Chapter 4: No Other Way
The next day on their patrol, Hal noticed Jenny's leg seemed to be looking worse.
"Jen you should go back to Anne, get that looked at." he said and she shrugged.
"It's fine." she said and he shook his head.
"That isn't fine." he said to her and she looked down and took off the bandage, and revealed a yellow substance oozing out from her cuts.
They both winced as she covered it back up. "Okay, so maybe I'll go see her after." she said and he nodded.
"That's what I thought."
Returning back to base with nothing new, she went to Anne with Hal. Taking off the bandage Anne shook her head.
"How long has it been like this?" she asked and Jenny shrugged.
"Hal pointed it out today, but maybe since yesterday..." she guessed and Anne looked at it.
"Well it's infected for sure, but it isn't usually yellow puss. I think maybe the claws were venomous." she said. "And that's what your body's pushing out right now." she went into a cupboard and pulled out a tube of ointment.
"This should help with the pain," Anne said applying a thin layer.
"Pain?" questioned Jenny. "I'm not in any pain though." Anne looked up to her.
"Believe me honey, you will be soon enough. Use this." she handed Jenny the tube as she wrapped a new bandage around her leg.
Leaving, she noticed it was a bit harder to walk. "I'm not on for anything till the night shift. I'll just see you at dinner." she split off from Hal who just nodded in response.
She laid down awkwardly on her bed, and soon slept. But what awoke her was immense pain like Anne had said. She shot upright, and grasped her leg which cause even more pain. She shrank back.
"Oh mother of jesus. Fuck. Shit. Sh...shoot. Oh mother of God!" she cried, wincing.
Jimmy ran in, and seeing his expression she waved a hand. "No. No, Jimmy I'm okay. Just..this damn freaking infection!" she groaned. She grabbed her pillow and screamed into it before continuing to swear for another minute.
"Uh..." Jimmy started unsure how to proceed. "You're sure you're gonna be alright?" he asked and she lifted her head from the pillow with a grim smile.
"Oh yeah, just great. No I'll be okay. Anne gave me some cream. Just don't tell Hal okay? Or Tom. They'll make me sit out of the shift and I don't want that, got it?" she asked and Jimmy, looking pale, nodded and left.
She took a shaky breath and reached for the cream. She untwisted the cap carefully and lifted back her bandage. She shrank back at the look of her leg. It was an angry red, and the yellow puss just seemed to be flowing right out of her skin. She felt like getting sick at the look of her own body. She stumbled to the closet, grabbing a towel and hobbled back to her bed. Sitting down, she wiped away the puss, just about chewing off her lip to stop her from screaming.
She applied the cream gently, and sighed when she felt some of the pain deteriorate.
She placed the bandage back over her wound and laid back, checking the clock to see what time it was. Almost five thirty. Meaning dinner. Meaning she would have to get up and walk down that god forsaken hallway, looking normal, and eat with Hal, Tom, Dai, Bridget, Mike, and Matt.
You're in for a treat now aren't you Jen? She thought bitterly.
She looked around, spotting a dark red book poking out of Hal's bag. She craned her body, and just grasped it. Pulling it out she found it was a copy of "A tale of two cities" by Charles Dickens.
She turned the book over, finding the back blank. She began reading the first few pages, which weren't super interesting, but she knew from experience that the best parts of the book always came later on. SO she pushed through, reading maybe forty five pages before glancing back up at the clock and seeing it was time for her to go for dinner.
She marked her page and stood up, finding it barely bearable. She hobbled to her door and poked her head out, making sure that Hal nor Tom were around to see her like this. She blended in with a family of four people, falling in behind them so they masked her hobbling.
Reaching the gym she saw Hal and the rest of the group were already seated, even Bridget who was now talking excitedly about something to Dai who was nodding and making all the right emotions for her story telling. Jenny smiled a bit, but then Hal's eyes met hers and she just turned away, getting in line, biting her lip.
She was served a helping of beans and corn, and going along she was given some bread. She was surprised sitting down, and Tom noticed.
"A goodbye present from Pope." he said, watching weaver sit across from them. "Here Weaver, take some before it's all gone." Weaver shook his head.
"No, I'll let the others get some." he said and Tom rolled his eyes.
"Come on, take it." he handed him a bun, not taking no for an answer as Jenny took a bite out of the sweet bread.
"If you had asked me seven months ago I was going to miss bread so much I wouldn't have believed you." she said with a laugh and Hal nodded.
"I know. Never thought I'd miss it this much." he chewed appreciatively.
"What about you Bee?" she asked across the table to Bridget who was still in depth about talking to Dai.
"She's been explaining their intense game of tag they had at lunch." Mike smiled to Matt who then jumped in. "Sounds like they had a pretty good time. But Matt's arguing his team won, and her the other way around." he explained and she smiled.
"Always been the sore loser eh Matt?" asked Hal and Matt shot him a glare.
