DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN STAR WARS: CLONE WARS. Just borrowing.

I'm having a lot of technical difficulties with my computer, so hopefully, this will work.

This is my first solo attempt at a "Clone Wars" Fiction. Hopefully, it's enjoyable!

(Written for MidnightDawn999)

Hardcase sat, staring blankly ahead. This was going to kill him. He would surely die. Slowly - ever so slowly - he edged off the edge of the bed. He had to make it out... another day here, even one single hour, and he was certain he would lose whatever semblance of sanity he had left. Not that he had much to begin with, he thought. One foot hit the cold floor beneath... but the other hit the floor with a solid thump... He groaned, betraying his movement.

"Don't you dare!" Kix popped around the corner, wearing an expression of irritation and frayed nerves.

"But kix... I'm dying!"

"You will be, if you keep trying to leave. It's not my fault you broke your foot."

"It's not my fault either! Cameron dared me to..."

"Don't. I don't wanna hear it. Back on the cot until I get that foot in a cast."

"Hurry up then," Hardcase grunted.

"Patience, you've only been here for ten minutes."

"Ten minutes too long! I've got places to be, Kix!"

The medic smirked at Hardcase.

"You want me to be stuck here."

"And hear your non-stop complaints? No way. I'm working as fast as I can... but thanks to your inability to say no to a dare, someone - Me - has to fill out paperwork. So, you can suffer for a bit while I get it straightened out that you were not injured in combat..."

"Well, it was sort of..."

"No, no, Hardcase... stop talking." Kix turned, shaking his head and typing something into a datapad.

Hardcase could hear him muttering, but he couldn't make out the words. "What?"

"Every minute you distract me is a minute longer you're gonna have to wait."

The medic's response shut Hardcase up. He glared at Kix, though he wouldn't see the expression. Fidgeting, Hardcase stared at the wall across from himself again. His thoughts turned to the dare. Thinking back on it now, it had been a bad idea... he wouldn't be able to deploy with Skywalker and the others on their upcoming mission. He sighed. Oh well, at least he'd had fun! But...

"OW!" Hardcase had gotten lost in thought, so he'd not realized Kix was beside him until that moment.

"Sit still."

"I was!"

"Yup, now get back to it."

Hardcase grimaced. "You're worse than the General, giving orders like you own the place."

"You're in the med-bay, and in case you hadn't noticed, I'm the medic... I technically DO own this place." Kix smirked and went back to inspecting the black and blue swelling that was Hardcase's foot.

Hardcase huffed, but couldn't help the grin that slipped into place. "I heard you got to order the Captain out of a mission once! How'd he take it?"

Kix blinked back at Hardcase with a flat expression. "Better than you."

"Oh come on!"

Kix shook his head and administered painkiller. Once it took affect, he set the bone in place.

Hardcase grimaced, but remained completely still. He watched the medic work. What Kix did was different from the others... he was the "doctor." Kix' profession was a strange one to Hardcase, who spent his time blasting anything made of metal looked relatively like a Separatist. Watching Kix work was like listening to gibberish and trying to understand it. At least it was interesting though.

Once Kix finished, Hardcase looked down at the newly-bandaged foot, all wrapped in clean white bandages, and stuck in a stiff brace that looked something like a fluff-filled shoe. He snorted. "Thanks Kix."

"Yup." Kix nodded, and offered Hardcase a hand.

He took it, and hopped off the table, gingerly standing on one foot while Kix passed him a set of crutches. "Kix..."

"If you're about to argue and say you don't need them, I'm about to give you a medical lecture that'll make your head spin."

Hardcase snapped his mouth shut. "No, Sir."

Kix grinned and slapped Hardcase on the shoulder. "Go on, and don't do anything..."

"Stupid?"

"Yeah."

"Right, Doc."

Kix snorted and rolled his eyes, turning and waving dismissively.

Hardcase grinned and took off for the door. This would take some getting used to.