The crisp air of Las Vegas Valley was almost dewy... almost... as Matty slowly picked her way to Asphodel Meadows for an early morning delivery. A faded wooden wagon squeakled along behind her as she tugged a hefty shipment of flower arrangements and casket sprays up the steep path; bright, blemishless blossoms bouncing on heavily laden stems. Wispy waves sprung loose from her messy bun as she muttered softly to herself about the arid desert; cursed as she was to be out this early so that the blooms didn't wilt. 

As she reached the side-entrance of the funeral home, she was pleased to find that the doors were already open offering sweet respite from the rapidly warming morning sun. The doors echoed loudly behind her, bumping the small wagon into the back of her thighs as they closed and forcing her farther into the crimson-carpeted hallway. Pressing her eyes shut for a moment, she allowed herself to adjust to the new setting, stained glass and crystalline chandeliers colouring the harsh desert sun as it filtered softly in through the skylight. The whole of the building was deathly still, laden with that heavy kind of quietness that makes your ears ring out in protest of the silence. 

It made Matty intensely uncomfortable. Yet she was hesitant to cut the strangling quiescence with the squealing of her wagon wheels; flinching visibly as it lurched forward with an ungreased squeak. Hissing softly, she leaned the handle back against the tall wooden slats of the sidewalls and tiptoed down to Sullivan's office. No one would bother the flowers now that they were inside, and she had business to discuss with him anyway. Her worn flats whispered softly against the plush carpet as she picked her way down the warm halls, trying to ignore the caskets standing here and there in empty viewing rooms. "There's nothing there. There's nothing there," she whispered softly as she approached the door marked Sullivan Black in glittering gold letters. "There's nothing there, silly girl," she chastized herself, glancing back over her shoulder at the long hall as she tapped lightly on the door. 

The door slowly swung open with an ear-splitting screech that Matty was SURE would actually wake the dead, revealing a lavishly furnished but utterly empty office. Well, that was unfortunate.  "M... Mr. Black...?" she called meekly into the stiflingly quiet room, the heavy hush of death her only answer. Bouncing on the balls of her feet, Matty peered around the compact building nervously. She'd been given strict instructions to meet him here... she didn't dare return to the Tower without making this exchange... no matter how much the quiet caskets dissettled her. 

Shuffling shyly back toward her cart, Matty noticed a slender doorway just to the left of the entrance... slightly ajar. Normally she wasn't the kind to trespass, but they'd arranged a meeting, after all, she reasoned with herself. Giving the door a gentle nudge with her foot, it opened onto a narrow stairwell. And Matty was almost sure she could hear voices echoing up from below. "Mr. Black?... em... Sullivan?"  she called out again, this time slightly louder. But still, there was no answer in the deathly stillness. With a single heavy sigh, Matty took a deep breath and reticently slinked her way down the cramped corridor, her fingers gripping the railing with white-knuckled determination. 

The walls shifted and heaved as the A/C rumbled to life... she thought... the door squeaking closed behind her. The slow screech sent tingling chills down her spine as she cast a warry glance back over her shoulder; flinching ever so slightly as the handle latched loudly. She shook her head, taking another deep breath. "No seas estúpida, Mattea.... Don't be stupid," she scathed, forcing herself to continue down the darkening stairwell. She ducked slightly as she passed under a single, bare, swinging lightbulb, which much to her displeasure began to flicker in haphazard arrhythmia as the whole of the corridor thrummed with electrical buzzing. 

Matty yipped and flinched, clinging to the railing with all of her mild might. "There's nothing there. There's nothing there. There's nothing there," she chanted in time with her quickening footfalls, her panicked pace pitching up uncontrollably with each step. Suddenly the world went wonky as one foot slid out from beneath her; the worn leather slipping gripplessly against the smoothe, well-worn steps. The walls sank down around her and the floor came straight up as she tumbled and toppled down the last few feet of sharp-edged stairs, landing in a crumpled heap in the bottom-most room of the morgue. 

Her forehead slammed into the cold, bare cement with a sickening crack, jarring Sully and Harvey from their work. The room spun as she tried to sit up... absolutely sure that the arching tesla coils she now saw must be evidence of a head injury. "Ow," was all she managed before lowering herself back to the soberingly cold floor of the morgue, her rebellious waves spread about her like an ornery brunette halo. For a brief moment, she was utterly unconcerned by the fact that she was laying OVER one of the drains and uncharacteristically clueless of the implications of that positioning as she tried to convince herself she hadn't just made such a GRAND entrance...

