Raphael is drawn to the Safe House

[halosphere.livejournal.com]

Time: April 27, around two AM
Place: on the front lawn of the Manor
Status: PUBLIC (anyone up at 2AM who wants to find him catching his discorporation out there)
Summary: A tired and weary Archangel discovers the Manor



Thunder cracked above him, splitting the night in two as the sky wept its cold tears on a dark world. His wings dragged pathetically behind him in jagged streams, the firey feathers jutted in irregular directions. The steady rain had long since washed away the blood smudged on his skin and face, but it still stained his torn clothes in cruel hash marks. His braid was partially undone, the wind catching the crimson strands and whipping it across his face like blood sliced across pale skin; a cruel reminder of what he had escaped from.

Raphael closed his arms around the bunny held protectively against his chest, its dark grey fur touched with blood that was not its own. The Archangel had taken off his labcoat and wrapped it around the miserable creature in an attempt to keep it warm, but the rain had soaked through the once-white fabric rather quickly. By the time Archangel and bunny reached Lower Tadfield it was about two in the morning and both were soaked all the way through, cold and shivering. Still, Raphael kept on, feeling drawn by an unknown force that seemed to tug at his weakened aura.

That force seemed to grow in intensity the further into town he moved. The moment he stepped down a pathway that lead to the front of a large beautifully-designed building it was as if he had stepped through an invisible wall... The rain still fell steadily but he had this strong surge of safe safe safe thrumming through his wrangled body. The relief was so overwhelming it dropped him to his knees, the wet ground shifting beneath his weight. You're safe... You're safe now...

He let out a sigh he hadn't realized he had been holding, curling heavy wet wings around him. The manor looked very elegant, perhaps a resort for the financially well-off. He wondered if he could stay here for awhile, or perhaps maybe just for the night so he could rest his aching body after trudging in the rain for eight hours.

If nothing else, maybe someone would be willing to take the poor bunny from him, perhaps give it a nice meal and a dry blanket.

He closed his eyes, tightening his hold as he surpressed another bout of shivering, and just enjoyed the feeling of being truly safe for the first time since he left Heaven.


((•))

Comments

[josephdawson.livejournal.com]

Joe woke drenched in sweat. The covers lay on the floor, what remained on his bed was tangled up quite remarkably.

For a while, he only lay back trying to catch his breath. He didn't remember much of the dream. That was just as well, considering what happened in the ones he did remember.

He closed his eyes and waited for sleep to come again. For a while he tossed and turned, then he gave up. A look at the lighted digits on his alarm clock told him it was a few minutes before 2 a.m.
He felt in need to fresh air - more of it than opening the windows could give him.

With a heavy sigh, he got out of bed, dressed in yesterday's clothes and took his cane to go outside. He's have to be careful on the stairs in order to not wake anyone. The idea of him, of all people, trying to sneak through the manor at night, made him grin. Almost as an afterthought, he took the pistol he owned and put it in his jacket's inner pocket. Couldn't be too careful out at night, in particular if you weren't all that suitable for close combat.

A little while later he stepped outside. it was raining, and everyonce in a while, lighting tore apart the clouds, followed by rolling thunder. It was pretty good weather to take a man's mind off of bad dreamas, he thought.

In the light of the next thunder, he saw a huddled figure standing by the gate. it seemed to be clutching something to its chest.

His free hand almost moved to the pocket here he kept the weapon of its own accord.

The next lightning revealed the man's soaked wings. Why was he surprised? McLeod had told him of angels living here. He just had never noticed any of them had wings.

"Hey!" He called out to the figure - angel? - as sharply as he dared at this time of the night.

[halosphere.livejournal.com]

Raphael slowly opened his eyes, tiny droplets of rain falling from his lashes. He saw the man standing at a distance and for a moment his entire body stiffened, drenched wings snapping back in "fight-or-flight". Instead of looking intimidating however, another shiver just made him look as miserable as he felt. The bunny, sensing the Archangel's unease, shifted in his arms, bringing Raphael's compassionate instincts to the surface.

He slowly rose to his feet, careful not to do anything that would be considered threatening. Not that he was much of a threat with his presence as weak as it was, but that bit of information may not be as obvious to some beings.

"Excuse me..." He gritted his teeth, failing miserably at surpressing his shivering. "Could I get a dry blanket and maybe a carrot?" The poor bunny needed some food and something dry and warm. 

[josephdawson.livejournal.com]

"Excuse me", Joe said perplexed as he heard the request. Had the man just asked for a carrot? He seemed weak, possibly hurt - seemingly confused. Joe kept a hand on his weapon just in case.

"Are you injured, sir?" he asked with a hint of concern in his voice. "Here, why don't you come inside. It's certainly dryer there."

