Marriage is Murder

Jess had aperated back for the second half of her shift when she felt a strong shift moving to the exam area she pulled back a curtain " Khaat" she said softly as she placed her hands on Khaats she sighed and healed the cuts on her neck and then helped her to stand sitting her in a nearby chair " I knew that woman was no good she felt totally wrong" she said as a young healer walked in behind her " tell all healers to watch out for wears no healer should go into an exam area with out a second with them" she said and checked the healing wounds on Khaat neck " and for god sake get some tea for the director" she told her and the young woman ran off down the corridor returning with a mug of sweet almond tea.

Escobar saw the confusion happening in the room Khaat had gone into. He went in, cimpletely uninvited. after all, weren't all humans built relatively alike? He saw no patient, but Khaat appeared to have been attacked. The staff was a bit scattered. He pushed through them to her.

"You will see no one alone," he ordered her.

"The women won't allow...." she began, her voice a bit hoarse.

"I care not!" he replied fiercely. "Then you choose to work elsewhere today! I am with you, not a lackey in your waiting room!"

"I did not ask you to come!" she retorted.

"You are incorrigible!" he said.

"As are you!" she responded.

"Director," Hannah called gently, following the healer with the cup of tea. "Is there anything you need?"

"No," Khaat said, taking the tea mug. She looked at Jess. "Thank you. They've got some cheek coming in here."

Jess stood listening to Escobar and frowned " I am no lackey sir" she told him and looked at Khaat " your welcome Khaat and your right, they're getting all together too bold. " she told her trying to ignore Escobar having felt he was a little too demanding for her taste. but kept quiet Khaat had spoke all that she felt was needed right at that moment "I'll stay with you for the rest of your shift mine is almost done anyway" she said softly " you sir I would advise should find someplace out of sight if you wish to remain in this hospital as a visitor and not a permanent guest." she brushed her hair back up into a bun and turned away from him noting Khaats scratches now healing to thin scratches.

Escobar was sharply annoyed with the blond woman who didn't seem to know what the hell she was talking about.

"What is your problem?" he was irked and angry immediately with her. "If I had been meaning to address you as a lackey, I'd have directly called you one to your face. Since I did not do so, why would you presume I was talking about you?" When she continued and threatened her, he turned to Khaat and looked at her directly. Khaat knew already how dangerous he could be when he was angry. Jess was presuming far too much and unnecessarily threatening a vampire with Escobar's power was almost tantamount to suicide. Escobar didn't say anything but he was clearly warning Khaat to get her employee under control and quickly.

"Stand down, Jess," Khaat said quietly. "I do not understand what you think you'll accomplish by threatening him. He is not an enemy, and he's done nothing to make us believe he is an enemy." Perhaps Jess didn't have that much experience with vampires, and certainly not ones with short tempers. But what Jess was saying to him was unnecessarily provoking and very, very dangerous for no cause.

Jess looked at Khaat and took a deep breath in looking to Escobar " my apologies " she said with a slight bow to him. " with everything that's happened I feel the strong tension that is in this hospital and some times it slips out as my own anger, again I apologize, it was not my intenshion to threaten you." she said " meditation helps but I have had little chance to do any" she said looking at Khaat then Escobar as she stepped back writing on a chart how Khaat was doing she handed it to another who placed it in a holder on the wall behind her.

Escobar acknowledged her apology with a slight nod. Khaat watched it all play out and then she looked at him.

"You wouldn't be feeling a bit of stress yourself, would you?" she asked quietly.

"It matters not to me," he said without emotion. "I am an immportal. I have no fear of death since life is cheap...."

"Right," she said, not believing a word he said. "It matters very much to you if I am harmed..."

"And it does not matter to you whatsoever! How can you not be bothered? What kind of a human are you?" he demanded.

"Its not the first time. Nor will it be the last," she sighed. "Its my job. Would I be more believable if I were to become hysterical?"

"Women are always hysterical," he shrugged.

"Perhaps they were when you were mortal, but now,...not so much. Look, the next shift is coming on. Perhaps we need to just wind this up and go home an hour or two early--all of us. What do you say?"

Jess looked at Khaat and nodded " I think so " she said " I'd like Robert to look at your neck just to make sure its healing at a good rate" she said taking down the chart and signing it she held it to Khaat to sign for another patient. " escobar most of us ladies nowhere days are tolerant and are not as emotional" she said smirking " or at least not all the time" she finished tidying up and placed the chart in the tray moving she checked Khaat one last time and smiled " I hear Angus is cooking up something nice back home" she said

"Well, at least that much has improved," Escobar conceeded. He went to the refrigerator and opened it and found several bags of blood being kept cold. He paused and persued the blood types in much the same fashion as Brian selected a bottle of fine wine.

"Oh, do help yourself," Khaat resisted an urge to laugh.

"I intend to," he said, shrinking several bags of blood and putting them in his jacket pocket.

"Do tell me you didn't clean me out of the AB negative," she said to him.

"Do you have any idea how divine that is?" he looked at her unapologetically.

"Great," Khaat said, unable to stop a slight smile from the humor in it. "You'll donate some of your own, then, then if we run short."

"No, but I'm really good at finding more," he managed a smile back at her. Now she laughed. "But do let your father check that business. Repeated neck injuries are not a good thing."

"Alright. So, lets go home then," she said. "Jess, tell the healers at the nurses station we're leaving, please. I should be ready by then, and Escobar should be done emptying that fridge by then." Khaat was glad there were plenty of other fridges with more blood stocked in it.

Jess nodded and moved down to the nurses station telling them what Khaat had said and that the blood fridge was empty of AB negative blood the nurse looked surprised but set about starting a blood drive for more. Jess walked back and smiled to Khaat " were good to go and their setting up a blood drive for more blood " she said moving across to her as she stood with her " will you be aperating or making your own way, i'm unsure if vampires can aperate by them selves?" she asked looking a little confused " its not everyday you get to meet a vampire in the flesh , well not one with such history.

"Yes, I can apparate," he said. He looked at Khaat. The protection grid was designed to keep the uninvited out of the house. He could not enter unless he was specifically invited. "I can take you to your doorstep, but I cannot take you inside. I can wait until you are safely inside."

"Aren't you cold outside?"she asked him.

"I do not feel cold," he told her. "Not like you do. Take no thought for me. Shall we go?"

"Yes, please," Khaat stood up and took his arm. She looked at Jess. "He won't bite. He's been well fed today, and he's got enough for a couple of weeks in his pocket." She wasn't sure if Jess would take Escobar's arm or not. And if Jess did, Khaat was glad Jack wasn't home. She had visions of Jack becoming unglued by her being escorted by a semi-savory vampire.

"I generally do not feed unless I'm hungry or in self defense," he told Jess. "It was not always that way, but I do not need to provoke or attack now."