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Raining Cats and Dogs [Cassandra/NPC][Complete]
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Post by Cross on Apr 4, 2018 22:29:18 GMT
The rain pounded like tapping fingers against the front glass of the small vet clinic's windows. It's sign creaking in the high wind as the gale tossed about trash and leaves alike before they were pelted down by the torrent forming puddles and eddies that bled into shallow rivers of water as it washed down the sidewalks and vacant street. The neighborhood in which the small business resided was nearly empty save for the far more crowded apartment complexes a few blocks over. Despite the run down appearance of it's surroundings the clinic itself was a little two story house of clean pressure washed brick with a high fenced off lot behind it that served as a backyard. Looking through the front window framed with white drapes one could see what had once been a small walk-in living room that had been converted into a waiting area with a small wooden coffee table and a couch for patients. A water cooler and a coffee and tea machine was shoved against the far wall with a basket holding a smattering of books. A door with a doorbell beside it and a small plain plaque reading Dr. Cassandra Cross on it's surface separated the room from the hallway behind it which lead off into three more rooms that had been converted into an operating room, an examination room, and a lab. Stairs lay at the back near the rear door lead up the the actual 'house' where the Doctor lived above.
The clinic itself was small and practical place. A good fit for someone who preferred to mostly venture out to tend to her clients in person as few exotic animals did well with traveling, but suited the occasional neighborhood emergency. Be it a beloved local cat or dog that had been injured or more often then not a desperate human in need of aid rather than an animal.
Lately though Dr. Cross had found more and more unusual patients showing up at her door.
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D-Reaper Scout
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Never The End
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OOC Name: NolChannel™
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Post by D-Reaper Scout on Apr 5, 2018 0:21:56 GMT
And as Cassandra was about to find out, her unusual patients and her non-standard work were not always mutually exclusive.
In many ways, this incident probably started like many others: in the late hours of the evening, someone managed to take a wrong turn out in the worst part of town, and stepped on a toe or two that they shouldn't have. In desperation and not wanting to go to the authorities proper, they would remember this place mentioned on the grape-vine, and attempt to seek aid from this 'enigmatic veterinarian'. That would be the case this night, or at the very least, it would be the story that he was telling. But in all honesty, this hooded figure probably wasn't thinking entirely straight: with a cloak hung around him and a claw holding a towel against his stomach, he gave a growl, extending one claw to tap at that doorbell.
Tch. One week here and I'm already reduced to this...
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Post by Cross on Apr 5, 2018 1:20:20 GMT
The sound of footsteps and the rustling of fabric could be heard from behind the door as a young woman in her mid-twenties opened it to poke her head out. She was a rather pretty thing with short shoulder and chin length blonde hair that framed her face not unlike a mane and wore a doctors coat that looked as though it had been thrown over the baggy blue hoodie she wore beneath it in her haste. The color of which brought out the brightness of her sky blue eyes as she swept her gaze over her waiting room before her eyes dropped to take in the cloaked, soaking wet, dripping, injured, and decidedly not human figure standing just beyond the door.
For a moment the Doctor blinked. Once, twice, as she processed just what she was seeing.
"Holyshitdigimon!" She gasped out words running together as the image before her registered in her mind sending her survival instincts screaming as she leaped back with surprising speed for a woman so small and snapped the door shut in less time then it took a heart to beat. Adrenaline was a hell of a drug.
Putting her back to the door to brace it Cas slid to the floor shaking slightly from nerves as she waited out the inevitable attack. One minute passed...then two...then three with the only sound the steady drip drip dripping of the soaking wet creature on the other side as gradually curiosity got the better of her. Slowly getting to her feet Cas cracked open the door once more peering out for a moment before opening it the rest of the way once she was certain no imminent death was coming.
"I apologize for my rudeness...I assume you are not here to kill me then?" She questioned somewhat cautiously as she glanced the cloaked creature over only really able to get a glance at a purple furred muzzle and a clawed hand clutching a towel tight against it's stomach from what she could see that wasn't hidden by the cloak.
