Chapter Fourteen, Blood.

John pulled into the nearest parking spot to the large white doors leading into the hospital. Barney and Smion ran into the reception and pounded on the bell there until someone arrived. They led two nurses, pulling a gurney out within the minute. As John explained how Jane had been attacked by some youths, the medics laid her on the trolley and quickly took her vital signs. The hospital staff had all been put on full alert and an operating room was being readied. Doctors rushed towards them, looking like demons in overalls and masks. They were ordered to sit down and be patient in the waiting room. It was all up to the doctors now.

It was a prolonged wait that seemed to them all to be far longer than reality. None of them could remain still for long. Simon kept bounding to his feet and hastening over to the door in case he could see what was going on in there. Bran went to the single, aged vending machine and bought them all drinks and crisps, which soon lay forgotten on the small table, alongside old magazines, mainly of cookery and golfing.

Then a doctor, still in his stained green scrubs, emerged from the swinging dorrs. As they started towards him eagerly, he held up a hand to ward off the anticipated flood of questions.

"Her condition is stable. But she needs blood urgently. Are any of you related to her?" Simon and Barney took another step forward, each raising their hand slightly.

The doctor pulled off his mask and cap, revealing blond hair, turning white around the edges and thinning on top. He looked Barney over and dismissed him at once, but not unkindly.

"You are too young and too small, boy." With an understanding smile he turned to Simon. "Do you know your blood group young man?"

"Yes sir. 'O'."

The doctor nodded, pleased.

"That is good. You match your sister. Are anymore of you group 'O'?" John shook his head regretfully, but Will and Bran both raised their hands.

"Excellent. Excellent. If you would all mind coming with me, we can take some of each of your blood, and give it to the young lady in there. After testing it for safety of course." He hastened to add when he saw John's face.

Simon flinched slightly when he saw the needle, but steeled himself and held an arm out that only shook a little. Bran and Will too submitted to the needle, although both winced more openly than the elder boy when they felt the needle piercing thier skin.

After a couple of pints of their blood had been taken, their arms were bandaged up and they were sent back to John and Barney in the waiting room. They sat in there for the next twenty minutes, although to each the time seemed to crawl by, and it felt like twice as long.

They were finally permitted into Jane's small room and all the waiting became worth it.

Jane was sitting upright in her bed, the pink hospital gown she wore fell loosely over her body and made her look like a child. Her hair was pulled back, away from her face in a simple plait, fastened with ribbon at the end. Someone had obviously tried to make the room more welcoming, a pot of plastic flowers sat on the bedside table. They were hideous, ugly things, coated with dust until their original colours were so muted it was near to impossible to discern what they were meant to be. The walls were covered in paper that must have originally been bright green, but now had faded to a more attractive mint colour. The bedclothes were plenty, a white sheet, neatly folded and creased at the top was covered by three or more blankets in varying hues. The room stank of antisceptic, a horrible smell that put Barney's hackles up. It was so cloyingly thick that even if you breathed through your mouth you could taste it.

As they entered, Jane pushed away a tray of food that had been lying on her lap. She had been toying with it previously, it was a bowl of soup, thick with vegetable and chunks of meat. She had torn the roll that accompanied it in half and scattered the crumbs across the tray in an attempt to make it seem like she had eaten more than she actually had.

John pushed it firmly back onto her lap and put the spoon into her hand.

"You eat all of that, lass. Lord knows you need a bit more flesh on those bones of yours."

She sighed and began to pick through it once more, obviously unwilling but doing as she was told.

Simon and Barney took up their rightful stations, one on each side of her bed. Her elder brother rested a hand on her shoulder for a second and tried not to show his hurt as she flinched slightly, then forced herself to relax. Barney was no where near so controlled. As soon as he was able, he embraced her as fiercely as he dared. Her arm came loosely around his neck. Simon joined in then, his arms circling both of them as they stood there silent. Jane embraced him too, but distantly. Neither of them seemed to notice, but Bran and Will, standing at the foot of the bed did. They saw only too clearly the pained expressions flickering across her face as she was squeezed too tightly. But Will would have almost have preferred the pain on her features than the horrible blackness that settled there afterwards. When she caught their gazes resting upon her, she tried to smile, but it was a broken attempt and she blinked hard, before burying her face in the curve of Simon's shoulder.

As she was released however, her dinner sliding, forgotten, from her lap, to be caught by John, Will was shocked by the emptiness he saw deep in her eyes.

Well, angsty, wasn't it? I know I am taking a while to continue this but I have a bit of writer's block. I won't give up though; I know where this is going, only I'm not sure how to get there...

Anyway Silvestra will never let me give it up anyway!

HuntressDiana