Never Enough Sedative (Pixel)

[anderssjodin]

Anders stood in the sick bay in front of an open supply cabinet, a large hand planted firmly on his hip, with the other clasping a clip board, staring accusingly at the boxes of supplies. He'd had a relatively slow day, only one student drug in with a broken nose, seemed like whoever was the second in that fight got off without injury. He'd decided to take advantage of the quiet time to do his inventory and supply ordering, a task that he normally would leave for a nurse or some administrator. But, with nothing else on his plate, and the nurse not hanging about the wing, he'd decided to be proactive and do it himself.

“ That cannot be right...” he muttered to himself, lifting the clipboard to his face to examine the inventory sheets again. Though he administered the medications himself, he was finding it hard to believe they had actually managed to go through almost their entire stock of Amytal. Either someone was pilfering it, or they were giving the students here way too many sedatives. He shook his head, refusing to believe either. He placed his clipboard down, slipping his pen back into the front pocket of his white coat. He stood on his toes, stretching his tall frame to get his hands all the way to the back of the top shelf. There had to be another box, he thought as he grumbled quietly to himself in Swedish.

[Pixel Conner]

The smalled blonde sighed. She stared at the book before her, history. She had a paper due, and she wasn't looking forward to it at all. She was tired of school, she was tired of not getting enough time with Anthony, she was tired of her roommates, she was just tired. She was tired, angry and pregnant. She land her head on the book, which was on a nurses desk that wasn't being used. She wanted to close her eyes, and count her breaths until sleep washed over her, and all the worry and stress and unhappiness she was feeling right now would just go away. Pixel was normally an up beat, happy, bubbly teenager. But she was finding it really hard to be all of that. She just wanted to give up and run away. Or cry. Was crying an option?

Then Pixel heard something. Someone else. She knew it had to be Dr. Sjodin, who else could it be? He was cool, she guessed. Like, he wasn't a jerk. He wasn't Alex, or her father, or Oliver Burton, so the doc was doing okay in her book. She stood up from where she sat in front of her boring history book, and started walking towards where she'd heard him. Maybe he could give an excuse to not study, she pretty much wanted to do anything but that at the moment. She smiled when she saw him, on his tip toes to looked over the supply closet. Perfectly. Pixel move fast, quietly. She reached out, grabbing onto his sides. "Boo!" She removed her hands from his sides and smiled, waiting for him to turn around and see her.

[anderssjodin]

Anders smiled slightly to himself as his fingers brushed along the corners of a box shoved at the very back of the cabinet. Ha. He knew there was no way they were out already. He stretched his fingers out, trying to grasp the cardboard, how someone Joy’s size was able to do this was beyond his comprehension, if he could barely reach, she would have no hope. The number of messed up inventory requisitions they must have gone through simply because they couldn’t get to the supplies to know they were there, it was staggering. He made a mental note to bug the headmaster to get them a step ladder, or something of the sort. Because while he was doing the inventory this one time, it taught him a valuable lesson: It was tedious and boring work that he would most definitely not be doing again, so whoever it was (probably the poor nurse) would need something to stand on.

He grinned triumphantly as he finally hooked the corner of the box and pulled it towards the edge of the shelve. He was far to busy congratulating himself to hear someone sneak up behind him. When he felt the small hands on his sides, he jumped slightly, startled by the unexpected presence. His hand knocked the box from the shelf, sending the contents scattering across the floor. He whirled around, one hand on his chest, feeling his speeding heart, finding himself face to face with a small blonde girl. Pixel. What was she doing here? He was fairly certain she didn’t have any work scheduled for today. He looked around, checking to see if Joy was about, since she was the one who dealt with the girl mostly, and he’d been too oblivious to notice, wouldn’t be the first time that had happened. But there was no sight of the nurse.

