Heart of Gold (Roselyn)

[Vincent Romanov]

Vincent had once again found himself back at the children's wing of Maddock General, but the kids he was visiting this time were the ones who weren't going to be so lucky in the end. This particular section of the pediatric ward was the terminally ill, those who were dealing with various forms of cancer or other diseases and genetic anomalies which would soon end their short lives here on this earth. Even a battle hardened veteran like Vincent found it hard to come here, but come here he did. These kids needed laughter right now for what little bit of time they had left should be filled with fun and enjoyment. Vincent put on the brave face and did his best to fulfill whatever wish it was that these young ones wanted to make them laugh. He didn't just deal with the kids though, Vincent also took time to sit down and talk to family members, mostly just offering a shoulder for them to cry on or an open ear to hear all the worries and fears locked up tight inside, ready to explode forth. It might have seemed strange to see such a man as Vincent Romanov emit such care and love, but the veteran staff members had come to see him as a blessing instead of an oddity.

Dressed in a pair of faded blue jeans with black work boots and a tight fitting gray tee shirt, Vincent was currently entertaining some of the younger children, the ones who had developed cancer early in their life and who were slated to die before they could even see their sixth birthday. At the moment, Vincent wore a bright red foam ball on his nose, much like a clown, and was juggling four brightly multicolored balls. The act wasn't as hard as it looked, it just took some practice and determination and seeing the smiling faces on these sick children was all the motivation Vincent needed. As he juggled, he sang several silly songs and strafed back and forth in front of the beds the kids where laying in, occasionally stumbling on purpose to make it look like he might fall over and drop the multicolored balls everywhere. It was all part of the act and the gasps the children gave made him smile all the more. It wasn't easy to pretend to be happy when in the presence of death, but nothing worth anything in life was ever easy.

Finally, finishing his act, Vincent caught all four multicolored balls and tossed one to each child, giving the fifth little boy the bright red clown nose to keep as his very own. None of Vincent's props were expensive and even if they were, to see these kids smile he would give them whatever he could. Vincent was well enough off to not have to worry about expenses considering the pension check he received from the government for his services rendered while in the Army. Hammel paid Vincent quite well on top of his government check and so he was sitting rather comfortably. He sent most of his earnings to his sister back home in New York who was looking after their mother, but his little sister earned quite a nice living as well as one of the most sought after ballet dancers on the east coast.

Before leaving, Vincent stood in the middle of the room and shared his belief of God with the children and told them how each one would see the great creator on day and never have to sorry about being sick ever again. Then after a short and somber prayer, he told each child goodbye and exited the room. By this time, his eyes were usually red as he fought back the tears, knowing that the next time he came back one, if not all these kids could be dead, replaced by another sick and dying child. It wasn't easy to maintain his faith when faced with such suffering and pain, but somehow, Vincent kept his beliefs in tact and continued on. He stood there, outside the door to the cancer room, rubbing his eyes with one hand, trying to collect himself before he ran into any parents who might be down the hall in one of the counseling rooms.

[Roselyn Veeder]

It always seemed busy here at work for Rose, no matter what day of the week or what time. If there weren't new patients coming in they had plenty to check and monitor. She was making her rounds, some having minor afflictions and able to leave within the next twenty four to forty eight hours. Cases like these made her smile, knowing that they had just as much potential as any other to go on to graduate, to be an adult and to someday have children of their own. She didn't linger long on that thought because sometimes it left a bitter taste in her mouth. She wasn't angry at others who had children, it was just frustrating to be reminded she hadn't yet... And chances weren't getting any better for her either. For one you had to be married or at least in a stable relationship, at least that's Rose's point of view. And to achieve that step you would have to have some sort of a social life. Chances of meeting someone in the hospital wasn't really thought of, especially when you deal with children so young and the adult men you see are their parents. She loved seeing those picture perfect families, you know the child that talks about the fenced in yard, the siblings all playing out there and mom and dad cooking on the grill.

She turned the corner, heading to check the patients files before going in to see them. Her blue eyes lingered over one line, then the next, all five were still here.. not getting any worse but not miraculously cured either. She exhaled deeply, tucking the files under her arms and heading down the short hallway to see them. A sad smile spread across her face, she had one little girl she really favored in there. Her name was Lily, an angelic little thing
with sandy blond hair and blue eyes. Perhaps she had spent more time with her, and being honest it was going to hurt when she eventually couldn't hold on to her anymore.

Rose had only been at Maddock for a month now, recently getting settled down in Pilot Ridge. She felt more at home here than any other place she had been, and being away from her home town or the town where her new life was promised helped her feel like she could move forward. Sure it seemed like these kids lives were etched out on a time line much like a simple ruler but she hoped she could at least change it, especially enough for them. How do you enjoy life when you know it's all in vain? The same things you are taught to enjoy today will be taken from you tomorrow?

She readied herself for her game face but noticed a gentleman standing in the door. Rose had been unfortunate enough to have not met Vincent yet, and she didn't recognize him as a parent. She spoke up, her tone not harsh but firm, "I'm sorry sir, but you are not allowed back here. I am afraid I am going to have to ask you to leave." They had to monitor only immediate family visits with children this sick. Sure they didn't have anything contagious but many times their immune systems are weakened and their bodies can not fight off a simple cold or flu.

