* OUR ONE HEROIC PLEDGE, [josh]

[NELL DOE DALE]

i was confused by the powers that be,

FORGETTING NAMES AND FACES

-PASSERS-BY WERE LOOKING AT ME

as if they can erase it. baby, did you forget to take your meds?

Nell sat down next to Angela in one of the folding chairs she found in the corner, sliding apple sauce onto the table next to the girl. She could look at the girl, but when she did, it was frightening. She had a mean looking shiner on her eye, they had to stitch up her elbow where she’d been knocked into the picture frame and it had shattered. ”Here you go, mija, hospital cuisine on the house,” she said, opening her pucding, a sick feeling in her stomach. This was not how she expected her evening to go. She had planned to go over Angela’s to hang out. She hadn’t planned on Rafael coming over and starting shit. It was new to her that the two were dating, Angela said that she had a boyfriend but Nell hadn’t actually connected it before. She was the one to take the girl to the hospital, more concerend about her at the time than about Rafael. He was lucky that she wasn’t anyone else, someone who would have clocked him across the face, or anything worse to get him away. The girl thanked her, she was subdued, brown hair matted down and sweaty. It was quite a lovely way to spend the night. "How are you feeling?" she questioned, crossing her legs and watching the creases in her jeans, trying to take her mind off the environment. "Flying high," she responded softly, and Nell gave a short nod, lifting her eyebrows.

She didn’t have much of a fondness for hospitals really. Well, in a way she did. She appreciated their place in society, healing the sick, taking care of others. It wasn’t so great when she was a patient. Because she remember the bedpan under her chin, the haze of the Demerol, the way her nurse’s blond curls bounced with the slightest movement. At least they had nice televisions, big screen, HD. There was a time when Nell could have imagined herself as a doctor, or a scientist, when she wanted to do something to help her sister. When the books would ask her which of the giobulins functions in immunity, where are chloride ions most highly concentrated in the body, how do the kidneys respond to excess hydrogen ions, and she’d answer because daddy would help without a clue. Till wanted to be like her father, but it was Nell who ended up getting a shot. And she used her health to do what she could. The only one, at the age of six, who would do anything for a dying child. She might have laughed if there was anything funny about it. And there was, in a horrible way. In the irony of it, she guessed.

She left the room after finishing the pudding to use the bathroom, but she halted when she saw a familiar person in the corridor filled with wheelchairs and gurneys. Quickly, she approached him and said, ”Rafael.” Her voice was chilly, but nothing on her face betrayed her absolute rage. What gives you the fucking right to be here, you asshole? He looked at her, sneered. ”What do you want now, Nell?” Her gaze was stony, hard. ”To bake cookies with you, what else?” came the sarcastic, smiling response. He moved aside, started walking down to where Angela’s room was. She slid in front of the door before he could reach it, gaze hard, unmoving. ”I have a visitor’s pass, leave me alone.” He waved the pink slip to prove the fact, but she wasn’t budging. ”I have a mouth, and I’m telling you to go the fuck away.” Her foul language came out, all bets were off. He rolled his glimmering eyes. ”This is none of your business, I don’t know why you keep sticking your nose into my goddamn life but stop it. Just because we’re fucking siblings doesn’t mean shit.” She tilted her head, bangs casting a shadow over her eyes and making them take on a darker shade. ”I’m not going to tell you again.” She was serious, but she also knew that he could easily push her away without a second thought. Would he start a fight here? Now that she had an idea about him, she wouldn’t put it above him.

[/justify]

[JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE]

Joshua ran his hands under the scalding water, the smell of antiseptic soap assaulting his nose. He was used to the clean, sterile smell of the hospital rooms and it did not bother him in the least. He dried his hands with paper towel and went back into the hall to report to his supervisor, who was being surprisingly pleasant today. He was wary of her but it seemed sincere. "Did you sterilize the tools?" He nodded. "Twice." He knew she liked him to be thorough, always paranoid that something would go wrong. A lot of bacteria could be found on surgical tools that were improperly sterilized and so he took their cleaning as seriously as she did. It was a little boring, perhaps, but he never complained. This was his leg-up, his credentials, his advantage. He would not be ungrateful for the opportunities he was given. "There's a girl down in one of the rooms, looks like she's been in a fight. Go and check on here and then you can leave, you're done for the day." Though he normally enjoyed the hospital work and keeping busy, the prospect of leaving was a relief to him. He had to be home in a few hours for Annabel and he wanted to relax, anyway. Which room was it again? He recalled the number she'd gave him and started to make his way down there, expecting a few bruises, maybe a cut or two. Nothing he couldn't handle, he figured, confident in this.

"Just because we’re fucking siblings doesn’t mean shit.”

”I’m not going to tell you again.”

The argument would have meant nothing to him if not for that second voice chiming in after the first, jarring him and stopping his tracks. Nell? No, that wasn't right. Nell didn't have siblings, right? She had a sister. That was years ago, Till was dead, Till was not the very male voice that had been snapping at her. Then he felt a surge of anger, though not toward his fiancée. Who the fuck did that stranger think he was? And what is Nell doing here? He had a lot of questions, none of which he was going to get unless he approached. He had things to be doing but he figured he could spare five minutes to nip down a side-hall. As it turned out, it wasn't necessary. They were standing in front of the room he'd been approaching anyway and he neared with a cold glare in Rafael's direction. "Excuse me, you're in my way." Actually it was Nell who stood in front of the door, blocking it, but he had more of a problem with this unfamiliar boy. He looked toward Nell, arched an eyebrow questioningly. What's going on? "I'm here to see a patient," he said, technically to both of them, then spoke directly to Rafael, "If you're going to cause a disruption, you'll need to leave. This is a hospital, you know." And that's my fiancée you're snapping at, thank you very much.

A sweeping glance over Nell suggested that she was not injured, though he was not immediately comforted by this. "Nell, why are you here? Are you alright?" He had a job to be doing, he wasn't supposed to be side-tracked by arguments or other things. Still, his fiancée was important to him and he didn't want to brush her aside. Not until he was reassured that she was not in any ill health or danger. He cast another sour glance toward Rafael. You'd better not be giving her too much trouble, asshole. Joshua could not help how protective he got over her. It did not matter how capable the Earth girl was of defending herself, he wanted to keep her safe. He figured she felt the same way about him. That was how love worked, after all. You mattered to one another. It was amazing how quickly he could form an opinion on someone based solely on how they'd spoken to Nell. She could have been in the wrong during the argument, it did not matter. She was the better one in this situation. It wasn't, perhaps, the best way of handling a situation, but it was Joshua's way.

[NELL DOE DALE]

i was confused by the powers that be,

FORGETTING NAMES AND FACES

-PASSERS-BY WERE LOOKING AT ME

as if they can erase it. baby, did you forget to take your meds?

