with him, which was why he first poked his head into her room with a stupid grin on his face. "Knock, knock?" He asked. His eyebrows picked up. He was unsuspecting since he didn't think the real rumbles would start until tomorrow. "Oh?" He grinned. "I didn't think you'd miss my body this much this fast." He grinned and backed into the room with the wheelchair and rolled it on up to the side of her bed. "Thought you might want a temporary jailbreak." He grinned. He sure as hell would have by now if he was stuck in here.
Ketty rolled her eyes, but any facetiousness faded away as soon as she saw the wheelchair. Instead she gasped. "You have no idea how much I want to get out of this room," she grinned and dropped the book on the bed so she could push herself to sit up higher.
Slate smiled a little. Two Shepherd sisters, both gasping for different reasons today while Slate attempted to make up for what had happened. That was good progress, yes? "Whoa, hey don't like...strain anything in your rush to get out of here." He grinned and parked the chair sideways next to her bed and put the locks on before he stepped around so he could help her move into it. Once they were all set complete with the good old blanket around the lap bit and everything, Slate leaned over to unlock the wheels. "So you said you were waiting for me?" He asked before he stood back up and grabbed the handles of the wheelchair to start wheeling it backwards toward the door.
Sweet freedom! Relatively speaking, of course. And then there was the shittiness of having her peers and subordinates watching her rolling around all incapacitated, but Ketty was going to try not to dwell on that. "I was waiting for you," she nodded. "And if you let me steer myself I'll tell you why." She held her hands out over the wheels, waiting.
Ah, whatever, they were all talking about her being heroic anyway so a little rolling around in a wheelchair could be mustered - especially for a trip outside. Slate waited until they were out in the hallway to let go of the handles so he could fall in next to Ketty. "Whatever you say, Major," He gave her a little salute and a smirk. "So let me guess," He rolled his eyes up in feigned though and let out a sigh. "You're so boredi n here that all you've been able to think about today is my sweet ass and now you want to have your way with me once we're out in the hospital garden? I must say, Major Shepherd, that's highly inappropriate of you." He grinned.
Ketty grabbed onto the handles on the wheels and started rolling along. It was going to take some getting used to, but luckily she wouldn't have to use such a chair anymore after another day or two. She looked up at Slate when he started babbling his usual babble. Well, he was giving her a nice lead-in to what she wanted to talk about it, at least.
"Actually, from what I've heard, your ass is a little busy," she commented, glancing ahead to make sure she wasn't going to bump into anything or anyone.
Slate's eyebrows hiked up as they approached the elevators. "Wow," He let out a out with a breath and a low whistle as he reached out to hit the call button on the elevator. He gave Ketty an innocent smile and brow furrow. "I'm certain I don't know what you're talking about but it sure sounds like fun whatever it is." He glanced around discreetly to see who was lurking around as the elevator doors opened. He reached out to block the sensor to keep the doors open and motioned for Ketty to wheel on in since the car was empty. This was a private conversation after all.
Ketty gave Slate a look. "Don't play coy with me," she shook her head. "An orderly was nice enough to tell me today that you and my sister were on the town, all over each other this afternoon." She arched her eyebrows up.
Slate laughed, a lot. He lifted his right arm and looked at his watch with a low whistle. "That took less than five hours, I'm impressed." He shook his head as he gave Ketty a cheeky grin. "Tell me, Major," He smiled broader. "How did you react upon hearing the news? Was there jealousy? I bet there was jealousy," He decided with a nod. "You were probably so jealous you knocked the poor orderly out, didn't you? He never saw that bedpan coming, did he?" He grinned.
Ketty rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I'm surprised you didn't notice him. You had to step over the guy to get into the room, after all."
"Since when do I notice the little people?" Slate grinned, not letting up on the jokey stuff as the elevator stopped on the ground floor and opened up. He reached out to hold his hand over the sensor and nodded for her to head on out.
Ketty chuckled a little and then rolled on out. "I heard more," she said over her shoulder as she went. "About raging jealousy from Potts and a fistfight over by the church. The bathroom romp was supposedly in celebration after your victory." She turned and arched an eyebrow. "However did these rumors start?"
Slate almost choked on his tongue. He actually let out a "Ha!" as he followed her out of the elevator. "I would love to kick that guy's ass," He smirked. "Sadly, that didn't happen. The 'bathroom romp'," He said as he leaned over to drop his voice in mock secrecy, glancing around to see who was watching. "Was merely a science experiment," He stood back up. "Just to see how long it took to spread the word." He shook his head. "Which is apparently somewhere in the range of four hours." He grinned.
