"No." Williams said just outside Marie's door. "I'm not leaving."
"What?" Tabby looked shocked.
"I'm not going anywhere." He told her. "Except room to room to talk to these people."
Suddenly all the shock and suspicion vanished from Tabby's eyes and he realized she was looking at him in awe.
"O-okay." She said softly. "But… We have to go soon, so lets try and keep it brief. I am here twice a week. You could come with me." She said.
"I'm here now. And it was a good idea." He said. "And someone should benefit from it."
The nurse eyed him as he walked over to a closed door and opened it. She pursed her lips and started down the hall. "What's he doing Miss Smith?" She asked.
"He has the power of suggestion." She repeated. "People do what he tells them. We tried to tell Marie to wake up but…"
"Oh, dear, she's deaf, isn't she? Such a shame. A good idea." The nurse wrung her hands.
"He thought so too. And he feels bad… That he couldn't help I think. He wants to try to wake the whole place up."
The nurse smiled. "Yer good people." She said. "Let me know if you need any …"
And an alarm sounded from the room Williams had entered.
The nurse rushed in to discover that 8 year old Marshal Davies, comatose for nine months, was sitting up in bed and smiling.
"Hi." He chirped. "I'm hungry and this tube itches." He said around the feeding tube.
"He woke right up." Williams said. "Come on."
He crossed over the hall and stopped. It was a double room. A man and a woman, both with dark hair. "Wake up!" He called out and both of them jumped, stirred and then opened their eyes and sat up. More alarms began to sound.
"Come on." Williams grabbed Tabby by the hand and led her out in to the hall.
"Wake up!" He called in to the next room – and nothing happened.
"Wake up!" He called again, passing a new door. This time an alarm sounded.
Nurses were rushing everywhere and doctors were being paged to the little facility.
"Wake up! Wake up! Wake it up in there!" He pounded on the last door for effect.
Everywhere alarms were sounding and people were rushing around as people began waking all over the building.
"Slow down dear!" Gladys told him. "We're waiting on the night staff from the main building."
Williams paused and considered her. "Relax." He told her, and she did. "And have a really, really great night, okay?" He said softly.
And her face lit up. "It's so wonderful, what you're doing here." She said with a smile, looking unsure as to what they were just discussing. "You've got a great gift."
Williams smiled and continued on down the hall. "Wake up!" He banged on door after door until he had covered the hall. By his count he had set of something like fourteen alarms by the time he reached the end of the hall. At first he turned with a great smile on his face. And had he been focused on the hustle and bustle of the hallway, his smile would have lasted. As not only were doctors and nurses running about in confusion, but patients were starting to struggle from their beds and one who had wheeled himself out in to the hall in a wheelchair.
But Jamie wasn't looking at any of that. He was looking at the only man in the hallway who wasn't moving.
Jimmy stood framed in Marie's doorway watching the confusion in a mix of amazement and sadness.
Jamie watched as Jimmy took off his glasses, fogged them with his breath, wiped them on his sleeve and then replaced them on his face. He then looked down at the rosery in his hand and clutched it tightly as he turned around and vanished through the doorway, closing the door behind him.
"Damn." Jamie turned and looked at Tabitha. "Come on."
He took her by the hand and dragged her back down the hall and in to Marie's room.
"Wake up!" Williams told her. "WAKE UP!"
"Tis no use son, she can't process sounds anymore. She canne hear ye." Jimmy said, blowing his nose. "But you've done something wonderful here tonight, none the less."
But Williams wasn't listening. He took her hand and held it to his lips. Can she feel the sound? He wondered as he let out another muted "Wake up".
Still, nothing happened.
"We…" Williams looked at her. "We need… A telepath. Maybe we could make psychic contact, like a spiritual three way call or something." He bit a nail nervously and Jimmy stopped him.
Jimmy took him by both arms as he faced him. Jimmy wore a smile as big as all outdoors. "Go home now son. I know you tried and I appreciate it with all my heart. But go home. Rest up. We can always try again tomorrow. But I appreciate you coming back to try again."
