Welcome to Gaia! ::

The nurse froze when Hono'o called for her to wait, and she stood stock still, her hands still clasping the bed. As Hono'o came around her, she would see that the woman was young, pretty in a girl-next-door sort of way, and seemed very nervous - a small sheen of sweat covered her brow, and she was pulling at the sleeve-ends of her hospital coat.

"O-oh, no...save your strength for the ones who need it. I...I was just taking him to have a bath. You know how these surgeons are, they just...just scrub and stitch, scrub and stitch, heh heh..."

The woman chuckled a Hono'o with wide green eyes. She was clutching the sleeve of her coat within her fingers, rubbing it as if comforted by the feeling of the fabric. She looked down at the comatose man before her before looking down at her feet, unsure of where to look - before deciding that it was time to go, grasping the bedend with both hands. "I-if you'll excuse me..." She said, beginning to push the bed again, looking to shove it out of the ward and down the hall...

The nurse stopped dead again, and it was with fearful eyes that she looked to Hono'o. She was visibly shaking now, trembling as if chilled, and she was pulling on the sleeves of her coat so much it looked like she'd pull the seams out.

"A-a year...b-but this is my f-first time on this w-ward..." She replied gamely - before she pressed her lips together as she willed herself still, her body ceasing to tremble like a frightened bunny but her eyes still packed full of fright, facing off against the buxom shadow priestess. "N-now if you'll excuse me....I must move on, please step out of the way..."

The nurse's big brown eyes, now becoming shiny with wetness, widened at the implication the request spoke of, and her hands gripped her end of the bed tighter. "I...I..." She stammer, trying to think of something to say - before finally looking Hono'o over, really looking her over, instead of trying to avoid looking at her, and then her eyes, still shining with those hidden tears, took on a definite glare.

"Y-you should show me yours! Since when does a doctor wear a pair of Zanotti's to work in a hospital?" She declared, pointing to Hono'o's expensive high heels, before waving her hand at her dismissively, as if trying to shoo her away. "J-just get out of here, and I wont call security..."

But when she lowered her hand it was shaking, her charm bracelet jingling slightly as it did, and she had to grip her end of the bed with both hands to stop it. Her lips were pursed, those shining wet eyes staring at Hono'o almost pleadingly now. Please....please go away!

The woman's false bravado caved almost instantly as she heard Hono'o's credentials. It was clear the red-headed woman was not going to budge...and the nurse had used up her last playing card.

"...No..." She whispered, grasping the bedhead with both hands, squeezing them tightly again and again, the tears now beginning to roll down her cheeks as she looked down to the supine man lying motionless on the bed, his face swathed in bandages. "...I've looked for too long to..."

Her face was beginning to flush as she tried not to cry, her lips trembling as she looked up to Hono'o again, now begging the priestess passionately. "Please...p-please go away! I...I just want him back! I...I...I'm sorry!"

Suddenly she began to push the bed forward, and it was clear that she didn't care whether Hono'o was in the way or not. She had surprising strength for her slight frame, and the initial shove would be enough to knock any normal person over, and Hono'o would have to risk getting run over as the 'nurse' made a desperate attempt to flee!

The woman was now visibly shaking, tears dripping onto the pillow above the man's head, continuing to grasp the bedhead even as Hono'o touched her, which made her flinch unconciously. "I d-dont care....I dont c-care if he looks, and s-sounds, and smells t-totally different from my Jeffry...i-it'll be him, and he'll know me, and....and we'll be together again."

She was sucking in her breaths, near hyperventilating. It was clear this was affecting her very deeply - and she looked up to Hono'o with wide eyes. "He....he told me before he went...he said, no matter what....no matter what, i'll always be with you...and i never knew what he meant until...until i went to a soothsayer to...to see how he was doing on the other side, and she told me..."

She finally uncurled her hand from the bed end to lift it up, presenting the bracelet to Hono'o. It was covered in baubles, little tiny charms which dangled on tight little hooks. Her eyes were wide as she spoke to Hono'o. "She said he'd put his heart and soul into making this....and that I could have him back if I found someone who he'd fit with...I've searched hundreds of hospitals, all over Gaia...and now..."

