#regrouping

[artfilmfan]

Regrouping (Lizzie Borden, 1976)

[randombrowngirl]

When your hairstylist cancels on you

[oldfilmsflicker]

new-to-me #547 - Regrouping

[atths--twice]

Chapter Eight

With Regret, I Must Decline That Request

A lot has happened, a moment to regroup is needed.

Mulder poured two coffees, adding cream and one packet of sugar to Scully’s. Checking the prepackaged food, he shook his head and decided on just the coffees. Paying for them, he left the hospital cafeteria and went to the elevator to go upstairs and rejoin Scully.

Tests had been run on Peter, multiple ones, and now they were awaiting the results.

Stepping off the elevator, he saw her standing at the nurses station, a chart held in her hands. He watched her sigh and roll her neck, a sure sign that she was tired.

Setting the chart down, she glanced to her right and smiled gently at the sight of him walking towards her with the coffees.

“Thank you,” she said, taking the one he offered her.

“Any news?”

She shook her head and started walking away from the nurses station.

“Yes and I don’t understand it.”

“What?”

Opening the door to an empty waiting area, she sat at a small round table, setting her coffee down. Tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, she shook her head again as he sat across from her.

“Peter was dying, Mulder,” she said quietly. “There is no other way to put it. His previous charts show that. The center he was trying to get into… I question why they would have accepted him as a candidate.”

“Why?”

“He had a zero chance of survival. With or without treatment. I can honestly say that he would not have survived.” She looked at him with sad eyes and sighed deeply. “His doctors… I don’t know why they wouldn’t tell him. Why would they give him that hope?” She shook her head and picked up her coffee. Taking a small sip, she stared out the window with a sigh, the late afternoon sun burning brightly.

He watched her, thinking about when she had told him about her tumor. Her own acceptance and bluntness in her words had stopped him in his tracks. Yes, she’d had time to absorb and adjust to the news before sharing it with him, but she had faced the truth of it far quicker than he had.

“Maybe his doctors weren’t as optimistic. Maybe that’s why he sought a second opinion from a cancer center so far from home,” he said, watching her swallow another sip of coffee.

“Maybe,” she whispered, setting her cup down.

“But you said there was news?”

“He had a zero percent chance of survival, Mulder,” she said again and he nodded as she looked at him. “His previous scans show his lungs were full of cancer. And now, it’s gone. Completely gone.”

“There’s not a chance of a mix up with the old files?” he asked, even as he felt a thrill of excitement and intrigue as to why and how that could happen. “Perhaps they sent the wrong ones?”

“No. There wasn’t a mix up.”

“Did you check his neck for a possible chip implant?” he teased and she shook her head.

“It’s not funny, Mulder,” she said quietly.

“I wasn’t-”

“Six weeks he was given. Then he was gone for a month, only to return clear of the disease that was killing him. He has extremely minor injuries. He’s not emaciated, despite obviously not eating much during his disappearance. He’s healthy and whole. How?”

“What are you thinking?”

“Nothing good,” she said, sighing before picking up her cup and taking another drink.

“Elaborate, please,” he said, taking a drink of his own coffee.

“It had to be someone with medical knowledge who held him against his will and… experimented on him. It could have killed him. He could have died alone and suffering at the hands of someone sworn to protect and do no harm.”

“You think it was a doctor?”

“Yes. It would have to be.”

“Or it could have been something else.”

She drew in a breath through her nose and let it out slowly.

“What are you thinking?”

“Just working on a theory.”

“Which includes how Peter knew to ask for you?” she asked, her eyes holding his. “Him implying that you felt something?”

“Scully-”

“Mulder,” she interrupted, licking her lips and setting her cup down. “You were spooked out in that cemetery today. We both know that.”

“I-”

“Did something happen? Something more than a belief in a mythical creature giving you a bad feeling?”

“How do you mean?”

“Did you hurt yourself? When you slipped?” She looked down at his hand lying on the table and he dropped his gaze as well, frowning when he saw that he was clenching and unclenching his fist.

“I didn’t know I was doing that,” he said softly, shaking his hand and attempting a smile.

“Let me see,” she said, holding her hand out.

“It’s nothing. I’m fine.”

“Mulder,” she whispered, looking up at him and sighing. “Let me see.”

He exhaled as he stretched his hand toward her and she took it into both of her own.

She ran her fingers gently over his palm and he swallowed as he both watched and felt her doing it. It was an odd sensation, clinical and yet almost slightly erotic.

Her focus was completely on his hand and his focus was on her fingers. She traced them over his palm, the fronts and backs of each finger, over the top, and then down to his wrist. He marveled, as he always did, at the sureness and steadiness in her touch.

“I don’t see anything that could be construed as an injury,” she said, rubbing his palm with her thumb as she moved down to his middle finger and closed his hand, gently squeezing before letting go. “A little bit red, but that could be from the weather or the warm cup of coffee.”

Giving him a smile that did not reach her eyes, she sat back and stared at him.

