CONTENTED RECOGNITION
Carol grabbed hold of her wrist, dragging her away from the Communications bay and towards her own office. "She's having a bad dream. I heard her call out and went in but I couldn't settle her. She's getting pretty noisy"
The two women ran the last few metres to her office as they heard the noise from within. CJ flew into the room, praying no one else could hear Jilly's frantic calls further afield. Still asleep, Jilly was fighting off whatever demons were battling her. Wriggling up the couch, kicking her legs, she was pleading with them to stop, to leave her, not to hurt her. CJ bent over her "Shhh, Jilly, it's OK, you're just dreaming, come lie down" she coaxed. Jilly couldn't hear her, too caught up in her internal battle, throwing off the hand that CJ had placed on her arm. Using both hands on the distraught girl, CJ tried to hold her, to calm her down, but Jilly just fought her harder, and her voice was getting louder.
"You have to wake her." Toby said at her shoulder.
"I thought you didn't wake people with nightmares?" she asked confusedly, still trying to hold Jilly.
"Not this one. This one you wake, then you make her tell you what it was, otherwise you get a repeat performance. Don't you remember?" He made no effort to touch her, to pull her out of her horror.
Worried that security would be attracted by the noise, CJ started to gently shake her awake. "Jilly…sweetheart, I need you to wake up now…wake up J," but she continued to fight her off, neither waking nor returning to sleep but caught somewhere in between the two states. CJ looked to the doorway "Carol, would you call The First Lady please"
"God, do we have to get everyone involved" Toby growled, still motionless at CJ's side.
"Well unless you can wake her up or stop her getting so frantic that she's gonna scream the place down then, yeah, I say we need some help!" CJ snapped
"Jilly…." He cleared his throat, and spoke more forcefully, "Jilly…wake up. You're safe; it's just a dream. Wake up. Jilly, it's Toby; I need you to open your eyes. Come on, Button, do it now, open your eyes"
Jilly finally woke with a cry, clutching at CJ, but her eyes immediately locked on to Toby. Her breathing was fast and beginning to labour, cheeks flushed and eyes overbright. CJ sat on the couch next to her, still holding her and she, in turn, clung on to the woman as if for dear life, yet never took her eyes from Toby, who stood absolutely still, fixed to the same spot since entering the room. CJ felt the panic rise in the girl's chest, saw her pale and just managed to grab the bowl as the vomiting began again. Bent double over CJ's lap the bile from her empty stomach mixed with blood from the exertion of the force of the purging scared the onlookers greatly but still Toby didn't move, while CJ tried to do everything, holding the bowl, keeping Jilly's hair out the way, rubbing her back to ease the spasms which were increasing in their violence.
"That's a novel use for Dresden china," said a quiet voice.
Dr Bartlett shut the door behind her and came to sit on the couch. "What's caused the sickness?" she asked CJ, whilst feeling the girl's forehead with the back of her hand.
"I don't know...she was sick earlier when she drank some tea….but she fell asleep after…she was having a nightmare…we had to wake her. Maybe it's the shock…She hates being sick; it's a phobia" CJ offered.
"I can give her something to stop the nausea at any rate," said Dr Bartlett, opening her medical bag. "CJ, I need to inject her in the thigh; pull her skirt down for me, please."
Still cradling her across her lap, CJ caught the elastic waistband of the skirt and gently lowered it over Jilly's hip until her thigh was exposed. For the second time that day CJ froze. More marks, this time on her legs; angry red weals standing out vividly against the pale, tissue-paper thin skin, stretched over the emaciated limbs, and another fading bruise over the sharp hipbone. The exclamation made CJ lift her head just in time to see Toby leave the room.
"What's her name, CJ?" asked Dr Bartlett, drawing up the medication.
"Jilly. Her name's Jilly"
"OK, Jilly, this is going to sting for a minute, but you'll feel much better soon, I promise" she said, as she ran a hand over the girl's leg, trying to find an entry point. As she slid the needle in, Jilly cried out in CJ's arms, until the needle was drawn out, and the tender spot was rubbed gently. Within minutes the retching had ceased and the girl lay quiet.
"Lift her up, CJ. I want to check her out properly."
"Abbey…I appreciate you not asking any questions" CJ began
"Oh I'm gonna ask plenty questions, but I want to see to my patient first."
CJ lifted Jilly onto her lap, softly tucking Jilly's head under her chin. Abbey took a thermometer from her bag, and shaking it, said "Open your mouth, honey" before popping it under Jilly's tongue. "Let that sit for a moment, while I check your blood pressure, OK?" she ordered, before unwrapping the cuff and stethoscope. CJ slid the cardigan off the compliant figure and held her arm while Abbey wrapped the cuff round, placed the stethoscope under it and began pumping up the cuff. Listening and watching the gauge, she released the cuff, and wrapped it up again.
"Is it OK?" CJ asked.
"You know how when the President has a high blood pressure day we don't let Toby in his range of vision? We should get him back in here and get him to do whatever it is he does to my husband." she replied.
"Well if you're wise-cracking I guess it's not too hot" CJ countered.
"Indeed it's not" said Abbey, as she removed the thermometer from Jilly's mouth. "Her temperature, however, is. I assume she's anorexic?" she asked, returning the thermometer to her bag and picking up the stethoscope.
"No... well, sort of.."
"CJ, it's not a complicated question; she either is or ...well she obviously is!" Abbey exclaimed.
"The question isn't complicated but she is; she used to have these phases where she would only eat a certain thing or at a certain time, and it would change from week to week. And sometimes she would just eat like a regular person. But apparently we've been in an apple phase for several months. It's a control thing."
"Yes. It usually is," she said wryly, listening to Jilly's heart. "Actually, that's not too bad. Lean her forward, CJ" Abbey lifted the camisole to listen to her lungs for a minute. "There's quite a lot of crackling there" she mused.
"That's not all there is" CJ said quietly, turning slightly so Abbey could see the girl's back properly. Down either side of her spine were two long marks, old but unfamiliar to CJ. Abbey gently touched one of the marks and Jilly flinched, her first movement since the examination had begun. The two women looked at each other for a moment, then Abbey gently covered the girl up and started to pack her medical bag up, while CJ settled Jilly back into her arms.
"Well the story is this," began Abbey but she broke off as the door opened and Toby came in "Good timing, Toby, you came for the fun part. Her temperature is very high, but her blood pressure is very low. She's dreadfully undernourished, and I would imagine severely dehydrated too. She really needs to be on an IV drip in hospital, at the very least, but I'm guessing all the marks are going to make that an issue. As there's obviously something going on that the two of you are up to your necks in, I think the best thing to do is bring her back to the residence under my care for the meantime. She can stay in Zoe's old room. She needs to sleep, but I can't give her a sedative while her pressure is so low." She reached a hand out to stroke the girl's head, the doctor gone now, replaced by the mother. "We'll just have to deal with any more nightmares. Also, does she have any family we should notify?" she asked, looking from CJ to Toby questioningly.
"I made a call," said Toby quietly.
"Ok. I'll get an agent to take her, she's too weak to walk." said Abbey, rising.
"No. It's OK, I'll take her" Toby surprised them. Walking over to the couch, he reached a hand out to Jilly's head, caressing it for a moment. "Hey." She lifted her head to look at him, contented recognition in her eyes. "Come on, Button," he said, holding his arms out for her. Jilly lifted her arms up, and Toby picked her up like small child, balancing her on his hip, while CJ draped the comforter around her. Jilly put her arms around his neck, head nestled in to the side of his neck as if they had done this many times before and were going from memory. He laid his hand on her head and led the way out the office.