Patience is lying still-unconcious on the bed. She will take 36 hours to recover. That is, midnight GMT and 7pm EST on Saturday.

::Lirie enters the quiet room, somewhat hesitated. She approaches the bed, wtching Patience's pale face and a little distracted by the blinking and pinging of whatever monitors the patients. She takes off her jacket, throwing it on the back of the very uncomfortably-looking armchair. She walks to the little sink and cleans the blood from her forehead::

(Shallow wound... no biggie)

::She returns to the armchair and lowers herself into it slowing::

(It's funny that they didn't ask for reason... better this way. But hell, it's the second vampire attack in few days and whatever happened to Carys... oh, Carys! What, for the love of wiggly gummy wail, is going on?)

::Theo walks over to Lirie and watches her clean her wound. He turns around a watches his friend lie in the bed hopefully getting better.::

"This is all really my fault. I should have taken control of the situation when Carys was still at my apartment. I'm not so good at this whole witch thing. I-I'm sorry Patience."

(Way to go)

::Theo watches Lirie sit down and he joins her. Sitting in the hard plastic chair next to her, he begins to bite his thumb.::

"Now what...? Uh-oh Carys is still in the trunk."

"It's not your fault, Buffy... we wavered too long and got our asses bit, figuratively speaking. It's not the first, nor the last of times... hopefully next time we'll waver a bit faster..."

::Lirie glances out of the window, a plan forms in her mind::

(Not really a plan, but a way of action...)

"Listen... I need to go take care of some... business. Carys, for once. I would ask you to join along, but I'm not in mood for socializing, sorry."

::She takes out her credit card and hands it to Theo::

"Home phone and cell... call whenever, I don't sleep. I'll take care of Carys as gently as I can, then find some stuff out and return. If you'll still be here, whoopy; if not, I guess I'll probably see you the next time vampires attack"

::She stands up, taking her coat and walking to the door. Pausing for a moment, she turns back to Patience, inhaling slowly::

"If she'll wake up give me a call, would you? Now, before I split, do you have any questions?"

::Theo stands up and takes the card. He places it in his back pocket and then forms a puzzled look.::

"Wait, what do you mean? What exactly are you going to do with her? I kind of feel a little responsible and I really wanted to help her. We sort of...had a little something."

"I could've never guessed it, Buffy"

::Lirie smiles, her voice oozing with sarcasm::

"Don't worry, please... this makes me cranky. I'll just drop her off in my flat. I have a feeling the spell will ware off soon and she'll bust the lid of the trunk. And since the sun is coming up, I don't want her accidently crimating herself. I'll see you later..."

::She slips into her jacket and walks out to the Entrance::

"Take care of yourself, Buffy!"

::Theo nods as Lirie leaves and then returns to Patience's side, pulling a chair up to her bed.::

(Man, I hope she'll be okay. I wonder what Lirie is up to... I can't just let her take over this situation. I have to do something to make it better and anyway Carys, she's still...maybe I should...)

"I'll be back."

::Theo whispers and walks out of her room to the entrance.::

::Patience's eyes flutter abit and her mouth purses. She takes a sharp inhale and opens her eyes.

(What? Huh? Where am I?)

::Patience sits up and soaks up her environment with her eyes. As she regains focus a flood of memories hit her.::

"Oh."

::She says to herself. She shifts in the bed and feels the pull of the IV and wires that are hooked up to her. She plucks off each pad and then pulls out the iv and winces.::

"I must of been hurt pretty bad...thanks guys for..."

::Patience looks around for Theo and Lirie as she begins to thank them. She notices that they are not there.::

(Must of had something more important to do...)

::A look of sadness comes accross her face for a moment but the shakes it off as she rises weakly out of the bed and puts on her cloths. She grabbs her purse and takes out a ponytail and twists her hair up on the top of her head. She then clutches her purse under her arm and heads for the door. She takes a look around and then sighs as she closes the door and heads for the front desk.::

::Seeing the bed messy and the IV hanging Theo looks around.::

"Maybe she had to use the bathroom..."

::He heads back to the entrance.::

::Well lucky you! Patience gets her old room back at the hospital.

You're free to wake as you want Patience, the doctor at the side of your bed may have disturbed your sleep.::

::Veronica walks in and looks at the doctor.::

"Look, I don't even know her. I don't know anything about her. I can't help you, alright?"

"Sorry, seing as you're the one that came in with her, we can't actually permit you to leave. Law."

::He shrugs, looking apologetic and checks some of the critical information on a couple of charts, y'know, doctor stuff.::

"What? Law? That's bullshit! I've never heard of any such law!"

