Never Too Late

[Oriena]

“Oriena,” she snapped, both for the ma’am and Nox’s liberty with her name. Her dark stare was still on Jensen while she unzipped the pocket housing Nox’s wallet, and threw it in his direction without care for where on his injured body it landed. A little extra pain wouldn’t matter now the healer was here. From the casual cruelty of the gesture it was clear there was a reign on her anger, but that it still burned fiercely nonetheless.

“That’s precious,” she scathed to the misplaced kindness. The pity was foolish. As was his promise. He wasn’t a man she wanted to owe anything to, and she’d never beg another soul for help, even if she needed it. She was far past saving anyway.

When the ijiraq fled into her during the ball’s aftermath, the Ascendancy had walked away from her pain and the way she had been used. She had no doubt his people would have killed her had she not fathomed a way to save herself with that fucking oath. Yet the moment the danger to his own self had been eclipsed, so too had his attention. And truly, what real fear could a man like that know with a miracle worker at his fingertips? Jensen was a pet kept on a gilded leash. Hidden away because he was valuable. A fucking safety blanket.

Vengeance itched under her skin, not entirely her own, for she could feel now all the shifting about in her mind as the hive riffled through her memories. She had followed Jensen to Nox’s bedside, a predatory stalk. Her fingers pinched around his upper arm. “Who heals the healer?” she asked, languid with threat.

[Nox]

The wallet jabbed into his body at a corner when it landed. He grabbed it slowly and didn't bother doing more than turning it on. "Wicked you there?" Jensen had called him by his name but it was still in Nox's best interest to keep his hacker's true name from the hospital ears, especially if he decided that something needed to be done while he lay bedside. The Ascendancy and others didn't need to know who Sage Parker really was -- it was better they thought he was just a junkie Aiden Finnegan groupie.

Oriena snapped her name as a correction which put Nox on edge. She never corrected him, and that made him extremely wary. If he could have grasped the power inside he would have. But it slide from his fingers, whatever they'd given him still in his system. He could feel the power just waiting -- taunting him but he could not touch it. It was infuriating and the vibe in the room and the horde's lingering ire stoked them more. His body was awake now. The horde coursed through his body unbidden

Jensen's remind Nox, they had already met. A reminder of simpler times cooled his fury a bit. "I've called a lot of people Duckling in my time. Including Oriena, before I was truly aware her ire." Nox said her name slowly and carefully to inform her he understood. "My first attempt at flirting with a guy with intent." He said to Jensen and chuckled to himself. His awakening happening only a short time before -- he'd even kissed Sage that evening. A long time ago that could have been a thing, if it weren't for Aiden.

Her clasp on Jensen's arm made him get up. It wasn't sluggish or removed and he was tethered to the machines about him, but he stepped between Oriena and Jensen, his body between her and the healer. He stood tall but was far from imposing in his ragged state. His body hurt from the movement his legs were weak. Pain filled his eyes but he stared into Ori's glare for glare -- fueled souly by the reminder of their times together and the horde. "Don't hurt the healer before he does his job, please." His voice was as weak as he felt.

"I'm sorry for the friendly slip, I won't do it again. That was probably not a full truth. But not again in public. "Don't take his Texan politeness as injury or insult. I'd like to live."

Nox knew he looked like shit. Knew he owned her big time. If not for the assist with the inferno but with rescuing his body from whatever lie within. "You can take your ire out on me in kind later, for everything. I was ready to give you what you wanted earlier." He didn't have much choice, he was moving on instinct alone, but the power was raw and good and the revenge was sweet. The horde stirred inside. Without the power things could end poorly tonight, "The horde was free, ready to show you. Still is, but I can't..."

Sage's voice came over his wallet that lay on the bed next to him where he left it. "So Nox... Hate to interrupt your foreplay but uh, you need to lie the fuck back down before you make that rupture any worse than it already is. Docs say you are lucky you got there when you did much longer and things could have been far worse. Let Jensen heal you then you and Oriena can fuck or whatever it is the two of you do." He sounded angry about the arrangement. He probably was, he and Aiden had propositioned him once upon a time. It had been tempting. But Nox knew Sage was fully on board the Raffe train. Often interfering in their relationship for the betterment of it. Though it didn't always help.

