A Strange Little Town

Remember the Cure

Chapter 3: In the Waiting Room

Felix was at the nurse's station, trying to read Dr. Marucchi's handwriting, when he spotted Sabrina. Her hair fell in curls that he'd shown her how to do and she'd applied her Coe Coe precious pink lipstick just right. But she had a glow that no Coe Coe cosmetics could take credit for and she was practically skipping. To top it all off, she was smiling hard enough to crack a tooth!

"Mmm hmm," Felix said when she was close enough to hear. "That right there says it all."

Sabrina climbed up behind the nurse's station. The lipstick complemented her pink scrubs and she had accessorized with diamond studs and a white gold tennis bracelet. Felix couldn't be more proud, she'd really come along since he'd worked his magic.

"What?" She asked, innocently. Felix slid Dr. Marucchi's charts aside and gave her his full attention and all his wisdom.

"There are only two things in this world that make a person smile like that...and Magic Milo didn't perform this weekend." He slid in closer, to avoid eavesdroppers. "So, how is Dr. Please and Thank You, Can I Have Some More?" He asked and Sabrina turned bright red.

"Felix!" She grabbed one of the charts and tried to hide her face. But she was still smiling, she couldn't stop. Felix reached up and lowered the chart, so they were still eye to eye.

"That good, huh?" He smiled, devilishly. Sabrina swatted him with the chart and they both laughed. "I'm convinced that at this moment you'd glow in the dark. Dr. Dreamboat is definitely doing something right," he added. Sabrina closed her eyes, as if she were picturing Patrick and sighed slow and satisfied.

"We spent the whole weekend together." She finally admitted. "We went to the park and we had a picnic. Emma helped me make the sandwiches." She was beaming now, and Felix was sure that sandwich making hadn't done that. But he stood quietly while Sabrina described her perfect weekend. "Oh and then we took Emma to feed the ducks."

"And then?" Felix asked when it seemed like she wasn't going to say anything more. He didn't think it could happen, but her face turned a deeper shade of red and she bit into her bottom lip. She left teeth marks in her precious pink lip gloss.

"Anna and Duke came to take Emma for ice cream on Sunday, and..." She hesitated. Felix understood she was working up the courage to say something...something dirty! He couldn't be happier for her, but he knew Sabrina's head might explode with the effort, so he decided to help her out.

"You two fed more than the ducks?" Felix offered and Sabrina giggled. She gave a shy little nod and Felix could practically feel the happiness rolling off her. "Oh god, what I'd do to smile like that. It's been way too long since I...fed the ducks," he sighed. He allowed a moment for self pity; at this point, he was starting to worry that he'd start looking forward to Brad's sketchy come-ons. He definitely needed to get back on the wagon, preferably one with a six-pack and great sense of humor. But it wasn't all that easy anymore, he was still sort of hung up on Milo. Sometimes he couldn't even help picturing Magic Milo doing one-handed push-ups; or pull-ups, with sweat glistening on his chest, dripping down each ripple in his abdomen, all the way down to-

Sabrina wacked him again, still laughing and pulling him right out of his own thoughts- his dirty, dirty thoughts.

"Stop making that dirty," she giggled. Felix jumped and nervously smoothed his scrubs. He started to laugh at himself. He remembered a time when Sabrina resembled an aspiring nun and admitting impure thoughts to her, felt like a very awkward confession. The whole thing made him feel silly and he laughed harder.

He was laughing so hard, he'd hardly noticed that Sabrina suddenly looked as if she were choking on her happiness. She bit down on her lip again, holding in the laughter and started to look panicked. Felix didn't understand what had happened, until he heard Epiphany's voice from behind him.

"Nurse Dubois," she called and Felix froze, the way specialist suggested you do when in proximity to an angry bear- or large beast of any kind. "Is it me, or do you think you studied all those years, so you could come here and ignore your patients!" She was growling by that point and Felix couldn't be sure that he hadn't wet his scrubs. He looked to Sabrina for help, but she was still holding her breath and just looked like she was gonna pass out.

Felix's voice shook when he spoke.

"Okay Nurse Santiago, and I'll go through the rest of those charts, okay? Okay, keep up the good work." He smiled nervously and turned to Epiphany as if he hadn't known she was there. "Oh Nurse Johnson, I was just telling Sabrina how eager I-" The words were tumbling out his mouth, but Epiphany held up a hand and he choked the rest back.

