You looked up startled as a man clad in a leather jacket dragged himself through the clinicâs front door. âI knew I should have kept the front door locked a little longer.â You grumbled to yourself.
âRough night Kirk?â You asked returning your attention back to the IPAD in front of you. The clinic was a bit behind on the times and the doctors that worked here were eagerly awaiting the newest tech from Starfleet.Â
âNothing I couldnât handle.â He mumbled, leaning heavily on the front desk. You snorted as you spun to turn on the ancient laptop in the corner. âThink you could patch me up?â
You looked back at the man in front of you and assessed the damage. His left eye was swollen shut, a cut interrupting his thick eyebrow, purple bruises forming on his cheek bone and a split lip.
âWhen I said turn the other cheek, I didnât mean literally.â You leaned forward and took a closer look at the cut as Jim chuckled. âHow many this time?â
Jim shrugged and mumbled something.
âYouâre going to have to enunciate a little more than that. I havenât have my morning coffee yet.â You straightened and walked out into the corridor, motioning Jim to follow with a wave of your hand.
âHow does that affect your hearing?â Jim joked good-naturedly.
âIt doesnât but it may affect the quality of your care.â You shot back, hiding a small grin on your face.
âFour.â Jim said. âFour red clad Starfleet gorillas.âÂ
You looked back with disapproving frown. âOne day you are going to pick a fight with the wrong person and get yourself seriously hurt.â
Jim put his arm around your shoulder and gave you a quick squeeze, âGood thing I have the best doctor to patch me up.â
âResident Jim.â You corrected. âI am not a full doctor just yet.â You grabbed an IPAD from the charging station and motioned Jim into a examination room. âI could get into a lot of trouble administering care to you.â
âSomehow you always manage to wiggle your way out it.â He said with what you interpreted as a wink as he sat down heavily on the bed, the paper sheet crinkling underneath him. You grunted in response, pulling out the things you would need to clean his cut. Jim closed his good eye as you gently prodded the bruising around his other eye. He winced at a particular tender spot.Â
The bell sounded over the front door. You let out a small sigh and peeked out into the hallway. An angry looking man with dark hair and storm cloud for a face was speaking angrily with the recently arrived receptionist. You turned back to Jim.
âI wish we had one those handy dandy dermal re-generators but we are going to have to patch this the old fashion way.â You lamented as you pulled out an eyeless needle package from the drawer.Â
You nearly dropped the package when the door collided with the wall with a loud bang. The angry man from the waiting room stood in the doorway, his irritation coming off him in waves.
âBones.â Jim said with a easy smile, his blue eyes sparkling. âFancy meeting you here.âÂ
âDonât start Jim.â Bones growled, advancing towards the bed. âDo you know how many clinics I had to visit to find your sorry ass. You couldnât just use one of perfectly good ones on campus?â Bonesâ eyebrow shot up into his hair line as he crossed his arms.
âCâmon Bones!â Jim protested, putting his hands up in defense. âI didnât want...â
âStop calling me that.â Bones interrupted. âDamnit Jim! I..â A noise in the corner of the room caused Bones mid-rant and he turned his glare on you. You opened your mouth to interrupt him but no words came out of your mouth as the manâs wrath washed over you. Despite his anger you couldnât help thinking that he most gorgeous eyes.Â
âGot something to say sweetheart? If not, kindly butt out.â He turned his attention back to Jim taking your silence as acquiescence to continue his rant. Jim looked over at you pleadingly.
You cleared your throat a little louder than before and Bones turned back to you. He swept those hazel-green eyes over your form.
âAnd you are? The local candy-striper here to a good deed?â He drawled. You glanced down at the red and white striped shirt resting under your lab coat. Your eyes narrowed menacingly.
Drawing yourself up to your full height, you replied. âI am a resident of this clinic and I am treating this patient.â You said meeting his scowl with one of your own.â Look, I grant you that he can be rather stupid at times but I still need to treat him.â
âHey!â Jim placed his hand on his heart, feigning pain. âI am not stupid.â
âThatâs right.â Bones said, turning back to Jim, âYouâre a bonafide genius getting into bar fights with people twice your size.â
You felt the corners of your lips turn up as you cleaned the cut and applied some localized anesthetic to Jimâs eyebrow and forehead.Â
âI was defending a ladyâs honour!â Jim objected. Bones opened his mouth to say something but you beat him to it.
âIt doesnât count if youâre the lady Jim.â You admonished, turning the counter and opened the needle. You could have sworn you heard Bones chuckle. Sure enough when you turned back, there was a small smirk on his face.
âIâm Leonard.â He said, the smirk growing into a smile.
â__________.â You replied, with a smile of your own. âLeonard, it appears I interrupted you in a middle of rant. Please continue.â you motioned towards Jim with a wave of your arm.
âGladly.â Leonard replied turning back to Jim who groaned loudly.
âI regret coming here.â Â