i always forget to do this in the first chapter but I owe nothing but my OC. Thanks for everyone who read and followed and favorited this and I hope to continue pleasing you all. (In a non weird way)
Matt soon realizes that the closer distance to the female only means harsher trembling and sharper smells. He feels every vibration in the air as the teen shakes in a poor attempt at hiding her fear. Almost every old wound smells strongly of the infection Matt was worried about. Dried blood. Sweat. Old latex. Cheap cologne. The medicated ChapStick one man had on when he...
The scents turn Matt's stomach but he doesn't say anything, instead trying to focus his attention to other things to distract his overdriven senses. An old, married couple laughing at a TV show in the next building. The scent of grease from the fries next to them. The metallic taste of the teen's blood in the air.
He tightens his grip on the cloth in his hand as he wrings it out again, mentally noting to change the water again soon. He doesn't need to see it to know it's tainted with the blood and other residue residing on the teen's skin. He's already had to change it twice for both arms and her face. That alone sent the teen's heart rate skyrocketing to a rate that nearly makes Matt sick. The constant pounding of her heart and the scents colliding makes his head pound and his stomach turn up a storm.
But he endures and thanks all the Saints in heaven that he got to her before anything worse could happen. Not that anything could be considered worse at this point.
Claire's scent hits him as soon as she enters the block. The overused cleaning supplies from the hospital. The chemicals in the hairspray she used this morning. The trace scents of washed away blood. Matt's stomach almost empties at the surprise scent.
"My nurse friend is here," he informs as Claire enters the building, the contents of her travel medical bag shifting with each step she takes. The teen of course jumps at his words, but Matt was anticipating it and released her before she did. "I'm going to let her in, okay?" Two deep inhales and a nod is what he receives in response. He returns the gesture and stands, keeping his hands in view as he gathers the dirty water and rag from the table as he stands. After depositing both in the kitchen sink, the lawyer makes his way to the front door and opens it just before she knocks. Claire jumps and Matt smiles. "Hello, Claire," he says, listening as the nurse swears violently under her breath.
"Jesus, Matt," she breathes, placing a hand on her chest to lower her slightly elevated heart rate. "You could've at least waited for me to knock before you opened the door."
Matt allows a few good natured chuckles at his friend's start as he shakes his head at the ground. "That wouldn't be the gentlemanly thing to do," he responds, lifting his head to her again. "Plus it probably would have made our guest jump out of her skin."
And just like that, Claire is all business. Her jaw tightens. Her back straightens. Her heart rate slows. All signs Matt learned that means she's ready for anything. "Alright," she says calmly, attempting to shift to see inside his apartment. "Let me see her."
The vigilante nods once and steps aside, opening the door wider to allow her access. "She's on the couch," he informs as she walks past him. "She hasn't said a word since I found her. Try not to make any sudden movements."
Claire nods as she walks, slowing down slightly when she reaches the end of the hall. "Hey, sweetie," she says gently, holding her hands up in peace when the teen jumps. "It's okay, baby," she says, slowing even more when she reaches the end of the couch. "I'm just here to help. Can I sit?"
Matt shuts the door as the teen nods once, earning a slower, similar nod from Claire as she lowers herself onto the cushion. A small, proud smile flicks on his lips. He knew he made the right choice with Claire. Yeah, she found him bleeding in the dumpster and made the fateful decision to continue helping him. But she kept coming back no matter what he threw at her. This is no different.
She's careful with every movement she makes, gently setting her bag on the coffee table to not scare the teen. Calmly asking to see the wounds that litter her body. Lightly taking the slowly offered arm.
"You didn't finish cleaning this, did you Matt?" she asks, barely raising her voice louder than necessary as Matt reenters the room. She doesn't release the patient's arm as she turns her head toward him. "Can I give her a bath?"
"If she agrees," the blind man responds, folding his arms and leaning against the nearest wall.
Claire nods and returns to facing the other female. "I need to give you a bath," she says, keeping her voice even ask she address the teen. "So I can clean the wounds. Most of them are starting to get infected. We don't want the infections to get worse. Is that okay?"
Surprisingly, the younger female's heart and breathing rate slows. Of course it's still racing by any medical standards, but it's a sign to Matt that she's relaxing, at least some. Another nod and Claire the same. "Alright," she says, rising to her feet and offering the teen a hand. After a few seconds of clear hesitation, the teen lifts a still trembling hands to the nurse. Matt smiles faintly as Claire helps the teen down the hall and into the bathroom. He made a really good choice with Claire.
It doesn't take too long for the two to finish and Claire opens the door a crack. "Matt," she calls as the water drains from the tub. "Do you have anything she can wear for the night?"
Matt stands from the couch he situated himself on and walks to his dresser. "Um," he replies, opening the top drawer and retrieving an old T-shirt and a new pack of boxer shorts. "Yes," he says after tearing open the pack and receiving a pair. He makes his way down the hall and places the articles in Claire's waiting hand. He receives a quick thanks and the door shuts again.
