Nathan Summers (alter_nate_ive) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2013-03-17 17:23:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, anya corazon (spider-girl), elaine mallory, nathan summers (cable) |
Who: Nate, Elaine, and NPC!Corazon
Where:Elaine’s house and work, then out
What: Nate has a therapy appointment, and then talks with two he trusts
When: Sunday, 03/17
Warnings/Rating: PG-13 for mentions of character deaths, mental issues, depression
Status Complete
It was three days after his waking up, when Nate called Elaine at her work to schedule a therapeutic massage for his muscles. Having been stuck in a complete nonmoving, non-motor neurons firing position for two weeks, and living some 60 years during that time did a number on a person.
“...so, ah, I need this done to get better, they say.” Having finished explaining some of it, he’d leave the rest for when he was there in person.
Elaine was more than willing to help Nate with his rehabilitation. She asked a few basic questions, just to ascertain whether he would need her to make a house call, or if he could come to the clinic. She also made arrangements to get the proper paperwork to his mother to sign. Ideally, she'd have asked the woman to be present for the session, but she knew what it was like for a working mom. She'd find a way to work with them.
When Nate showed up, a few days later, on the weekend, it was with a bundle of papers and limping slowly. He felt tired and a little worn out, from both physical and emotional things going on. But he smiled when he saw her.
“Hello, Miss Mallory.” He waved back to the cabbie, who waved back then set off. “I’ll have a ride back, but everyone was busy today. Oh! I have my paperwork. It’s a little less... clean.” He was not smiling at that, but he felt like she deserved to know the whole story. The paperwork detailed his name as Nathan Summers, and that his adoptive mother, Emma Summers, gave her full permission for the rehabilitative treatments. There was also a small copy of his adoption finished paper, ascertaining that the whole adoption had been legal.
“The story is complicated.” He told her as he handed it over.
“Hello there, Nate.” Elaine motioned for him to join her on the couch. Reading through the paperwork, she gave the boy a long, searching look. No wonder he looked so tired. Always putting on a brave face, even when he was struggling at home. “It looks like you’ve been through some pretty big changes since last time we talked. You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to, but...how are you holding up?”
He smiled sadly and sighed. “I am... dealing. Not great, not good, but dealing. “ He kept his voice even as he spoke. “Mom went a little crazy while I was gone and had a psychotic break and her mind was fragmenting just as I woke up. In order to save her, they had to...” He swallowed. “I was there, I saw her and how bad it was, it in my mind, and I made the final decision for them to do what they did, and what happened and I know it was the only thing to do but...”
He shook his head, a hint of tears in them. “They had to remake her mind, from the ground up, and her entire split, her psychosis was related to me and my presence in her life. So... in order to save her, they created a life for her without me in it.” He looked down. “Miss Emma adopted me, along with my dad, so I wouldn’t be alone.”
It was a lot more complicated than that, and that didn’t even touch other things that were troubling him from the future, but he figured slower was better.
“I’m sorry,” Elaine murmured. She knew from her dreams how difficult it could be to lose a parent, and how dangerous it could be to meddle with the mind. At least she could awake from that life. This...Nathan would live with this for the rest of his life. What could she possibly say to help him heal from a wound like that?
“If you ever want to talk about anything, during the session, or any time at all, I’ll listen.”
Nate smiled, a little sniffly, and nodded. “Thank you. I was... I admit to a second reason for coming here. You and Cora are... I liked hanging out with you and thought I could just... see you, if you were interested in dinner? Emma said it would be okay.” He took a long breath. “I dunno what Cora is ready to hear, but I trust both of you.”
“Harry and I have been talking to her, about the Dreams, and the Valarnet, little bits at a time,” she said, “She’s going to be around Dreamers--and who knows? Maybe she’ll be one herself. So don’t feel like you have to keep secrets from her, if you don’t want to.” Nathan was a very discerning young man. She trusted he would be sensitive about what he shared.
He nodded. “It’s... it involves death and birth... at the same time. So I figured I would ask you first.” He blushed and sighed, shaking his head. “It’s a long story, all told, but that part is... short.”
Too short.
“It’s okay to want someone to share that burden with you,” she said, leaning forward, offering her hand. She knew it might take some time, getting used to being touched--especially if his birth mom hadn’t been particularly affectionate, what little she had been around--so she just left it open. “Thank you for trusting me, and Cora.”
He swallowed and then extended his hand to her and squeezed. He wasn’t sure how much he liked touching, but he was willing to try. He smiled a little. “You’re welcome. You two showed me kindness, and... I think you are awesome.” He blushed.
There was a method to Elaine’s madness, in that this tentative touching was a way to work up to the touching she would have to do for Nate’s therapy. A way to let him get used to the contact, and feel like he had some control over it.
“Well, we think you’re pretty awesome, too. You can tell Emma we’d be happy to come and visit.”
Nate nodded. “I’d like that.” He smiled at Elaine and settled back to his seat. “What’s involved in the therapy?” He wanted to know the way things will go.