*BZZZNZZZNNNNGZZZZZGGGNNNNZG*

"HAHA! QUINN! IT WORKS!" Sullivan yelled, turning to face his protege Harvey Quinn as the two flipped a set of large switches. The loud humming stopped and the lights of the building steadied. Sully, wearing a set of eye goggles that would make even Doc Brown jealous, turned around to his notes and pulled the goggles up to his forehead, dark ringlets around his eyes from soot that had been produced by the arcing electricity.

"Now, if we could just get the arcs under control..." Sully trailed as the tip of his pencil made it's way to his mouth, his teeth finding their usual indentions in the wooden exterior.

"What if we were to try and use copper to conduct the current, and maybe build a cage around it to help control the field? Or to at least keep them from arcing to the breaker box?" Harvey mused as his head inclined before taking a look to the charred remains of yet ANOTHER breaker panel cover...

Sully nodded, but Harvey often wondered if the man was even listening. Or if he EVER listened. Sullivan face crumpled as he began to scribble more notes, his lips pursing and pulling to the side. His forehead glistened in what little light there was and he quickly wiped himself off, effectively smudging more soot over his already mottled face.

"Harvey. What if we traded out the capacitor for a lower charge? And we may need to wind the secondary coil tighter..." He asked Harvey, but Quinn never bothered answering at this point because he knew Sully wouldn't even acknowledge him anyway. The man constantly got lost in his work, and it had been even MORE so since Jackie's death. Harvey was just there to make sure he didn't kill himself, yet. And if Sully did? Then he could still shut the machine off and save the Funeral home; and the rest of the already burdened power grid.

"Okay," Sully slammed the pencil down and spun, eyeing the large machine and pulling his goggles back on before marching over and grabbing a lab table. "Help me out, Harvey! We're going to see if we can't make the arcs jump to the two tables..."

Harvey blinked. Why hadn't HE thought of that?! They should attract the electricity and take it to the ground! He hustled to help the reinvigorated  Sullivan and soon they had both medical tables in position.

"Okay... are we ready?" Sully looked at Harvey who tugged his own pair of goggles down with a nod.

"Alright then. Three... Two... ONE!"

Both men flipped their switches and the loud hum kicked back on... This would be their last test of the day since the city would be waking from their drunken stupor soon, not to mention a meeting that Sully had with Matty. Hopefully she didn't show up early! That could make for an awkward "Mad Scientist" story like in the fables of Doctor Frankenstein!

The arcs jumped softly at first, but grew as the machine charged up, until they were jumping about wildly... The lights of the building flickered haphazardly as the circuits were strained more and more, the energy draw enough to make a large building go dark.

The two men were giggling with glee as the arcs reached and practically GRIPPED the tables, seeming to drag them closer across the cement flooring. Low, almost pipe organ like sounds emitted from the coil, and amplified as they connected with the tables. Then the machine made an odd, thudding slap noise and Sully stared at it before realizing the sound came from behind he. He turned stark white with fear, certain the magnetic pull was literally about to rip one of the surgical knives through him or something of the sort. Turning like the hour hand of a clock, he finally looked behind him.

Color rushed back to his face and was replaced with a wide eyes, jaw dropped look. "OH MY GOD! SHUT IT DOWN HARVEY! SHUT IT DOWN NOW!"

The two grabbed their switches and turned the machine off, power re-stabilizing, and rushed to the fallen woman as the machine rumbled to a silent heap.

"Matty?" Harvey questioned as he leaned down and pressed two fingers against her neck.

"She's breathing you nit. She's alive..." Sully scolded before crouching beside her. "Are you okay?" He slowly waved a hand over her face... "That was one hell of a tumble."

The two checked her bones, and most importantly her neck, before helping to sit her up and get her away from the drain she was laying over... Even clean that was enough to send chills down Sullivan's spine and make him dry retch.

"C'mon now, let's get you sitting up..." Sully leaned Matty against the wall next to the stairwell's door. Soot fell free as he loosened his goggles, and the rings around his eyes would probably be enough to make Matty laugh, if she hadn't just slammed her head on his floor. At least his eyes were no longer the size of golf balls...

Sullivan pressed on the puffy parts of her cheeks, just under her eyes, and stared into them, looking back and forth before he sat back.

"How many fingers am I holding up?"

Matty blinked up at Sully with a slightly dazed expression as blood trickled freely from a slanting laceration above her right brow. The room danced disorientingly in front of her; a tinge of fearful recognition wrinkling the very corners of her eyes and mouth as she rubbed her temples with a resigned sigh. "Two? ... and a half," she admitted, knowing it was the wrong answer and dreading the implications. 

