Chapter 7: Kyle

Staring down and the girl he'd been so recently holding in his arms, Kyle watches as the medics gently tuck her into the med-bed. Despite the puffy eyes and red blotches from her crying spell, she was an ethereal beauty. Long, wavy, chestnut locks framing high cheekbones, leading to the cutest button nose he thought he'd ever seen. Her soft, pink lips were pleasingly plump...

Kyle shakes his head to clear out the uncouth thoughts running through his mind. The memory of her slender body clasped in his arms, chasing around his mind. "She going to be alright mate?" He asks the doctor tending to her. The Doctor, hair greying with age looks down at the young woman in his charge, shoulders visibly drooping.

"It looks like she had a emotional breakdown. I'm not sure what this young woman has been through today but my scans show she's been under an extremely high level of stress. Her hypothalamic pituitary adrenal system is in overdrive." As he talks he produces a hypo spray and proceeds to inject her with various liquids. "I'm suppressing her cortisol and adrenal glands right now in order to help her hormonal imbalance." Setting the Hypo spray down he looks to Kyle, arms crossing as he leans against the opposite bed. "We'll give her body a minute to settle those and see about normalizing her blood sugar levels."

"Huh?" Kyle blinks uncomprehendingly at the old doctor.

Laughing at the confusion in the young man's eyes he replies. "In layman's terms she's been through a hell of a lot today and her body and mind haven't been able to process it. So, instead of processing the adrenaline and various other bodily processes that react to the fight or flight instinct, her body is STILL in the flight portion. It's a simple fix." Picking up one more needle he injects it into her arm. "There. We'll let her sleep and let the medication do its job. Once she wakes up she'll be on a more even level with her emotions." Looking down at his patient sympathetically he tucks her arm under the blanket lying across her chest. "At least it will give her a chance to deal with whatever happened to her out there a little better. Of course we'll need to keep an eye on her for a little while. Make sure she doesn't need more medical help. But, she should be just fine given time to grieve and process"

Shaking his head, the doctor turns from his patient and looks at the young man. "How about you? Kyle, isn't it? How are YOU coping?"

Kyle backs slowly away as the doctor picks up a hand scanner and starts walking towards him. "Whoa! I'm fine. Go deal with someone who needs your help doc. leave me out of it." Fine beads of sweat gather on his forehead as the doctor's steps draw him ever closer.

The doctor cocks his head to the side, the scanner held out in front of his body. "I see. Were you outside Kyle? Were you out in that madness like this young lady?" he points towards Elise's sleeping body. Her clothes appearing torn and ragged. Kyle looks down at his own clothes. Rips and tears show glimpses of a toned and athletic body beneath. "Ah. Uh. Well yes, of course. But I'm fine."

"Ah yes. big strong man, thinks he knows everything. Have a medical degree do you? Psychic skills?" The doctor moves forward a few steps, backing Kyle into the edge of the table. Kyle's mouth flaps open and shut like a fish out of water as he tries to think of a rejoinder. Nothing comes to mind as he stands, staring at the once genial doctor, turning into a martinet.

As the scan runs, the doctor's demeanour changes again. Once more the genial older man he was before. "You young ones never think. Never consider that shock and trauma effect even you. There. All done, and as I thought You're in much better shape than our sleeping beauty but your own adrenal gland is a little over stimulated." He reaches back for a hypodermic and Kyle's face leaches of colour. Noticing, the doctor places the needle gently back on the table and heads for a cabinet. "I guess I could give you tablets. After all you're calm now and they'll work just as well, if a little slower. Mind you come see me if you start shaking uncontrollably, if you can't sleep, or feel depressed."

Walking back with the meds, the doctor hands them to Kyle, placing his other hand over both of theirs. "Are you listening to me Kyle? You, and her." he points back towards Elise. "You're our future now. You have to look after yourself, even if you're scared. Promise me you'll come see me if you need anything." The earnest look in his rheumy grey eyes calms Kyle and he nods. Mutely taking the offered tablets before turning and walking away. He glances back, taking one last look at Elise as the door silently closes.