DLI. The Oval Office. End of an Era

[dens_extra_pups]

President Pratt: *going over reports from earlier today, including the one she just got set on her desk. Sighs and reaches for it, as she can see it's marked "URGENT". Groans out loud as she sees it's from Harold Attinger*

Cody: *cute little white Phalène looks up alertly from where he's laying on a chair keeping the big fish in the basin company*

President Pratt: *sighs and opens the report* Blah blah blah... Decepticon containment program... *both brows up* It's going well? How the *bleep*?

Cody: *shakes his little floppy ears and yaps at the word as taught*

President Pratt: *snort. Reaches for her phone. Will arrange a private meeting with Attinger. She wants answers*

Fish: *throws some of his water on the floor* *BORED, Ma!*

Cody: *yaps at him too*

President Pratt: *up to put Fish's feeder toy into his basin*

Cody: *squeaks*

Fish: *splashes Ma*

President Pratt: *startled curse*

door: *is tapped at*

Cody: *yaps at it and then looks at Momma*

President Pratt: *grumbles and shucks her blazer before moving to answer the door*

aid: Mr. Attinger, ma'am.

Attinger: *looks impatient as he watches what's going on*

President Pratt: *doing her best to keep her composure as she moves to let Mr. Attinger into the office* Mr. Attinger, thank you for coming. Can I get you something to drink?

Attinger: No thank you, Madam President. *walks over to the two couches and then makes a surprised sound as water splashes and something bounces off his kneecap* What the *word*?

Fish: *he shoots, he scores!*

President Pratt: *sigh* Pay no mind to the goldfish.

Attinger: *confused* Goldfish? *watches a small dog fetch the ball that hit him and drop it into the deep basin near the President's desk*

President Pratt: I've got a big Oranda in the basin.

Attinger: *speechless for a moment as he looks at her to see if she's serious* What's it doing here?

President Pratt: He was being a dramatic little *bleep* and kept rolling belly up when I tried to leave.

Attinger: *incredulous look*

Cody: *yaps at Bubby for pulling his ear*

President Pratt: Oy! Chuckleheads! Knock it off.

Cody: *startled look as Fish splashes and dives, then hops up on his mat on his chair and puts his chin down on his paws* *good puppy*

Fish: *rolling his toy around to try and shake spinach Os out of it*

President Pratt: *long-suffering sigh and a headshake* Anyway, I called you here to get some clarification on your report.

Attinger: *settles on the left-hand couch* Was something not clear?

President Pratt: *seriously* You said the Decepticon containment program was going well. What measures have you been taking, and how do you define "going well"? *looks over her glasses at you, Attinger*

Attinger: *frowns* The record of captured Decepticons is there in the report.

President Pratt: How did you capture them? Because I also have a report from Savoy's team to go over, and I will be checking for contradictory information.

Attinger: Mr. Savoy and I worked together closely. *deeper frown as he sits back and starts playing with a deck of cards* And the captures are very technical. I know how sick you are of war, so I won't bore you with the details.

President Pratt: That may be true, but I'm also concerned about the ethical dilemma that everything since Chicago has become.

Attinger: With all due respect, Madam President, there is no dilemma in the ethics of freeing our world of these alien invaders.

President Pratt: *quietly* The Autobots would have left if we'd asked. They only came back because they knew they were lied to.

Attinger: *neutrally* So they say.

President Pratt: I was there, in Chicago... When they returned.

Attinger: *just looks at her, his expression and attitude saying that he doesn't understand what point she's trying to make*

President Pratt: *turns to the window* *quietly* Optimus Prime saved my life that day... I know what the Decepticons are capable of... *turns to face Attinger* I also know what the Autobots would do if they had the chance to leave without incident. They would leave, and they would make sure every last trace of their tech couldn't fall into human hands.

Attinger: *sternly* Were you aware that Optimus Prime had participated in crimes against humanity?

President Pratt: *ice blue eyes narrow* *calmly* Do you have proof of that?

Attinger: *evenly* I do. The eyewitness accounts are in the report.

President Pratt: *calmly, though her tone seems a bit icy now* And how many of those eyewitnesses would be able to pick out Optimus in a lineup? *wow. she really does not buy the crap Attinger's telling her*

Attinger: *still calm* None of them, since he has paid for his crimes against humanity.

President Pratt: And what the *BLEEP* did you do to cause that? How many people did you bully and intimidate into saying what you wanted them to say?!

Attinger: *patronizingly confused* I... don't understand.

