[Journal] Duplex #1 - Ambrose Maurlias & Angelina Swanson

[Angelina Swanson]

Angelina looked up as Ambrose rose, pulling out her earphones as she saw he was heading to the communications panel. A frown tugged at the corner of her mouth, which turned into a look of worry as Aubrey indicated her name. She hesitantly got up and padded over. She slipped her small hand into Ambrose's paw. "Y..yes?"  

[Aubrey Lockheart]

Aubrey scratched at her bandage under her silk scarf she wore wrapped around her neck. This was always awkward to ask. "Okay, this isn't going to be easy to hear," acknowledging Angelina but mostly speaking to Ambrose since she was more familiar with him, "but Miss Swanson is long overdue for her secondary injection - " she quickly interjected "- I'm just giving you the option of coming down the labs now on your own. Do it the easy way." She frowned slightly. "You can't escape it.. its just up to you if you want to do this the easy way or the hard way."  

[Ambrose Maurlias]

Ambrose's furred hands tightened around Angelina's smooth ones, his ears flattening as memories of the things Aubrey had said in the past about cancer... side effects and other negative possible results of stopping the injection process midway through. In a few simple sentances, the woman had confirmed the anxieties that had been wracking the man's brain but was too worried to vocalize lest he tempt fate.
"Is... is that why she's been feeling ... ill?" Ambrose whispered, glancing between the two women. "She's going to be alright, thougb, right?" He interjected before she had the chance to answer.  

[Angelina Swanson]

As soon as the words were spoken, Angelina felt the color drain from her face as her heart froze up in fear. It was time.

Not knowing what to do, she just slowly sunk into the closet chair, staring off a bit unfocused as her mind raced with what she should do or say.

Ambrose's voice recalled her back to reality, and she turned her gaze to him, a pleading, fearful look in her eyes.  

[Aubrey Lockheart]

"Its possible," said Aubrey, learning forward in her chair to recall up some information on her computer. The rapid click of her nails in the keyboard could be heard, though the keyboard and monitor were out of view of the camera. "But there's no way to be sure." Her jaw suddenly clinched as her voice went bitter. "So far Mr. Reedy, who was also late in taking the secondary is doing well, physically at least."  

[Ambrose Maurlias]

"Th... that's good." Ambrose said quietly. But in reality it only opened the floodgate for myriad questions that he wasn't sure he wanted to ask in Angelina's presence. Had Jamal waited longer then Angelina? Jamal had allegedly attacked two close friends after his second injection... and was savagly tearing into his meat last he saw him - was that because of the delay in administering the serum - or was that just the bad natured ghetto upbringing coming through with any glimmer of an excuse. What was Angelina becoming?

He thought back... it had been over four months since she had arrived on the island. Ambrose had changed for the first time barely two weeks after his arrival... Were they testing this? With her?!?! "Why did you wait so long if it might be dangerous?!" He tried to keep the anger from his voice... he had learned long ago that it did no good to show his anger to the staff... especially Aubrey. But if anyone he was protective of... it was the woman who he had thought he had lost already. There was no way he was going to lose her a second time.

He looked to Angelina - never daring to make the decision for her.  

[Aubrey Lockheart]

"Believe it or not Mr. Maurlias," Aubrey said, trying to control her temper. Her luck with the islanders had put her in a very sour mood, but she rather liked Ambrose and didn't want to screw it up just yet with him - if she could help it, "we do a lot more on this facility than just shoot you guys full of serum. So far we've found no direct correlation between when the secondary injection is administered and how it effects the development. However - yes - that is one of the variables we are closely tracking."  

[Ambrose Maurlias]

He swallowed a bitter frown. With only a few dozen subjects he would imagine that the reason they were there in the first place - the transformations and thusly the injections would be a pretty high priority.

He didn't say anything critical, but his ears pressing back against his head indicated his displeasure with the reply. He wanted to scream at her 'why Angelina?!' why would they test something so dangerous on her when she had him... when they had eachother once again. He wanted to hear that she would be alright..... and he wanted to hear at least that she was becoming something that would lift the burdon from her shoulders - something furry. Something not frightening.

More questions tumbled in his mind.... but most weren't important in the face of the fate of Angelina.

"I can't make the decision of her next injection for her." He replied quietly. "I... I'm just worried about her. I don't want to see her hurt... or going through unnecessary risks." He glanced again at Aubrey - pleading in his eyes overwriting the anger.  

[Angelina Swanson]

"Will I get better?" Angelina squeaked.  

[Aubrey Lockheart]

The corner of Aubrey's mouth twicthed downwards. "Well, assuming thats the reason you're feeling ill, I would say the chances are good."  

[Angelina Swanson]

She sighed, her shoulder's shaking slightly. "Can I talk to Ambrose about it? Ya know... alone..." She sighed and shook her head, remembering the cameras. "You know what I mean."  

[Aubrey Lockheart]

"I'll be in my office for the next two hours. Buzz if you head over and I'll meet you in the lobby. Otherwise I'll see you tonight." She could seen reaching forward, then the screen went black.  

[Angelina Swanson]

Once the screen turned off, Angelina gave a soulful, pleading, and utterfly helpless/lost expression to Ambrose. A small whimpering noise escaped her throat.  

[Ambrose Maurlias]

Ambrose immediately wrapped his arms around Angelina, smoothing at her hair. "I'm..... I'm sorry, Angelina.... if there is anything I can do... I want you to be able to make the decision... and I'm right by your side. If you want to go - if they'll let me - I'll go with you. If you want to ask before they do it...." His words spilled from his mouth without pausing to check in with his mind for soundness or logic.  

[Angelina Swanson]

"I'm scared, Ambrose," she choked out, "But.. but.. I mean... I couldn't avoid it forever, you know?"