The effort of trying to focus her vision made the room spin even more, causing her head to loll uncontrollably to one side. Stilling herself against his shoulder, Matty melted into Sully's soot-sprinkled arms with a pitiful whimper. Huddled against his chest, she felt his heartbeat pulse against her cheek with a pressured tempo.  "Mmm..." she moan-groaned, brushing her cheek lightly against him. "Allegro," she stated flatly with half a smile... humming a lively tune along with the tempo of his lifeblood. "I'm.... mm... I'm not usually... quite... this clumsy, I swear," she assured him, eyes closed tightly against the swirling vortex of discombobulation around her... still smiling despite her obvious discomfort. 

Sullivan lifted his brow, soot wriggling free from his hair as he blinked slowly. "Two and a half..." he stated back, turning his hand to himself as he gazed down to it. "Hit your head pretty hard there if you're seeing double." He chuckled before his arm shot out to make sure she didn't hit her head yet again as it lolled to the side. Her face slid along his powder darkened arm, effectively smudging soot on her own cheek, until she came to rest against his arm.

As she hummed, his head cocked to the side slightly as he offered a harmonious counter-melody to her tune. "That sounds awfully familiar, but I can't seem to place my finger on it..." He pondered for a bit before shaking his head, Matty giggling as she stopped. "Hmm?" Sullivan murmured as he looked down at her grinning face.

"That's because it's nothing..." She chuckled again.

Sully looked down to her. "Really? Interesting!"

He inhaled deeply and turned his gaze to Harvey, his lip trembling slightly as her cheek brushed against his, before he bit his lip and set himself into Doctor Black mode.

"Harvey, go get ice and salt, and bring it to me. Also grab some of the gauze, and some bandage cloth as well. I'll meet you upstairs shortly."

Sully turned back to Matty and grinned. "Don't you worry any, dear. We're going to get you feeling much better, really soon."

He leaned her back against the well and stood.

"Now I need you to keep your eyes open for me and try not to fall asleep." Matty nodded lackadaisically as her head lolled to the other side this time.

He stood, reaching behind him and loosing the apron around him, tossing it on one of the lab tables in the middle of the room.

"Just give me a moment and I will get myself cleaned off a bit then I'll help you back upstairs, Miss Peraldo."

He made his way to the sink and washed off his hands and arms, drying them with a towel and returning to Matty's side.

"Alright, here we go..."

Sully slipped his arms under her legs and behind her neck, lifting and standing. He stumbled a bit until he got his footing, Matty wrapping an arm around his neck to help him. Turning sideways, Sully slipped through the doorway and headed up the steps, making sure to keep her head away from the walls.

"So, what brought you down here today, Matty?"

It was mostly rhetorical, not expecting her to answer, but if she did it would probably help her. The two emerged into the lounge area and he stopped, his brow lifting as his eyes focused on the dilapidated wagon covered in colorful arrays of flowers. "OH! Those look amazing, did you do them yourself or do you have an assistant?"

As he asked he continued into the lounge and lowered Matty onto a couch, propping her head up and waiting for Harvey to return with his supplies.

With a sigh, Sully tossed himself into the large, plush chair next to the couch. He smiled as his body was enveloped by the soft fibers of the chair.

"You still doing okay over there?" he glanced at Matty as his head relaxed against the cushions.

Though he turned his face away, Matty still noticed Sully's trembling as he barked orders at Harvey. As he bit into his lip, his breathing hitched with a gentle tell-tale shutter that Matty felt in the hollows of her chest even as he moved her away from him. Her eyes crossed...juuuust a little... but she smiled bitter-sweetly up at him nonetheless, tenderly dusting the soot from one cheek, "Lo siento, Cariño... I'm sorry. And Thank you." If he didn't know better, he might think she meant for more than just falling down the stairs and needing his help, as she steadied herself against the wall; the cold stone feeling wonderful as she leaned her head back against it. "Limón, Harvé!" she called up the stairs after Quinn, her slightly-less-than-American accent thick as she rolled her head to face the stairwell. "BRING LEMON!" 

As Sullivan moved away she went back to her humming... a dark minor with a brisk tempo... her fingers moving gently along the air in time with the tune. "Take your time," she said softly between measures, "I'm better already."  Her eyes, though awkwardly and unevenly dilated sparkled up at him as he moved back to help her up. At first she tried to stand, but surrendered with little protest as he slipped his arms around her. She giggled a little as he found his footing. "I thought you looked a little scrawny for this,"  she chuckled with self-depricating humour... turning her face away from him as she blushed lightly at feeling his body flex beneath her with no real strain whatsoever. 

