[IC] Just Passing Through

[LadyDove09]

"Glad you're home now what food did you get?" She laughed and rolled her eyes. "Ahhh I see how it is, it's not my smiling face you enjoy, but the food I bring to the table." She teased as she glanced at her watch. "Chinese should be here soon. I ordered it while I was on my way over here."

She sat down and leaned back in the chair. "You can always tell the doctors to fuck off. Or... there is another option" She said getting comfortable. Today, she had dressed even more casually than the night before, but she figured she was going to be spending a good portion of her night sleeping in the chair tonight, and wanted to be comfortable. She had settled on a pair of black leggings and an over sized H.F.D. t-shirt.

"You can always sign out A.M.A. Against medical advice" She explained. "Basically it means you promise you, or anyone who knows you can't sue if you go home and die in your own bed. Although I would figure that they should probably let you out tomorrow. They only wanted to observe for head injuries right?"

She turned her head as the door opened and a different nurse from the one last night showed the Chinese delivery guy in. She hopped up out of her chair to handle the transaction. Once he was tipped and sent on his way she turned back to James. "Dinner is served"

[Xion Demente]

James's laughter filled the room, "your face and the food you really know how to bribe a man Sam." Joking around though he did have a light headache just nothing serious. Nodding as she said that Chinese food would be here at any moment.

Shrugging at that, "I'll be happy to get back to my small apartment, but the stairs to get to my door will be a pain in the ass." Looking over the clothing she was wearing his brows scrunched together. "You planning to sleep here tonight?" Though when she started saying about signing out like that. He shook his head in response "I'll be going home tomorrow just getting upstairs is gonna be hard."

He did not on the whole head injury thing. "They want to make sure I didn't hurt my head. Though they gave me a light headache from all their questions." Sighing before he remembered. "Oh also I finished off all the movies helps when you can't go anywhere without help."

Watching as a delivery guy came in and she paid and tipped him. Just before she came back over. "Yay food finally no garbage literally I almost gagged from the smell of the hospital food today."

[LadyDove09]

She thought about the problem of him getting upstairs and chewed her lip. "ok, totally weird offer, but I have a ground floor apartment. You are welcome to crash there for a while." She said with a small shrug. Their entire friendship was strange, so this seemed to fit in. "I mean it's not huge, and the cat might try to smother you in your sleep, but it's not too bad."

She shrugged when he asked if she was planning on sleeping at the hospital. "I did until about 3 this morning last night, so I figured better safe than sorry." She said reaching for his hand. "Did you want me to run out and grab some new movies after we eat? There is no telling when they will release you tomorrow so you might need something to do."

She handled the delivery and returned to her chair next to his bed. "I have no idea what you like and don't so I ordered a little of everything. Chicken, Pork, beef, veggies, rice It's all here. Oh and I don't know about you, but I can't use chopsticks to save my life, so I had them send forks too." She started pulling out the cartons. "Just let me know what you are in the mood for." She handed him a plastic fork, and paper wrapped chop sticks.

When they had both been served she settled back in the chair folding her legs underneath her so she was sitting cross legged. "So aside from the doctors driving you crazy, how was your day?"

[Xion Demente]

James eyes widened in surprise a bit. No one had offered him such a thing we'll he had been pushing people away from him he thought about it. "Alright I'll take you up on your offer." He laughed at the thing with the cat. "Of the cats not careful I might think it's a stuffed animal."

He laughed at that slughtly. Before a sigh escaped his lips blinking at that she had spent the night at the hospital sleeping. "If you want to grab me a few movies for me I don't really care since its hard for me to get around anyway."

Looking at the food before going for the beef. Taking the fork, "you know you honestly didn't have to do this for me." Which was true even if he got a visitor he didn't usually get any food out of the person more like he didn't open up to people.

His fingers curling around the fork tightly at that thought to where his knuckles turned white as he swallowed. He took a deep breath trying to calm his nerves somewhat though it didn't seem like it was working. "Have you ever had the moment where you thought you were the only one on this earth with how alone you felt?"

His appetite seemed to vanish, at the thought and memories that went through his head. His grip seemed to loosen on his fork. Letting out a breath as he stared at his lap. He was broken out of his thoughts when she asked him how he was doing. "I'm as good as I can be today."

[LadyDove09]

She just laughed and shook her head as he talked about mistaking her cat for a stuffed animal, Lucky was a strange cat. She had found the poor orange tabby when he was just a few weeks old. He had been living under a neighbors broken down vehicle. She managed to catch him and he had been her constant companion for almost four years now.