"Save it! You might need it for later," she growled. He didn't mean to, but he looked her in the eyes and he could've sworn they were slightly red- something straight out of The Exorcist. He let out a nervous yelp and Epiphany rolled her eyes. "There's a patient in one who needs medical attention, if you can find the time."

"I'm on it!" Felix stammered and ran as fast he could, away from the nurse's station and Epiphany, who was left with Sabrina. He hadn't looked, but he was sure Sabrina was a shade of purple by then and he felt a quick pang of guilt. But, it was every nurse for them self. He shouldn't feel guilty, even though he was sure that Epiphany was condemning Sabrina to bedpan duty by now.

He took a minute outside of cubicle one, and calmed himself, before going in. Patrick was conducting a pupil reflex test, when Felix stumbled in past the curtain.

"Nurse Dubois, just in time." Patrick turned and smiled. He had the same goofy smile as Sabrina. He stood up to his full height and Felix couldn't help the urge to climb him like- he definitely needed to get back on the wagon. "I'd like you to make Mr. Jones here feel at home; I'm keeping him for observation." Patrick said and moved to grab Mr. Jones's chart. Felix had a clear view of the patient.

He sat in nothing but his jeans and boots. Felix could see ever muscle in his broad shoulders and the pronunciation of each ripple in his abdomen, as he slouched over the edge of the hospital bed. He had a bit of five o'clock stubble and waves of honey blonde hair. But Felix was too preoccupied with his eyes to notice much else, they were such an intense blue. They made Felix feel as if he were the shirtless one. Mr. Jones was just starring!

He didn't even look away, when he spoke to Patrick. Apparently he didn't understand why he had to stay. Patrick made a few notes in his chart, while Mr. Jones complained.

"I'd like to run a few tests. You took a pretty hard hit to the head, and there may be some lasting trauma." Patrick said, trying for a authoritative tone, but he was struggling to stop himself from smiling. Felix had no doubt he was thinking about taking Sabrina to a particular supply closet for a little GH Loving, at that very moment.

"I told you doc, I'm fine," Mr. Jones complained.

"Well, since I'm the one with the medical degree, let's leave that up to me to decide." Patrick turned back to Felix. "Let's get a medlock in place, in case Mr. Jones diagnosis is incorrect." He said and started for the curtain. Mr. Jones grumbled something under his breath and sighed.

"Do I at least get a phone call?" He asked.

"This is a hospital, not prison." Patrick countered. He wished Felix good luck and fled as fast as his Nike's would allow. Felix studied the matching abrasions on Mr. Jones chest and face and a particularly nasty bruise on his rib-cage, until he was caught staring. Embarrassed, he looked around for something to do. He spotted a phone on what he guessed was Mr. Jones jacket, in the corner chair. He did his best to avoid that ice-y blue gaze, as he handed the patient his phone.

"Thanks," he said and Felix nodded.

"No problem, Mr. Jones." He moved and grabbed everything he would need for the medlock.

"Lucas," Mr. Jones corrected and Felix couldn't help look up then and smile. Lucas Jones motioned to the materials in Felix's hands, "I guess it wouldn't make a difference if I swear I feel okay?" he asked. Felix looked at the IV needle in his hand.

"It's just a night or two. Better safe than sorry" Felix said and Lucas smiled.

"Is it?"

"Are you afraid of needles or something?" He asked, dumping the materials onto a nearby tray. Lucas laughed.

"No, those I'm pretty used to." Felix stared, confused. But he didn't ask, he wasn't sure Lucas wanted him to. Lucas tried to make himself comfortable and felt the pain come crashing into his rib. He balled over and Felix reached out to catch him. They clung together and were eye to eye. "I guess I'm not as okay as I thought?" he smiled and it showed up in his eyes. Felix was close enough to see the dimple in his right cheek, hiding under his stubble.

"Maybe not," Felix offered and helped him into a comfortable position. Even when they separated, Felix could feel the tingling in his skin where Lucas had held onto him. It ran hot and cold and crept over his body, until he felt it fluttering in his stomach. It came in unexpected, but there was Milo doing his push-ups. Then suddenly he dipped low and when he came back up, it was Lucas, with one arm behind his back and smiling.

"I'm just not big on hospitals." Lucas sighed and winced from the pain in his side. Felix realized where he was and tried to shake the image from his mind.