“You could get it looked at, as we are currently in a hospital. Just to be sure.”

He smiled and shook his head.

“With regret, I must decline that request,” he said and she laughed softly as she shook her head.

“Sounds about right.”

“Hmm,” he hummed as she looked out the window again. “Are you hungry?”

Turning back to him, she nodded slowly.

“Me too and let me tell you, the cafeteria downstairs isn’t exactly appealing,” he said, making a face. She gave him a small smile and he smiled back. “Do we need to stay for more test results?”

“Honestly?” She shook her head and sighed. “I don’t think it will show anything different. His cancer is gone. I can’t explain how, but I don’t think any further tests will explain that aspect of it.”

“How about I buy you dinner and I tell you what I’m thinking?”

She tapped her fingers on the table and stared at him before nodding and letting out a sigh.

“A cafe or diner,” she said. “Some place where I can get a piece of pie because I have a feeling your theory is going to be a bit hard to swallow and sugar always helps in situations like that.”

He laughed with a nod, picking up his coffee cup and standing to his feet. She smirked at him as she stood and picked up her own coffee, pushing the chair in and raising her eyebrows.

He began to hum A Spoonful of Sugar as they walked toward the door. She laughed softly and bumped him with her shoulder. He grinned, tossed his coffee in the trash and opened the door, the quiet of the room left behind.

[kamreadsandrecs]

Fracture and Assembly: On Lizzie Borden’s “Regrouping”

Laura Nelson reviews Lizzie Borden’s “Regrouping.”...

[the-healing-mindset]

May you find that connection. Even if it is just with yourself. Stay well.  🙏🏽❤️

Source: https://www.facebook.com/SourceMessages/photos/a.2203765509860639/3167778030126044/

[starscheme]

Only You

Chapter Thirteen: Regrouping

It had been at least an hour since Sodalite absorbed whatever was inside of Lars. The blue Gem had been doubled over in pain the entire time, doing her best to purify the strange element. The other Gems were at a loss for how to help her. Pearl stayed by her side with a bowl of Roses Fountain water just in case they needed it, while Garnet and Greg were watching over Lars and trying to figure out what to do. They had determined that calling the other off colors was out of the question since they didn't know if he might wake up and attack everyone again. For now, they just had to wait until he woke up.

"H-how is Lars?" Sodalite asked through ragged breaths, her shoulders trembling as she worked to keep the dark element inside of her as if it was trying to escape.

"He's sleeping now. The fever he had has gone down. Don't worry," insisted Pearl as she knelt down beside Sodalite. She glanced up at Garnet, "any luck in contacting Steven?"

"It keeps going to voicemail. He must have turned off his phone to spend time with Spinel," answered Greg as he was greeted by Steven's voicemail message yet again.

Sodalite shook her head rapidly, "you-you can't let Spinel come back! She's the one that—AGH!" A small crack chipped at Sodalite's Gem on her right shoulder, causing the light in the room to go on and off, her eyes turning completely black, just as they had when she was broken once before.

"Oh my—" Pearl exclaimed in a panic, cupping some of the fountain water in her hands and splashing it over Sodalite's Gem. Luckily, the crack smoothed over and the Blue Gems form returned to normal. Pearl exhaled heavily in relief. Lately, Roses water hadn't been working and she worried it would be useless here as well. Once healed, Sodalite caught a second wind and finally felt like the purification was working. For a full hour, the freckled Gem felt like something was clawing at her insides, screaming and scratching at the surface of her Gem in a desperate effort to get out. It took nearly everything she had to force this dark element from leaving her and eventually purifying it into nothing. Panting for breath, Sodalite caught herself on her hands to keep from collapsing completely, exhausted now that it was over.

"Is it done?" Garnet asked, making her way over to the drained Gem.

Too weak to reply, Sodalite simply nodded her head as best she could. Easing the tension in the room just a little. Yet another weight was lifted from them all once they heard Lars begin to stir, as if on cue to the purification.

Pearl could see that Sodalite wanted to move once Lars started to wake up, but she placed her hands on the Gems shoulders to stop her. "You need to relax a moment," insisted Pearl, pouring more fountain water onto Sodalite's Gem, hoping it would help her regain some strength.

"...fuck...what hit me...?" Lars groaned painfully as he sat up slowly, placing his hand over his head.

"Pearl," answered Garnet simply. "How are you feeling?"

Lars was immediately confused. Pearl hit him? His hands ached and his side was burning. The last thing he remembered was walking with Sodalite and a woman's voice before everything went dark. Suddenly, he panicked, which only made the pain at his side worse, "agh—!" He gasped through gritted teeth as he straightened his back. "Wh-where's Sodalite?! She was with me earlier." Lars was of course worried about his injuries, but if he fainted in front of Sodalite, she was probably freaking out or crying somewhere alone. Hopefully she didn't run off to get help. She wouldn't be able to talk to anyone and just end up getting lost.

"Sodalite is over there. She brought you here," said Garnet as she pointed to the physically drained Gem at the other side of the room.

