Halfs And Wholes [byShia&National Acrobat, idea by Shia,with summary, COMPLETED]

Started by Shia, February 24, 2010, 09:16:57 AM

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Shia

SUMMARY:
The romance story of two doctors, ex and new colleagues and how their hidden feelings begin to bloom for each other even after one of them ends up as a human-cyborg.



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"How is your first day going, Doctor Simmons?" The elderly surgeon, leader of the team of professionalists in the stomach of the giant ship leaned above the strange figure, lying on his table at the moment.
The soft and curvy breasts and hips covered with sporty underwear told it was a young woman in her late twenties but as nurses moved closer to the sight that welcomed them at the door, almost each of them turned away like it was a ten-day old corpse they had to touch and comfort.
"What would you like to hear about exactly? The part when I accidentally dropped my tray in the dining hall or the part when I accidentally fell off of the stairs?"
The thin metal strap that half circled her head in the level of the eyes was glowing with a pale blue light under her straight brown hair as she was speaking tiredly, when finally a male caretaker who was 'brave' enough damped her lips.
"Thank you." She reached out her hand that seemingly made of the same material just as her "gaze", legs, arms, waist and neck - but the helper quickly stepped aside with a polite smile, muttering she was always welcome.
'Always welcome. Am I?...'

"Why don't you use the elevator like anybody else here, Imma? Tut-tut, I've already asked you to be careful and don't put more on yourself in the beginning than what is really necessary!"
The white haired, silver bearded man gave her right shoulder that wasn't covered by other than flesh a tender squeeze as they faced each other, waves of a friendly love circulating between the two.
"Having lunch by myself is perhaps unnecessary?! Using the staircase to walk down a floor is unnecessary, you think?!"
If she could cry tears then by now her cheeks would have been wet with her sorrow, but as she couldn't, only her chest was heaving under the strong light of the examination room.
"Hey, sss-sss, calm down, take a deep breath, dearest. No bones broken, no harm done to your organs. CT clear, slight concussions.. You remember who found you?" The experienced doctor made a few more gentle check ups on her abdomen and groin then pulled a blanket over her broken figure, adjusting it patiently while sitting beside her on a stool.
"Not really..." Imma was pondering, palm against temple.
"It was Richardson." ...And hearing the name, this name all the remaining parts of her pretty face immediately strained into a painful grimace.
"Oh, no! Please don't say that is was him! Gosh!"
"Why? He says you are possibly the best pediatrist in this whole hospital."
"...Indeed? Children are affraid of me..." This was all she muttered before the medicine he injected into the small tube under the neck began to work and softly put her to sleep.
Finally Doctor Keller dressed her and brought her into a quiet one-bed patient room himself, not to make her get more contempt than it was 'really necessary'...


National Acrobat



Cody Richardson, well, that was Dr. Cody Richardson, although he didn't think the title really made a difference in who he was. He was still, at heart, a boy from West Texas who had managed to be really good at medicine, surgery to be exact. He also loved space, and when man had gone to the stars and built vast starships, it was mesmerizing to him. When man built vessels of war, and then ventured into deep space to establish worlds and colonies, he wanted to be there. He read the stories, watched the accounts on video when he was a kid.

Man met the Aslan, the Kriee, and war started. Man met the Zhodani, who were ancestors of the humans on Earth, and war ensued.

Cody had graduated from school with honors, and chose to do his residency in the Naval Services. They paid for it, and he got the education. He became a respected, if not eccentric surgeon, mainly due to his language and his style of dress. He looked younger than his thirty three years, but life had been good to him. He was young, handsome, athletic and a gifted surgeon.

He looked back on occasion to the time spent with Imma. He'd always felt a spark there, it was something he'd regretted not pursuing, and their duties had sent them in opposite directions. She'd been injured, although he'd not heard too much about it, given that his duties had taken him away.

That had changed today. He'd been here as he was coming to a new assignment.

The Hospital Frigate Endeavor. It was a good assignment.