Nell should most likely have been afraid of Rafael. After what she’d seen, she shouldn’t have been standing there with her hands on each side of the door frame, lifting her chin up at him because everyone was taller than her and it was hard to be intidimating at five-foot-two. Especially with her face pale and gaze listless save for the glint of anger held in them. He certainly wasn’t intimidated, she could tell. All he had to do was push her away. Words couldn’t describe how reassured she was by Josh’s voice, even in this situation. Even though he didn’t speak to her, she dropped her arms and folded them across her chest, leaning against the doorframe, one leg crossed behind the other. Rafael turned his frustrated gaze to Josh, and she kept her eyes on him, wondering if he’d try to be slick and dart his way in. ”I’m here to see a patient, too,” he said, waving the pink slip again, and she was half-tempted to snatch it away and tell him he wasn’t here to see a patient, Angela didn’t want to see him, and he should go away. He pointed his thumb in her direction, and her expression remained unamused. ”She is the one whose causing the disruption. She’s blocking the goddamn door.” The word ‘door’ was devolved into a growl. Rafael turned to look at her as if that added look would magic her away from the door. Nell wondered if Angela knew what was going on, or if she was too doped up on Percocets that would wear off. She was thinking that Angela would just be taking Tylenol after, or if she was willing, one of Nell’s remedies.

She didn’t expect Josh to take her side. After all, Rafael had a point, she was the one blocking his way when he had a pass from the front desk. But she was obstinate, and when Josh looked at her, she wrenched her own gaze away from Rafael and smiled too pleasantly. ”Doing great, actually.” She nodded her head in the direction of the room, where Angela was laid up on the bed, over the covers. When she left, the girl had been poking holes into the aluminum foil of the lid with her fork. She didn’t let her eyes leave the scene in front of her, knowing that her friend would be all right as long as she stayed put and Rafael stayed far away. Russia far. ”It’s Angela that’s not doing good.” She tilted her head when she looked back at Rafael. Would he own up? The boy just rolled his eyes, and so she took charge, uncrossing her legs and straightening a bit. ”Rafael is the reason she’s in the hospital, as a matter of fact.” Before Nell could even get further with the accusations, he turned and lifted his chin in the same manner as she had. Hope we don’t get that from Papa. ”Yeah, and what proves that, Nell?” He questioned, and she could picture smoke coming from his mouth. ”Great defense,” she commented. ”It’ll come in handy when I file a police report.”

He didn’t smirk in triumph, even though she knew what he must have felt with his next words. ”Only Angela can file a police report.” Nell clenched her jaw, knowing how that was going to go down. Angela would not file a police report, even if her friend tried prodding her into it. It was easy for people to say, “He’s no good for you, just leave him.” It was more complicated than that, and the Earth girl didn’t know how long this had even been going on, how long they had been dating. Rafael had turned the tables and he knew it. She looked back at Josh, expression wary now that she lost her footholding in the situation. Still, she refused to move for her brother, refused to let him anywhere near Angela, even if she doubted that he could cause too much trouble in the hospital. But what about after, when she got out and she’d have to see him again? Her gaze was back to Rafael, stubbborn as she said, ”She will.” The Thunder elemental shook his head as if disappointed, shifting so that he looked at Josh again. ”Look, my girlfriend’s in there, she’s hurt, just let me see her.” Nell felt as if he had fed coals into the flames of her anger, trying to play the well-meaning and concerned boyfriend. The names she could call him dlew through her head, but she only looked at him with an incredulous look.

[/justify]

[JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE]

Joshua crossed his arms and frowned when Rafael spoke. I hate him. It was not real hate, not the sort of passionate loathing he had for Patrick, for Bryce, for anyone like Jane that tried to hurt someone he was close to. It was intense dislike, though, and in the current situation that was enough to make everything Rafael said a moot point in the face of the irritated Fire graduate. "Never mind the door," Joshua said coolly, knowing that he'd need to ask Nell to move but not wanting Rafael to get his way. Josh could be stubborn if he wanted to and Nell was in the right. It did not matter that Rafael had a visitor's slip, that Nell was the one blocking the door, that they'd both took part in the argument, he had been on Nell's side from the start. "You're obviously upset and I don't think you should be here. Maybe you should come back later." It might have been plausible advice if not for the glint of anger in his eyes, the fact that he still hadn't unfolded his arms. Just get the hell out of here so I can ask Nell what's going on. Despite blatantly siding with her, Josh's head was still reeling from the word siblings. He did not want to see any similarities between them and so he forced himself not to look. He'd question Nell about it soon but for now he needed to remove a certain hot-headed guy from the picture.

He wondered whether or not to believe Nell when she told him that she was doing great, then decided to take her words at face value. She didn't seem injured and she didn't sound or look ill, either. He followed her gaze to the door, registering the name but not recognising it as someone they both knew. "Oh?" His tone turned suspicious as his fiancée pointed fingers, attention back on Rafael as he scowled at him. He automatically believed her despite the face that the other boy wasn't admitting to anything. Nell could label someone a murderer and he'd probably take her word for it. It took a long time for him to trust someone but for Nell he was always a little too trusting. He would place his life into her hands without a second thought. "If that's the case, then I'm not suggesting you leave, I'm demanding it. Get out." He jerked his thumb down the hall in the general direction of the exit. He probably should have told Nell to leave, too, they were both causing the problem, but he did not. Of course. There was talk of police reports and he guessed this was some sort of domestic abuse. 'Seems like she's been in a fight,' wasn't that what he'd been told? If looks could kill, he might well have reduced Rafael to a pile of ashes with the look he gave him now. "My fiancée is right here, you're causing a problem, and I am telling you that you need to leave." He nodded at Nell to indicate who he was talking about at the word 'fiancée', eyes smouldering.

Making a point of completely ignoring Nell's part in the argument (he could be spiteful when it came to dislike), he turned to the Earth girl. "Could you excuse me a minute, Nell? I really need to do my job." He would much rather stand and sort things out with the whole tail-end of the argument he'd heard a minute earlier but he knew it wouldn't be good of him to ignore what he'd been sent down here for in the first place. "I get off work after this, we should talk." There was a certain note in his voice that suggested he wasn't going to let things drop too easily. He wasn't mad at her (he kept secrets of his own with Bryce), he was only curious. Stepping past into the room, he approached Angela as if the entire confrontation outside her room door had not just happened. So he's your boyfriend, huh? You've got shit taste in men. He almost said it but stopped himself. That could come across as rude even if he'd said it jokingly. "How are you feeling?" he asked her, out of formality. He knew she probably wasn't feeling the greatest, either that or she was doped up on medication and wouldn't really understand how she was feeling. "Is there anything you need?" He figured her arm would do fine with the stitches and the black eye made him hate Rafael more. So this is how you treat girls? I'd never hurt Nell like that.

