Tegan Chronicles
No Children 1
"Glad you made it home." Janet's tone was icy and sent chills down Tegan's spine.
"I didn't know I had a curfew," She looked nonchalantly at her watch. "Cassie's waiting."
"Sam's up there." Janet warned. "She got tired of waiting for you, so Sam went up to tuck her in."
"She's getting too old to be tucked in." Tegan knew it was the girl's way of staying up later than her set bedtime.
"She enjoys the few minutes she gets to spend with you two."
"It's not like I haven't been crashing here for the last week." Tegan couldn't wait until they finished repairing the water main and she could get back to her own routine. She'd been staying on base, since she received word from her landlord that the water main under her street had ruptured and it would be a few weeks before they would have it fixed and the road repaired so the residents in that area could return. When Janet found out she was working through the night she insisted she stay with her. Insisted with blackmail, some threat ending in reminding Tegan she was the chief medial officer.
"How was your day?"
"It was a day."
"You worked late."
It wasn't a question, still Tegan obliged with an answer. "I was running some DNA comparisons."
"I made you a plate, it's in the fridge."
"I'm going to bed."
"You ate on base?"
"See this is why I don't want to live with you." Tegan made the mistake of continuing her line of thought despite knowing better. She should have just walked away, left it at that. "I can take care of myself."
"You may be able to take care of yourself but you don't. You know you need at least three squares a day, and if you get three a week you think it's sufficient."
"I am not having this conversation."
"No you never do." Janet was too tired to fight, or maybe she just didn't care anymore.
"Whatever, I'm going to bed." Tegan watched as Janet looked back down at her book rather than give any acknowledgement to the statement.
Tegan looked up as Dr. Warner came into the room, she cleared her throat, "Where's Dr. Frasier?"
"She asked me to do your physical this morning." He shut the door behind him.
"Is she sick?"
"She looked fine to me." He glanced down over her chart. "I'll be right back."
"I don't think so."
"I just need to find out why Sgt. Copley didn't get your vitals."
"Because she knows Dr. Frasier prefers to do them herself," She looked at him for a minute then added; "And you're not doing my physical."
"But," He started to protest as Tegan swung herself off the exam table and walked out of the room.
"Done already?" Julie looked up from her work.
"Where's Dr. Fraiser?"
"In her office," Julie watched with mild curiosity as Tegan stormed through the infirmary.
"What the hell was that?" Tegan spoke as she stepped into Janet's office.
Janet glanced at the occupied chair before returning her gaze to the intruder. "Excuse me?"
Tegan looked sideways to see General Hammond sitting across from Janet's desk. She couldn't stop the crimson tide from creeping up her neck and washing over her face as she wished for an unscheduled off world activation to occur at that very moment. When the klaxons didn't blare to life she looked back at Janet. "I'm sorry, the door was open."
"You can close it on your way out Major." General Hammond gave her a disapproving look as she pulled the door shut. "What was that about?"
"I'm assuming it has to do with Dr. Warner doing her pre-mission physical." Janet offered with a shrug. "That and she's been working late recently."
"I'll have a word with her."
"Please do." Janet rubbed her forehead.
"Major Kiser," General Hammond followed Janet out of her office. "A word please."
"Yes sir," She mumbled while glaring in Janet's direction.
"Have a seat." He pointed to the chair he'd just vacated as he shut the door. "Was that little out burst personal or professional?"
"It was out of character sir, and I apologize."
"Yes it was Major, and I do believe you owe Dr. Fraiser an apology as well."
"Yes sir."
"I understand you've been working well past your shift again."
"On occasion sir." There wasn't any point denying it, although she didn't see what the big deal was. It wasn't like she was paid hourly.
"Why do I feel like I'd be wasting my breath if I told you to stop?"
"I'll do my best to leave on time sir."
"Thank you Major Kiser." He opened the door. "And just for your information we weren't talking about you."
"I didn't think you were." She smiled politely before following him out.
"You still have a pre mission physical to complete." Janet met her in the hall with her chart.
"Are you doing it?"
"I guess I have to don't I?"
"You're the one who made the rules not me," Tegan answered with a smirk.
"Hello?" Janet answered the house phone a little after six.
"We're back, and I wanted to let you know I'm staying on base until I can go home."
"Tegan…"
"I don't want to talk about it, not right now."
"Fine, but if I find out…"
"You won't." She mumbled 'bye' and hung up.
Two days later she got news she could get back in her house. She was happy to find she'd rented on the right side of the street, because her property had somehow managed to avoid any water damage. The yards and houses on the opposite side were still water logged, and the lower levels had standing mud in them. Thank goodness the grade was on her side.
It was the weekend and she and Janet agreed not to see each other, and that plan was working out just fine until the phone rang. Tegan looked at the digital readout on the VCR and sighed 2:10, who could be calling at this hour. Foregoing checking caller ID she picked up the cordless and automatically hit the talk button. "Kiser."
"Tegan," The scared voice on the other end was anxious.
"Cass, what's wrong?" Tegan jumped to her feet, already looking for a pair of shoes, and keys.
"Its mom," The girl's concern was palpable over the line. "She's sick. She didn't want me to call anyone but she's been throwing up for the last hour and a half."
"I'm on my way."
"I'll unlock the door, she's in the master bathroom."
Tegan cut the engine and ran through the door pausing only long enough to throw the dead bolt and toss her keys on the small table in the entry way. She took the steps two at a time and found Cassie sitting on the side of the tub holding a cool rag for her mother who currently hung her head in the toilet. The smell of vomit assaulted Tegan's senses before she ever entered the bedroom.
"Thanks for coming." Cassie knew Tegan hadn't been to bed, because she'd gotten there too soon to have changed clothes.
"No problem kid."
Janet lifted her pale head and gazed at Tegan with exhausted brown eyes. "I told her not to wake you."
"She didn't, I was finishing up a field report." Tegan glanced around. "Where's your medical bag?"
Before she could answer Janet was forced to pay homage to the porcelain gods by gagging until the smallest amount of stomach acid made its way up her esophagus.
"I'll get it," Cassie jumped to her feet leaving the rag on the edge of the sink in her wake.
Tegan took up residence where Cassie had once been, and put a gentle hand on Janet's shoulder immediately feeling the heat rising off her. "You've got a fever."
"Stomach bug," Janet's voice echoed as it bounced around the commode. "You should go, you don't want to catch it."
"I won't."
Janet gagged again. "Even wonder woman got sick."
"I'm a doctor."
"So am I, yet here I am hugging a toilet."
"You should have let her call me earlier." Tegan complained. "Do you have any Phenergan in your bag?"
Janet nodded as Cassie came back in.
"Thanks Cass, I've got her from here." Tegan looked sympathetically at the young girl. "Go on to bed, she's going to be fine."
"Does that mean you're not mad at her anymore?"
Tegan closed her eyes for a second. "I was never mad at her, I just… Why don't you take Shadow to bed with you?"
Cassie nodded as Tegan started rummaging through Janet's bag.
"You just what?" Janet moved resting her head on the cold tile floor.
"Do you know how many germs are on that floor?"
"I beached it Friday, and I don't really care right now."
Tegan pulled out the Phenergan injector like a trophy.
"I don't need that."
"You do, and I'll call and let them know you won't be in tomorrow."
"I love you."
"You're sick." Tegan held the injector to Janet's exposed thigh and pushed the button. As she scooped Janet into her arms she whispered, "but I love you more."