Grey Stories: Saving

Get up. Surgery ordered herself. With an effort that was more mental than physical, the healer rolled onto her side. There was Sin. Her youngest son hadn't left her side in the past two weeks. He held her hand like she'd seen him doing for Eerie during her episodes.

The weight of her mental trauma felt physical as she ordered herself up again. It was battleshock. She'd been through it before. The only way out was to keep going. Break down here and there. But stopping meant giving in, and death soon followed those that let the darkness take hold. She levered up onto her elbow. Then up to sitting.

Comic had been in to check on her just a short while ago. He’d told her that the other adults were going to decide on Grim's fate. She knew what most of them would pick. So now she had to go and attempt to save her oldest son.

Get up or you won't get a say in this. She mentally ordered again. Swinging her legs off the bed she stood. She was dressed in a nightgown. It had too much of a breeze for her liking. More clothes. She needed to get dressed.

She looked at Sin. First she’d put him in that bed. The poor spawnling deserved a good rest. He was heavy and stirred a bit as she scooped him up and laid him back down. He rolled over onto his stomach and sighed into a deeper sleep. It was comforting to see him still sleeping the same way he did as a toddler. Maybe this mess hadn't stripped him of his innocence.

Clothes. The former dryad walked to the dresser and opened drawers. Her doctor's coat and smurf leggings. She usually only wore the bottoms during winter. But now they felt like armor.

She padded out of the room and closed the door quietly. Let the boy sleep. The group would probably be meeting in the war room. How long had it taken her to get up? As urgent as the matter was she couldn't bring herself to walk faster than a lazy pace. Her emotions played a game or teeter-totter. Anger said she'd be happy once he was dead. Sorrow said she'd only feel the horrible loss of another child taken from her.

Not again. Not if she could help it. Anger be damned.

The healer heard the arguing before she was in sight of the door. It was Warrior's rough growl. Then Clever's nasal tone. A clamor of several voices. That glasses wearing idiot wasn't helping their son at all. Her anger shifted a bit to her former lover. If this had been some scheme of his and she found out about it… there would be hell to pay. She wasn't a fool. She was sure the egotistical Grey talked bad about her. And how Grim all but idolized him.

The brunette didn't bother knocking. She turned the handle and opened the door. The shouting blasted her senses.

Then the sound died as quickly as an insect was squashed.

“Sur. You should be in bed.” Comic stepped a pace in her direction. He was coddling her, the physical injuries were gone. Gargamel stared at her with his mouth open. The others looked at her in disbelief. Only the spawnlings were absent. And Lady’s twins. Probably guarding Bonny.

She shook her head. There were so many things she wanted to say. She opened her mouth to speak. Perhaps this time it would work. The silence frustrated her. She closed her eyes and took a breath. If the battleshock wanted to tie her tongue then so be it. If this kept up she’d have to make an effort to learn sign language. She had other ways to get her point across.

There was a chalkboard near the desk at the other end of the room. She headed for that. The silence seemed to follow her. She picked up a piece of chalk and used the side to make big letters. She wrote three words:

Let him live.

The room behind her exploded with sound. From gasps and words of disbelief to Gargamel and Warrior's incredulous and simultaneous “What?!”

She turned. Most of them were standing. The darkness whispered to her like a lover. Just go back to bed. Hide. It's not worth this effort. Stubbornly she stood her ground and waited.

“Have ye gone daft?!” Warrior exploded. “Tha little demon almos’ killed ye!”

“Of course she's sane.” Clever interjected, his condescending attitude making his statement sound derogatory. “Her maternal instincts demand that she protect her child. And as the victim in this we should respect her wishes.”

“Surgery, I know he’s your kit, but what about ours?” Azreal asked loudly, cutting off the males.

Mal crossed her arms. “I can take care of myself.” She boasted. “He knows I’d kill him if he tried.”

Her mother rounded on her. “Don't be stupid. Do you think she can't take care of herself?” The former feline waved a hand at the brown haired Grey. “She's a tank.”

“Tha’s a good point. Ye got all those tricks and it didnae protect ye. So how’re our kids gannae stay safe?” Warrior had his hand on the hilt of his sword. It was obvious the solution he had in mind.

Surgery turned and looked pointedly at their new Chief. Princess had been silent, watching. The former dryad called her out with a wave of her hand.

