Rising Pt. 1

 The few chances that Wilde hospital was quiet was when the nurses were changing their shifts. Being a patient for about two weeks now, Bianca had committed certain few schedules to memory, including that of her own unwanted nurse, Akidami. The man was a wolf with a fresh kill, she felt and to be frank she was tired of all the meat-headed alpha males that infested Mondrago and New Babbage. He was always around and never giving her nor the doctors room to breath she figured it was best to slip away from town while the getting was good.

 But stay away? She couldn’t and the gut wrenching feeling of her stomach knew it. She wasn’t a hero…she was barely a villain and the tension in her torso reminded her of that when she was forced into therapeutic recovery walks. Hovering over a brass bolted walker reminded her of the painful experience it was to love a monster…again. It was time for her to put it on the shelf. Her pride, her anger, her immaturity, and more importantly, her heart. She had to get out of here though, and lucky for her she still had one person who was just as stubborn about staying to her side as Akidami was, and that was dear sweet Charise.

 Cog bless her…

 The girl didn’t know much about the family, but took to it like a fish to water. Sadly, Bianca felt that she had lead the girl to swim in the bowls of a septic tank instead of the open waters of a prosperous cerulean ocean. She would make it up to them, all of them…the ones that did her right, and the one who did her so very, very wrong.

 “Miss Namori, you have a visitor,” the young nurse wrapped in the uniform of Wilde Hospital and painted pink lips stated causing Bianca to snap from her thoughts as apathy washed over her face.

 “No visitors please…”

 “Well…um…this one is important, please?” she said almost pleading in her voice and gestures.

 “Akidami isn’t important…I told you that.”

 “Miss, it’s your family.”

 Curious and disgusted slightly by the persistence Bianca nodded to the woman, who nodded in return before sidestepping.

 “Charise!”

 “Sit down Bianca, you’re going to re-injure yourself…”

 The women stared in that awkward silence of unsureness for a moment before Charise walked to Bianca and held her tightly.

“Ouch.”

“Sorry…I didn’t mean to hurt you, I’m just. I was worried! Underby took off almost the next day without word of the family and when Hono asked what happened he practically snapped his head off.”

“How many do know?”

“Only a couple…”

“Giles? Christine and Edward?”

“Giles, doesn’t. He’s been away on business himself it would seem. Can’t say I blame him for staying away. Christine has visited you when you where on medications so you probably don’t recall, though I’m sure the Duke knows. Hono, Stormy, and Rusty are still in the dark.”

Bianca looked to the right, her thoughts collecting and silently apologizing for the hell that Christine probably bestowed upon the hospital and anyone for that matter feeling for a split second, even a titch of empathy for Underby. Shaking her head before she spoke through a raspy breath, “Probably for the best…How did you–”

“I’m your right hand woman, remember?” Charise smiled and lifted up her hand to show that she still carried the ring of the family upon it with pride. Bianca smiled slightly at the thought patterns this woman before her had and took her hand in a friendly clinch.

“You’re not too bad for a Westerner habibi…” Charise smirked then went serious as the plague leaning in to whisper.

“What are you going to do Bianca? I know you. You don’t sit still long enough without a full thought without formulating some sort of plan?”

“I…umm…”

“Don’t you dare lie.”

Charise glared through those blonde strands sober as the day but Bianca pursed her lips in return. Lie? Never…yet always, to everyone and this time she actually felt a good reason too.

“It’s not your concern Charise.”

“He split up the family! He destroyed the connection and he almost destroyed -you-. My friend. To hell it isn’t my concern.” Charise rose and crossed her arms looking down at Bianca who just stared back blankly.

“When…when are you going to stop being so selfish?”

Bianca winced at the all too familiar words like the slap in the face they have been. Selfish. She’s been called many things outside her name, but nothing phased her more than that word.

“Selfish?” she whispered looking to Charise, then to the mirror as if passing judgment on herself. For the first time since the fall of Mondrago, Bianca felt a heartbreaking remorse. She thought bringing these strays for people together was doing a good thing…until she realized it was for her own need of comfort and financial stability.

She thought falling for one of the most dangerous men in New Babbage would guarantee her safety until it was her undoing. How often would she be doomed to be wrong? No…not this pity party again. It didn’t do her any good the first time, and it sure won’t do any good this time either.

“Bianca?” Charise said after the silence, fidgeting slightly unsure of if her words were the right ones for this time.

“In less than a month, the family was created,” came the determined reply, “In less than three days, the family has fallen. Trust in no one, if you cannot trust in yourself. Hope for nothing, that you aren’t willing to fight for…by yourself.” Bianca looked up to Charise, a burning in her eyes that would rival a cornered jaguars rage and will to survive when cornered. “You cannot do wrong and get by, and I have reaped much of what I have sown…I will not put you through anymore my friend.”

“You can’t put me through anything I don’t wish to go through, Bianca…” Charise said with a half heartfelt smile. “Bianca, I–”

But the conversation was cut short upon Akidami’s livid entrance, “What are you doing in here? Aren’t you one of those fools? Get out!” he roared at Charise who jumped back slightly.

“Akidami! Leave her be! She came to visit a friend, and she has every right to do so!” Their words where vicious and swift towards one another but Bianca was able to give Charise a knowing glance of comfort followed by unforgettable words.

“Charise! Once family…always family my friend…”

“Get out woman!” Akidami demanded and pointed to the door, Charise followed the order and almost slammed into Kristos who had come to check on the racked as she bolted out.

“MY word, what on earth is going on in here? Mr. Swift! Is that you making all that noise?”

“Noise? You let one of those foul people in here with the Sultana? How dare you accuse me of making noise when I was chasing away what could have been her undoing.”

“You understand and know nothing Akidami! Get out of my room!” but the pain of shouting and the elevated pressure of her blood caused Bianca to calm as she grew dizzy.

It was true that in her mind she had taken Charise in as one of her own. A family she never had until Mondrago and even then it was lost to the sands.

Kristos (and several other hospital workers) got Akidami out of there and through the silence of the room Bianca was able to think clearly, confidently, and assured herself that she had to get away from this town. A set back was a set back, but it brings about a come back and the young desert woman knew deep down in her heart, that she was about to make an ultimate comeback all over Osgoode Underby’s ass.