He mentioned picking up a few movies and she nodded reaching to gather the movies he had already watched. "After we eat I will run across the street and pick up some new ones. Just let me know what you would like to watch."

She handed him the carton with the beef, and opened the chicken for herself. "you know you honestly didn't have to do this for me." She glanced up at him and shrugged as he spoke. "I wanted to though, besides this kills two birds with one stone. You get to eat real food, and I for once don't have to eat alone." She said with a little smile picking at the chicken. It wasn't the greatest chinese food in Houston, but it was at least edible.

She ate in silence for a few minutes until he asked. "Have you ever had the moment where you thought you were the only one on this earth with how alone you felt?" She looked up in surprise, her eyes widening. She was quick to swallow her food and she reached out to grab his wrist.

"Believe it or not, yes. Everyone feels that way at one time or another." She lets go of his wrist, but doesn't drop the subject. "It gets easier, but sometimes you have to work for it. Make a few friends. It doesn't always help, but it sure as hell makes it easier sometimes."

She watched him put down his fork, showing no signs of wanting to eat. She could hear the sadness in his voice as he said. "I'm as good as I can be today." She sighed softly.

"Talk to me James. There is obviously something wrong. You can tell me what it is." She said setting aside her own meal and scooting the chair closer to the bed. "I know you don't know me well, but you can trust me."

[Xion Demente]

He let out a breath, thinking on what his words to be next would be. Before he finally picked up his fork to start and eat. It looked like he was more distracted by his thoughts than he was eating the food which was probably a good thing. Memories of the past kept surfacing in his head. His brother and sister, older of the two had to watch them die while he didn't.

Broken out of his thoughts before they could go any further he looked to Sam. James didn't know if he could trust her with this weight he had no way of knowing. If the doctors knew they would try to take him apart to figure out how to make people immortal like him. Immortality wasn't a fun thing to have when watching everyone you know die around you while you can't.

When she grabbed his wrist he looked up at her, surprised somewhat at her actions though he nodded at her words. "I guess everyone feels that way sometimes." When she told him it gets easier he swallowed. not when your immortal. Shaking that thought from his head, that was because he wasn't letting people in.

Blinking his gaze went back to his lap, "just thinking about my brother and sister that I had lost in the fire. They were only maybe a few years younger than me I can't remember its just been so long." He knew he could trust her, and that he had wanted to tell her, but he couldn't not yet anyway.

A sigh escaped his lips as he tried to push down the hundred years of memories. Scratching his good leg before setting down his meal as he thought on both his siblings he hadn't done that in years.

[LadyDove09]

Her heart broke for him. She wished she could say something, anything to make it better. This was one time when there really was no right answer, she had to just sit silently and watch him be absorbed by his memories. They ate in silence as she kept sneaking glances at him. She had no idea what she was looking for, she just needed to reassure herself that he was still there.

She didn't eat much, her concern for him overriding her hunger. She pushed her food away and looked at him. "Do you want to talk about them? Sometimes it helps to remember the good things, and not just the way they died." She said quietly. She rose from her chair, and moved to sit on the edge of the bed putting herself closer to him.

"We don't have to talk about your family, but it sometimes helps." She said quietly her hand resting on his uninjured knee. "Just let me know if there is anything you need. ok?" Her eyes searched his face, looking for something, some clue to tell her what to say or do. She couldn't determine if he needed to talk, or to forget.

She herself was no stranger to loss, certainly the loss of friends, and even grandparents was not nearly on the level of watching your family die, but she did know loss. She wanted to tell him about her friends, good men who were lost in a large apartment fire a few years ago. The fire itself was not an accident. There had been a local slum lord who needed to eliminate a particularly pesky property. When the roof collapsed, several fire fighters were caught inside. She had not trained as a firefighter, she could do nothing but wait until one by one they were brought out. She and Marc tried desperately to do what they could, only one man made it as far as the hospital.

[Xion Demente]

Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. Trying to calm himself down enough to where he didn't break down in front of her. Blue eyes showed sadness he sniffles slightly trying his hardest not to break down with the faces of his brother and sister flashing through his mind.

Looking up from his lap, pain and sadness in his eyes as he looked at her. He sighed some, blinking away the tears that had formed in his eyes. "I remember the first time I went out hunting with the both of them. My brother had gotten his first kill and he was stoked." He smiled sadly at the memory. He sniffled again letting out a shaky breath.