"Jensen, you may not notice the difference, but Nox has been bitten by a monster, he cut off his arm in the attempt to keep it from consuming his body and making him one. He has a connection to the creatures. I believe from the things Nox tells me of his affliction that if you find the source of the connection that you will also find where the ability to channel begins in men. I don't know if you know what a human body feels like while you heal, but perhaps you can find the difference in his from others you've healed. I'd like to do some experiments with Nox at a later time and your ability if you'd assist. I will pay you for your time and the assistance."

Nox chuckled as his knees started to give way. He caught the side of the bed and moved to sit down. Someone might need to help lay him down, but for the moment he wasn't going to the floor. Sage said nothing about paying Nox, and he never asked Nox if he would participate. It was always assumed he'd say yes. What if once he said no? But then Sage would be able to say no when he made a simple request. That wasn't the nature of their friendship. He wasn't angry, but the horde prickled at the intrusion of his self worth and being.

"Wicked are the blood samples they took secure."

Sage chuckled. "I'm following the feeds in the labs and the paper trail as best I can. These won't disappear like the last ones."

"Thank you. And don't bother any more of my friends, especially Raffe with this. I think you pissed off Oriena enough for everyone."

"10/4. I'm here if you need me." And then there was silence.

[Jensen James]

Oriena's grip on Jensen's arm was tight, her question hissing with implied threat. Fully taken aback, Jensen responded with a confused, "Beg your pardon, ma'am?" His genuine bafflement at her hostility was obvious.

Before the situation could escalate further, Nox, despite his grave condition, exerted a surprising amount of strength as he climbed out of his hospital bed to stand protectively between them. It was a clear demonstration of the complex dynamics at play, a friend-enemy relationship that Jensen instinctively knew he wanted no part in complicating further.

The room's tense atmosphere was placed on hold when Sage’s voice emanated from the phone, cutting through the silence with a sense of urgency. Sage outlined the severe circumstances that led to Nox’s current state, including the shocking revelation of his arm amputation and a mysterious something wrong with his brain? Jensen listened, his heart sinking with each word, horrified by the pain and suffering Nox had endured.

As Sage’s instructions became more technical, Jensen felt out of his depth but resolute. “I’ll do anything to help you, Nox,” he assured the injured man, his voice firm with commitment. “If I don’t know how, I’ll try. Just tell me what you need.”

With the conversation with Sage concluded and the room falling into a heavy silence, Jensen gestured that he could sit down. “Are you ready?” he asked gently, his demeanor calm and supportive. “Just make yourself comfortable”, he said, offering his hand.

His focus dimmed upon the Gift and concentrating, he allowed its power to build. He focused on channeling this energy through his touch as the flows descended.

[Oriena]

Despite being half dead, Nox dusted off his heroic bullshit for the occasion. She dropped her grip because she had little choice, and met the glare as he interceded – to take the heat, she imagined, like Ori simply couldn’t control herself. She resented realising it was what he might think. By the volatile flare in her eye it was clear she was furious, though he was wrong in thinking it had anything to do with what he did or didn’t call her, or Jensen’s politeness. Ori liked to toy, and if she frequently took it too far, it wasn’t out of any real desire to permanently harm someone. A finger could have pushed Nox back to crumble on the hospital bed, but there was no fun in that.

“It was a genuine question, sweetheart. Brandon doesn’t deserve his loyalty,” was all she snarled in response. Or Nox’s loyalty either, the tone implied. By then Sage was rambling through the wallet, and Ori’s senses searched tentatively inwards. The queen couldn’t possess her, not unless she used her own power, but the creatures usually seemed to know where she was. Several had come to her aid when Ryker had nearly killed her, and she’d had to slam the shield on him to prevent them latching on. She didn’t trust the flicker of their interest now – or their hungry silence. It’d be a fucking slaughter.

Though she hadn’t quite finished with the healer, despite his confused dismissal of her hostility. “That mask he makes you wear, it doesn’t protect you. It keeps you locked away. Isolated, and alone. That’s why you’ll do anything to help anyone every meagre chance you fucking get. It’s the only connection you have.” It wasn’t said kindly, but they weren’t empty words meant to wound either, just a savage truth. Better for Jensen if he grew a backbone rather than just accept the crumbs thrown out to him.

With a sour look she left them both to it.

Out in the corridor, the pressure built in her head almost as soon as she started away, but she didn't want to be around when Jensen reached for his gift. Her teeth grit as the churn of voices began – begging to feed, reminding her of the oath she’d sworn to them. Unsurprisingly, no one stood in her way as she stormed her way out, not even when she dragged a sleeve across the blood dripping from her nose.