[halosphere.livejournal.com]

He seemed a bit uncertain, but the bunny in his arms needed to be somewhere dry. He gave a nod and slowly moved across the lawn. When he was close to the man the bunny poked its head out of the sopping makeshift blanket and sniffed curiously, droplets of water glittering on its wet fur. Its eyes shone in the flickering night.

"Are you sure it's alright?" Raphael didn't want to impose and he was well aware of how he must appear- wet, bloody, clothes torn and huge draping wings soaked with rainwater. It wasn't the sort of thing most people liked having in their building. Still, despite his uncertainty, he did want to go inside. It felt safe, and even though he couldn't explain why that was so, he still wanted to seek refuge beneath it.

He suddenly sensed the weapon (a gun, perhaps? He couldn't tell, his senses were fuzzy and clouded, like murky water in a pond) and stiffened again. "I have a very scary attack bunny," he said, hoping he sounded convincing. The shivering didn't help and the places where the demon had sliced into him throbbed and slowly oozed with blood, still not yet healed and probably getting infected now. If the man decided he was a threat and shot him, Raphael could do nothing but lay there and bleed to discorporation. "I... I'm not going to hurt anyone," he finally said, shivering pathetically as if in proof of his words. "I just- I just need something for the bunny. He's- he's cold and wet and... and... I can't do anything more to help him."

He looked at the man hopefully and he couldn't remember a time when he felt so desperate.

[josephdawson.livejournal.com]

The man - being - was injured. He was also soaked through, shivering and carrying a bunny that was no less soaked.

Joe let go of his gun, in one fast motion hooked the handle of his cane over his wrist and held on to the railing instead for balance and support before reaching out with his other hand to offer the stranger and his bunny a hand up the steps.

"Don't worry. It'll be okay. Come inside - we'll get the bunny dried off and I'll call you a doctor."

Really? My phone displays them nicely below each other.

[josephdawson.livejournal.com]

"Yes," Joe said, almost wincing in sympathy as he watched the angel. "It's a hotel. A friend of mine wanted to come here for a while, and since nothing was keeping me where we were before, it's usually fun to be around him and I wasn't exactly opposed to a change of scenery either, I decided to tag along. Then it turned out they had a bar with no bartender attached, and so here I am."

The bunny was as dry as it was likely to get here and now. Joe put the wet towel on the counter, deposited the bunny on top of it and pushed himself to his feet.

"I'll get your little one a bowl of water and see if there's any leftover vegetables in the restaurant," he said. "And then we really better get someone with medical training in here to tend to you."

I use a phone too but it displays them scootched over. Hooray for cell phone Internet usage!! :D

[halosphere.livejournal.com]

Raphael reached a hand over and lightly stroked the bunny's cheek, smiling when it nuzzled into his hand. "Do you think I could stay here?" he asked quietly. As vulnerable as he was right now it would be nice. "Who would I have to talk to?"

He felt his cheeks color slightly, setting the now-slightly bloody towel down and picking up the other clean one. He undid the rest of his braid so he could towel it dry. He wondered if Joe realized he was speaking of getting a doctor for a doctor, or rather, a doctor for the Archangel of Healing, but decided no matter what he said he knew he did need help getting his corporeal body fixed up before it died of any number of things, bleeding and infections the most likely.

Physician, heal thyself...

"Thank you for your kindness," he said genuinely, his torn up wings rustling slightly behind him. "I'll help you clean up the mess." And then if he ever got his powers back, he would gift Joe with anything he asked. Well, within reason of course. Raphael was the type to always remember another's kindness and he never let it go unnoticed.

"What is your deepest wish?"

Lets me play while keeping night watch or while working in the stables. Comes in very handy.

[josephdawson.livejournal.com]

"There is one Mary Hodges, and a girl, Rose, who check in new guests. The way I understand it, angels and demons are free to stay as long as they wish as long as they do not harm each other or any of the people in the village. Excuse me for a second. I'll be right back."

As fast as he could, Joe walked over to the restaurant to help himself to something he could offer the rabbit.

When he returned, he wordlessly got out two shallow dishes, filling one with leftover vegetables, the other with water, and putting both down in front of the animal. He was very much aware that he still had not answered the last question.

"At the moment," Joe said finally, "my deepest wish is giving me nightmares almost every single night. Can you hide those wings? I'd like to call that doctor now." He reached for his phone.

I don't own a computer so I definately agree with the handy-ness of it :3

[halosphere.livejournal.com]

Fella sniffed at the bowl curiously, then upon realizing what was inside was edible he started chewing on a few celery sticks. He also licked up the fresh water until it was nearly gone before returning to the vegetables.