Williams shifted his weight and dropped his eyes to mumble. "I'm sorry I couldn't help."
"I know you are lad." Jimmy nodded. "A sign of a good man for sure. Thank you again."
Tabby wrapped herself around Jimmy's arm and squeezed. "It was just a first try." She said again. "I know we'll have other ideas."
"I'm sure you will dear." He leaned over towards her, letting go of Williams and cupping her head in a gentle hug before letting go.
"Now I've got to do this rosery again, and I don't want to be starting over so… Off you two go."
Tabby was awash in sadness.
Jimmy could tell and he smiled kindly.
Tabby took two steps backwards before turning and taking Williams by the hand. "Come on." She said softly as she led him back out of the room and down the hall.
Tabby let go of Williams hand as they reached the end of the hall.
"I'm sorry." He said softly. "I just want you to know that … I wanted to help."
She smiled sadly and a soft rain began to fall. "I know you did. Thank you."
"I'll come back if it will help." He shrugged. "Anytime."
She eyes him for a moment. "Thanks."
"What?" He said, uncomfortable with her gaze.
"Why did you go back and try again?" She asked.
Jamie dropped his head. "When I saw him standing there… He looked like my father."
Tabby felt herself smile slightly. I wonder if everyone sees that in Jimmy? "That's sweet."
Williams took one last look at the building as he climbed in the car. "I wish I could have helped."
And just then a whole host of interns in white coats came jogging in a frantic disbelief across the lawn towards the coma facility.
Alistaire helped himself to a soda from the fridge and came face to face with Kitty as she rounded the corner in to the room.
They smiled at each other, uncomfortably close to each other but not wanting to step away.
"Ummm…" Kitty began. "Remember when you saw me … that time I lost my towel?"
"Ahhh… vaguely." Alistaire scratched the underside of his neck. "It was… right after everyone moved in, right?"
She smiled. He's so sweet to pretend…
"Ummm…" She began again. "Well, I was really embarrassed about that and… So I didn't really say anything then but…"
He looked at her for a moment wondering where this was going.
"Her eyes shone when she spoke. "I think you're really special Alistaire. And I think we should spend some time together … If that's okay with you."
He looked like he was deliberating something. "There's this party on Friday for the main office down town. I'm invited since I'm technically based there. It's a fancy dress party. I don't normally go to such things but… I've been told a tuxedo suits me."
Ooooohhhh…. She shivered. "I have a great little black dress." She assured him.
"Then it's a date." He smiled, somewhat relieved.
"It certainly is." She leaned up on her toes and kissed him softly on the lips for a long moment. When the kiss finally parts she met his eyes. "And by the way, good job with Brian tonight."
"Hold on." He smlied and snaked his arms around her waist. "No fair sneaking up on me like that." He said softly as he leaned in to kiss her again.
And suddenly she felt it. His lips against hers, his hands on her back, holding her close. She snaked her fingers over his chest and rubbed him affectionately while he kissed her. She actually leaned in so cloely that by holding her tight to his chest he was lifting her off the ground.
And he broke off the kiss and lowered her to the ground. Her eyes were sparkling now. "Wow." She whispered without thinking.
"Indeed." He agreed.
And at just that moment Kurt hobbled around the corner clutching his arm to his side when he saw them still locked in their embrace and gazing in to each other's eyes.
"Ach! Get a room!" He said, waving dismissively at them as he passed.
"Okay." Kitty unwrapped Alistaire's arms and took him by the hand and led him out in to the hall and across to her room.
Kurt leaned out of the kitchen and looked down after them.
Kitty looked back and met his eyes before turning up her nose and dragging Alistaire inside and closing the door behind them.
Kurt smiled. "No wonder you love your job." He said softly. "I want you job!" he joked, thinking of Emma and Kitty. Rough life Mr. Stuart? He thought in his deepest voice.
Oh, no, not today. Today I'm a Sex Symbol who gets flashed by one woman and dragged off to the bedroom by another. He thought in Alistaire's voice before adding. And tomorrow I'm going to be king!
Then he snickered, grabbed a soda and decided to see what Jean and Rachael were up to.