X = Squirrels
Author's notes: I wrote this in a total of two hours… Edit it it in another two and here we go. Killing one promp at a time it's time for squirrels, mainly because I don't like squirrels and secondly because I dig a drugged Balthazar. He is hot, in a cute kind of way… I hope somebody out there understands… *sigh* anyway, enjoy and remember to review!
They've been playing clone-making-scientist when it happened.
The worse part was calling Veronica to let her know Balthazar was at the hospital. With no knowledge or skills to try healing spells Dave though best to drive the older man to the emergency room, and although Balthazar did grumble the whole way ("it's only a twisted ankle") the way he was trying not to move his foot meant it was either badly twisted or broken. The nurses had taken Balthazar to X-Ray his leg, eyeing the man as a literal piece of meat (David hated to admit it but his Master was hot), where it would take but a moment, and while they did so Dave called the woman, let her know Becky was going to pick her up, and then hung up. He wasn't sure he could deal with a crying Veronica, but really it wasn't like Balthazar was dying, right?
"Dave?" Asked Veronica, appearing out of nowhere in one of her new dresses, wearing a sweater and pointy boots. She hurried to the boy, and hugged him. "Where is he?"
"How did you get here?"
"I'm a sorcerer too, remember?" She looked around, and Dave pulled her to sit on the waiting room. "What happened?"
Now here was a quandary; should he tell her the truth, or should he lie? Well seeing how he was a terribly liar he should just give her the truth.. But what if she laughed? "Well we…" His cell phone rang, to his salvation, and he quickly excused himself to answer Becky's call. He would rather take on an angry Becky than an annoyed Veronica any day. As he left the room, a doctor appeared and looked around.
"Balthazar Blake?" He said, turning back to the file to check the paperwork, as Veronica quickly got on her feet and neared the man. He eyed her with a raised eyebrow, and smiled. Veronica knew he found her beautiful and smiled sweetly at him to try and get as much information, or to get to see Balthazar, as soon as possible. "And you are?"
"Veronica Blake, his wife."
"Well, Mrs. Blake, your husband suffered a rather nasty fall and has a broken ankle. I would say that rest is in order, although he refuses and operation we've given him a prescription for the pain. You should be able to see him now. Would you like me to take you to him?"
"Please." And they walked deeper into the Emergency Room, leaving a confused Dave wondering where Veronica had gone to.
There was a nurse helping Balthazar with a bag of ice around his ankle, and rubbing suggestively close to his upper leg when the doctor and Veronica entered the room. The man was too far gone in pain killers to notice and when Veronica eyed the situation (inwardly remembering her vow not to hurt non-magic users), the doctor cleared his throat. "Nurse Stevens."
"Doctor." And the nurse straightened and left the room. Balthazar's eyes opened and turned to look in all their blue hazy glory at Veronica. A full blown smile broke his face.
"Veronica."
"Are you alright, Balthazar?" Asked the worried sorcerer, nearing her husband to cup his face and kiss his forehead. His hand, lazily lifted to cup her elbow and a little chuckle left him.
"They gave me something. I can't clear my mind." Veronica smiled, nervously, and turned to the doctor, who just nodded and left the room.
"What happened to you?"
"I'm in a hospital." He said, turning away, and looking at the far wall. "I hurt."
"Where do you hurt?"
"Everywhere. Mainly my ankle, but I hurt everywhere. Did you see the squirrel?"
"What squirrel?"
"The one on David's head." And he was dozing off again. Veronica frowned, caressing her husband's hair as he rested. The doctor returned a while later, to inform her that the x-rays revealed that although it was a nasty broken bone Balthazar wouldn't need to be operated, and that a young man was asking for her. As Balthazar's ankle was wrapped securely with linens (by a male nurse now), Veronica waited for Dave to arrive at the small room. The nurse gave Veronica some pointers (keep the leg up, ice, rest, no weight on the foot), and the doctor gave Balthazar the release from the hospital (actually he gave it to Veronica, Balthazar was too drugged still).
"David?" Asked Veronica, arching and eyebrow, arms crossed over her chest and looking positively annoyed. "What happened to Balthazar?" The apprentice cringed, eyes widening as he turned to try and find an escape route, but found none. So he stuck his hands into his pockets, and Veronica shifted her weight from one leg to the other. "I'm waiting."
David hated to admit it but Veronica looked like an angry mother about to scold her child. And he didn't mind really, if anyone could scold him, beyond Balthazar and his mother, was Veronica. "Well, Veronica, you see…"
Four weeks after Morgana's defeat Balthazar was moving quickly through the Encantus and when a free moment catch them (so they could catch their breath) David asked how he could multiply things, in any case he needed to multiply himself to study and practice. It was meant as a joke but Balthazar knew it was only meant to hide the truth. Several warning were given; never multiply yourself, just think what would happen if one of you wouldn't want to return, only inanimate objects or animals, and so on and so forth. David got giddy, because it meant Balthazar would teach him the Multiply Spell, and was a little crest fallen when Balthazar send him off to find something to multiply.
"Why not a cockroach?"