"Business," she replied simply, watching with feminine amusement as he finally mounted the top of the stairs and noticed her flowers. "I make them all myself. Grow them, trim them, cut them, arrange them, deliver them. It's just me." The smile wavered a little, a heavy weight crossfading into her voice as she made that last statement.  Her eyes slid from his face, a recognizable tinge of guilt creeping into her faint crow's feet for the briefest of seconds before she recovered her facade in an eerily familiar routine. "I've never been able to afford an assistant," she prattled, filling the space between them with sound, "And even if I could, I doubt I would trust anyone else with my babies. They're precious to me... especially the medicinals. It's a family thing." 

She shrugged as she melted into the couch. Closing her eyes with a sigh, she wiggled gently down into the plush cushions. The two of them looking like mirror images of each other as they both basked in the comfort of their respective resting places. "You still doing okay over there?" His question echoed into suspicious silence. And if he didn't know better Sully might have feared she'd fallen asleep. 

She stared at him with doe-like eyes, a guilt-ridden half-smile supplanting her words as her teeth sank into her bottom lip to keep it from quivering. "I'm fine..." she finally managed in a barely audible and utterly unconvincing whisper, wrenching her eyes from his face and shifting slightly to face the high-arched back of the couch. She quiet and still for a long while... the silence that had so shaken her earlier now feeling like sweet solace as she steeled herself against the tears that threatened to sting her eyes. Her breath came in soft, slow whispers as she willed herself to control the overwhelm that boiled up inside her chest, squeezing her lungs and burning her eyes. With a slow exhale, she forced herself to turn back... knowing that the flat position was necessary, given her current predicament. With a forced smile, she perked brightly, "You really should smile as often as you're able, you know."  There was a pained raw honesty behind her chipper tone, "It makes the world a more bearable place for everyone else." 

Just then, Harvey returned from wherever he'd been; arms laden with medical supplies... though no lemon. He smiled at Matty's sour reaction, clearly used to that kind of salty attitude. "Don't worry, Matty," he teased, "I brought iodine instead." Holding up the bottle he winked at her, and chuckled softly at her dumbfounded expression of realization... of course, they'd have iodine. Clearly, she was so used to going without that having the good stuff didn't even cross her mind... even in an emergency. The weight of that realization hung heavily in the air between the three as she tried not to lower her eyes in shame or embarrassment. "Well, get on with it then. Ándale," she chastized them with a teasing smile... doctor's always make the worst patients. 

Sullivan's worried gaze remained on Matty as she lay on the couch. She seemed mostly okay, just a bad bump, but one could never be too careful with the head. She said she was fine, but Sullivan was not convinced, and he still wanted to get her cleaned and bandaged up as soon as they could. She rolled her head around and finally relaxed on her back, staring at the ceiling, knowing it was the best way to lay currently.

-"You really should smile as often as you're able, you know."- she offered her advice. The hint of sorrow in her own voice, though upbeat as it may have been, suggested she'd experienced similar sorrows. -"It makes the world a more bearable place for everyone else."-

Sully smiled through the pain that was etched over his features, offering her some mask to his feelings. "I know. It's easier for everyone else if they don't know your pain. I've seen it so many times with so many different services all across this nation. In my field we basically court death and invite her to come and join us. Sometimes the smiles just don't come for us anymore so we get better at faking it, and masking our hidden emotions."

His smile faded for a short moment before he wiped his face and stood, hearing Harvey approach.

"Alright then, go ahead and clean off the wound with the iodine. I'm sure she knows it may sting a bit since she suggested lemon." There it was, a small smirk... A glimmer of hope in the black sea that had swallowed Sullivan and fought hard to keep him down so far. "Seriously? Lemon?" He shook his head as he started to roll his sleeves up so he could clean and wrap her head.

"I know it works, and works well enough, but seriously if you -or anyone in your area- need assistance, you can bring theme here until we get you set up. You'll need to take care of them, but I have all the necessary tools to handle everything up to and including an amputation."

Sullivan was no longer smiling again, though his face didn't have sorrow written on it this time as he simply concentrated on cleaning her forehead and making sure her skin was stained as little as possible by the ruddy brown iodine. Soon enough she had her head wrapped and gauze pressed to the wound, a small iced pack tied to her head as well to help with keeping the possible swelling down.

"There you go!" Sullivan actually smiled at his work as he rubbed his hands together and chuckled. "You'll be fine, and the swelling will go down. You said you were feeling better anyway so I feel like there's nothing for you to worry about."

