FTEC, Sunday Morning, February 11

[geniusdoctor.livejournal.com]

Doogie was starting to think that this was going to be another slow morning. And then the nurses came in, and he suddenly found himself relieved of that concern.

Comments

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

It's possible the sound of the spaceship landing (http://community.livejournal.com/fandomtownies/1422127.html) might have been heard in the clinic.

If so, there might have been some warning before Jack limped into the clinic, right arm around and leaning heavily on Sam, Parker walking on his left. River had pulled the (thankfully) slender and smooth bolt out of his left shoulder cleanly, and the spot was roughly taped.

Jack was swearing under his breath at every step, because now that Emma wasn't around, it hurt.

[carter-i-am.livejournal.com]

"Serves you right," Sam said bluntly, supporting most of his weight and trying not to look as worry as she felt. "Remind me to give you a remedial lecture on targets and surface area once you're better."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Not to mention trying to shoot a gun with a harpoon wound in your shoulder," Parker snarked from her side, masking concern with sarcasm. "Did I teach you that? No. Did Sam? Don't think so. When you get a new idea, Jack, you don't stint on enthusiasm, I'll give you that much." She kept him steady, though, as they approached the counter. "Hey! We could use some help over here!"

[geniusdoctor.livejournal.com]

Doogie hadn't been sure what to expect when he'd heard the sound outside the clinic, but he'd started preparing for trouble. He just hadn't expected to see so many people come in together. "What happened?"

[carter-i-am.livejournal.com]

"Long story, but he's got a harpoon wound to the shoulder. It's bleeding pretty steadily, and I think we have to assume high risk of infection." She finally realized she was talking to a student and blinked a lot. "I'm sorry, are you the doctor?"

[geniusdoctor.livejournal.com]

"Yes, I'm Dr. Howser. I assure you, you're all in good hands," he said. "Let's get him back to one of the exam rooms and I can see how bad the wound is."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Parker grimaced and muttered, "Please let him be as competent as Janet, and for almost the same reasons." She fished her phone out of her purse, still supporting Jack as they hobbled to the exam room after Dr. Howser. "I'm calling Isabel and Cedric to sit on you while Sam and I collapse," she told Jack.

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Jack wasn't sure what to make of a doctor who looked so young, but right now he wasn't going to argue. "Feel free to be vague on the circumstances," he told Parker, looking around the exam room before sliding his arm off Sam to sit on the bed.

He didn't swear, but he did grit his teeth and suck in a deep breath.

[carter-i-am.livejournal.com]

"Damn it, Jack," Sam scowled and pulled out her combat knife, then began cutting his shirt away from his shoulder. "And I'm not leaving. If you're staying, I'm staying. I know the chairs are comfortable."

[geniusdoctor.livejournal.com]

"I get the feeling you've helped in situations like this before," Doogie remarked, noting Sam's prowess with her knife. Once the shirt was cut away, he pulled the tape back began carefully checking the wound. "You're definitely going to need some stitches, and I can start you on some antibiotics to start fighting off any kinds of infection. You said this was from a harpoon?"

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Jack had been staring in fascination at Sam's knife as she cut his shirt off, thinking thoughts that had he voiced them, would have gotten him thwapped.

"Yeah, a long thin pointy harpoon, on a rope if that makes a difference." He shuddered, lifting his head to look at Doogie. "And antibiotics, yes, definitely. It wasn't the cleanest thing I've ever seen."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Uuuugh." Parker made a face, then yawned. "And this is the part where I leave. Dr. Howser? Please take good care of this idiot." She smiled sweetly at him, then gave Jack an eyeroll. "Call me if you do need more help with him, Sam. I don't think I've slept since we left, and I'm about to curl up and die."

[carter-i-am.livejournal.com]

"Go sleep, Parker," Sam said, covering a yawn of her own as she watched the other girl leave and climbed into a chair so she'd be there to hear instructions, "and I'm sure the second team will be here soon to help."

