*Two Days Later*
"Summer is still unconscious." Bepo repeated for perhaps the thousandth time that morning. The bear stood guard outside the infirmary with crossed arms and a stern expression. Penguin and Shachi and about eight other men slumped their shoulders in disappointment.
"But she's been unconscious for two whole days! When is she gonna wake up?" Shachi asked nervously, trying to see into the window on the door. Bepo stepped to block his view.
"Captain said no visitors and that he was not to be disturbed for anything." The bear, usually so sensitive and easily defeated, stated, and the crew knew that he wouldn't be swayed this time.
Muttering about the bear's sudden personality change, they begrudgingly slumped away, off to recover and do their duties. Bepo sighed, silently wishing that the blonde would just wake up already.
Law looked over the charts and beeping machines again, just to be sure. Nothing seemed to be abnormal, or even wrong, but he just had to make sure. Any mistake on his part could result in more serious damage or could even be fatal. She was severely underweight, almost 15 pounds below where someone of her size should be, malnourished, her skin was beginning to yellow from jaundice, and she had fallen into a comatose-like state.
Medically, he knew that this period of rest was normal for someone who'd gone through a traumatic or physically exhausting experience for long periods of time. But there was a tiny part of him that feared she'd never wake up. Which was why he checked once again, just to be sure.
Law had already tended to his own wounds, though he ignored the sharp bursts of pain if he moved his shoulder too far. He probably hadn't eaten in days, though he couldn't remember. Casper had tried coming into the infirmary to give him food, but he always turned it away, repeating the line that he had to put his entire focus onto Summer's recovery.
He'd already gotten two lecture from the older cook, which he conveniently ignored, much to Casper's annoyance.
It was like she was dreaming, and maybe she was, but her body was no longer in pain. It was warm, wherever she was. It felt as if she were floating, in midair without anything touching her. She smelled the forest, surrounding her, protecting her, and she felt safe.
But the images assaulted her.
One after the other, the Doctor's face, hovering above her own, about to lash out with another attack. The needles, the water dripping from above as blackness surrounded her, the nurses, the blood. Watching as everyone was dead around her with her own weapons their killer, no she didn't want to see it!
'No…' She whimpered, trying to get away from it all. The pain, the nightmares, they were everywhere…
And then they were gone, erased with a single cry. What replaced it, eased her fears.
She remembered the feeling of Bepo's fur, how soft and warm he was. The smell of the forest returned, washing over her like a cool wave, but it was warm and gentle. She smiled, relishing in the feeling, and she placed her hands close to her heart. They became warm, and she let herself become enveloped in that warmth.
She began shifting back and forth, brow furrowed in concern or pain, and he immediately checked over everything again. All was fine, but something was obviously causing her discomfort. When she whimpered, he came to her side. She tossed and turned, threatening to break open the stitches along the various cuts across her body. He tried holding her down, as gently as possible.
As soon as he touched her, she seemed to calm down. Her cries stopped, and she curled into herself, leaning towards him. Bewildered, he sat on the stool beside the bed and just let her lean into him.
She smiled. His eyebrows rose. Whatever it was that had plagued her thoughts, it seemed to be gone, and he was the reason why. Or it could just be the touch of a person. Who could really tell?
He sat there, not wanting her to get upset again. After all, the well-being of his patients was most important. At least, that's what he told himself.
*One Week Later*
"Hey! Give me the frosting!" Shachi tried reaching for it, but Penguin snatched it away.
"No way! I get to decorate it! Casper said I could!" Shachi pushed Penguin, who pushed back.
"Boys! Quiet down, now." Casper ordered, and the pair looked like deer in headlights. The old cook was slowly tapping his palm with one of his most treasured wooden spoons, eyes narrowed and a small frown on his face.
"But you said I could frost the-"
"If neither of you can handle the decision, then I'll frost the cake. Now settle down and share the frosting." He walked to the fridge to grab more eggs for the cake batter. The two engineers sighed, sharing a glance.
"I get to frost first." Shachi said.
"No, I do!"
"Why am I not allowed to leave?" She asked incredulously, gesturing to the double doors of the infirmary. "I feel fine! You said everything looks normal too! So what the hell is keeping me here?" She crossed her arms with a pout.
Law turned, raising his eyebrow. "I am. Just because something looks fine, Summer-ya, doesn't mean it is." He scribbled some things on the clipboard, ignoring the tongue she stuck out in his direction.
"But I wanna help Casper in the kitchen, and I want to actually be able to talk to the crew, without being confined to this damn bed!" She punched the cushioned pillow, but it garnered no reaction from the Captain. He simply turned his back and placed the clipboard on the table. "Please, Law?"
"I've already given you my answer." He said sternly, walking out of the room.
"Urgh!" She shouted, falling back onto the pillow in defeat. She could never win! Summer was half tempted to just get up and leave the room, ripping out all the IV's and machines she was still connected to, but that would incur the full wrath of the Surgeon of Death, and much as she liked pushing his buttons, she knew better than to cross the line. And directly going against his orders in regards to her overall health was definitely crossing the line.
But she didn't have to like it.
"I still hate you!" She called, knowing that he could still hear her.
"I still hate you!" He heard her call, and he smirked. She certainly was vicious today. Going to the mess deck, he spotted Penguin and Shachi heading towards the hall with Summer's room. Their shirts were splattered with flour and frosting.
"Where are you going?" He asked, and the two froze up. They turned slowly, expressions of innocence on their faces.
"Oh, nothing. Just taking a stroll." Shachi answered.
"I see." The Captain responded and Penguin nodded.
"Yeah, exercise is good for the body!" Shaking his head with a smirk, Law chuckled. His two engineers never failed to amuse him.
"And the real reason?" They sighed, scratching the back of their heads in defeat.
"We were going to get Summer-chan's camera. We wanted to take a picture of when she walks into the mess deck." Ah, of course. With a nod, Law gestured them forward.
"Very well." They visibly brightened, about to turn back towards her room. "I'm sure you know that if you touch anything else, Summer-ya will definitely find out somehow? I don't need to tell you the consequences of that, now do I?" He laughed darkly when they froze again, skin going pale in fright. Scurrying away, they left dust in their wake by the speed they ran. Law walked the hall, pushing through the mess deck doors.
Inside, several men were putting together a party. Banners lined the walls, and most of them wore party hats. Where they'd found them, Law would never guess, but if they were excited he wouldn't mention how ridiculous he thought they all were. Casper emerged from the kitchen, covered in flour and bits of yellow frosting.
"How's the lass?" The older man asked, and Law glanced around the room in appreciation. For being a last minute, spontaneous thing, the crew certainly did a good job.
"She's perfectly healthy. No adverse physical side effects that I can see." Nodding in relief, Casper crossed his arms.
"I'm sure she's not too happy to be kept in the infirmary?" He asked with a chuckle, knowing how anxious the girl could get when it came to being treated. Even with broken bones she would say she was fine, trying to climb out of bed and do her job onboard. The Captain raised an eyebrow.
"Summer-ya doesn't appreciate being lied to, but she knows better than to defy my orders too bluntly." Casper nodded, continuing on with his report.
"The cake is cooling in the fridge, so all we need to do is finish decorating, and for Bepo to get back. Where is he anyway?"
"Keeping guard." Was all the Captain would say, but Casper knew it was something devious by the cruel smirk on the young man's face. Deciding it was better if he didn't ask, he went back into the kitchen to finish making the food for dinner. Though he had a sneaking suspicion…
Law observed the men work, wondering what Summer's reaction would be to the big surprise at the end.
ns 15.158.61.6da2
