All That's Best of Dark and Bright (open)

[henry]

Today wasn't going well so far for Henry. Beatrice had woken him up twice- the first time with nightmares of monsters under her bed, the second time having wet the bed- and his own nightmares had woken him up as well. After the third time he'd been woken up, he'd given up on sleep, and moved to his desk to work on lesson plans. Walking in the dark had been a bad idea, though, and he'd ended up banging his knee, jarring it and bringing back the phantom pains he'd managed to ignore.

Now, on his way to his first class of the day, he leaned on his cane, mentally cursing that he had to use it. He wasn't old, was he? No, he was only in his mid-thirties. That wasn't old at all. And if anyone said otherwise, he'd probably snap. A lack of sleep was certainly bad for his temper, as was the pain he felt as he walked. Behind him, Beatrice skipped, singing a nursery rhyme. The trouble she'd had sleeping seemed to not affect her at all, something that didn't surprise her father in the least.

Of course, it'd be today of all days that her usual babysitter would call in sick at the last minute. Without time to arrange for another caretaker for the day, he'd decided to just keep her in his classroom with him. What would the harm be? It would be simple to sit her at the extra desk with a workbook and some crayons. Besides, this way, he could have some extra time with her between classes. This seemed like a good solution, though he'd have to figure something out for next time.

Reaching the classroom, he opened the door, letting Beatrice in first. As usual, he was early enough that there weren't any students there yet. Placing his suitcase on his desk, Henry chuckled as his daughter looked around the classroom in awe. It wasn't often she got to be in one, and so she considered being in her father's class a treat. Opening his suitcase, he pulled out the workbook and crayons he'd packed for her, situating her at the extra desk beside his own. "Bea, darling, you stay here, okay? If you need something, raise your hand, and I'll take care of it, okay? But you have to be quiet so you don't disturb the students."

With agreement from his daughter, he set to work writing the day's agenda on the board, as well as the notes the students would need to take down to start with. Hearing the door open, he didn't turn from his work, continuing with the writing. "Just take a seat, save any questions for when class has started." Leaning a bit too heavily on his sore knee, he grimaced, moving from the board and grabbing his cane. Muttering curses under his breath, he sat down. "Damn knee... Shouldn't be so stiff..." Rubbing his knee, he looked up, raising an eyebrow. "Morning."

[anderssjodin]

Anders blearily blinked as he stood in line at the cafeteria for a coffee. He'd been up early after a late night, and the backs of his eyes felt like sandpaper. He could have easily gotten a coffee, minus the line, had he gone to the staff room, or better yet, gotten his caffeine fix from the high end Espresso machine he'd brought in and put in his own office. But for some reason, when he was incredibly tired, he preferred the gritty swill they provided for students. He supposed it reminded him of the coffee he used to guzzle like a fiend at the ER when he was doing rotations. The kind of drink that perked you up and put hair on your chest . He ignored the chatter of the students around him, happily grabbing two Styrofoam mugs full of battery acid strength coffee when he came to the front of the line.

He weaved through the students milling around the doors, his tall frame surprisingly spry as he balanced his mugs, trying not to spill the scalding liquid. He stepped into the halls, turning to head back to the medical wing. He stopped short as a small child darted in front of him. He bit his tongue, stopping the curse from falling off his lips as the hot liquid spilled from one of the mugs and onto his hand and shirt sleeve. He quickly looked down, wanting to make sure the young girl hadn't gotten any spilled on her, but he spotted her a ways up the hall already, happily skipping along next to a man walking with a noticeable limp and a cane. Anders raised his eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. It wasn't often, or ever, really, that he saw children running about, and though he didn't often venture out of his medical wing, he assumed that statement was true for the rest of the school.

The limp also made the doctor in him cringe, it looked painful, probably an old injury. Anders had never seen the man before, and assumed he must be a newer teacher. Glancing down at his watch, he checked the time. There was still a a few minutes before the students would start heading to class, he decided he should introduce himself. Offer to take a look at the leg, and at the very least, let the teacher know where he could come if he needed some pain medication prescribed.

Sipping his coffee, the stain on his shirt already forgotten, Anders walked down the hall towards where the man and child had disappeared, heading the opposite direction to of the Medical wing. He glanced into the classrooms as he passed them until he saw the pair. The little girl was colouring intently while the man wrote on the chalkboard. As he walked into the room, the man walked away from the board, grabing his cane with a look of pain and muttering under his breath.

Morning

He said, spotting Anders as he sat at his desk. The tall doctor smiled jovially, raising a hand holding a coffee mug in greeting, careful not to wave and spill him coffee for a second time. “ Good morning yourself. ” he said stepping further into the classroom. “ I just spotted a new face and thought I should say hello. Anders.” he said, extending his arm before realizing there wasn't much hand shaking that could be done with a mug of coffee in hand. [/size]

[henry]

Henry took a close look at the man who had come into his class. He didn't recognize him, but that didn't mean anything. After all, he wasn't the most social of men, was he? Most of his time was spent teaching, taking care of Beatrice, or working on lesson plans and grading papers. Between all that, he slept. And there wasn't much time for anything else, was there? Henry couldn't remember the last time he'd gone out.

When the other man said good morning, he smiled. Well, at least he seemed polite. And obviously either a teacher or staff, or some odd intruder. Being as the man at least appeared as if he was meant to be there, Henry assumed he wasn't an intruder. The man seemed more than civil. Hell, he seemed nice. And that wasn't something he was entirely used to, teaching here. There were a lot of attitudes, both on students and staff.

Still, he wasn't one to turn down friendship if it was offered, especially if it was in a place like this, where friends were good to have. Nodding as the man explained himself and said what Henry assumed was his name, he chuckled a bit at the hand raised, coffee mug still being grasped. "Nice to meet you. I'm afraid I don't get out much." Gesturing to his daughter, he smiled softly. "She takes up most of my spare time. Anyway, I'm Henry Baker. The little one is my daughter, Beatrice. Unfortunately, her usual babysitter called at the last minute this morning, cancelling on me because she's sick. So, Bea came to work with Daddy today."

Looking up as she heard her name, Beatrice waved. "Hi! I'm Beatrice, but you can call me Bea! What's your name?" The man talking to her daddy seemed nice. He was a stranger, but he was smiling really nice, and Daddy seemed to like him, so he had to be okay. Resuming her coloring, she hoped that her daddy would make friends with the new man. Her daddy didn't have many friends, like her. She had bunches of friends, didn't she? Like Lucy and Molly and Quinn and Blankie, and bunches of others. And there were her dollies, and her bunnies, even though Blankie was her favorite. Blankie was even her favorite color, yellow! Yellow was her favorite because it was so pretty, like flowers or the sunshine. Beatrice liked flowers and sunshine.

Henry blinked as his daughter spoke, wondering a bit what was going on in her little head. Chuckling a bit, he looked back to Anders. "Yes, that's Beatrice. She's about three." It was clear from his tone that he was fond of her, and loved his daughter very much.

((Sorry for the little Beatrice ramble paragraph. XD She's just too cute to resist.))

[anderssjodin]

Anders smiled easily “ I don’t get much either I’m afraid. I’m usually holed up in the Medical Wing. He smiled down at the little girl. He’d always liked kids. Not enough to ever want one of his own, that was a truly terrifying notion, but other people’s children were fantastic in small doses. He felt bad for the teacher, if he’d happened to have kids, he doubted he’d want to take them to his work if he taught high school. And not just BAD, he’d have had reservations about anywhere. But he supposed one day probably wouldn’t traumatize the kid too badly.

He placed his mugs onto an empty desk, crouching down to be at the girls level, well, as close as he could be to her level, and smiled. “ Very nice to meet you Bea, I’m Anders. That’s some very nice colouring you’re doing.” he said before standing up and regarding the girl’s father.

“ Nice to meet you too, of course.{/color]” he said as he picked up one of his coffee cups, taking a big gulp. As he swallowed the scalding liquid, his light eyes wandered over to the other mug. It pained him to even think about doing what he was thinking of doing. That coffee was his lifeline. Without it, he’d unlikely be able to function at the top of his game. What if a student came in with a life threatening injury, and he did nothing to save them because his mind was too foggy. He let out the tiniest of sighs. He was just making excuses now. It wouldn’t kill him to be polite. He grabbed the other mug, handing it out towards the British man. “ Coffee?” he offered, ignoring the screaming voice in his head telling him to gulp it down before the other man had a chance to respond.

He took another sip of his own coffee, relishing at the taste of the burning drink as it scalded down his throat. “ So, if you have a ‘usual’ babysitter, I take it you’re not all that new here. I definitely need to start trying to socialize with the teachers and staff here, I swear they could demolish the school and rebuild it brick by brick and I likely wouldn’t notice.” he said with a small chuckle[/size]

[henry]

Chuckling a bit, Henry nodded. "It's almost hard to believe I've been here for two years already. I'm not one to go out, I suppose." Another chuckle escaped him, and he shook his head. "I suppose I fit that old English teacher stereotype. Let's all hope that I can refrain from quoting Shakespeare too much." Of course, he certainly fit the bill of stuffy old man, too. Hadn't he been using a cane earlier, and weren't his plans that evening to go home, have a glass of scotch, and to read until he fell asleep? Oh god, he was turning into his father. Someone needed to just kill him now.

Blinking up at him, Beatrice giggled. "Thank you. It's a kitty!" Looking back to her picture as he stood up, she smiled. Mr. Anders really was nice. She hoped her daddy would make friends with him, because then he'd be less lonely. Maybe if she drew Mr. Anders a picture, he'd definitely want to be friends with her daddy! That thought happily in mind, she chose a different coloring page, this one of a giraffe and an octopus, and began coloring it in.

Henry nodded. "Yes, I'm sorry I haven't introduced myself sooner. I don't think I've ever even seen the Medical Wing here. I'm afraid to say I avoid anything to do with doctors. No offense intended. The last time I saw one, though, wasn't a very pleasant experience." And he hadn't been back in one, had he, since he'd been cleared after the accident? Besides appointments for Bea when she needed vaccinations and checkups, he'd thoroughly avoided seeing any doctors. It wasn't that he held anything against doctors. How could he, with a father who was a surgeon? Rather, he worried that he'd find out more bad news, or they'd try to prescribe some kind of medication. He hated medications. They fogged up his head, and he was afraid to become addicted to pain pills.

Shaking his head, he wrinkled his nose a bit at the offer of coffee. "I'm fine, thank you. I rarely drink coffee. I'm very particular about how it's prepared." Oh, he was definitely his mother's child. Hadn't she completely banned coffee from the house because the very smell of it made her nauseous? Pushing that thought from his mind, he grinned as Anders continued. "Definitely not new here. And I don't socialize much either. I think that they could have a school-wide festival, coming into my classroom, and I'd miss it completely." Chuckling again a bit as well, he looked up at the other man. "I have to ask, Anders, if you're not prone to socializing, what brings you to my classroom?"

[anderssjodin]

Anders felt a little foolish, the man had been at the school the same length of time as him, and he’d never even seen him. He blamed a busy schedule and an unconscious snobbery that kept him amongst his needles and scalpels. He’d just have to make more of an effort, try being Anders for awhile, rather than Dr. Sjodin. The fact that he’d never really been able to master that had been one of the main reasons for his divorce. He thought he’d gotten better at separating the two since he started at BAD, but was apparently mistaken about that.

He smiled at the Shakespeare comment, shaking his head emphatically. “ Oh please don’t. I could barely stomach that in high school, don’t make me repeat it again. he laughed “ I suppose it’s a fair trade, you dislike doctors, and I hate Shakespeare.” Though he of course couldn’t really see that as a fair trade. Anders didn’t really get when people were scared or distrustful of doctors. Dentists and shrinks he could understand, they were whack jobs who couldn’t cut it in real med school. But MDs? They were only there to help. It was just odd to him that people attached so many negative associations to Doctors or Hospitals.

He was relieved when Henry turned down the coffee, he’d only offered to be polite. He needed both cups to get him up to his full speed. He grinned, finishing half the first mug, now that he knew he didn’t need to conserve it. “ Thank goodness. I’ll admit, I really wasn’t looking forward to giving it up.” he said with a small laugh “ I’m a beast if I don’t get enough caffeine in the mornings.”

He smiled, watching Henry’s little girl colour while he considered his answer to the last question. After a few seconds, he chuckled a little, running his hand through his blonde hair. “ Ahh, well, it’s a little awkward now, since you said you weren’t very fond of doctors...But I saw the limp and the cane, and since I’ve never seen you in for any kind of check up, I assumed you were new and decided I should over step my bounds and follow after you like a mother to tell you to make an appointment to see me. he chuckled self deprecatingly “ Sorry, I sometimes can’t turn ‘the doctor’ off. …” his voice trailed off, he was having one of the can’t turn it off moments right then, and was fighting the urge to berate Henry with questions about what the nature of the injury was, If he was taking any pain medication, if he’d done any constructive surgery, and on and on. [/size]

[henry]

Henry chuckled, shaking his head. "Don't worry, I'm not a huge fan of Shakespeare either. I have an academic appreciation of his work, but it's not something I read for fun." Clearing his throat, he frowned a bit. "I have nothing against doctors, actually. My father is a surgeon, and I admire him and his work. I always have. What I don't enjoy is being fussed over like I'm a child." Being treated like he couldn't take care of himself had always irritated him. He was an independent man by nature, and stubborn to boot. Combining the two made him a horrible patient, even for his father to deal with.