She took note of him rubbing his eyes, wondering if perhaps he was somehow related to one of the children. She came to a stop perhaps four feet from Vincent, ready to address the man head on. Sure if he was family and did have right to be in there and know more about their medical conditions, then she would grant that wish. She kept her posture, shifting her weight from her left leg to her right. She was dressed in a bright lime green skirt that ruffled around her legs right at her knees. Her white coat covered her white blouse underneath. In her hair she wore a headband, made of green lace and pearls. Red was painted on her lips, her eyes lined with a smooth liquid black while they stayed fixed on him. Her feet firmly planted in her heels, standing much shorter than him. "You are not family, are you?"

[Vincent Romanov]

The pediatric wing of the hospital saw quite a few turnovers as nurses went but seeing new doctors wasn't new either. Fresh young faces, straight out of medical school were common place in any hospital, with the older more experienced doctors either moving on to private practice or being lucky enough to earn some tenure and establish themselves within the hospital as a piece of the building itself. Every now and again, Vincent was confronted by one of these rookies, questioning his presence here and demanding him to explain himself. He didn't fault these rookies, after all, they were just doing their jobs, trying to keep their patients safe and protect their medical conditions from public eyes. Vincent wasn't much different when it came to his role back at Hammel, with each unrecognized face being stopped and questioned extensively, sometimes even going as far as to confiscate their identification and running a quick background check on them before letting them roam the school grounds free and unchecked. This new doctor.....Veeder, was obviously new as Vincent would have remembered such a pretty face.

His eyes still red, Vincent cleared his throat and gathered his voice before addressing Dr. Veeder. "No, I'm not family," he said, reaching to the plastic identification card clipped to his belt loop, "I'm one of the volunteers down here," he added, giving a smile as best he could given the situation he had just left. "I come down once or twice a week if I'm able to see where I can help out," he said, standing him ground rather firmly in Dr. Veeder's much small presence. She didn't seem intimidated by his size or physique, a trait many highly educated people seemed to possess. "I'm Vincent....Vincent Romanov. I'm head of security over at Hammel Institute," he said, finishing up his introduction of himself to Dr. Veeder. He wasn't sure how she would react to what his was. If she had heard of Hammel, then she surely knew what sort of school it was and she would also know that if Vincent worked there, then he would obviously be meta. Things could go one of two ways from this point. Either Dr. Veeder would think nothing of him being a meta or she would freak out and demand he leave the premises at once. However, being Pilot Ridge, Vincent doubted the doctor would be bothered by meta-humans too much considering more than half the population of the town was meta.

As Vincent waited for the good doctor's reaction, he looked her over, studying her so to speak. She looked a good deal younger than him which meant she was still new to the health care scene, but if she was as young as she looked, she must have been very bright. Medical school didn't churn out fresh face young doctors but in the rare occasion when they did, it was also some super genius. Despite her young appearance, Vincent felt a bit of attraction to Roselyn. She was very feminine, both in dress and in speech, something which Vincent looked for in a woman. Her make up was very detailed and applied in just the perfect amount, indicating Roselyn was comfortable with her natural looks. She chose a rather elegant looking dress and top, but kept her doctor's coat on to show her authority instead of her natural attractiveness, which meant she wasn't some attention stealing whore. Reading people like this was part of Vincent's job and the training he had received when he was a young pup in the military. He wasn't a profiler by any means, but he could read people good enough to get a general idea of who and what he was dealing with, with decent enough accuracy. Extending his hand, Vincent flashed Roselyn a smile, "And you would be who exactly?,"he asked her, getting right to the point and putting Roselyn on the defensive now. How she handled her answers from this point along with her emotional reaction would give Vincent further information on her whether she liked it or not.

[Roselyn Veeder]

Vincent lowered his hands from his eyes, which almost seemed to pierce straight into her with his gaze. He was a rather attractive man, his face showing more experience rather than age. He was physically fit, and large in stature. And although his face seemed quiet defined she didn't feel like there was any aggression to him. Something about him whispered of things he was capable of, yet putting one at ease as if they were safe in his presence. She didn't care for much interaction with others around her age but she felt comfortable in his presence.

He spoke his name, not something common you hear in America... Romanov. She tried to make a mental note of it, at least long enough to recall it in case she needed to address him by name. He said his first name twice, which seemed an open invitation to use it. Her mind had lingered on all the things she was liking about him too much. She shouldn't pass too strong a judgment on someone before she gets to know them. Still she didn't show any weakness or over interest outwardly. After all he was probably married or worse... there was a real reason he hadn't found someone that would take him. Rose was never lucky like that, I mean to find some rare treasure in her life without it having a wicked catch. Work was the best thing she had going on in her life and she needed to focus on keeping it that way, right?

Her eyes drifted down to his temp badge, letting her eyes move over it without much thought as she has seen several of these since starting here. "Alright." She gave his attire a one over, knowing that whatever it was he was doing down here more than likely had nothing to do with the medical aspect of helping children. "What do you do here... I mean what are you doing in this part of the hospital today?" This time her tone was more relaxed, showing interest. After all if someone cared enough to volunteer their time for these children, she respected that. Perhaps he too had lost a child or family. She stopped herself from mentally trying to find a fault in him, after all what if he was picking her over in his head like this?

He mentioned Hammel and her lips twitched in a sort of smile. What sort of abilities did he have? Given his size he could be a force to be reckoned with. Perhaps she should feel a little worried to be alone with him. Luckily she had never been victim of abuse in any form, well, nothing serious. And although she was certain she couldn't fight him back or off... he had to be trusted enough by the other staff to be left alone like this. "Were you coming in or just leaving?" She didn't want to openly admit it but she hoped she would see a bit more of him today. After all the rush of meeting someone new, all those blanks that could be filled in in oh so many ways was appealing to her.

