Broken Glass
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Author's Notes: In 1964, Frazer Hines, Jamie, nearly lost the middle finger on his right hand when he accidentally put his hand through a pane of glass while at a friend's house. He had gone into the house for a glass of water and, when he was coming outside, a gust of wind caught the kitchen door. When he placed his hand up to stop the door, his hand went through the glass. The doctor was able to save Hines' finger but he did suffer from pyogenic gremuloma two years later. It was removed but, to this day, his finger tingles when he bangs his finger. (Ouch!)
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"What're you doing?" asked Jamie while he watched Zoe transplanting some plants into pots in the hydroponics room.
"I'm transplanting these into bigger pots," said Zoe as she placed the last of the pots in the tray then carefully lifted the tray off the table. Walking to the incubator, she juggled the tray in her left hand as she tried to open the glass door and sighed.
"Let me get that for you."
"No, I got it," said Zoe as she tried to get the door open and Jamie rolled his eyes, walking closer.
"Zoe, you have your hands full! Let me…" said Jamie as she swung the glass door back and he instinctively held his right hand out to stop the glass door from hitting him. With a loud crash, the glass shattered as Zoe dropped the tray onto the floor and Jamie looked at his right hand. The middle finger of his right was hanging by a single strip of skin and blood was on the glass door, on the floor and was running down his arm.
"Oh, Jamie, I am so sorry!" said Zoe as she washed her hands then rushed Jamie to the sink and held his hand under the water, using her thumb to try to staunch the flow of blood. Jamie's face was turning pale as she wrapped his hand in a clean towel and helped him leave the room.
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The Doctor was in the med bay, checking the supplies in the cupboard, when he noticed that the room wasshaking and felt like the room had moved.
"Oh, what was that all about, Old Girl?" asked the Doctor when Zoe and a half conscious Jamie came inside the room and the Doctor saw the blood soaked towel wrapped around Jamie's hand. "My giddy aunt, what has happened?!"
They led Jamie to the bed as they helped him lay down and tears trickled down Zoe's face. The Doctor gently removed the towel as Jamie's middle finger rested against the back of Jamie's hand and noticed that the bleeding had stopped.
"Jamie, can you hear me?" asked the Doctor but Jamie's eyes were rolled into his head and his skin felt cold. "This isn't good. Zoe, I need you to listen very carefully to me if we are going to save Jamie and his finger."
After assisting the Doctor by holding onto the severed finger, Zoe watched the Doctor reattach it to Jamie's hand and stitch the gashes in Jamie's index finger and ring finger. The Doctor had the TARDIS monitoring Jamie's vitals and a plastic bag filled with blood hung on a pole. The needle was taped to the back of Jamie's left hand and an oxygen mask was covering his nose and mouth. The Doctor wrapped the bandages around Jamie's fingers then started cleaning up from the operation and Zoe looked at Jamie.
"Zoe," said the Doctor softly as he walked to her and she turned, tears streaming down her face. He wrapped his arms around her as he hushed her and gently rubbed her back. They left the room while the TARDIS dimmed the lights in the room and the green light on the heart monitor shimmered on the screen.
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Soft footsteps echoed in the room while the green light from the heart monitor shimmered on the screen and Zoe stopped near the bed. Look down at Jamie, she softly brushed the hair from his eyes and he softly sighed.
"Oh, Jamie," whispered Zoe as she took his left hand and wrapped her fingers around his fingers. She looked at the screens as she read the information when he gently squeezed her fingers and she looked down at him. A soft smile was on his face as she moved closer and kissed his forehead. "I am so sorry."
Letting go of his hand, she went to get a chair then sat near the bed and took his hand in hers. A few hours later, the Doctor found her sleeping with her head on her right arm and Jamie was holding her hand against his chest. The Doctor left the room while Zoe sighed and Jamie smiled, softly squeezing her hand.
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The first thing Jamie noticed was the soft hissing sound as he fluttered his eyes open and blinked. His right hand roared in pain as he felt his pulse throbbing in his fingers and sighed.
"Jamie?" asked the Doctor as he looked over at him and the Doctor placed the chart on the table near the bed.
"Doc-doctor?" whispered Jamie as the Doctor brushed the hair from Jamie's eyes and smiled.
"How are you feeling, dear boy?"
"M'hand hurts."
"I believe so considering you put it through a glass door," teased the Doctor and Jamie smiled behind the oxygen mask.
"I was trying tae help Zoe put the…"
"I know all about," said the Doctor when Jamie slowly raised his right hand and looked at the three large bandages wrapped around his fingers.
"I still have five fingers."
"Actually, you still have four fingers and a thumb," teased the Doctor and Jamie smiled at him.
"Where's Zoe?"
"She is in the garden room, though I had to talk her into it. She's been spending nearly every waking hour in here with you."
"How long have I been asleep?"
"Oh, I'd say for the last four days."
