I feel like I was just here. (Callisto)

[shawn lesley ashcroft]

Life was a blur for Shawn as he opened his eyes and tried to remember how he got here. His life played back in rewind for a moment as he tried to figure out what had happened. He was at Hogsmeade enjoying the festival and then there were dragons. At that realization he jumped up from where his was laying. “Dragons!” He yelled as there was a pain in his left arm among other places. Was it a dream and how did he end up here and where was here? All questions his head needed time to catch up on.

Looking around the room he saw other beds and people hurt as well. Healers going around helping them. Okay, so he was at St. Mungos that was good as that meant he was alive. No, wait.. that was bad. Callisto worked here and that was the last thing he needed to do to her was find out he could have been killed by a dragon. Chances were high she would be even angrier than the dragon had been.

Things slowly had started to come back to him. Why his arm was so bandaged and why he his forehead or whole head was bandaged also. Last think he remembered was the dragon he had been holding off swiping at him. He must have dodged it as he was a still alive but he had gotten knocked out somehow. That was the least of his worries as he wondered both if the people of Hogsmeade were safe and if Callisto knew he was here yet. He didn’t really know how she would feel about him being hurt, even possibly dying while fighting off a dragon. This was a new situation for him and the both of them.

“Excuse me,” Shawn asked to a passing healer attempting to get attention. “Is there anyway of knowing when I’ll be getting out of here. No rush... just, you know.” The healer checked the chart at the end of his bed. “Your assigned healer will be able to tell you more.” She muttered busily and that wasn’t as comforting to him. “And that is?” He asked only assuming what fate would have done. “I have to go but she should be here soon.” She muttered and left leaving Shawn wondering. “Thanks...” Shawn replied laying back down as he arm was still hurting him the most of anything, even his head.

@callisto

[Deleted]

Things were hectic.

Callisto wasn't even scheduled to come in tonight but all the healers were sent an emergency message when Hogsmeade started being attacked. It didn't help that she had been working all day, hence why she wasn't there with Shawn at the festival. So, that meant two things. One, she was dead tired from working all day and two, Shawn was there when this attack happened.

She could only hope that he had gotten out before anything bad happened... But she knew better. She knew he would help his students first and foremost and that probably meant that he was in harms way. She couldn't leave the hospital, though, only wait to see if he was carted in.

And then he was.

It took all of her energy not to drop everything she was doing and rush straight to him. No, she was helping someone else first. She did, however, rush in to take his chart before any other healer could grab it when they were being handed out. The nurses stabilized him while she helped a patient in worse condition, but finally it was time for her to go in.

He was still unconscious when she went in and that made it easier to go all business mode. She tried to pretend it was someone else, which was easy when he wasn't talking. Finally she stepped out to check on another patient, but then she heard his voice from down the hall. "Dragons!" he called.

She quickly made her way back, and felt her emotions boiling up inside of her as she thought about talking to him. She was worried, freaking out, sad, of course... but she was also angry.

She walked in, lifting his chart to her face, pretending to read it, then lowered it down to look at him. "So? You decided to stick around a dragon attack and possibly get yourself killed?"

So much for professionalism.

shawn lesley ashcroft

[shawn lesley ashcroft]

Time went by slower than normal but that was just how life was when it wanted to draw out a moment Shawn found. He wasn’t looking forward to who was in charge of his care as he knew what his luck was like. It wasn’t that he didn’t want Callisto so be his healer. While he hadn’t actually seen her in action he could only imagine she was just as skilled at it as she was professional about her job. It was more that he didn’t need her worried about him. The last thing he needed was to be a burden on someone’s mind. Also with how busy this place was Shawn could only imagine how busy she probably was along with every other healer St.Mungos had. With that he thought what if Rory was his healer. That would be a bit better.

The universe had seemed to hear that momentary thought as a familiar head of brown hair appeared and grabbed his chart. It wasn’t a good sign that she wasn’t even talking to him first. Callisto eventually lowered the chart and looked toward him. Her first question wasn’t about how he was doing but him deciding to stick around during the attack. “I wasn’t offered much of a choice.” Shawn explained, there wasn’t a joke in the world that could help him here. Instead he was the rare time in his life where he could only be serious. “If I didn’t so something more people could have been hurt or even killed.” Shawn defended his actions and he wasn’t ashamed of what he had done, just that he had gotten hurt and had Callisto worry about him. “I’m sorry if I had you worried.”

@callisto

[Deleted]

He spoke, his tone a lot more calm than she expected. Well, rather he was more serious than she expected. Of course he had to be the hero, and she understood that. But Callisto was selfish, always had been. She sighed, lowering the chart back into it's slot on the bed. He apologized for worrying her and she shook her head, resting her hands on the edge of the bed and leaning forward a little, "I'll admit, I almost lost it when you came in," she took in a deep breath, "and... I'm sorry for being angry. But I am," she admitted. She stood there for another moment, not speaking.

