The Sum of All Happy Hours

[no-prisoner.livejournal.com]

Eddie comes in from the Staff Quarters with damp hair and his Ginslinger t-shirt, his gun and gunbelt already tucked into a neat roll that he sets under the bar. He sits on a stool for a while picking his Specials and writes them up on the chalkboard.

"Howdy, all you beautiful folken. Specials tonight are Love Potion #9, the After 18, and that old fav, the Manhattan. Come and get it!"

Comments

[no-prisoner.livejournal.com]

Eddie pours him a glass of Love Potion #9 from the pitcher he made upthread. "What's up, doc?"

[simon_doctor]

Simon takes a sip of the drink. "Exactly."

[no-prisoner.livejournal.com]

Eddie staares. "Huh?"

[simon_doctor]

Simon looks at Eddie, and rubs a hand across his eyes. "Sorry. I'm, ah ... I should really be asleep."

He does not show any sign of leaving, though.

"I'm ... supposed to be this brilliant doctor. And I haven't the faintest idea what to do."

[no-prisoner.livejournal.com]

"About what? Is something going on with River?"

[simon_doctor]

"Sort of. I ... think I know why River challenged Roland that night."

He takes a long drink.

"She wants me to fix Anthy. Her words."

[no-prisoner.livejournal.com]

Eddie nods, slowly. "I heard that. Is it doable?"

[simon_doctor]

"I don't even know what's wrong with her. Except that Meg Giry tells me she's cursed with immortality and wants to die, which under ordinary circumstances I'd diagnose as clinical depression with associated psychosis, except that the 'cursed with immortality' part may be literally true."

He drains the glass.

[no-prisoner.livejournal.com]

Eddie nods. "It's still depression, isn't it, though? Even if it's caused by a supernatural problem?"

[simon_doctor]

"Yes, but -- if her depression's source is experiential trauma rather than just chemical imbalance in the brain.... I've never been an advocate of treating the symptoms and ignoring the cause."

Simon peers into his empty glass, and appears to weigh the wisdom of ordering a refill.

[no-prisoner.livejournal.com]

Eddie nods. "It's hard to get straight answers out of her, though."

[simon_doctor]

Dryly: "You noticed that, did you?"

[no-prisoner.livejournal.com]

"I have been known to notice things in my time," Eddie rejoins.

[simon_doctor]

"River thinks I can help her."

A long pause.

"...Help Anthy."

[no-prisoner.livejournal.com]

Eddie pauses too. "I'm sure you can."

[simon_doctor]

Simon spreads one hand helplessly.

"I can't read her mind."

[no-prisoner.livejournal.com]

A beat. "Ted can. I don't know if he would, without her permission..."

[simon_doctor]

He blinks.

"...I keep forgetting. Figures of speech aren't, here."

[no-prisoner.livejournal.com]

Eddie nods. "You say true."

[simon_doctor]

He pushes the empty glass across the bar. "One more of the same, please?"

Then, slowly: "Meg Giry says Anthy has to obey whoever, ah, owns her. I don't know if that's some form of supernatural compulsion or part of Anthy's psychosis, or both."

[no-prisoner.livejournal.com]

Eddie pours it. "Me neither. I don't know much about her at all, I'm afraid."

[simon_doctor]

"She said she didn't think River would abuse it. And implied that others have."

Simon takes a sip.

"I don't think this was ever covered in Medical Ethics."

[no-prisoner.livejournal.com]

Eddie nods. "We all do the best we can, sai. The rest is out of our hands. You're a good man, and a good doctor."