regency au } { of stubborn husbands and experimental treatments

[arsion]

Sheila: [they traveled as fast as they could, only pausing when absolutely necessary. It's still another week before they arrive at the Hale Manor, and as they pull up to the front, she turns back to Tyler with a smile] Thank you for the expedient escort, Sir Lockwood. You wouldn't happen to know what kind of hornet's nest I'm walking into here, would you?

Tyler: All I know is that Lord Hale the eldest has taken ill.

Sheila: How stubborn is he?

Tyler: He is like a mountain.

Sheila: Then that would be the hornet's nest. [and she climbs out of the carriage, gathering her witchy juju and handing some of it off to Tyler to carry before making her way inside] Which way should we be heading?

Tyler: Since Doctor Deaton was the one who summoned you, I would say with him. [he sniffed the air] He's in his lab, I believe.

Sheila: [nods] Then lead the way.

Tyler: [and they will wind through the halls and enter the lab. He's still got the bags, but needs Deaton to tell him where she'll be staying]

Deaton: [looks up when the door opens] Ah, welcome. You must be the Widow Bennett.

Sheila: Sheila is fine. We got here as soon as we could. Hopefully the situation hasn't worsened too badly.

Deaton: Not too badly. In this, Lord Hale's stubbornness comes in handy.

Sheila: And where will it be a detriment? I'm assuming he doesn't know I'm here.

Deaton: He knows I've reached out looking for help from outside Norway. Just not where and how.

Sheila: Well, let's break the news to him, shall we? The sooner I can examine him, the sooner we can resolve this.

Deaton: Of course. Sir Tyler, you can take Sheila's belonging to Lady Argent's old chambers. It should be made ready her.

Tyler: Yes sir. [and off he goes]

Sheila: [and as they walk] Tell me about his symptoms.

Deaton: Lethargy, fever, chills, no appetite, senses dulled, bone aches.

Sheila: And he's not a bitten wolf, correct? I know the Hale bloodline is a long one, but they do have humans sprinkled in here and there.

Deaton: Correct. He's a direct child of an alpha while she was alpha.

Sheila: So no human tendencies trying to reassert themselves. Good. Then we can just go to the wolf of the matter.

Deaton: He's compared it to the time after his mate passed and the pain he suffered.

Sheila: How long ago did his mate die?

Deaton: Over sixteen years now.

Sheila: And he hasn't created a new bond?

Deaton: No. He didn't want to risk going through that again after marrying Lady Argent.

Sheila: Mmmm. [yeah, she's got a theory]

Deaton: [and they will arrive at the doors to Peter & Kate's residence, and he will knock]

Kate: [opens the door] Lady Bennett, I presume.

Sheila: A pleasure, Lady Argent. [smiles as she goes to step in] Where is your husband?

Kate: [gestures for Sheila to come in and see for herself]

Peter: [and he will be in bed, covers up to his neck. His face is red and sweaty, yet he's shivering under the blankets. He's currently sleeping]

Sheila: [sighs as she makes her way closer, before placing her hand against the top of his head] Lord Hale? I know you must be exhausted, but I do need you awake, at least for now.

Peter: [his eyes twitch. When her wrist is close to his nose, he catches the strange scent and he struggles to wake]

Sheila: Easy. Easy. [she smooths her hand over the top of his head gently] We've met before. Your nose will remember me eventually. [a small room, having to make decisions about his nephew who was poisoned with mistletoe]

Peter: [he remembers. It takes another moment before he groans and his eyes flutter open. They are very pale in color.]

Sheila: There we are. [and she gently takes his head in her hands, examining him quietly] I always took you at your word that you were stubborn, but I had no idea how much.

Peter: [chuckles, then coughs] I'm a Hale. [as if that is an answer]

Sheila: A Hale you maybe, but even your sister succumbed to the inevitable in the end. I think you might have set a record for trying to outrun fate.

Peter: Have to be... good at something.

Sheila: I suppose we all are. [she straightens again, before turning to face Kate and Deaton] It is the broken mate bond that's causing the problems. You can only leave a metaphysical tear like that open for so long before things begin to deteriorate. Fortunately, we have options. [she's looking at Kate]

Peter: Options?