He sat himself back down in his chair, leaning forward with his legs crossed, his elbow propped on the chair's arm to hold his head up.

"So we had business to discuss. I've already gotten a lot of support for your clinic within the my medical circle. We aren't always the most conventional, so we are pretty open to accepting your remedies."

He dismissed Harvey and looked back to Mattea, "So what were your plans? I'd like to know exactly what it is you aimed to do with your clinic? And what all you will need so I can make sure and have everything for you. OH! And a name! I'd like to know what you've come up with. I'm actually quite terrible with names. Jack---..." He trailed off for a bit before hiding the pain on his face with a wide smile and open, soft eyes.

"My late wife used to help me with naming everything." She'd know he was hurting, but he was earnestly trying to do better.

Matty regretted her words the second he stood up. That wasn't what she'd meant at all. And she frowned a bit as he leaned in to dress her small wound. At least he smiled about the lemon... even if it did make her self-conscious. She actually laughed out loud when he TIED the ice to her head. It was a deep, melodic, resonating belly laugh and the shocked look that followed seemed almost as if it surprised her somehow; a mixture of shock and regret wrinkling her light crow's feet. 

"I appreciate all of this, really. Mucho gracias, Ojitos Lindos,"  she half-smiled as he leaned forward. She was pleased to have someone... anyone, to talk to; especially about her work. And Sully seemed to show genuine care and interest... something no other man had ever offered. Matty almost flushed... feeling literally tickled pink... until he mentioned his wife and that effortful, 'spare the world my sorrow' smile plastered itself across his face. 

Sitting up slowly, Matty reached over to brush the hair from his eyes; her soft fingers trailing down to dust the remaining soot from his cheek. "You don't have to do that, you know," she half-whispered, her eyes wrinkling upward as she offered him her own forlorn smile. "You pain doesn't scare me or offend me, Sullivan." Using his first name felt odd. It hung on her tongue like sticky-sweet liquorice... somehow more intimate than she'd expected. "Never has. Never will,"  she brushed his cheek with each statement... the motion caring and yet somehow not nearly as personal as her words; clearly a habitual side effect of her bedside manner. She must make a wonderful nurse. She gently lifted his chin cradling his face much like a grandmother would a child, "I only meant that your smile makes my pain hurt less. It's a beautiful gift." 

Releasing him a  platonic wink she continued... as if her affectionate behaviour were as utterly mundane as business-talk. "To be honest, I'm not sure exactly what my aim is," she shrugged lightly. "I'm sure you read my note to Donna Messina. I never intended to be part of this life. It just... kind of... blew into my lap on the wind like a sweet aria on violin." Matty smiled softly, not realizing the weight of what that would mean to him.  "So I guess, I want to mediate between the family and the community... keep people alive... keep them healthy... I want to do some good to balance out all the bad... I guess." 

Again she shrugged, "And if I can make a life for myself in the process, all the better I suppose. Although that seems like a f.... future I'd never considered." She cut herself short, masking her own sadness with a forced chuckle as she chose NOT to say 'fantasy'. She moved on quickly, hoping he wouldn't see the ripple of loss in her eyes or hear the echo of grief in her voice. "Mostly, I'll just need basic medical supplies. First aid and primary care for the community at large. Emergency services when necessary... and of course triage for the family as necessary is how I imagine it. Maybe a birthing and delivery room... if you think that's likely... um... I have everything to make tinctures, salves, and the like. Which is what I use most frequently... especially for more indigent communities. A greenhouse would be great!" She smiled and laughed... not fully understanding the capabilities of an RHM. "Really, anything you think that the family might need... and then a little extra for general operations, I guess." 

She paused, her brow furrowing. She hadn't really thought of NAMING it. She'd assumed they'd do that since she was in their pocket now. The autonomy to do her own work seemed a little... unrealistic... in her mind. "Um... well... I hadn't really thought about a name. I was never very good at them either." Matty was tender and gentle, dipping her head low to meet his eyes with a tender gaze, carefully gauging his reaction as she continued hesitantly, "What.... what do you think your Jackie would suggest?" There. Someone had finally said it without flinching or apologizing. Jackie's name was finally out in the open without a lingering tone of regret or fear. 