President Pratt: You might have been able to bull*poop* your way through things with the last three Presidents, but that changed the day I took the Oath. I've been looking into things, Attinger. I've been asking the questions you didn't want asked, and I've been finding things that really *cheese* me off.

Attinger: *still that calm* I have no idea what you're talking about.

President Pratt: *quietly, coldly, and moving to get in your face now, Attinger* Roadbuster was an Autobot. Ratchet? Autobot. Sideswipe? Guess what? He was an Autobot as well. Your men attacked Autobots, not Decepticons. *Attinger, be smart*

Attinger: *just as quiet and cold* They were aliens. Machines. A danger to the human race.

President Pratt: They were people, Harold.

Attinger: *glances toward the fish in the basin, and then back to her, his expression pitying* *and then his expression turns to confusion as fiddle music starts to play*

President Pratt: The age of the warmongers is ending, Harold... It's time to make things... *trails off as she hears fiddle music* What the?

Attinger: *frowning deeply now with confusion* Is that your phone?

President Pratt: ... My phone has the default ringtones.

Attinger: *glances toward the window, wondering if the music is coming from outside*

President Pratt: *will move to look out the window as well* *quietly* It's not coming from outside... I don't understand.

Cody: *makes a little excited sound and squirms*

Fish: *head out of his water*

President Pratt: *moves to look outside her office*

Cody: *warning yap, and then jumps down to stop Momma from going near the door. He's not worried, though. His expression as he looks toward the door is friendly and interested*

President Pratt: *confused* Cody, move.

Cody: *sits down right in front of her*

Attinger: *starting to look uneasy as the music becomes louder and more eerie, nearly sounding like the wail of a voice*

President Pratt: *frown. Slight shake of her head* *moves to step around the little white Phalène, but then she stops short* *quietly* It's coming from in here...

Attinger: *leaning forward now and trying not to let fear show* What?

Cody: *yaps a friendly greeting to empty air, his tail waving gently*

President Pratt: The music... *slight wobble, looks to where Cody's looking*

Attinger: *starts to his feet* No!

President Pratt: *soft, surprised sound at sight of a black-haired girl playing the fiddle, her hair and dressed tossed by an unfelt wind* *quietly* Who... *and now she's falling toward the floor*

Attinger: No! *bolts and is gone, calling for help*

Cody: *furious yapping and howling after him!*


moment later


gentle hands: *adjusting the President's collar and gently patting her face*

President Pratt: *eyelids fluttering a bit* Nnn?

blonde lady: Shhh. Just take it easy. You're safe.

baby voice: Feeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

President Pratt: *much weary confusion on her face* Huh?

lady: *gently* How do you feel?

President Pratt: Head hurts... Stuff's spinnin'... *winces as she tries to catch her breath* Nnn!

lady: Here, Ratchet and Fiona say this will help. *holds a cup to the President's mouth*

President Pratt: *manages to sip at the cup's contents* *coughs a bit at the bitter taste of the tea*

lady: Willow bark and foxglove. Fiona's a bit of a spartan when it comes to sweetner.

President Pratt: *between sips* Least it's stuff I can pronounce.

lady: Pardon?

baby voice: Feeeeeeeheehee!

President Pratt: Willow bark's a medicine...

lady: Yes. It's aspirin.

President Pratt: *small nod, shuts her eyes for a few moments* Who're you?

lady: My name's Sarah Lennox.

President Pratt: *brows up slightly* Any relation to Colonel William Lennox? *glad for the small talk, because it's distracting her from how cruddy she's feeling right now*

Sarah: Colonel Bill Lennox is my husband. *offers the last of the tea*

President Pratt: *soft 'heh', will finish the tea* He's a good guy.

Sarah: *humorously* You've never had to pick up his socks. Or stop him from teaching your daughter how to kill a man with her bare hands.

baby voice: Feeeeeee!

President Pratt: *very soft snort, will open her eyes and try and look for the baby she can hear* *brows up as she sees the little blue flame sitting in a bowl on her chest* Huh?

Sarah: *smile softens* That's Yuffie. She wanted to help you warm up.

Yuffie: Feeeeheehee! *poof!*

President Pratt: Aww. *small smile*

Sarah: How are you feeling?

President Pratt: Little better... What happened?

Sarah: *sobers* Your heart objected to the sight of Jesse Lamborghini when she went to play the fiddle for Harold Attinger.

President Pratt: *small frown* I heard someone playing... Then I saw someone...