[Assumed she'd move for him/wanted to give you something more to work with, I can edit if not xD Josh can/will threaten to call security in the next post if Rafael persists xD]

[NELL DOE DALE]

i was confused by the powers that be,

FORGETTING NAMES AND FACES

-PASSERS-BY WERE LOOKING AT ME

as if they can erase it. baby, did you forget to take your meds?

Josh was getting serious, and Nell was glad for his seeming disapproval of Rafael, even though he really should have been frowning at her. Would she leave the hospital if he told her to? As long as Rafael left with her. She wanted to be here for Angela, but she didn't want Rafael around too. Rafael's own gaze sparked in anger, eyebrows furrowed and nostrils flared. "The fuck I will," he said, and his voice was oddly controlled. He did not have the sort of temper Josh did, and Nell couldn't be very thankful for that. He was still a violent person. He'd proven that first with Gale, and now with his girlfriend. "There's no reason I shouldn't come in now." He was ignoring her now, but Nell wanted him to feel the look she was directing toward his skull, cold and flat, made so by the weariness. Just go away. She wanted him to disappear from her life. Wish she'd never found out about him. But did she really wish that? Would she have preferred not knowing of the crime her father committed against her mother. Rafael's mother, as well, she knew it couldn't be good for the other woman either. Her empathy wouldn't allow her to ignore that. But Rafael...oh, she can hate him. Not for being born out of the affair, but for the bruises and stitches on Angela. No, she was glad that she knew now so she could handle things. Even if it made her afraid, because she knew something about repression, and maybe if she hadn't unconsciously turned off some of her memories she may have been able to tell something was up with her father.

She really didn't want to catch Josh in the middle of this, realizing their bickering was putting him in an awkward position. He said, she said never worked out too well, but even though she knew it was unfair without the evidence she wanted, she hoped that Josh had faith in her. She wouldn't lie about this, had no reason to make up a story. And maybe he did have faith in her by the way he said the word, attention now on Rafael who wasn't backing down. The Thunder elemental seemed incredulous when Josh ordered him out of the hospital, and Nell almost felt triumphant. But she knew better. "Yeah, except that's not the case." She just loved how he pretended to be a reasonable person. "You're believing her? What does she have to go off of?" Exasperated, Nell decided to speak up again. "The fact that I was there, Rafael, and I saw you. I drove her here." She stopped, shaking her head as she looked away down the hall. He was right, she had nothing in terms of physical evidence. But Josh was on her side, thank God, clear by the look in his eye. Rafael smirked humorlessly at the word fiancée. "I see, so that's why you're taking her side." Yeah, because I'm reasonable here, asshole. 'You know what, I'll just talk to someone higher up here, see how they feel about me not being allowed to see my girlfriend."

Nell blinked, moved out of the doorway and made a sweeping gesture. "Yeah, please," she said, her voice light and more like a sigh than anything. That's what she wanted, for Angel to be okay. She blinked, but nodded at his words, not having any objections to telling him what was going on. "Mmm, I need a potty break..." She was mumbling by then, not even realizing she was still speaking, eyelids feeling heavy as she went in a blind search of the bathrooms. Angela grimaced at Josh's question, scraping the fork along the bottom of the empty applesauce bowl. ”The percs are wearing off.” They'd given it to her for the stitches, and now she was feeling the disappointing crash. He asked if there was anything she needed and she looked up at him, wrinkled her eyebrows, looking very much the displeased child. Nell had told her that she'd be taking Advil from now on for the pain, but she didn't work at the hospital, now did she? "...Drugs?" Her eyes were pleading but void of most other feelings, fingers shaking as she held the bowl, too tired to reach over and put it on the table beside her bed. Nell returned then, and asked Josh, "Can she stay overnight? She lives with her grandparents and they're abroad right now. I don't want her home alone." She was speaking for the girl because Angela was getting distracted by every little thing her gaze caught. Nell knew that hospitals loved to free up beds, but this would be the best place for Angela right now.

[/justify]

[JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE]

His anger was evident in his eyes, hands tightened over his folded arms and veins along the backs of them popping slightly. His jaw was set, lips forming a hard line, and if Joshua had not been at work he would have punched Rafael square in the jaw, no questions asked. As it were, it was becoming more and more difficult for him to contain his anger. Fire elementals were like that. He looked between Rafael and Nell as they argued, though his gaze seemed much more critical whenever it found the unfamiliar male. "Yes, I'm believing her," he said firmly, coldly. "You don't seem the type I'd trust, to be perfectly honest." Josh had every reason to hear both sides of the story. He had no proof that Rafael had done anything, that Nell was telling the truth. It was trust that motivated him, trust and a sheer loathing for Rafael that might have made him turn on the other boy even if Nell had been lying through her teeth to him. "If Nell says she saw you, then she saw you. How do you defend yourself against an eye witness?" Then, almost as if in afterthought, he said, "And if you lay a hand on her, I'll wrap both of mine around your neck." If this guy was capable of hurting his own girlfriend, who knew what he might try doing to Nell in some fit of anger? Joshua didn't trust him and a lack of trust meant he saw him as a threat to those he cared about. You didn't threaten the people Josh cared about.

He looked immediately to Nell when Rafael spoke of the higher-ups, a knowing gleam in his gray eyes. I've got this. It was a mark of how close he was to her that he could convey his feelings with just a glance, a look, no words involved. He liked their closeness, respected how well she knew him. "Oh, for sure," Joshua said easily, uncrossing his arms and waving a hand slightly as if they were discussing something as simple as the sunshine. "How's about we go together, then? You're free to tell them how bad I am at doing my job, while you're at it." Joshua felt triumphant, for he knew the majority of the higher ups. Family friends, literal family in the case of the owner. Donovan could veto any decision to reprimand his son and Joshua knew that he probably would. "I can take you there myself, I know the way. We might even be able to catch the hospital's head." His complete confidence and lack of fear might have been taken as sheer idiocy, pig-headedness, the thought that he was superior just because he worked here. But no, Josh was so confident because he was guaranteed a win. Family stick up for family. Donovan liked Nell after the brief rocky period and Josh was his son. "Alternatively, you could find the fucking door down there and walk your ass out of it." He cocked an eyebrow, wondering what Rafael would do.