He offered his hand and before much thought was given she extended her own, grasping his firmly. "Dr.Veeder. Pleasure to meet you." She was used to addressing herself to others, adults were so simple and this action was so mechanical to her, or professional is probably the proper term. "However for the children's sake just call me Dr.Rose or Rose." She didn't know how to explain to someone on the 'outside' that she liked to remain more personal to the kids. She didn't want to be just another white jacket or another adult with authority. She wanted to let them know that in every way possible they weren't her job, they were her priority. "Perhaps if you are not busy you could show me what it is you do....." she gave a motion to the door behind him.

[Vincent Romanov]

Rose all too quickly accepted his show of a temp badge but then again who really wouldn't. Vincent was head of security and as such knew the ins and outs of the game. Just because someone had a badge or other form of identification didn't mean it was valid. There was proper procedure for moments like this and if the hospital didn't have any, they sure needed to put some into place. Back at Hammel, extensive files were kept on all staff and students, both past and present. Fingerprints, dental records, profile pictures, you name, Vincent and his security team had them. Everyone who came and went into Hammel had to pass through the front gate who relayed all information back to the central hub of operations. Vincent did have to force himself to remember that this was a hospital, not a prison or high security compound. Hammel itself hadn't been as tight as it was now when Vincent first arrived, but now it was about as safe and secure as they come. Vincent took his job all too seriously, perhaps a bit too much at times. He had his days off, but even then, he always had his blue tooth device on him in case something serious went down back at the institute.

Vincent smiled at Rose's question of what he did with his time here at the hospital, especially in this ward of the the pediatric wing. "Well usually I'm either here to make a fool of myself for the benefit of the kids, sometimes a mobile jungle gym, and other times I just come to read to them," he said with a shrug of his large shoulders as he halfway slipped each hand into a pocket of his pants. He turned his gaze back to the kids in the room he had just left, frowning a bit. "These kids though, I just try to give them a bright point while they still have time to enjoy one," he added sort of slowly. Vincent had a hero complex, he felt he needed to save everyone he possibly could and while of the time there was a possible way to save anyone in any situation, these kids didn't have a chance. Vincent could do nothing to spare these kids the pain and fear they had to face day in and day out save for bringing them a bit of foolish juggling and silly songs to bring out a laugh or two between the coughing and groaning.

As Vincent turned back to Rose, talking of Hammel, he noticed a small almost hidden smile on Rose's face. She knew Hammel for sure, might have even trained and studied there. Almost all the metas here in Pilot Ridge had come through Hammel at one point or another and the ones who had grown up and left, always seemed to find their way back here, as if the school itself willed them to come back home to her. Vincent surmised that so many Hammel graduates came back to the school was because for them it was home. It was a place where they felt safe and a place which felt like a part of them. Vincent remembered how empty he felt for those first few months after he graduated and left. Always, Vincent's mind roamed back to Hammel through the years until finally he came back home and here he was ten years later, still there and loving every day of it.

As he shook Rose's hand, he remembered to not squeeze too hard as he didn't want to break the tiny bones in her small hands. "Well, I was just getting ready to head down to the other kids down the hall, the non-terminal ones. If you want, you can tag along, I can always use a sidekick," he said giving Rose a wink and pat on the shoulder. Stepping aside, Vincent motioned for Rose to take the lead, "After you Dr. Rose," he said smiling a bit mischievously.

[Roselyn Veeder]

Rose noticed the sad tone in Vincent's voice as he drew his attention back to the children he just left. It was nice to see a new face (to her) here that seemed to have a general concern for the children. She sighed very quietly, feeling the same burden on her heart as he had. Still there was hope, at least she was trying to see it that way to at least extend their lives. She glanced with him, glad to see someone else using the power of laughter and love to bring comfort. After all no amount of any drug or chemical could be better than that.

His hand enveloped hers and his grip was firm but not uncomfortably so. She could tell that he had done some hard work in his life, her hands much softer than his. Rose let her thumb rub across the back of his had as she gave a genuine half smile at him, nodding her head. Perhaps, if things seemed to go well she would see him again... and hopefully often. She let her hand drop to her side for just a moment before bringing it back around in front of her, letting the fingers of her left hand glide across the tips of her other. Her fingernails were short and well kept, her pearl bracelet dangling gently from her ivory skin.

Vincent told her he was getting ready to head down the hall, offering her to go with him. That idea didn't have time to settle before she felt his touch. She was a bit surprised by Vincent's pat on the shoulder, leaning into it ever so slightly so not to lose balance. That mischievous smile seemed to be contagious, and part of her felt excited to be here, with him. She hadn't felt these sort of feeling stir in her in such a long time. It was almost like they were in school and he was talking her into skipping class with him... Only this wasn't school and she wouldn't be doing anything inappropriate or unprofessional at work. Still part of her felt that, almost like she was a teenager giving into the rebellious side of her. She had to admit, it would have been extremely hard to say 'no'. Besides... what she was doing was productive, right? She would be down there in just a moment anyway, why not tag along and just loop around when they were done? If anyone needed her they could page her.Not today, any day but today.

She said not a word, and perhaps by her expression none were needed. When he stepped aside she walked a few steps in front of him, glancing back over her should to make sure he was following. For a minute she could feel her heart beating all throughout her body, seeming like everything was in slow motion as she blinked and turned back around. She instinctively bit the bottom of her lip and swallowed all these irrational feelings. I have to admit, he is handsome... for lack of better words right now.