She suddenly grabbed Hono'o's shoulders, gripping them between her fingers. "Please let us go! I'm going to - I'm going to make it right! We were supposed to have a family - he was studying, working - he was going to be a carpenter, he'd already made plans for the house, Jenny's room was all planned out....he never learnt how to play Silver Stallion, he never took me to Heaven and Hell like he promised, he....he never got the chance!"

She began to shake Hono'o, dissolving into great wracking sobs which made her whole body shake. "This...this guy has nobody! He doesn't even have a name! I'll-I'll give him a n-name - I'll give him love, and happiness, and everything he'll ever want..."

The woman faltered for a moment. "W-well...I..." She paused again, her eyes wide - it was clear she hadn't thought this through very well. "I'll....i'll find someone....it can't be too hard, right? I mean...the soothsayer said it was possible, but..."

She swallowed hard. She looked back down to the body, obviously trying to think. She hadn't thought this far ahead.

It was like the fight had left her. She released Hono'o's shoulders and turned to the body on the bed, her body limp, her sniffling subsiding as she looked down at the mystery man. She reached out to place a hand upon his bandaged forehead, her touch feather-soft as she bent down to speak to him, her tears soaking into the gauze as she whispered into his ear. "I...I can't leave you...to find someone to help me...I've looked too long for you to leave my sight...but...if I go...you'll disappear...and I'll never find you again..." She buried her head in the crook of the unknown man's neck and weeped into his shoulder, clutching him like a long lost lover as her entire body shuddered with her sobs.

If she left now, she'd have to start her search all over again, for there were many John Does in this ward, and the majority of them looked like this man enough to make the search almost impossible, even with the bracelet.

How long had she been searching? Weeks? Months? Years? When would another viable vessel appear? How long would she be searching?

And even if she did, this woman had put a very valuable point across....how could she trust the man or woman to place the soul in the body? How would she know that the person who woke up would be her Jeffry?

After a few minutes, she pushed herself up. Her eyes were red, her face was blotchy, and she was still shaking. "I'll go..." She whispered hoarsely to Hono'o. "...I'll make s-sure things are p-proper b-before I st....sta....start again..." She stammered a little, almost losing herself before bringing it back together with a force of will that seemed almost as well worn as she was.

"I'm sorry...please don't tell anyone." She said to Hono'o blankly, before turning to go. As she did, however, her hand with the bracelet on it trailed over the man's chest, and she paused suddenly as she realised it was hovering over her heart. All the little charms on the bracelet were pointing straight to the man's still beating heart, like it was a magnet that drew souls, and she whimpered a little before turning back to Hono'o, reaching out to clasp her hand tightly in her own.

"I...I need to see his face....may I see his face, please? Just for a moment?"

The woman's face went from a mute despair to disbeleif, and then to unremitting joy. Her tears started flowing again as she suddenly grasped Hono'o's hands in her own, her whole body shuddering as she sobbed like a lost child. "I...I...I'm so...so grateful!!" She cried, squeezing and rubbing Hono'o's hands together. "You're....you're a saint....you're..."

Words could not express her relief. Her gratitude. Night after night of torturous life, of neverending darkness...and now there was a light at the end of the tunnel.

Hono'o spoke her instructions, and the woman took the paper with both hands, clutching it like a lifeline, nodding as Hono'o told her what to do, trying not to get the paper wet with her tears. "I'll....I'll do anything....I'll get the money, no matter what....and then my Jeffry..."

She held a hand to her face, trying to compose herself. With a strength common in women, she managed to force herself to stop sobbing, at least. She looked down at the body lying in the bed with a smile now - her tired eyes now gleamed with hope. "I'll make things right again." She said, the reaffirmation making the tremor in her voice almost cease. She then looked back up to Hono'o. "I wish I could repay you somehow....my name is Klara. I have nothing to my name...but if I can ever help you, I will try..."

She looked down at the badge attached to Hono'o's vest, before smiling a beaming smile to her. "...Miss Raven."

Suddenly she lunged forward and drew Hono'o into a hug, clutching her like a long-lost friend. So great was her elation, she could not help herself, it seems. As soon as it was done, it was over, and she was laughing nervously as she rearranged her clothes a little. "Well...bye." She said with a smile - before looking down to the sleeping man in the bed. She bent down till she was next to his ear and whispered softly to him "I love you Jeffry... , before standing and making her way briskly for the door, trying not to run as she did.