Chapter 20:

Sitting down Lightning just sighed gently as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She knew that the silence was going to be broken any minute by Vanille being... well herself. Something that normally Lightning didn't mind. She actually enjoyed it at points. Just with everything happening she was starting to feel a slight strain on her own well being.

"I'm surprised you are being so well behaved..." Lightning said to the voice as she could just hear the soft steps of slippers knowing that it was only going to be a patient and there was only one patient that ever really dared to enter her room like the person on the other end was clearly contemplating.

'Because there is nothing for me to say really. You know I'm right. You can't push these people away. Strangely enough they care deeply about you. Just like Serah... unlike Serah they can't see as effectively through your bullshit. With the exception of Vanille.'

Smacking her head against the wall, Lightning groaned as she could feel a hand being placed behind her head causing her eyes to simply snap open and stare at the offending person whom she just groaned as she could see the same worried emerald eyes.

"I think you hit your head too hard when I wasn't here..." Vanille said as she began to force Lightning to lower her head. "I know you are going to get mad at me... but I swear I saw a red splotch and I know I'm going to need to apologise for earlier... but I still maintain I'm the worst girlfriend ever." Vanille said in a concerned tone as Lightning just sighed and accepted her treatment from Vanille. She clearly knew that there was no fighting this at this point.

"You aren't the worst girlfriend... you throw that around so much it has no value." Lightning hissed as Vanille gently touched a part of her head causing a sharp inhale through clenched teeth. "I don't even know what made you think that this time."

"Ignoring that for now... your head is bleeding." Vanille said as she looked down at her hand. "Or was..." she continued as she began to rub her hand against her top. "You should probably go to the medical area... they are going to want to know about this." Vanille scolded as Lightning just sighed as Vanille started to help her up.

Sighing as she accepted the hand Lightning reached up with her free hand to just gently dab at her head here she sighed as she could feel the sticky feeling of blood starting to clot but she could still feel some of it seeping out fresh from where her fingers broke the jelled form. "You are aware they are just going to kick you out so you can go inform Rosa or Yuna... they both are on call right now I think."

"Yeah but I might have sprained my wrist lunging to try and soften a blow. And I know you are going to be about it but I'm fairly fine... just my wrist and hand is a little sore from my actions. Not your own. Don't take it out on yourself." Vanille scolded preemptively knowing that if she didn't she might not get her hand and wrist looked at even though it really hurt right now, because Lightning would have harmed herself into the hospital because Lightning did swing her head back pretty hard. Vanille was positive that she had at least sprained her wrist in the action if she didn't break something.

"I'm sorry." Lightning said softly as Vanille just rolled her eyes and was about to smack Lightning's head when she thought better of it.

"Light. I did it knowing that I could have injured myself. I don't care. I just saw what I thought was blood and you doing that head smacking thing a lot harder and I just had to step in." Vanille said in a soft tone as she could see Lightning just rolling her eyes at the comment. "Last time I asked you not to do it we got into a fight. And I don't like fighting with you. I always come off as rightfully worried or just beyond crazy at you doing something fairly normal and last time it was the latter and I don't want that to repeat. Because Yuna isn't on call and Rosa would just get judgey."

"How is it that you are always worried about people judging you? You are aware as long as we are a couple no one will judge you when you don't want them too right? Just out of fear of what I'd do."

"Yeah I know... but the doctors don't care... and Rosa still judges about a lot of things. Even if she'd never admit it. Like how I'm pretty sure she still judges at my choice in self harm."

"I judge you on that. Burns are the worst ones, cutting is so much easier and just as effective."

"But harder to hide and even harder to get a sharp implement to cause it. I mean because of me we've already had pencils banned, certain types of paint and this is my personal favourite tin foil." Vanille said as Lightning stopped mid stride to stare at her. "The tin foil was because I learned before the last big remodel before you came that I could trip the power and unlock all the doors with nothing but a piece of tin foil and an unscrewed light bulb. But they fixed that... damn recessed lighting."

"How have you not set a fire yet?"

"I have... that is why we can't have pencils." Vanille said as she opened the door to the medical area open with her bad hand before winced and quickly swapped hands as she bit her lip. Seeing one of the nurses behind the counter recognise them as she walked out from behind the protective glass.

"You know the routine Vanille." The nurse said as Lightning took a seat with a smirk as Vanille just smiled at the woman.