“Orders.” The lavender haired female surmised. “You want me to heap orders on his head to keep him in line.”

The healer nodded.

The former Chief rolled his eyes. “Oh yes, that certainly worked out for his father. Every new rule I’d place on him he’d worm his way around!”

Clever scowled, but didn’t deny it.

“I don't like it either.” Stalker spoke up. “One wrong word and he could exploit a loophole to do another attack. How far does his depravity go? Would he attack a spawnling? I’ve smelled the way he gets at Mal and Azzy. If he were to go after Tabby...”

The medic turned and touched the blackboard, cleaning it of all the writing. The bespectacled male's annoyed noise made her smirk. He'd even taught her that use. She lifted the chalk. Test the orders with Clever. Brainstorm any work-arounds and cover those.

“I still don't like it.” The former Chief crossed his arms. “One turn of luck of that little monster's part… Surgery what if he attacks you again? Would you still feel so forgiving? Or if he attacked Eerie?”

Comic sucked in a breath. The bomber’s eyes flashed dangerously. Surgery knew Grim would be in for a deadly game if that happened.

They were only words but the healer turned and closed her eyes. That beautiful wand. ... Now. Let's make a baby. She became lost in unwanted memories and stared blankly at the chalk words.

“I can assure you that it's only the adults Grim is obsessed with.” Attention turned to the glasses wearing male. He pushed them up and looked at the floor as he continued. “He has spoken with me about his issues, I urged him to keep himself under control with his disease. ...But it's mainly Surgery he’s interested in.”

Warrior slammed his fist into the table. He glared at the mage. “Who else?”

Clever looked at the females just before he said their names. “Azrael, Maleficent, and Lady.”

The daughter of Stalker had enough sense to look frightened. Azreal's grimace was a near snarl. Her fingers curled like claws as she spoke. “And why is he so obsessed with Surgery?”

The tone was accusatory. The bespectacled Grey glared. “How should I know? He has some sort of disorder where he has abhorrent fetishes. Shall I list them?”

Chalk shrieked down the blackboard. Surgery finished the word quietly. No. She didn't turn to the others. Better to wait until she could discreetly wipe her tears away. Wait. She spell cleaned her face then moved to one side of the board.

You are not to coerce, force, or in any way non-consensually engage in any sexual act with any of the Greys.

“An just why should we do things yer way, ye daft bint?” Warrior snarled. He waved a hand to the bespectacled male. “If ye ask me, tha lot of us would be better off without Grim or his Da.”

Gargamel snorted a half-laugh. He waved a hand at Clever. “For the record I deeply regret not killing him.”

“Excuse me? I'm hardly to blame for this!” Clever crossed his arms in front of him, though his hands were suspiciously free. The others noticed this and tensed.

It was only her natural talent in reading body language that alerted the new Chief to the impending fight. She stepped up to the table. “If everyone would take a moment to think, they’d realize why Surgery doesn't want Grim dead.”

Gargamel snorted. “They’ll take that as an order, girl. Mind your wording.” The silence around them testified to the truth of his words. The former human was treated to a look of dismay on his usurper's face before she blanked her expression.

“Add something about magic too.” Azrael supplied. “Grim could use a charm easy, I’d bet.”

“Azzy surely you're not going along with this?” Stalker waved a hand at the board. “Both you and Mal are targets!”

The redhead nodded. “And the one writing that is the biggest target of all. We can't stop all the danger, but… it's a queen thing. If it were me and that was my kit… I’d try to save him too.”

On the other side of the table, the platinum blonde nodded. “Aye. I dinnae like it. But I’ll respect Surgery's decision.”

The Scottish Grey stomped away from the table and back again growling something that sounded like 'daft women’. “That monster needs a blade t’ his neck, not rules!”

“Or exile.” Stalker suggested. “Let him be someone else's problem.”

“An I said before he’d just attack us in t’ forest if we did tha!” Warrior countered. It was the argument that had been looping around before the healer had came in. Most of the adults were for killing the young male; Clever, Vicious, and Mal were for letting the punishment be done; and Stalker, Azreal, and Calamity had been for exile. Now the attitudes were changing. The healer wondered how much of that was due to her support and how much was the New Chief’s accidental order.

