FLASHBACK: WA - WDC - The Sanctuary - Interior (Day 176-?)

[Kristi Lynne]

Washington DC - 'The Sanctuary'

The Saviors' camp named 'The Sanctuary', located in Washington DC.

[Kristi Lynne]

Day 176

---

Nearly a week has passed since the death of Ecksley and many of his followers. Given an ultimatum from Negan, some of Ecksley's people chose to leave, while others decided to stay for the promise of safety. Negan's followers from the nearby camp have moved into the deserted power plant and are working to make it more hospitable.

However, tensions remain high between the two groups, and sometimes the world inside the walls can be as dangerous as the world outside.

---

[Kristi Lynne]

"How does he find anything in here?" Nora mumbled to herself as she opened one cabinet door after another, futilely searching. This makeshift infirmary had been set up by Dr. Shaw and some of the others with medical backgrounds in what looked like an old administration office of the power plant. To deal with the immediate after-effects of the battle to take this building, but also to treat any other health issues among their new combined population.

Negan's followers, and Ecksley's followers. Their former neighbors at Fort Belvoir, who had become enemies, and were now reluctant neighbors again. The distrust and resentment seemed to be constantly bubbling underneath the surface. Every now and then, it would boil over. Like it did today, sending her in search of bandages.

"Don't you need a warrant for that, Officer?" Dr. Shaw asked, as he appeared in the doorway.

"Nope, exigent circumstances," she replied. When she turned toward him, he could see the gash above her eyebrow that was still oozing blood.

"Shit, what happened?!" He rushed over to take a closer look, putting a hand under her chin to tilt her head upward.

"There was a slight disagreement about the distribution of MREs -- ow!" she hissed and backed away from his prying touch.

"Another one?" he groaned. "Sit. You're on my turf now."

Nora did as commanded, lowering herself onto one of the hospital beds. Watching quietly as he gathered supplies. "We're getting low, so we reduced the ration to two packages per family a day," she explained. "This guy disagreed. His fist, my face."

"I'm sorry, Nora," the doctor said, as he proceeded to wash the wound. "And this is gonna' sting." He dabbed at her skin with a cotton ball of alcohol. "I don't think it'll need stitches. But it'll probably leave a pretty badass scar," he added, with a smirk.

"Probably gonna' ruin my modeling career, though," she replied, with a smirk of her own. She remained quiet as he finished applying a patch of gauze and a band-aid, enjoying being in his calming presence after the chaos of the morning. "Thank you, Evan. I'll let you get back to work. Lot of people out there worse off than me."

"Yeah, well, they don't mean as much to me as you," Dr. Shaw declared. He held her gaze for a moment, then nodded as if he was confirming his statement. "Um, so, you can stay here and rest as long as you want." He gathered up the supplies, putting them back in their places, and retrieved an ice pack from the mini fridge in the office. "Here, for the swelling."

"Okay, yeah, thanks," Nora stammered, as she took the pack from him. 

[Ariel]

Ingrid made her way through the open doors of the corridor, gliding down towards their makeshift infirmary. It had been over a week since it all had happened. Blood and gore had decorated their new home oh so nicely, many made an attempt to clean it up. However, no matter how hard they scrubbed, the scent of metal was imbedded in Ingrid's nostrils as she strolled down the hall. There were trials she had to face, circumstances she had to help her people get through. It was the way things went down in this new world of theirs, and yet she had to remind herself that there were those who were not as wise as her when it came to what the consequences this new world had to bear. 

Ingrid stopped at the corner of one of the walls, seeming to be taking a minor breather, and yet she was doing everything she could to calm what was within as the screams of her fellow members filled her ears once more.

Warm hands suddenly gripped her shoulder gently, trying to ease the pain in any way they possibly could of the trauma that endured.

And yet, they didn't.

But she was grateful. Grateful not to be alone in all of the chaos.

"Thank you...," Ingrid whispered, as she gazed over her shoulder to the one that was always there by her side to be with her. Ground her in the moment. Roger.

He proceeded to give a single nod without alluding to anything more, knowing that they had a mission to complete as the infirmary doors drew near. There was a lot of injured people amongst their care. Those who had fallen sick while waiting for their return - and those who had survived yet had become injured because of their choice.

Ingrid was well aware that Chase had wanted to come along, and yet she had been avoiding him since the conflict. He lost his father that day. Could she have trained him better to defend the ones he loved? She would never know. But perhaps knowing that the demise of his loved one could have very well been prevented by her own teachings was enough to cut off ties so that they could both heal. If that made a difference, anyways.