"Um, Doctor, m'finger really hurts,' said Jamie as the Doctor looked down and saw the bandage around Jamie's middle finger was starting to grow darker and darker.
"I believe that you're bleeding again. You've done that a few times in the last few days."
"Does that mean I'm going tae lose m'finger?"
"Not if I can help it," said the Doctor as Jamie nodded then slowly closed his eyes and went back to sleep.
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Days passed while Jamie healed and was able to finally leave the med bay. The Doctor helped Jamie get dressed, as well as other things Jamie needed two hands for, but whenever Jamie saw Zoe, she would turn and go the other way.
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"Argh!" growled Jamie as he tried to get a jar of peanut butter open and slammed the plastic jar on the counter. He was wearing a sling that elevated his right hand up so it pointed to his left shoulder and he leaned against the counter. He watched as Zoe came into the kitchen then turn and walked out of the room and he sighed. "Why is she acting like this?"
"She still feels guilty about what happened," said the soft voice of the TARDIS and he looked at the ceiling.
"But it was an accident."
"She knows that but you nearly bled to death."
"What should I do?"
"Be patient with her. She will come around in time."
Nodding, Jamie turned around when he saw that the TARDIS had made him a peanut butter sandwich and a large glass of milk sat near the plate the sandwich was sitting on. Smiling, he picked the plate up then walked to the table and placed the plate on the table. Walking back for the glass of milk, he placed the glass on the table then sat down and started eating.
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Time passed and the Doctor removed the bandages and stitches. Jamie could wiggle his middle finger but some nights he would wake up, feeling a sharp twinge in his finger. He also noticed a dot where the skin had healed and he winced when he touched it.
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"Doctor, can I come in?" asked Jamie while the Doctor turned and placed the supply list on the table.
"What's wrong?" asked the Doctor as Jamie came closer and held his right wrist in his left hand.
"M'finger's bothering me," said Jamie, holding his right hand out and the Doctor took it in his hands. The Doctor looked at Jamie's middle finger when he nodded and let go of Jamie's hand. He walked to the counter when he took a scanner off the table then walked back to Jamie. Taking Jamie's right hand, he scanned Jamie's middle finger and looked at the screen.
"Ah, just as I thought, pyogenic gremuloma," the Doctor and Jamie blinked.
"Pyo-what?" asked Jamie.
"Pyogenic gremuloma. It is a condition where the nerve endings come to the surface and the skin heals around it."
"Is it serious?"
"No-no-no, come with me," said the Doctor as they walked to the bed and Jamie sat down. The Doctor walked to the counter when he placed the scanner down then picked up something and walked back to the bed. Jamie watched while the Doctor turned on the tissue regenerator and slowly moved it over Jamie's middle finger, pressing down slightly over the pyogenic gremuloma.
"Ack!" gasped Jamie as the Doctor shook his head and smiled.
"Almost finished," said the Doctor as he moved the tissue regenerator on the back of Jamie's hand then turned it off. "There, all done."
Flexing his fingers in and out, Jamie smiled as the Doctor placed the tissue regenerator away and Jamie swung his legs back and forth.
"Zoe is still ignoring me," said Jamie softly.
"I know."
"Doctor, what should I do? It was an accident."
"Have you tried talking to her?"
"Every time I try, she walks the other way."
"Well, I know that she's in the garden room. Why don't you go talk to her?" asked the Doctor when Jamie hopped off the bed and left the room. Smiling, the Doctor picked up the supply list and walked to the supply cupboard.
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Kneeling on the pad, Zoe dug into the dirt as she dug a hole then picked up a small black pot and tapped the bottom of the pot, loosening the plant that was inside it. She knew that ignoring Jamie was wrong but knowing that she nearly caused the death of her best friend was too much for her to bear. The Doctor had assured her that neither he nor Jamie blamed her for what happened but she blamed herself. She nearly killed him all because she swung the door back too hard and…
"Need some help with that?" asked Jamie, kneeling on the ground next to her and titled his head to one side.
"No, I can handle it," whispered Zoe as she went to place the plant in the hole then stopped when he placed his right hand on her arm. Smiling, he wiggled his fingers as she looked at them then at him and blinked. "Jamie…"
"Look, I understand that you're feeling guilty aboot all this but you shouldnae. It was an accident. Ok, aye, I nearly got my finger chopped off but, look, it's all better!" said Jamie, wiggling his fingers and she softly laughed.
"But it was my fault. If I would of let you open the door…"
"Would of…could of...should of. All I ken is that it happened, the Doctor was able to put my finger back on an' I'm fine. So, can we get back to annoying each other an' put this behind us? I miss you," said Jamie as his lower lip stuck out and he pouted. Nodding, Zoe hugged him as he wrapped his arms around her and gently kissed her cheek. Moving back, she handed him a shovel as they placed the plant into the ground and the Doctor smiled, looking at the ceiling.
"Well, that ended well," whispered the Doctor as he watched them then turned and walked down the hallway.
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The End….