"And you appear to be injured." She added arching a brow as she stepped aside motioning with one hand for him to enter.
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Post by D-Reaper Scout on Apr 5, 2018 1:34:19 GMT
This was a stupid idea.
That was the thought running through the Gazimon's head, as he was brought face-to-face with the 'infamous' Dr. Cross. For someone so respected and protected in the underworld, he was expecting someone who would show a bit more grit - not this pretty face who didn't even seem to know what she was looking at. Well, it turned out she did know what she was looking at. And before he could even get a word in, that door was slammed right in front of his face!
Which left him there, cloak soaked and dripping in the rain, still holding that towel up to his stomach. For a moment, he considered his options: try the actual hospital? No, no, that would just go over worse. Instead, he simply raised his claw up to the door, and rang the bell one more time.
And he waited. And waited. Eventually, the doctor once more opened the door, a cautious, careful question hitting the rabbit-creature's ears. "Of course not." His voice held a growl, more from frustration than anything else, as he started to drag himself inside. He was injured, blood already soaking through that towel. Gritting his fangs to brace himself, he gave a careful nod. At this point, he didn't fuss with details:
"And of course, I can't just go to your world's medical place." He gave a nod, letting that one explanation calmly detail why he was here. Aside from that, well, he gave a second, pained explanation.
"Yes. Knife. Hurts." Three simple, disjointed words. Further detail could wait, right? "You help?"
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Post by Cross on Apr 5, 2018 2:07:23 GMT
"Of course you can't. Sorry I've not had the best track record with Digimon lately. Two for two out for my head as one would say so you understand the caution." She explained, quickly assessing his situation as she let the Digimon in question inside and bent to inspect him. "You're the first none-hostile one I've met that wasn't also a human." Cas adds taking in his short explanation with a tight frown.
Possible stab or slice wound. From the fact he had a towel over it she could guess he'd already removed the weapon...big mistake that. He didn't have much time then. "Yes I'll help. Keep pressure on the wound with both hands we're gonna have to work fast." She adds waiting for him to put both hands over the towel before she bends and with a slight grunt of effort lifts him up into a bridal carry. Kicking the door closed behind them with her foot she turns to rush him back to the operating room.
The room in question is small, not terribly so enough to be cramped, but mostly shelves, and cabinets shoved against the wall with the main feature being the steel operating table in the center atop a tiled floor with a large medical light looming over it. Setting the Digimon down on the table gently Cas flicked on the light before turning to grab a set of latex gloves, sterilization wipes, and spray.
"I'm sorry this is probably going to sting like a son-of-a bitch." She explains fishing a folded washcloth from her pocket and holding it to his mouth with one hand motioning for him to take it as she sets her equipment to the side and presses her free hand down atop his own clawed hands over the towel covered wound. Applying her own steady pressure to the injury. "Bite down on this cloth so you don't bite your tongue and remove your hands. I'll take it from here." The Doctor states her voice calm, but no-nonsense as she waits for him to remove his hands before she carefully peels back the towel to take her first real look at the injury.
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Post by D-Reaper Scout on Apr 5, 2018 3:06:45 GMT
Right, figuring out how Dr. Cross already knew about Digimon could come later - right now, it was more or less a blessing, and Cassandra was quick on the take. Though the weapon had been removed (whether it was by him or by his attacker was yet to be known), the Gazimon had at least enough common sense to apply some pressure to the wound. He just gave a nod at the professional's advice, letting that second claw rest over the first, before he was plucked up right in Cassandra's hands.
He honestly didn't expect to be picked up that easily, but he wasn't going to complain at this rate. The Digimon grit his fangs as he was set upon the table, looking at the doctor prepare with winced eyes. Gloves, wipes, some kind of aerosol can... he didn't know what any of this was for, but knew she had to do something!
Though, he was hesitant to move his hands, now that they got down to it. It took a moment, but he eventually slipped them off to the side, plucking that towel with one hand: "Take it, then." With one last wince, he bit down on that washcloth, as that stained towel was pulled away...
