Re: Hospital: Sam & Loren
[What Sam was describing sounded like some backwards hostage negotiation. Loren wasn't following because he wasn't entire sure about who Lou was except that he was on the list. Loren didn't shrink away when her eyes moistened, and he tried not to be stone cold as an ice hotel either. Loren just... dealing with other people's emotions meant dealing with his own, and yeah, he acknowledged how fucked up he was. But he was working on it.]
Thats why you let the professionals negotiate with terrorists. [He tried to smile, but his smiles always looked crooked after a joke like Loren wasn't sure if the punchline actually was one.] We'll talk about Micah more when you're straight, I've got some things to tell you. [And she looked exhausted, he doubted she'd remember anything he told her.
Loren glanced down when she touched his hand, and his fingers remained wrought iron tight around the bed's bar. He did not lift a finger, or react or stroke or even seem to breathe for that moment. His hand stayed steady, finger on a trigger steady. Then Sam's hand quaked, and Loren thought it might be shivering.]
Are you cold? You want me to find you some extra blankets? [He wouldn't leave her, but Thing 1 and Thing 2 outside the door could do something other than giving side-eyes to the nurses if they wanted to be useful.]
He's not going to kill Lou. [That was a promise.] Micah couldn't kill a roach in his apartment if it meant having to hobble off the couch. At that party, whatever he did, he was stronger. Thats not him. [Loren leaned a little closer.] He was crippled even before I carved half of the spleen from his body. He's not killing anyone. He's not tough, and he's not a boogeyman. He's weak, and he doesn't want to feel weak, so he's doing this because he thinks there's something to prove in it. [That was the only way Loren could think of it, and the Husky ice-blue of his eyes were wide and serious when he conveyed to her that there wasn't anyway Micah's threats were going to happen.]
Then something came to him and Loren frowned.] You wanted to be done? [Lower voice because what he was about to ask was a real touchy subject in the hospital, even if she was already on suicide watch for drug withdrawal alone.] Suicide?