When they pulled up to the hospital Ale was practically jumping out of her seat. Once they found a parking spot Ale grabbed her guitar, as well as as many bags as she could.
"If you don't want to come in, or you don't feel comfortable in hospitals, I completely understand. But I'm doing this either way. You can put a track on me and have me check in and I would be fine with that," Ale said, looking at Quinn.
She knew that some people were uncomfortable in hospitals and she didn't want Quinn to have to do something he didn't want to.
"I'm fine," Quinn smiled, taking the rest of the bags. Ale walked into the hospital, knowing exactly where she was going, the halls familiar to her.
When she got to the pediatric wing the nurses there smiled at her, the ones working the desk coming out and giving her hugs.
"We have missed you around here," one of them, Rhonda, said, Ale smiling.
"I missed you guys too. I have some new stuff for the playroom, and I was hoping I could pick up my old job for the day?" Ale asked, Rhonda smiling.
"You are too good to us," she sighed, looking over Ale's shoulder to Quinn.
"Oh, this is my friend Quinn. He is just here to observe for today," Ale said, Rhonda nodding.
"No one just observes when Ale is around. It's like, suddenly, their hearts grow five sizes."
"Shut up," Ale laughed, rolling her eyes.
"It's true. Well, Ale, you know the drill. Wanda is down there right now getting the room set, and the other nurses are getting some of the kids who need help. The rest of them will just wander in. Once they hear you are here, they will definitely come down," Rhonda said, Ale smiling.
"Thanks Rhonda!" Ale said, walking down the hallway.
Quinn was beginning to get the impression that, no matter where she was, Ale was well liked and made a huge difference, simply because of who she is. He was hooked.
He did want to know what they were doing today, though, and why Ale had gotten all of this stuff. They eventually made it to a large room, the walls made of glass, the carpet bright purple and the one plaster wall covered in a large mural. There was a nurse in the room, cleaning off some of the small tables in there. When she saw Ale she smiled, dropping what she was doing to give her a hug.
"Hey Wanda," Ale smiled, laughing a bit.
Ale looked at the mural wall, smiling.
"The wall looks amazing," she smiled, glad that it had turned out.
"You are the one who did it. I don't know why you sound so surprised," Wanda laughed, Ale shrugging.
Yes, she had designed it, and painted it, but there was one job she left for the kids, and that was drawing some grass at the bottom as well as some flowers. Their drawings here painted professionally, but you could tell that the ragged lines had come from them.
"I hadn't seen it done yet. It's perfect," Ale smiling, referring to the kid's part in it. "Oh, I brought stuff. Brand new from the store. All of it was wrapped in plastic, swords and tiaras, so I just have to wipe the outside of the coloring books down and the crayon boxes," Ale said, Wanda shaking her head.
"You did enough by bringing all of this stuff. I'll disinfect them," Wanda smiled, taking the bags from Quinn that held the crayons and coloring books. "And I like your new man," Wanda called, turning down the hallway.
Ale laughed, but didn't mind everyone thinking she and Quinn were together. The idea had been growing on her.
"We just have to wash our hands and then we are all set," Ale said, looking at Quinn. He nodded, looking a bit stricken.
Quinn couldn't believe that Ale had painted the mural on the wall. It was incredible. He followed Ale, washing his hands in the small sink just outside the room.
Once they were settled into the playroom some kids were rolled in in wheel chairs, all of them lighting up as they realized Ale was there.
A few of the kids were bald, obviously from chemo. They didn't seem sick, though, which amazed Quinn. Some other kids were connected to tubes and wires, their eyes looking excited but their bodies limp.
"Quinn, these are my friends. This is Ryan. He has CP. But he is the best checkers player I have ever met and can even beat the computer," Ale explained, gesturing to the screen in front of Ryan.
"This is Eric, Wendy, and Lucas. They are kicking cancer's butt, currently. Right as we speak," Ale said, giving each of the children a kiss on the head.
More kids came into the room, some of them in wheelchairs with simple broken legs, others, looking sicker than the rest. Some kids ran in, their arms in slings or casts.
They all seemed so excited to see Ale, and Ale knew almost all of them. If she didn't she immediately introduced herself, the kids warming up to her quickly. Quinn watched as Ale and some other nurses got all of the kids set up around the room, the ones in wheelchairs being lifted into smaller seats, Ale not hesitating to help the nurses with the sick children.
It took a special kind of person to not be afraid of helping people who were sick or hurt. Quinn knew, however, that that is how Ale had spent the past few years of her life.