It was a short distance to walk down the hall but it seemed much longer. Her chest tightened up and it seemed harder to breathe. However when she heard a boy named Charlie call out to one of the other children, one that had only been there for a day or two she was brought back down to earth. She put that sweet smile on her face, feeling her whole posture, her perspective on life changing. She grasped the handle on the door although it was already cracked. She opened the door, her eyes eager looking for those loving faces that kept bringing her back here each day. "Good morning!" She hardly got the words out of her mouth before a young black headed little girl came and wrapped herself tightly around roses leg. She smile and picked the child up, holding her closely to her side and hugging her before relaxing and looking at the others. "Guess what? We have a guest here today..." she motioned towards Vincent, ready to step back and let him take the lead.

[Vincent Romanov]

It was an odd moment for Vincent just as it was for Rose. He had had a few girlfriends in his past, but none of them had ever worked out. Vincent was devoted to his job, no matter where and what it might be. Women didn't like being second in a man's life and so, as all of them had, every girlfriend Vincent had ever had, left him, one by one. A career military man, stationed all over the world, leaving a beautiful young woman at home was never a combination for a healthy relationship. When Vincent was home, he still had that protector personality, devoting time to those that needed him, never finding time for those who where supposed to be closest in his life. So, Vincent had decided some time ago, that being single was probably the best option for him as the hurt of losing one loved one after another was just getting too much for him. It wasn't an easy decision to make, after all, he did want a family, but he just couldn't find the right way to go about establishing that.

Upon seeing Rose, Vincent fell an attraction to her, a dangerous emotion and one he ran from many times before. This time however, the situation was different. He was getting tired of being alone and wanted to have a warm body to come home to in the evenings. Trouble was, finding someone who understood his lifestyle and work hours. Being a doctor, Rose would make the perfect person to fill that position. Doctors were always on call, and worked so many long hours. They took an oath to always help those who needed them and that thought intrigued Vincent. Maybe he just might as Rose out after they made their rounds here.

Every move Rose made in Vincent's presence made him smile all the more. She was like some school girl talking to her crush and to be honest, Vincent wasn't acting as cool as he might like to think he was. He certainly had Rose's attention for sure and unbeknownst to her, she had him lock, stock, and barrel. Rose never really said anything, but just sort of took over the moment. She took up Vincent's offer to join him, taking lead as a matter of fact. This did not bother Vincent as it gave him a chance to get a good back view of Dr. Rose. The white doctor's coat she wore hid all the good parts and Vincent shook his head in disappointment. Clearing his throat, Vincent smiled nervously and followed Rose as she stopped to turn and see if he was following like a good dog.

The walk down to the next set of rooms of sick children was quiet and short. Vincent knew the kids here, he had entertained them several times before. Not these particular set of kids mind you, but the ones who where not terminal and were just here for treatable problems. These kids were a bit better to entertain as they were more upbeat and with good reason. Vincent enjoyed entertaining these kids more, a fact which he was ashamed of, but he was human after all. It was far too hard to look a dying children and know there was nothing you could do to save them. He gave Rose the lead to enter the room first, staying just at the entrance to the door. The kids lit up instantly upon seeing Rose, one little girl wrapping herself tightly around the good doctor's legs. Rose responded positively, a reaction which Vincent was hoping for. Kids were very important in Vincent's life, even if he himself did not have any.

After getting the kids settled down, Rose introduced Vincent, a clear sign for him to begin his little show. Wasting no time, nor showing any fear, Vincent walked in and smiled to each child, looking them over in turn. Any of these kids could have been a meta, a Hammel planted thought for sure. Vincent wasn't a recruiter, but he was ordered to always keep an eye out for any odd children and then report back to James on the matter. However, the kids here were all too young to be showing meta signs at this point in their lives. "Hey guys," he said still smiling, "as Dr. Rose said, I'm Vincent and I volunteer down here a few times a week," he said, introducing himself as he always did. "Now, I know you've seen all sorts of volunteers down here, but I bet you've not had any like me," he went on, glancing to Rose and giving her a wink. "Dr. Rose, don't move.....trust me," he said with another mischievous smile. Sort of bending over, Vincent wrapped one arm around Rose's legs and before she knew what was happening, he had lifted her up and set her easily on his shoulder, holding her securely with one hand. "I'm what your parents call a meta-human. I can do all sorts of neat things like this, so that means, I'm now your personal jungle gym," he went on, setting Rose down with such ease.

The children sat that silent for a moment and burst into laughter before they began tripping over themselves to get to Vincent before the others. "Me next, me next!!!!," were the cries as each child clung to Vincent wanting to see just what this weird large man could really do. Some of the kids even went as far as to start climbing Vincent, but Vincent showed no signs of buckling or even strain as he grabbed one after the other and piled them all over him, the kids hanging off him from every angle, laughing and giggling all the while.

[Roselyn Veeder]

Rose barely had time to set Audrey down before Vincent introduced himself and then told her not to move. Of course the first thing anyone wants to do is move.... but she held back. She kept her arms up close to her body, trying not to take such a defensive stance but not able to help it either. Vincent swooped down, she could see almost all of him from her frozen stance and she felt his arm wrap around her legs. She didn't have any time to react, her heart started beating faster. Amazingly he lifted her up like she was light as a feather. She couldn't help but gasp at first, reaching down to steady herself as he set her down on her shoulders. He had it fully in control and after that first flush of uncertainty rushed over her it all settled to let another emotion come forth. She laughed, half in surprise and disbelief and partly just pure joy. It was fun being up here just like a rag doll. It was fun to have someone able to make you feel this young again, like you are not bound by gravity, by all the normal rules you have to follow as an adult.