"Uh, right." He said and reached for some more supplies. He turned and held out a hospital gown to Lucas, "You'll need to put this on."

The smile spilled right out of Lucas's eyes and slid off his face. He looked horrified and Felix could practically hear what he was thinking, this wasn't going to make him a fan. Lucas reluctantly reached up and took the gown and Felix left him to get dressed.

He stood outside the curtain for a moment and calmed himself. He told himself not to toss his heels over his head for another man, who was as straight as he wasn't. He marched off to the supply closet, avoiding Epiphany and even Sabrina- he would keep these dirty thoughts to himself.

Felix had completely straightened himself out, by the time he returned to cubicle one. He wouldn't be pulled in by Mr. Jones baby blues, or his anything else! He was a professional!

But even as a professional, it was hard not to laugh when came past the curtain and found Lucas stretched out in nothing but his gown and boots. Felix bit into his lip hard enough to shame Sabrina and straightened up. He cleared his throat and tried for the same authoritative tone Patrick had failed at.

"You have a concussion and a bruised rib." Felix said flatly, reading off of Lucas's chart.

"I figured." Lucas said, clutching his rib as he shifted in the bed, to put his boots up.

"Did you make your phone call?"

"Yeah my sister's on her way." Lucas said. "So concussion and bruised ribs...does that mean I get to go home?" He looked hopeful.

"Not yet. Dr. Drake is worried you might strain yourself and do some damage. With enough strain you could end up with a diaphragmatic hernia." Felix repeated exactly what Dr. Drake had told him, without looking at Lucas at all.

"That doesn't sound good," Lucas laughed and tried to get in Felix's line of sight. He wasn't sure what had changed, but suddenly his nurse seemed a little put off. When he realized that Felix was on his way out again, he pointed to the chart. "So, what else do you know about me? he asked and Felix looked down as if he'd forgotten he was holding it.

"Not nearly enough," Felix said. "You didn't really give us much to go on."

"Well, I wasn't planning on staying."

"And now?"

"Now? That extremely happy doctor has me wearing a dress. So, I guess it's pretty clear who's wearing the pants in this situation." Lucas sighed, "I guess I'm staying." Felix actually smiled and Lucas was happy to see it.

"Good."

"Yeah. So, what do you want to know?" Lucas asked and Felix could've sworn he was flirting. But he had been wrong about that before. Even though Lucas had a way of looking at him as if he were naked, in every sense of the word, Felix told himself it was more likely that he was wrong again. And he wasn't about to crush on another straight guy.

He looked down at the chart in his hand. They had people to document information and distance was the best thing to nip any crush in the bud. But he found himself sitting at Lucas's bedside anyway. He grabbed the pen from his pocket, prepared to take notes and told himself this was strictly professional.

"Well, for the question about allergies, you put 'hospitals.'" Felix said and Lucas laughed.

"None that I know of." He admitted.

"Any pre-existing illnesses or disorders?" Felix couldn't help perking up with this question. Even with his new professional resolve, he had to admit he had a personal interest. Though he was sure he knew the answer, nothing about Lucas suggested he'd ever been sick.

"Does diabetes count?" It caught Felix off guard and he looked up into the eyes he had sworn to avoid. He could see there the promise that there was a lot more to this stranger, than he could imagine. And despite his vow, he wanted to know it all!

He let his eyes roam over the cuts and abrasions that made themselves violently obvious on Lucas's face. He wasn't sure who'd done that, but he was sure it was another one of those secrets Lucas was keeping. He nearly forgot himself and almost reached up to stroke the other side of his patient's face.

"Who did this?" he heard himself ask and he saw the quick flicker in Lucas's face. He definitely had his secrets. But just as quickly, the look was gone and he was smiling again. He leaned over to peek at the chart.

"Why? Is that on there?"

Felix started to answer, when a fierce blonde blew in past the curtain. She looked like she was on a mission, but stopped in her tracks when she saw Lucas's face.

"Oh my god," she whispered, but Lucas's smile didn't falter.

"Hey sis," he said and they all just stood there. Finally, Felix stood up and pointed between the two, trying to figure everything out.

"Wait," he said, "Carly's your sister?"

Lucas seemed to be entertained by the whole scene. He turned from Carly and smiled at Felix, pointing at the chart in his hands.

"You should write that down."