Then she released the end of his bed and came around to the side, so that she could be closer to face. She let her hand fall to his shoulder and leaned in a little, "I'm sure you helped a lot of people, and I get that," she spoke slowly, because this whole honesty thing about her emotions had always been hard for her. She squeezed his shoulder, "but you are not replaceable to me. And I don't like it when I can't replace things I-" she paused, "care about."

shawn lesley ashcroft

[shawn lesley ashcroft]

Callisto began to speak again as she explained how she felt when he first was admitted into the hospital. He couldn’t openly say anything but just hearing that made him feel worse about the situation. He kept quiet as that would seem like he was blaming her for making him feel like that. He would have felt the same way if he had found out Callisto had been hurt. Possibly worse, Callisto was better with keeping her cool than he was even if it really hadn’t been out to the test till today. “You’re allowed to be angry,” Shawn replied, he couldn’t blame her for that. Shawn didn’t regret helping during the dragon attack, he wasn’t a Gryffindor or some Auror but he also couldn’t just stand around and let people get hurt. “I should have been more careful but it all happened so fast I didn’t really think. Which is normal for me I suppose.” Shawn explained finally some joke thrown in, even if at his own expense but it wasn’t like it wasn’t the truth.

Finally letting go of the end of his bed Callisto got closer to him and put her hand on his shoulder before speaking. There was a strange mixture of emotions in Shawn as Callisto explained how she felt. There was the regret that he had made her feel so bad, the last thing he had wanted was to hurt her in some way. He just wanted to keep people safe. Yet a part of him was a little happy that she felt that way. It wasn’t something he was willing to say out loud as now wasn’t the time still it was just nice to hear. “I’m not going anywhere anytime soon. I have enough dumb luck to keep me relatively safe for a life time.” It was a weak attempt at both reassuring Callisto and lightening the mood. “I will say it was one of the very few times I was glad you weren’t around and safely at work. You’re not replaceable to me either.”

@callisto

[Deleted]

She could see in his eyes that he was hurt by her anger, but she wasn't ready to take it back. In fact, she wasn't one to take back something she truly meant. She'd eventually apologize for hurting his feelings, but she wouldn't make excuses for her own. He said she was allowed to be angry and that it happened so fast. She didn't believe that, though. He did think - in that instance he thought about how much those students and citizens needed his help. Otherwise he would have just frozen on the spot. She didn't say anything out loud on her thoughts there, though.

He said that he had enough dumb luck to keep him alive and see almost chided him for those words, but she let him go on. He added that he was glad she was safe at work and she cleared her throat a little, shaking her head slightly. She would rather have been by his side - but she definitely was of more use here. He said she wanted replaceable to him either and she realized she was chewing on the bottom of her lip, brow furrowed. She released her lip, leaning back to straighten up, hand still on his shoulder. "Shawn, I just... Well, I'm glad you're okay now. We both had - have our roles in this disaster, I guess. I just wish you hadn't played your part so well," she tightened her grip on his shoulder slightly, opened her mouth again then closed it.

She released him and walked away, back to the chart at the end of the bed. "I'll be off in half an hour. Then I'll come back," she promised, her eyes downcast on the chart and slightly misting.

shawn lesley ashcroft

[shawn lesley ashcroft]

If Callisto’s words weren’t enough her facial expression certainly was. She was mad for sure at him but more she was worried, scared and possibly sad. He couldn’t take back getting hurt during the attack and if he had a choice he would still do what he had done. He didn’t think he was a hero, he was just doing what he needed to, to keep others safe. He just regretted getting hurt and also hurting Callisto like he had. Callisto spoke once more explaining she knew they both had their roles to play in this event and just wished he hadn’t been so good at his role. He knew that meant him getting hurt but if he hadn’t been as good as he had been he could have been hurt worse. He left that smart aleck remark to himself. “Somethings you just can’t half ass I suppose.” He replied.

Callisto finally let go of his shoulder and walked away toward to the end of his bed, looking mostly at his chart. She explained she would be off work soon and would come back then. Still he didn’t want to her to go just yet, not like this. “Callisto, wait.” Shawn replied, as far as he knew it was just his arm and head that was hurt. Shawn moved ignoring any protest that Callisto might have tried, doing his best to keep his bandaged arm in place. He was surprised by how he wasn’t in as much pain as he imagined he would be, possibly thanks to the medicine and magic. Shawn walked over toward Callisto hugged her with his good arm. “Thank you for healing me... and putting up with me. I know we joked about you being the dragon once but I much prefer you than any dragon and I can say that honestly now.”

@callisto

[Deleted]

Callisto nodded her head. "Yes, your duty is to protect students and that's what you were doing. No one would want you to half ass that," she agreed. Then, as she walked away and was saying goodbye, he told her to wait. She stopped moving, eyes landing on him as he began to stand. She opened her mouth as if to protest but she knew it would be pointless. "Shawn..." she muttered softly as he was at her side putting his arm around her. She didn't wrap her arm around him. Not necessarily because she didn't want to but because it wasn't her first instinct to act physically when she was feeling so many emotions. He thanked her for healing him, and said he much preferred her being a figurative dragon than to fighting real dragons. She shook her head, and smiled. "You are the only person I would let bring up a joke at a time like this," she assured. She nodded once at him her eyes looking up at his face so close to hers. She then stepped out of his embrace, and nodded back toward the bed. "Now get back in there. The sooner you were better the sooner we can get out of here," she had meant it to be lighthearted, but her voice cracked.

---Tine Jump---

Today Shawn was being released from the hospital. Cal had taken the day off in order to help him and she had a proposition for him that she wanted to discuss without the interruption of having to go back to work. She went to his hospital room, his discharge forms already completed and turned in. He would just be grabbing his few belongings now. She was in her street clothes, not her healing uniform. "Are you ready to get going?" She asked, glancing at the chart of a sleeping patient in the same room, unable to help herself.

shawn lesley ashcroft

[shawn lesley ashcroft]

Shawn laughed for a moment as Callisto said he was the only one she would allow to make a joke at this moment. It was reassuring to hear in a way but he wasn’t exactly sure why. Callisto finally stepped away from the hug and explained that he needed to get back in bed. The sooner he got better the sooner he would be out of the hospital. Which he figured would be best for the both of them. Shawn didn't exactly enjoy being confined to a bed or the Hospital. Also this was where Callisto worked and like it or not he was sure to be a distraction, one way or another for her. “Yes ma’am.” Shawn replied with a nod as he made his way back to bed, allowing Callisto to get back to work.

— time skip —

The day had finally come and Shawn was ready to go. Honestly he would have said he was ready to go a day or two earlier as his wounds had healed for the most part by then. Still they or just Callisto insisted that he stay till he was back to full health. Shawn didn’t dare complain as there were still plenty of people who would be here longer than him and after the scare he put Callisto through he didn’t have the right to either. Everything was ready besides Shawn grabbing what little he had in his room that was his. Callisto entered and asked if he was ready to go. “Not as ready as I’m sure some people here are to get rid of him.” Shawn said laughing knowing he might have been bit of a handful at times, when he got bored especially. Callisto had explained earlier that she had taken the day off which was nice to hear. He looked forward to spending part of his first day out of the hospital with the woman who had been taking care of him. “Is there anywhere you’d like to go? I feel I owe the beautiful lady who put me back together at least that.”

@callisto

[Deleted]

He said that people were ready to get rid of him and he nodded, "the staff thinks you're the most dull person they've ever met," she joked. She put the other patients chart back as he asked her where she'd like to go, that he owed her. She shook her head, and moved to take his hand, "you don't owe me anything," she contested. She started to lead him out of the room, maybe in a bit of a hurry to not see him as a patient anymore. "I already did your discharge forms, you'll just have to sign at the nurses station," she instructed, leading him there.

Her fellow healers at the station raised eyebrows at her as they saw her holding hands with him. Callisto didn't let go, though, as she didn't really care if people saw. She wasn't usually platonic because she was trying to hide something, but it still surprised people that she was willing to hold hands with anyone. Once they were finally headed out the door, she stopped out front. "I guess we could go somewhere. To celebrate. Maybe just a bakery or something simple," she suggested. She wasn't hungry, per say, and wasn't sure she could be with what she wanted to talk to him about.

shawn lesley ashcroft

[shawn lesley ashcroft]

Shawn laughed as Callisto explained jokingly how the staff thought he was the dullest patient they had. “I think that just hurt me more than the dragon ever did.” Shawn replied with a laugh knowing it was more likely that he was one of the more annoying patients they had at the hospital. He just wasn’t one for sitting still in the same place for too long. Callisto moved closer and took his hand as he was ready to go, saying he didn’t owe her anything. “You say that but you had to heal me and put up with me while I recovered. I definitely owe you.” Shawn replied as they headed out of the room and toward the nurses station. Callisto explaining that he just needed to sign out as she had already done all the rest of his paper work. “See, even more I owe you for.” He added teasingly for a moment.

