A/N: This is my first ever scrubs fic, so please be nice and leave a review to tell me if you liked it or not. As for what's happened to Dr Cox I'll leave you to make up your own minds about that one, (but I was thinking something pretty horrific such as non-consensual rape) -- but make of it what you will. Enjoy!
My Broken Mentor.
"How long has he been like this?" JD's voice is a bare whisper as he watches from the viewing window.
Carla sighs whilst blinking back unshed tears. "A few hours now. I tried talking to him earlier but he wouldn't even look at me."
JD turns his attention away from his mentor to glance at Jordan who is sitting with her head in her hands further down the corridor. Carla follows his glance.
"Perry told her to get out before she even made it through the door," she answers sadly.
He turns his attention back to Dr Cox, taking stock of the way his eyes have a shininess to them and how his knuckles are white from gripping the arms of the chair he's sat on.
It's weird seeing someone you've always looked up to and admired look so weak and defeated. Almost broken.
JD's eyes take in the sight before him, a body littered by bruises, cuts and scrapes. A hospital blanket lay draped across his back but seemingly forgotten by Dr Cox who remains staring at the wall in front of him.
I had seen Dr Cox as a father figure from day one and although he liked to tease me calling me girls names and pretending like he couldn't give a damn about me or anything else, he did. He really did care, he had a heart of gold. And as I stand here watching his still form, it's unnerving to realise that when it comes down to it, he's just as human as the next guy.
A silent rage began to boil deep within JD, his mouth filled with the acidic taste of bile rising from his stomach as he blinked back tears that threatened to reveal his lack of composure.
I think that's why I admired him so much. It's what gave me the guts to walk into that room and attempt to comfort my friend.
Swallowing hard and with a deep breath he turns on his 'doctor face' and approaches the door to the room, gently clicking it closed behind him as he walks into the room.
As I walk into the hospital room, the first thing I notice is how oddly quiet it is in here. The people watching me behind the glass appear a world away as the atmosphere of the room weighs heavily upon me.
Unsure of what to do. He decides to take a seat next to him in the only spare chair in the room. Dr Cox doesn't react to his presence.
I wonder if he's even aware that I'm here?
After a few awkward moments of silence JD notices Carla ushering the others away from the window, and suddenly the quiet is deafening.
He takes a deep breath, uncertain if he should reach out and touch him or not. He rests an uneasy hand on his shoulder. Dr Cox flinches initially but doesn't move the hand away. He finally decides to break the awkward silence.
"Everyone's really worried about you."
No reaction.
"Carla's been bossing everyone around all day like a mother hen, threatening all your interns and keeping Kelso away."
JD notices a slight tremble to Perry's hands as he loosens his grip on the armrest. Choosing to ignore it, he continues talking.
"Jack's been playing with Turk and Elliott all day. He's a great kid."
"He's great at B-ball. You should've seen this throw... man that was some arm!"
Perry blinks but remains silent. Deciding to throw caution to the wind JD scoots closer to the older doctor in what he hoped was a comfortable distance.
"You're gonna get through this you know. We're all here to help."
Perry slowly turns his head to face JD, his face awash of some unreadable emotion but his chin wobble gives him away.
JD begins rubbing light circles with the hand on his shoulder, not wanting to cause him any discomfort he barely touches the skin that is amass of bruises.
"I just want to let you know that I'm here for you, Perry. And I know you probably think I'm being all girly and what not, but I mean it... I'm here."
For a moment it doesn't look as though Perry is going to react. JD removes his hand from his shoulder and makes to leave but is suddenly stopped by a hand gripping his wrist pulling him back.
"Thank you." The words come out in a quiet, gruff voice that betrays all the hidden emotions of the owner.
JD pauses as Dr Cox relinquishes his hand from his grip. "Your welcome."
He watches as Perry pulls the blanket that had slipped from his shoulders tight across his body covering most of the evidence of any attack.
"Newbie...Could you ask Jordan to come in, please?"
JD nodded, noting how strained his mentor's voice sounded, but secretly hopeful at the use of his nickname.
"Night, Dr Cox."
It was in that moment that I realised just how brave he was to have made the first step in allowing someone to help him. It was then that I knew he was going to pull through this. And I would be there every step of the way.
The End.