Wiping his eyes, but nodding at her words. "Thanks Sam" he was trying his hardest to get a hold of himself. His hand was shaking badly as he tried to hold back the tears that threatened to spill. "Though I am the oldest out of all of them I don't really know what they would say to me. They really never got the chance to live their life to the fullest."

Though he couldn't hold it back he finally broke down sobs tore through his body. His good hand covering his face as sobs tore through him it had been awhile since he had broken down and in front of someone too.

[LadyDove09]

Shit! She thought to herself. I broke him. She jumped off the edge of the bed and hurried closer. She was terrified to hurt him, but she gently wrapped her arms around him drawing him to her shoulder. "Shhhh, it's ok. Let it all out." She wanted to rub his back, but his ribs were going to be paining him enough with the crying, she certainly didn't need to touch them. She kissed the top of his head holding him as he cried. "It is all going to be ok."

She mentally debated with herself on calling the nurse. She had to find a way to calm him before he caused himself serious pain. She smoothed his hair and just held him as gently as possible. "I am here hon. It is going to be ok." No wonder the Doctors were taking an interest in him. He was likely depressed. She should have seen the signs, the isolation, the lack of friends and family. Looking back she could clearly see it, she couldn't help beating herself up a little, she should have seen this before.

"James. I need you to take a deep breath for me, as much as you can. Slowly in through your nose and out through your mouth." She spoke softly. "I need you to calm down as best you can, so listen to my voice ok? We're going to do this together." She began to slowly count for each breath doing her best to keep him focused on his breathing. It wasn't going to be easy to breathe deeply with his ribs, so she shortened the count to five rather than the normal ten.

[Xion Demente]

Listening to her voice, as she pulled him to her shoulder. Burying his head into it the throbbing in his chest reminded him of his broken ribs. Though following her instruction he took deep breaths letting them out through his mouth.

It was a slow process, since it had been years since he was like this. He took shuddering breaths, once he had calmed down enough. He didn't even know his hand had gripped her shirt till he let go. He swallowed some finally calming down enough from the break down. Wiping whatever tears were left off his face.

He let out a deep shuddering breath pushing down the memories of his brother and sister to the back of his mind. The throbbing in his chest was back, the break down didn't help for his ribs. "I....I didn't mean to break down like that." His voice was unsure, though he didn't pull away from her.

[LadyDove09]

"It's ok. We all have a breaking point. You just reached yours." She said still holding him. "It is part of what makes us human." She kissed the top of his head again before letting him go.

She reached for his hand running her thumb over his knuckles. "You're going to be ok. I know right now it seems like this never gets better, but it does. You have to allow yourself to process, to grieve. If you ignore it, it doesn't get better it gets worse." She said as she sat back down in her chair still holding his hand. She knew he hadn't allowed himself to grieve his losses. If he had, talking about it would have brought sadness, and maybe a few quiet tears, but not this kind of break down.

She slowly pulled her hand away from his and picked up his abandoned dinner, handing it to him. "Eat." She said firmly. "There will be time to talk after you eat."

She waited for him to take the food she held out with one hand while she reached for the call button with the other. She pressed the button to call the nurse. He needed another dose of pain medication. She sat with him her attention unwavering until the nurse came through the door. She turned to face her letting her know to bring another dose.

She waited until the nurse brought his medication and left before talking again. "Have you ever really talked about what happened with anyone?" she wanted to know.

[Xion Demente]

Hearing her words he nodded some, looking down at where she held his hand before she held out his abandoned dinner. Taking it, though he didn't have an appetite for it he knew it would make her happy to at least see him eat a bit. With that he ate. Not really paying attention to the taste.

Watching Sam get up to grab his meds. He sighed some scratching his cheek before returning to his food. Before she asked him a question he blinked slightly. "Not really no," it was a flat straight to the point answer. Finishing off what was left from his dinner.

Looking at his lap, "I just didn't have anyone I could talk to Sam and I won't go to a therapist to talk no." He took a deep breath good ribs were aching from the crying. "Just haven't found anyone I could trust to talk to really."

[LadyDove09]

She handed him his meds with a glass of water. "Nothing wrong with a therapist." She said as she adjusted the pillows behind him, trying to make him more comfortable. "I've gone a time or two myself. It can be helpful." It was helpful, she at first had to be ordered to go after the fire that had cost many of her friends her life. She had fought against the entire process thinking she could handle it on her own, but soon the panic attacks started, the mere scent of a neighbor's grill would send her into a panic. She couldn't do her job, she stopped eating, couldn't focus.