He nodded when Nell excused herself to go to the bathroom, deciding that he'd deal with Angela in their absence. He wasn't surprised that the percs they'd given her were wearing off but he shook his head when she asked for more of them. "I can't do that, sorry." Though sympathetic, he didn't have the authority and didn't think it would be the right decision if he could. She wasn't splitting from the seams, so while he could believe that she was in pain and that she probably felt like shit, more drugs were not necessary. Noticing her shaking hands, he took pity on her and set the bowl on the table beside the bed. Joshua turned when Nell re-entered the room, cast her a brief smile. He was still fuming silently over Rafael's mere existence but he was determined not to take it out on her. This wasn't her fault, even if he did have burning questions about what was going on. He dipped his head at her request. He probably wouldn't have done it for anyone else but Nell asking something from him was almost guaranteed to get a 'yes'. "Sure, I can have that arranged. Especially if a certain someone decides to pay a visit to the house." The girl needed some time to recover from whatever she'd experienced, Josh was sure. As he gazed at Nell, there was an almost contemplative look in his eyes. I could never hurt you like that. Why would anyone be that cruel? "Are you alright? Did he give you too much trouble?"

[NELL DOE DALE]

i was confused by the powers that be,

FORGETTING NAMES AND FACES

-PASSERS-BY WERE LOOKING AT ME

as if they can erase it. baby, did you forget to take your meds?

Nell felt more and more triumphant each time Josh spoke. Even though he was pissed. He did a good job at keeping it restrained, very professional. Rafael was not so pleased, as expected. He rolled his eyes, and Nell had to keep her hands clenched so as not to claw them out. She didn't think she could hate someone as much as she'd hated Jane, but Rafael had done quite a magnificent job at getting on her bad side. The bad side that you couldn't get back from, that she wouldn't forgive you for. He touched Angela. She would absolutely crush him. So far, she was succeeding with her stunning dead look. "How do I defend myself? She's a fucking liar!" He stated it as a fact, like it was completely obvious. "When have I ever lied to you, Rafael?" It was like talking to a child. "Yeah, I'm not going to fucking touch the bitch." She blinked at him, disbelieving. She waved her fingers, smiling. "Hey Raf, that bitch? Right here." He gave her another look, a hand on his hip. Maybe if she had some stature to back her up she'd be more willing to throw a punch. She hated violence, but she may have hated her brother more.

Which is why she felt quite smug at the look exchanged with Josh when Rafael thought he found a solution. She didn't care about the fact that it would be nepotism to favor Josh, but she knew Rafael deserved it. Despite his protests, he was guilty. Rafael narrowed his eyes as Josh oh so confidently agreed with him about the higher-ups. "What are you getting at?" Nell had to give him credit, at least he wasn't stupid. No, he really was too clever for his own good, must have gotten his smarts from daddy dearest. She didn't even want to think on that. "I really suggest you go with option b, Rafael." He looked at her, and then back at Josh, and the Mexican stand-off ensued again. He held up his hands. "You know what, fuck this shit." Her eyes were cold, and she stopped the words that could have come out of her mouth, knowing better. Guess Angela's not important enough. Good. She hoped that he gave up on her, left her alone. Was that too much to hope for though? She didn't know. Luckily, he left and to hell with him.

Angela was quite crestfallen with the news of drugs being withheld, and Nell wished she could do something to make it all better. To make Rafael vanish, like a magician. Smoke and mirrors and trap doors. She shook her head at Josh's question, running a hand through her hair. "No, I'm fine, he backed off when Angie..." She blinked at the girl, her bruises and the bags under her eyes, and she remembered the panic. "I'll tell you later." She didn't have boundaries with Josh, the only ones were there for his own protection. Nell didn't want to get into it with Angela here, fearing for the girl's state. "Nell, he's holding out on drugs. Isn't that like...malpractice or something?" Nell couldn't help but smile weakly. "You should get sleep, space cadet, not drugs." Angela wrinkled her nose, crossed her arms. She didn't want to be here, who would? Nell bet she was mostly upset about this being found out. "Can you please try and sleep, Ang?" The girl shrugged, and it wasn't usual behavior for her to be so stubborn and melancholy, but who wouldn't be in a situation like this? 'You said you get off after this? I want to stay overnight with her, but I could get something more to eat." If she was going to talk, she wouldn't do it around Angela. The cafeteria was a better suited place.

[/justify]

[JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE]

If he hadn't been so irritated with Rafael already, his lack of a valid defence might have made Joshua laugh. He clearly didn't have much to go on as he labelled Nell a liar. There was no proof that Nell was lying but there was a girl lying in a hospital bed with a black eye and a stitched arm that spoke volumes for the situation. "I'm dead fucking serious. You mess with Nell and you'll be the one who's hospitalized." Rafael put his girlfriend in the hospital? Josh would surround him with bleach white walls and simple décor if he so much as touched Nell. That's how you should treat someone that loves you, prick. He was more angry with Rafael because of Nell than because of Angela, given he didn't know the girl, but he definitely did not approve of domestic violence. It was too far. Joshua smirked when Rafael gave up. "I wouldn't bother coming back later," he said coolly, adding insult to injury, and then he turned his attention on Nell. She calmed him where Rafael incensed him and he hoped that her presence could reverse the effects of his anger quicker than if he'd been alone. The hospital weren't fans of public displays of affection and so he merely took her hand for a moment, met her gaze, tried to convey silently how he was feeling. I want to know you're okay. I'm worried about you. They'd have time to discuss all of this later, though, and so he released his grip quickly and went into the room to finish his job.

He understood completely when Nell said that she'd tell him later, not having expected her to get into it in front of her friend. He doubted Angela's good judgement for staying with a guy like Rafael but that didn't mean he'd go out of his way to make her uncomfortable. His lips twitched in sympathy and mild amusement when Angela spoke to Nell. "Actually, it'd be malpractice if I didn't." This much was true and he did not want to lose his job. He knew that he should have handled the hallway situation maturely, responsibly, but that did not mean that he had any regrets. Rafael was a douchebag, he deserved all the ill treatment that he'd gotten. It didn't surprise him that Nell wanted to stay overnight, now that he thought about it. That was his fiancée, always doing things for other people. He managed a smile. "Sure thing, babe." He followed her out of the room and kept pace with her, keeping his stride slow. Having long legs meant you often left other people behind if you weren't careful. "I'll stay a while, too. Not overnight but long enough to make sure Rafael doesn't come back." Nell alone probably couldn't do enough to get the boy kicked out but Josh had power here. This was almost like his territory, his domain. Connections could help you go far. "Lucky I was on duty tonight, really." He didn't like to think of what would have happened if he wasn't.