Vincent's voice rang out in the room, all eyes wide and watching him. He announced that he was a meta human, perhaps super strength was his ability. Although something like that would usually make her feel a bit more defensive around someone she found it stirred her in another way. It excited her, perhaps because he seemed to be so honest and gentle... Someone that you could trust and someone that would use this power only for good. The kids looked at him slightly in disbelief when he announced that he was the kids personal jungle gym.

Then it ended just as quickly as it began, he sat her gently down, her body language showing trust as she didn't fight his fluent movement. She smiled, stepping back as she heard the children rushing towards them. Her legs felt a bit like jelly and at the same time she felt like she was vibrating all over. She was perhaps as excited as the kids. The boys were the first to start wallering Vincent. Rose hadn't even noticed she had her hands clasped together at her waist until Audrey started pulling her back over to him. She smiled, wanting to completely let go. And perhaps if she wasn't dressed such like a lady she would have. Audrey jumped up, trying to grab on Vincents arm. Rose grinned playfully, doing her best to jump up on his back and hold on around his neck without choking him. She bent her legs far back, almost doubling up to touch her tush, feeling the weight of a kid starting to use her as leverage to climb on to Vincent. She laughed, loudly, pulling her legs up as much as she could, feeling arms wrapping around her own neck. She felt the pull as someone leaned forward, dark hair tickling against her cheek followed by giggles. She started to say something but was laughing so hard at the girls giggles she just got "Wha.." out. She tried to hold on to Vincent and lower her right arm in front, feeling hands brushing against it.

At this moment in time it seemed as if everything was perfect. Perhaps because this was the closest thing she had to some sort of 'family' interaction with the kids. Sure she played with them a lot, not being able to wrestle like this, but it was always alone. Never had she imagined there would be a worker or volunteer like this at the hospital. Sure this town was full of meta humans and many were too busy to waste their time on a lost cause like this. Their hours were filled working at the school, or training, or recruiting. And there were some who had normal jobs, taking a more laid back approach to dealing with society. It didn't seem to be something they really hid here, but not everyone came into everyday situations to use their powers like this. "Wow!" She heard herself saying, half to herself and half to the kids.

[Vincent Romanov]

As Vincent hoisted Rose up and onto his shoulder, he felt her wobble a bit, but she seemed to quickly find her balance. Lifting here was far too easy for someone who possessed the ability which Vincent did. Super strength was nice and most assumed that was his meta ability, a fatal flaw for almost everyone who had been in a real fight with him. In fact, super strength was just a welcomed positive side effect. Storing up all forms of kinetic energy allowed him to augment the energy to increase his speed, stamina, and reflexes to a certain extent, but his strength, that was the one which exceeded all others. Vincent could absorb massive amounts of kinetic energy before finally just overloading and releasing it all in a giant kinetic shock wave. When he set Rose down, he caught a quick smell of the perfume she wore and it did attract him for a moment, but he knew he had to entertain the kids at the moment. Dr. Rose would just have to wait for later....He hoped.

The fact that Vincent was a meta meant little to these children, probably because they were too young to even know what the word meant or even to really care why he was different. Pilot Ridge was far more accepting of meta-humans than your average American town, but so was any city or town located near a meta school. Close to half the population here in Pilot Ridge were meta by Vincent's guess, but that was calculating in the school residence and not just the town by itself. With all that said, each child in random turn and fashion lunged toward Vincent, hanging all over him, clambering to be the first little monkey to reach the top of the tree. Their tiny weight was hardly enough to even strain Vincent with the strength he had in store, coupled with his natural physique and strength. However, a large amount of weight was felt at his back and it took him a moment to realize what was going on. Dr. Rose was joining in on the fun. Vincent's knees did try to buckle on him, but he just drew on more of his stored kinetic strength to support the extra weight he had not factored in to this event.

Pretty confident that every child, including Rose, was secure in their grip on him, Vincent turned his body rather easily, the added weight slowly him down some but not enough to be easily noticed. He began to march around the room, laughing and yelling with the kids as they slipped and squiggled about. He often thought about what these kids told their parents when they came back to check on their little loved ones. Some wild tale of a giant who carried the entire sick ward plus Dr. Rose on his back. No doubt the parents all wrote this off as a child's deluded fantasy, but Vincent didn't really care. Making these kids happy was his first motive, and now that Dr. Rose had introduced herself into this fun little play, making her happy seemed to take itself as Vincent's second motive.

Finally after enough time stomping around and wrestling kids here and there, Vincent squatted down to one knee to let everyone off the Romanov fun train. Each child slid off in turn, some not really wanting to, but did so after much pleading from Vincent. After each one was off, Vincent sort of turned his head to halfway see Dr. Rose. "And who's the adult in this room exactly?," he asked her with a chuckled and a crooked little smile.

[Roselyn Veeder]

Vincent made his way around the room and if this weren't the exact same setting Rose probably would have felt a different rush of emotions. Sure, Vincent's brute strength was impressive but his behavior around the children... well it just made him that much more special to her. He seemed to really fit into the stereotype of a 'hero', minus the pretty boy blue eyes and blond hair. There was something real about him that kept him from fitting into that cartoon cliche. She was happy, there was no doubt about that, laughing just as much as the children as he walked around the room, her weight leaning one side then the other with his shifting gait. And it seemed all too soon things were over....

