Regroup (RP)

- Emma -

It takes what feels like a long time for the ambulance to arrive. Two paramedics head up to your flat and examine David, taking a history and details. It turns out you don't know when last he had pills, David does not remember and Sarah was taking care of that, it may have been too soon after the last time for him to be taking more, but the paramedics assure you that such paracetamol use should not a serious concern in the short-term, that you did nothing wrong... there. They are bit scathing about you leaving him to stand in the shower alone, though, weak as he is.

"The hot water probably made him light-headed, he is already a bit dizzy. His temperature is not life-threatening." They explain. "The hospitals are full, and this looks like a cold. Sure, a bad one, but still, the city is wrecked with them this season, with all this rain." This is the story you heard before, they suggest you keep checking his temperature and if it climbs, you can have him admitted, they suggest 'linen savers' or a water-proof mattress cover on the meantime. If you insist, they will take you to the hospital, but they guarantee you you will told the same thing there: 'Rest and plenty of fluids, call us if it gets worse', and they heavily imply that you will be wasting everyone's time and putting others at risk.

What do you do?

- Emma -

"He didn't, ma'am, we checked." They say patiently about bumping his head. It is clear they deal with irrational spouses all the time.

"I didn't, hon. I am fine." David says, though possibly he using his tone that suggests he lovingly spells 'hon' with a 'u'.

"Our details are right there on our report." One says. "But, if you insist, we can take you. I assure you, though, your husband will be better off in a nice warm bed than sitting in a cold waiting room only to be sent home in a few hours."

What do you do?

"Well, these ones are coming from above, not below," Benji points out. "They have nothing to do with the dog or any of those other demons. Anyway, I’m not asking you to welcome them into your home. I only want to tell them to go back to the surface. What’s the harm in that?"

- Emma -

The ambulance drops you at A&E, there are usually wheelchairs by security, for those who need them, but there is a shortage this night, and since David can walk, others may need them more, it is up to you.

The waiting room is full of people, coughing and sneezing and wearing very few masks. If you two did not have whatever is going around already, you, and everyone in here, will have it by tomorrow.

Eventually, after hours of waiting, a doctor sees you. They look harried and are trying to be polite and patient with their nagging and impolite patients.

The doctor has questions you can't answer: "How long has this been going on?" "How frequent?" and David has to come to your defence: "My wife was away, we had a friend staying with us who helped me out. Yes, the hospital told us not to come in yet..."

The doctor takes his time explaining how 'The mucus membranes in the nose and throat are pretty much the same as those in the ... other pink openings. They get the same infections and tend to leak. The pressure of the sneezing and coughing also often leads to stress induced incontinence. It is nothing to worry about at this stage.' Possibly the fact that you are something pretty to look at, in a sea of red noses, is the only reason they are taking this time.

They repeat much the same advice as the paramedics gave —only slightly impatient that people don't trust the people who do this for a living— and want to send David home to bed.

What do you do?

- Benji -

"They tried from below." Alasdair points out. "Then they found a way around, and are trying, again, from above. You are not a soldier, you don't understand these things. Demons are relentless, and these ones may be trickier than most."

Nothing you have said so far makes an impression on Alasdair, he does not agree with being friends with demons, and he is correct in his assessment of what these ones did... even if their motivation is not clear to him, but then, he does not care about demons' motivations, they are the enemy and he fights them.

What do you do?

Frustrated and seeing that trying to reason with Alasdair is pointless, Benji turns his back on the older vampire and, in a slightly petulant act of stubborn defiance, shouts as loud as he can into the tunnel. "RATS, IF IT’S YOU AND IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, GO BACK TO MY FLAT AND WAIT FOR ME THERE!"