It Really Happened

Orphan says "Sorry, hit the wrong button" and shuts the phone.

"I guess he's not monitoring the frequency." He looks at Val. "We've got two choices. First, we could circle back around where your car is and see if we run into this Guardian. The risk there is, for all we know cops are on the scene, and I don't really want to take any chance getting stopped with a body in the trunk of my car. Plus, whoever or whatever sent those zombies may still be lurking around. The advantage is, we avoid pissing off a Guardian - always a good thing - and maybe get in touch with the local Consilium.

"Second choice, I take you to your place, we get you patched up, you rest up while I keep watch, and tomorrow morning we get you to that museum you talked about. Downside there, a pissed-off Guardian. Bad as you're hurt and all you've been through tonight, though, I'd recommend that plan. Zombies, are, well, dead and nasty and rotted and so on, and as hurt as you are, I'm worried about the chance of your wounds getting infected. We get to your first aid kit, plus I can use some Life magic to make sure no infection is setting in yet, and we reduce that risk in a big way. Plus, if you go with my suggestion and the Guardian or the local Consilium is pissed, I'll take that on myself. You can say you were just following my recommendation. Really, though, it's your choice, and I'll stand by you whichever way you want to play it."

God trying to make the right choice was complacated. She just wanted to go home and pass out, but...

"No, We should head back. I don't know if anybody else knows where I live, and the last thing I need is for people to be snooping around looking for me. And someone that can handle it needs to know about the pack of zombies."

Orphan simply nods, since it really was her call, and since right now it was important she feel some sense of control. He turns the car around and drives back toward where he encountered Val and her car. He doesn't drive by exactly the same route, and first he drives a block away and circles around to try to get a view of what is happening around her car while hopefully not drawing attention to them. "Did this Zilker fellow say what to look for or if he'd be in a car or anything like that?" he asks.

~Narration~

Valkyrie's car is gone.

"No, just to stay... here." Well fuck, her car was gone. "Well, they sure work fast don't they?" Sigh.

"The Guardians do as a general rule tend to be pretty efficient," Orphan replies. He shrugs. "I suggest we go to your place and get you patched up and rested. The Guardian might find us there, in which case you can inform him of what's up with the zombies and what all happened, otherwise we go first thing in the morning to the museum you mentioned. Unless you have a better idea."

Val looks dejected, like she's certain she's made some kind of mistake but she isn't sure how bad it' going to be.

"No, I'm tapped out of ideas."

Noting Val's glum expression, Orphan tries to console her. "Hey, it's okay. I've been at this for a few years, and I'm tapped out, too. If you're worried about the Guardian being pissed, just tell him it was my suggestion that we take off. I'll tell him the same thing, because that's the way it was. As bad hurt as you are, I thought the best way for me to fulfill my duties as an Arrow in protecting you were to get you away from there, but that's on me, not you, and I'll gladly take the heat for that.

"So, let's go get you patched up. First thing in the morning, we go to that museum you mentioned, get you squared away with the local Consilium and maybe get you healed back up to fighting strength. Then, if you're up for it, we can look into this zombie thing, try to figure out what's up with that and work on getting revenge for your fallen friends."

"Still..."

Val looks away from Orphan and doesn't say anyhing else for the rest of the ride.

As they near Val's place, Orphan says, gently, "Your friends died and you're still alive. It's called survivor guilt, and it sucks worse than just about anything in the world. It also really sucks when shitty things happen even when you do the right thing and try your hardest." After a brief pause, he adds "Been there, on both counts. The best thing to do, though, is keep going, and work on doing even better in their honor."

"Looks like we're here," Orphan says, when they arrive where Val told him to go. "If it would help to talk about some of what happened, and what you're feeling, I'm glad to listen. Or we can talk about something else, or nothing at all. Let's see about getting you cleaned and fixed up, though."

They head up the stairs to the third floor apartment. It's late enough that everyone else in the building is either gone out for the evening or asleep. Val's place is one of those small, one-room apartments done up in mostly whites and reds. There's a small kitchen with just the things someone who probably doesn't do much eating in would need. The balcony would probably have a great view of the parking lot below and the other apartments across the way in the daylight. It's got the compulsively neat appearance of someone that lives alone and adheres to a strict schedule. The room smells faintly of mint.

Val takes off her ruined jacket and looks around for someplace to put it before giving up and keeping it with her. She goes into the bathroom and comes out sans jacket but with a big toolbox with a painted red cross on the side.

"I really need to take a shower and get the worst of this stuff off me. You can make coffee from the blue tin if you want, or there's some Sencha tea in the green tin you can make if you'd like that instead. You'll need to use the strainer, my mom doesn't believe in tea bags, but she insists on drinking the stuff so I keep it here for when she visits..."

Val realizes that she's starting to babble, and waits until Orphan answers before doing anything else.

Orphan heads into the kitchen and says "I'll make some coffee, because I'll be staying up tonight on guard. Go ahead and take your shower, but be careful. Some of those cuts are pretty deep, and they might restrict your motion, and they could open back up if you stretch too much. If you need any help, I'm here."

Suddenly realizing that he's been thinking about Val as a fellow warrior and forgetting that she's a teenage girl, Orphan stammers a bit. "I - I've had training in basic combat medicine, so don't worry, I'll be all professional and all that and..." Realizing he's rambling and probably sounding like a dork, he turns to get the coffee going and just says "Well, go clean up, and when you get done, I'll have the first aid gear all set out and ready to go."

After getting the coffee going, he opens up the toolbox, clears off space and sets out the equipment he thinks they're likely to need.