Without anything more to do, the lawyer walks back and sits on the couch. As soon as he does, the crack reforms in the door. "Matt," Claire calls again. "Can you bring my medical bag from the table?" Matt rises and retrieves the bag, walking it down and places it in her once again waiting hand. Another quick thanks and shut door.
Matt stands there for a second, waiting for another favor to be asked. Nothing happens after half a minute and Matt returns to the couch. His senses go haywire again with nothing more to do, picking up on everything within a three block radius. The dog peeing on a tree half a block over. A burnt pot of chili in the building across the street. The sound of a drunk trying to get in a house two blocks over. The little girl crying loudly for ice cream on the floor below.
It's the simulants in his own apartment that really does him in though. The soap and hot water Claire used to clean the youth. Her gently murmured explanations about every move she makes. The sound of needle and string pulling flesh together for stitches. Strong disinfectants that leave a burning taste in the back of his throat. He's able to hold his stomach in check as the process continues, but he's pushed too far when Claire has to reset the teen's poorly healed shin.
The injury isn't that old so the break is clean. A single, simple snap that manages to pull a sharp, involuntary whine from the teen in response. The sound sends Matt's already upset stomach overboard and he's up a second after, barely making it to the kitchen sink as the contents of his stomach are forced back to existence. Once that's over, the man turns on the tap and rinses the mess down the drain, taking handfuls for himself to rid the taste from his mouth. He's finishing the cleansing process as the bathroom door opens again, both females exiting at a slowed pace. Claire has one arm looped around the teen's waist as they walk, careful to prevent the inflatable cast on her leg from hitting the ground.
"I've done all I can for now," she says, sending Matt quick looks over her shoulder as she sits the teen back on the couch. "I need to come back tomorrow to put a boot on her leg and rewrap it better," she explains, a hint of questioning entering her tone when she turns to face him when he exits the kitchen. "You okay?"
Matt nods and wipes the excess water from his mouth. "Yeah," he says through a sigh. "Just a little...overwhelmed."
Claire nods in understanding and returns her eyes to the teen beside her. "She needs to eat something," she says, slowly pressing the back of her hand to the teen's forehead. "Do you know her name, Matt?"
The lawyer shakes his head and walks to the other side of the room to stand in front of the two females. "As I said," he starts, "she hasn't said a word since I got her."
"Have you tried getting her to write it?" Claire asks, her tone giving him the impression she's raising an expectant eyebrow in his direction. "Or does she know sign language? There are other ways of communication than verbal, Matt."
Her tone makes Matt smile. "I hadn't thought about that," he admits.
"Of course not," Claire responds, returning her eyes to the teen. "Can you write, sweetie?" she asks gently, previous tone wiped away completely. The teen ponders the thought for a few seconds before giving a small nod in return. Claire returns the gesture before looking to Matt. "Do you have a pencil and paper?"
The blind man nods and moves to his nightstand. He returns with a barely used legal pad and a dull pencil. "Here," he says, extending the objects to Claire's hand.
Claire then slowly offers them to the girl beside her. "Alright, hon," she says gently as the teen accepts the materials. "I'm going to ask you a few questions, okay? I need you to answer them as best you can. You think you can do that for me?" Once again the teen nods, earning a small smile from Claire in response. "Good. Can you tell us your name?"
The pencil trembles in the teen's hand, but she manages to scribble out a few letters and show Claire. "Leslie," the doctor reads, knowing Matt can't see it. "That's a nice name. Do you have a last name?" Another pause and scribbles. "Don't remember," Claire says. "I'm sorry. Maybe we can help you remember it." Leslie nods once.
Claire looks over to Matt and nods in approval. "I'll help however I can," he assures.
Another nod from Claire before she looks at Leslie. "How old are you?" Two scribbles. "19." Another nod. Claire looks to Matt again. "Where did you say you found her?"
Matt straightens and clenches a fist at his side. "She was being beat by a Russian," he says, previous easing back into his body. "They were about to sell her out when I got there."
Claire stiffens slightly at the explanation but keeps her voice level as she turns to speak to Leslie again. "Do you know any of the names of the buyers?" she asks slowly. "Or any of the previous people who you stayed with?"
Leslie's breath hitches, her heart rate jumping from almost calm back to rabbit pace in a matter of seconds. The hand the pencil is in clenches tighter and the notepad is almost crushed in her grip. Her breathing comes out in labored, wheezy pants, causing her heart rate to speed up in even more panic. Hot, salty tears pour from her eyes, cutting trails through the soap residue on her face. A sheen of cold sweat appears on the surface of her skin, causing her to shake even harder than before.
"Leslie," Claire says, reaching out to put a hand on her shoulder, but the teen pulls away and curls into a ball on the other end of the couch. The cast on her leg prevents one leg to curl properly, sending an even rougher wave of anxiety through the teen. "Leslie," Claire says again, rising to give her some room. "Breathe. You're okay, honey. You're safe."
The teen's heart rate stays racing, breathing taking more effort than ever now. Matt shifts to take a step forward but Claire's arm stops him from advancing. "You'll do more harm than good," she advises, keeping her eyes on the teen as she curls into herself even tighter. "Get me a blanket," she instructs. "The biggest, heaviest one you have. Now."