"Because they are disgusting and I don't think this city needs more cockroaches, or rats!" He called out to David who was going up the stairs and out of the building. It took him an hour to return, what wasn't that bad considering all the trouble he had, and when he appeared before Balthazar with a frozen squirrel in a net bag the older sorcerer just shook his head.
The drill started as usual; get in the circle, clear your mind, focus your energy ("For the love of Merlin, Dave! Would you stop fidgeting!") and then will the squirrel to become two, and then three, and when it came easy to David he was aware of having fifteen frozen squirrels lined up before them.
"Awesome, right?" And then all hell broke loose.
The squirrel's spell broke and the fifteen critters started to run about, either afraid or angry for been multiplied, and attacking them both. Balthazar tried to stop the infestation from spreading by teaching David the reverse spell, but Dave was too busy trying to get a particularly nasty copy off his hair, while another one was entering the neck of his shirt. Balthazar himself wasn't having any fun; several violent critters had crawled up the railing of the stairs and jumped him one biting onto his pointy shoes, while another was scratching his bare arms.
The Tesla coils came alive, with some intensified plasma bolts that shot and killed several of the copies, while Tank took hold of one of the copies and stamped over it. David got the one off his hair and looked up…
To see Balthazar falling down the stairs in a rather painful roll. The loud crack of thunder was the next thing Dave knew and the critters were gone, only its original was on the floor now, little steams lines escaping the burned hair. David ignored the animal and hurried to the groaning man. "Man, oh man, Balthazar? Are you alright?"
"No more multiplication spells for you." Hissed the man as he turned to groan against the railing.
The male nurse was loading Balthazar into the wheelchair when David finished his story. They were whispering to each other, while the hospital staff worked, and Veronica just leaned back on her chair a little surprised with the story. Dave stared at her, worried for a second…
Veronica burst out laughing. David frowned, as the woman's laughter filled the room with melodic eloquence. Her hand to her chest, her eyes closed and hair moving as she continued to laugh, Veronica made David smile, although a little frown adorned his face. "Oh Dave, Multiplication spell are difficult, and I've heard of mishaps but it's the first time I've heard of this sort of thing." And she continued laughing.
"You aren't mad at me?"
"Why would I be? It's normal for these sorts of things to happen. Be not afraid of whatever happens between you and Balthazar in practice time, even if one of your ends up in the hospital." She calmed down, and got up, gathering her things. The nurse was waiting for them to lead the way. "When we get home," She whispered as they walked to the car. "I'll help the leg heal a bit. You can watch and learn if you want."
"Sure, sure." They exit the hospital, followed by the nurse and a dozing Balthazar, and found Balthazar's car waiting there. Veronica caressed the surface of the vehicle before opening the door. "Good girl." She whispered and signaled at the nurse to load Balthazar into the car. The man, although a bit reluctant at first, was charmed (in more ways than one) by Veronica to do so. Dave got on the driver's seat, and Veronica cradled Balthazar's head on her lap. "Let's go home, child." And, like Elvis, they left the building.
Set in his bed, covered and with his leg up, Balthazar continued to sleep oblivious of his apprentice having taken a Healings Art lesson from his wife. Veronica kept the door open and led David to the kitchen where she offered some tea.
"Do you have Tequila? I think I need a shot."
"Tea will be better for you." And she had him sit down with some bread and cheese, while she prepared her world famous tea. It was late, but for an evening like the one they shared… Well they had skipped dinner and were hungry. Dave ate some bread, sticking the cheese cubes in between the white soft center, and warmed it up so it would melt. It was a good thing he mastered fire, he could cook things quickly. Veronica fetched two cups, honey and the spoons flew from the drawer to the table. "When I'm anxious I drink this and calm much faster. Chamomile and lavender have that effect, you know? They sooth the body and soul." And she set before him a sweet smelling cup of warm tea. David had never had a liking for these sort of drinks, but he was willing to give it a try.
Specially because it smelled like coming home.
"I wasn't angry at you, Dave. Just scared."
Dave sipped his tea, nodding, and discovered what Balthazar had mentioned a few weeks back to be truth; Veronica had a wicked hand to cook even the little things. The tea was delicious. "I was scared myself."
"Yes, but you haven't seen the hospitals I've been to." She said, proceeding to sip her cup. "Before locking Morgana, I saw the hospitals in England and France. They would have cut off Balthazar's leg if they had seen it. I was thinking on how to put the two together as I transported to the hospital."
"It was only a broken ankle."
"Back then we didn't know that, David. " And she sipped her cup, smiling. "But its good now, I won't have to put his leg back together, and he'll sleep till tomorrow. Then I'll finish healing him and it would be as if nothing had happened." Dave nodded and smiled. It was rare he met someone with the understanding, of both the arts and life that he found in Balthazar. It was also rare for someone not to think him ridiculous or nerdy… Or plain weir. Veronica had similar qualities to Balthazar, but mixed in was the sweetness and kindness of a mother. It wasn't hard to see why Balthazar had fallen for her, or how he continued to try and keep her safe; she was such a lovely being.
"Thanks."
"It's only tea."
"No, for understanding the whole… thing. I thought you would make fun of me, when I told you the squirrel story." She let out a laugh.
"Between us," She said leaning towards Dave. "I'll be teasing Balthazar to no end."
That got Dave to laugh too.