Lounging around

Posted on Tue Oct 13th, 2020 @ 4:10am by Lieutenant Commander Carolyn Corrigan MD & Skye & Commander Hades,MD & Lieutenant Commander Ariana Monroe-Wayne & Splendora Sage

1,650 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Episode 107 – Recovery
Location: Sickbay, Doctors Lounge
Timeline: MD3

Seated in the lounge, with the once again sleeping Stacie now in her arms, Doctor Corrigan nursed the remnants of her coffee as she began rhyming off the patients who she felt would most benefit from time with Ariana and her team. Injuries in the line of duty incurred mandatory evaluations yet as with anything in this life, everyone responded differently.

And they had a limited number of trained counsellors on board the station. It would be very easy for the counselling department to be overwhelmed.

"Although," Carolyn conceded as she heard the doors to the lounge opening behind her, interrupting the privacy they had been enjoying, "cuddles from this little heartbreaker might do the trick. Maybe she could come on rounds with us?"

She, of course, remembered how the last time she held Stacie things had not exactly gone well. Yet that was in the past and Ariana had offered no objections to Carolyn stealing a few cuddles before she had to go.

Ariana smiled as she looked at Carolyn holding Stacie, “This is all good practice for you for when your little one comes along. That’s when the juggling act between family time and work starts!” She grinned. “I’m not sure how I’m going to juggle two children yet.”

The doors opened again and Nurse Eccles walked in. "Heads up! Bull on stampede!" She said referring to Hades who had just knocked his door off the hinges...I mean how dare they stick.

“Uh oh,” Carolyn said as she quickly set down the coffee and handed off Stacie before following the nurse back out into main Sickbay. Approaching Hades office she took a deep breath, prepared her brightest smile and went inside - grateful that Ariana was hot on her heels.

“Welcome back!”

Hades, who'd just knocked his door down was still huffing. He sighed at the voice. "Yeah...they left this place in pleasant shape." He walked over to the replicator and ordered a coffee. Thankfully it spit out the right drink.

“I missed you too,” Carolyn said drily. “And be grateful, this is actually a much improved Sickbay since we first got back.”

He grunted. Splendora, who'd been on her way to see her half brother looked around. "You could have just called Engineering."

Hades grunted again. "Not half as therapeutic." He looked at the three women suddenly suspicious. "What's going on? Three against one."

“I work here,” Carolyn reminded him, giving a nod in greeting to Splendora. “If you feel paranoid I’m sure I can go operate on someone...”

Splendora smiled. "I came looking for Carolyn....Why don't you and Ari talk and I'll talk to Carolyn." She placed a hand on Carolyn's arm....um...like now."

Hades looked up with suspicion.


===Hades and Ariana===

Ariana stood holding her daughter feeling like she’d just been thrown to the wolves. “Looks like we’re more or less alone” she smiled as put a dozing Stacie down on the sofa and sat down beside her. “Am I to take it there’s something else wrong besides a sticking door?”

He looked up at Ariana. "What do you mean?"

“You came storming in that door Hades! You scared the life out of the Sickbay staff as well as your own daughter-in-law.” She sat back and made herself comfortable. “So was it just a minor outburst due to a sticking door or is there something else wrong?”

He sighed. "I'm fine. Just need to get this place back to the shape it was in before we left."

“I know!” She shook her head. “The Station is a mess! Considering they wanted this station so bad you’d think they’d have taken more care of it. At least it’s ours again now and we have our home back again.”

"That is not how it works." He motioned to Stacie. "How's she doing?"

“Wonderfully” Ariana smiled. “I was so worried about her but she’s been fine while we’ve been away. I’ve been making up for lost time with her since we got back and Carolyn enjoys Stacie’s company too.”

"It is important..." He suddenly stopped. Something wasn't right....

Ariana noticed the change in an instant. “Hades? What is it? What’s wrong?”

"I..." He stood. "Kalani. Where is Kalani?" His hands flew over the console and standing up he bolted for the door almost running into Splendora.

“Hades ... wait!” Ariana quickly followed.


===Carolyn and Splendora===

Splendora sighed when they were alone. "Carolyn you have to keep Hades away from the Casualty list. It's just been updated."