He looked down at Pixel, raising his eye brow at her mischievous looking smile and shook his head, well that was embarrassing, that a pint sized little girl could startle him? Well that just wouldn’t do. Two Could play at that game. He furrowed his brow, putting on his best stern face. “ And I suppose you thought that was funny?” he said humorlessly, tutting and shaking his head. “ And look at the mess you’ve made. For shame.” He said, trying to make his voice as stony as possible. “ You are in big trouble Miss Conner. As for punishment you can start by cleaning this up. he said, gesturing to the spilled vials of pills.[/size]

[Pixel Conner]

Pixel couldn't help but smile. She'd scared him, enough that knocked something over and made a mess, so she'd done what she'd been hoping to do. Pixel was normally trying to lighten the mood around this place, everyone was either pissed off, moopy, or scary as hell. Just because they were in a school called B.A.D didn't mean they had to act like... well, bad kids. Even if half of them were murderers, or tried to murder people. Then there were the whores and druggies. Then the petty crimes that probably didn't deserve to be here anyway.

Pixel looked towards the mess the doctor was speaking of. He was kidding, right? She'd only touched him a little, it wasn't her fault he was a complete spaz and threw the box on the floor. Really, the fact that he was trying to blame it on her was completely unfair. If it had been something Pixel after did, like destroy a keyboard, she would take her punishment, like working in the medical wing. However, it wasn't against the rules, morally wrong, or a jerk move to scare him, so she shouldn't be punished. Pixel looked up at him, a stern look on her face. "No offense sir but I'm pretty damn sure it was you that threw all that on the floor. I'll help you, but I'm not picking it all up." She kept her stern face to show him she meant business.

[anderssjodin]

Anders couldn't keep the facade up any longer as he looked down at the small girl, her face set so sternly. His lips broke out into a smile as he let out his loud laugh. “ And yet another blow to my ego, first you startle me, then you are unfazed by attempts to be stern. What a sad day, where such a tiny little thing would be able to get the better of me.” he joked jovially. It was a mark of how much two years out of the ER had done for him, that he was more likely to joke around than snap at people these days. Not to say he didn't have his moments anymore, they were just so much further and far between.

“ Since you've called my bluff, I can only agree with you. Your help would be appreciated. ” He said as he crouched to the ground, picking up one of the vials. He turned the small container around in his large hands, frowning when he saw the label “Horunge! (which of course is 'Son of a bitch' in Swedish)” It was an anti inflammatory. After all that, it still wasn't the sedatives that he'd been looking, and they were still running low. Ok, he made a mental note, they were spending way too much time dopeing the students. It was probably all prescriptions from those damn psychiatrists, useless, solving everything with drugs when they couldn't even get a useful, let alone real medical degree. Well no more, unless they brought some kid in frothing at the mouth and bouncing off the walls, they'd use restraints and isolation, not more drugs.

[Pixel Conner]

Pixel smiled. Already she was feeling better, less stressed and her eyes didn't sting from holding back tears. She wondered how long she could keep from crying before it all boiled over and she was sobbing and turned into a puddle of over emotional goo on the floor somewhere in the school. She wondered if she could talk to the headmaster about maybe getting a trip into town, maybe with Anthony. Maybe as a date. Her heart was already beating faster as she pictured a date with Anthony, both of them dressed up, him pulling out chairs, giving her sweet, romantic kisses on the lips. Her heart started beating faster, and she had to tell herself to calm down. She didn't want to be upset if this didn't happen, but she was hoping she could convince the headmaster that she needed a break for her mental health.

The small blonde kneeled beside the doctor who was cursing in a lanuage she didn't understand, she just knew it was a curse by the way he said it. She grabbed the box, standing it backup straight and began picking up the bottles of pills and dumping them into the box. She was quiet while picking them up, her mind still on Anthony and what their date, which would actually be their first offical date, would be like. Pixel suddendly had an idea. She could sneak into the kitchen, she'd done it before with Kayta, Zack and Anthony, and she could cook him cupcakes, and then they could have a date type thing by sneaking out at night and eating them on the big pitchers mound of the baseball field. Pixel could only cook cupcakes, she was a terrible cook at anything else, but cupcakes would do. Plus she had this idea of licking purple icing off of Anthony's abs and she just didn't want to give that up. She turned to the doctor after everything was in the box again. "So what are you looking for?"