Sheila: You have a wife. Restore the bond, and everything else should clear up. But leave it open and you will die. [she's not going to mince words and make him think there are other ways around it]

Peter: No. Can't risk... her.

Sheila: You don't have a choice. You opened yourself up to this when you claimed your first mate, and there are consequences to that. You may have outrun it this long, but that wasn't going to last forever. [she turns to face him] If you want to live to see your grandchildren, it is your only choice.

Kate: [just quietly musing on this, as she considers before asking] In the condition he's in, is he even capable?

Sheila: There are ... short term solutions we can use, but we would have to act quickly.

Kate: [nods slowly] May I speak to my husband, alone?

Deaton: Of course. Sheila, let me show you to your room.

Kate: [Sheila follows him out and Kate moves to sit on the edge of the bed and takes his hand] We should do this, Peter.

Peter: If it goes wrong, we could both die.

Kate: If lots of things go wrong we could both die, but that doesn't mean we stop doing them.

Peter: [his eyes sad] I never thought I could come to love you. But I have. I won't risk you.

Kate: Well, unfortunately that feeling is mutual. And I will not have you die when I can do something about it.

Peter: Someone needs to be here for Malia.

Kate: And you think that's going to be me? [she has to fight the urge to laugh because it won't. she knows it won't. It's not that she and Malia don't get along but there's a very clear delineation in their relationship, even after all this time. Kate is Peter's. And once Peter's not in the picture anymore, it wouldn't be Kate she turned to] I think you have a strong misunderstanding of our relationship, Peter, especially if she finds out the reason why she has me instead of you.

Peter: [and he's trying to look annoyed, because he HATES not having control of a situation. He really just looks pitiful instead]

Kate: [she purses her lips at him, because she can sense what he's trying to do] It's your choice. I can't force you to do this. But Malia having family support is not the thing you should be worried about her losing. If it's a matter of my being human, we can change that. But either way, you need to choose life or death, because you are out of other options.

Peter: I don't know if I even can.

Kate: Sheila says she has something to help your ... energy levels. Unless there's another concern?

Peter: You've pretty much... knocked down all my reservations. I hate... when you do that... for the record.

Kate: Someone has to, or you'd never get anything done. [she's teasing, but also it's true]

Peter: Are you sure... you want to risk this?

Kate: All I have left to lose is you. What else should I risk it for?

Peter: A longer life?

Kate: [she shrugs] I've been living on borrowed time for a while. [she should have died in the woods, all those years ago. she should have died other times before that too]

Peter: If you're certain... [he's exhausted and just nods]

Kate: [she nods, before leaning forward and pressing a kiss to his forehead] I'll go speak to Deaton and Sheila.

Peter: [he's already closing his eyes, and will be back unconscious before she gets to the door]

Kate: [yeah, and that's concerning, but she'll track Deaton and Sheila down, knocking lightly on the doorframe of the room] He agreed.

Sheila: Lovely. I'll begin mixing the tincture.

Deaton: So what will this tincture do to him?

Sheila: It will boost his energy. It will be very intense but brief. You'll have maybe six hours to get him where you need him before it wears off. If we pair it with a full moon, it's even better. [she's not sure when the next one is though, she doesn't keep track of these things]

Deaton: We should probably allow Malia to see her father before this, just to be safe. And perhaps inform Laura on what the situation is.

Kate: [she nods, doing the math] Full moon is day after tomorrow. That should give us time.

Deaton: As long as he remains calm and relaxed, he should be fine until then

Kate: [she nods] Then who wants to take which conversation?

Deaton: I will take Laura. She'll want answers as to why we haven't told her sooner.

Kate: Blame the victim. He looks pathetic enough that she won't stay angry long. [she turns to make her way out] I'll speak with Malia.

Deaton: Oh, I believe just saying Peter wanted it kept silent will be more than enough to convince Laura.

Kate: [smirks] I'm sure it will be fine.

Sheila: I'll keep working here. The tincture should be more than ready by the full moon.

Deaton: Let me know if you need anything. My lab is open to you.

Sheila: [she nods] I will let you know.