They passed Stacy in the hall but he merely gave her a nod and walked by, hoping it was enough for her to understand he'd done as he was told and he was finished for the night. The older woman knew he was engaged but he'd never introduced Nell. The doors to the hospital cafeteria were always held open with wedges so that the weaker patients did not have to struggle in getting them open, so that those in wheelchairs or walkers did not have too much of an issue. "The food isn't phenomenal but it's alright, I guess. Do you want me to bring you something later?" He didn't have much to do for the night and so he wouldn't mind picking up food that wasn't from the hospital. Take-out was probably against some rule or another but he was all about bending the rules to suit Nell as best as possible. He would really do anything for her. He knew that he was avoiding the subject a little out of awkwardness and so he endeavoured not to beat around the bush too much. Not taking any food for himself, he sat down with her anyway and asked, "So... sister? What was that all about?" He seemed almost apologetic as he asked, not having meant to butt into their argument and listen. It wasn't like he'd eavesdropped or anything. "How long's he been bothering you like this?" He was naturally protective, he didn't like the idea of some guy coming into her life and messing with her. Family or not.

[NELL DOE DALE]

i was confused by the powers that be,

FORGETTING NAMES AND FACES

-PASSERS-BY WERE LOOKING AT ME

as if they can erase it. baby, did you forget to take your meds?

Maybe it was exhaustion, but laughter bubbled from her chest when Josh commented on malpractice, and he had to bite her lip, looked down at her hands as she clasped them together. God, she didn't know if she could be more thankful that Josh had been working tonight. Not like she had much power in the situation, but he did. It scared her. What could she do about Rafael? Well, she was going to do something, that much was painfully obvious. She played with her hair walking with Josh, running her fingers through it, tugging on loose strands, occupying her hands. "Thank you," she said when he told her that he would stay later to make sure Rafael didn't try anything, and her stomach twisted with gratitude. Every feeling was a thousand times more profound than usual, surreal. She held onto Josh's arm, resting her head against it. "Yeah, I don't know what I would have done otherwise. Might have had to throw a few punches. Defend Angie's honor." It was a hilarious thought, really, her standing up to Rafael. He was built like a Fuentes, and she was built like a Raggedy Ann doll. It wasn't the reason she didn't fight. If she were more inclined toward violence, and she were defending Angela, she'd have thrown common sense out of the window and went for him. After all, she understood how boars and rhinos could kill for their young.

Nell went up to a cue, putting food on a tray. "It's food," she said with a light smile. His offer caused the usual inner dilemma of the prospect of food versus putting Josh out in anyway. But he'd probably tell that she was lying if she said that she wouldn't like that. "Uhm, yah...sure, if you like." She sighed with the question, noting Josh's tone. So he'd heard. Didn't really mind, not like they were being all too quiet. Devin had overheard and found out about some things she'd rather keep hidden, not like she could. "Half-sister," she said, but what did it matter? They shared blood, they were family, and it wasn't like she had given Josh any family members that were good so far. This was just another one to add to the collection, she doubted that he could be surprised. "First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes an affair and a bastard child in a baby carriage." Ironically, she didn't even know that rhyme when she was a kid, but so much time spent around kids meant catching on. "He's my father's kid with...some woman, I don't know." Did she want to know more about it? In a twisted way, yes she did. But then again, it was a part of her past, even if her father denied as much. He didn't realize how much his actions had always affected her.

How long? She took a plate of jello, and tilted her head. "Like a month. I mean, wasn't even aware he existed until I was in the wrong place at the right time." It was purely circumstance that brought them together, that brought light on the situation. It was disturbing to think that her father could have covered all this up, took it to his grave, had Rafael not found him. "Rafael found out our father was living here from the news..." She blinked before shaking her head and paying for her food. "Basically, he hates me thanks to my dad and well, because I'm apparently getting in the way of everything." She felt freaking great about that, even though she knew what he thought about today. She got everything she wanted, and now thanks to Josh, this was just more evidence of that for Rafael. Let him think what he wanted. She was going to incarcerate his ass soon enough. "I won't bother you with any more details of the family drama," she said, rolling her eyes as she went to find a table. We're one of the richest families in New York, and yet the most redneck people I know. The thought went out to all her relatives, to Jane with all her marriages and Pilar with his hate of her simply because of who Mia had been. She sat down, sliding the tray in front of her as she gave it a long look before glancing back at Josh. "So how was your day? You been here a while?" She'd much rather hear about that than to think of Rafael, especially since she needed to do something about him and her brain wouldn't allow for that right now.

[/justify]

[JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE]

He tilted his head toward her and gave Nell a fond smile when she leaned her head against his arm, enjoying the closeness as always. It was strange how she made him feel, almost lighter than usual. Happy despite the anger that still bubbled in his blood. "You, throw a punch?" His voice was soft and teasing but on the inside he wondered if she might have done it after all. He remembered how she'd attacked Bryce, stopped his brother from digging a knife into his neck. He appreciated that in his own strange way. Josh was a proud person but it was good to know that someone cared about him enough to stick up for him. "I'll do that, then. I'll leave in a bit and then come back with it, stick around a while. It's been a long day, I'm pretty hungry myself." He got so caught up in his work that he forgot the convenient existence of the hospital cafeteria until his volunteering shift was over and he left for the day. Now that he had the option of something other than food that came in plastic packaging and had to be eaten with flimsy forks, Josh was definitely going to take advantage of it. It wasn't really out of his way to get anything for Nell but he would have done it if it was regardless. Anything and everything for her. "So what'll it be?" He did not know what sort of food she was in the mood for and so he decided to ask her. "Want me to get something for your friend, as well?" She was injured, not ill, so he figured it couldn't hurt to have something other than hospital food. No one preferred hospital cuisine to KFC or Chinese, after all.

His light expression got a little more sombre and serious when Nell corrected him. Half-sister. He did not have any half-siblings but anyone with a brain knew what that meant. The product of another marriage, a previous relationship, possibly even an affair, a second life. As it turned out, it was the latter. Joshua blinked at her slowly, wondering what to say to that. It was a shock to him and he realised how much he really loathed her father. Can't do anything right, can he, the bastard? First he abandons his own kid to go and have another one with some other woman, then abandons that kid to go back to the first kid, then leaves again. Josh didn't trust him. He'd been warming up slowly thanks to Nell but this was back to square one all over again. He frowned, almost a scowl but not quite. "Ah." It made him uncomfortable, a prickling down his spine. What else didn't she know about? What else don't I know about? He always tried to avoid suspicion with Nell but it was hard sometimes, especially when she told him that it had been going on for about a month now. She has every right to keep secrets. He had to keep reminding himself. "Hates you? You're not the product of an affair, you're not getting in the way of anything." His words were half-snarled and a gleam of anger flashed in his gray eyes. "And your father? Why did he never tell you?" He hated prying but at the same time, this was Nell. He loved her. There shouldn't be secrets between us. We keep them anyway, but...