::She walks over the the doctor, visibly angry and confused.::

"I told you; I don't know her. I don't know what could possibly be wrong with her other than she has severe mental health issues. Other than that, I'm a complete stranger, and there is no law saying you can keep me here and we both know it."

::He playfully prods at her nose like she's a child.::

"It's Doctor's Law!"

::He pulls a stethascope from his pocket, then a lollypop.::

"Would you like a lollypop, my dear, it really won't take long. As soon as she wakes up you can leave. Do you at least know her name?"

"No! I don't know her goddamn name, you patronising oaf!"

::She slaps the lollipop out of his hand and growls ever so quietly.::

"Doctor's Law. Whatever! You couldn't stop me if I wanted to anyway!"

(I guess I'll stay anyway... despite her being a freak, I can't just leave her.)

"Good girl."

::He proceeds to write on Patience's chart and kicks the bed, trying to subtley wake her up.::

(...)

"Something tells me this hospital has a high mortality rate when you're here."

::She jolts awake and in a panic looks around.::

"Who the fuck are you..."

::Points to doctor.::

"And why am I in a hospital gown?"

"Uhh you fainted."

::Stands awkwardly, looking at Patience, then turns to the doctor.::

"What's wrong with her?"

(You think *I've* run any tests?)

"She's fine. It was a heat collapse. Take plenty of liquid."

"It's not hot..."

::She says with narrowed eyes.::

"Did you even run any tests?"

"Ugh, he's a doctor, he said you were fine."

::Veronica snaps impatiently.::

"Now I'm leaving."

::She suddenly feels very shakey and afraid, she watches as Veronica heads for the door and she pulls the covers up around herself in a comforting position.::

"I wouldn't leave you..."

::She mumbles into the pillow as she turns her back to Victoria.::

::Pausing in the doorway, Veronica takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. She turns around and regards Patience facing the other direction, upset with her.::

(Confound this conscience.)

::With a scowl, she walks back in.::

"Fine. I'll stay, but this is only because of Doctor's Law."

::She walks around the bed and flops into the chair beside Patience, watching her warily.::

::She beams glad thanks up to Veronica.::

"I'm sorry about all that..."

"What, going nuts and attacking me? Or collapsing on me and making it look like I'd poisoned you or something?"

::Veronica's gaze remains steely as she watches Patience.::

"mmmm"

::She crushes herself more into the bed.::

"I said I was sorry..."

"Yeah, you did. Congratulations. Now are you quite comfortable enough there?"

::Ignoring the throbbing in her head and abdomen, Veronica watches Patience still, a distasteful expression on her face.::

"I am..."

::She eyes Veronica up and down.::

"but you don't look so hot."

"I'm flattered. Really I am."

::Veronica motions to get up again, obviously uncomfortable.::

"But I'm fine. All I need is a clean-up. You don't see me randomly falling about all over the place and blacking out and getting complete strangers worried about me. Not that I was worried."

"Seriously hon those cuts look deep."

::Her eyes well up, ovbious concern in them.::

"Please let a doctor look at you."

"It's just a couple of scratches."

(You would know.)

"I don't need a damn doctor. I'm not gonna die from bloodloss, or anything else stupid for that matter. Am I clear?"

"Well I fainted from our little tiff...chances are something could be wrong with you as well."

(Considering you took it worse than me.)

"but I'm grateful you are staying with me, so I won't push it anymore."

"Well, looks like you got hit a lot worse than me anyway."

::Veronica fights a smug sort of look.::

"So. Bet you never thought you'd get hospitalised tonight, huh? That showed you."

::Looks smug.::

::She laughs.::

"Ha! and let me add HA!"

"Just because I'm in the bed dosen't mean you won, it means you some how got in a cheep shot to my stomach..."

(Which I don't remember you doing.)

"Look who's talking! You seem to be the freakin' Queen of cheap shots! And hair pulling? What, are you twelve or something? Christ, get some goddamn balls on you and fight properly if you're going to fight at all."

::Veronica is standing now, then realises she's shouting at someone in a hospital bed, and that that should be somewhat wrong. Oh well.::

"Hey, I asked you to end it, you forced me into chick fight mode."

::She says calmly, not stressing herself out but also not backing down.::

"Though I do have to say, I like fighting with you, most girls are pussies at fighting."

"You like fighting me? You are crazy."

::Pauses.::

"And what happened to that freak girl who's your dumb friend?"

"No idea..."

::She narrows her eyes.::

"One would think if the feeling was mutual she'd show up."

"I guess one would. But here you are, and here she ain't."

::There's a small beat as Veronica considers that this might be a little too harsh.::

"She's probably on her way and got held up or something. Either that or she doesn't like you."

(Oops. I didn't even mean that one!)