Vincent squatted down, many children groaning in protest but giving in all the same. And she couldn't blame them. Even after her feet were planted on the ground she hesitated letting go of him. He felt so warm, and she felt calm being close to him. Rose was a touchy type of person, and given her ability she needed to be. But usually those things came with a purpose. So hesitantly she let her hands slip from around him and she took a step back as the last few let go. She was smiling, watching the kids as they lingered around him, waiting for his next trick. Audrey had found her way back over to Rose and stood in front of her as she watched Vincent get up. Rose crossed her hands over the child, glancing at the eager audience. "Okay guys... you gotta go easy on Vincent. Perhaps that's enough for one day." She let her eyes linger over each one of them. Most of them were very well behaved but a small child named Jakob groan and sulked for a moment. "Look, I'll play a game with you later, before I go home.. okay?" That seemed to perk the child up, although he continued to stick his lip out in a pout.

She saw Vincent's head turn her way and she instinctively looked back. His voice was playful and it merited a slight laugh and blush from her. "Yeah... well we try not to use dirty words like that in here." Audrey gave a small giggle, rocking back in forth in front of her before running off and climbing back onto her bed. She picked up her teddy bear, one that they hand out to each of the children there. The other kids dispersed a bit more too, some going to watch cartoons, a few talking and looking out the windows.

That brought her attention back to Vincent, it was not so easy for her to know just what to say or how to act in front of others. Kids were so easy, they wanted love, attention, and something to make them laugh. Adults, they were more complex, more selfish. You had to prove yourself to pass their judgment by passing through the hoops they wanted you to. She cleared her throat softly, letting her hands rest at her sides. "Thank you for doing this... And for letting me tag along too." She gave him a brighter smile, hoping he would understand she meant playing along too. She took one step closer, slipping her arms behind her back and glancing down before looking back up at him. "I really wish there were more people like you... That they would volunteer their time here or do something else productive to help children."

[Vincent Romanov]

Vincent stood up, not as quickly as he used to, after all, he was starting to feel the slow progression of age upon his body. True, he was in excellent shape for a man his age and considering his ability, he was well beyond regular humans by far. However, that still did not stop the progression of time on the joints and muscles of the body. War had taken its toll on Vincent, has had worry and stress. He was far from being out of any action yet, but he knew eventually, retirement would come for him, if not death first. His mind though, was not on his aching joints, and while the kids were on the outskirts of his mind, Rose was his main point of focus currently. She was rather lovely, very feminine and her eyes showed a truth and honesty there which struck a very strong chord with Vincent. Vincent was rather old fashioned in his taste of women. He liked them very feminine, cheerful, and they had to have a love for children. If and when Vincent was to ever settle down, it would be a very serious step in his life. Marriage was a sacred institution for him, an oath taken between a man and woman in front of God almighty. Of course, even thinking about marriage right now was really jumping the gun, he didn't even know the first thing about Rose. Being the trained government man he was, Vincent was all about knowing everything and anything about every subject out there. He had extensive files on every staff member at Hammel, a secret he kept and would keep with his dying breath. Not even those underneath him knew just how observant their boss was. He just might have to look this Dr. Rose up when he checked in for work tomorrow.

Vincent stood there for a moment, just eying Rose with a schoolboy smile. He wasn't quite as smooth as he came off sometimes, it was all in the appearance. He had learned from an early age it was all in how you presented yourself. Growing up in New York wasn't easy as a child. A lot of would be street thugs trying to shake you down for what little bit of cash you might have in your pocket were just one of many threats stalking you. Vincent was never one to back down from a fight, even before his meta ability finally activated. Always standing up for the smaller kids on his block, in his school, and even in his apartment building. He was large for his age, from day one and so not many chose to test his physical skill. Vincent picked up on that quickly and realized that using his fists wasn't always the only option. He carried himself well, always looking confident and in control, even when he knew he was far from it. Right now with Rose though, he was just a school again, staring at his high school crush.

Sort of blushing at Rose's words, an action not achieved by just anyone with Vincent, he scratched the back of his head and chuckled. "Yeah, well, someone has to show these kids that there are people in this world care for them. If we don't show them what caring really means, then what kind of adults will they become," he said with a rather mature tone, even though he didn't quite appear mature at the moment. Dropping his hand to his side, Vincent stood there for what seemed like an eternity. It was that awkward silence which could kill a moment in a heartbeat, so with an awkward blabbering sort of way, Vincent found himself just blurting something out rather quickly. "I'll be for a while actually, I just came off third shift so I'm not back on until tomorrow. If you get some time soon, I'd love to grab a cup of coffee." Vincent then realized what he had just said and laughed at himself, making a motion with his hands, "Do doctors even get coffee breaks?," he asked, realizing how horrible he was messing all this up.

[Roselyn Veeder]

Rose had to admit that Vincent was adorable and his demeanor seemed completely different than it did at first. She watched him, unsure if she just seen a blush creep upon his cheeks, her own lips tugging in a grin. As awkward as his behavior might have been for him, it made her feel more confident, at least when it came to coming out of her shell a little. His words made her nod in agreement, as Rose saw it every child deserved to be loved... in abundance. It was so easy for a child to get over looked, after all parents had important things like jobs and bills, meetings, schedules, etc., etc. to occupy their mind. These sorts of things seemed to be what made their world go round and they don't slow down enough to pay attention to the person who is supposed to be first in their life, the person who so desperately depends on them. Rose had never once woke up with some feeling of regret for going into medical, and her priority had been for the longest time children.