Ketty took all of that in with a smirk and just shook her head in response. "You two...it is such a good thing you don't usually get along, because what results when you do is incredibly ridiculous.
Slate smirked. "We do get into ridiculous situations, I'll grant you that," He decided with a nod as they headed for the garden area. Once they reached it, Slate walked through the door and held it open for Ketty.
"That's because you two are completely immature," Ketty said as she rolled on through. Not that she didn't have her immature moments. They happened quite a bit, especially when she was drunk. "I can't believe you two voluntarily spent time together."
Slate shook his head. "I'm not completely immature," At least not when he knew he couldn't be...like when he was carrying her through the woods for five miles? He shrugged a little as he fell in step with her. "I got her guitar out of storage so it wouldn't just rot there." Because he felt guilty. "I simply asked if she'd eaten yet." He smirked as he pulled off his sunglasses to pass them over since it was bright out and she'd been inside all day.
"Maybe now that your sister was brave enough to accept my lunch invitation, you'll accept my dinner invitation?" He arched an eyebrow over at her with a sideways glance. What? He wouldn't be Slate if he didn't ask.
Ketty took the glasses and put them on. "Not a chance," she shook her head as she looked out over the garden. "You need to stop asking me that. It's getting really old."
"I've asked you pretty much every day since I was what? Like thirteen?" Slate asked as the moved along. "You can't expect me just to quit. I might go through withdraw." He smirked. "Maybe if you said yes, I wouldn't have to ask so often," He added with a firm nod.
"You're not going to wear me down into saying yes," Ketty said, still shaking her head without bothering to look up at him. "You need a girlfriend."
Slate walked to the farthest most remote section of the garden and parked himself on a bench with some open stuff next to it with a heavy sigh. "Your sister said I needed a girlfriend as well. I think my problem is I'm picky and since my first choice is stubborn and refuses to wear down and say yes to dinner, I'm not left with many options," He shrugged and gave her an innocent grin. "And don't!" He cut her off with a lifted finger. "Say Rachel Engvall again. We've established that that was a disastrous high school debacle which no one should be subject to revisit repeatedly as I am..." He sighed.
Ketty closed her mouth with a smirk when he warned her off. "I didn't say a thing, Colonel," she shook her head. After a moment, she added, "I'm thinking it, though."
Slate let out a groan and dropped his forehead into his head as if he'd been punched and had the winds knocked out of him. "I was young and impressionable..." He insisted and then he turned the best pathetic puppy eyes on her that he could muster without breaking and snickering. "Now do you see why I've never given up on wearing you down?" He asked innocently. C'mon! She was wounded and stuff, didn't she ever have a weak point?
Nope. Ketty Shepherd did not give in easily. Especially about something as significant as this. "I think you haven't given up because you know it annoys me."
Slate tilted his head and arched his eyebrows much the way he always did. "Interesting theory. Incorrect, but interesting nonetheless." He grinned. "Well, maybe a teeny tiny part of it is indeed that it's kind of amusing to see the look on your face at my persistence." he amended. "Still, that's not the case. Theory," he added as he turned on the bench so he had one leg swung over each side of it and he was facing her. "I think you refuse so much just because you think it'll keep my ego in check." He nodded.
Ketty glanced at him before her attention was caught by a bird landing nearby on the path. "Theorize however much you want, Colonel," she shrugged. "We're done with this conversation, by the way. Tell me how things are going in the land of the walking instead."
"I think it's unfair to shoot me down so many times - thousands at this point - without even a good reason, other than your stubbornness." Slate informed her even though she said the conversation was over - completely unfair by the way. "Things among the walking aren't very interesting. I'm on forced leave." He informed her. "And completely restless. I waited to come visit you until now because I didn't know who else would visit and thought you'd get too annoyed if I forced my company on you for a multitude of hours when you had no real means of escape."
Ketty turned back to Slate. "I think I'd rather have you annoy me for hours than sit in that hospital bed for another minute longer. You're lucky your leave lets you walk around." Ketty's would, soon enough. And she would have to take even more time off than Slate.