He'd helped a young lady up who'd fallen earlier, and he had been about to take pity on her, when he realized it was Imma. He'd brought her to Doctor Keller, who confirmed his suspicions. He was stunned. She was half machine. She was unconscious though, and Doctor Keller had told him to return to room G-3 later, to get his information.

He was in the process of returning, to report to Doctor Keller, for his berthing and quarters, and to get himself oriented to the new ship, the largest of it's kind, a massive space faring Hospital for the Navy.

He entered the suite, having been given directions.

'Doctor Keller? Dr. Cody Richardson' he said, although the curtain had been pulled around the observation table that Imma was on. 'I was told you were here. If you are busy, I can come back' he said. He was hesitant. Was Imma behind the curtain? What would he say?

Shia

"Son. Just in time." Keller's patient voice came from beyond the curtain. "I'm almost finished with dressing our flying friend, now.. Your task will be to find an empty and quiet room for her, close to my office, a one-bed patient room, please. And quickly." He added with a giggle, obviously enjoying the situation to send the enthusiastic surgeon for such a different mission, different than the usual constant racing amongst young professionalists and the desire to proove something or, moreover, to discover something new.

It was a common knowledge the good old doctor had a preference for men so Imma was completely safe in his hands, to say so, besides -and this was a thing even Richardson didn't know- she was the granddaughter of Keller's older brother.
Many roads met aboard the Endeavor so, some of those continuing, some of those not and never.
The case of Cody and Imma was ending with three dots for now, open, never told aloud, waiting for a solution...

National Acrobat

Flying Friend. Oh god, he means Imma he said, but he kept a straight face. He wasn't going to show any signs of unease or discomfort. Not to Dr. Keller. When one was a professional, they were to be professional at all times. He was still processing it. Details of her accident were sketchy to him, he'd only receive a cursory explanation, and was too busy to delve into it with any detail when he'd been informed.

He felt a twinge of sadness. He was fairly certain that onboard, she was more of a side show now. It was the double-edged sword of human nature. All the advanced bio-technology that was available was a marvel that people never stopped talking about, however when they actually met someone who needed, and needed the advanced science to survive daily life, they always acted with revulsion, or fear or simply ignored them.

'Yes, Dr. Keller' he said, his voice loud enough to be heard behind the curtain as he rushed off to secure a private, one bed berth.

Shia

Once they were inside of the patient room -Cody holding the door open while Keller walked in with Imma in his arms- he lay the sleeping girl on the bed, arranging the covers for her and putting her on monitoring with an especially great care - it could be obvious for Richardson that they were at least friends and that the old man felt in himself in charge for her.
"Please, stay with her until she wakes up then page me... Of course, you can stay after that as well - if she doesn't throw you out." He added with a bittersweet chuckle.
"Imma's become a little bit.. frustrated since her surgery but I'm sure she's gonna be all right, it's just a matter of time." He gave a last wink to the newcomer then rushed after his busy schedule
- leaving the two together in the same room since they last saw each other two years ago, the young doctor's cape with the name tag 'Imma Simmons, children's physician' waiting on the back of a chair...

National Acrobat

'Of course Doctor, I'd be glad to' he said to Doctor Keller. He pulled up that chair that had her coat on the back, and made sure that he could see the monitors that kept a close eye on her body. He wistfully gazed upon her, and felt the sadness disappear. She was still the same woman, no matter how her body had changed. Perhaps that is what the doctor meant when he discussed her throwing him out. Perhaps she was ashamed of her new body, or what he'd think. He shook his head.

How could he think any less of her? To him, it was still Imma. That hadn't changed one bit.

He took her hand in his, and gently squeezed it. Yes, it was still Imma. They would have to trust each other, they would be reunited in the same department after their separation.

