The Light Ward

"Ali.. Ali, time to wake up!" A nurse said softly shaking Ali's shoulders lightly. Ali let out a muffled groan he was still tired and wanted to sleep, most of the night he had spent awake sitting in the corner of his room rocking back and for whilst chewing on his hand. He had only probably been asleep for at least an hour or two. Sitting up he rubbed his eyes slowly yawning quietly, the nurse helped him to get dressed being carefully not to make Ali too uncomfrotable. She remembered his strong aversion and dislike of contact. She smiled softly "come on then Ali, lets go get some breakfast you hungry?" she asked trying to get him to at least say more than three words to her.

Ali nodded quickly taking her hand holding onto it tightly, he was actually hungry he hand't eaten for two or three days so he want something to eat. "Good boy Ali" the nurse encouraged him to walk with her even if his choice of pace was slow and nervous.

Dr Alliana Rochet observed as her nurse woke Ali. She didn't say anything, she simply wrote some notes. She'd been doing her rounds to the different wards. She mostly covered this one, but she sometimes helped out in the other one's when her help was required. She sribbled frantically as Ali and the nurse interacted.

She followed them out as the nurse escorted him out of the ward, to the dining hall. Of course she'd have the nurse take him back to his room to have breakfast, if he seemed to agitated to be among the other's. This particular dining area was reserved for those of The Light Ward. This was so they didn't get overwhelmed with those who were a little more far gone and perhaps actually considered dangerous. It was therefore, also for their protection.

Once it seemed that he was ok with his breakfast and once he was seated comfortably at a table, Dr Rochet took the nurse aside and encouraged her to monitor his condition and take him back to his room if he became to agitated and let him finish his breakfast there. She also instructed her to contact security and her immediately if he suddenly lost control. "He should be just fine, though, this is just precautions." She whispered her assurance to the worried looking nurse.

Dr Rochet left her office and walked to Ali's room. Smiling as she walked in the door. She said softly. "Now Ali, I am told you need me to look after your hand. Can I see it?" She looks over his hand after he cautiously offers it to her. "Hmm...I will need some gauze and some..." She rattles off a few other things that she will need. She speaks softly about non-important things like the weather or the color of the walls and such, while she tends his hand. When she is finished she asks. "Is there anything I can do to make you feel better Ali? I hate to see you hurt yourself in this way." She frowns slightly, a look of concern on her face. She tried not to get too emotionally involved and stay detached from her patients, but she found it difficult with Ali. She wasn't sure why.

She waited, for Ali's reponse, while she made a mental note of what he would answer. She'd put it in her report later. She smiled warmly, while she waited for him to speak. She'd give him all the time he needed to answer.

Ali watched carefully as she fixed his hand when she was finished he cradled it against his chest, looking down at the floor he listened intently when she asked if there was something she could do to make him feel better. He shrugged at first he didn't know what he wanted he would like something to do whilst in his room. "c-...can i have some colouring to do?...I... get bored..here" Ali spoke slowly concentrating on the words. It ws true about him being bored he often felt happy doing something simple but he didnt like the activities room at the hospital it made him uncomfortable but he couldn't really remember why.

Dr Rochet smiled as he expressed an interest in coloring. "Hmm..., I have some crayons, markers, and coloring books in my office, for when I need a little stress reliever between rounds or during lunch. Should I go and fetch them? Perhaps you'd like me to stay after and color with you for a while? Do you have a theme or character preference?" Her eyes searched his as she waited for him to respond. Even though Ali had some obvious problems, there was something very likable about him. Something in the back of her head told her she may be crossing a line and getting too close, but she pushed the thought aside and awaited his answer patiently, smiling warmly.

Dr Rochet smiled again. Walking back to her office, she found some coloring books and crayons. She came back and hand Ali the crayons. Setting three coloring books in front of him, she waited for him to make a decision. One of the coloring books was of dinosaurs and the other two was about trains, and superheros. She waited patiently for him to make up his mind, not saying a word to influence his decision.

Ali smiled slightly and looked down at the books he fingers traced lightly over the pictures on the covers of the books as if making up his mind as to what t colour. he finnaly decided on the superhearoes colouring book. "Thankyou" he said softly looking up at Doctor Rochet briefly he then took a coloured pencil and grasped in hand tightly holding a pencil like a child younger than him.

Dr Rochet just smiled at Ali. "Well, I see you made a decision. Will you be alright for a bit, while I finish my rounds?" For some reason, she didn't wish to upset him by leaving if he wasn't ready to let her go just yet. She was afraid his condition would deteriorate, if she upset him too much.

Once again, she smiled lightly. "Of course, I shouldn't be more than an hour, but I promise I will return." With that, she made her way to the door of his room, pausing for a moment to be sure he was ok with her being gone that long.

Dr Rochet nodded and turned around, heading out the door. She went first to her office, to pick up her clipboard and then made her way around to different patients in the Light Ward. She took care with each one, but didn't have quite the same commitment she had to Ali, but she did not know why. This was of course, with the exception of one woman, who she felt a connection to, but didn't know what that connection was.

After finishing her rounds. She made her way back to check on Ali. She had been gone about 100 minutes. As she walked in, she hoped he was ok. She didn't know why this one patient affected her so, but he did. She waited to see how he would react as she simply said, "See, I told you I'd be back."