Marcus Alexander had been sitting beside the resting form of Evvie. She wasn't long for this world. The disease had ravaged her quickly, and the good doctor was going to see her rest in as little pain as medicines would allow.
Had been.
All of a sudden, Miri walked up to him quickly. "Marcus..."
"Is something wrong?" Marcus looked up, but didn't rise to his feet. He didn't know why he asked that question anymore. Something was always wrong.
"Not yet. Please come with me to the lab."
The young woman didn't wait for him to answer. She had barely even stopped.
Sighing, Marcus rose to his feet. Miri didn't seem upset enough to warrant hurrying, so he didn't. Probably Byrin had found something that she didn't want to say where everyone could hear. He stopped to speak to a patient or two on the way.
He entered the lab, just in time to see Byrin collapse into Miri's waiting arms.
"What in the world?" Marcus hurried now and crossed the room quickly. "Has he..." Then he saw the hypo on the floor and the tears on her face. "Miri?"
"I had to, Marc."
He reached out and took some of the other doctor's weight off of her.
She continued speaking as they drug the unconscious doctor to the cot in the corner. "I had to. He isn't sleeping, he's sneaking back after he's left to run more tests. How will he ever find the asnwers if he kills himself?"
"I understand," Marcus said kindly. He helped the young woman cover Byrin with a blanket.
Briefly, she told the older man what Byrin had done.
White eyebrows ruffled. "That's not good. None of it."
"Do...do you think he'll..."
"Do I think he'll be mad? Probably." Marcus sighed. "But I also think he'll get over it. Most men do. Now Miri, speaking of sleep...I want you to go home and climb right into bed." He pulled a package out of his pocket. "In fact, do the same thing you just did to Byrin." He handed something to her. "Pop this first, and go to bed."
Miri looked at the small white pill in her hand. The very thought rather made her shudder, but she saw the wisdom in what her friend was saying. "All right."
"And don't worry about Byrin. I'll be here when he wakes up and I'll smooth everything over before you get here."
She nodded. "Very well."
Marcus sighed as she left. Young people! He said a quick prayer over Byrin, then he too left the room. He meant to hold Evvie's hand until she passed into the next world. She wouldn't know, but he would. He might follow his own advice and get some sleep after that, but he doubted he do that until the morning.
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