"You need to talk to someone. You can't hold it all in. Trust me." She finished arranging the bed and flopped down in the chair with a sigh. She gazed off into the distance wondering if she should share her story. "So umm about 3 years ago there was a huge fire. I don't know if you remember, but an entire apartment complex went up in flames. It wasn't a slow growing fire, that could have been dealt with. This was a massive conflagration. The whole thing was engulfed almost immediately." She said her eyes traveling to stare out the window. She wasn't actually seeing anything other than flames. She decided to tell him. He needed to know he wasn't the only one.

"I never bothered to train as a firefighter. I enjoyed being an EMT, I had never felt the need to run INTO a burning building. Marc and I could do nothing but wait outside. We were busy of course, basic things, minor bandaging, some oxygen here and there. It was a mass casualty situation, we weren't transporting anyone but the most serious of cases." She sighed softly shaking her head a little to try to clear the flames from her vision.

"The building wasn't in exactly the best shape before the fire. I remember I was wrapping a sprained ankle on a teenage kid when I heard this horrible roar. I turned in time to see flames growing, and then a large portion of the building collapsed. Five of our guys were trapped." She stopped talking and turned to look at him her eyes meeting his.

"It stays with you, but you need to realize that it never gets easier unless you talk about it." She made sure to maintain eye contact. Yes there was sadness in her gaze, grief she would carry for the rest of her days, but there wasn't the haunted look one would expect to see. She still grieved, and would forever, but the loss did not haunt her every step.

[Xion Demente]

Listening to the story, he had heard it over the news. Taking a deep breath he swallowed wondering if he should tell her. Finally he chose just to tell her outright no more secrets she was a person he could trust a friend. Taking a deep breath gathering his nerves.

Before he started, "I haven't been truthful with you fully yes there was a fire, but it was way out of this time." He swallowed whatever nerves that were starting to rise. "Sam I know this will sound crazy, but the myth about a man that was cursed by the gods to be immortal is true." He stopped for a second gathering his thoughts.

"Your looking at that man just please don't tell anyone. I've been drifting from city to city never staying long I've been watching loved ones grow old and die while I can't age." He sighed, "before you say I'm crazy I'm not why would I lie to you." Swallowing slightly he continued, "thats the reason I don't get close to people Sam I'm scared that'll be another family thing watching the people I get close to age while I can't and finally die."

He quieted after that finally staring at his lap. "I know I lied to you before, but I am still trying to make up stories to make sure I fit in this time. When I should have died a hundred and forty five years ago."

[LadyDove09]

She stiffened her body tense. She was listening to this and couldn't help but think that it was the craziest thing she had ever heard. No wonder he didn't want to see a therapist, he would be locked up! She pulled her legs to her chest and wrapped her arms around them listening to what to her sounded like the rantings of a lunatic.

" I see" She said slowly. "So ummm I am afraid I don't understand. You are telling me you are around 150 years old, and that you don't age." She exhaled loudly blowing her breath out with a WOOSH. She's pretty sure she doesn't believe a damn word he is saying, but she is willing to hear the entire story.

She leaned forward resting her chin on her knees watching him carefully. She did her best to try to keep the suspicion from her voice, but she wasn't sure she was able to. She was tempted to run, oh was she ever tempted to run, but for some reason unknown to her she stayed. She sat there rooted to her chair, unable to get up and leave.

"I have no idea what to say here James, I don't really understand what is happening."

[Xion Demente]

Rubbing his face in frustration, "damn it!" He knew he should have kept it to himself. His hand now in a fist as he gazed at his lap. "You don't believe me and I should have suspected that." His voice flat steely trying to keep himself safe from hurt once more. His nails digging into his palm.

"I'll find a way up to my apartment it'll be no big deal." He let out a breath, now he would keep to himself going back to his old ways, staying quiet his gaze going from Sam to his lap. He had told her his biggest secret and she didn't believe him like so many others he had told in his long life they didn't believe him either.

Letting out a breath, he took the meds before resting into his pillows. He got as comfortable as he could on his back. Staring at the ceiling, taking as deep a breath as he could with his ribs. He shut himself in again going back to his old habits. James knew it was hard to believe, he would probably not believe himself either, but with his life barely anything wasn't hard to believe anymore.