[anderssjodin]

Anders angrily shoved the vials back into the box, annoyed mainly because it reflected poorly on him. The last thing he wanted was to get a reputation as being one of those pill pushing doctors who would rather shove narcotics into patients than actually treat them. Maybe he just wouldn't order anymore. That would solve the problem. Or just keep them under lock and key in his office where those whackadoodle shrinks couldn't get at them. He continued on his internal diatribe cursing the schools psych staff for the few moments it took to gather all the spilled drugs.

He happened to glance over at Pixel, kneeling on the ground next to him, and was distracted from his inner rant by the oddly vacant look on her face. She was obviously a million miles away, a small smile on her mouth. It made Anders happy to see one of the students looking relaxed, and yes, even happy. His patients, the kids at this school, always seemed so wound up, so stressed. It wasn't good for their health. He supposed it was understandable, given the environment they were in, but it was hardly conducive to a healthy life. Of course it didn;t help that he only got to see them when they were art their worst. Still it was always good to see one of them calm and seemingly at peace. Even if their mind had wandered off somewhere, like Pixel's clearly had.

He closed up the box as they gathered the last container, jumping to his feet, surprisingly spry for someone so large. “ Just a specific medication. Didn't think we would have run out of ir already.” he answered her question with a nod. “ The joys of inventory, looking for things you can never find.” [/size]

[Pixel Conner]

Pixel stood up as well. The doctor was so tall.. She wondered what would happen if she jumped on his back and demanded a piggy back ride. Would it be like climbing a mountain? She might get scared if she was up too high, then them again she'd be on someones back so she could just hold on really tight. Pixel looked down at the floor. She was so short she felt like she cold just reach out and touch the floor. Of course she knew that wasn't exactly true but she just felt extra short next to the doctor. Anthony wasn't so bad, she likes having to stand on her tippy toes to kiss him. If she was ever going to kiss the doctor, and she didn't want to, she'd need a step ladder.

Pixel looked around, as if the box of whatever he was looking for would just pop out of thin air and she could save the day, saying "oh look, there it is." But she didn't find it, so she just turned back to the doctor and looked up at him. "That all sounds boring, why are you doing it? See, I was just studying," She point in the diraction in which she'd been studying. "But I stopped because it got boring. I mean, I guess studying is ever not boring. Unless I'm studying with Anthony, and but I don't pay attention to studying when Anthony is with me... Oh, Anthony is my boyfriend, by the way. He was the one that was tackled down the stairs by some crazy level-four girl. She probably just wanted to s his d and he said no because he's madly in love with me... At least I hope he'd say no for that reason, hey can I have a piggy back ride?"

[anderssjodin]

Anders looked down at the small blonde girl as she chattered on incessantly. He was trying to follow her train of thought, but wasn’t really having much luck with that. She seemed to be jumping for subject to subject without any actual reason. At least she seemed bubbly though, Anders usually preferred when people around him were happy and peppy. He gathered she was bored, needed to study, and that her boyfriend was that poor boy who’d had his arm broken. That had been a fun night, two broken bones to set in one go. Definitely made the hours pass quicker. Unfortunately people didn’t get hurled down the stairs everyday. He shook his head slightly, that was hardly a good thought, he should probably knock on wood before karma could sneak up on him for that one.

Absentmindedly, he tapped his fist on the cabinet, while arching an eyebrow at the girl. Did she just ask for a piggy back? “You want me to… give you a piggy back ride? Is there any particular reason?” he asked curiously. His first instinct was to oblige her, Why not? Sure she wasn’t a patient, but he liked to think that while any of the students were in his wing, that they were subject to his bedside manner. Which was unparalleled, in his mind at least. And if the kid wanted a piggy back ride to make her happy, he should do it. But then there was a nagging voice in the back of his mind, telling him she wasn’t a patient, and it was a weird request, and that he probably should avoid it. Even back in Chicago that probably would have brought up some liability issues. “ And I’m doing inventory because someone needs too. It will be the last time. It is exceedingly boring you see.” he said, answering the first question she’d posed him, rather than wait for a response about why she wanted a piggy back ride.[/size]