[Nox]

Oriena spoke about loyalty to the Ascendancy. Her tone implied he didn't need to put his trust in the man either. It wasn't trust or loyalty, much more about fear. Nox didn't trust the man any more than Nikoali Brandon trusted him. It was a give and take relationship and one that had been advantageous to both of them over the past few months. Nox wasn't going to take stake in anything other than it benefitted him at the moment.

He watched as Oriena left the scene for whatever reason he didn't fathom, but he imagined it had to do with the Ijiraq that hijacked her. Their plights similar in mechanism but so far from each other that Nox didn't know how best to help Ori. His love for her stretched beyond the familiar and friendship and into concern for her well-being even if she would never reciprocate. It wasn't romantic or even platonic -- was something entirely different. It wasn't like Thal, or Raffe or even a one night stand -- Oriena was a beast unto herself. And Nox was pretty sure she'd be happy with that fact.

Jensen offered him a hand and Nox took it as he eased back into bed and relaxed -- relaxed as much as he could with an IV needle jammed in his arm. He missed Raffe. Nox wished Ori hadn't left but there was nothing she would offer him that was comfort or even a lull in his anxiety for being in a hospital room once again.

Nox tried to follow the weaves as Jensen made them. But it was far more complex than the weave Manix had done to heal his cut arm so many moons ago. It hadn't even been that long -- just felt like forever. So much had happened since he met Aria and her ragtag bunch of connections. He'd made many more since then. So many connections it was hard to believe it wasn't even a year -- maybe a little over. Nox could never tell.

The weave sank into him and he expected to feel tired, but this time it was different. He'd been healed many times before by a female -- was that the difference. Nox didn't think so. He may not ever understand it -- healing was never his thing. He felt rejuvinated even as he felt the distinct feeling of his insides knitting back together. It was even worse when he couldn't see the problems, but he knew it was happening. Felt it happening. He almost wanted to scream -- it wasn't pain, but it wasn't comfortable either.

When Jensen was done Nox took a deep breath. The scars remained but whatever had been wrong was gone, he felt cooler than he had in days. The IV stung in his arm, the only indication that he even needed to be healed -- short of the scars.

Nox reached for the power -- the sedative burned away finally. Nox sighed with relief. "I fucking owe you. Please tell me what I can do to repay you?"

[Jensen James]

He responded to Oriena, “I know, and it’s alright.” He nodded in the resolute way of a man who accepted things as they were because he genuinely felt he deserved it. There was also the burden of responsibility for selecting who to help, for he obviously could not heal the entire world, but neither could he bear the weight of choosing who received the miracle. Therefore, it was easier to let another make those choices, and if that was the Ascendancy, or even the Antichrist, it was cowardly, but it was all he had.

He watched Oriena leave, hoping she found the peace she needed before focusing completely on Nox. The healing was as much a place of serenity for Jensen as it was for Nox. After releasing his hand, the light from the Gift dimmed, and Jensen pondered Nox’s question. He barely knew Nox, yet he was comfortable around him for some reason.

"Nox, you don’t owe me anything. If you really want to repay me, how about we keep in touch? It’s not often I meet someone who understands the kind of oddities we’ve seen. It’d be good to have someone to talk to who gets it. Not to mention, another American.”

He moved off the bed, assuming a nurse would be in soon to disconnect his line and discharge him.

[Nox]

Nox gave Jensen a wry smile. "I do owe you. You can always call or stop by." Nox fumbled for his wallet underneath him and sent his contact information to Jensen's. Sage could have given it to him, but Nox felt it was more personal to do it. "My home, and Kalisti will always be open to you. Oriena doesn't really bite, but there was a mood about her." A mood Nox was hard-pressed to not follow after. The horde boiled just under the surface writhing to follow their dark dangerous cohort. "And being friends with The Wicked Truth has it's ups and downs. If you are ever in need of my particular set of skills, Wicked will send me your way even if you don't ask. Thank you."

Nox frowned. "You should go before someone notices you in here. Last thing the Guardian needs is to know a healer was about. And I think the Ascendancy would be pissed if I got his pocket-healer ganked saving my ass. I'd rather not have him tempted to kill me again. I will check in sometime soon, make sure you got no heat from this. I'm sure I'll be at the Kremlin in the next day or two." He had to debrief after all -- he did just kill a man for the Ascendancy.