Matt doesn't waste time with a nod, simply moving and reaching the hall closet with quick, lengthy strides. He opens the door and grabs the largest blanket from the bottom shelf before kicking it shut behind him as he leaves. He returns just as quickly and hands over the blanket. "Thanks," the nurse mutters quickly, moving hastily to drape the blanket around Leslie's shoulders. "Alright, baby," she says gently, releasing the teen and crouching down in front of her. "Breathe with me. It's okay. You're safe, baby, just breathe, okay? Look, breathe in..." Leslie tries, only succeeding in pulling a strained choking sound from her own core. "Good," Claire encourages. "Now out." An almost similar result occurs, this time sounding more like a shaky sob more than a choke.
It takes ten minutes of rhythmic breathing for Leslie to calm down, or at least as calm as she can get. Her heart still races at an alarming rate and her breathing can never stay steady, but they're both more stable than before. Matt counts it as a small victory and uncurls the fist he never knew he made. "Matt," Claire says, slowly standing from her crouch in front of Leslie. "I need a cup of water." Matt nods and does as told, returning with the same half filled glass from before. Claire accepts without turning around and lowers herself to the other end of the couch. "Leslie," she says gently, causing the teen to flinch and tense harshly. "Leslie, I need you to drink this, okay? You're dehydrated and sweating. You need the fluids."
The teen gnaws on the inside of her lip, causing a trace scent of metal to enter Matt's nose. She pulls the blanket higher around her shoulders before slowly raising a hand and taking the cup. Sip. Pause. Gulp. Claire nods in approval at her actions and takes the empty cup once Leslie hands it back. "Good," she says, slowly moving to stand. "Matt will bring you more in a minute, okay? I have to talk to him outside for a second. Is that okay?" Leslie takes a second to answer before giving a small nod in reply. Claire returns the gesture then turns to Matt. "Hallway," she says before turning and walking out.
Matt follows a second after and is soon shutting the front door once they're in the hall. "What happened?" he asks, making sure to keep an ear out for anything in the other room.
Claire folds her arms across her chest and shakes her head slightly. "Anxiety attack," she responds. "Believable considering everything I can assume that happened to her." She releases a strained sigh and unfolds an arm to run through her hair. "Jesus...I'm not qualified in head shit, Matt. Best I can tell you is to take her to someone who-"
Matt shakes his head quickly to stop her from continuing. "No," he rejects. "She won't let me take her to anyone. I barely got her to come here and see you. Everything else is a definite no." He rubs a hand down his face and releases a similar sigh. "Can you give me any advice?" he asks, lifting a hand in mild defeat. "I don't know how long she's going to stay and I don't want to set her off again..."
Claire shrugs and shakes her head in thought. "Avoid triggering content," she says, clearly trying to remember the stuff from med school. "Don't throw too much at her at one time. If she does have another attack, wrap her up and do the breathing thing with her. Keep her grounded. I suggest getting an actual weighted blanket so she doesn't overheat when she's panicking." She hums in thought and shrugs again. "That's about all I got," she says, sending a quick glance down to her cell phone as she speaks. "You may need to Google the rest cause I have to go."
Matt's eyebrows rise in confusion. "Leave?" he repeats. "But-"
"I have work tomorrow, Matt," she explains, stepping around him to get inside. "I'll be back as soon as I can tomorrow, but I can't stay any longer. My boss already chewed my head off for taking off early tonight."
"What do I do till then?" the lawyer asks, following her in and keeping his voice low.
The nurse gathers her medical stuff from the bathroom and walks out into the living room. "Make sure she doesn't overheat," she starts, lifting a hand and gaining approval before resting it on the teen's forehead again. "Keep her hydrated. Feed her something. Get her on a regular bathroom schedule if she's not already." She retakes her hand and returns to stand in front of Matt. "Clean her wounds and change her bandages every few hours. Talk to her before trying anything. Avoid anything that may cause another attack." She places a gentle hand on the side of his face. "Make sure she's OK," she sums through a sigh. "I'll be back with a better boot for her leg after my shift tomorrow. Be careful until then."
Matt smiles and leans into her touch, nodding attentively after every instruction. "Thank you, Claire," he says once she finishes. "For everything."
Claire manages a breathy chuckle before retaking her hand and stepping away. "You say that every time I do something for you," she starts lightly, leading the way as she walks out the door. "If you keep it up, it may lose its meaning."
The lawyer returns the chuckle and shakes his head, stepping a bit faster in order to open the door for her. "I always mean it," he say through a smile as she exits. "And I always will."
After another chuckle, the nurse lifts a hand and sets off. "See you tomorrow," she says as she reaches the stairs. "Don't hurt yourself anymore tonight."
Matt laughs lightly and shakes his head, listening as she gets down the entire first flight of stairs before shutting the door. He exhales happily and turns back to the living room, almost losing his happiness when the scent of old blood hits him. He pushes it to the side as gets deeper into the room, taking his seat on the couch in front of the one Leslie sits on. "So," he starts, shoving aside the involuntary jump Leslie gives when he speaks. "Are you hungry?"