What happened next made a strange silence fill the entire room. She had watched him scratching his head looking slightly anxious, but nothing could have properly prepared her for what was to happen next. After she stumbled over his words a second time she realized he had asked her for coffee. Coffee?? Is 'coffee' a date? She found herself speechless there herself. She knew that at least one or two of the kids had to be semi aware of the conversation. Those little buggers had ears that would pick up on every syllable uttered if it was something even of the slightest private nature. She took in a deep breath, what if she said yes, he was handsome.. and good with kids. Still how much would that shake her life up? She was adjusted to her schedule now, the kids and home pretty much. If she did open up to someone else, well, pain loves opportunities like this and misery is loves company.... Perhaps things work out. One day he would eventually find out about her past mistakes, her past marriage, and the reason it could not stand the pressure they were put under.

She swarmed in her head for a reason, trying to balance things out to make the best decision. She was nervous, perhaps not always blending in with everyone so easily. What if he too found her awkward? She felt her cheeks heating up, felt that warm wave pulsating up from chest. "I..." she started, fidgeting about with her hands. She pressed against the pinkie finger of her left hand with her right thumb. She couldn't get anything out before she heard a quick drawn breath and a sweet little girls voice chime out, "SAY YES, DR.ROSE. HE'S HANDSOME." Every word was bold and clearly spoken. She laughed nervously and brushed her hair back behind her ear. "Yes..." she nodded her head at him, her eyes glancing back and forth away from him in a shy nature. "That would be fine. I uhhh... should get a break in about two hours." She grinned at his question, biting on her bottom lip quickly before answering, "Usually we do. Just not always on schedule."

She walked over to the counter and picked up her files. She was nervous and anxious at the same time. She didn't want to act too eager and she didn't want to scare him off especially since he seemed to really be a 'prince charming' in her eyes so far. "You want me to meet you downstairs about that time?" She didn't dare look at her watch, no she would do that after she stepped out of the room. Right now she didn't want to show that she was shaking inside. She wanted to remain calm, besides if something happened and he never showed.. well she wouldn't feel too much like a fool next time she bumped into him (if ever).

[Vincent Romanov]

As Vincent waited, he sort of grew more and more anxious. It had been a long, long time since he had had any real social interaction, much less with such an attractive woman as Rose. He couldn't even really remember the last time he had been on a date. His life had always been busy ever since he signed up with the American military. After he was discharged from service, Vincent went home to help tend to his mother and sister and then from there straight on to Hammel. Vincent had been serving Hammel for ten years or so now and in those ten years, he had done nothing but focus on work and entertaining the children here at the hospital or down at the local youth center. Sure, having coffee wasn't really a date per say, but it was a step in the right direction. Before Rose could answer Vincent, the young girl which had been wrapped up around Rose's legs yelled out for the doctor to say yes because Vincent was so handsome. Vincent snorted in his laughter at the remark and dropped his head a little, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. Evidently Rose agreed to some extent as she went along with Vincent's proposal of getting a quick cup of coffee.

"Well, then," he said, still rubbing the back of his neck, his face feeling a bit hot, "Two hours then, in the cafeteria," he said, smiling eagerly, "give or take," he added with a wink as he realized that Rose's job didn't really give her the opportunity to set exact times for breaks and lunches. Taking a few steps back, Vincent bumped into a small rolling table, knocking it back a few inches, stumbling over it in the process before regaining his balance again. "There's a....yeah...," he said, trying to regain his cool, even though he never really had it to begin with. Clapping his hands softly, he laughed nervously as the children all laughed at him for nearly toppling over the rolling table. "I'll just be downstairs then," he said, quickly exiting the room and into the safety of the hallway. "Smooth one Romeo," said an elderly black nurse as Vincent emerged into the hallway. Apparently his antics had not went entirely unnoticed. Pointing a mocking finger at her, Vincent jokingly narrowed his eyes, "That's its Tess. Next time you need someone to get that piece of junk car of yours running, don't expect me to." Tess merely laughed, "Yes you will," she replied, titling her head down to look at him over her glasses. "Your right, I will," Vincent responded with a smile as he turned and headed for the elevator.

Almost two hours later, Vincent was still sitting in the hospital cafeteria, reading the sports section of a discarded paper. His cell phone was on the table, vibrating away. "I'm not answering," he said as he already knew it was his mom calling to harass him about taking a vacation to come see her and his sister. It wasn't as if he didn't want to, but right now just wasn't the best time. Too much was still left in the lurch since the MSAD incident, plus, he might want a bit of time to himself. Finally, the phone stopped vibrating, a relief and a curse at the same time for Vincent knew he would have to call his mother back later tonight and let her know why he was far too busy for his dear mother.

[Roselyn Veeder]

Rose tried to stay busy so as not to think too much about Vincent. She had plenty of other things going on to occupy her mind as it was, truly, but it was hard. Sure she could focus on her task at hand but every ten minutes she was checking and double checking her watch. She was sort of in a day dream as she drifted from room to room, having little interaction with any others today. It was nice, she had to admit, having at least a little quiet time to try to collect your thoughts.

Then, before she had even noticed the allotted time had quickly passed. She only had a couple of minutes to spare and now as she thought about it her stomach churned tightly into knots. Her hands got clammy and she had to wash them before heading to the elevator. I mean if he wasn't down there waiting, well she could just pretend today didn't happen, that it was just a good dream, right? What if something came up and he really had to leave? He seemed nervous, nervous enough to like her at least. She just took a deep breath and swallowed, feeling her heart beat slow to a steady rhythm as she made her way down the hall.

Such a short trip to the cafeteria, and to tell the truth Rose didn't spend too much time down here. People weren't really her expertise, well grown people, and usually the most eager ones to talk to you were guys... not to mention a couple of super pervs. Perhaps it was the 'new' on her that made her a target or the fact she looked barely legal. Either way it was hard to show that the attention wasn't unwanted without being mean. Acting crazy had been her back up plan before but here, well she needed to act straight laced, for the most part. Sure she may make balloon animals, paint faces, play video games, etc. but that didn't necessarily make her a mentally disturbed person.

