It's About Mouse Who: Josh and Max What: All about Mouse When: Thursday Night Where: Josh and Max’s hotel room Warning: Laskos: Language always.
Max wasn’t looking forward to this, but he knew he had to explain everything to Josh pronto. Texting his older brother to let him know he was back, he let himself into the hotel room he and Josh had been sharing. “Hey,” he greeted shutting the door behind him. Max immediately held up his hands, knowing what would come next. “Mouse is still at Jayne’s house. Her brother’s a shrink and he says she’s sick because of what the vamp did to her and he wants to have her checked out so she doesn’t end up in a coma or something.”
Josh had actually be looking forward to when Max would come back, and have Mouse with him. He’d been going slightly crazy because she hadn’t been there, and he couldn’t watch her to make sure that she was safe. His eyes narrowed a little when Max came into the room by himself. “What the fuck.” he got out before Max could explain everything. And then his jaw clenched a little bit, and looked as if he was very much trying to fight the urge to yell. “So you just left her there? Because some man told you what could happen, but so far has seemed highly unlikely?”
He was not in the mood for this shit. Max hadn’t even wanted to leave himself, because dinner had been nice and he liked Rupert. Better still, the guy didn’t hate him. “Josh, he’s a head doctor,” he reminded his brother. “He says he’s worked with victims of attacks like this before. One of them has been in a coma for years. Plus, since nobody knows anything about her, we don’t know if she has any medical problems. He wants to admit her to the super clinic so a doctor can look her over and make sure she’s not got some heart problem or something. They’re getting her a private room, so you can stay with her and play watchdog. You think I didn’t think of all of this shit? This is what I do. Make you and everybody else compromise so shit gets done. Remember?”
Josh rubbed a hand across his face, there had just been too much that had been going on lately, and he was starting to feel as if he was losing grip on everything. He sat down on the edge of the bed, and was actually quiet for a long few moments. “So, she could actually get hurt worse then..” he spoke aloud finally, really trying to ignore the fact that it was a clinic for supers that he was wanting to admit her to. He sighed and looked over at his brother. “The doctor checks out then?” he asked, before his jaw clenched again and yet again he rubbed at his face.
Progress. Thank fucking God. “Yeah,” he confirmed. “He seemed really worried. I guess he’s seen it before and doesn’t want to see it happen to Mouse. He said he’d pull some strings so you could be with her and get it done quick. Like tomorrow. For now, she’s safe there and there’s no pressure or anything. She and Jayne really get along well, I guess. Rupert’s little girl too. She’s like eight and Mouse really likes kids.” No surprise there, with how sweet she was. “It’s going to be okay, Josh. Sounds like Rupert just wants to head off any more problems. I don’t blame him and the idea of anything happening to Mouse makes me sick. I know it’s worse for you. Okay?”
A groan sounded from Josh, as this was starting to sound worse than he thought it really was. “I didn’t think that she needed to be checked out, she seemed fine. Yea, without a memory, but we were working on that.” he spoke, and the whole thought that she could have gotten worse was starting to make him feel sick as well. “You sticking around tonight, or you heading out again?” he finally asked, trying to change the subject, that way maybe he could focus on something that didn’t make him feel like things were getting worse now instead of better.
“Hey, nobody is blaming you for not taking her to a hospital, bro,” he told him. “She did seem fine except for the brain wipe. But it can’t hurt to check and I’d rather have her checked out and spend a few days at a clinic and get some therapy from somebody who won’t turn us into the Mounties than have him be right and her end up in a coma for years.” He shook his head. “I’m not going anywhere unless you want to go out or something. I knew this would suck more for you, so I didn’t make any major plans on account you need somebody. I’m your guy, since you know, I’m your brother and all.” He gave Josh a smirk. “Don’t worry so much, big brother. She’s in good hands. Before you know it, she’ll be out and you guys can start looking for a place with all of that money Count Creepula gave us.”
He gave a little nod. “I’m trying not to blame myself, but I should have done more, you know? We’re just so used to the hunt, not the after effects of what happens to the people caught up in these messes. Speaking of which, how is Elias doing?” Joshua asked, the concern obvious in his voice. He looked at Max again, and let out a little sigh, “I don’t suppose you’d be up to going out for a drink, nothing major, not wanting to drink myself into a stupor again. But I can’t just sit here and do nothing.”