Raphael chuckled and scratched the animal behind the ears. He thought about what Joe had said, about his greatest wish giving him nightmares. He was about to ask about it when Joe reached for the phone. Stiffening he slammed his hand over the reciever. "No! I mean..." His cheeks colored at his outburst, moving his hand back sheepishly and hoping he didn't just break Joe's hand. He may be weak but he was still an angel. "I can't winch in my wings," he explained, feeling more like a helpless animal than an Archangel. "Uhm, if you can get me a suture kit and some disinfectant I can do it myself." The only thing was, he couldn't do his wings on his own. Or his back. Or...

Ah bummer... He needed help but... "I can't winch in my wings," he repeated in defeat, his gaze shifting to the bunny happily finishing its meal.

You know, in Germany they call a cell phone "Handy"

[josephdawson.livejournal.com]

"And how would I do that?" Joe asked, trying to keep the edge from his voice. Injured people overreacted at times - it was hardly surprising if an injured angel did the same. Still...

"Do I look like I have that kind of thing just lying around here? I also haven't gotten myself a new car yet, and it's not like I can just go and borrow one. You also spooked the bunny."

Joe went over to where it had ended up after jumping and taking off after the sudden outburst of violence. He hoped he wouldn't need to chase it around the bar.

[mcleod1592.livejournal.com]

"I'm Duncan McLeod," Duncan said as he knelt before the being. "What happened to you?"

He professionally appraised Raphael's wounds. "You need a doctor," he pointed out. "How long since you got those?" he indicated the cuts.

He also kept one hand firmly on the being's shoulder to keep him from trying to rise again.

[josephdawson.livejournal.com]

"I found him that way," Joe told Duncan. "He was standing by the gates in the rain, looking worse than he does now. He also can't 'winch his wings' as he said, so takin' him to hospital is pretty much out of the question, don't you agree?"

[halosphere.livejournal.com]

"Erm... Since around one PM yesterday..." He reached over and picked up the bunny, who snugged into his side. To be honest he was surprised he hadn't been discorporated by the injuries, blood loss and infections aside. An attack like that would have destroyed a human easily.

Letting out a shuddered sigh he looked up at the two, green eyes shining. "I'm with Joe on- on that one. No hospital. Please," he added, remembering to be polite. He could make the doctors forget he had wings, but he would rather just avoid that whole ordeal altogether. Altering the memories of a few strangers was completely different from altering the memories of an entire medical facility. In all honesty he was truly touched by their desire to help him, a total stranger that showed up at an ungodly hour. And pretty much made a mess all over their floor... So much for first impressions... Why were humans so different like that? What was it that made some fight for others while some simply destroyed themselves? What was it that would make a human take in a total stranger while others woul have bypassed him? He'd passed several humans on his eight hour walk through the rain, and while they would never remember his wings he knew it would be of their own choosing to not notice the limp in his step or the blood or the miserable creature in his arms.

He swallowed the bitter lump in his throat, trying not to think about guns and bullets and humans destroying each other.

[roseheerkens.livejournal.com]

Rose eyed the blood, the water and the feathers on the floor curiously. What had happened here? At that moment she didn't even think about the fact that she'd have to clean up the mess later.

Another noise came from the direction of the bar and a few quick steps brought her to the appropriate door. She opened the door slowly, warily, and looked inside.

Joe she knew. She worked for him after all. The other man she'd only seen once or twice. Hadn't he been with the fighting angels. The second man was holding someone down, someone who was bleeding, someone who had wings!

"What's going on here?"

Rose asked.

[mcleod1592.livejournal.com]

"We caught ourselves an injured demon," Duncan said to answer the girl's question. That was Rose, the girl who had broken up the sword fight. "Can ye find me a first aid kit, please? An' meybe a room we can put him in for now?"

To Raphael he added: "I'm not a doctor, but I know a little something about first aid. And I fear those wounds are too old for suturing. We'll clean them up as well as possible and hope for the best, I guess. Easy now and try to keep those wings folded."

He slid his arms under Raphael's body to lift him up, which wasn't made easier by the being's wings in the slightest.

"Rose, a room, please. And not too high up." Duncan forced a weary smile onto his face. "And maybe someone could find a cage for that rabbit?"

[mcleod1592.livejournal.com]

Duncan scooped up the nearly unconscious demon before he could fall again and possibly injure himself even more.

As quickly as he could, with the awkward bundle in his arms, he hurried out of the bar, through the lobby and up the stairs. He hoped Rose wouldn't be too angry at the new trail they left, and he hoped Joe would have the good sense to close the door and keep the bunny in.

What had she said? 110?

The door to that room was open, and obviously the girl had already prepared the bed for them. He put his burden down on it very, very carefully. Outside he heard Joe make his slow way up the stairs.

