Who: Josie (and Adrian) What: She visit him and has a genius idea When: November 27th, afternoon Where: Hospital Rating: Low
Josie had been to visit him everyday. Every moment she wasn't with him she was wishing and hoping and praying that he'd get through this, that he'd be okay. She couldn't see her life, her future without him. Before him she never really saw much of a future, her only focus had be Dale, his future. Him growing up happy and healthy. Meeting a nice girl someday and giving her grandchildren. His future and his happiness was all she imagined. Her own...not so much. But then she met Adrian, sure she thought nothing of him at first. He was just this socially awkward guy she worked with. What she didn't know is that he really wasn't socially awkward...he was just socially awkward around her. So she decided to give him a shot and he blew her away. For the first time...in a long time, she didn't think of the past. She didn't constantly worry about Dale's future, or Ward, or...anything. Adrian was the first guy who ever made her feel...safe...safe and loved....so loved. When he got hurt the fear came back...all of it...tenfold since she knew that Ward was out...he was out there somewhere and there was no one there to hold her and tell her that she was safe. No one there to say he would never get near her or Dale. Sure Caleb was there but after what happened to Adrian she never knew where he was.
Caleb was her patient and she should have expected this to happen. Not Adrian getting hurt, no, but in his mind 'failing Adrian.' He would think that he was a coward and that she'd blame him for Adrian's state. Sure at first when everything was told to her....she did...the weapon that stabbed Adrian was meant for Caleb. But she also knew Adrian...he was a hero type. He always had to rush in and save the day...that was just his way. He had played her knight in shining armor on plenty of occasions.
Whenever she went to see him she had to change into scrubs. Since he was still susceptible to infection they had to avoid any time of germ transfer. Josie had to always put her hair up in a hair net, wear latex gloves, and a surgical mask. It was a pain but she got to see her husband, sit in his room, hold his hand, see his eyes sparkle, and his voice...oh that voice. After he woke up from the surgeries on that first day and gave her that smile and said her name...it was the most wonderful sound in the world. She carefully made her way inside to see him awake looking out the window at what he could. He heard her footsteps and turned his head to see her. That smile spread on his face,
"Hey Jo."
"Hey yourself," she made he way to sit on the edge of his bed and took his hand. She wished she didn't have to wear gloves to merely touch his hand but she could feel the warmth of his hand and for the time it was enough. It was enough to reassure her that he was alive and here. He wasn't gone...and he wouldn't leave her...he just wouldn't. She squeezed his hand and he gave her a squeeze back,
"I'm fine, Jo, I'm here, look at me," she looked up from their hands to his face, "I swear to you I will never leave you, I promise you that." She was about to speak but he cut her off changing the subject,
"So how are the kids, Jodie still raising hell while Jayden watches from the sidelines?" Josie gave a laugh which gave him his answer,
"Dale actually was upset when he heard what happened."
"Was he now?" Adrian paused, "What a minute which part, the part that I got stabbed or that I got better."
"That you got stabbed of course, he's not a monster," she gave him a little frown even though he couldn't see it.
"Well he's your son so who knows," Adrian said playfully.
"Adrian!"
"I'm just kidding you Jo, you know that. I love Dale...even though he hates my guts." Josie shook her head,
"It's funny I always wanted something to happen so that you two would bond finally, but I just never wanted..."
"Jo, it comes with the job, I know the risks...I knew that getting into it. Caleb was in trouble and since I'm his partner and I watch his back we sometimes have to take something for the other. I can't tell you how many bullets and such he has taken for me." Josie rolls her eyes,
"He's indestructible, he turns his skin into metal that deflects the bullets."
"Still," he paused, "he took them for me." Josie sighed and Adrian reached up to run his fingers down her neck. Her eyes shot over to meet his at the feel of his bare flesh touching hers. She shut her eyes as she enjoyed the innocent action. "Trust me Jo, it was better that I took it than Caleb. The negator blood flowing through his veins could have neutralized his power...permanently."
"But it's being filtered out right? I mean your body is filtering it out slowly but surely." He gave a little shrug,
"Kind of...they're waiting to see what happens."
"What do you mean, what happens?" Adrian gave a sigh,
"They currently want to keep all my blood in me at this moment and at this stage if they tried to use a machine to filter it...I might...it might be...harmful to me. They're hoping they won't need it."
"Need it? Adrian...tell me what is going on." He leaned back on the pillows and gave her hand a squeeze,
"Well...one of three things. One my body filters it out naturally...that's the one we're hoping for." Josie squeezed his hand her heart hammering in her chest...what were the other two things that they thought might happen.
"And number two and three?" Adrian squeezed her hand again,
"Two since it's mutated blood and it's mixing with mine it may try to mutate my own blood. And either my body will accept it or it will reject it and start to break down...you remember Senator Kelly in the first X-Men...like that." Josie's eyes went wide as he body froze. His blood might mutate...Adrian might become a mutant...like her and Dale. No...they couldn't risk that if the other thing happened. Something made her pause though,
"Wait...why would your body break down if it rejects it. Nor...non-powered people buy powers all the time and they're fine."
"They get their powers from a power bestower. When you get a power from a bestower they alter the DNA so that your body accepts it properly and that you can keep it. This...this is different, not natural." She stood up ready to 'have a word' with his doctor,
"They need to filter it out now!"