Her blue eyes scanned the tables, several faces she didn't notice, probably here for a family member. Out of staff she recognized one, a guy named Charles that refused to take a hint. That bit of panic set in and she looked in a new found desperation for her savior. The vibration of his phone was what caught her attention first, then his gruff voice . She smiled in relief, seeing the other mans eyes rest on her so she quickly walked over to Vincent's table, hesitating only for a second before pulling the chair out and sitting down in it. She could see that Charlie had started to get up but hesitated now that she was no longer alone. She brushed her hair back with her hand then propped it up on the table to shield her gaze from him.

She let out a sigh, feeling herself relax, "Glad you gave me a couple of minutes extra." She had all sorts of cool things floating around in her head, and yet they all seemed to be moving too fast to be clear what was proper to say and in what order. She wanted to blurt out and ask if he was married, she hadn't noticed a ring after he asked her to coffee but it was hard to really see without being totally noticeable. "I think what you do is amazing.... I mean, just letting yourself go and having fun with the children." Rose could be a bit blunt when she got to talking, however she kept most negative comments to herself. She felt in general, unless one was a slime ball and hurting others, people need to be uplifted. Perhaps love could change people from becoming the monsters you hear about on the news or see from time to time. "Do you have any? Children, I mean?" Did it really matter if he did? She had her own past... and deep down Rose sort of thought of it as a bonus. There was no guarantee with anything that she could ever carry for full term. She had been in high school, had a period were she sowed some of her wild oats. She didn't play those kinds of games anymore and she wasn't going to waste her time if there wasn't a chance of someone becoming permanent in her life, one way or another. A part of her feared any male who might be a potential lover might find out about her past and that it might come in between them like it did with her and James.

Perhaps that was a blunt question. Didn't 'normal' people start out with something safe like do you have a job, do you like it? Generic etc., etc. She needed something safe, something to put a good spin in case she had treaded on unsafe territory. "I have to admit.... you were cute up there." She wanted to fidget with her bracelet, but she didn't dare lower her hand, her fingers slipped through her hair as she looked at Vincent. "Umm... handsome as Audrey put it." Why was she being so bold? She knew nothing about Vincent save his name. What if he was married but liked to have his cake and eat it too? She had mistakenly went on a date with a man like that once... and now two years later she wasn't sure she was really gonna end her dry spell. She wanted to know just what it was that had happened in his life to make this his priority, save his job at Hammel. He was attractive, and growingly more so as she seen more of his personality, and healthy. He could have an ideal life, she didn't see why. People were sort of like building blocks, or Lego's rather. You could see what they made on the outside right off the bat but sometimes blocks weren't set straight and there were often weak spots. She wanted to know the worst of what she might be getting into before she found her mind any more fixed on this gentleman....

[Vincent Romanov]

Dr. Rose approached rather quickly to the small square table Vincent had been occupying for about forty-five minutes now, barely giving him time to fold the paper he had been reading in half to toss aside. He was glad she showed up as he wasn't sure if he came across in some weird stalker sort of way. A successful and pretty woman such as Rose surely had to have her share of would be wolves out on the prowl. Vincent wasn't sure what it was about her which attracted him, but just being in her presence was enough to keep him focused on her and her alone. It might have been her eyes, or that perfect smile of hers or just the entirety of Rose herself. He still knew next to nothing of the woman who was sitting across from him, but she didn't know anything about him either. At least that bit of information leveled out the playing field a bit.

Vincent never really had a large ego so to speak, although he did think highly of himself in certain areas. Vincent had been and still was a good soldier. He had served his country proudly and loyally the entirety of his service to her and now he served Hammel as the protector of her children. Call it a superhero complex or what have you, Vincent had always been like this. He often said he had such a protective nature because God had chosen him for that purpose. Vincent took his assumed role very seriously, which was the main reason for his lack of having a wife or any children of his own. He was a family man for sure, family was very important to him, but it seemed that having his own might be something which wasn't meant to be. Sure, it brought him down sometimes, but that was when Vincent just concentrated more on his job.

Vincent sat back in his chair, crossing his arms and smiling as it seemed to be Rose's turn to blabber about. She commented on how nice it was of him to dedicate his free time to entertaining the children here and how 'handsome' he was as well. At that comment, Vincent blushed again. He had heard sweet talk before and it never had effected him like this, but that might have been because he hadn't had any feelings for those who spoke to him in that manner before as well. Vincent wouldn't have exactly called it 'love' he felt for Rose at the moment, but it was certainly a very deep attraction. He supposed she felt the same way for she was here with him now, talking and questioning him about things in his life.

Giving a chuckle, Vincent lowered his gaze for a second and then looked at Rose again. "No kids," he said, taking a deep breath for a moment, "Just me, myself, and I. No wife or girlfriend either in case your curious about that as well," he replied, smiling again, knowing Rose had to be very curious about that one. She had those analytical eyes and since she was a doctor, Vincent knew her mind had to be a trouble finding machine. After all, that's what doctors were trained to do and be. "Its hard to find someone who can accept the demands which my job requires. Something I'm sure you can sympathize with seeing that you're a doctor and all," he said, shrugging his rather large shoulders. "What about you Rose? You have any kids?," he asked, just as curious about Rose as she had been about him. While they might have been in two entirely different professions, both their jobs required a very inquisitive mind and ever searching eye.