Slate rolled his eyes when she ignored his question and turned to sit on the bench normally. He really kind of would have liked an explanation one of these times. "Duly noted," He put his hands on the bench on either side of him and leaned on them. "You'll be walking soon enough, and using your leg more than you should sooner than you should because you're stubborn, I'm sure." He told her. "I don't need to be on leave. I have superficial forearm and neck wounds." He continued. "I get forcing me on leave from the ROTC training exercises but I have a desk job that doesn't require strenuous activity. There's no reason to ban me from that," And basically cause him to go stir crazy and therefore letting his mind run rampant thanks to the abundance of time and nothing to do.
"I agree," Ketty nodded. "Who else would be around to approve illegal shipments except for you?" She smirked a little, even though she got how boring taking an unwanted break must have been for him. "You should find a new hobby to pick up during your downtime. Knitting?"
Slate smirked a tiny bit and shook his head. He smirked a little more at her suggestion. "Knitting, huh?" He looked over at her. "Is that something that'll aide in wearing you down? Being a knitter?" He arched his eyebrows, unable to resist revisiting the subject. He did need a new hobby, one that didn't revolve around military exercises, contact sports, supply runs and communications related bullshit. That really didn't leave much, he supposed, which would probably be why he was going so stir crazy.
Ketty sighed. A decent conversation, again derailed. "You need a hobby that'll teach you to talk about something else, for fuck's sake." She put her hands on the wheels and pushed the wheelchair away from the bench and down the path.
Slate's brow furrowed when she started rolling away. Why was she getting so pissed about it? He'd been asking her out to dinner how long? Did it really take until now to piss her off or was she pissed off because of the rumor/Sadie stuff? He hopped up from the bench and jogged after her to keep up. "Geez, Major, confinement's making you grouchy." He slipped his hands into his pockets.
Ketty kept on a-rollin'. "And you're not helping make it any better." She stopped abruptly and turned as much as she could to look up at him. "Can't you ever talk about anything else? You're my friend. Be my friend and not The Annoying Guy Who Can't Take No For An Answer. I don't want to go out to dinner with you. I want to be your friend. Be decent and respect my wishes for once."
Slate's eyebrows jumped up and he stopped when she swung around. It was kind of hard not to look a little hurt at that. She always joked around when he asked and sure he figured it was a little annoying, enough for an eyeroll but he didn't think it was enough to make her so pissed at him - pissed enough to lecture him about being her friend. He'd carried her how many miles through the woods? Oh, and he brought the wheelchair upon his visit because he knew what exactly about her? That had noting to do friendwise, apparently. "Jesus," He let out with a breath. "Fine. I won't ask you out to dinner ever again." He said before he stepped around her chair and started strolling at a slow pace down the path in the direction she'd been heading before she decided to lecture him.
Ketty watched after him, still rolling at the same speed. She felt bad for upsetting him after he came to see her, but if it was necessary to stop his incessant joking, then so be it. Lately it felt like they hadn't had a single conversation that didn't lead to him asking her to dinner. It was mildly amusing in small doses, sure, but Slate didn't know when to stop. So Ketty had to tell him, is all. After watching him for a little bit, she looked around the garden, not saying anything.
Yeah well, it only lapsed into joking because she kept turning him down. Whatever, she'd lectured him, he said he'd stop and now they were looking at a garden. Slate was most definitely not going to talk after that since apparently he'd already annoyed her to the point of lecturing. See, this would be why he hadn't shown up earlier. It took him how long to annoy her that much? So yeah, he just kept his hands in his pockets and walked along, glancing at various plants in the garden as they went and staying quiet.
This went on for a while, and eventually Ketty ended up rolling by the door. "My parents are bringing food," she said, hitting the button near the door for automatic-handicap opening. "For dinner. They're going to be here soon, so I better head back in."
Slate nodded. "Okay," He said. Ironic, the whole dinner thing, and look he didn't bring it up. He did follow her in through the door though. Once they were in, he walked a little ahead to the elevators to hit the call button though.
As they waited, Ketty set her elbows down on the armrest and clasped her hands together lightly over her stomach. She looked up at Slate. "Did you check with Wilson to see how things are going at the gate?" It was probably all going to shit without her. Well, not really, but she could sort of hope.
Slate had his hands out of his pockets and his arms lifted and crossed lightly across his chest as he watched the elevator numbers. He took a breath and gave her the run down. "Mack and McKinny have the gates covered pretty well. Davis fucked up a com link and since they wouldn't let me come in, it took em' most of the day to get it up and running again. There's a crack in the West wall that needs to be inspected, and Haskins thought he saw someone lurking around in the woods outside the North wall."
