necroslacker | seattle ; tuesday

Current Mood: guilty

Entry tags:

seattle ; tuesday

Sam had walked all the way back to his house after waking up completely lost yesterday. He still had no memory of what had happened and that was scaring him. But, he'd made it back after multiple people had offered him help and some food. He didn't know how he must have looked to them if they were offering him food and shelter and water.

But, he turned down each offer and kept walking. By the time he ended up back at the estate, his feet were bloody and sore, his stomach was growling and he was dirty and tired. It hadn't been a good day. There was fear clawing at him, deep inside his belly but he was ignoring it.

He stared at the door in front of him, almost not wanting to open it. He knew his friends would be on the other side, possibly angry, possibly scared and he wasn't sure if he wanted or even had the ability to face that down right now.

He needed help. He really did and he knew it. Maybe he could sneak in, pack a bag and leave. That's what it was coming too. He was going to have to leave and either find his uncle or...find Douglas.

Sam shuddered and turned the knob so he could slip inside the house. He'd shower, pack a bag quickly and leave.

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"I don't know, I think he might just be exhausted," Natalie offered, even though there was a pretty obvious frown of worry on her face.

This wasn't what she'd expected to come here to do.

Sam didn't move when Ramon put him on the bed and then Ramon didn't know what to do. He just stood there, looking agitated and restless.

"His mom's coming," Frank said, scratching his cheek and looking worried himself. "Should we try and wake him up?"

"Yes," Natalie decided, trying to get to her crisis mindset, the one that let her get through the long days in the dungeon. All action and no worrying. She moved closer to the bed. "How much did you tell her?"

"As much as I could," Frank said, coming to stand on the opposite side of the bed and looking down at Sam sadly. "She's angry at Sam but worried. She said she'd bring something. Something about binding him temporarily."

Natalie just barely kept herself from wincing. "Well. He's not going to like that." But that was for later. She sat down on the edge of the bed and reached from Sam's shoulders, to give him a shake. Not too hard. "Sam! Wake up."

"Is that going to work?" Frank wondered, watching her shake Sam and watching Sam not respond for the moment. "Maybe we should try cold water?"

"Well, get cold water then," Natalie replied, although she gave Sam a firmer shake just in case. "Because I'd rather go for that before slapping him. Sam!"

"You're gonna dislocate his neck," Ramon chimed in while Frank went for some water. "Maybe he needs to rest!"

Ramon didn't know. He was worried too.

"Trust me, I am not using nearly enough force for that." She knew these things. Still, she stopped shaking him. After hesitation, she cupped his cheek, to feel his skin. "God, I hope his mom knows better than we do."

"I should probably call Brid," Ramon mumbled, eyes on Sam. "Her family's healed him before. Maybe they can do something now."

Natalie looked up.

"Do it."

She was more than willing to call up anyone and everyone just to get this sorted out.

As Ramon stepped out to call Brid, Frank came back in with a glass of cold water.

"Should I do it?" he asked, looking down at Sam.

"Well, you already have it."

She was going to look back on this later and acknowledge how ridiculous a situation this was. Maybe.

Frank took a deep breath and dumped the water right on Sam's face.

That was enough to shock Sam out of unconsciousness. He sputtered and shivered, rubbing at his eyes and wincing when that action hit the bruises Brid had left.

"What -- ?" He blinked and glanced around.

"You passed out," Natalie informed him matter-of-factly. Even after heaving a quiet sigh of relief. "In the closet. Ramon carried you out. In related news, you're not leaving."

"I -- what?" Sam asked, blinking and wiping some water out of his eyes. "In the closet?"

He glanced over at the closet and frowned.

"I don't remember that."

Natalie raised one eyebrow. It was better than frowning some more. Somehow.

"You tried to hold yourself up against the wall, and then you collapsed."

"Your mom's coming," Frank said.

"Sos's Brid," Ramon said, coming back over to the bed and crossing his arms.

"What, you called everyone?" Sam asked, exasperated. "I just passed out! I haven't eaten!"

"You also didn't seem too keen on eating, or resting, or anything," Natalie pointed out. "You can't blame us for rounding up the reinforcements."

And it was weird to include herself in an 'us' with most of them, but there it was.

"I'm fine, really," Sam said, already making to get back up and out of bed. "I'll eat something before I leave."

Still on that, yes.

Natalie reached out to give his shoulder a gentle but assertive push back. "Sam," she said. "Don't."

"Yes, Sam. Don't." That was a new voice and Sam looked past Natalie to see his mother standing there, looking more stern than concerned. Sam winced.

"Hi, Miss LaCroix," Frank said, nodding. "Thanks for coming."

"See?" Natalie said. "It's us against you."

She looked over her shoulder back at his mother, and gave her a little nod in greeting. That was better than starting to randomly feel guilty over everything in the past four months or anything.

"Mom, I'm fine! I'm fine," Sam pleaded, shaking his head. "I just haven't eaten in a few days and it caught up to me."

"Of course." Miss LaCroix came over and sat down on the edge of the bed, reaching for one of Sam's hands. "Your skin is ice cold, your eyes are bloodshot and you're gaunt. Yes, that's exactly what happens when you don't eat."

"Mom..."

"Stop," she said sharply. "This destruction you're causing yourself? It ends now."

Natalie agreed, even if she did so silently, watching them both while folding her hands in her lap.

Focusing on the present, instead of wondering how much of this was her fault somehow.

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