Shia

The touch of it was neutral. Some sort of metallic material, but not cold, nor warm, just a light construction that allowed her the best possibilities to move her new arms and fingers and to use them to the maximum. And surely the same was true for her other prosthesises.
Around an hour later life slowly returned into the seeing aid, bringing some soft blue radiation into the gently lighted room and between them.
"I don't feel much.. but thanks..." Imma smiled at him shyly once her gaze settled at her only visitor and she pulled her artificial limb away from him to rest it on the blanket... "What do you want?"...obviously embarrassed and slightly upset that he saw her in this condition.   

National Acrobat

He'd grafted body parts onto patients before, but had never held one that was actually attached to a living recipient. It felt strange. It dawned on him that perhaps that had a lot to do with the words Doctor Keller left him with. She wouldn't want him to see her this way. She probably either hadn't gotten used to the sensations, or worse, they weren't the same.

He looked over as she woke, and he smiled. 'It's alright' he said to her. 'What do I want? Well, I wanted to visit you, and here I am' he said. 'We're going to be working together again' he added, hastily. 'If, well, if you want me to go, I will but, I thought you might like some company' he said to her, his cheeks flushing a bit. She doesn't want me here he thought. He was embarrassed.

Shia

Imma sighed and after a few minutes of hesitating, gathering strength to leave the room she sat up and with a few firm movements she got rid of all the sensors and put on her shoes again - the same metallic surface appearing from under her trousers for a few seconds...
"Then let's work together..." The young woman muttered, just like to herself, and with a rosy mouth curving downwards she put her medium long hair into a loose ponytail.
"I have administration to catch up with..." The doctor wanted to rise onto her feet quickly... but loosing balance again she almost ended up on Cody's lap.
"Damn it!" Imma hissed and caught the back of the bed.
Visibly she wasn't too self-confident yet using her new limbs, besides her concussions neeeded more rest than a single hour of nap...
"Gosh!, where's my cape??"

National Acrobat

'Yes, let's' he said to her, but caught her as she started to stumble. 'Doctor' he began 'I think you need to take it easy for a bit longer. I didn't look at your chart because I didn't want to pry, but I am pretty sure that you need more than an hour's worth of rest' he chided very softly, not getting terse or belligerent. 'Rest is important. You don't want to try to do too much before you are able' he said to her. 'I can't have a work partner who isn't following her own doctor's orders, can I?' he said, winking. He knew that she wanted to prove that she could do it, on her own, and he understood that. However, there was always a right way to do things, and there was the incorrect way. Being a doctor, she should know better.

'Your cape is on the chair I was using. It's fine. Do you want it?' he asked her.

Shia

Standing at the very same spot, supported by his arm she instinctively touched her temple when pain increased and her dizziness grew.
"Rich.. I think I'm gonna throw up..." Imma's voice trailed off and insecurely she took a hold on the friendly hand that was offered.
Lowering her head she tried to breathe consciously, long and calmed, but the colour of her still pretty face was already pale like a snowdrop.
'Rich', she called him Rich!, just like in the old times - and her heart was wrapped around with a strange aching as she did so, other than the pain of loosing parts of her body, it was beyond the veil of recent loss, it was the pain of untold words, long, long ago...

National Acrobat

'Alright Imma, let's get back to the bed then' he said, and he gently nudged her to sit back down. 'You won't throw up if you get back to a prone position. Did you have a concussion, because you are displaying the signs rather well' he said to her.

He caught the use of the familiar nickname, and flashbacks raced through his mind. What could he say? What should he say? She was more machine now...

He resolved to look past it. Internally he'd already started to have this debate. Woman. She's all woman, she's your friend, she is still the same. Respect her.

He kept her hand in his, and sat next to her on the bed. 'Imma, I think you'd probably best let the administrative work wait until at least tomorrow. I'll be glad to sit here with you tonight, and keep you company, just like we used to do on the Midnight Shift.' He had fond memories, they'd sit around and keep each other occupied simply talking, to pass the long overnight hours. That brought a smile to his face.