They pushed through the doors to find Nora and the doctor present - with Nora on a medical bed of all places.

"Nora," Ingrid started, as she rushed to her side, "Are you alright?"

[Kristi Lynne]

"Nora, are you alright?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm good," Nora assured her. Whether it was fully true or not, she didn't want to add to Ingrid's concerns. And her sudden arrival allowed the now awkward conversation between Nora and Evan to be pushed aside for a while. "Hey, Roger," she greeted the other new arrival. The young man with striking blue eyes who had first struck her as aloof and arrogant, but who had proven invaluable in battle, and therefore worthy of whatever affection was clearly there between him and Ingrid.

Nora held the ice pack to her forehead as she explained, "There was a scuffle at food distribution. Doc patched me up. I'll be fine. Right, Doc?"

"Well, I suggested that she stay here and rest," Dr. Shaw advised, crossing his arms and leaning back against a cabinet. "You can imagine how well that suggestion was received."

Nora cut a dismissive glance at him and returned her attention to Ingrid. "I know we thought the supplies that were brought from the fort would last a while, but we've got a lot of mouths to feed. Stores, homes, anything within a five-mile radius has already been picked clean. We're gonna' have to send runners further out, maybe even for a few days at a time. And we're gonna' need fresh meat," she added to the expert archer. "Deer, turkey, whatever. There's nobody around anymore to check your hunting license."

[Ariel]

"I know we thought the supplies that were brought from the fort would last a while, but we've got a lot of mouths to feed. Stores, homes, anything within a five-mile radius has already been picked clean. We're gonna' have to send runners further out, maybe even for a few days at a time. And we're gonna' need fresh meat," "Deer, turkey, whatever. There's nobody around anymore to check your hunting license."



"Good thing I know a girl," Ingrid nodded, asserting her role as the expert meat hunter of the group. Her gaze whipped around to Roger momentarily as the two of them spoke in glances and nods, knowing what must be done, before Ingrid turned her attention back onto Nora, "We'll head out as soon as possible. In the mean time - Doc, if you would be so kind to round up some generic meds and supplies for our fellow comrades in need, it would be much appreciated. We'll make the delivery, then head out on a run," She made the request to the doctor, but was mostly talking to Nora as she barely broke eye contact with her friend, "Negan...how has he been holding up, do we know?" Ingrid asked Nora. She felt terrible for not being able to check up on him as frequently as she had liked, however someone had to make sure that everyone else was taken care of while he was down for the count.

[Kristi Lynne]

"Good thing I know a girl. We'll head out as soon as possible. In the mean time - Doc, if you would be so kind to round up some generic meds and supplies for our fellow comrades in need, it would be much appreciated. We'll make the delivery, then head out on a run. Negan...how has he been holding up, do we know?" 

Nora shook her head. "I expected him to be there this morning, but he didn't show up," she informed Ingrid. "He looked like hell yesterday."

"I stopped by his room at the end of my rounds last night," Dr. Shaw added. "That knife wound in his leg is getting worse. I told him I needed to drain the abscess to stave off infection. He told me to leave the room and never come back. Only his language was a little more colorful."

Nora sighed in frustration. Yes, the two men hated each other. Understandably so. But at least Evan was doing his best in difficult circumstances to keep the wounded Negan alive and upright.

"Sounds like your brother-in-law needs to be persuaded to take his medicine," she told Ingrid, as she got to her feet.

[Ariel]

"Sounds like your brother-in-law needs to be persuaded to take his medicine," 

Ingrid's eyes rolled in annoyance, "Being stubborn is he? Typical," She shook her head. Sounded to Ingrid like Negan was playing the part of the poor, prideful baby who got his little ego bent up almost as much as his wound. She knew that there was a terrible rapport between him and the doctor, but the time to set that aside would be right about now. How nonsensical would it look for him to die of a silly wound, and perhaps it was his current physical state taking over his rational thinking. Yet, Ingrid knew that he needed to set his focus straight, "After the run, I'll see if I can knock some sense into him. Metaphorically speaking, of course." Ingrid affirmed as she watched Nora rise to her feet, "You're sure that you are good? Need us to escort you anywhere? Ingrid offered the slice of help in Nora's direction, Roger sizing up beside her in silent agreement as to not get in the way of their conversation.