Once all of the kids had a seat or were playing with the other toys Wanda came back in with the coloring books and crayons. All of the kids were so excited, thanking Ale left and right. She was just happy that they were so happy.
She wished she could have gotten each of them a puppy, but the fact that something as small as coloring books made them so happy warmed Ale's heart.
When Ale had made sure she said hello to each of the kids she walked over to Quinn, who looked a little overwhelmed.
"Are you good?" Ale asked, putting a hand on Quinn's arm.
"I'm fine. I'm just…amazed. With you, and the nurses. But mostly you," he smiled.
"Thanks. But it's not a big deal. Would you help me open all of the tiaras and swords?" she asked, Quinn nodding. They sat together on the floor, opening all of the toys.
Ale then stood, clapping her hands in a pattern so the kids could repeat her actions and quiet down.
"My friend Quinn and I have something very special for you all. Today, I was talking with Rainy, the forest fairy. Remember her?" Ale asked, referring to the character that was the center of most of the stories she told to the kids when she had volunteered on a regular basis. The kids nodded, even the new ones who Ale knew were there when she told the stories. She had a few guesses that the nurses had continued on with the tales of Rainy.
"Well, Rainy told me that you all have been so incredibly brave that she wants to make you all princesses and knights!" Ale said, the kids all cheering.
"So, we have tiaras for the girls, and swords for the boys. Quinn and I will bring around your new treasures, and make sure that you tell Rainy thank you, yes?" Ale asked, not being able to stop smiling. The kids were so excited.
Ale and Quinn walked around, giving all of the kids their presents. Ale couldn't help but watch as Quinn smiled at each of the kids, the little girls practically swooning whenever he set a crown down on their head.
"Here you go, Princess," Quinn smiled, setting a crown on one of the girl's heads. She thanked him and gave Quinn a kiss on the cheek, also thanking Ale with a big hug.
"You are good with them," Ale said, getting to Ryan, the last person needing his toy.
"Just learning from the best," Quinn smiled.
Quinn loved watching Ale with the kids. They adored her. She was like a saint to them…or better yet, a real princess.
Quinn watched as Ale talked with Ryan, the boy's head lolling to the side. He was trying to smile, though, and he seemed genuinely happy as Ale tucked the band of the sword around his hand. She secured it there by also connecting it to the side of the wheelchair Ryan was in.
Quinn watched as Ryan used his free hand to choose something on his computer, an automated voice coming from the device, saying thank you.
"You are more than welcome," Ale smiled. "And just between you and me, you are the bravest of them all," Ale whispered, Ryan giving a lopsided smile.
"What now?" Quinn asked Ale. Before she could answer, however, Ryan's computer said something—play with me.
Ale smiled, turning to look at Ryan. She pointed to herself and Ryan gave a small shake of his head. Ale then pointed to Quinn, Ryan nodding slightly.
"Well now you get to play with Ryan, and he is going to school you in checkers," Ale smiled, looking up at Quinn. He nodded, pulling a chair up next to Ryan as they played checkers on the little screen.
While he played he watched Ale. She colored with the kids or read them stories, making sure to visit all of the children. One of the youngest girls came and plopped herself on Ale's lap, curling into Ale's chest. Ale smiled, wrapping her arms around the girl, looking down at her as she fell asleep.
Quinn had never seen something like that, and he was amazed that the little girl felt went to Ale solely for comfort and a safe place to sleep. As Ale sat there other girls came up to her, playing with her hair.
They were making a complete mess of Ale's long locks, but she didn't seem to care. She was smiling and talking with the girls, as well as the other kids that flocked around her, them showing her the pictures they had colored or the Lego house they built.
Quinn was also impressed with Ryan. He was very smart and he could even play chess. He also had quite the personality, laughing at jokes Quinn made or other jokes the nurses made as they circulated the room.
"She's pretty," Ryan's computer said, Quinn looking at Ryan. He used his sword hand to point to Ale.
"Yes she is," Quinn nodded, Ryan struggling to hit another button his computer.
"You like her," he said. "Be nice."
Quinn smiled, his eyes tearing up. This little guy was looking out for Ale, and it was extremely touching.
"I do like her. And I promise I will be very nice, and I won't hurt her," Quinn said, Ryan nodding a bit.
Ale looked over at Quinn to see him saying something to Ryan, a big smile on both of their faces.
"Miss Ale, can we sing songs?" one of the kids asked, Ale laughing.