Shia

With a single touch at the right place she turned off the seeing device to get a little more relaxed - but her hand was gently squeezing his until the stirring feeling was gone from her stomach, and stayed there even after that, motionless between his caring fingers.
"Okay, you've won, I have slight concussions.. Very minimal, all right?" Imma added with a little smile that SO reminded of those many, years ago, when they spent the days together, one after the other...
"Thank you, Rich.. You.. really don't have to sit here with me, I'm sure you have better things to do in your first shift than babysit somebody who can not even use the stairs properly."
Her lips were getting dry and she shivered almost invisibly, but visibly enough for the eyes of a doctor.

National Acrobat

He smirked, although it was slight, and if one looked, it was a rather cute attempt. 'Slight? Hmm, I think you might be trying to tell me that it's less serious than it seems' he said to her. He didn't let go of her hand, instead keeping a gentle hold on it, even as he sat next to her. 'There, that's what I was looking for, that smile' he said, grinning to her.

'Please' he said to her 'I want to. I wouldn't imagine of being anywhere else at the moment. I have nothing pressing currently, and this is much more important to me' he said to her. There, he'd gotten that out of the way. Stubborn as she may be about this, she hadn't forgotten how stubborn he could be, had she?

'Let me get you another blanket. Do you want something to drink?' he asked her.

Shia

"The blanket I used just before is gonna be fine. And a little water from the tap perhaps, that's all." Repeating the same movement she turned on her "eyes" again, ready to do all this by herself
- but then her new blue gaze met his... and that willing warmth she found there quit her flow of words, making her expression softened and her back lean against the pillows again.
"Thank you..." Beautiful Imma whispered finally, giving in and letting him take a little care of her.
After all it wasn't painful at all...

National Acrobat

'Are you sure petite fleur?' he said, finally using the pet name he'd always had for her. Even though he was a red blooded Texas boy, he found the french words for 'small flower' to be quite alluring, and he'd always thought that flowed off of his tongue when speaking of her. If she was going to use nicknames, so would he. In a sense, it would help to show that there was nothing that would come between his desire to show her that even as she had changed, it wasn't something that was going to stand in the way of their friendship and what he thought of her. She was relenting a little, which meant that she was going to let him tend to her, at least for now. Suddenly, he wished he'd never been transferred away. He was wishing he'd been here the whole time. She must have been lonely.

'You're shivering, which means you're chilly' he said. At least that's what he thought anyway.

He stood up, and let her hand go for the moment, so he could get her some tap water. 'I'm up, is there anything else you want?' he said.

Shia

She yawned a little into her palm then chuckled.
"Only that glass of water. And you. To come back here and say that again. 'Petite fleur'.. Hmm.. I still like it." Imma nestled herself more to the blanket he gifted her with.
But all the time her look was sticked to his figure and she kept on smiling to him softly, only interrupted by another, longer yawn.
"How did you know I'll still like it?" The young woman leaned her temple against the back of her hand while watching him.


National Acrobat

'How did I know?' he said turning the tap on and filling the glass. 'I didn't, but I think that I know you well enough to know that you liked the way it used to sound, so why would now be any different?' he said to her. He brought the glass over to her, and handed it to her. 'Besides, it sounds so original when it comes out of my southern drawl' he said, grinning.

He took a good look at her. She was still Imma, and she still had her lovely voice, her womanly ways. There was only some physical differences, and that mind, it was still her, that personality, still her. The others on board didn't know what they were missing. He did. He took his shoes off, and put his lab coat aside, and got back next to her in the bed and pulled the blanket up.

'Besides, you would have immediately told me if you didn't like it, in no uncertain terms, I am sure'.

Shia

Once they were cuddled up close to each other like twins waiting for the moment of their birth together, suddenly Imma began to giggle, a sweet music for his ears and also for their hearts - this was the first time he could hear that again and though it wasn't as loud and carefree as before she still did it the way only she could, with such vivid tones that could have awaken even the dead.
Leaning her head against Rich's shoulder quietly she confessed then.
"I've forgotten to take off my shoes. Again.. I always forget it recently, oh, one embarrassing thing in having no real legs, my!"
Humour. So she survived all this by keeping her good sense of jokes, whether they were written by pleasures or tragedies. After all all that mattered was her attitude and inside she was already using her new sort of limbs instead of the ones she lost.
Lucky she was to survive and even more lucky to still be able to laugh.
But the luckiest she felt now that he was by her side again...