He pulled scissors from the first aid kit and carefully cut away the remains of the man's tattered lab coat. Had he been posing of a doctor, of all things?
He wadded up a piece of the already bloody cloth and pressed it against the cut in the demon's side that had opened again and was oozing blood.

"For heaven's sake don't get upset again," he muttered, unsure if he was even heard, less certain still if mentioning heaven to a demon was a good idea. "You'll kill yourself that way. Just rest easy now and try not to make things worse again."

[roseheerkens.livejournal.com]

Rose watched as the stranger put the injured stranger - she really needed to get names from them, and soon - on the bed. He obviously started to treat the wounds and Rose tokk a step closer.

"Can I help you, sir? I don't have medical training, but I have two functional hands, am not exactly weak and don't faint when I see blood."

Considering the sheer amount of wounds on that being, the stranger probably could use some help...

[mcleod1592.livejournal.com]

"Get some water from the bar," Duncan said. "We oughta try and get some fluids into him again."

He hardly knew where he could touch without hurting the demon worse. He didn't even want to think about another pair of hands messing around. Hell, why didn't they have a doctor in the hotel?

[halosphere.livejournal.com]

Raphael was only blearily aware of what was going on. He felt his body sink into soft cushion, wings awkwardly draped on either side of them. They were so large that they draped to the floor, smudging blood onto the carpet.

His mind latched onto what he understood... Bleeding in the lungs, stomach and intestinal damage... Heart pumping harder to make up for blood loss... Why were human bodies so fragile?

He let out a wimper and flinched beneath the touch.

[mcleod1592.livejournal.com]

"Don't die on me, okay?" Duncan told him, not sure if he was even heard. "I know you're hurting, but these must be cleaned and bandaged properly. I'll try to be quick about it, okay? You just concentrate on staying alive."

[kristallprinz.livejournal.com]

The being - Raphael, it called itself, was coming to again.

He watched the man twist so the side and retch, though luckily he didn't make much of a mess. I would've bet the man who was busy bandaging his wounds would've been delighted if he'd been vomeited on.

Sitting on the edge of the bed - he'd have to get himself another dressing gown, this one was getting bloody -, he gently put a hand on Raphael's shoulder, hoping the gesture would be understood to be soothing rather than threatening. He had not dealt with this species before, knew nothing of its habits. But when gravely injured, most beings respondet well to comfort.

"Don't get upset again," he suggested, speaking English for the benefit of the other man. "You're save with us."

He wasn't sure what the other man would think of being included in an "us" with him, but he frankly didn't care. And he'd certainly not let any harm come to the one person who would be able to get him back home once he had recovered enough to think straight. He must have come here somehow after all!

[halosphere.livejournal.com]

He coughed a little, opening bleary eyes at the beings still in the room with him. He offered a grateful smile, wings finally freed and drooping haphazardly over the edge of the bed he was on. One of them -the white haired one- had angry scars marked on his stomach, peeking out the opening in his robe.

scars caused by a knife or evil claws raking through skin or death death death coming-

"How'd 'ou 'et those scars?" he slurred, grimacing as if he were feeling the pain of them himself. He reached for one of the water bottles, just barely out of his ability to grasp. His cheeks burned in embarrassment at being so darned helpless.

[kristallprinz.livejournal.com]

Atlan reached for a bottle and a cup, filled the latter with water and held it up to Raphael's lips.

"Surgery," he said. "They're not nearly as bad as they look."

He did not tell him that they were reminders of all the times he'd swallowed his cell activator to keep it from being stolen or forcefully taken from him.

[halosphere.livejournal.com]

He slowly sipped the cool water, vaguely tasting the remaining blood in his throat. He finished what was in the cup and nodded gratefully, still curious about those scars. Surgical scars were not that harsh, they had to have been from an emergency operation. Raphael swallowed the lump in his throat (or maybe it was a chunk of dried blood...) as he remembered multiple times at the battlefields of Earth ripping open a man's chest to removed a poisoned arrow head or an explosive hidden within a kamikaze or a bullet lodged in the spine or lungs blocking air...

Why were humans destructive?
Why did they insist upon destroying themselves and each other...?

He wiped his damp cheek, smudging it with blood. " 'm so'y for the t'ouble," he rasped.

[kristallprinz.livejournal.com]

Atlan put aside the cup and reached for one of the towels someone had thoughtfully deposited here.

He poured some water onto it, then set about cleaning the blood from Raphael's face. He certainly wasn't going to wash his hair for him - he'd have to do that on his own once he felt better, unless the other man felt like playing his nurse - but making sure he no longer looked like he was just in the process of being slaughtered by them was probably a good idea - in particular since the door was still wide open.

"It's okay," he assured Raphael. "Don't worry. We can handle this."