snowblindrpg | [network] @jwatson; text; Bite the Bullet [Night 250]

[This is an incredibly embarrassing post to have to make, especially after the one he'd put out a few days earlier. Reading through those replies makes him want to curl up and hide from the world for people seeing what he'd been like straight out of the Army. The messages to his friends are a particular humiliation. But it is what it is and he has to deal with this now. Man up, Watson.]

I'd like to apologize to everyone for my attitude and behavior the last several days. My death price has ended and my memories have returned. I can't take back the things I said to any of you, but I'm really very sorry. I was in a bit of a bad place where I was set at.

For anyone who was asking me, I'm in the Entrance area with America, England, and Ginger.

I'm also sorry to report that the cause for Clint Barton's death was the Joker. He mortally wounded Clint, but I'm pretty sure Clint was able to escape the situation along with Harley Quinn. Clint was able to mortally wound the Joker, as well. I'm not sure where the Joker is right now, but please be on your absolute guard. He is well-armed and he'll have been healed up after his revival, even if he might still have severe MN Poisoning.

Action for Team Blonde
[Prior to sending out the message, John is rummaging around the new building they'd made it to for the night. He thinks he's getting the hang of this and he's relaxed a little more around his companions since they've not attacked him suddenly or stolen from him for several consecutive days.

He opens a cabinet in the kitchen and discovers a bottle of white wine, which is surprising, but not unwelcome when everything returns to him in a flash. It's like someone turning on the lights, full power when he's been completely in dark. It hurts.

John squeezes his eyes shut as the swirl of memories pours in, mixing, jumbling, resorting into the proper order and finally stopping when everything is settled. He's clutching his head, breathing hard. One memory in particular sticks out, though, the last one he'd had before dying...]

Fuck!

[Hope the rest of the house doesn't mind swearing.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[John switches immediately to video and private.]

I remember all of you. All of you. I'm sorry, Mary. I'm so sorry. [He wants to reach through the screen to her.]

Where are you? Are you okay? Don't go after the Joker. Please.

[It's a courtesy as much as habit; Mary flips her video on in return when John's face appears on the feed. Her expression is tight, but there's relief in her eyes. She's got her hat on, the one she'd arrived wearing, pulled down to her ears--it covers the wound she'd shown him the other day.]

I'm fine. Just glad to see that you're all right. I was worried about you. Wasn't sure if you'd caught up with those three, or if you were wandering by yourself. I didn't want to call-- [There's hesitation, a pause, a moment where she's unsure of herself. She'd made things so much more difficult for him.] I was waiting for the price to be reversed. Davesprite told me that they are.

[Closing her eyes, she takes a slow breath.] I will not go after the Joker, not now. He isn't my primary concern. You are.

Yeah. They helped. They helped a lot, even when I was treating them like they might jump me any moment. [John runs a hand over his face.] I'm sorry. You never met me when I was... I wasn't so good before I met Sherlock. Bad place. You were the one who came closest to convincing me, though. Just so y'know. I was really starting to believe because of how you acted.

[He does notice the 'not now' tacked into that last promise. He'll have to give her a reason for it to be 'not ever.']

We're heading up from the entrance. I'm heading up tomorrow, at least. Need to check with the others. I can meet up with you and Sherlock. Are you heading to meet with him?

Mm. I suppose I can be convincing. [There's temptation you add that she's a wonderful actress, but that's neither here nor there. While it's true that she's able to pull a very convincing act when necessary, the hurt had been very real when they'd spoken a few days before.]

When I've a better understanding of where he is, yes. The memory loss--it's been difficult to get him to give me any idea of where he's located. His brother is no help whatsoever.

I'm at least headed in that direction. Bit slow going, but it will do.

You're also very pretty. That helps the convincing.

[It's something to lighten the mood a bit. They haven't had much chance to just be playful it seems. Everything is always dire here.]

Not having any luck with him, either, and Mycroft has the directional sense of a wet poodle, I think. Even that might be generous. [John sighs.] We're heading up, ourselves. Told one of the new lads I'd meet up to give him clothes, though, and I have a patient asking for a blood transfusion. I'll be the donor. You feeling all right to step into that, Nurse Mary?

[She smiles, tugging at her hat.] I did remind you I was good. It's important to play to one's assets.

[Mary can't help but chuckle at John's description of Mycroft and Sherlock's current directional sense, though it's primarily due to the equating of Mycroft to a wet poodle.]

If you're feeling up to it, doctor. I've no problem with the phlebotomy. Who drew your blood in clinic, after all? [She pauses, thoughtful.] The transfusions work that well, then? I'd never gotten to ask how Sherlock did as an assistant with your other patient, or how they did.

They work. Only for a week or two, though. Sherlock was fine... maybe a little too good cleaning needles in between draws. [He pulls a bit of a face at that.] The patient made a full recovery from their existing MN symptoms, but has steadily deteriorated again. It's a bandaid. I know it is, but I just.. I want people to remember that it can get better. Maybe we'll find a way to make it better permanently. I dunno how. More regular transfusions. We don't have a healthy enough population for that, though.

[There's a sigh of frustration in his voice.]

You'll think of something. [She says this with as much confidence as she can muster, because she knows he needs to hear it.] And for now, we use what we can. You're able to give scripts and transfusions, and it's better than having nothing.

[She sighs quietly.]

It would be better with a healthier population. Then again, if we had healthier patients, I don't suppose we'd need to be doing more regular treatments.

[He realizes what she's doing and does his best not to knock her down for it, just... accept that she's right.]

It'd be fine if it wasn't the bloody O-negatives gone asking for transfusions. We have something like five or six AB-positives here, and I really wouldn't be surprised if there are more. Population this size? You'd think that'd make it easier. But it's the universal donors that are having the problems, not the universal recipients.

We'll make do. It's just frustrating.

It sounds a bit crazy, but those nanomachines protect us from quite a bit of radiation. You have to wonder if they could protect from a transfusion reaction as well. It might be worth trying, if someone is willing to take the risk. [She pauses, scratching het head.] I would be.

[Allowing the concept to sit, she closes her eyes.] Tell me where you'd like to meet for that transfusion. I'll get there as soon as I can.

No. [One word that hardly ever gets paid attention to, coming from John.] I'm not willing to let you take that risk. We'll find another way.

I'm making my way north now. We should be at the hospital by tomorrow if the weather holds, and out by the next day. Could you focus on meeting up with Sherlock? I think you'll be able to reach him before I do.

I don't like the risk either, John. But I've seen some of the people suffering from this MN poisoning. If we're leaving a viable treatment option on the table because we're scared to test it, then we're making the wrong decision. [She leaves the words to hang for now.]

I'll head for Sherlock, then. We'll meet up after I've caught up with him.

I'll test it on myself before I test it on you, Mary. [There's a sort of finality to his tone that says this is one particular thing that he is going to be indescribably stubborn on.]

And I'll check in with you daily. See where we're both at. Where are you now?

[network] @jwatson; text; Bite the Bullet [Night 250]

>private; video

>private; video

>private; video

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject