5991/Get Well Soon

Get Well Soon
Date of Scene:	14 December 2018
Location:	Triskelion, New York City
Synopsis:	Rowan runs an errand that brings him to the Triskelion, where he visits with a recovering Steve Rogers.
Cast of Characters:	Captain America, Rowan Saunders

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Captain America has posed:
It's later at night and the medical bay of the Triskelion is winding down. The hustle and bustle has settled into an astringent calm, everything clean and orderly and quiet. There haven't been any emergencies in hours and the latest admission was a cadet who managed to fall during training and break an arm; compound fracture, he'll be at desk work until it mends, poor guy. The recovery ward is nearby to the front desk and in the small rectangle slot beneath the label R1 is a name: Steve Rogers.

Inside, the man in question, still tucked away beneath the thick hospital blanketing and still wearing the usual teal-green gown overtop his healing torso. He's as comfortable as can be managed this evening and on a rather impressive cocktail of drugs that staff has only //just// decided to start weaning him from. His face is slack in sleep, probably the most relaxed any one person has seen him at any time; part of it's to blame on the IV drip in his arm. Doctor Keighley wasn't about to have Captain America discharge himself of his own accord.

At the nearby desk, a short brunette with her hair in a tight bun. She's a nurse, with the name tag "Julie, RN". Not the emergency staff then, but someone covering a break. She's typing shorthand notes into the computer in front of her. Beside her left hand, a manila folder with a sticky note on it that someone's coming by to pick this up, please hand it off when he shows.

Rowan Saunders has posed:
Rowan goes where he's sent, and that means he sometimes ends up in some interesting places. Hospitals, shelters, prisons, and tonight? Tonight he's picking up a folder from some government building he's never been to before. He doesn't give it too much thought, though the security once-over he gets just to get in raises an eyebrow. He doesn't complain, though. If they're being this careful, they've probably got a good reason.

It does make him more alert, though, more apt to notice things like the name Steve Rogers, and he looks up and around. There's a glimpse of him through the window and... wowsa. He doesn't look so good. He's so busy staring at Steve, he doesn't notice Nurse Julie at first. When he does, he blinks at her owlishly from behind his glasses and says, "Oh, hello. I'm Rowan Saunders. I'm here for the file."

Captain America has posed:
Nurse Julie glances up from her work and blinks at Rowan as if he appeared out of nowhere -- which he might have, given how hard she was concentrating on her work.

"Oh, right," and she picks up the manila folder. It's offered across the raised wall of the desk to him, the height making it arrive at an angle. She's careful not to knock over the jar of pens with glass beads to weigh it down. "Everything should be in there for you. Oh, wait." A tired sigh. "I need to see your driver's license, please." It has the sound of a request given simply because it's protocol, not because she wants to deal with people further. There's also the presumption that Rowan made it past security once, he clearly won't be running out abruptly with the file because that would look sooooooo guilty.

Steve continues sleeping quietly, his chest slowly rising and falling. Dark circles beneath his eyes speak to the stress on his body that he's recovering from.

Rowan Saunders has posed:
Federal prison prepares a man for this sort of thing. Rowan says, "Of course," and takes out his wallet to produce his driver's license. Sure enough, it says he is Rowan Saunders of Brooklyn. It's got a picture of him, and no one is photogenic for their driver's license photo.

While Julie checks is license, he looks in on Steve again. "How's he doing?" he says in a low tone. There are few civies who would see Captain America on a gurney sleeping off surgery and take such a casual and familiar approach. Apparently, seeing a hero laid low isn't going to break Rowan. He agreed not to treat Steve any differently, and he's not about to stop now.

Captain America has posed:
The nurse looks over the license, looks at him, then scans the license under a nearby flourescent reader. It's a defacto license and it's defactor him, and now Rowan gets back both the license and the manila folder for his keeping truthfully this time. Her attention shifts to Steve and she looks mildly concerned.

"He's stable and resting. He never makes things easy on the staff here." She opens her mouth and then pauses. A lookabout, to see if any other medical staff are nearby, and she adds more quietly to Rowan, "He was almost killed. Shot twice, kidney and leg. I was scared for him on the table, but Doctor Keighley knows what he's doing. SHIELD hired him for a reason." Behind her, a phone rings with a subdued tone and she turns about in her wheeled chair. A scuffing scoot and she answers it at a conversational volume. Rowan is entirely forgotten for the moment.

No one's keeping him from stepping into Steve's room now.

Rowan Saunders has posed:
Rowan winces when he hears what happened to Steve. That's where Steve is different, alas. People shoot at Steve. People try to kill Steve as part of his day to day. Maybe that's why it's all the more important for people like Rowan to just think of him as Steve.

He hesitates a moment, then goes to check on Steve. He's not entirely thoughtless. He looks to see if there are any quarantine protocols in place. He's not going to bust in on anyone's lockdown. He just slips in to stand at Steve's bedside. "Goodness," he murmurs, "you've managed to take a pretty bad hit, man. At least it seems like they've got you on some good meds."

Captain America has posed:
No quarantine protocols -- just cameras outside in the hallway quietly noting his actions. Word flies down the line to the security staff and while a few looks are exchanged, no one raises alarm. After all, there are hidden security measures in the recovery room itself, more meant for superheroes out of control than anything else...but geared for a metabolism far beyond that of an ordinary human.

At the sound of a voice, Steve rises up from sleep with a soft inhale. A drowsy blink and he rolls his head on his pile of pillows. They mound behind him, propping him up at a gentle angle, and he squints at Rowan. This is definitely a befuddled super-soldier; it takes him a noticeable number of seconds to finally let out a short sigh.

"Rowan...right?" His voice is rough from sleep, but he clears it once before looking at the room clock. "You're cutting it close for visitor's hours." Then it occurs to him. A small frown. "How did you get in here?"

Rowan Saunders has posed:
For the cameras' benefit, Rowan has the body language of someone personable and with no aggressive intent. Sure, people can turn on a dime and they can certainly be unpredictable, but as a baseline, he's just not a menacing fellow. He stands at the bedside but still far enough away not to be crowding or looming. No one wants to surprise a super soldier from a dead sleep.

He smiles when Steve says his name, and he says, "Rowan, yes. And you were, let me see, Steve." He smiles crookedly. Then he gestures with the folder and says, "I'm picking this up. I just go where they send me. I've only got a vague idea of where 'here' is. Need to know basis, you know." Quieter, he asks, "How are you feeling?"

Captain America has posed:
Steve nods, eyeing the manila folder in passing before slowly blinking again. He's still very drowsy despite being cognizant enough for speech and replies to the query, "I can still feel my toes, so I'm not off on cloud nine or whatever they call getting high these days. Bored out of my mind." He glances at the table on the opposite side of the bed from Rowan, where a bag of jellybeans sits (a large amount, at least a pound or more) alongside some technology worth of Stark Industries; this seems like it might interface with the television, which is turned off for now. "Doctor stopped by and said he'd turn down the drip tomorrow, but I gotta rest for now." By his expression, this is about as bad as it gets for the Man with the Plan. Boo, bed-rest.

Rowan Saunders has posed:
Rowan's regard isn't without sympathy as he says, "You'll be up and about in no time." He too is no fan of rest, unlike the fat yellow lab who's even now asleep on the couch at his parents' place. "Do you want me bring you those jelly beans? Are they letting you eat, at least?" The tech is regarded with fascination, but alas, just at a glance he can tell it's beyond him. "Is there anything else I can get you? I'm pretty sure Julie's going to kick me out when she notices I'm in here."

Captain America has posed:
"Julie...?" Steve murmurs, frowning at the jellybeans. "Oh. Oh, the RN. No, she's...she's pretty nice. She might let you stay if I tell her that I know you." He gives Rowan a small, bleary smile. "Thank you, but I was told it's a bad idea for me to eat more."

Another glance at the bag out of immediate reach. "...but I won't tell the nurses if you accidentally place it where I can get to it," he then adds, conspiratorial in the manner than only the semi-sedated can be. "I get a real breakfast tomorrow...inasmuch as hospital food can be a real breakfast," the Captain grouses, momentarily fisting his hands up in the sheets before visibly making himself relax again. A small grunt as he resettles his position on the bed.

"You didn't bring Sonny. He asleep at home then?" A beat. "He'd probably enjoy the breakfast."

Rowan Saunders has posed:
"Yeah, Sonny doesn't have a driver's license, so he can't get clearance," Rowan rattles off, like the idea of a dog with a driver's license isn't outright ridiculous. He eyes the jelly beans, then Steve. "Well, you have saved the world a few times, I guess I could just take a look at them and set them back down a little closer. He does this as he speaks, inspecting the jelly beans, then setting them down just a little closer than before.

He turns back to the bedside and says, "If they let me visit you again, I'll bring Sonny. He could use the exercise, and I'm sure he doesn't need another breakfast. I know he already gets half of Dad's hashbrowns every morning, despite what they're telling me."

Captain America has posed:
Hearing of the dog eating hashbrowns is enough to make Steve start to laugh and then wince, hard. Another far fainter exhale and he shakes his head, leaning back into the pillows. "That dog has it good," he murmurs, trying to shake off the briefest spike of agony in his torso. The drugs cover it up again quickly enough -- damn those awfully-canny doctors, knowing to keep the pain-killing level appropriate for rest but not for exertion.

"Dunno that they'll let you bring him in, but I wouldn't mind saying hi. He was nice while he wasn't trying to eat my pastry." The blond super-soldier then slowly reaches out and snags the jellybeans. He shifts a few into his palm before tipping them into his mouth. "Mmm. It's the little things." The bag is set aside again after being closed. "What's in the folder?" Of course he asks this guielessly, looking between it and Rowan's face now.

Rowan Saunders has posed:
Rowan grins, though he gives a sympathetic wince when Steve winces. "Yeah, he's got life all figured out. He's probably on the couch. He ignores his dog bed." Rowan shakes his head. If he lets himself, he'll get worked up over how that dog is spoiled and never disciplined. He sighs softly. "I'll take him for a walk tonight. We'll work those hashbrowns off him."

"If they don't let me bring him in here, I can bring him by sometime when you're back out. You'll be pastry-free, so nothing to worry about there. I'm sure he'd like the company. I'm the bad human who makes him work for his kibble, but you're just a random friendly face."

Captain America has posed:
"A random friendly face who didn't feed him any of my elephant ear...dunno if that scores me any points," Steve retorts wryly, smiling that ghost of a tired grin again. "He'll appreciate that walk. Do it in my name, since I'm cooped up for another day or so."

His blue eyes fall to the manila folder. "Something secret in that folder then...? You don't have to tell me if it's something you can't share." But it //is// Captain America, greatest of the Boyscouts asking...

Rowan Saunders has posed:
Rowan grins and ducks his head. Caught dodging the question. "It's just a case file for someone on the outside who has been seen here before," he says. "It's not my client so I haven't taken a look. My colleague is out of town today, so I said I'd pick it up and put it in his inbox in the morning." He glances down at the folder. "It's probably nothing too interesting. Sometimes people just need someone to talk to."

Rowan looks around the places, though all he can really see at the moment is Steve's room. "I imagine that, given the stuff you guys see, that applies doubly so. It can get rough, especially when you've got the kind of secrets where one pair of loose lips is all it takes to sink a pretty big ship."

Captain America has posed:
Steve sighs and nods, slumping back further into his pillows. With his sugar craving momentarily sated, he's staring listlessly off towards his toes and beyond the end of the hospital bed.

"It's a task keeping things even-keeled around here sometimes. Wouldn't trade it for the world though," he admits quietly. "Nice of you to do that, pick up the folder. I'm glad that they let you in. I was worried that they'd have things clinched down too tight for innocent errands."

Rowan Saunders has posed:
Rowan shrugs and shoulder and says, "It's no trouble." Of course it's trouble. This place is locked down harder than Fort Knox. But here he is, folder in hand. "I'm pretty sure I've signed enough NDAs just today that if I so much as peep about what I've seen here, they'll own my soul." He doesn't sound worried. Confidentiality is part of his everday life.

"You know, if they let non-military therapists on staff, this is the kind of place I'd love to work. The things you guys do, it feels like such a small thing to give back, being here to listen." With a crooked smile, he taps the foot of the bed with his folder and says, "And I have a feeling you guys aren't used to talking."

Captain America has posed:
The silence that follows Rowan's observation about the generally tight-lipped take on dealing with the stress that comes of being on SHIELD's payroll is probably worth a thousand words in return. Steve slowly nods, his gaze remaining on the far wall in hazy focus.

"Could always submit a resume. I assume they accept them somewhere around here." His eyes travel towards the doorway to the recovery room to indicate the Triskelion as a whole. "Speaking of somewhere..." Turns out super-soldier hearing is just as vaunted even when half-sedated.

Oh look, it's Nurse Julie, peeking her head in first and then entering, looking thunderous. "Excuse me, you do not have permission to be here," she says to Rowan tersely. "Please leave."

"I know him, Julie," tries Steve at half-effort and immediately puts on his best beatific air -- which fails entirely in the face of nursely pique.

"I do not care, Captain Rogers, he does not have permission. Sir, please, leave," Nurse Julie repeats, standing at the base of the bed and off to one side as not to accidentally corral Rowan.

Rowan Saunders has posed:
Rowan takes in Steve's silence with a knowing nod. He looks up when Steve picks up a sound somewhere off where he can't hear, and he's not terribly surprised when Julie comes in to tell him to leave. "I know," he says, "I'm sorry. I just wanted to see how he was doing," he says.

He isn't going to argue with a nurse who's in the right, so he steps away from the bedside and says, "I'll see you around, Steve. Look me up when you get out, okay? Saunders. I'm in the book." He tips off a salute to Julie with the corner of his folder, and he turns to go, letting himself be herded out.

He does pause long enough however to look over his shoulder and adds, "I'll tell Sonny you said hi."

Captain America has posed:
Julie herds out Rowan without much else to add other than the tight reminder of, "You need to ask permission before you enter his room. Good night." And dismissed by Nurse Julie!

However, before Rowan's entirely gone, Steve replies, "Saunders, got it. Pet him for me." 'Him' being Sonny the dog, of course. Then the Captain's oozing back into his throne of pristine white pillows again and allowing himself to drift off into the haze of the IV drip. Soon, the ward is all quiet again but for the typing of Nurse Julia, back at her notations.