The tapping sound of chalk on blackboard stopped the budding argument. It was under the first proposed rule. You are not to use any magic other than healing magic on any of the Greys.

“Unless protecting his life.” Clever added. “And add trickery to the list on the first.”

Dutifully Surgery cleaned off the board and rewrote the rules.

You are not to coerce, trick, force, or in any way non-consensually engage in any sexual act with any of the Greys. You are not to use any magic other than healing magic on any of the Greys unless protecting your life.

“Grim plans.” Calamity started. “He could probably set something up so he could save somebody and get to them that way. Especially if he's after Auntie Surgery like Clever says.”

Clever looked impressed. “I also suggest something specifically tailored to protect Surgery and her child.” He closed his eyes in typical haughty fashion. “You will not touch your mother nor use magic on her except in the cases of saving her life. When the child is born you will have no contact with her except in the cases of saving her life. You are not to fabricate any life threatening situations in order to break the first two rules.”

When he opened his eyes there were several suspicious stares cast his way. Azreal made an annoyed feline sound. Warrior planted his hands on his hips.

It was Surgery who asked a question. Chalk tapping as she wrote. Why did you specifically make a rule for the child?

bespectacled male huffed. “Both to protect my granddaughter and to punish Grim. It's likely any interaction with the child will be seen by him as playing with his trophy. …He has a habit of taking trophies. So better to keep him from having any contact with her.”

“I thought you said he wasn't interested in spawnlings.” Stalker shifted around to face the mage fully. “If you're lying so help me-”

“He isn't.” Clever stated as though it was obvious. “But I’m certain he does see that child as a trophy. Any interaction with her would therefore be a reward.”

With a second glance at the bespectacled male, the healer turned and wrote his suggestion down verbatim. She read over the entire set. It would help. But she wrote to the side: Is this enough?

“Nae.” Warrior grouched. “It dinnae feel like enough. If we overlook anythin he may do it again.”

Pensive spoke up. “I don't see any way around those. But our new Chief will have to be very careful if she talks to him. One wrong wording and she could undermine these rules.”

The black clad smurf nodded. “Especially casual conversation. Listen to what they're saying and think before you speak. These aren't your goody goody little village friends.”

Surgery watched the purple haired hybrid nod. There was still a possibility that she'd chose to end her son’s life. She waited.

Princess stared at the chalk words. Finally she turned to the assembled Greys. “I need to think. But Grim needs to eat. Clever, Comic, get him out of that thing he's in and feed him.”

“And if he tries anything?” Comic asked. He noticed Clever's glare and flipped him off.

“If he tries to kill you or escape you can stop him by any means necessary.” The leader answered. Comic was chuckling and out of the room with a cursing Clever on his heels.

“I'm hoping that's a last meal.” Warrior drawled. Lady lay a hand on his and the pair shared a silent conveyance.

“No.” The new Chief shook her head suddenly. “I'm going to try these orders.” She had to cut off the Scot’s curse with a hand wave. “But! Should he attack anysmurf in that manner again, end his life immediately.”

The meaning of the word anysmurf was clear. Any smurf, Grey or White. She was protecting both them and her kin.

The heavyweight Grey seemed only partially mollified. “It's only a matter o’ time then. Quicker since ye included yer kind.”

“If he's dumb enough to screw up a second chance then he deserves what he gets.” Maleficent pointed out. “But I don't think he's that dumb.”

Surgery closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against the chalkboard. He had a chance at least. She sighed. There were heavy footfalls and the door slammed. She didn't need to look to know it was Warrior who left. From the sounds the others were leaving at a more sedate pace.

“I was really hoping you'd want to kill him too.” The former Chief’s voice came from just behind her. She turned and saw the dour expression on the wizard. “You're too soft hearted when it comes to your children. Mummy would've drowned me.”

The healer half-fell on him as she hugged him hard. He made an annoyed sound but returned the embrace. She shook her head, face pressed against his neck.

“No what?” He queried. “No you do want me to kill him or no Mummy wouldn't have drowned me because-”

She picked her head up and scooped up the chalk. With her off hand she wrote in blocky letters. Please don't kill him.

The wizard growled in annoyance. “I won't. But only because you asked. You're still too soft. Saving that little heathen.”

Surgery nodded.