Once again, Lars was confused. What exactly happened while he was passed out? His body hurt all over and Sodalite brought him to the Crystal Gems on her own? And why did she look so weak? "H-hey, whoa! What happened to her?!"

"That...is a good question." Garnet sighed. She was not accustomed to being so lost, but hopefully they could all put some pieces together and figure out what was going on.

With Garnets help, Lars got to his feet and though his side was on fire, he sat himself down next to Sodalite.

Now that Lars was beside her, Sodalite finally felt at ease. Without saying a word, Sodalite laid her head in his lap and closed her eyes to get some rest. Though Lars was immediately embarrassed, Sodalite paid no mind to where they were. She was put cold the moment her head hit his lap.

"...Sodalite was trying to say something about Spinel." Pearl began as she glanced at Lars.

It was only then that Lars recalled the reason Sodalite was eager to see the Gems. "Right. She said that there was something inside of her. Something dark and dangerous. She was going to talk with you all about it...before any of this happened."

Pearl and Garnet exchanged a look of concern. If Spinel had something inside of her like Lars did earlier, it might not have been safe for her and Steven to be alone. "We need to go and get them," insisted Pearl. "We can get *Lion to take us—"

The door burst open before Pearl could finish and they all turned in surprise to see Steven in his pink diamond form, panting for breath as he held a bubble in his hand with Spinels Gem inside.

"Steven!" The Gems exclaimed together as they rushed to the door.

"What happened?! Did you run all the way back here?!" Asked Pearl in a panic, noticing Spinels gem right away and fighting the urge to take it from him.

"S-somethings wrong," he breathed out, "Spinel isn't-she poofed herself!" There was no way he'd mention the choking incident. He didn't want them to keep her in the bubble out of fear.

"Poofed herself?" Pearl repeated. "Why would she do something like that?"

Steven looked down at the bubble in his hand, "I'm not sure exactly. I think...she was scared she might...hurt someone."

"Someone like you?" Garnet asked knowingly.

Steven flinched a bit, but only held the bubble closer to his chest. "...she'd never hurt me." He lied. He didn't feel good about it, but he couldn't shake the anxious feeling that if he told the truth, he wouldn't see Spinel for a long while.

"Wake up Sodalite," ordered Garnet simply.

"Sodalite?" Repeated Steven in surprise. Only now noticing that Lars and Sodalite were even there. "Why?"

"There was something strange inside of Lars. Sodalite was able to use her power to take it into herself and purify it. Perhaps she can do the same for Spinel." Garnet explained with a tired sigh. She had no idea what was happening or how this might play out. It made her anxious and she didn't enjoy the unknown.

"Whoa! Wait a sec," Lars interjected, "can't you see that she's exhausted? It looks like helping me took everything she had."

Though Steven was growing impatient and wanting to see Spinel as soon as possible, he couldn't deny that Sodalite looked spent. At least for now, Spinel was safely resting inside her Gem. They could at least wait until Sodalite got more rest. "...let's give Sodalite more time to recoup a bit. We still don't really know what's going on. So...let's just-we need to think about this and compare notes."

Lars was a bit apprehensive now. From what he was hearing, it sounded as if they planned to make Sodalite fix everything. Would she even be able to? Because she was always frightened of nearly everything, Lars couldn't help seeing her as rather fragile. He looked down at the Gem in his lap and sighed. "...just stay asleep for a while..." he mumbled softly.

It didn't take long for everyone to catch up on the events of the past few hours. Though Steven omitted the attempted strangling, he did inform the others that Spinel was acting strange before she poofed herself. He sat himself down on the couch, holding the bubble close to his chest. He was sure that Spinel couldn't hear him while she was in there, but he knew she liked the sound of his heartbeat. It made him feel better to think that she could hear it and maybe it was helping her.

"...so what do we do?" asked Pearl in concern. "If something is inside of Spinel...how can we...?"

"We need more answers first," answered Garnet. "Sodalite was the one who said she thought something dark was inside of Spinel. We need to know how she determined that."

"Why is everything up to Sodalite all of a sudden?" Lars asked irritably, still allowing the blue Gem to rest her head against his lap. "I bet there are other options."

"We're not going to force Sodalite to do anything," assured Pearl. "It's just, if the same thing that controlled you is inside of Spinel, Sodalite has already proven that she can not only force it out, but destroy it within herself."

"Are we even sure that she got it all? Lars looks okay, but whatever controlled him may still be in there." Garnet pointed out. "I'm going to get Peridot so she can examine Lars and Spinel. Nobody do anything until I get back with her."

The others nodded their heads, watching silently as Garnet left via warp pad to collect Peridot. No one knew what any of this meant. What had been controlling Lars? Was it the same thing inside of Spinel, or perhaps she carried something entirely different? If they released her from the bubble, would Spinel be the same when she reformed?

A/N: Sorry this took so long guys. I’ll be working hard to make sure the next few chapters come out a little faster, but I’ll also have to write them all on my phone from here on out because of my broken Laptop.