Note: This is a three-part series of fics related to "Harder to be Brave" and "Easier to Hide", and before "Sunrises, Sunsets, and Precut Muffins". Like everything else in this storyline, this contains mentions of suicidal ideation.
Holding Boxes and Cutting Food
by Estirose
c 2011
Flynn leaned back as he surveyed his latest effort. The three boxes - Ziggy's only earthly belongings, as far as anybody could tell - were temporarily sitting in his room until the docs cleared Ziggy for duty and off of suicide watch.
Thank goodness Dillon had realized what was going on when he and the others hadn't. He might have the occasional issue with Dillon, but the guy did know Ziggy better than anyone else did. If he hadn't realized what Ziggy'd tried to do, they'd probably be burying him instead of keeping a sharp eye.
He had to also admit that he'd had Ziggy all wrong. When he'd heard that Ziggy'd taken off without his morpher, his first thought was that Ziggy was being himself: silly, selfish, a little irresponsible. All he needed was a good talk. The force of his team bearing down on him to remind him of how much things had changed in the few hours before.
Ziggy's confession - well, more or less a confession, since Dillon had been the one to say the words - had told him how badly he'd been wrong. And how much Ziggy valued their opinions, in totally the wrong way. Ziggy needed people around him. He needed them, he needed teammates to keep him steady. Sure, he couldn't fight, but that could be fixed. Flynn had always figured they'd get used to each other just like he, Summer, and Scott had come together before.
And, by underestimating Ziggy, he almost would have been denied the chance. His first impulse, once he'd gotten past the stunned realization of what had almost happened, was to tackle Ziggy and tie him up until he was sure that Ziggy was safe. Dr. K had since told them what needed to be done in Ziggy's case, and he had to admit that it hadn't been as terrible as he'd first thought… but Ziggy was still sick, and he had to be taken care of until the doctors could fix him.
Some part of his mind was planning for the next day. He'd be watching over Ziggy for the last part of the evening, taking over from Summer until it was time to go to bed and turn Ziggy back over to Dillon. Ziggy probably needed something nutritious, but nothing that required him to use a knife or a fork, or at least a knife. If he was doing roast beef as he'd planned, Ziggy would need his pre-cut. Probably was best to cut the muffins in the morning, too. Dr. K had told him that Ziggy didn't need to be watched every moment, just kept an eye on to make sure he wasn't doing anything dangerous. That's what suicide watch apparently meant for Corinth's military, or at least its Rangers.
At least Ziggy had been deeply asleep when Flynn had come to take the boxes away. He'd have said that Ziggy was dead to the world, but dead really wasn't a word he was willing to deal with when it came to Ziggy at the moment. He was at least tired from everything that was going on, and Dillon was probably going to have a really easy shift.
But he was safe. For now. And Flynn and the others would make sure he stayed safe.