"Of course we can sing songs," Ale smiled, handing off a now sleeping Sophie to one of the nurses. Ale stood, grabbing the guitar she just bought and sitting down on the big rug. The nurses worked to get the kids sitting, Ale putting her hair up in a ponytail so it wouldn't be in her face while she played.
Quinn watched as Ale sang with the kids, her playing her guitar, her voice as sweet as honey as she sang. They sang the songs from the Sound of Music, which Ale no doubt taught them, Ale singing certain parts, the kids joining in when they could remember.
The kids also asked for songs from movies or goofy songs that Ale had clearly made up for them. All of the kids were so happy, all of them singing at the top of their lungs.
"Alright. Once more, and then play time is over. You guys have to eat dinner," Ale said, Quinn looking at the clock on the wall. They had been there almost all day, completely forgetting about lunch and anything else they had to do.
"What are we gonna sing?" one of the kids asked, bouncing on her heels.
"How about…Hallelujah?" Ale asked, the kids nodding. The kids immediately quieted, Ale singing a song that sounded quite familiar to Quinn. He then recognized the tune, the popular song filling the room, Ale's voice giving him goose bumps. The kids, and the nurses, all joined in on the choruses. The kids weren't loud like before. Instead, you could tell they were trying their very best to sound like Ale did…soft and sweet and, well, perfect.
When the song ended the kids who could walk all gave Ale hugs and kisses, going back to their rooms. Ale stood, giving the kids in wheelchairs hugs, too, helping get them back into their chairs. Lastly, Ale gave Ryan a kiss, telling him that she would see him later. Once the room was empty of children Ale started cleaning up the books that were still strewn around, also picking up crayons or stray Legos.
"I hope this wasn't incredibly boring for you," Ale said once the room was cleaned, looking at Quinn, a bit of guilt on her face.
"It was perfect," he nodded. And it was true.
Ever since he retired from the business, he had been trying to do things that would make him feel normal and human again. Before he left his hometown, he used to play with his little sister and helped babysit his cousins and volunteered at an animal shelter and then he just…everything changed, himself included.
It was nice to feel a part of his old self coming back, though. It made him feel like he wasn't a monster.
Ale smiled, glad that she had a chance to come back. She had forgotten how much she loved volunteering here, and how much she loved the kids. She and Quinn signed out, all of the nurses thanking them. They walked down the street, slipping into a restaurant for dinner.
"So, that is where you spent a lot of your time, I presume?" Quinn asked after they had ordered, Ale shrugging.
"I also was in the geriatric ward. I read to a lot of the patients there, or just listened to them talk about their lives. It was wonderful," Ale smiled, remembering all of the people she had met. "There are just so many people in the world, and they all have stories to learn from, you know?" Ale said, Quinn nodding.
"I do," he said, smiling.
They had a wonderful dinner after that, talking about anything and everything. The dinner was so nice, in fact, that it turned into dessert, and then a movie.
If Ale hadn't known better, she would have thought it was a date.
"Where are they, Hardison?" Eliot asked, growing impatient. Quinn and Ale hadn't answered any of his texts, and he needed to make sure everything was okay. The con was going great on their end, and the only people currently working were Parker, who was in an air vent, and Nate, who was talking to someone about how to follow grizzly bear scat.
Hardison clicked the keys on his laptop, eventually tracking down Ale and Quinn's phones.
"It says they are at the hospital. They have been for most of the day," Hardison said, Eliot looking enraged. Sophie smiled to herself, letting Eliot get a little worked up and worried before she interjected.
"Ale said something about going to volunteer today. And you can't have your phone on while you are in a hospital," Sophie said, Eliot looking at her with wide eyes.
Eliot had been worried all day, ranting to the team, wondering if Ale was okay or not, and Sophie had known where she was the whole damn time.
"Goddamnit, Sophie!" Eliot growled, running a hand through his hair. "Why does it seem like you are constantly at battle with me lately? We are usually on the same page!" Eliot asked, a little hurt by Sophie's actions. Yes, he hadn't been the easiest person to deal with, but Sophie usually had his back.
"Because you are acting like a child, and I will not encourage it," Sophie snapped back, folding her arms across her chest. It was killing her to watch Eliot struggle with his emotions, but if she just coddled him and fed into it, he would never learn how to control his emotions and he would never realize that he can handle, and deserves, a real relationship and happy ending.
"Now, Ale is fine. Stop worrying. And stop yelling at Hardison because he isn't the one who isn't answering your calls. And stop being angry with everyone else because you are a bloody coward," Sophie said, going into her room in the suite, leaving Eliot a bit dumbfounded and confused, and leaving Hardison with a big smile stretched across his face.