... And well, that did not look like a good wound at all. A good four inches above the hip on his left side was a single wound, the size suggesting that it had belonged to a switchblade. It wasn't a straight cut, but thankfully, it wasn't one that managed to cut across his body. Instead, it looked like the blade had taken a single turn, a small arc cut through his gut.
At this angle, it would be a touch hard for someone to tell if it had nicked anything within, but at the very least, the only fluid leaking out from the wound was blood...
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Post by Cross on Apr 5, 2018 3:27:41 GMT
Right that did look ugly. It certainly wasn't the cleanest cut she'd ever seen, but it was made with a straight edge rather then anything with teeth on the blade from the looks of it. Leaving Cas to silently thank her and the digimon's luck. "Try not to tense." She cautioned, but knew her words would likely fall on deaf ears as she took the first disinfectant wipe to the wound to remove as much blood as she could and get a better look at the area. Nothing appeared nicked, but she was also working off of a rough idea of the creatures biology going off the fact it appeared to be mammalian in nature. Something between a rabbit and cat from what she could see. The fact there appeared to be no other fluid beyond blood was heartening though and once most of the blood was cleaned away she carefully sprayed the disinfectant into the wound watching closely as it bubbled burning out any would be infection or so she hoped.
"Shhhh...That was the worst part. You're doing great." Cas murmured her voice low and soothing as she reached out to grab some medical suture clamps from the table and carefully pressed the wound closed before using them to hold the edges in place.
"I'm going to numb you and shave the wound area real quick while we see if the topical anesthesia works on you. Typically I'd do a more controlled test, but we don't really have the time." She explained moving to shuffle through the small fridge as she pulled out a vial of clear liquid and slid it into a syringe.
"You shouldn't need the towel for now if you think you're ok and want to spit it out." The Doctor adds as she carefully stuck the needle into the site next to the wound and injected him before setting it aside searching for the electric safety razor she kept on hand for such things.
"So in an effort not to sound rude what exactly should I call you?" She asked attempting to make casual conversation to keep the digimon's mind off of his injury.
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Post by D-Reaper Scout on Apr 5, 2018 3:59:11 GMT
'Try not to tense.'
Right, like that would want to make the Gazimon do anything but tense up? The Digimon tried, at the very least, resting his hands to the side with relative calm, open palms. The moment that the disinfectant touched that wound, though, well, that flipped a 180: he tensed up his hands, bit hard into that towel, and closed his eyes. To his credit, he was doing everything he could not to kick or swipe a claw to the doctor trying to help him. The burning sensation of that alcohol quickly 'cleaned' away the surface of the wound, though it didn't take long for a fresh line of red color to poke through.
After the worst of it, the Digimon struggled for breath, forced to breathe through his nose as he was still biting down on the towel. He responded to her with mere nods: typical anesthetics, medical tests, shots. Right, that all sounded about the same to him right now, except for the bit where he could finally take the towel out. He waited for that needle first...
... And thankfully, it wasn't nearly as bad as that first bit. Pulling out that now-shredded piece of cloth, he groaned, lazily flipping it off the side of the table as he laid back, keeping still for the doctor. What did she ask for - a name?
"Gazi's fine." The monster gave a nod. "And you? Cross, right?"
Well, he was trying, though his thoughts were currently all over the place. Ugh!
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Post by Cross on Apr 5, 2018 4:30:28 GMT
"Gazi it is then." She murmured prodding the wound with a gentle finger. "Are you able to feel that Gazi?" She asked waiting a bit for him to either confirm or deny that he could feel her light prodding as she worked on shaving the area in and around the wound taking great care not to disturb the clamps. While the edges were still gradually filling with a thin line of red the pressure was staving off the bleeding and acting as temporary stitches till she could get the real ones in place. Once she'd gotten as much fur removed from the area as possible she carefully turned to the Digimon once more.
"And yes Doctor Cross to be exact, but if we make it through this with both of us bodily intact you can feel free to call me Cas." She adds prepping her needle and thread. If the Gazimon had confirmed he could not feel the area around the wound then she would begin her stitches. Working to sew up the rough edges into as neat and straight of a line as the wound would allow. Her stitches small and neat as she worked the needle deftly and quickly up the area of the injury.
