"I'm home!" A peppy, bright voice rang out through the musty air. Little Nina jumped, dropping a roll of bandages in her surprise.
"D-Doctor Theo! She's home!" She called out to the doctor. He sighed, taking another puff on his cigarette.
"Yes, Nina. I noticed." He turned towards the voice outside of the peripheral view of the Benriya (and Alex). "Leave your things on the table!"
"No problem!" The voice yelled back. It was feminine, Worick noted. Sweet and musical. Lively. Cheery. Full of affection towards the owners of the clinic. But mature enough that she was a young lady, he decided.
"Nina, I'm cooking tonight!" The mystery woman called again. "I bought more of those carbonated water things that you like!" Nina squealed, clapping her hands together in excitement.
"Hooray!" She smiled apologetically at the patients, who were staring with confused looks on their bandaged faces. (Actually, only Nicolas was bandaged. Worick had just one plastered on his face, and Alex were perfectly fine. Doug was still out of it, snoring away.)"I'm sorry, I need to go attend to her at the moment. I'll be right back!" She dashed off with a wave, shoes clicking.
"Nina, where are yo-oof!" An audible cry was heard throughout the building, as was an odd sort of thump. "Ow, Nina! I just cleaned up outside! Now you have to go and attack me too?" The Benriya (and Alex - I'm hoping you've caught my drift by now) assumed that clumsy Nina had run into the newcomer. "Not to mention, you're gonna get your pretty dress all dirty from blood!" They heard her frantically apologize, obviously with tears.
"I-I'm sorry!"
"Nah, it's alright. I'm just teasing, kiddo! Geez, you're gullible." Nina's giggles floated upstairs. "Hey, where's the doctor?"
"Right here," Dr. Theo called from his stool. "What do you need?" The Benriya (and Co.) were amazed that he could use such a pleasant tone of voice with a female - besides Nina, that is.
"Ah, I bought the food, sir. I'll get started in a bit, after I clean up."
"Oh, was there trouble coming in?" His tone was slightly amused, but not the least bit surprised.
"Yeah, a couple of shady-looking mafia guarding the street. Wouldn't let me pass, and were beating up some working girls, too." Alex winced at the statement regarding her past job. "Took me a only a few seconds, though. They were pretty weak." There was a yelp, and a slight huffing of annoyance. "Nina-chwaan, get off of me!"
"No! I haven't seen you in days!"
"It's been two goddamn hours!"
"Language!" Dr. Theo called.
"It's been two fucking hours!"
"Language!"
"Three and a half!" Nina squeaked.
"What the- fine! Three and a half! But get off me! I wanna shower!" There was a pounding of feet up the stairs. They heard Nina squeal in protest.
"Ack! Okay, I'll let go! Just put me down!"
"Ha, got you, you dork!" There were girlish laughs and yells as little feet pattered around, come clanking and thudding, finally the sound of a shower screeching on.
"Nina, out!" Nina's voice whined in objection as she was supposedly tossed out the bathroom. Dr. Theo sighed, giving up on doing paperwork and letting his pen drop onto the desktop.
"Hey, Nina! You still got the Benriya-san and that Paul Klee kid up here, remember?" Nina's cry of realization sounded down the hall.
"O-oh yes!" She rushed back into the room. "I'm so sorry! I totally forgot!" She hurried to change Nic's bandages, Alex laughing a little at her flustered face.
"Eh, it's fine…" Worick waved her off, but leaned down. "Who's the crazy lady outside, though? What's her name? She a hottie you can introduce me to?"
"Ahem."
"Thwump!"
"Ow!" He groaned from Alex's smack. The woman huffed, irritated with his lecherous behavior.
"Really, you idiot." Nina panicked over their little dispute.
"Um, uh, her name is-"
"Doctor!" The woman called again. "Did you take my towel?" There was some fumbling with a doorknob and a wet squelching sound, the slapping of bare, wet feet on wooden planks.
"It's here." He yanked it off of Nic's hospital bed, and handed it to Nina. "Pass it to her."
"Yes!" She dashed out again, only to return with a beaming face. "She's done, doctor!"
"Great. What do you want me to do about it."
"Um."
"Don't tease, sir." The Benriya looked up to witness a shadow approach. Their eyes widened when a gorgeous, petite, slender young woman - actually, she was probably around Alex's age, but very young looking - with long dark hair and big black eyes rounded the corner, grinning and wearing a fluffy white towel about her neck. Barefoot, she had on a half-pastel-blue-half-white oversized t-shirt, pale orange culotte shorts and a clean white bandage wrapped snugly around her left wrist. She had a thin red bangle dangling around the bandage, and was hiking it up higher to avoid it banging against her arm. "Nina was just presenting the facts, you big quack."
"KEI!" Nina squealed again, latching onto the woman with all her strength, as the mildly offended doctor mutter under his breath, "Quack?". Kei let out a "Whoa!" and was about to topple over when Worick caught her. "Nina, not again!"
"A-ah! I'm sorry…." Nina cried, letting go. Kei laughed.
"It's alright. Thanks, mister." She attempted to free her arm from his grasp. Failed. "Mister?" She looked up at the blonde man, brow knitting in confusion. "You can let go of me, now."
"…." His expression was clouded with a sheet of silk hair. Nina tugged hesitantly at his shirttails.
"Um...hey?"
"Huh?" Alex leaned forward to look at his face. "Is something -?!" She drew in a breath. "What-"
"Kei?"Kei's forehead creased even further.
"Uh, yes?"
"You said your name is Kei," Worick breathed.
"Yes. Just Kei, though. Don't got a last name."
"Kei," Worick choked, and suddenly took her into a crushing embrace. "Kei. Kei!"
"Um, mister?" Kei was beyond confused. "You okay?"
"Kei, it's me!" He wailed into her shoulder. "Worick! Worick!"
"Worick?" Her face was still blank for a second before recognition. "No - W-Worick?!" Tears flooded in her eyes, startling Nina, Alex, and the doctor. "Worick!" Her voice cracked, small frame trembling with affection and emotion. She clawed at his back."W-Worick!"
"Yes," Worick whispered, combing her hair with his big hands. "It's me." Kei suddenly pulled away, eyes wild.
"Where's Nic?"
"K-ei?" A misused voice croaked. Kei choked back a sob, hands flying to her face.
"Nicolas!" She tackled him, sobbing. Nic, to everyone's shock, also had tears in his eyes, and held her to his chest.
"K-ei," He breathed into her hair, ignoring the pain from his injuries. "K-ei."
"Oh my goodness - Nic," Kei whispered back, crying now. "Where - what - how -"
"That's our line," Worick put in gently. He went to sit beside the reuniting couple, smiling softly. "What happened to you?"
"It's a long story," Kei sighed, untangling herself from Nic, but stay leaning into him. He kept one arm wrapped firmly around her shoulders, as if guarding her from anyone who might come to take her away.
"If you don't mind me asking," Dr. Theo coughed. "What on Earth is going on here?"
"Yes," Alex supplied. "What indeed? You know each other?" Nina just watched with a confused look on her innocent face. Kei smiled at her, beckoning for her to come. Nina obeyed, and Kei pulled her onto her lap.
"Well," She started. "It is a long story…."
And so it began.