Chapter 9

Crane shifted restlessly, frustrated by his inability to even get in and out of bed unaided. He still felt very weak, and had trouble with his balance. Jamieson had told him that it was normal after a head injury and that it would get better. But that wasn't happening fast enough for his liking. Using his good arm, he tried to fluff up the pillows to get comfortable, but he could hardly lift his head and gave up with a groan. Why were hospital beds always so uncomfortable? He thought irritably. He turned expectantly to the door as it opened, only to be disappointed as a nurse came in with a tray.

"Captain, what have you been doing to your bed?" She chastised.

"Trying to get comfortable," Lee retaliated sharply, his discomfort and frustration making him short tempered.

"Why didn't you call?" she asked, placing the tray on the bedside cabinet.

"I couldn't reach the button." He hated feeling so helpless. He hated hospitals and suddenly found himself wishing that he was in sickbay. At least he got some respect from the Corpsman. He knew it was stupid and childish but he wanted people that he knew and felt comfortable with – he wanted Jamieson, not some doctor that he didn't know and didn't particularly like.

"Captain, are you all right?" the nurse asked, interrupting his malaise.

"Yes, sorry, I didn't mean to snap," he apologised, realising that he was feeling sorry for himself. It was not in his nature to wallow in self pity.

"That's okay – head injuries have that effect," the nurse smiled. "Now let's see what I can do about your bed." She helped him sit-up while she fluffed the pillows, then eased him back against them before straightened the covers. After checking his pulse and temperature, she noted them on the chart. "I'll call doctor Jamieson and ask him for something to help you sleep."

"Is there a problem, Captain?" Jamieson asked as he entered Crane's room. He could guess what the problem was – Lee had had enough of being in hospital and wanted out.

"How much longer am I going to be here?" Lee asked.

"That's difficult to say, but at least another week," Jamieson told him. Approaching the bed he pulled over a chair and sat down. "I'm sorry, Lee; there is nothing else for it. You need medical care and we may have to operate to repair the damage to your shoulder," he told him.

"Can't you treat me aboard Seaview, in sickbay?"

Jamieson was a little surprised by that request. He was beginning to realise that there was more to this than Lee's dislike of hospitals. "You're perfectly safe here. There is a guard outside the door, and Chip is personally overseeing security," he assured him.

"It's not that…I want my own people, not a doctor that I don't know," he hesitated. "I want you."

"I'm here. Doctor Greenberg and the nursing staff consult me about all your treatment," Jamieson assured him. He could understand Lee feeling vulnerable after what he had been though.

"I don't care," Lee snapped. "I don't want Greenberg, I don't even like the man, and I won't stay here," he struggled to get up, throwing off the covers. "And where the hell is Chip?" he demanded, becoming more irate.

Jamieson got to his feet. "Captain please, calm down," he gently pushed him back. "Chip is busy. He rang to see how you were," he informed him. "Now lie still, you'll aggravate your condition if you keep this up," the doctor warned, replacing the covers over Lee. Jamieson could see that keeping Lee here was not helping his recovery. He would have to speak to Nelson before he left for Washington.

Lee subsided, settling back against the pillows. "Sorry, Doc, I didn't mean…I just feel so damn helpless," he apologised, looking embarrassed. "I feel like a child having a tantrum, but I couldn't stop myself."

Jamieson smiled. "It's not your fault. Aggression is an effect of concussion. It should pass," he told him.

"Thanks, Jamie," Lee smiled sheepishly.

"Try and get some sleep now, I'll be back to check on you later." Jamieson looked at his watch; maybe he could catch Nelson before he left.

xxxxxx

Jamieson knocked and entered Nelson's office. "Have you got a minute, Admiral?"

"Of course, Will. Come in," Nelson said, looking up from the paperwork on his desk.

"I think we have a problem, Lee is getting restless," Jamieson told him as he approached and dropped into the chair in front of Nelson's desk.

"Well we knew that would happen sooner or later," Nelson replied, leaning back in the chair.

"I know, I was just hoping that it would be later," Jamieson sighed as he dropped into the chair in front of Nelson's desk.

"What do you recommend?" Nelson asked, regarding the doctor across the desk.

"I don't know," Jamieson replied thoughtfully. "There is no way that he can go home, he needs medical attention. Lee has asked if I can treat him in sickbay."

Nelson nodded. "Okay, Doc, it's your call. It would make things easier for security," he commented.

"Thanks, Admiral. I'll talk to Lee." Jamieson pushed himself to his feet and turned to leave.

"Doc, is Lee okay?" Nelson asked.

Jamieson paused. "Yes, Admiral, what concerns me is that he will discharge himself." Jamieson had past experience of Lee walking out of sickbay against his orders.

"I don't think that is likely, he can hardly stand," Nelson pointed out.

"When has that ever stopped him?" Jamieson disputed. The Captain was far too skilled at sneaking off without telling anyone. He also had the ability to get past guards unseen.

"Umm, you've got a point," Nelson conceded. "I think I'll pay him a visit and make sure that he is behaving himself," he said, getting up from the desk.

"Good luck," Jamieson grinned.

"Thanks," Nelson walked with Jamieson to the door. "I think I'm going to need more than luck," he joked.

"Hello, Lee – how are you doing?" Nelson tried to sound casual; he didn't want Lee to think that he and Jamieson had been conspiring.

"Admiral, what are you doing here?" Lee asked in surprise.

Nelson walked over and sat down beside the bed. "I was just on my way home, so I thought I'd stop in. Doc said that it was okay," he lied. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay, I just want to get out of here," Lee sounded despondent.

"No chance of that yet, I'm afraid. You'll have to be patient," Nelson told him. "Want to talk about it?" Nelson asked, guessing that Lee was bottling things up as usual.

"There's nothing to talk about, I'm fine," Lee told him.

"Why don't you start by telling me why you hate hospitals so much," Nelson suggested.

"I don't hate hospitals, I just don't like being a patient," Lee answered irritably

Nelson couldn't help smiling at Lee's evasive answer. It was the sort of response that he had expected. Lee had never revealed to anyone why he disliked hospitals. Nelson presumed that it was a part of his past that he didn't talk about. "Have you thought about where you want to go when you get out of here?" Nelson enquired.

"What do you mean?" Lee glared at him. "I'm not going anywhere, am I?"

"Hasn't doc told you? You'll need to convalesce for at least a month," Nelson told him.

"What if I refuse?"

"Then doc will keep you here," Nelson informed him, letting Lee know that there was no way that he was going to get his own way this time. "Unless of course you want to resign."

Lee sighed. "A month of sitting around doing nothing - I don't think I can handle that," he said, his expressive eyes veiled by long lashes as he lowered his gaze from Nelson's.

Nelson chuckled. "Cheer up, just think of all those pretty nurses fussing over you."

"Knowing my luck, I'll get a battle-axe," Lee grumbled.

"Well, I'm afraid the nursing staff are not my responsibility, but if you behave yourself, I'll see what I can do," Nelson smiled, knowing that Lee wouldn't argue. Nelson was more than capable of making his life difficult if he didn't follow orders.

"I could discharge myself," Lee threatened.

"Do that and you will be saying goodbye to your command. I expect my officers to follow orders," Nelson warned. He knew that Lee was just being stubborn. The young officer did not take kindly to being manipulated by anyone. "Now get some sleep. We'll talk again in the morning."

"Yes, Admiral," Lee replied reluctantly.