[Pixel Conner]

Pixel looked away. Why did she want a piggy back ride? She didn't know. Were piggy back rides okay for pregnant girls? She knew there was a list of things you couldn't do while pregnant, and Pixel didn't do those things anyway like smoke and drink. But she knew there were things on the list she wouldn't normally think of. Mostly because Pixel wasn't.. It's not that she wasn't smart, it's just that she didn't get things a lot, and she normally had to get things spelled out for her. It became annoying a lot. Pixel looked up at the doctor whe he spoke again. "Do you need help? Like.. What can I do for you?" It was her job to help out in the medical wing. It was suppose to be helping the nurse, but she saw no reason why she couldn't help the doctor, too.

Then Pixel receeded back into her thoughts. She wondered if she could sneak out of here, get a doctors appointment, make sure everything was alright. Pixel folded her arms over her stomach. What if there was something wrong with the baby? She would have no way of knowing and that thought scared her to death. As much as she though the baby could've come at a better time, she didn't want to lose it, and she felt like each passing day that she didn't tell someone that could help her the chances of losing it were coming higher and higher. Pixel suddenly hugged the doctor, crying. She buried her face into the fabric of his shirt, mumbling. "I'm scared..."

[anderssjodin]

Anders was about to answer her, help with the inventory was exactly what he needed. She was small and tiny, who needed a step ladder when you could just pick up a bird boned teenager and shove them to the back of cabinets? Definitely a far quicker plan. And, as another added bonus, she was so close to the ground, she probably wouldn’t even need to crouch down to get to the lower shelves. He smiled a little, If he played this right, all he’d need to do was mark the inventory down on his sheet. Add to that that she clearly suffered from ADD or something of the sort, and her rapidly changing train of thought was sure to amuse him, and it all added up to a much better afternoon than he’d originally anticipated.

As these thoughts went through his head, he noticed a change come over the young girl, she wrapped her arms around her stomach protectively, the smile faded off her face and her eyes seemed distant. He frowned, wondering what caused the change in her, and was about to reach out to feel her forehead to check for a fever when she was suddenly wrapping her arms around his waist, burying her face in his shirt, and crying.

Instinctively, Anders wrapped his arms over her small shoulders, patting her back. She was scared. So an emotional problem, not physical. That was hardly his forte, but he would still see what could be done. It was in his nature to help people when he could, it was why he’d become a doctor. He rubbed her back comfortingly, after years working in ER and trauma, he was used to dealing with people in any emotional state “ Shush, there’s no need for tears, what’s wrong Pixel.” he said in his most soothing doctor voice.[//size]

[Pixel Conner]

Pixel clung to the older man, trying to breath normally rather than sob. She thought she was done crying, done being an emotional wreck. But maybe for the next nine months this is what she would be like, a hot mess. "I can't, I can't. I'm scared, I don't know what to do. What if I get expelled oh my god I can't lose Anthony, I can't. You can't tell anyone, please please please." The spots where she was crying on his shirt was getting darker, and she felt back for that, but she thought at least she wasn't wearing black make-up. She noticed the doctor smelled good, like the scent after it just rained. It was a calming scent, but it did nothing to help her emotional state at the moment.

She realized she was probably freaking the poor man out, but that wasn't a new thing for Pixel. She freaked a lot of people out. She freaked teachers out just by them reading her file. And it wasn't like they could read the file and just know she was better, it didn't work like that. The small blonde breathed the doctors scent in as much as she could, trying to calm herself. "I'm scared I'm gonna lose the baby because I don't know how to take care of myself. I've never been pregnant before and I haven't been around pregnant people and I just.. I can't lose it, I'll go insane, I love it too much."

[anderssjodin]

Pregnant then. It all clicked into place for Anders, that certainly explained her alarmingly fast mood change. He continued to rub her back gently as she cried, her tears leaving wet patches on his shirt. He made a note to himself to have it dry cleaned. It seemed like an irrelevant thought to be having at the time of a poor girl's emotional break down, but while he cared, he wasn't easily fazed. Yes, she was 16 and pregnant. It was unfortunate, but she was hardly the first one it happened to. He always thought there should be a health class here, get these kids some condoms for goodness sake. Yes, they were technically here as a punishment, but for god's sake, they were still hormonal and teenagers, meaning they were most likely going to be humping like rabbits.