Once she'd closed and tied off the stitches she carefully wiped the sealed wound down with disinfectant one last time while it was still numb. Then fetching a roll of medical tape she carefully taped over the stitches before adding a pad and looping vet-wrap over it and around his stomach with gentle care. "We're almost done now. Wounds closed. I just need you to stay with me right now. You've lost a lot of blood. Not enough to be critical, but I need to get your iron and fluid count up a bit." She explained patting him lightly on the hand as she rushed over to one of the cabinets for a glass filling it with water and putting a straw in it even as she grabbed some iron pills. She hoped their blood had iron. It smelled like it was a high iron fluid.
"I don't know if I can give you an IV so we're just going to have to hope oral medication and hydration will do for now." The Doctor added holding the pills up to drop the into the digimon's mouth before bringing the straw up for him to sip the water. "Drink slow. Don't rush it." She cautioned gently. Should he try to move or get up from the table she'd stop him with a firm hand against his chest.
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Post by D-Reaper Scout on Apr 5, 2018 5:32:13 GMT
Well, she was quick to pick up the name. At the touch of the finger, the Gazimon's nose nose gave a twitch. "Mm... I don't think so? It just feels... 'fuzzy', I guess? Like, static fuzzy." Well, he'd never been on general anesthetics before - he could feel the effects of the topical shot itself, but had little sense of touch and no sense of pain. As such, even as the razor pulled a bit at the ragged, thick fur, he didn't make any remark or too much effort to move. With her slight joke, the creature gave a nod. "Heh..."
Thankfully, the stitches would manage to go without incident. At first unsure about what she meant by 'unable to feel', the Gazimon understood it quite well now. He could certainly feel the thread pulling through the skin and the general sudden 'tautness' around the cut, but it was dull and without pain, as if he was an observer to his own body. His hands no longer tensed, making a very still and relatively relaxed patient for Dr. Cross to work with.
The wound was sealed, and the disinfectant passed over once more - though this time, he could only note that it was 'cold'. With the patch applied, the rabbit-creature's ear twitched at the next bit. 'Blood'? 'Iron'? "Hm... I guess that's how it is on this side..."
It was a curious off-hand remark, but for the Gazimon, it was curious. Why hadn't his hip 'gone into phase'? Why did the wound need disinfected at all? Still, he didn't object, opening his mouth for the pills, before giving a nice, slow slip of water. He tried to raise his chest to swallow, only to be pushed back down - alright, fine. Awkwardly, he managed to drink, breathing out as he finally managed to keep the pills down.
"Frickin Sovereign..." Swearing under his breath to some unknown deity, Gazi laid back, draping the back of his arm over his eyes. Injured as he was, well, he didn't feel any urgent need to move from there.
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Post by Cross on Apr 5, 2018 6:18:53 GMT
"Just keep still for now. I'm gonna see about getting you cleaned up as I'm not sure if you can get sick or not, but being wet and covered in blood on a cold steel table is likely not conducive for anyone's health beyond emergency patch jobs." Cas murmured taking the blood covered towel and saliva covered rag and chucking them into her bio-hazard bin along with her blood covered latex gloves. With that done she pulled on a new clean pair and set about carefully removing the digimon's cloak without jostling him too much. Eyeing the garment she couldn't help the small smile that curled over her lips as she realized just what she was holding. It wasn't a cloak per say like she expected, but actually a woman's capelet made to drape over the shoulders like a miniature cape and proved a hood not unlike a poncho. One that was thankfully black so as to hide the blood staining it. Folding it carefully and deciding that Gazi likely would want it back she took it with her as she darted out of the room to the medium sized closet that served as her laundry room. Shoving it into the washer to run as a load she pulled down two clean towels before heading back.