"Not this time. I actually hurt my hand when I was helping Lightning..." Vanille said as she showed her hand that had started to develop a light purple shading. Seeing the nurse walk towards her to just gently grasp at Vanille's finger tips to examine the appendage. "It was an accident and I can still move my wrist a little."

Sighing as she let go of the hand, the nurse just took a deep breath. "Take a seat next to Lightning. I'll get an orderly. But you'll need to explain your side. This is going to be a first time though that you were actually injured outside of self harm. Pity it is looking like a bad sprain."

As the Nurse spoke, Vanille got comfortable next to Lightning who gently took the hand and examined the damage that she had inadvertently caused. She wasn't sure if she should scold Vanille or herself first. But she had to admit the darkening wrist was causing her some worry. "I wish you didn't act so cavalierly with your body."

"And I wish you would stop hurting yourself... or ignoring the pain you've got to be in for something as stupid as a normal thing people do... most people don't smack their head against a wall till their heads are bleeding." Vanille snapped as at Lightning as she just sighed. "And what does that mean?" Vanille asked as she gently took her hand back as she started to sit up on her knees as she walked around to get a better look at Lightning's head.

"It means dismissive. I don't like it when you are dismissive when it comes to your body." Lightning said as Vanille plopped down behind her. "What are you doing back there?"

"Enjoying the hippo thingy you talked about a few months ago." Vanille said as she just leaned forward and rested her head on her shoulder. "And you've got to let me braid your hair with some flowers that Yuel will let me pick... you know once your noggin heals."

"I'm not a hypocrite. I just don't care about my physical health. My body can take a major beating. And I just tend to tune out pain." Lightning said as she could hear the door open once again causing Vanille to quickly scurry back to sitting next to Lightning. "And seriously what were you doing?"

"Nothing. I just like feeling your hair... somehow it is always soft and silky. No split ends... and I really really like the colour. Especially when it is running through my fingers." Vanille said softly as she looked over to see Rosa walking in rubbing her eyes. "This time I'm hurt too..." Vanille said as she held up her hand."

Walking over towards her, Rosa took the hand and gently started to move it before Vanille let out a pained scream. "It's a grade two sprain by the looks of it. Which is serious but not off site serious. Just means you will be getting a splint to support your wrist and hand until it heals." Rosa said as she let go and walked over towards Lightning and gently looked at her as if asking what was the matter when Lightning just bent her head downwards to show clumps of pink strands sticking together with a dark crimson red. "Please tell me that Vanille pelted your head with paint and while pulling her hand back she smacked it against a wall or door." Rosa said as she just sighed slightly angrily.

Shoving Lightning's shoulder, Vanille just glared at the woman who just sighed. "I was just hitting my head against a wall to try and think and Vanille stuck her hand to soften a blow." Lightning said as Vanille stuck her chest out in pride at the fact that she knew that she was going to be able to gloat a little bit over Yuna who said that she doubted that Lightning would have hurt herself like that.

"We are going to need to send you to get your head scanned to see if you didn't give yourself a concussion or other types of brain damage. Despite the fact that it looks superficial. And we might as well get Vanille's hand checked out on the off chance that you did serious damage." Rosa began as she walked into the nurse station where she picked up a phone and quickly dialled a number.

"Does this mean I get out of learning to write but still get all the rewards?" Vanille asked in a whisper as she could see Lightning tilting her head upwards as she just sighed.

"I've a lot of other things on my mind Vanille. Like how I could have let myself hurt you." Lightning whispered as Vanille gently batted Lightning's shoulder groaning slightly as she could hear a loud tap against the window that she knew was Rosa getting mad at the interaction but she couldn't come into the room to scold them.

"Light. I'm not a fragile person. You know that." Vanille commented as she looked at her hand before she just sighed gently. "But I suppose it did take you a long time to not assume you could take advantage of me when we make out on your first instinct. Nothing kills the mood quicker than needing to convince your girlfriend she isn't raping you." Vanille continued as she gently raised her injured hand a little. "Although this time you might have just scored me some extra time outside over arts and crafts and in music I'll get to just stare at you because I can't play my instrument... might even be able to read a little during those times so yay."

"How can you always find the good in everything?" Lightning hissed as she looked into the window seeing Rosa just rubbing her eyes once again as she hung up the phone. "I could have broken your hand and you just see the good... I hurt you Vanille."

"I used to hurt myself all the time... so this is nothing."

