First Steps to Recovery

Posted on Wed Mar 11th, 2020 @ 8:17am by Brigadier General Kaden Ross & Lieutenant Commander Ariana Monroe-Wayne & Lieutenant Commander Carolyn Corrigan MD

1,507 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Episode 105 – Evacuation
Location: Mercy Sickbay
Timeline: MD 02 0930 HRS

Kaden gritted his teeth as he was pushing himself to his limits to move his legs trying to learn to walk again. Sweat was running down his face and his tank top was drenched. He was gripping the parallel bars tightly slowly moving his hands along them inch by inch. Kaden was able to hold his weight quite well heck he better be able to from all the pull ups and exercises he did to maintain fitness regulations. The physiotherapist Dr. Corrigan had brought in was certain everything she told him about he at times reminded him of his drill instructor back in basic training at times.

Kaden slowly moved his left foot it was hard on him but it seemed he was making progress. With his physiotherapist on side gently guiding him along Freya was at the end encouraging him on to walk to her with her arms stretched out to him. He took a few deep breaths and gradually moved his right foot while trying to walk again he certainly getting one heck of a workout.

Freya watched as Kaden moved painfully along the bars, she was wincing herself every time he moved as she could feel his pain thanks to her senses. "That's it Imzadi, you can do it!" She stood holding out her arms ready to hug him when he was done.

Kaden struggled to move his feet again but hearing Freya's encouragement was certainly motivating and comforting. He grunted a few times moving down the parallel bars towards her again it was hard and tiring but Kaden was hoping he was making progress.

“Keep it up marine,” Lieutenant Ira Kendall barked, keeping pace with his patient but at arms length. Studying every move, making mental notes on the next areas to focus on. “Nice straight legs, those knees of yours are good as new for another sixty years or more! Come on, you can do this! Ah! Came to see me work wonders?”

“Thought security might need witnesses,” Dr Corrigan retorted as she slipped into the room, leaning back against the wall. She was an observer, knowing better than to interfere with Ira’s creative process. And when he was at his infuriating best, he worked miracles.

Freya moved back to talk to Carolyn massaging her temples as she did so. "I don't know about pushing Kaden, it's pushing me too!" She offered a smile. "I didn't say thank you for all your help Carolyn, I appreciate it I really do!"

“Kaden’s doing the hard part, and Kendall is taking the big risk here,” Carolyn assured her. “The man has no off switch and doesn’t know when to quit. Kaden is doing great. I’d had screamed at him about two times by now.”

“Three,” Kendall corrected.

“And yet we survived,” Carolyn pointed out, sticking her tongue out at him.

Kaden tried to move forward but as he moved his left hand it so sweaty it slipped on the bar causing him to fall striking his head on the other parallel bar. He laid on on his back on the floor with a large gash over his eye before pounding his fist on ground. "Dammit!"

Freya rushed to her husband's side, her automatic reaction was to check his head wound even though there were two other doctors in the room. "Are you alright?!"

Kaden sat up wiping blood away from getting into his eye. "Do I look like it?!" He retorted. Realizing he just basic ripped Freya's head off Kaden sighed taking a moment to calm down. He felt helpless and frustrated the Marine wanted to be out there helping right now. The Typhon Pact was barreling down on Starbase 400 he lost the Saratoga not to mention nearly died.

But here he was stuck in sickbay trying to walk again while all this madness was going on around him. "I am sorry, babe, I shouldn't of done that. It's not you or anyone it's just...I want to be out there right doing something instead of stuck in here." He told Freya.

"I know." Freya backed off to let Carolyn get a look at Kaden's head. "I don't think it's too bad but I'll let you look." She could feel Kaden's frustration and it wasn't helping her own mood.

Moving in, Carolyn opened up the me skit and quickly patched up the small wound. Packing up the medical kit she frowned, sitting on the floor and facing Kaden but letting him keep his space. “I know how frustrating this is, but just look how far you got. On your first try! If I can give you one word of advice then this is it. Look at how far you’ve come, not how far away the end of those bars seem to be. My first day, I made it two steps. Don’t be too hard on yourself, okay?”

She stood, pointing at Kendall, “because that is his job.”

Much as Kaden hated feeling helpless he looked Dr. Corrigan. "I know, Doc, but I hate feeling useless right now. I want to be with my men DOING something but I can't...cause I am cooped up in here." He looked up at Kendall. "Can we just call it a day? And pick this up again later? I am tired...sweaty and starving."

Turning to Corrigan he was a bit nervous to ask her but was worth a shot. "Doc, I know you haven't cleared me to go home yet but I just...need some change of scenery. Can I go to to the crew lounge for a while with Freya? I promise I will have her bring me back." He said.

"I promise I'll look after him and bring him right back afterwards" Freya looked almost pleadingly at Carolyn and Kendall.

At the same moment as Carolyn said “okay”, Kendall piped up with “no”. They looked at one another for a long moment before Corrigan gestured to the door.

“Just give us a second...” she told Freya and Kaden as she ushered Kendall outside. Slightly raised voices could be heard before they returned, “thirty minutes max, or I will have security come drag you back.”

Kaden looked at both of Corrigan and Kendall. "Thirty minutes?! Come you two give me a break...I smell I need a bath first then time to eat I mean...the Mercy is a small ship where is a guy in a wheel chair and pregnant Betazoid going to run off to?" He asked hoping they see the logic in what he was getting at. "Besides, you both think I am going to incur the wrath of my physician and physiotherapist both?"

“Thirty minutes or nothing,” Kendall interjected, his tone brokering no argument. “Save the energy because tomorrow is going to be twice has hard as today and you will be feeling this. You also have to be back for Dr Wilson to do the next round of treatments on your skin. She has plenty of work and does not have time to go searching for her patients.”

“Please, just see how this goes, and we build from here,” Carolyn urged. She looked down as her PADD chirped, a reminder to get moving. “I need to see Dr Kelley. You have this under control, yes?”

“Hardly my most difficult patient,” Kendall reminded her.

“I tried my best,” Carolyn quipped as she headed out.

"Thanks for trying, Doc." Kaden said as she passed by him. "Too bad my legs don't work like to give this guy a swift kick in the ass." He teased jabbing a thumb at Kendall.

Freya grinned. "I'll have him back in thirty minutes I promise!" She smiled at Kaden. "We'd best get going while you still have chance."

Kaden watched Kendall bring his wheelchair over before lifting himself off the floor with his powerful arms and pulled himself up into the seat. "Think we can get me washed and fed in thirty minutes?" He asked Freya.

"We can give it a try!" Freya grinned before quickly heading them out of the door towards her quarters.

As Freya pushed Kaden down the corridor he couldn't help but feel sad a little. "I hate not being given more time alone with you. I mean, Dr. Corrigan, did say that Kendall fellow was a pain in the ass. But, I didn't think he was that much of a pain..." He said.

"He's right though Imzadi" Freya was quick to jump to the doctor's defence. "You're not ready to be released yet and if anything happened to you they'd be in trouble for letting you out. They just want what's best for you, as do I."

"Nothing will happen to me...I got you." Kaden replied smiling.

Freya nodded "That you have, you'll always have me.

Kaden grinneed he enjoyed being with Freya despite he almost died she certainly made it worth beating death itself just to get back to her. "That I do and I wouldn't have it any other way." He replied gleefully.

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