“Well, I’ve looked over your transcripts from the hospital, and it sounds like we’ll be working on rebuilding the muscle strength you lost while your body was inactive,” Elaine said, trying to explain things simply without dumbing it down too much. “I’ll guide you through some range of motion, and some resistance exercises, and if you’re comfortable with it I can apply some massage techniques to promote circulation and prevent any injury or overstretching of your muscles as they heal.”
Nate nodded, listening. He wanted to understand and she made it fairly easy. “Okay. I am ready then.” He smiled a little at her. He was nervous and yet he wanted to feel better. No time like the present to start, right?
“All right. We’ll go back to the treatment room, and I’ll have you kick your shoes off and hop up on the table, on top of the blankets.” Elaine stood, and gestured toward the open door down the hall. “You can stay dressed for now--as long as your clothes are comfortable to move around in.”
Nate nodded and blushed. “I think so. Most of mine are, because I move around a lot. I ah, also...” He blushed more. “I’m a little...” He shook his head. She might be a friend, but she was also a professional. “I am not like, interested in sex, but I seem to be hitting a sort of false puberty? And, uhm... I get... aroused a lot.” He blushed. “I don’t want you to think I’m being... ah... wrong.” Damn it, it was coming out all wrong!
Elaine listened attentively as Nate explained his predicament, nodding as she lowered the table to just above his knees. “I understand it’s quite normal for a young man’s body to do that, as he matures,” she said, “And I promise not to let it bother me, unless it bothers you.” She was fairly confident that he wasn’t the sort to do anything inappropriate in public.
“If you have questions, or you need to take a break for any reason, just let me know. I’ll do my best to help you sort things out. Okay?”
“Okay. Thank you.” He prepared for the session, and relaxed.
Almost two hours later, he was settled again, and dressed, this time in sweatpants and a tshirt, and achy, but hopeful for how things were going. He had been pushed, prodded and massaged, and he felt like it had definitely shifted things. He was more than willing to come back again. He stepped out of the room and smiled as he saw Elaine.
“I feel incredible. Achy, but good.”
“Very good.” Elaine was ready to meet him with water, and a smile. “You did great. I just want to see you drinking plenty of water and the rest of the day. If you’re sore, I can give you some ointment to rub into your muscles, and tonight before bed, you can take a hot bath to relax. And I’ll give Scott and Emma a printout of your stretching homework at dinner.”
Nate nodded and smiled. “Okay. I can do that, and all of that.” He smiled wider. “Homework... that’s cool!” He had missed school. A lot. And this was fun homework. The faster he got better, the faster he would be able to move around again like he liked to do.
“Good deal,” she said, nodding her approval. “Do you want to go upstairs and tell Corazon about dinner? She can show you around the place while you wait for your ride.”
Nate smiled. “I’d like that.” Then he grinned. “I hope you like Italian.” He headed for the door toward her actual rooms and up the stairs, peering around as he called the cabbie to get their ride.
As she followed her guest through the door and upstairs, Elaine noticed--not for the first time--the subtle energy that separated her home from her business. Supposedly, operating a business out of one’s home could weaken a threshold, but it was there. She’d always been careful to try and keep the personal and professional aspects of her life separate, and now she was aware of that distinction in a tangible way.
She smiled as they came out into the the kitchen, and called out softly for her daughter. “Mi Corazón! You have a guest...”
Nate smiled a little, and looked around. “I have a brownie with your name on it!” And he pulled out a small package from his backpack and unwrapped it, revealing two brownies, each of which had a name on it in frosting. 'Elaine' and 'Corazón' were brilliant in cheesecake frosting. He handed Elaine’s to her. She might notice, maybe, that Cora’s was a bit bigger.
Elaine noticed, but she didn’t think much of it. It made sense, in a way. Cora was closer to Nate’s age, Elaine was just Cora’s mom. She thanked him, just as Cora came running from the direction of the bedrooms.
“Hi, Nate!”
Nate smiled and waved then held out the brownie. Maybe it would ruin dinner a little, but he liked her and wanted to share it with her. “Hi. How are you?” He felt shy and yet wanted to do... normal things. It felt nice being around them.
Corazon accepted the gift, taking hold of it with both hands and gazing at it admiringly for a moment, then beaming at Nate. She could probably make up for some of Nate’s shyness with her own, bubbly confidence. “I’m good! Did you do the frosting yourself? Can we eat them now?”
The last bit was partially directed at Elaine, who arched a brow, and glanced at the clock. “All right, but then that means you won’t be able to have it after dinner.”
“What if I just have half now, and half later?” Corazon reasoned, “Nate, do you want some of mine, I’ll share.”
Nate smiled softly at her. “It’s okay. I baked it for you two. I have more at home.” Then he chuckled, “If Emma and Dad don’t eat them all.” His face struggled between a grin and sadness and finally settled on a sigh.
Then he grinned. “I am inviting you and your mom to a restaurant for dinner. in a little while. A cab will be here in about a half hour. If you both feel like coming.” He swallowed. “There have been some changes in my life and I want you both to be a part of it.”