"Right, Lightning, your mother has been informed and she is meeting us at the hospital to sign off on everything because I was lucky enough to catch her before she left to go back tomorrow morning. Vanille, what adult do you trust to go with you?"

"Yuna... you seem mad at me." Vanille said softly as Rosa just simply took a deep breath as she took her glasses off and just began to rub her eyes.

"I'm not mad at you for harming yourself trying to prevent a lot of possible damage Lightning would have done to herself. I'm mad at you hitting her... I know there was some sort of reasoning but I can assure you not a good enough one." Rosa said as she started to fix her glasses. "But if you want Yuna, I'll go give her a call."

"If you promise you aren't mad at me for doing the right thing, I'd rather you over Yuna because she is just coming off of a long long shift."

"I promise I'm not mad at you."

"Okay."

Rolling her eyes as she wrapped herself up as she could see the security guards parting, Mary just groaned slightly as she could hear the distinct sound of Serah deflating. "I don't know what happened, Serah. According to the doctors it is just a precautionary thing. Once I know more, I'll tell you. I was just informing you that I will be a bit longer down here."

"I'm just worried Mom. I mean how can I not be? Last I knew she was being hauled back because she gave Noctis rightfully and hopefully a broken skull." Serah said as Mary just smiled at her youngest's concern. But she also knew how much of a hypochondriac she could be when it came to Lightning.

"I trust the doctors. They haven't led us wrong. And you know how once something gets lodged into her head, your sister doesn't talk about it until all her thoughts are in an orderly line. And even then you know it is kind of hard to get her onto certain topics... and it is like getting blood from a stone when you are here." Mary countered as she just knew that Serah was deflating at that simple comment. "Pretty sure the blood from a stone is slightly easier though."

"I hate it whenever everyone is right about this and thereby forcing me to stay here logically." Serah complained as Mary just smiled seeing the doors open as her chauffeuse opened the door for her. "Please just let me know what is wrong with her. And I'll let the staff know that you won't be back for another few days."

"Thank you Serah, I'll be sure to let you know. But Rosa sounded like it was actually an accident that had caused this and I'm inclined to think that is what happened knowing your sister. I promise I'll tell you though if it is anything major outside of Lightning forgetting blood is meant to stay on the inside."

"Thanks Mom... and if she isn't too bad, smack her over the back of the head for me... it isn't fair that I can handle the stresses of effectively ruling the world and signing away long established businesses for their practices leaving people destitute but just hearing my sister might have broken her head again is what is going to keep me up at night."

"Okay Serah, I've got to go now."

Bouncing in her seat on the bed, Vanille just smiled as she looked over to see Lightning's doctor finishing the bandaging. Even if they still had to have her head scanned, she was still just happy that she could see Lightning interacting with her mother in a very sullen mood.

It was always one of the sweetest things that she could see. Even when Lightning had maintained her stance that her mother didn't show that much love and affection, Vanille could see that she really really did.

Feeling a hand being placed on her shoulder, Vanille just sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm just happy... even though I still don't like how they don't have any of the painkillers I'm used to." Vanille said as Rosa just shook her head. As she could see Mary walking back into the room.

"No hospital outside of really small villages would carry herbal remedies." Rosa said as Mary just gently hugged Lightning causing Vanille to smile.

It had always brought a smile to her face when she had seen Lightning accept hugs like that. Even if it did also always come with a pang of jealousy. One that always faded like clockwork two minutes into the hugs when Lightning started to worm her way free. It was a sick sort of joy at the fact that she was free to enjoy the longer hugs that she doubted even Serah was allowed.

"It is what I'm used to. Plus I think it works faster." Vanille started as she looked around before lowering her voice to a whisper. "My hand actually really really hurts but I don't want to say it out loud in case Lightning takes her anger of the situation out on herself and I don't want her to end up in solitary for a long time."

"We can't give you anything more powerful Vanille. Especially with the medication you are on. It can kill you or even not work at all. And as is, you do know I'm going to need to send Lightning into solitary for a day for her own protection."

Falling backwards with a loud groan, Vanille just started to grumble. "You've no idea how hard it is to really enjoy quality time when there is a steel door in the way..."

"What makes you think I don't know what that is like? My husband was a warrior, and wrongfully imprisoned. I know what it is like to go months at a time with no contact. But I would rather that than to try and communicate through six feet of earth and a pine box."

Rolling onto her side, Vanille just sighed dejectedly. "I hate it when you make good points like that."