He shook his head. "No, Nell, I want to know what's going on with you," he said quietly. He reached across the table and took her hand, stroked his thumb over her skin. "I love you. It concerns me." He was protective, he couldn't help the way that his blood boiled when someone he loved was threatened. He tried not to be overbearing about it but Rafael seemed like a definite threat to him. He was bigger than Nell and obviously capable of violence. When she asked about his day he considered avoiding the subject for a moment, insisting to know more, but he decided to let it go and shrugged. "Most of the day, really. It keeps me occupied when there's nothing else to do and I enjoy it so I stick around. The day went... alright." It had actually been pretty good until the news had slapped him across the face and jolted him back to an uncomfortable reality. No matter how close the two of them came to a perfectly relaxed life, it was snatched away from them. At least I still have her. He didn't think he could stand to lose Nell. Not now, not after they'd been through so much. He squeezed her hand and twitched his lips. "All the same, I'm glad for the rest." He wondered when she would be getting home tomorrow, silently hoped that Rafael wouldn't show up in the earlier hours of the morning when Josh wasn't around to try and force his will. If I have to get him kicked out a little more permanently... He let the threatening thought trail off.

[NELL DOE DALE]

i was confused by the powers that be,

FORGETTING NAMES AND FACES

-PASSERS-BY WERE LOOKING AT ME

as if they can erase it. baby, did you forget to take your meds?

Nell nodded, hummed a sound of approval in her throat, just content to be with her fiance after this day. "You know, some of us aren't six feet tall here, otherwise I would mean business." She envied Josh that. He could be intimidating, and she was the farthest thing from it. Not that she wanted to be intimidating all the time, just in cases like with Rafael when she needed to protect someone. And she felt like she couldn't defend Angela. That scared her. Because when she thought deeper into it, that provided a reason as to why no one helped anyone else. Why no one would help her mother, why no one would help her. "Please tell me you ate something today. Even if you lie to me." She knew when Josh got focused on something like studying he forgot to have an actual meal. She couldn't imagine it, really. Nell scrunched her lips together when he asked after what kind of food she wanted. She had eaten today because nothing could ever steer her away from food, save for perhaps a night in the hospital worrying herself sick over Angela. Now she felt a great deal better with Josh, especially when he was getting her food. "Chinese sounds good. I don't even care what, I probably need something in my stomach." And there wasn't anything she'd be opposed to. "As for Angela...she's into Thai, but Chinese is Asian too, so let's go with Chinese all around. I know they usually have at least one vegetarian dish." The two girls were supposed to eat, but those plans had been canceled.

She was a bit concerned about his reaction, realizing that she hadn't told him before. He didn't seem very pleased, and she wondered if it was because she hadn't told him about Rafael's existence. "I'm sorry that I didn't tell you but...I honestly didn't know what to make of the entire situation." Right now, she was too tired to feel a lot of strong emotions. But she had been battling with the betrayal she felt for her mother, the bitterness toward bother her father and her brother, and the fear that there were a lot of puzzle pieces in her life that were missing. Even more fear that her dead mother may hold some of them and she'd never get them back. She smirked humorlessly at his venomous words, playing around with the straw in her soda. "Oh, I have been getting in the way. Stopped him from killing our father. And from beating up this one kid. Now with Angela...I think the only reason he paid me any mind was because she started crying." It was what she didn't want to say in front of the girl. She was a tough person, and it was shattering to see someone like that sobbing. Nell tilted her head, considering Josh's question. "Everyone likes to keep their regrets in the past," she said. "I don't think he expected Rafael to come back to haunt him so he just kept it a secret. It's not like we talk about those things, anyway." She hated that she could related to her father, that she understood him. Nell had wanted the same thing when she fled to America. Maybe he should have learned from her.

A real smile found her face then when he took her hand and said that he wanted to hear about the drama. She couldn't help the warm feeling whenever he said that he loved her and wanted to listen to her. And really, he was the only one she could talk to so candidly like this. With others, if she ever got to the real stuff, it was just evasion and metaphors, none of it raw. And yet, no matter how many times he said he wanted to hear it, she felt like she was always burdening him. "Well, I'll keep you posted," she said, her voice somewhat lighter. "I haven't really talked to my father lately and I think...I'll need to. And not just to get more information about the..." She wrinkled her nose. "Affair." She believed Josh would understand what she meant. Was it masochistic that she didn't want him to leave even with this? Because she knew it would still hurt, and how much can a person lose before there's no fixing the injuries? She liked to hear about Josh's day, and she propped her chin up with her hand. "No one trying to break out of the hospital or anything? Any patients siphoning other people's morphine drips?" At least she could still joke, even though it felt terrible when Angela was in a hospital bed. Because of her half-brother. Nell figured that she'd tell the girl, but was almost ashamed to admit any relation to him. But she was related to Jane and Pilar and well she was more glad than ever to be the Earth elemental black sheep. She squeezed his hand back and told him, "If you wanna go home and get some rest, I'll be fine holding down the fort." He was always busy, and she worried if he might not be getting good sleep.

[/justify]

[JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE]

It was remarkable how much Nell's presence could have an affect on him, how much better she made him feel. Even a bad day could have a brighter side when Nell was around. He used to deny it when people said he seemed happier around her, not wanting to feel dependent, but now he embraced it. "Six foot three, actually, but you were close enough." Their height difference was a rather prominent one but Josh didn't mind at all. Height was trivial when it came to his feelings for her. She understood him so well, proving it when she asked him if he'd eaten. "I had some breakfast?" He voiced it as a question and laughed, wondering if that would be good enough for her. He knew that his sleeping and eating patterns weren't the most consistent things in the world. It's good I've got you around, really. There had been a darker time when it was Joshua fussing over how much she was eating and worrying about how often she slept but they were past that now. "Chinese it is. I haven't had spring rolls in a while." When you lived in a mansion and actually hired someone to cook for you, take out wasn't necessary. He liked it all the same. Not McDonalds or Burger King but Chinese and Mexican restaurants, Thai, Italian. He liked food. Not as much as Nell (that would take serious effort) but enough that he enjoyed eating. He simply forgot to a lot of the time. "Ah, what would I do without you around, eh?" He nudged her affectionately, smiled.