“How did you... never mind. Just tell me why? Who is on it?” Carolyn had long since decided that it was easier to just cut to the chase.

"Kalani."

Carolyn felt her mouth go dry. In silence she crossed to a workstation, accessing the database to check for herself. “What happened?” She asked in a low voice. Surely someone would have found her to say Hades’ wife was a patient...

"I don't know. Their ship had some trouble getting in. She was transferred to one of the medical ships that just got in."

“He’s going to know,” Carolyn pointed out. “He gets extra cranky if you hide things. Ella!”

A passing nurse stopped, moving closer as Carolyn pointed to the monitor, “priority transfer, you come get me as soon as she is in my surgical suite, understood?”

The nurse nodded and disappeared.

“I’ll check her over and make sure she’s okay but I’m not hiding this. We have enough issues.”

Splendora sighed. "Yes well let's find out first how bad it is." She pointed to the OR. "He may brake a deck or two."

Probably.

Glancing back at his office she sighed and headed towards the suite of operation theatres, changing into fresh scrubs and going through the process of scrubbing it. Sure it was different to olden days but it was still standard practice. Passing through the sterilisation field she arrived just as her patient was beamed in.

Kalani still conscious blinked. She looked at Carolyn and reached out a hand. "C...Carolyn."

“Hey,” Carolyn smiled as she took her hand. “Causing trouble?” She asked softly as her nursing staff arrived and began running detailed scans.

"Y...You have to take care of him...he...he'll need you." Kalani knew that her time was growing short. She also knew that Hades would feel it. "P...promise."

“Doctor Corrigan -“ Nurse Ashley was studying the monitors, frowning. “You need to see this. Neural pathways are destabilising. How did they miss this...”

Carolyn took one look at the screen. For her it was enough. “Get Mendez, now!” She glanced back down at Kalani. “I’m not giving up on you, ever,” she whispered. “You can look after him yourself after I’ve got you better.”

She glanced over her shoulder, saw Splendora at the viewing window and mouthed “get Hades.”

It was her realisation, in that moment that she knew she couldn’t repair so much damage. Not in time. She looked back down at her friend, “Hades is coming. Just hold on a little longer okay?”

Hades got the short version and burst into the OR. Kalani's head turned. He was at her in an instant, her hand clasped in his. "Hold on I'm..."

"It'll be alright. Our daughter is waiting." She lifted her hand briefly cupped his face. With a sigh she was gone.

It took a moment but Hades' brain kicked into work mode. "Get me a crash cart now!" Part of him knew she was gone but he would not accept it.

Carolyn nodded to Ashley who rushed to fetch the cart. She would let him do what he felt he needed to do. He would never forgive himself if he didn't try. He wouldn't listen, wouldn't want to listen, to the cold hard truth.

"I'm sorry," she whispered as she lay Kalani's hand down gently at her side. The logical and highly experienced doctor in her said nothing could have saved her friend. And yet...

Ariana stood watching there was little she could do but be there to comfort Hades, not that he’d want comfort.

It was a full half an hour until he allowed himself to stop trying. He stumbled away from what was his wife and out of the OR and out of Sickbay without a word. About half way down the deck he collapsed sitting hard on the floor staring at the wall. She was gone...his wife was gone.

Footsteps approached, Skye without a word coming to sit on the floor at his side. Tentatively she reached out and took his hand in hers, saying nothing as she leaned her head on her father's shoulder.

Ariana slowly followed Hades giving him some time alone, she was surprised to see him sitting on the floor with Skye. It was a good sign that he had accepted Skye’s comfort. Instead of trying to offer help she simply sat on the floor on the opposite side and took his other hand, gently offering her unspoken support.

Hades held onto them. His world had just shattered. How would he survive.

Back in the OR Splendora walked over to Carolyn and pulled the woman into a hug. "I'm so sorry," she whispered.

After Hades had gone, Carolyn had remained behind. Dismissing all of the nurses and technicians; she had worked in silence. Normally the nurses would tend to this but in her mind it was the least she could do. And she wanted it to be her, not a stranger.

She hadn’t realised Splendora was still there until she appeared and pulled her into a hug. While her tension was clear, Carolyn knew the woman was trying to be kind and offer comfort.

And with Kalani gone, she would take it.

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