Again, Matty gave him that gentle half-smile; knowing how much it could hurt to hear, but knowing -too- how much it could heal. She continued, leaning back a little to give him space to catch his breath. She was sure had been stolen away from his lungs. "We're right between the Spring Mountains and Red Rock Canyon. Since my medicines all come from the Earth, I thought incorporating one of those might be nice... or maybe using the Ivory Tower in the name somewhere... but I don't really know what I would CALL it. Holistic Healthcare? Clinic? All kinda sounds too... "DOCTOR"... I don't think the poorer families would consider going. Community Care? Sounds government funded... which is always shit." 

It was the first time such a harsh word had tiptoed over her graceful and delicate lips in his presence. And she couldn't help but snerk softly at the resulting arch of his brow. "Wellness Center sounds like we're all fucking nuts... not that we're not between the two of us," she winked playfully, her air of irreverence feeling quite refreshing... even if it was in a TOTALLY INAPPROPRIATE setting. "So I kinda settled on 'something-something' Herbal Outreach Program. Sounds professional but not TOO professional. Sabes?" 

Sullivan smiled, legitimately smiled, as she brushed his cheek and comforted him. It was a kind, tenderhearted, understand, KNOWING, touch. He knew she'd felt loss that was similar, and from the way she acted it had been recent as well; perhaps not much longer than Jacqueline's death. While part of him recoiled and, another part of him allowed the comfort of her hand across his face. He nudged into the hand lightly, closing his eyes before shaking his head a bit and pulling away. His cheeks flushed a rosy color, but the grin across his face and the glint of sparkle in his bright blues awarded Matty with a feeling of warmth, suggesting an optimistic chance for him to regain his emotional balance and begin to float atop the gloomy waves instead of drowning just below their surface, screaming to see if someone could hear him...

Her hand slid from his face as she pulled away and Sullivan's gaze refocused on Matty as she spoke about her ideas, needs, and wants. Her violin comment stung, but for her sake he didn't let it show on his face. Sullivan knew the time for sorrow was not now. He could mourn again later when he was at home.

"Truth be told, I can get whatever you want... Greenhouse, triage equipment, stock of pain killers... The birthing room would be a grand idea. Imagine if we could offer a safe alternative to the outrageous bills the hospitals like to charge for child birth? We could make millions, charging a quarter of the cost. Not to mention the pharmaceutical connections I have for the ladies that need an extra push." Sully nodded, looking up to the ceiling as he tapped his chin rhythmically.

"I'll make sure we get everything set up. We can get one of the construction companies to come out and build the place to your specifications as well. I'll need you to come with me as we survey the land, though. You'll need to tell me where is best suitable for your soil. I may understand what certain breeds of plants do, but I can't fucking grow them to save my life, let alone anyone else's."

He brought his gaze back as they started with names and she asked the question. At first Sully was fine with it, but as he continued to think a single droplet fell from one eye, then the other, before he wiped his face with a slight tremble in his breath.

"Sorry, I'm terribly sorry... Give me just a moment." He chuckled, almost sounding embarrassed at the situation he was in. He truly seemed okay, just a minor moment of being lost in his own mind.

"Well, I know she would love the 'Herbal Outreach Program' part of the name... She was always good about pulling in the surrounding area too. Maybe something like Summerlin, or perhaps Pasadena? Maybe Ivory Sands? Being The Ivory Tower and in the desert?"

He chuckled softly, and then grew audibly louder as his eyes widened in excitement... "OH! Ivory Sands Herbal Outreach Program would make it I SHOP!" He laughed from somewhere deep down as he recalled ideas that he thought would tickle Jackie. "Or even Ivory herbal Outreach... I HOP!" It was an uncontrollable giggle at this point as he snickered, trying to catch his breath.

"Ohhh. Ohhh..... Ohhhhh... My side hurts!" he gripped himself as he continued to laugh, and groan, in an agonizing loop of tormentingly funny chuckles.

"Ohhhhhohohoooo... Fuck meeeeheeeeheeee... Okay... Whooo... Wooooo... Whew." His mirth and amusement finally eased into a governable state and he looked at Matty... Which made him laugh again. He'd actually tickled himself pink, literally, as his cheeks flushed both from embarrassment and lack of oxygen, until he finally caught his breath.

With labored pains, breathing like a birthing mother, he managed to regulate himself. "Okay... Okay..." His eyes widened again...

"I know what she would call it..."

He looked at Matty, wide-eyed and with the gaze of a teen looking out into the big world.

"Red Rock Canyon Herbal Outreach Program... It's a place, it's an explanation, it's a mission, all in one! It's perfect!" he jumped up excited, "What do -you- think?!"

Noticing the raised brow on her face, he shrunk just a bit...

"It's just a thought. If you don't like it that's perfectly fine," he chuckled, his eyes scanning her face for a reaction as the hair on the back of his neck stood in anxious disarray.