National Acrobat

Her sounds made him smile as they sat next to each other, draped with the blanket. It was good to hear that, it made him happy, and he could tell that she was happy too. Doctor Keller would be glad to hear that as well. Half the battle was the mental aspect, and suddenly things looked a lot brighter.

'Tsk, tsk. Don't worry about it. Shoes are shoes, and it will come to you. If you want, I'll take them off' he offered, not shy at all about her physical situation. The alternative was to hard to think about. Her not being here at all would have darkened his heart, and would have sent part of his world crumbling down around him.

He waited for her reply, and placed an arm atop hers, comforting her.

Shia

Imma stared into his eyes... at least the position of her head indicated that to happen, for long long moments, before she swallowed and returned his smile, though much shyly than he did.
"Why.. why are you doing all this for me, Rich??.. I mean.. here everybody treats me like an alien.. Even my own sister is unable to spend time with me. But you.. you are so different..." Her voice was quiet like a whisper.
She didn't pull away from his arm, the comfort he gave - the sensation was different, numb and almost nothing but the same warmth wrapped her heart around, the same as the one that was there at their last night together, at the party after the celebration of the hospital's new mission team, delegated to the war zone... by now most of them just a name and two dates on a marble plate...
But Imma was still there and still real. Still his Imma.

National Acrobat

'Why? Imma, we are friends. We've been friends for years, a long time, ten years at least' he said. 'You are still the same Imma to me, and always will be, no matter what. I wouldn't think of not being here. Just because others may treat you differently, I won't' he said to her, smiling. 'Friends stick together, no matter what, even if they can't always be there in body, with distance surrounding them, we always remember each other in our hearts and minds. However, in this case, I am here again.' He smiled warmly, feeling his heart race. Why wasn't he able to talk to her like this a few years ago?

Shia

Imma sighed and relaxed some more - part of what Cody said just didn't break through the safety wall around her soul...
"Perhaps it's me who should not be here.. Today a child freaked out when I wanted to examine him, shouting that I'm a 'monster'. The parents took him to another pediatrist before I could explain. Before I could begin to explain.. It's really not why one is fighting to get a diploma.. Maybe I should change to the laboratory or teaching?... But all my life's been about kids. I love them. Before they loved me too..."
She was staring at the ceiling as these bitter words left her full lips, the soft glow of her seeing device drawing a pale bluish halo around her noble features.
Except a tiny mark on her chin all the scars were gone from her face by now...

National Acrobat

'Don't say that, Imma!' he said to her. 'You know that's not true. It's what you love to do, and you know that not everyone will react that way' he said to her.

'If anything, it's a great opportunity for them. A learning experience, and your manner with children is wonderful. I can't imagine you pursuing any other line of work, your life's work' he added. 'Besides, somewhere out there, at some point, there is a child that is going to need you more than ever before, and I know that you'll be there, ready to help. Don't give up. Don't stop being you' he said to her. smiling at her.

Shia

CORRIDOR OF SURGICAL UNIT - OPERATION ROOMS

Strange, slightly arythmic steps approached to the quiet corner where he was pausing... Then the sound of something else was recognisable... Soon the phenomena was completed by the white caped figure of doctor Imma Simmons, a worried expression appearing on her pretty face as she was watching Cody, just a few hours later of the tragic accident at a large residential ship's docking bay.
Her whole figure was nothing else but loving concerns as her left hand was squeezing a forearm crutch nervously and she seemed perfectly determined to help him.
"Hi..." She began quietly, keeping back her breathe and carefully stepping closer. "I've just heard the news.. Came here immediately... How.. how do you feel??..."
Only the polite hissing of the air circulating system added a little bit of life to the sterile pastel atmosphere that faced the young man silently...