He'd dozed off again, and that was probably for the best. She needed some time to sort through her feelings about that letter from Mrs. Tonks. Marlene was still reeling, but none of it was her business. She had no business, no right to ask for explanations or to even think on it really. But think on it she did.
She remembered the first day with him, almost a fortnight ago, and how he'd joked about Queen Alexandra's funeral. She hadn't honestly believed him. It seemed to her that all posh aristocrats wanted to be as closely related to the King and Queen as possible that sometimes they'd go to extreme lengths to infer that they were closer than the reality. But, Sirius, Sirius was not just closely related to the British Crown, he was closely related to some very prominent Nazi families.
It was just that, well… he didn't seem that way to her. Arrogant of course; annoying certainly; drove her mad regularly; but he didn't come off as someone who believed that anyone was less than him based on their color or creed. He didn't strike her as a world domination fan.
Sirius couldn't be a Nazi.
But that resolve only seemed to throw her mind into another spiral. What had happened that he didn't choose the same path all but three members of his family had chosen. And apparently, only two of them were left now. Who was Uncle Alfie? Had he passed of old age? And how did the Captain Potter fit into this? Sirius called him his brother, but obviously that wasn't accurate as far as bloodline was concerned.
Marlene noticed clock and sighed, he was finally sleeping but it was time for his quinine. She hated to wake him, but Doctor Dodge had been strict in his orders. He wouldn't allow typhoid fever to start spreading through Southampton. Marlene and Arabella wore elbow length rubber gloves, rubber aprons, masks over their faces, and disinfected everything, including their hands before they left the ward. Doctor Dodge also wanted symptoms kept in check as much as possible, and that meant prompt doses of his medication.
"Captain, I have your quinine. She shook his shoulder and he groaned. Marlene hated how his face grimaced in pain. Seeing any patient suffer was one of the worst parts of being a nurse, but seeing someone recover, well that was what made it worthwhile.
"Here," she picked up his glass with her gloved hands. "Just sit up long enough to swallow this and you can sleep again."
She brought her hand to the back of his neck and pushed.
"You're a rightly awful person you know that?" He pushed up on his elbows but opened his mouth when she pressed the pill to his lips, followed by the glass of water.
"So you've told me," Marlene smiled. She thought to say more, but as his head hit the pillow he was out again.
She stood there watching him sleep for several moments. His hair had twisted and knotted a bit with it's new length and for some reason Marlene had to fight the urge to straighten it.
"Sleep well, Sirius," she whispered, barely audible to her own ears.
But then panic suck into the bottom of her stomach. She'd just called an officer patient, a very annoying and rude officer patient at that, by his first name. She spun around and looked at the time. It was only two. She couldn't wait that long. She needed Mary. Mary would set her straight, Mary would explain it all to her. She needed Mary.
Marlene walked to the tub of disinfectant and began the process. Arabella looked up confused.
"Is there something you need Sister? I'd be happy to fetch it."
"Oh no dear, I just wanted to discuss the possibility of adding something a bit more substantial to Captain Black's meals next week with Doctor Dodge. He seems to be taking to the broth well enough." Marlene avoided Arabella's eyes, focusing on the disinfectant her hands were in.
"Good thinking Sister Marlene, Mother always talks about the importance of eating well. And I know that when the cats fall ill the sooner they can handle solid food the sooner they recover." Her voice was normal, but the part of Marlene that was freaking out swore the woman could read her mind.
Marlene chuckled, more so to quiet the part of her that wanted to defend herself to Arabella, and smiled warmly, boldly maybe, at the maid she'd slowly grown fond of.
"I'll only be a moment." She dried her hands and walked quickly out the door.
Marlene stuck her head in the rooms of Mary's ward, finally finding her in the third room. She cleared her throat and Mary looked up startled. Marlene stepped into the corridor and Mary followed.
"To what do I owe the pleasure, Sister?" Mary looked around the corridor as they stepped away from the door.
"Mary, I'm going insane," Marlene whispered, trying to keep the panic from her voice.
Mary sighed, "I'm not switching with you again, Marls."
"No!" Marlene pressed her palm to her forehead. "Mary, I just, something changed and I can't handle this!"
Mary reached a hand out and pulled Marlene's hand from her face.
"Hey," she soothed, "what happened?"
Marlene sighed, "I guess, I read him a letter from Mrs. Tonks, a reply to the letter you wrote with him, and it, I just, Mary he isn't who I thought he was. I mean he is, but, there's so much more to him than being an arse, and …" Marlene went silent and pressed her palm back into her forehead.
Mary observed her for a moment before a small smile touched her lips, "And you haven't felt this way since Fabian Prewett?"
Marlene's heart stopped.
"I know you will never admit that he hurt you, and that's fine, I don't expect you to." Mary continued. "But does that bit of information help you understand what's going on?"
"I need to ask to be reassigned," Marlene started towards her Matron's office.
Mary grabbed her arm and spun her around. "You will do no such thing, Sister!" She whispered fiercely. "If the Matron thinks she can't trust you to be professional you can kiss your position goodbye."
Marlene took a deep breath. Mary was right, she always was.
"So what do I do, Mary?" Marlene hated feeling trapped, it was her greatest fear, being trapped, and she suddenly felt like she'd been pinned between two brick walls.
Mary wrapped her in a hug and Marlene clung to her. "You're going to breathe, you're going to be professional, and you're going to go back to the Quarantine Ward and you're going to care for Captain Black as if he were any other patient. He'll be gone in a few weeks and you'll be able to move to a new Ward and be done with it all."
Marlene sighed, "You're right, of course. Alright, I can do this, back straight and head high right?" Marlene straightened and pushed her shoulders back holding her chin high.
"You can do this, Sister," Mary nodded pulling herself into the same position.
"Right," Marlene took a deep breath. "I need to find Doctor Dodge. I'll see you after our shift, love, and thank you."
Mary smiled at her, "Always the sunshine." She winked before heading back into her room and Marlene turned on her heels towards the Doctors' offices.