"But think of it... Fucking with associates that got hurt on the job? 'Take them to The Canyon' would have a worrisome vibe, until they were there and healed!" He stifled a chuckle, fighting the want to break out into a harmonious chorus of laughter again.

Matty blushed a little as they mutually pulled away, quietly catching the breath that his smile stole from her. Though that feat was made all the more difficult by his obvious enthusiasm. "That's exactly what I want to do. But not just for birthing. We can do everything!" Her eyes sparkled to life as she shifted in her seat, removing the ice pack from her head. "As far as soil, I can grow most of my exotics in troughs or pots. And the locals are suited to this climate. So it's no matter. But I'll happily accompany you anywhere you like."  For the briefest second her a flash of recognition blinked into her greenish irises as she pressed her lips together. But Sully was kind... or clueless... enough to let her slip slide by unnoticed. 

They moved on to names. And as she asked about Jackie, a few lonely tears trickled down his cheeks. -"I'm terribly sorry..."- he chuckled, seeming embarrassed by the modest display. And again Matty's fingers found there way tenderly to his pale skin... this time giving his wrist a firm squeeze as her thumb traced slow comforting circles across the back of his hand. "No apologies, Cariño Mio,"  she said softly with a reassuring smile. When he continued speaking, she pulled away as if nothing had happened; nodding happily along with his suggestions. 

Matty sat quietly as he listed his ideas. If Jackie would have liked the Outreach Program, then Matty thought that's exactly what she'd go with. She was so lost in thought that she was taken aback when Sully started laughing, her head tilting to one side as his snickering turned into an all-out belly laugh. What on Earth was so funny? 

Matty simply watched as he went on... uncontrollably bouncing between breathing and giggling. It was a throaty sound from deep in his chest. Almost dorky in a way that tickled Matty pink as she TRIED to keep her composure, biting into her lip to keep from falling into the hilarious delirium right along with him. Just as he finally reached a really good suggestion... Red Rock Canyon Herbal Outreach Program... Matty was struck with the mental image of an amputee patient literally hopping into a clinic called "I HOP". It was cruel humour, and yet something about it struck her as utterly hilarious. Squinching her eyes tightly closed, she clung to any sense of sombre she had left... to little avail. 

As he shrunk away from her odd expression, a little of her shrank with him. She didn't ever want him to shrink... and yet she couldn't hardly keep a straight face. As he stifled his own laughter over "the canyon", Matty hit her limit; tumbling into a raucous of laughter that almost rocked her off the couch as she doubled over with the weight and force of it. It was a light, feminine, sound that ran the scale of tone from low to high and back again in melodic rhythm... not unlike an echo of Jackie. And Matty tried her hardest to control it as she looked up to Sully's beaming blue eyes.  "I'm sorry... I'm sorry... AHH! Fuck! I'm... so. Sorry....." 

It took a moment or few to regain her composure, but when she did, she really, truly smiled at him for the first time; pearly whites peeking shyly from behind her dark lips as her eyes wrinkled and sparkled with joy. "If Jackie would like the 'herbal outreach program', then I LOVE it. My only concern is that Red Rock is a little airid... and I don't want the clinic to sound TOO agricultural. I want people to KNOW it's for healing. What do you think she would think of "Red Rock Canyon Herbal Care Clinic"? Matty waved her hands in the air as if she were imagining a sign in broadway lights... a bright hope evident in her eyes for the first time since he'd met her. "And... maybe... I could... I dunno..." Matty dug the toe of one shoe into the carpet as she danced around the question, unsure of how he'd react, "Maybe I could... WE could... dedicate a wing... or the greenhouse... or something... whatever you think would be the best... y'know... to your wife?" 

Matty glanced up at him, pale teeth sinking into the tender flesh of her bottom lip as she braced to gauge his reaction. "I mean... if you think that's something that would do her memory some honour and justice. I'd... I'd love to... if you think so....?"

Sullivan craned his neck, twisting his head in an avian manner as he looked at Matty, blinking repeatedly. His arms crossed over his chest and his lips pursed upward in thought, his eyes bouncing from her to all over the room. Inhaling slowly, he finally closed his eyes before exhaling with a hastened, shrill whistle. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead and his closed eyes squinted together even tighter. With flaring nostrils, he took yet another breath and exhaled gradually, finally bringing himself to nod.

"Yeah... Yeah, I can see it." He shook his head and finally opened his eyes and looking at Matty again with an impish grin.

