Guarding the Guardian

Author's Note: This time you actually get to meet the doctor that treated Zoro. Hope you like him. Please review! Thanks!

Chapter Ten: Warning

It couldn't have been more than a couple hours before the cell door opened again, snapping Sanji out of his musings and bringing Zoro to instant awareness, though his eye remained shut. The elderly doctor shuffled in with his bag, heading towards the swordsman. However, he took one glance at Sanji, cursed a blue streak and changed course to approach the blonde.

"It's just not right...not how we should do things." He was muttering angrily as he pulled on a pair of gloves and began to carefully examine the cook's injuries. "I don't know what the captain is thinking giving that monster free reign in questioning..." The doctor glanced at Sanji's face for the first time. "You're conscious?!" He blurted, shock evident on his wizened features as he caught sight of the pirate's almost amused gaze watching him. Before the blonde could reply, a harsh cough drew his attention and the doctor swung around to his patient on the cot. He found a narrowed eye peering back at him there too. "You too!?"

"Yeah." Zoro replied carefully, seeming confused by the shock.

"How are you awake?! A few hours ago I wasn't even sure you'd be ALIVE by now!" The old man admitted with a hint of astonishment, rushing over to examine the green haired man.

"Oi! Stop that!" Zoro struggled futilely as the doctor held a cold stethoscope to his bare chest and moved the oxygen mask aside to stick a thermometer under his tongue. The intimidation he might have managed was undermined by the wracking cough that followed his outburst and the fact that he couldn't actually move his hands more than a few inches before he hit the limit of his chains.

"Hold that under your tongue and be quiet." The doctor ordered sharply. "Otherwise I'll have to resort to other methods of taking your temperature." His eyes glinted wickedly behind his glasses.

It only took a few moments for the mild threat to sink in and Zoro suddenly stopped trying to spit the annoying instrument out, paling slightly though his expression remained stoic. Chopper had once informed him of the alternative ways one could get an accurate temperature from a person; with that same evil gleam in his eye (the one he generally only got when his nakama ignored or fought against his very sound medical attention). Weakened as he felt, and chained down the way he was, there really wasn't much he could do to resist if the marine decided to make good on his words, so the swordsman prudently chose to behave. Apparently, whatever the doctor had done before was helping, so it stood to reason that he was unlikely to do them any harm now.

Sanji chuckled at the sight of Zoro's relatively graceful acquiescence; despite the pain the laughter caused to flare in his chest. "Heh, you're lucky, old man. Our Captain doesn't let our doctor chain him up first. He usually has to chase the bleeding idiot all over the ship and then drag him back to the infirmary. Maybe I should suggest the idea when we get back..."

"Shut up! Moron!" Zoro growled around the slender glass thermometer but a meaningful glare from the marine doctor had him dutifully shutting his mouth.

Sanji laughed harder but the sound cut off with a groan as the motion pulled at the barely forming scabs. The doctor was quickly at his side, prodding the tender flesh and wiping away the dried blood to get a better look.

"Probably going to get infected...that bastard never washes that knife. Disgusting. I'll have to treat you with antibiotics and you'll likely need a tetanus shot as well, unless you've had one?"

Sanji shook his head, his teeth too tightly clenched to talk as the old man swiped the blood away with an alcohol soaked cloth.

"Didn't think so." The man tutted and rummaged through his bag for the needed supplies.

"Oi, Marimo." Sanji managed to make his voice sound pretty normal. Zoro's eye met his, though the swordsman said nothing since the thermometer was still in his mouth. "You be a good boy for the nice doctor, and when we get home I'll make you some cookies." He offered in his most condescending tone.

*CRUNCH*

Zoro spat out the shattered remains of the thermometer and seemed to be trying to rise, though the chains still held him firmly in place. "You wanna fight, Dartboard!" He demanded angrily. In the back of his mind he was pleased that he'd managed to yell without a cough tearing through him immediately.

"Not really." Sanji grinned wickedly. "Oi, Doctor-san, he's got a jaw like an alligator, doesn't he?"

The old man had scurried over and gathered up his broken instrument, looking rather perturbed. "Indeed. I guess I should have expected this from someone who fights with a katana in his teeth. Maybe it really would be better to..."

"No!" Zoro caught on quickly. "It won't...happen again." He insisted with just a hint of nervousness in his voice. "Shut up, cook!" He shot that last at Sanji who was grinning maliciously at him.

"I don't know, Doctor-san. They say it's much more accurate, don't they?"

"I'll kill you!" The green haired man snarled, losing control over his breathing and dissolving into a coughing fit that left him pale and shaking.

The doctor hesitated, looking from one teen to the other thoughtfully. They didn't seem like bad kids, for all their snapping at each other. Even if they were pirates, these two sort of reminded him of his grandsons. They bickered constantly too, but they were always quick to defend each other if the need arose. He grinned to himself at the thought. He knew just how to deal with a rivalry like that. You just had to give them a common enemy.

"Well...I only have one thermometer left in my bag and I'll have to take your temperature too, just in case." He pointed out to the blonde.

Sanji's grin quickly turned into a scowl that matched Zoro's own.

"I think we'll give Roronoa-san another chance." The old man offered magnanimously. "However, if I have to go all the way back to my office for another thermometer, I can assure you that neither of you will like the results." The Doctor warned, knowing he'd won the round.

There was no further trouble from either patient for the rest of his visit. Zoro allowed his medicines to be administered without a struggle; after a few suspicious questions and a sarcastic reassurance from Sanji about the promised cookies. The swordsman drifted to sleep after swallowing a dose of cough syrup and the doctor assured the blonde, before he could ask, that drowsiness was a minor side effect of the painkillers and it should pass in a few hours.

Sanji's injuries were cleaned, disinfected, and bandaged; and he was given shots for infection and to prevent lockjaw from the poorly maintained knife. He refused the offer of painkillers, choosing to remain as clear headed as possible.

"Well, then I'm afraid that's all I can do for you boys." The elderly man announced finally. "We'll be arriving at Sparrow's Crest in about four hours and then I guess it will be up to...another doctor to see that you two recover." He added after a moment's hesitation.

Sanji grinned a bit at the implications of that news. The old doctor clearly knew they would try to escape somehow and he'd just subtly given the blonde a time table to work with. "Thanks, old man."

The old marine nodded curtly with a grim look on his wrinkled features and headed for the door.

"Hey," Sanji called out softly. "You might want to spend some time in your office. It might get noisy pretty soon."

The old man snorted. "Hmph. You kids are always noisy these days..." He walked to the door and knocked to be let out. Before the door could be opened, he glanced back at the blonde and the green haired man with a calculating eye and then offered the cook a small smirk. "But thanks for the suggestion."

To Be Continued...

Author's Note: Yay! A bit of humor to lighten the mood after the last chapter. I hope you all enjoyed it. Sanji's evil, isn't he? Hehehe. Next Chapter: The great escape attempt begins!