"Have not! And we did win! You had to be there!" he exclaimed. "And anyways, what makes you so sure they won?" he asked, head high.
"Well, I'm no scientist but I'm betting the speed runs in the family." Hal winked and Jenny chuckled.
"She's fast when she wants to be." she shrugged. "But she can be slow as hell when she wants to be too." she added in and they both laughed as Matt turned away with a 'huph.'.
"How's the leg?" Hal asked and she sighed, looking down at it.
"A lot better than I though it'd be. Anne was wrong, I haven't felt any pain at all." she lied smoothly. "It looks bad but it doesn't feel like it."
Hal nodded, and looked to the bandage again. "That's good. So you're still on for tonight?" he asked and she smiled.
"Wouldn't miss my first opportunity to actually shoot a gun and have a chance at hitting a skitter." she said and he smirked.
"What I like to hear." he responded, taking another bite out of the bread.
After dinner they returned their dishes and Jenny noticed Jimmy going up to Hal and talking to him. She sighed angrily and took Bridget's hand in hers and tugged her from the gym to their room. Tucking her in, she barely finished the first verse and Bridget had fallen asleep.
She smiled, tucking Bridget's hair behind one ear and kissing her forehead gently.
She stood up and turned to see an angry looking Hal in the door way.
"Jimmy ratted me out didn't he?" she asked and Hal crossed the floor.
"That and the fact you looked like you were walking barefoot on nails every time you moved." he said through clenched teeth. "Why didn't you tell me?" he growled and she scoffed.
"Because I knew you'd react like this." she said. "Look, yeah it hurts, but I'm okay."
"Really? So when you swear for about two minutes straight and look like you're about to be sick because of the pain is your definition of 'okay'?" he asked incredulously.
"Yes!" she whispered in a harsh tone. "I can still do this shift and I can still scout!" she said firmly. "I have a right to be out there and I'm not about to let some stupid infection get in the way of it!" she retaliated.
He shook his head with a humourless laugh. "This isn't some stupid infection though Jenny! You heard Anne, the claws were probably venomous. That thing got you good and I wouldn't be surprised if you got injected with a lot of it. The point is, we don't know any of the other side affects!" he exclaimed and she looked down, rolling her eyes. "So if you start having hallucinations, or suddenly drop to the ground, it can't be out there. Because someone will get hurt. And I'm not about to let you go out there and endanger yourself and others." he calmed himself a bit. "I am taking your shift. No questions asked."
"But Hal you need to sleep-" she started with a frown and he cut her off.
"No. I'm taking your shift and you're staying here. You need rest." he started directing her to her bed but she whimpered. "It takes that little movement?" he asked.
She nodded, chewing her lip. He sighed.
"It's getting worse." he stated. Then in one quick motion, he had his arm under her legs and was carrying her.
"Hal this is ridiculous." she grumbled as he lay her down.
He pulled up the blanket and looked down at her. "I can't let you keep beating yourself up when you're hurt as it is." he whispered, looking back to Bridget who turned over sleepily. "You have Bee to look after-"
"And you have Matt and your dad." she countered and he gave her a look.
"Well I'm not the one with an infection in my leg am I?" he asked and she glared up at him.
"I hate you." she said and he smiled.
"Just sleep." he reached down for his jacket and saw the book resting on the floor. He looked to her with a raised brow and she shrugged.
"I was bored, and that was the only thing here to read." she defended. "It isn't half bad either." she smirked and he chuckled.
"Good night Jen." he stood and she watched him go.
The following morning Jenny awoke to see Anne on her bed, peeling back the bandage.
"Good morning sleeping beauty," Anne smiled and Jenny groaned. "Or should I say afternoon..." she trailed with a chuckle.
"What are you doing?" she asked and Anne sighed.
"Hal told me what happened last night, about how it was getting worse. And he's right. I think you're going to need some stronger stuff." she suspected and Jenny rubbed her eyes.
"Like what?" she asked and Anne shook her head.
"I'm not sure yet, I'll have to go and look through what I've got and come back to you." she told her. "Oh, and another thing, you have been relieved of your scouting duties." Jenny's mouth was gaping. "I know you want to keep going on but you're only going to be making it worse."
"Anne!" she exclaimed and Anne looked to her sternly.
"I've already sorted it out with Weaver, and as soon as you're healthy again you can go back to scouting, but for now you're on bed rest." she glanced to some wooden crutches with layers and layers of cloth on the tops. "Scott and Matt made those this morning." she said. "Bridget had breakfast and Tom made sure she got to school. Lunch is in an hour." she stood up, smoothing out the bandage again. "See you soon Jen."
"Anne," Jenny started as Anne reached the door, and she turned. "you care way too much about people." she said and Anne laughed.
"That's why I'm a doctor." she shrugged.
Jenny felt her stomach was off, and decided to skip lunch, earning a visit from Tom.