After he'd been released from the hospital after the accident, he'd thrown away his pain pills and refused to get any kind of treatment for his knee. The knee had been fractured in two places, and despite having been set, it hadn't healed as it should. Surgery had been suggested, and even his father had pushed for it. But he'd refused. It would mean downtime, time that he wouldn't be able to take care of Bea as he should. And so, after refusing the surgery, he'd been released, and no one had been able to coax him back into a hospital since. Luckily, he took good enough care of himself that he wasn't ill often.

Chuckling again, he watched as the other man drank what had to be half his mug. "Well, I'm a beast even with caffeine in the morning. I usually just have a cup of tea, though, while I get Bea ready to go." That, and if he had time to sneak away before his first class of the day started, he'd have a cigarette. Of course, the times he got to do that were rare, even with how early he tended to get himself ready. For some reason, his three year old was as picky about what she wore as his wife had been. He still wasn't sure whether that amused or confused him.

Blinking, Henry cleared his throat again. Well, this was definitely a little awkward. "Like I said, it isn't that I'm not fond of doctors... I have no problem with doctors, only with being under their care. Anyway, the limp and the cane aren't a usual thing. I just banged my knee up a bit this morning. I'm fine." That was a lie, as he always walked with a bit of a limp, even if he didn't use a cane. Sighing, he ran a hand through his hair. "But, you weren't overstepping your bounds. It's your job to make sure everyone here is healthy. If you'd like, I'll schedule an appointment with you." Chuckling, he shook his head again. "I can't turn 'the teacher' side of myself off very well either. So I suppose we're even."

[anderssjodin]

Anders smiled slightly and shook his head “ And alas, one of our greatest abilities as medical professional is the fussing. There is an entire lecture series dedicated to it in med school.” he said with a small laugh, hoping to just make the awkwardness. disappear.

Anders didn't quite buy the idea that he's simply banged his knee up. People who just temporarily caused a injury didn't have a cane lying around the house for no reason. But, despite being certain the problem was ongoing, he wasn't very well force the man to make an appointment with him, that would definitely be over stepping the bounds. All he could really do was make the suggestion and let it be. Hopefully the man would have some common sense, and at the very least come to get his pain prescription (which Anders naturally assumed he was taking) refilled.

He shook his head “ No, no, I trust that you know you're body best. If you've just banged it up, that's fine. You don't need to make an appointment, just come by if you need anything. I promise, I will keep the fussing to a minimum.” He chuckled a little, taking another sip of his coffee.

“ One thing I wish I could cure and would gladly fuss over would be you Brits with your obsession with tea. Every one of you I've ever met turns away from a decent cup of java and sucks down tea like it's ambrosia. he said with a shake of his head. “ Never fails to confuse me, the rest of Europe has embraced coffee, but not you, you're still convinced everything is better with a cuppa.” he said in a good natured teasing voice[/size]

[henry]

Chuckling, Henry was grateful that the awkward moment was over. "Well, that explains quite a bit about my father, actually. He fussed more than my mother did." Of course, his mother tended to think everything could be cured with a nap and a good cup of tea, or some kind of oil. His father had tended to be more critical, fussing over even the lightest colds.

Henry hoped Anders wouldn't press the issue of his knee. He was a very private man, especially about his pain and injuries. He understood that he was just trying to do his job, but he preferred not to talk about it. Talking about what had happened to his knee would mean that he'd have to remember what had happened to Naomi. Henry avoided doing that at all costs. It only ever led to his mood growing dark and volatile. Really, it was best to avoid all mention of his wife. If he didn't think about how he felt, then he didn't get upset. And Henry wasn't a pleasant man to begin with, and adding in his grief only made him even more unbearable to be around.

Nodding, a soft sigh of relief escaped Henry. "Thank you. I assure you, if anything is wrong, I'll come by. Really, though, my health is just fine. I just shouldn't walk in the dark." Of course, he had no intention of going to see Anders if he got ill. He took care of himself just fine.