He was more angry with Nell's family than with her. There was a slight hurt in the fact that she'd kept it from him for a month but it passed quickly when he reminded himself how much of a secret he'd kept with Bryce. "Don't apologise. It was your choice to make." He made sure to keep his tone as light as possible, wanting her to know that he was being sincere. He loved her, he could respect her decisions even if he wished she made different ones sometimes. Relationships weren't about controlling the other person, they were about compromise, coexisting peacefully. He honestly didn't understand how Angela could be with someone like Rafael. If I snapped and hit Nell, I'd certainly hope that she left me. Admittedly he'd probably try and make her stay, he loved her, but he didn't think he had anything to worry about. His anger was tame when it was aimed toward her. Words and tones, no physical contact necessary. His anger was also rare around Nell. She was easy to get along with. "He sounds like a wonderful person," Joshua said dryly. He believed everything she was saying about him despite the fact that he'd never witnessed these things himself. "Still, it seems like something you should have been told." The bastard had come back into Nell's life to 'try again', neglecting to warn her about an affair he'd had behind her mother's back. He definitely wasn't Josh's favourite person. The Fire graduate nodded when she mentioned a talk with him, though he held his tongue to avoid saying something he'd regret. The hate was in his eyes, though, and it wouldn't be hard to glimpse it.

He laughed at her words, a genuine sound that carried only a slight strain thanks to his residual mood. It always felt good to laugh with her, to lighten up. "If only the day had been that exciting, I may have had some stories to tell." The hospital was usually pretty mundane when it came to what he dealt with. He sometimes saw doctors and nurses hurrying back and forth from the ER but he obviously wasn't allowed in there himself. He dealt with people like Angela, bumps and scrapes. He checked on patients to see if they needed anything from the nurses, if they wanted to call family. "Don't worry about me, I'm fine. Besides, I could do with the company." Not only did he want to keep watch for Rafael but he wanted to hang around Nell, let her lift his spirits like she was so good at doing. He stayed and talked with her for a while longer and then dismissed himself to go and get the take-out. He stopped by the house to change into his regular clothes and grab a quick shower, then got food at a Chinese place about a five minute drive from the hospital. Their food smelled good, looked good, so he supposed it was such and ordered a reasonable amount of it. He was starving and Nell was... Nell, so he wanted to make sure they had enough. He tapped the back of his hand softly on the door to the room to alert her of his presence before he entered. "I come bearing Chinese-flavoured gifts," he said, smiling and setting the bag of boxes down. "And I made sure Angela's cleared to stay the night." It had been a simple matter of pulling strings for him.

[NELL DOE DALE]

i was confused by the powers that be,

FORGETTING NAMES AND FACES

-PASSERS-BY WERE LOOKING AT ME

as if they can erase it. baby, did you forget to take your meds?

Nell rolled her eyes, the action hurting her head more than she thought it would. Fatigue slowed everything down for her, weighing her muscles and her body down. "Sorry I don't have an internal height chart for exactness." In any case, he was tall and it was kind of unfair since she couldn't wear heels all the time. She couldn't remember how she endured for so many hours on her feet in Blackjack and Corrosion, but working with the kids she could wear more sensible shoes. She was already a considerable amount taller than them, heels were very unnecessary in that environment. "Well...'s something. Most important meal of the day and all that," she mumbled, still wishing he could eat a little more. But then again, with that she had put him through after the trial without even realizing it, he could do whatever he wanted and she'd be a hypocrite to disapprove. At least he would be getting food now, in the form of spring rolls he hadn't had in a while. She remembered being a lot more concerned the first time he told her that he had forgotten to eat, but it was much easier to simply accept it instead of freak out about it. Even though she couldn't help the twisting in her stomach over it. She snorted when he nudged her and said, "Starve, probably." She didn't think of herself as his caretaker, because that would have been a little bit weird. He had his mother for that. She cared about him more than in the way she needed to look after him.

Nell hadn't wanted to withhold information from Joshua, but it was easy to forget that he would care about things like that. It still was strange being in this kind of relationship, having someone she could be completely candid with and who actually would worry about her if someone like Rafael came along. She had her friends, but it was different with them. In order to keep them protected, she didn't tell them things unless they found out by unfortunate circumstance. Like Ethan and Devin found out. Even though they stayed with her, she really wished that they didn't have to know. She poked at the jello with her fork, creating little puncture marks in it. "Well, you know...my family. We aren't known for good people." Not that Rafael grew up with the lot, but it may have been something in the genes. Something she guessed passed over her. Or at least she hoped. Was she a bad person like who she had to deal with over the years? She hoped not. Josh would have more sense than to stay with her if she was like the other relatives he met. She was glad that she could give him at least one person who was decent. Juanvi was a good man. Perhaps Spain was a good country for people, they could have stayed there and let the good vibes rub off on them. "Yeah, I should be told a lot of things." She shrugged. "In a perfect world my father would have said something sooner." In a perfect world, none of this would have ever happened. She and Josh wouldn't be having this conversation. Her friend wouldn't be in a hospital bed with-- She bit her lip and ended her thought process.

She lifted her eyebrows at his comment. "I don't know, changing bedpans and talking to patients with dementia sounds like a good ol' time to me." The medical field used to interest her a lot more, but there was still some interest. It was just something that she locked away when her innocence was lost and Tilly died. She didn't argue any further for him to go home, because if she was honest with herself, she knew that she didn't want him to go. After Josh left, she went back to Angela, wondering if she should ask the important question. What could she do in this situation? How could she save someone that didn't want to be helped? Later, when she's not a hot mess and I stop seeing spots. She had claimed one side of the bed when Josh returned with food, and she grabbed at it, ignoring Angela's groan. "I'm sure there has to be a rule about sharing beds," she said. Nell instantly rebutted with, "Shut up, Angela. The chair was hurting my butt." She was glad that the girl could stay the night, even though she was sure her friend wasn't as pleased. There was no way she was going home alone, however. She didn't trust Rafael as far as she could throw him. After Ang finished her food, she turned over to sleep but Nell wanted to keep Josh company as long as he decided to stay, even though she was exhausted as well. Not wanting to wake the injured girl, they went into the corridors, Nell trying to rub the sleep away from her eyes. When she blinked she could only make out a blurry figure, but instantly knew who it was. "Oh joy, you two are still here," Rafael said, and she blinked again and saw that he had another visitor's pass. "Gonna let me in, or are you still gonna be dickbags about it?" Nell still had enough energy to tell him, "I'll go with option dickbags." He snorted. "Fine, who the hell can I talk to here?" She looked to Josh for that one.

[/justify]

[JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE]

Joshua merely raised an eyebrow and smiled when he saw that Nell had forced Angela to share the bed with her, the Fire graduate taking a seat in the chair that Nell had vacated and took out one of the boxes containing the spring rolls. He'd gotten some other stuff for himself, too, like noodles and rice. He did not have a set amount of time that he planned on remaining at the hospital, figuring he'd leave in another couple hours, but he did notice how tired Nell was getting. "You sure you don't want to sleep?" He knew the feeling of being dead on your feet and he didn't envy her at the moment. He was tired but still functional, pushing past the first waves of exhaustion to remain awake and coherant. It was the waves later on that would break and carry him into sleep, hopefully only when he was at home and in bed. He'd be sleeping alone tonight. He'd sort of gotten used to her presence but it was something he could do without for one night. "We should probably go out into the hall," he mused, wanting to continue their conversation but noticing that Angela looked like she was planning to get to sleep. He felt a little bad for keeping his fiancée awake but knew it would be incredibly boring to sit around alone. He'd probably have to leave if she went to sleep and then what if Rafael returned? I hate him, thought Joshua, and the musing was simple and to the point. It was closer to real hate, now, closer to what he felt about the other members of Nell's family. How are you such a good person, coming from their family? He admired that, honestly.