“I feel you, bro,” he admitted. “That was the first thing I said when Rupert said she could end up in a coma. That I should have taken her to a doctor. But like I explained, we were taught not to trust people, especially people who had to report to the cops. He gets that, considering he’s looking the other way even though he knows we did Cuddles the other night.” He sighed and patted Josh on the shoulder. “This is just precautions, bro. Get in there, make sure nothing’s wrong, get her on the right track. Maybe you ought to look into it too. I’m doing it, because I am tired of feeling like something’s going to jump out and try to eat me or innocent people. I don’t want to go for my gun everytime a loud noise startles me anymore. I’m fucking tired of being paranoid. But that’s me.” Josh would have to come to his own decisions. But the idea was planted in his head now. “I’ll even buy,” he said. “We’ll shoot some pool or something. Then first thing tomorrow, we’ll go see Mousy. Maybe while we’re out, you can get her some flowers or a stuffed animal or something. Guys do shit like that for their girlfriends, you know?”
Joshua gave a little bit of a nod, trying to calm himself from this whole new mind fuck that he was having to endure. Really, he was on his last leg, and he was starting to wonder on how much more he could actually take before breaking. Not that he really wanted to portray that kind of weakness to his sibling. “Pool sounds fucking fantastic right about now.” he let out, completely bypassing the whole seeing a shrink, or anything like that. “Do they really? Sounds kind of … silly.” he mentioned about the whole flower or stuffed animal idea. But he gave a little shrug, might as well get the girl something.
Max wasn’t certain how much more Josh could take either. That was why he insisted his brother be able to be with Mouse while she was being checked out and stuff. The last thing they needed was Josh breaking and going on a rampage. Or folding in on himself or whatever he was going to do when he finally snapped. He sighed when his brother completely ignored the shrink suggestion, but the idea had been planted. All he could do. “Yes, they do,” he said. “Any kind of present. Jewelry, that kind of stuff. Or whatever else you think she’d like. It’s another way to show her how you care about her.” Josh really needed to watch more TV with them. He knew even less than Max.
Sure, Josh didn’t know a lot when it came to relationships, or really any semblance of a life outside of hunting. But then he hadn’t needed to, not until now. A little sigh sounded from him as he moved to start pulling on his shoes, that way they could go out. “I don’t know, I guess it doesn’t hurt to look. Maybe I’ll find something.” he finally spoke, it wasn’t like it would break the bank now if he did do something nice for Mouse.
“That’s the spirit, bro,” Max said, patting Josh on the shoulder. “Come on, let’s go.” After the week they’d had and the weekend Josh faced with the doctors and helping Mouse, they could use a night ‘off’.
The whole idea of buying something for Mouse, that was probably going to bug him the whole time they’d be out. Hell, he didn’t know what she would like, but then again he was doubting that she’d complain about anything that he’d buy her. Maybe something that would last, which would toss out the idea of flowers. “Once all is said and done, little brother, we need to get all four of us together and have a poker night. Keep some sort of normalcy.”
“Oh hell no,” Max said. “I am not playing poker with you and Phee. She pouts almost as much as you do when she loses. We need a new normal, bro. Sorry. Maybe we’ll have a family dinner. The Canuks do Thanksgiving in October. Maybe try that?”
“Fuck, a family dinner? Right, if you’re going to put me through that mess, then you’re giving me a poker night.” Josh spoke with a bit of a grin, even if he was starting to dread all of these changes. “See where I’m coming from little brother, some things even if its as little as a damn poker game have to stay the same. While everything else is changing, it would be really nice if we kept at least something of who we are .. or were.”
Max shook his head. “Fine,” he said. “But you and Phee better not bitch when me and Eli clean house. Your poker face sucks, man.” He shook his head. “We will always be a family, bro. No matter what we do. Nothing will ever change that.” Okay, Josh was going to kick his ass if he got anymore sentimental than that. “Come on. Let’s get out of here.”
“No bitching then, not on my end. Probably some cursing though but thats a given.” he spoke, giving a bit of a chuckle. “And my poker face does not suck, you just know all my tells little brother.” Josh told him before giving him a little clap on the shoulder. “I know, I know. Just you know this whole family dinner thing will end up being a complete disaster, right?” he asked before giving a little nod. “Lets get out and actually have some fun.”