Sarah: *nods* Jesse is Denver Irons' cousin.

President Pratt: *soft, surprised sound. She'd seen the report of the day one of the Marines affiliated with NEST had taken Charlotte Mearing's car out into the sticks and blown it up* *slight wince*

Sarah: Take it easy. You've got to be a little more stable before you can go back.

President Pratt: *trying to slow her breaths down. Still feels a bit dizzy* *quietly* So I'm not dead, then?

Sarah: *hesitates, but thinks the humour might help* Only mostly.

President Pratt: *very soft snerk* So where's Miracle Max?

Sarah: Now why hasn't anyone called Ratchet that yet?

Yuffie: Feeeee!

President Pratt: You should.

Sarah: *smirk holds a promise, but then sobers* Right now you're between moments. When you go back it'll be a few hours later for you, but the same minute that you left for everyone else.

President Pratt: *very small nod* Like a dream...

Sarah: Yeah. A lot like a dream.

President Pratt: *and then she's remembering something that has her tensing up and wincing*

Yuffie: *angry little crackles*

Sarah: Hey, don't do that. What's wrong?

President Pratt: A-Attinger... S-said Optimus... *more wince*

Sarah: Optimus is in Arizona, dealing with Attinger's friend Lockdown.

President Pratt: *quietly* S-said... Committed...crimes against humanity... *and now she's starting to see grey around the edges of her field of vision*

Sarah: *soft snort* He never did. You need to calm down.

Yuffie: *crackle crackle*

President Pratt: *reassured by that, will shut her eyes and try and slow her breathing again. A small tear, one of relief, trickles down from the corner of her eye* I'm glad.

Yuffie: *starts to sing her name again, and dance prettily*

President Pratt: *slipping into a light doze now*

Yuffie: *warms the lady up nicely, singing merrily all the while*

Sarah: *smooths the President's hair and listens to the woman's heart, marvelling at new senses as she does so*

President Pratt: *soft sigh, drifting further into sleep as her heart slows its frantic pace*

Yuffie: *burrrff. Giggle!*

President Pratt: *quiet sound, eyelids fluttering slightly as she reacts to the funny sound*

Sarah: *soft snort*

Yuffie: Feeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeheehee!

President Pratt: *even though she's mostly asleep by this point, she's got a small smile on her face at hearing babby glee*


a few moments later/the same instant


Cody: *runs and puts tiny paws on Mom as she falls on the floor, crying loudly*

President Pratt: *eyelids flutter* Nnn? *struggling to open her eyes*

Cody: *cry!*

President Pratt: C-Cody...

aids: *running in to gently lift her and check her pulse as the little dog's tail nearly swishes right off with the force of his joy at hearing her talk*

President Pratt: *slight wince as being lifted makes her head spin a bit* Nnn... *her pulse is weak, and a bit unsteady*

aid 1: Shhh. The EMTs are on their way.

President Pratt: *tiredly* W-where's Attinger?

aid 1: *hesitates and looks at the other aid*

President Pratt: *tired mutter about rats. Is apparently comparing Attinger to one*

aid 2: Um. More like gophers, now.

President Pratt: *brows draw together in confusion* Huh?

aid 2: He ran into traffic.

aid 1: *winces*

President Pratt: ... *quiet sigh* That... idiot.

aids: *reply is cut off by the arrival of EMTs*

blond man: *gently, as he warms his stethoscope* I'm David, but my friends call me Mac. Can you tell me your name?

President Pratt: *tiredly* Denise...Pratt. Are you... related... *pauses to gather her strength*

David: Easy. Is your little friend going to bite?

Cody: *sitting and watching intently*

President Pratt: Cody, down...

Cody: *runs and joins the fish. Sploosh*

David: 0.o?

President Pratt: *very soft snort, shuts her eyes for a few moments and takes a few breaths*

David: Miss? Your name? *gently using the stethoscope now*

President Pratt: Denise... Pratt.

David: *as he listens to her heart and lungs* Do you know what your dog just did?

President Pratt: Kept Fish in... basin...

David: That's a problem? *confused by what he hears* *listens again*

aid 1: What's the matter?

EMT 2: Shh.

President Pratt: Fish... is a brat.

David: ...Does anyone else hear... music?

