Lifeline crawled into my imagination and this is what became of it. This is a completely different kind of story for me. I am trying something new...different characters, different style. Reviews are happily welcomed. It's written in the first person POV of Lifeline. There will be lots of other Joes making appearances in it as well. (And I promise there will be some LJ/F...they are my favourites, you know! Can't write a story without them.) Let me know what you think, please.

It takes place in the Sunbow universe. As usual, normal disclaimers apply...I don't own GI Joe, Marvel, hasbro, or Sunbow, nor do I make any profit from these stories.

"You can learn a lot when you're a medic." That was the first thing Doc ever told me, and considering everything, probably the wisest thing I have ever heard.

Doc was seated before his computer. I approached a little nervously.

"Anything I need to know about the members on this team, Doc?"

He spun his chair around till he was facing me, his lips lifted slowly into a knowing smile. "Don't worry. You'll figure it out." Then he pulled off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I guarantee it," he added quietly. I thought I almost caught a smirk as he turned back to his computer.

I just stood there. I wasn't quite sure what he meant. The man was a cool mystery if nothing else, but I could see that the Joes respected him. No. More than that, they trusted him.

Carl Greer, or 'Doc', has been with the Joes since the beginning. Maybe that's why his code name isn't very imaginative…'Doc' for a doctor. Hmmm, I wonder what genius thought up that name. Nevertheless, he's a proven part of this team and he was the first and only medic until I came along. Maybe I had better explain myself. I'm the new guy. I'm the outsider. I joined the Joes recently, but I'm not like them. I don't carry guns. I don't fight. In fact, I'm a Pacifist. But I'm also a medic and it's for those skills that I signed on with this unit. But, so far, except for treating a few of the Greenshirts, I haven't really done much. I talked to Doc about it. He just said I have to be patient, and I have been patient, up to a point, but this is getting ridiculous. I'm here to help. I just wish they'd let me do my job.

Here's an example of what I mean. Yesterday, Cover Girl rushed into the infirmary. She had her hand wrapped up in a bloodied grease rag.

"Is Doc here?"

"No…, but I'm sure if you just have a seat, I…" but, she acted as if she hadn't even heard me.

"Where is he?"

"I don't know, but I'm sure I could help you…"

"No, that's ok. I'll just wait for Doc," and with that she grabbed a magazine from the rack and settled herself down in a chair to wait, completely ignoring me.

I couldn't do anything.

Absolutely nothing.

I finally retreated to my small office, my head bowed in defeat.

When Doc showed up, he took it all in stride. I have yet to see that man ruffled. I don't know how he manages it. He's always cool and collected.

Cover Girl jumped up and followed him into the exam room. I noticed she was careful to shut the door behind her.

A few minutes later, she came out, her right hand neatly bandaged. "Doc, please, I can't let the guys know," her voice was pleading. "You know I'd never live this down." She stared at him, her full lips puckered into a pout, her eyes bright with unshed tears.

"Fine, Courtney. We'll keep it quiet. Wear gloves and don't let it get wet of dirty….And no straining or you'll pop your stitches."

"Thanks, Doc." she flashed a smile worthy of the runway as she spun on her heel and exited.

I turned to the Doc in disbelief, " Did you just…."

He turned to me, still wearing that broad grin he gave to Courtney.

"What?" he asked innocently as his grin slowly faded.

Courtney, or Cover Girl as she is known among the Joes, is one of our mechanics. She's also a tank driver. The best we've got, I've been told. Before she joined the Joes she was a runway model, hence the code name, Cover Girl. Even covered head to toe in grease, she's a beautiful woman. Hey, I'm a guy, I do notice those kind of things. Doc says there are just two other women on the team. After meeting Cover Girl, it makes me wonder what they are like. He warned me to watch out for all three. According to him, the women don't like admitting when they are sick or injured. All three are bad, the other two worse than Courtney, and none of them make good patients. I wonder what exactly he meant by that.

I was about to ask, but Doc just smiled mysteriously and pressed his lips together. He wasn't going to give anything away.

"You'll learn."

I was already getting tired of hearing that.