"Hey, where were you?" he asked as she put down Hal's book.
"I wasn't really in the mood for eating." she said and he smirked.
"You? Not wanting to eat? I find that hard to believe." she smiled and he laughed.
"I know. I think it's part of this whole infection thing." she rolled her eyes. "Anne's got me on bed rest thanks to Hal." she sighed and Tom sat on the edge of her bed and shrugged.
"Well it's only because he cares." Tom said. "And I don't think any one of us would want you other there while you're hurt."
"That's what Hal said." she grumbled. "You know, you two are scarily alike sometimes."
Tom shook his head. "No, I think he's more like his mom." he replied and Jenny shrugged.
"Well maybe looks wise, but I think in these last few months he's learned a lot from you." she said and Tom smiled halfheartedly.
"Well lets just hope that someone figures out a way to get into that hospital without making too much noise." he rose and smiled.
"Take it easy Jen, I'll get Bridget for dinner." he said and she smiled.
"Thanks a lot Tom," she said as he walked through the door.
At three she willed herself up to shower and change, using the crutches and feeling out of place in the hallways as people gave her odd looks.
Feeling better she sat back down on her bed as Anne entered with a syringe in hand.
"Hey, figure out what'll cure me?" asked Jenny with a smirk and Anne nodded.
"You know, I think i did." she said, and pulled out the needle.
Jenny turned white. "You can't be serious." she said and Anne chuckled.
"You say that about a lot of things." she replied and Jenny covered her eyes.
"If this will help just get it done now." she mumbled and Anne took her arm in her grasp, dabbing it with some rubbing alcohol before tapping the needle.
"Why do you hate needles so much?" Anne asked and Jenny sighed.
"I just hate the idea of things, sharp things, going into your skin and injecting stuff into you. It's just gross. Makes my skin crawl. It's just not natural." she explained and Anne smiled.
"Well you're good at taking needles, we're finished." she said and Jenny opened her eyes astonished.
"Really?" she looked to her skin, where there was one single puncture wound which was bleeding a bit.
"Yeah, I'd say within the next few hours you'll be okay. But no scouting until you're good for at least twenty four hours." Anne stood as Jenny smiled.
"Thank God, thanks Anne." she said and Anne waved a hand.
"It's my job. See you," she walked out just as Hal walked in.
"Hey," he greeted and Jenny turned away glaring. "you're still pissed." he said crossing the floor and sitting on her bed and she looked to him.
"You have no idea." he smirked.
"Well I know Anne just gave you something that's supposed to get you better, so you can stop holding the grudge now." he said and she broke into a smile.
"Why is it I can't stay mad at anyone for long?" she asked and he shrugged.
"Cause you love me." he answered and she laughed, and slapped his face gently.
"You wish." she muttered and he picked up the book.
"You've gotten pretty far into this, have you gotten to the part where-" she covered his mouth and gave him a look of shock.
"No! Don't ruin anything for me!" she exclaimed and he chuckled as she removed her hand and he nodded.
"Okay, okay. Move over." he said, and she moved over and they both leaned against the wall as he opened the book. "Oh, this part." he said and she raised her brow.
"What about this part?" she asked and he smiled.
"The best part." he answered and started reading to her.
Jenny eventually leaned her head on his shoulder and he put an arm around her but carried on.
Neither of them were very sure when it had happened, but they both fell asleep.
Tom was going in to see if Jenny wanted to eat when he spotted the two of them. He smirked and tapped Anne's shoulder as she passed.
"Well look at that." she smiled. "They're the same you know," she started. "Stubborn as a mule, sacrificial, protective, loving..." she trailed. "I'm honestly not surprised." she said, and walked back down the hall.
Tom knocked twice on the door, waking both of them immediately. They looked embarrassed and sat up, away from each other. He smiled.
"Just wanted to let you know, dinner's in ten." he said, leaving.
Jenny felt better with sleeping, as did Hal. She walked on her own to the gym, and the pain was minimal. But then Hal, Tom and Weaver all left the table early, leaving everyone confused.
"What do you think it's about?" asked Jimmy and Mike looked to Rick who was emotionless over his plate.
"The hospital, and trying to get in." he answered.
That caused Jenny to finish the last of her food quickly, and take Bridget right back to her cot.
"I'll be back soon, alright? You just change and do your teeth." Jenny said as her sister nodded and dug around for some clothes.
Jenny left and jogged around the halls of the school until hearing Tom's voice.
"No, Hal you're not going in there alone." he said firmly.
She stopped at the wall and listened.
"Dad it's the best way. I can get in there, pretend to be a harnessed kid, send the signal and get the kids out. No one's hurt." Hal negotiated and she heard Weaver grunt.
"The kid's right." he said. "That's our best option, and it seems like our only option right now."
Jenny swallowed hard, and clutched the necklace hanging on her neck.