He let let cry for a few more moments before he moved his hands to her shoulders, gently pushing her back, and looking down at her. “ Well that explains the tears” He said bringing his hand to her cheek, wiping away some of her tears. “ They aren't needed though, luckily there are people who's entire job is to make sure the baby is ok and you take care of yourself.” he smiled.

He needed to find her a specialist, he couldn't remember the last time he actually did more than a passing exam on someone pregnant. It was not his field. He'd have to look into who was in town. In the meantime, he could at least make sure she was actually pregnant, not just freaking out over a late period, and see how far along she was, make sure her hormones weren't too out of whack, give her a basic examination. He smiled “Looks like I get out of doing inventory after all. Let's take a look at you, make sure everything is how it should be?” he said, trying to bring her smile back.[/size]

[Pixel Conner]

The blonde nodded. She imagined doing this for her child, conforting them when they were upset and needed a hug. She hoped she never had to deal with a teenage pregnancy with her child, through. Her own mother had her when she was sixteen, and that that didn't turn out all that well, considering Pixel didn't even know her. That was probably the biggest reason adoption wasn't an option for her, she was going to be there for her child, to hell who she hurt in order to do it. Pixel would not be able to count on one hand the amount of times she needed her mom. Maybe if she'd had a mom to go to after what happened with Alex she wouldn't be at B.A.D right now. But Pixel didn't regret that, because if she'd not beat the crap out of her ex, she would never met Anthony, and wouldn't have the perfect being growing in her at the moment.

She could see the see the look of dissapointment on her aunts face, she'd seen it once before, when she paid Pixel's bail and picked her up from the police station. Pixel didn't know if she'd care about that look now, this baby was made out of love, how could she regret that? She couldn't, and she wouldn't. She already figured her father would disown her, but it was just an excuse to do something he wanted to do for a long time anyway. Sam, her cousin, would love her no matter what, but he'd want to beat the snot out of Anthony. She didn't think yelling at Sam not to would work all that well, he was kind of hard-headed, and aggressive.

Pixel looked up at doctor, nodded before looking back down and wiping her eyestheen her nose. "Look you can't.. tell anyone... Okay? If this gets around to the headmaster before I can tell him I'm screwed, okay?" She looked at him, eyes red and puffy from crying.

[anderssjodin]

Anders hesitated before responding to her request. Strictly speaking, he was not allowed, due to confidentiality issues, to tell the headmaster about any medical issues that were not a direct threat to the other students. However, he felt that this was a situation that probably should be revealed sooner rather than later. He smiled a little bit and nodded “I won't say anything Pixel. But this isn't something that can just be ignored. I can do something from here, but I am by no means a specialist. You'll need an OB GYN, and the headmaster is going to need to know I am arranging the appointments for you.[/color]” He smiled a little and patted her shoulder “ don't worry It isn't at all as scary as it sounds.”

He stepped away from her, walking towards one of the exam rooms and out of the main area. ' We will cross that bridge when it comes though, first things first, we have to make sure you're alright. ” he said with a nod, expecting she would follow him in. It was certainly a bridge that needed to be crossed, eventually she would star to show. Anders was a rip the band-aid off kind of guy, there was no reason to delay the inevitable, just because it wasn't going to be pleasant.

As they walked into the exam room, he closed the door, patting the table for her to hop up on. “ Now, we'll just cover the basics today, I'd rather wait until you're in to see a specialist for the big stuff.” he turned his back to her as he washed his hands in the sink and pulled a pair of silicone gloves on. He smiled a little, the soft feel and smell of the talcum powder on the gloves always seemed so soothing. “ If you'd like Pixel, you don't even need to talk to the headmaster about this. I certainly understand it is not an easy situation. I can arrange a meeting with him to discuss it, and what options we have for your care.” he continued his earlier train of thought with his back to her. [/font][/size]