Chuckling, Henry shook his head. "You're welcome to try and change that, though I doubt it will be successful. It's part of our culture, just like Doctor Who and being polite to a fault. And not all Brits like tea, you know. My brother-in-law can't stand it. My father even prefers coffee. My mother, on the other hand, can't stomach coffee. When I was growing up, she wouldn't even allow it in the house. We always drank tea. So, I suppose, that might be why I prefer it."

[anderssjodin]

Anders smiled and nodded “ Yes, walking in the dark is generally not a good idea.” he laughed lightly, though his sharp blue eyes settled briefly on the other man’s leg. The more he thought about it, the more he would bet that the Brit hadn’t just wrenched his leg this morning as a result of carelessness. But with a surgeon as a father, he could understand how one could develop a strong aversion for having to spend time around doctors. As a practicing surgeon himself at one time, he knew very well they could be an insufferable bunch. Though he longed to take a look, see what the problem actually was, he wasn’t going to push. Maybe the Anders from a few years ago, the one who hadn’t been mellowed out by working a cushy job in a school, would have been insistent on the issue, but as it was, though he was concerned, he also recognized that it was not really any of his business, and unless he witnessed something that made it clear the man was risking his life because of it, he wouldn’t push. Though it made him cringe internally, he loathed the idea of someone being in pain.

Anders chuckled as he listened to the man talk. It was true, every Brit he’d talked to over the years were always obsessed with that ridiculous SciFi show, it never really caught on back home, but god forbid you tell an English man that the Dr, Who was horrible. He’d learned that turned them from polite proper folk into rowdy cockney’s faster than you could say David Tennant. And usually resulted in a long rant about which Dr. was in fact The Dr.. A tirade that had the ability to both amuse and bore him.

“ I can’t argue with that logic. I suppose it’s no different than we Swedes spending all our time skiing or assembling IKEA furniture.” he joked. “ I can put together the Expedit shelve in less than 15 minutes. he laughed. “ I suppose it’s not all that different than my family. I was hooked on coffee before I even left the womb. It was the one thing my mother refused to give up during pregnancy. I was having a cup before school by the time I was in third grade. Which is why I always laugh when people say it will stunt a child’s growth. If that held true, I’d be about 8 feet tall if I’d waited to drink it until after my growth spurt.” he chuckled.[/size]

ooc- sorry it’s so short and took me so long to get up. I lost my Anders muse for a bit >.<

[henry]

Chuckling, and shaking his head, Henry rubbed his knee. "It's one of my few bad ones. I'm usually much more sensible." He'd just been half asleep at the time. Unless he'd done something stupid, like this morning, his knee rarely pained him. The injury was old, and easy to ignore at most times. But, some days would be worse than others, and out would come the cane. It wasn't as if he needed it to survive. He just needed it from time to time when he was clumsy. That didn't mean he had any kind of knee problem. Everyone has their own little aches and pains, don't they? Even if his father nagged him about it every time he called, Henry paid it no mind. His knee was his problem, and no doctor would be dealing with it. It wasn't necessary, at least if you asked him. And he tried to avoid being asked about it. Being as stubborn as he was, he usually managed to get out of conversations he didn't want. He'd just steer it along a way he could handle, and refuse to talk about what was making him uncomfortable. It was just how he was, and it seemed unlikely to ever change.

Smiling a bit, he leaned back in his chair, locking his hands together behind his head. Looking up at the man, Henry wondered if the other man would push the issue of his knee. As long as he didn't, Anders seemed like someone that could be a potential friend. He was clearly intelligent, and not as uptight as some of the people here could be. Of course, that applied to Henry. Which is why he needed a friend that could be more relaxed. The Brit really seemed to have something shoved up his ass sometimes, though he'd deny it.

"Yes, precisely. It's a cultural thing. Not to mention a matter of personal taste." Again chuckling and shaking his head, he was only a little surprised to find he was joking with Anders. Really, it'd been too long since he'd had a conversation like this. It was a surprise that he wasn't insane by now. "I think I am the only Brit I know that doesn't enjoy football. Even just watching it." It was a national sport, and he hated it. Especially since his father was constantly trying to force him to enjoy it. "My wife, Naomi, refused to give up coffee as well. She loved it, and drank at least two cups every day. Of course, she was an incredibly stubborn woman." Talking about her was still difficult, but yet, it didn't hurt as bad as it once had. "I have to wonder where that silly superstition came from. As far as I know, there's never been any evidence of it stunting growth. Then again, I don't keep up with medical journals."