"However, we can NOT, and I mean CAN NOT dedicate the greenhouse to Jackie, or else everything will die. She loved her plants, but I swear she could kill a dead one." He chuckled and smiled wide. "Most of the time I had to go through the house and make sure the plants were taken care of. She'd forget to water them for days, and then well over water them to make up for it..." He snickered again. "And on the off chance one died, I'd replace it and she never noticed. I could replace it with a different plant and she wouldn't even notice. I swear she just enjoyed their natural beauty most of the time."

It was a sad smile, but it was a genuine one that graced his features. Sullivan had a very fond memory playing in his head before he shook it away to return to the here and now.

"Anyway, any wing aside from the greenroom."

He nodded as if saying that was that.

"Anyway, I've actually got to get started with today's preparation, two services you know." He smiled. "Thank you again for the arrangements! I'll get Harvey to offload them from your wagon quickly and then he can drive you back to your place." He turned and then stopped and came back to her, offering a hug and pulling her in tightly.

"Thank you. Sometimes it's nice to have someone to just sit and talk to." He turned his head and kissed her cheek before stepping away from her. "It's often very lonely when I go home, so I don't do that much. Most of my time is here or at the Tower. I remain consumed in work so I don't have to think about it. But it really does help to talk about it and get it out. So... Thank you. From the bottom of mine and Jackie's hearts."

Sully bowed to her and spun away to head for his office, a seemingly more positive pep in his step then the usual gloomy, heavy lumber as of late.

 Matty chuckled lightly. Part of her wouldn't mind carrying on the legacy of taking care of "Jackie's" plants. But then, she was sure she could come up with something more suiting. Maybe the lab, she thought to herself, chuckling quietly at Sully's insistence. "Alrighty. Not the greenhouse, then," she nodded with a smile as he turned away. They both had work to do. And she was quite late for her other appointments. So his brusque manner didn't bother her any. The hug, however, did. He caught her completely off guard. And at first, she stiffened reactively. 

She was just slightly shorter than Jackie; her cheek coming to rest lightly against his heart as she relaxed into the embrace. "Mhmm," murmured simply, her cheek sliding softly against the fine black fabric of his shirt as she nodded slowly. For the briefest of seconds, she turned into him, inhaling the clean scent of him with a warm sigh. It was so nice to be on the receiving end of affection. It felt like it had been ages since she'd had any physical contact of her own... aside from the overly-demonstrative comfort she gave others. Matty had to remind herself they were "family" when he leaned down and kissed her cheek. Initially, she scowled. But as the realization dawned on her, she chuckled and blushed a bright and bashful shade of deep persimmon pink; reaching up to nervously fiddle with the small golden locket around her neck.  

Matty knew all too well what it was like to avoid going home. In fact, most nights she fell asleep in her shed or the small shack she used as a greenhouse... it was part of the reason she continually smelled of fresh soil and dewy flower blossoms. Usually, that's exactly where she woke up... in the dewy soil. A fact that, if anyone could, Sully may eventually come to realize. As her thumb traced the familiar floral pattern etched onto the front of the locket, she thought about just how grateful she was for the company as well. And the depth of her emotion shocked her. How long had it been since she truly connected to anyone?? She couldn't remember. 

-"Thank you. From the bottom of mine and Jackie's hearts."-  he said with a bow that only deepened the bright flush highlighting her face and chest. Literally, no one, ever, had ever bowed around her. Much less TO her. It was cute... and awkward... in an endearing way that made her feel kind of special.  All of which was only exacerbated by his gratitude on Jackie's behalf. Something about that, as odd as it seemed, really meant a lot to her. And once again, her stupid, uncontrollable, overly-affectionate hands were moving before she really had any chance to think about her actions. 

With a shy smile, she caught hold of his wrist, her calloused fingertips sliding down to grip his palm as she drew his hand up to her lips. Her seaspray coloured eyes twinkled up at him through dark lashes as she stooped to plant a single, featherlight kiss against his wedding ring; giving his hand a soft squeeze for emphasis. "Anytime. Anytime at all. I'm at your disposal. Harvey knows where to find me," she insisted as she pulled away, blushing as she made room for him to move back to his office... and she to her cart. 

Matty's mind was racing with about a billion thoughts - most of them self-deprecating and cynical - as she turned away; rolling her eyes at her self as she flounced back to her now-empty cart, trying to hide the obvious bounce and sway to her steps. "Don't. Say. Anything." she told Harvey as she maneuvered the cart back outside, sliding into the passenger seat as he loaded it into the trunk. Harvey simply chuckled, socking her shoulder playfully before starting the engine and driving her home.