Worst Patient

Jade woke up slowly through a fog of medicinal haze. The world felt soft around the edges and her body was largely numb, although there was a dull ache in her chest and stomach that was eerily reminiscent of several of her previous visits to the ER. She struggled painfully upright and leaned on one elbow wincing as the cannula bit into the crook of her arm. The lights were dimmed, and Cass was asleep in a chair in the corner. Jade smiled at the sight, and made a note to get one of the boys to bring up a lazyboy for the future. As she looked on the woman yawned and stretched, her muscles complaining at the movements. She saw Jade sat up and frowned.

“No you don’t.” Cass walked over and gently pushed her back onto the medical bed. “You haven’t had nearly long enough to recover yet.”

“How long?..” Jade queried, her voice horse with the cracking of the wounded.

“Two days. You need at least two days more before you can even sit up. Damnit you nearly died.” The woman chided. An odd picture, the younger woman, chastising the older injured doctor.

“I hate being here.” Jade grumbled, acquiescing and laying back down.

“You work here.” Cass smirked, adjusting some dials on the nearby monitor that was watching the nanites. Jade winced as they upped their healing work now she was conscious.

“Yeah, I work here. I shouldn’t be lounging around staring at the ceiling.” She muttered.

“I’ll get Jamie to stick a poster on the ceiling.” Cass replied dryly. “Now promise me you’ll stay there, or I’ll have the nanites temporarily paralyse you so you have to stay there.” Cass watched as Jade actually thought about it, actually considered the ramifications of getting out of bed. ’Doctors truly do make the worst patients.’ She thought with a sigh.

“Fine.” Jade said, her head flopping back reluctantly onto the pillows.

“Fine what?” Cass pressed, wanting the words out of Jade’s mouth.

“Fine, I’ll stay here.” Jade said, a silly pout on her lips.

*** 24 hours later ***

“Holly let Plisken know that he can come for his check-up.” Jade said, sat at the computer checking her messages. The drip hooked up on a pole nearby.

“Shouldn’t you be…” Holly began.

“Yea, what Cass doesn’t know won’t hurt her.” The doctor said, cutting the AI off.

“Oh! Jay reappeared. Turns out he was in the morgue all along!” Holly said, chirpy optimism oozing from his tone.

“Oh Gosh! That’s… No… Jay…” Jade’s face crumpled into a masque of sorrow at the thought of Jay’s death.

“Oh! No! He’s fine. Phi’s with him now. He’s a bit shell shocked after seeing Katrina’s body again.” Holly said, sheepishly. “Oh! Wait.. gotta go. Cass needs me!” He vanished.

“Stupid AI. Can’t be in two places at once. An excuse to vanish is more like it.” Jade leaned back in the chair. Her body protesting at being upright and active. Maybe Cass was right… Yeah… Cass was right, and you know it stop kidding yourself. What would you tell a patient who was up and about this soon after major abdominal surgery?

*** Later ***

Jade was reclining on the medical bunk, the drip nearly empty when Plisken walked in.

“Oh. If now isn’t a good time…” He said, seeing the half asleep Doctor, in her medical robe, intravenous fluids attached to her.

“Oh! No, it’s ok. I need to change this anyway.” She gestured to the empty bag. “One moment and I’ll be with you. If you could change into the robe for me and have a seat on the bunk. A lot of the process is automated these days, makes it much easier on all of us.” Jade smiled as she gingerly got up and walked over to the medical waste disposal. Carefully she extracted the needle from the cannula and threw the old bag into the trash. She capped the tube and opted to add in more fluids later.

“You look…” Plisken began, searching for appropriate words.

“Rubbish. I know.” She smiled at the old man and gestured for him to lay down. “How have you been? Up to anything since we got back, or just relaxing?” Ah… Small talk. It’s good to exercise the ability again. Jade thought, as she bustled about sorting out the scanners and sensors.

“Not much, sorting out a new home. You know, carpentry, the usual.” He replied, watching as the doctor set up the kit.

“Sounds nice. You should offer to help out Jamie, he could certainly use the help these days.” Jade said. “There, lie still please. It wont take long.” The scanners whirred into life. Analysing, searching and documenting Plisken for an update to his medical records. As promised, the scan didn’t take long at all and shortly it beeped in completion, printing off a physical copy and filing the electronic version in Plisken’s file.

“So everything alright?” The man asked, shifting on the bunk and looking uncomfortable at the deepening frown on Jade’s face.

“Yes.. Well No.. But.. I…” She looked over the results, giving them a cursory glance. “I’ll need to take a closer look I think It’s almost like something else is going on, something more…” She frowned over the results as Cass stormed into the medi-bay.

“Damnit Jade!” Cass growled, taking the papers off her and giving them to Plisken, guiding Jade back towards her own bunk. “Holly told me you were up and about. You know the nanites wont work properly if you push it too much. Do you want lasting internal bleeding?” She sounded almost like a nurse, Jade sighed and let herself be guided over to her own bed.

“No.” She sulked almost like a child.

“Well then listen to my advice, and stay put. I am not above ordering you restrained.” Cass threatened, only half joking.

“But…” Jade began.

“No buts.” Cass glowered at Jade. “I’ll do it.”

“You haven’t yet.” Jade was pushing her luck, petulant in her desire to no longer be a patient. Neither woman noticed Plisken using the opportunity to take the papers and leave quietly. Cass just sighed and folded her arms as Jade lay back down again. "Can I at least have that poster you promised yet?" She asked, looking up at the dull ceiling.

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