[LadyDove09]

She jumped out of her chair and stalked to the door shutting it firmly. She didn't quite slam it, but it was close. "Don't get pissed off at me James Perez!" She shouted. "You dump a giant piece of information in my lap, well parts of it anyway and give me less than 30 seconds to either accept it or walk away?" She demanded.

She stalked back to the side of the bed and leaned over to make sure he could see her. "I am beginning to suspect you LIKE being a miserable bastard." She said, the harshness gone from her voice. "You're looking for any excuse to run, hell you didn't even give me a chance to walk away, you just fucking went ahead and did it."

She pushed away from the bed and began pacing, irritation evident in her every movement. "Here's a hint James, when someone says 'I don't understand' it generally means they DON'T FUCKING UNDER-GOD DAMN-STAND!" Her arms were waving as she yelled. Suddenly she stopped looked skyward and sighed muttering "Give me strength, for all that is holy, give me the patience not to strangle him."

"No, I am not going to do this. I am not going to yell." She takes a deep breath and walks over to the chair and sits down again crossing her arms over her chest. "I am just going to fucking sit right here until I get an explanation."

She nodded her head and muttered to herself "Tell me how I'M going to think, react, or feel. Damn man has another god damned thing coming to him if he thinks he can just drop a bomb like that then throw a pity party when I don't jump for freaking joy over having my second date with the world's oldest man."

[Xion Demente]

He flinched at the yelling though he listened. To it before pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Alright I'm sorry ok damn its been a long time since I've been yelled at like that." He shifted on the pillows again, before sighing at that.

"Alright I guess I needed to get yelled at to get through this thick skill of mine, but it is hard to understand I would probably not believe myself if it weren't true." He looked to her, blinking at the bastard part. "Guess I am a bastard for doing that don't know how big, but I think I am a bastard."

Sighing slightly James looked at her, "if you want the truth here it is I'm a coward been one ever since I've watched my family and friends die while I don't age. I don't get close to anyone because it scares the hell out of me to watch them die while I can't I know I've tried." Letting a breath escape his lips. "I'm a bastard and a coward, I already know this Sam I run to make sure I don't watch people die."

His fist clenched, "ok ok you don't understand. Many people wouldn't I guess then I'm mostly a coward." He shut up his rambling taking a deep breath. Rubbing his jaw as he stared at the wall. Though he grinned at the strangling. "I know I can drive people to the edge believe me I know."

He sighed, "just give me a few to gather my thoughts here since this is a lot of info you want to know."

[LadyDove09]

She glared at him her arms still crossed over her chest. "Perez Pity Party of one" She said grumpily. "You are not a coward, but you sir ARE an idiot." She sighed and shook her head. "I understand why you avoid people. That's not where my confusion is." She shifted in her chair crossing her legs again.

"Ok, you're cursed. Happens to the best of people." Oh she was being sarcastic she was irritated. "Why were you cursed, when did it happen, what were you doing, who cursed you."

She reached out and grabbed a carton of the abandoned Chinese food, and opened it. She hated pork, but that was what she was shoveling in her mouth right now. "You want me to believe you, then tell me the whole story." She said around a mouth full of food. "I mean I kind of get it. If you were being a pain in the ass, kinda like now... I totally get cursing you. I mean maybe not immortality, but totally would have made sure your bacon always burned."

She shifted so that her legs hung over the arm of the chair and she kicked them back and forth as she ate her dinner. "Seems to me if the whole curse was supposed to be a punishment, there is probably a lesson Right? I mean hell if I get written up at work, it is because I screwed the fuck up. and need a reminder never do that again." She said

"So spill. Tell me, were you living a life of crime? A cold hearted bastard who would rather count money while you watched orphans freeze to death in the streets." She had finally calmed down enough to realize she was eating the Mu Shu Pork and made a face setting the carton down while she reached for the veggie fried rice instead.

[Xion Demente]

James sighed, some gathering his thoughts. "Alright alright I was a soldier back then. Didn't follow orders everyone I went out almost got my squad killed the Greek God of war wasn't happy with me not at all. I didn't know the meaning of having people close to me."

He sighed some tasking a deep breath. "I may have pissed off some gods I didn't know the meaning of cherishing other peoples lives. Zues is trying to make a point something I have yet to figure out still. The Greek gods exist its a lot to take in I know. Anyway I've changed ever since that time still I don't know what lesson they want to teach me."

He curled his fingers into a fist, "gods want to be vague with me, but anyway still don't know the lesson their trying to teach me and I'm sorry for over reacting. People would believe I was a lunitic for telling them this."