"All right if you had any plans for this evening I'd clear them. I need to keep you under at least twenty-four hours of observation to make sure something internal wasn't nicked. It didn't look like it, but any wounds close to the guts are tricky." The Doctor explained as she slid one of the dry towels carefully beneath him to keep him off the cold metal and dry his back. Then walked over to the sink dabbing one corner of the towel in warm water as she padded over and worked on gently scrubbing any dirt or blood out his his fur that she could see and pat drying the digimon as best she could.
"When you feel up to me moving you I'll prep you a sleeping spot and transfer you upstairs. Most of my clients only see the first floor so it's unlikely if anyone else comes in that they'll stumble upon you." She adds as she finishes drying him and sets the towel aside. Carefully she takes his clawed hand that still rests on the table in hers and turns it over pressing her fingers to his pad to feel if the skin there was feverish or cold to the touch hoping checking his temperature would work similar to the rabbits and cats that he appeared to look like.
"I mean most of my clients wouldn't question me about you if I bluffed and said you were some sort of exotic animal, but I'd rather avoid whoever decided to try to gut you with a switchblade showing up on my doorstep." She quipped her teasing gentle even as she set about cleaning up her work area humming softly as she went.
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Post by D-Reaper Scout on Apr 5, 2018 22:49:37 GMT
Well, it was definitely unlikely that any common human illness would affect the Gazimon - but he wasn't going to argue with getting his 'cloak' off. Indeed, it probably had a different place in the human world, but whatever worked, right? That small smile was missed as the creature kept his gaze up to the ceiling. He didn't even want to inspect that patch, and risk his claws tearing through the fabric.
At the very least, Cassandra was probably used to patients who didn't talk back all that much. His ear gave a twitch - he'd have to spend a full day here? "Ugh... fine, guess I wouldn't be moving much anyway." It almost seemed like he was weighing the options in his head, the cat-rabbit giving a twitch as that towel poked under his shoulder. With a small groan, he simply rested back and let the doctor do her work.
"And how will I know when I should be moving?" His question was dry, frustration mixed with fatigue and pain, as his gaze traced the doctor around the room. Curious to him, she thought to inspect his paws: they felt cold to the touch, prior sweat from stress making them feel almost grainy to the touch, but the temperature didn't seem to be in any dangerous range. If anything, perhaps it felt a touch colder than the doctor would be used to.
At the thought of being an exotic animal, Gazi rolled his eyes. "Oh no, much better out of sight. Whole reason I came here to begin with." His sense of humor was either dry or absent, but who could blame him? For a few moments, he remained silent, letting Cassandra work away as she needed to...
... Until one phrase finally broke the silence. "Thank you." He sighed, almost in relief, as he finally let that out. "I wouldn't have blamed you if you holed yourself up and hid from the 'monster', but... well. Right."
Not one for words, was he?
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Post by Cross on Apr 6, 2018 0:22:00 GMT
"I used biodegradable stitches so you won't have to return to have them removed. I'll check your wound in the morning to replace the pad and see how it's healing. I'm afraid I don't know how fast or exactly how digimon heal well enough to be a great judge on recovery time for you." She explained wiping up any spare drops of blood as she cleaned her needles and put them aside for sanitizing later along with the suture clips.
"You could heal from the inside out for all I know like equines or from the outside in like most mammals. You might even have a slightly faster recovery rate like a lot of felines have. I can't say for sure till I give the wound a little time. As for how you'll know when you're ready just tell me when you're feeling a bit less light headed." The Doctor spoke taking a moment to survey her work area and assure herself that it was as clean as it was going to get with her patient still in the room. In the sudden lapse of silence though his words caught her off guard making the woman come up short.
"You're welcome." She murmured her voice softening from the more no nonsense academic tone she had taken before into something gentler. Her own memories rushing up of fearful horrified eyes peering at her as she was shoved into an empty closet. Remembered listening the click of the lock on the other side and the terrified whispers.
"Monster..." They'd called her. Never mind the fact she had just been defending herself. Never mind half the blood on her hands and shirt was hers. By the time the authorities had gotten there and let her out the crimson liquid had long dried to her skin in rusty flakes with infection making her temperature spike with fever leaving her scared and delusional. Causing her to flash her teeth in terror as she was dragged out of the dark like some sort of wild animal by rough handed officers. She'd only been twelve.