After signing his paper work they continued out of the hospital, Callisto still leading the way slightly while holding his hand. Possibly just looking forward to him not being the hospital as much as Shawn was. Once outside of the hospital and Callisto explained they could go get something simple to eat as a way of celebrating. “Yeah, I suppose it is a little to early to start celebrating with drinks.” Shawn joked for a moment before continuing. “If I remember correctly there is this little muggle bakery once we leave here and get back into the muggle part of London." With that Shawn began to leas the way this time, still holding Callisto’s hand.

@callisto

[Deleted]

He said that her comment about him being dull hurt him more than the dragon ever did. She knew it was a joke, just like her comment had been. Se was getting better at this friendly banter thing. He suggested that he definitely owed her for putting up with him and healing him and she shook her head, "I'm not going to argue with you," she started, "you'll just keep fighting and I'm too tired for that," she joked. He had also suggested that he owed her even more because she did the paperwork and she just rolled her eyes. That was her job.

He suggested there was a bakery nearby and she agreed, letting him lead the way a little. It wasn't far, and Callisto didn't say too much on their walk other than casual things here and there. Her nerves were getting the better of her. Once they had ordered, were sitting, and the food was placed in front of them, she finally spoke up. "So I had an idea," she suggested, clearing her throat a little. "I know there isn't much left of the break before you have to go back to school... but I was thinking, if you wanted to, you could stay with me til' then," she spoke insanely fast, maybe too fast for him to understand, "or I could stay with you. Either way, I think it'd be nice and I'd like to make sure you're okay and all."

shawn lesley ashcroft

[shawn lesley ashcroft]

Callisto explained how she wasn’t going to argue with him about if he had owed her or not. Saying he’d just keep fighting over it with her and she was too tired for that. “You’d be surprised just how many arguments I’ve won like that.” Shawn joked for a second, then again honestly Callisto probably wouldn’t be that surprised at this point in knowing him. She also didn’t fight about it again as he thanked her for doing the paper work to get him released.

They made it to the bakery pretty quickly and ordered Callisto being a little quiet on the way there and as they ordered till they sat down with their food. Finally saying she had an idea. He started to eat for a moment as she started to speak again. Saying that there winter break was almost over but that he could stay with her till it was over. He coughed for a moment on his food as he hadn’t expected that at all. She added that she could stay with him too saying it might be nice and that it was to make sure he was okay. “Okay!” Shawn got out quickly, quicker that he expected after finishing coughing on his food. “I- I mean if you want to. I think it’d be nice too.” Shawn got out suddenly more nervous than before. Callisto possibly was as well with how quickly she had gotten out what she had been thinking about. “Would Mina be okay with you being gone for awhile? Or better yet will your home be okay?” Shawn joked, partially deciding on his place but he was fine with either option. “Yet staying at your place is fine too, where ever you’re at really is good.”

@callisto

[Deleted]

She said he'd won a lot of arguments because of people being too tired to go at it with him and she rolled her eyes, but affectionately. She was happy when they were at the bakery, even if she was nervous about asking him to stay with her. When he coughed on his food she reached a hand toward him to touch his arm, assessing if he was okay. He wasn't turning purple or anything, so that was a good sign. Okay! he responded incredibly fast and her eyes widened a little bit. He caught himself and said he thought it would be nice too. His demeanor had changed a little and her brow furrowed, but his words were saying that he wanted to do it. He asked if Mina would be okay with it and she nodded, "I think staying at my place would be best, that way I can keep an eye on both of you," she was only half joking. She wasn't sure about leaving home for two weeks. He said a lot, seeming to be a bit frazzled by the offer, but he was agreeing, which was a good thing.

She nodded once, then took both of his hands in hers. "I think it will be great," she commented firmly with a nod, squeezing his hands. How was she feeling at ease about this so... well, easily?

shawn lesley ashcroft

[shawn lesley ashcroft]

After his slight coughing fit Shawn was okay but Callisto had looked a little worried for him for a moment. Still he couldn’t help it, he was eating at the time and hadn’t expect Callisto to say anything like that while he was eating. No, he hadn’t expected she would say anything like that at all. Callisto explained that she would rather they both stay at her place as she could keep an eye on Mina and him. “You make a good point, as long as you think you can handle the both of us under the same roof for an extended period of time.” Shawn joked for a second as he was more comfortable with the conversation. No, the right would would be just less nervous and surprised. “Is Mina going to be okay with there being another dog in the house?”

Callisto took both his hand and said she thought this was going to be great while giving his hands a momentary squeeze. He held her hands back and just smiled. “Me too, it’s going to be fun. I can’t wait. I will need to stop by my place and get some things I suppose." Shawn paused for a moment as he thought of a few things he might need to grab. "Is there another bed or a couch? Or should I bring a sleeping bag?” He partially joked as he could just make a bed out of most anything if he had too.

@callisto