"Jo! No, they know what they're doing."
"But Adri..."
"Don't...it'll be fine. They'll know if option three starts to happen."
"What if option two happens...what will you do?" Adrian was silent for a moment,
"I'll learn to live with it." Josie's eyes teared up. Adrian shook his head, "Come on...don't do that...come here." She walked back over to her spot and he wrapped his arms around her as best he could and pulled her to lie on the bed beside him. She was curled on her side her head resting on his chest. The steady thumping of his heart calmed her tears. "It'll be okay...if I turn into a mutant...then I do." He took one of her hands and they wove they interlocked their fingers. "However, Dale might hate it if I have to go to his power control classes with him." They both laughed and Adrian gave a little, "Ouch." Josie shot up,
"Ouch, ouch what." He shook his head with a smile,
"No, it's fine I'm just still a little sore...laughing hurts a bit."
"But honestly you're okay."
"Yeah, Jo, I just can't laugh that much."
"No...I mean about..."
"The possibility of turning into a mutant...yeah."
"But...what about your job? They pair up someone non-powered with someone powered. Also a negator who doesn't know how to control it yet they would never let go out in the field. Adrian...you love your job...this would change everything." Adrian had looked away as she spoke he then turned back to her,
"I know Jo, but...after this...seeing how it's effecting you, I get it. Doing this when it was just me...it was different. But I have you and the kids..." Josie gave a little laugh,
"Babe, you've had the kids and me for five years." He gave a little chuckle back,
"Yeah and I think getting impaled is what finally made me realize that I'm getting too old for this. I think it's time I hang it up or...just do a more low key job," her wrinkled his nose, "an office job."
"Oh the horrors a better paying safer job," Josie joked, "but it wouldn't have to be boring, maybe you can help train new recruits. Your one of the senior agents, one of the best that's why they've kept you in the field so long."
"Yeah, training wouldn't be that bad, I could do that. If they give me attitude I could always flash my sexy battle scar." Josie rolled her eyes at that. "Hey don't roll your eyes, trust me once I am out of here and fully healed you are gonna want to run your hands all over the sexiness of my scar."
"Oh yeah, baby, baby, I can't resist that scar, like I know me in this outfit right now is getting you all hot and bothered."
"Oh you know me too well, you need to ask if you can take that home so while you're loving on my sexy scar we can do some role-playing," he smirked and raised an eyebrow, "How long do you think your brother will be willing to watch the rugrats." Josie laughed and shook her head,
"Okay enough of that. So...desk job," she took his hand and he gave it a squeeze,
"Desk job...in other works kicking rookies ass into shape."
"Right," then a thought came to her, "okay so now that that is all sorted we have one more problem to figure out." He looked at her confused for a second but then stunned realization came to his face and at the same time they said,
"Caleb."
"Shit Caleb," Adrian said, "GUARDIAN is the reason he's out, if he doesn't have a partner he goes back into jail, I can't do that to him, screw the desk job Jo, he depends on me." Adrian almost made a move to get out of the bed. Josie pushed him back gently,
"Whoa, whoa, calm down, we already agreed you're doing a desk job or training job whatever, but you are not going back into the field with Caleb. All we have to do is pair him with another agent."
"Oh really, just pair him up with another agent," Adrian said with sarcasm, "one problem though, oh yeah, he hates norms Jo, he really hates them. I mean I know you've gotten him a long way, he accepted me and a few others, but still...he only trusted me was because of you. He will not just up and trust someone else, even if he knows the guy. He won't do it Jo and that will jeopardize everything." Josie grimaced underneath the mask,
"You're right, Caleb is...special...he need someone like you. Someone who won't put up with all his crap, his mopey stages, his bursts of rage, and that's not easy I mean I can't..." She trailed off as an idea hit her. A genius idea.
"Babe, I can't see most of your expression but if your eyes tell me something you have an idea and from past experience I don't know whether to be happy or terrified." Her eyes narrowed,
"It's a good idea and it will benefit us, Caleb, and his sister might also end up owing me a big thank you." Adrian eyes widened,
"You're not thinking of pairing Caleb up with who I'm thinking of are you?"
"I am absolutely thinking of recruiting him pairing him up with Caleb."
"Honey, they hate each other or at least Caleb hates him, he would kill him or there would be an 'accident' out in the field."
"I don't think so babe, Caleb knows that if he doesn't work well with a partner he lands back in jail and he is enjoying his freedom too much. Also I think Boo might be interested in joining, I was reading his file...."
"His file, we don't have a file on him."
"You don't, I do."
"How do you have a file on him if he's not-powered."
"I decided to look into him after I wrote to him about Caleb being in his yoga class. Apparently he was a cage fighter and he has a record. Getting some of those things erased might be appealing to him."
"Jo, GUARDIAN doesn't just hand out get out of jail free cards like lollipops."
"He is doing parole so he doesn't have to go to jail, Caleb would be in jail if he didn't do this, why don't we just do the same for him, we gave it to his brother who only came in for a few hours." Adrian and her shared a stare before he broke,
"Uh, fine, seriously even with half your face covered and in that ridiculous outfit you can break me."
"That is why I am so good at my job sweetie."
"Damn right you are...so looks like we'll be getting a new agent, Boo Collins...better be prepared for the blow up when Caleb finds out."