That was why, upon moving into the corridor and catching sight of a familiar figure striding toward him, Joshua's features immediately slipped from a smile into a fierce scowl. All the calming that Nell had done for him with the mere effect of her presence vanished the moment he saw Rafael. His anger was quick to converge upon him, take over, stick its roots into the earth. "Thought I told you to get the fuck out." There was no eloquence to his tone, no cordial politeness. I'm not on duty now, you little shit. That meant he could get kicked out for starting an argument but he was confident that he had the upper hand. Gray eyes narrowed at the visitor's pass in the other boy's hand. That doesn't give you power here. It did, but not over Joshua. He looked at Nell when she glanced at him, that silent communication that spoke volumes for the pair of them. He loved how easy it was to talk to her without even speaking. He really thinks he's got this, huh? He resisted the urge to smirk, knowing that it might give it away. He didn't want Rafael to back out of this again. He wanted to show him that he had power here. "Funny that we're supposed to be the dickbags when you put your girlfriend in the hospital, isn't it?" His words were cold and cutting, though he didn't know whether they'd affect the guy or not. Did he even have a soul? Surprised he's not a fucking ginger. The humour was dry, almost pointless. He did not feel the urge to laugh as the thought crossed his mind. Rather, he wanted to punch something. Hard.

He considered listing off names, occupations, being a real smart-ass about it. Joshua refrained, deciding that it was better to cut to the chase and get this over with. Maybe one he displayed the fact that he had power in the hospital, Rafael would see how much of a lost cause it was and give the fuck up. It was Nell Josh was setting out to protect but he supposed it would do Angela some good if the dick left, too. "Your choice. I can take you straight to the top floor, head offices, you can bitch to the bigwigs about it. See if I care." Damn, I hope Dad's working. He was pretty sure he'd get his way regardless. People did not care about impressing Joshua, no, he was not of much significance in the place. Donovan? They definitely did not want to piss off the man that could put them all out of their jobs. At very least they'd have Rafael leave for the time being until they could talk things out with the higher-ups and that was good enough for now. "It's this way." He gave Nell a look at that moment, another silent conveyance. You wouldn't want to miss this. He did not even jerk his head to invite her along, figuring the glance would be enough. He led the way down the halls with a confidence and sense of direction that one could only acquire after working in an environment for so long. The place was like a maze and the signs were often as confusing as they were helpful but he did not have to so much as glance at them. "So who will it be?" he half-sneered. "Would you like to talk to my supervisor, see what she thinks of my decision? Or do you want to take this further?" Joshua folded his arms and looked coolly at Rafael, waiting.

[NELL DOE DALE]

i was confused by the powers that be,

FORGETTING NAMES AND FACES

-PASSERS-BY WERE LOOKING AT ME

as if they can erase it. baby, did you forget to take your meds?

Nell shook her head when he asked the question. She wanted to sleep, but she wasn't going to. Especially not while Josh was here, they spent enough time apart as it was and she thrived on his company. "Nah. I don't usually sleep good in hospitals anyway." If she wasn't a patient, she sure she'd be just find, all she could remember was nightmares from her last time in the hospital. "Though I do appreciate the bars," she said, grabbing hold of one. "No chance of falling out." Luckily Angela was pretty small and it was easy to share the hospital bed. They weren't very tiny, and if Ang actually protested to her being in the bed, Nell would have no problem moving. As it were, getting out of the bed without disturbing her friend was a bit of an issue, but she accomplished it well enough. The food at least helped revitalize her somewhat, but not enough that she was willing to deal with her brother. She had to give him props for being persistent, but it deserved zero respect from her. Rafael scowled at Josh, and the expression made Nell tense up, ready for a fight. "Yeah, I remember something like that. Looks like I fucking don't care." She rolled her eyes. She wished that Rafael would listen to her fiance. There was satisfaction in the knowledge that Josh could beat her brother up.

Josh's next words coaxed honest anger out of the Thunder boy, nostrils flaring, eyes narrowed to slits. "Fuck you, man," he said venomously, his voice still low. "You know shit about this situation, and it's none of your business." His words were very serious, and Nell hated how she could understand the sentiment. But Rafael deserved all the bad attention he got from Josh. He deserved a lot worse, Nell was thinking along the lines of stoning. No, she was thinking first she'd have to find out more about him and his lifestyle before she figured out how she was going to solve the issue. More importantly, she needed to somehow convince Angela to take action against her boyfriend. That was going to be the hardest thing. And thinking of that, all she wanted to do was cling to Josh and fall asleep right there so she didn't have to think anymore. "I'll make it everyone's business, Rafael," she said, tone flat. "So go ahead and flip out, it's only going to get worse for you." He gave her an incredulous look. His big sister in age, little in everyone else, threatening him and everything that he stood for? No, it was hardly believable. But she meant every word she said. "With your reputation, I don't think so. How many people are going to listen to a murderer about anything?" She shrugged, as if she didn't know, but that was because she didn't have to make threats. She was confident enough.

Josh was getting on the Thunder's last nerve, Nell could tell. But she could also tell that he was weary like everyone else in the situation, but she couldn't have sympathy for the bags under his eyes. No sympathy for him. "See if you care?" Rafael repeated incredulously. "I couldn't give less of a fuck about you." And so he was determined to bitch to the big wigs, which pleased Nell. Rafael was clearly not amused by the silent exchange, she could tell he was growing impatient by the way his stare was boring a hole into them. But he followed them, and Nell could sense the waves of anger like a miasma. Clearly Rafael saw no reason why Josh should be so cocky in this situation, because instead of rage in his features, it was cold and flat. His eyes reminded her a lot of their father's now, and she wished she could stop seeing similarities between the three of them. "Does it matter?" he said, raising his hands up in question. "Take me to your fucking leader or whatever. Or someone with more fucking sense then you." He let out a short laugh then and held his hands out as if a crossing guard telling people to stop. "No, sorry, someone a little less biased." I'm going to snap, going to snap... She blinked again, shook her head to clear it. "How about we take it to the head honcho, Rafael?" she said in her too-innocent voice, smiling a bit. She wasn't fucking around anymore.

[/justify]