[geniusdoctor.livejournal.com]

"Looks like I don't have to worry about you not having anyone to stay with you," Doogie said to Jack, leaning over him to start cleaning out the wound.

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"Don't know what she's gonna do to me," he muttered through clenched teeth, curling his fingers around the edge of the bed as he glanced at Sam. "But yeah, that won't be a problem."

[carter-i-am.livejournal.com]

Sam stretched her hand out towards where Jack's hand was curled. "First thing is teach you to duck."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

He gratefully let go of the bed and wrapped his fingers around Sam's. This hurt, a lot, and it was easier to be stoic with Sam to hang onto. "Good plan."

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

And that's when Cedric skidded into the clinic, followed closely by Isabel.

"Jack, I'm turning you into a stone the next time you insist on leaving," he said in one quick breath.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"And I'll help," Isabel added, anxiously checking him over for injuries. "What the hell happened?"

[carter-i-am.livejournal.com]

"Harpoon," Sam said bluntly, moving over so there was room for Cedric to sit down next to Jack. "Jack forgot to duck."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"It was just a little harpoon," he protested, hissing as Doogie did something he wasn't going to watch. "Tiny. I was trying to get a better shot." He looked at Cedric, kind of pathetically. "A stone wouldn't hurt this much."

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

"Oh, yes, a little harpoon," Cedric said sarcastically. "I could smack you."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"Think you could wait and do it tomorrow?" he asked, squeezing Sam's hand as he gave up trying to look pathetic.

Even without the effort, he still looked pretty pathetic, and he sighed a bit. "Or maybe the next day? I promise to hold still."

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

Cedric glared and said, "I'll wait."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Isabel was standing back, trying not to intrude, but she smiled at Jack sympathetically. She was upset to see him injured, but at the same time, she realized it could have been so much worse.

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Since Izzy was the only one looking even remotely sympathetic, Jack gave her a weary smile. "Hey, Izzy." All he wanted to do was get cleaned up, stitched up, a whole pile of painkillers, and then to go collapse in his room. Hopefully not alone, though he was starting to wonder about that last.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Hi Jack," she said, stepping up close enough to the table to give his right arm a quick squeeze. "So much for a quick and easy trip huh?" Isabel stepped back quickly so she wouldn't be in the way.

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"If it was quick and easy it wouldn't be me," he pointed out, trying to tease. It fell rather flat and he barely stopped himself from jerking away as whatever Doogie was doing - not looking, definitely not looking - sent a spike of pain through him. "Ow."

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

Cedric sent him a glare, albeit a sympathetic one. "Were you the only one to come back injured?"

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"Yes," he answered in a very small voice.

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

He sighed but stepped closer and kissed his forehead gently. "I'm still going to turn you into a stone."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"Okay," he said quietly, closing his eyes. He was totally exhausted, absolutely drained, but he dragged a smile up from somewhere. "Thanks."

[geniusdoctor.livejournal.com]

Doogie finished up as quickly as he could, not wanting to hurt Jack more than necessary, and went to get him some pills. "Okay, you're all set for now," he said, handing the pills over. "Take two of these now, and then you can have two more every eight hours for as long as the pain continues. And if you notice any sign of infection, come back and we'll have the wound looked at, okay?"

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Jack caught the important bits, like 'all set for now' and 'take two of these'. "Thanks," he said, accepting the bottle and immediately tried to get the lid off, with limited success.

[carter-i-am.livejournal.com]

Sam sighed and opened the bottle for him, shook out two pills, and gave them to Jack. "Any other instructions, doctor?"

[geniusdoctor.livejournal.com]

"Just make sure he gets some rest and stays away from harpoons for a while."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Jack grumbled under his breath and dry swallowed the pills. "Not going near anything for awhile, not if it's pointy."

[chasingsnitches.livejournal.com]

"I think that sounds like quite the good idea," Cedric said. "You seem to attract pointy things."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"Usually that's a good thing," he said, straight-faced, waiting for the magic pills to do their thing.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Isabel snickered watching as Sam and Cedric gently supported Jack and led him out the door of the clinic.