“Yes!” Corazon bounced excitedly--though not so hard she jostled the brownie. “We can go, right mom?” Elaine nodded, and Cora beamed. “Awesome!” Then she noticed that Nate was getting kind of quiet, and serious. “Is everything okay?”
“I... a lot of things happened, where I was. And... here.” He gestured toward the living room. Can we sit down?” he glanced at Elaine. “I want to tell both of you this.”
“Of course,” Elaine said, setting her brownie on the counter, and putting a hand on Corazon’s shoulder. “Come on, honey. We’ll save dessert for later, alright?”
Corazon relinquished the dessert, and went with Elaine and Nathan to the living room. Elaine sat down on the couch, and drew Corazon onto her lap, patting the cushion beside them. “Did you have bad dreams?” Corazon asked, worriedly, “While you were in the hospital?”
Nate nodded. “In a way, yes. You know how fantastical things happen in the dreams? Well, when I was in the hospital, I did some. I lived, a very long time, in the future, and had adventures. Some good, some bad. I lost friends, and fought enemies, and helped save the world. Along the way, my father, who was there, too, fell in love with someone. And She got pregnant with a child, a girl.“
He paused, looking down then looked up to meet their eyes, each in turn. “Her pregnancy was normal, in the last months were marked by us moving around a lot and in bad weather, and she went into labor while we we snowbound. And I was the only one who had delivered a baby before.”
He kept going, though tears were coming now to his cheeks. “The baby was turned, and she wasn’t... her body wasn’t ready for the birth, and she needed to deliver, or her baby would die. But to do so... “ He swallowed. “I performed a cesarean section, pulling the baby from her body, and saving it. I made the choice to help her save her child, knowing, “ He swallowed. “knowing that she would not survive.“ His voice was rough as he cried now, as he had not since that night.
Elaine listened, hugging Corazon close as Nate told the story of what had happened in his dreams--knowing that for Nate, those things had been very, very real. Even if he would have been a grown man by the time those things happened, it would have been a difficult situation to face. And he was still just a kid.
She saw the tears come, and heard Corazon gulp, and sniffle--and reached for the box of tissues on the end table beside arm of the couch. Corazon took a Kleenex, and wiped her eyes, pushing the box toward Nate next, and asking in a very small voice, “Was the baby okay?”
Nate took a few tissues and wiped his nose, then nodded, smiling softly. “She was. She grew up, and saved the world herself. She was, as they say, a kick ass hero.” He grinned. “Her name was Rachel.”
He paused and blew his nose, then nodded. “I came home to find out life here had gotten... interesting. “My mom is... she never really... she hated how being different caused me to end up having problems. And... here in the OC, me making friends on the net and with strangers, like you, it freaked her out some, and scared her a little. Add this to her parents dying a few years ago and then me falling into what appeared to be a coma I might not come out of... and she lost it.”
Nate swallowed, tears coming again. “She lost it, her mind completely cracked, at the hospital, and she had to... she had to go away. She probably won’t come back again.” He smiled sadly over at Corazon and Elaine, envying them for a moment, before he nodded. “I was lucky that Emma and my dad wanted to adopt me and people here managed to make the paperwork happen fast. So I have a home and people who love me and who I care about... but I still miss her, you know?”
Corazon was crying in earnest now, telling Nate how sorry she was for him; and Elaine could feel the tears in her own eyes in spite of trying to hold them back for the children’s sake. Corazon opened her arms, practically throwing herself at her friend’s neck and smothering him with sympathy.
“Come here,” Elaine said, opening her arms to the boy as well. She was a mother. She had two arms, two shoulders. “It’s okay to be sad.”
Nate hugged Corazon hard, sniffling, then lifted her and carried her to her mom and hugged them both. He was a lot, a lot, stronger than he looked, even if he had some problems with his muscles and endurance. But he could hug, and he did so, sniffling and not quite crying again.
When he felt it abate, he smiled softly. “I’m sorry.” He wiped his nose and mouth and eyes with tissues then smiled at both of them. “Thank you, both.” He hugged them again.
Elaine met them halfway, kneeling down to wrap her arms around them both, closing them in a circle of protection and comfort. She could actually feel the energy of her intention enfold them, only dissolving when one of them finally withdrew. There were more hugs all around, and she hoped that this would contribute as much to the healing process as the physical therapy that she would be guiding Nathan through.
“You don’t have to apologize, Nate,” she assured him, “We’re here for you, no matter what.”
Nate smiled at them. He hugged them again and then smiled.
“Let’s get ready. The cab will be here--” A honk came from outside. “...right now, apparently.” He grinned and sniffled. ”Thank you, both.”
“All right, Cora!” Elaine kissed her daughter’s cheek and shooed her toward the door. “Shoes on. Bring your sweater in case it gets cool tonight.” She grabbed a sweater of her own, along with purse and keys, and stepped into her shoes as well. “I think we’re all set.”
Nate led them out then and grinned. “This is going to be a good night.”
FIN.