Taking a deep breath the Doctor carefully set aside the spool of thread putting it back in it's place in the cabinet as she turned. "While I haven't had the best encounters with your kind I know what it's like to be called a Monster." Cas explained her voice whisper soft, but carrying in the small quiet room. "If you were one you would have threatened or made me treat you. Not asked. That's why I opened the door." She admitted reaching out to give the injured digimon a reassuring pat on the hand.
"I'll go grab some blankets and set up my pull out couch for you. I hope you like coconut curry because it's what I've got cooking for dinner." She murmured turning on her heel to leave the Gazimon to his thoughts for just a little while to do just that. She'd return once more in around fifteen minutes. Should he have dozed she'd wake him with a careful touch of her hand ready to jerk back if he lashed out in surprise or confusion.
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Post by D-Reaper Scout on Apr 6, 2018 2:06:41 GMT
Frustrating as it was, that was a fair answer: how the frick should she know when the Digimon could move? Dr. Cross probably had next to no experience treating Digimon. What would've she done if a Guardromon knocked at her door with a broken gasket? Despite that thought, he nodded as she explained her diagnosis.
Of course, he wasn't as 'there' as he would have liked to be right now. All he could really pick up on was that Cassandra had gone quiet for a moment - perhaps cleaning those needles took some focus? Perhaps there just wasn't much that needed said? Dragging an arm over his eyes, he just let himself drift in the silence...
... After which Cassandra would speak up, saying she knew what it was like to be called a monster. "Eh?" The subtlety was a little lost on him, but the second part made sense! "Sheesh, I know better than to get in trouble like that. Just managed to turn the corner too fast and managed to scare the wits out of some bald man..." He mulled that thought over. "Knocked him out, but didn't leave a scratch on him, mind you. Would rather have him believe he hallucinated me than have a claw mark to know I was there."
He'd thought it through that far? He gave a blink as she started to step out, as if he had something to ask - bah, it could wait. Right now, he just wanted to get some rest, but could he even manage against that metal table?
...
In five minutes, breathing peacefully, he was out like a light. When Cas returned, and gave a careful prod at his chest, he gave a groan, slowly blinking in her direction.
"... Um... sleeping a bad idea, or something?"
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Post by Cross on Apr 6, 2018 3:10:12 GMT
The Doctor had to admit that the Gazi was rather on the clever side to cover his tracks so well even if she'd has a suspicion that the digimon had been injured from surprising or picking a fight with the wrong person. Still she offered the digimon a gentle smile as she shook his head at his question. "No. I'm just moving you somewhere more comfortable." Cas assured him as she carefully hooked her arms under his shoulder and legs lifting him from the metal table into her arms. The woman made it a point to keep her strides slow and steady as she navigated the stairs up to her home. The top of which opened into a large open room a third of which was sectioned off into an open kitchen by an island and the majority of which was dominated by a rather large cream colored couch pull out bed. At the foot of which had been a coffee table, but which had now been pulled aside to act as a sort of makeshift bedside table.
The bed itself was piled fairly high with various throw blankets and pillows and in the soft grey light let in from two bay windows and the more warm light of the above head ceiling light it all looked rather cozy. The walls were lined with book shelves and the windows had small reading nooks beneath them. A pair of doors were hidden among the shelves one on the left near the stairs was cracked open to show a small bathroom and the other one on the right beside the kitchen likely leading to Cas's room. The place smelled of old books and various spices and herbs. Mostly that of some strange savory yellow gold liquid that could be seen boiling in a large crockpot on the counter. Steam curling up from beneath the lid in lazy swirls to sweeten the air further from where the contraption sat next to another basket like device that was likewise steaming.
Settling the digimon down onto the pull out bed as carefully as she could Cas draped a blanket over her patient before straightening to shrug out of her Doctors coat. "Have you ever had tea before? I was considering putting on a pot after I changed before dinner is ready." She asked with a slight tilt of her head.
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