President Pratt: *silent now, is listening. And trying not to fall back asleep*

David: *more puzzlement as he realizes that he seems to be hearing that soft piping through his stethoscope. Shrugs it off and gets to work. Soon has the ailing woman on the gurney and with his partner's help is wheeling her into the ambulance* You're going to be alright, Miss Pratt. Can you think of anything you'd like to tell me? That's a pretty neat tattoo on your wrist.

President Pratt: *very slight quirk of a smile as she thinks back to when she got the tattoo* Earned it...

David: It's not soccer, is it? *into the ambulance*

President Pratt: *small headshake* The... character it's for... likes soccer...

David: *brightens* Yuusha?

President Pratt: *small nod* My... favorite character.

David: Crazy kid needs some fans. *gentle glance for her right leg* ...Transformers pin up?

President Pratt: *tiredly* Got after Chicago...

David: *softly* It looks like Ironhide.

President Pratt: 'S a memorial... *takes a few breaths* Optimus... Told me about him...

David: *props her up a little and shows her a blue plushie dragon before tucking it beside her* He was close t' my cousin Denver.

President Pratt: *soft, surprised sound as her earlier question about David's family is answered*

David: *listens to her heart again and once more hears that soft, otherwordly music* She played the bagpipes.

President Pratt: *quietly* I like bagpipes... *so very tired now. Is doing her best to stay awake and converse*

David: *puts the earpieces of the stethoscope to her ears* *softly* D' you hear that?

President Pratt: *silent again, will listen* *soft, shocked sound* I do.

David: *quietly* That's 'er pipes.

President Pratt: Why is she playing? *confused*

David: You can't feel them callin'?

President Pratt: *small headshake*

David: *uncertainly* I do.

EMT 2: We're here.

President Pratt: *shaky breath. Now she's remembering that she hates going to the doctor's, and she likes hospitals even less*

David: You kin keep these. Listen t' the music.

President Pratt: *very small nod, is starting to get scared as her gurney's brought out of the ambulance and into the emergency room*

ER Nurse: *hurrying over* David! There you are!

David: *pauses with a hand on the door of the ambulance* What's wrong, Ophi?

Ophi: *very spooked and a bit pale* Some crazy guys've been arrestin' yer family!

David: *freezes there* What?

Ophi: These loco guys in black... They busted our door down 'n dragged Allen out to their truck, 'n when I called Tia, she 'n yer dad's phones went ta voicemail! *very upset now*

David: *swallows a lump* What 'bout Archie?

Ophi: His phone went ta voicemail, too. *wibble* I ran 'cause Allen told me ta run...

David: *shuts the ambulance door and walks out of the hospital*

Ophi: *hurries after him. She's scared spitless and isn't reacting well to the stress*

David: *opens his phone and dials his cousin BJ*

BJ's phone: *rings and goes to voicemail*

David: *hangs up and tries his uncle Marcus*

Marcus' phone: *voicemail almost immediately*

David: *shoulders shaking as he dials one more number* Miko. Come t' th' hospital. Now. *quietly* You bettah bring Dumb-dumb, too.

Miko: //...Lemme grab Dumb-dumb, then.//

Ophi: *needs hugs. Do you has, David?*

David: *arm around her* Hurreh, Miko. An' don' talk t' anyone.

Miko: //See you soon.//

David: Alright.

Miko: *hangs up with a click*

Ophi: *trembling just a bit*

David: *closes his phone and drops it down the storm drain*

Ophi: *surprised sound* David?

David: *puts his other arm around her too* *quietly* D' you have yours?

Ophi: *headshake* I... I didn't grab it. I used a pay phone to try 'n call everyone...

David: Good. Le's go ovah 'eah bah th' gate.

Ophi: Y-Yeah... *gonna hug herself with one arm*

David: *guides her gently over, his senses at the full. And he can feel them expanding even as he stops with Ophi by the hospital gate*

Ophi: *taking deep breaths and trying to calm down* *quietly* You got a walkman, 'r somethin'?

David: *softly* No. Mah cousin's playin' th' bagpahpes.

Ophi: ... *disbelief on her face* But David...

Miko: *parking her moped nearby. Will get off and run over to where she sees David and Ophi*

David: *takes an arm from Ophi to hold out to Miko* D' y'u 'ave ever'th'n' y'u need, Ophi?

Miko: *quick to snuggle against David, will hold up the Vash the Stampede plushie that they call Dumb-dumb* I do.

Ophi: *quietly* Everything I need's with Allen.

David: Good. Les' go. *lifts both petite women slightly, steps sideways...*

*and the hospital gate stands empty but for drifting leaves*

((written with random_xtras))