"Again?" Ketty turned her head look at the wall past Slate. "We were lucky we got picked up when we did." For so many reasons. The elevator arrived and Ketty pushed herself into the car.
Slate nodded at her question and almost cringed at her comment. "Yeah," He gave as his singular response before he followed her into the elevator. He wasn't going to just head out and leave her to climb back into bed by herself. He leaned back against one of the walls and adjusted his arms against his chest. Slate kind of felt like shit. He'd felt this way before he'd come to the hospital but he'd been trying to just act like himself so that his visit didn't wind up being all drama filled, except now it kind of was drama filled and so he was back to feeling like shit again, and being quiet. He'd given her the wall update and now he had no other updates to give her that he could think of at the moment.
That was all right. Ketty didn't think they had to be talking all the time. She watched the numbers as they lit up, and when the elevator reached her floor, she started rolling out the door. Maneuvering the wheelchair around and out the elevator was highly annoying, and she had to do some backing up and reapproaching before she could make it out.
Slate stayed in his spot and didn't reach out to help her through the elevators only because it would just annoy her more. He followed her out of the elevator and fell in step or close to in step next to her to head up the hallway. He wondered if her parents were already here and if they were still all pissed at Sadie like it was her fault, what had happened and all. According to their lunch conversation, yeah they were or they were alluding to it anyway.
Ketty appreciated his lack of help, and after bumping the sides of the elevator a few times, she made it out. There was no one in Ketty's curtained-off section of the recovery room when they got there, which was a small relief. The Shepherd parents fawned over Slate whenever they got the chance, and because of his family's wealth and prominence in the community, they really pushed for a love connection. It drove Ketty nuts.
She rolled up next to the bed, intending on climbing out of her chair herself.
Slate might've pushed for that too if he hadn't been shot down on his dinner invitation so it had turned into a running joke which was now apparently annoying and he'd just told her he'd never ask her to dinner again. Awesome. Anyway. Slate was glad the Shepherd parents weren't there as well if only because he didn't feel like smiling and pretending everything was all blessed and what not. He waited until she pulled up next to the bed and put the locks on the wheels before he moved to help her into the bed, ignoring all protests about it.
Ketty gave in and let him help her out. It was pretty difficult to move, anyway. Once she was seated and leaning back against the pillows with her leg stretched out in front of her, she looked over at Slate. "So what are you doing tonight?"
Once she was situated, Slate sat down in the wheelchair and took the wheels off Lock. He leaned back so it was on the big back wheels and rocked back and forth on them, eyes on her injured leg a moment with a frown. He shrugged. "Dunno yet." He answered.
"Well just remember - however bored you are tonight and tomorrow, I'm going to be even bored-er." She shifted a little on the bed because a spring was poking her back. "And more uncomfortable." Slate would've loved to make a joke about returning to fulfill her nighttime desires but he didn't because of their conversation today. Instead he shrugged a little and wheeled a quick circle. "You have a phone. I have a phone. We can use them for the boredom issues."
Ketty turned to look at the phone on the table next to her bed. "True," she nodded. She glanced at her watch and then turned back to Slate. "They should be here any minute. You should roll on out before they see you and start genuflecting and asking to wash your feet." She smirked a little bit.
Slate looked down at his feet while he was in the chair. "Maybe my feet need some washing?" He suggested but regardless he stood up from the wheel chair and moved it to set it next to her bed instead of taking it with him. He locked the wheels and then turned to her, unsure how he should say goodbye at the moment after her snapfest in the garden. After a moment or two he decided to ignore the fact that that had happened. "Well, anyway, feel free to call if you're overwhelmed with boredom," He gave her a little salute, and then he leaned over and kissed the side of her head like he had the first night she was here before he and Sadie left. He gave her a small smile and then backed off and turned around to head for the door.
"I will," Ketty nodded, and smiled just a little bit when he kissed the side of her head. "It shouldn't take too long," she said after him. "Just give it a few hours."
"I'll keep close to the phone then," He smirked a little over his shoulder before he gave her a small wave as he headed out of the room and pulled the door shut behind him. He stopped by Josiah's office to talk to him quickly before he left for his house.
Ketty watched him go and then settled in on her uncomfortable mattress. Luckily it didn't take too much longer before her parents showed up, so she had another distraction from the boredom for a while.