Unexpected Patient

Month 14 Day 25 (day before wedding)

2318 Hours

Dr Margaret Davis

 Margaret looked up from her computer as someone stopped in her office doorway. "Where do you want your patient, Doc?" Tall Bear asked. He held a certain redhead, who Davis hadn't seen as a patient in some time.

Mac looked battered and disheveled, and Margaret wondered if she'd been fighting. "Any open exam table," she answered, and got up to follow him to the exam room. Where are the nurses? There were 2 on duty, but neither one was in the station in the lobby. Guess I'm on my own.

Mac was awake, but seemed to have trouble getting comfortable on the exam table. Davis realized the girl was only using one arm and one leg, the left in both cases, and it didn't include her left hand. Her clothes were spotted with blood stains, including in her groin. "Is there a second patient?" she asked Tall Bear. Mac isn't one to meekly accept attempted rape.

"Not where I found her. And she hasn't told me about any."

Would she have told him? "Tall Bear, what happened?"

"All I know is I found her on the officer's housing deck, leaning against the bulkhead and moaning in pain. When I suggested she come here, she said she planned to, but she didn't seem able to get here on her own. So I picked her up and carried her."

"I'm right here," Mac said through clenched teeth. "You could ask me."

"Tall Bear, could you go solve the mystery of the missing nurses?" Davis asked. "It's too late for a break, and I didn't give them any assignments, but that doesn't mean they didn't find something to do in the back."

"Sure, doc," the lieutenant agreed, and left.

"Okay, MacDowell, what happened?"

"Lots of unfortunate accidents," Mac answered. "Starting with a broken glass that sliced both hands."

"And this huge bruise that takes up half your face?"

The redhead grimaced. "You're getting ahead of me, Davis. After the cuts, I was startled and jammed my leg against something immovable. That's a big bruise, too. Then I unthinkingly tried to walk, the leg gave out, and my face was slammed against a doorjamb. When I thought it time I left, my leg gave out repeatedly, eventually slamming my shoulder against the bulkhead. That was when TB found me."

"Well, the hands will heal, but don't use them for a couple days. I'll wrap them to remind you. You are a mass of bruises on your right side, and a torn ligament in the right shoulder. I'll restrict that movement, give it time to heal. So, no working for at least 2 days, then we'll see. But even if you are allowed to go back to work then, your right arm will still be restricted, so you'd have to be able to function with just one hand."

"I'll make do. The next two days are my normal days off."

"Now for the really big question," Davis stated as she made notes in MacDowell's file. "Were you raped?"

Mac's head jerked in shock. "What kind of a question is that?"

"You're battered and bruised, including that area, so I would be remiss if I didn't ask."

"I told you what happened! My body bruises easily, so the least little thing makes me look a mess. If anybody had tried to rape me, I would have left him in worse shape than I'm in!"

"I understand that, so the next question is, who should we check on, to see how he's doing?"

"Nobody!" She was obviously angry at the thought.

"Mac, calm down and try to understand. Rape is a crime; I can't let it slide. And besides the physical damage, you may need counseling. If there was a rape. Or attempt."

"No rape," Mac said fiercely but quietly. "It was completely consensual."

"Your first time?" Mac gave a quick nod. Davis nodded. "Well, it could be sore for a day or two, but that area heals quickly. Come back to see me if it doesn't."

"You make it sound as if I won't be spending the next couple days in sick bay." Mac seemed either surprised or suspicious of the idea.

"I don't see why you should. I'll give you a temperature-control pad to help alleviate the bruises, but there's no reason to keep you here."

"Good. I'd rather not have any visitors."

That wasn't like the friendly young woman. "Why?"

"I'm supposed to be married tomorrow," Mac stated. "People will be curious when it doesn't happen."

Margaret considered that for a couple minutes as she bandaged the lieutenant's hands. "There's nothing medical that would keep it from happening." Is she worried about more pain during the honeymoon?.

"Maybe so," Mac whispered.

Nurse Oleander hurried in from the lobby. "Sorry, doctor, Qrilly found supplies in a mess in the big closet, and we need to get them straightened out before the end of shift, or we'll be blamed for it."

Monroe was working B shift today. "I'll pass that on to the next shift," she said. "As for our patient, she's torn a ligament in her right shoulder, so she'll need a restraint. And a temperature-controlled pad so she can care for her bruises."

Oleander looked at Mac. "Space, Mac, I hope you gave at least as good as you got."

"No other patient," Mac returned. "A series of accidents. Although if I told Dr Fong about it, I'm sure he'd say my nervousness and guilt made me do it to myself."

"Guilt about what?" Margaret asked.

Mac took a moment to answer. "Apparently, over nothing. I thought I'd done something wrong, but it seems I was mistaken. Anyway, I'll set it straight."

It was a fine example of Mac's logic, but Davis knew the redhead well enough to know she wouldn't get any more information about it, no matter how hard she pried.

"A shoulder restraint and a temp pad," the nurse repeated. "I'll be right back."

"Doc, if you don't keep me here, how am I going to get to my quarters?"

Davis looked up from fastening the 2nd bandage. The girl was genuinely concerned. "Why don't I ask Tall Bear to help you? Then neither of us will have to worry about your leg giving out again."

The redhead nodded. "Okay."

And then what? Will her roommate be home to help her climb into bed? Don't know if she'd trust a man to help her with that.

"Let me see if he's left yet." Davis walked to the lobby, where Tall Bear stood with his arms crossed. "Good, you're here. Ugly bruises, but nothing very serious, so I won't be keeping her. On the other hand, she can't trust her leg to support her, so she needs your help to get to her quarters. She says if you get her shoes off—assuming her roommate isn't there—and get her to the bed, she'll take it from there. And I don't recommend you even think of getting fresh with her."

"Wouldn't do it, doc. Her friendship means too much—" He stopped and thought for a moment. "Space! She has turned me into another brother!"

So much the better, in this case.

Oleander had come from the back room with the needed supplies in time to hear that. "Doesn't know what she's missing," she muttered, and hurried into the exam room.

Now that Davis had some help with her patient, it was only a few more minutes before Tall Bear picked up the injured redhead and carried her away. A series of accidents brought on by guilt. Guilt about what?