A/N: Sorry if the story is going a bit slowly; it seems to have taken on a life of its own somehow; while Kara heals there'll be plenty of conversations between them all as they wrestle with what life has thrown their way. Thanks for the reviews and the comments, keep them coming.
Supergirl - owned by the CW, I own nothing. All I get is the joy of writing about her!
Kara awoke from a brief nap; her head was still throbbing from her concussion and her side still hurt a bit from surgery; but at least the bruises on her arms from the kryptonite handcuffs were almost better. She closed her eyes and tried not to remember what had happened when the Cadmus people had captured her and Cat. She let a small shiver pass down her spine as she recalled the evil doctor approaching her with the tray of needles and empty vials, bent on taking her blood. Thankfully, Alex and the DEO agents had arrived before he could begin his plan.
She lay wondering what might have happened to her and Cat if Alex hadn't put the tracking device inside her. Nope, best not think about what might have happened or even still be happening, they were safe, Cat was safe. Kara thought to herself as she tried to blank out all the "what-if" scenarios that were racing through her mind.
Still, she wasn't sure how she felt about Alex putting a tracking device inside her without asking her permission or even telling her about it. She was glad that it was there and had saved them; but she wasn't glad about how it got there in the first place. Why didn't Alex just ask me if it was okay to put it in, or in the very least, tell me it was there? She knew that the two of them needed to have a really good talk about it; they needed to talk about a lot of things. I suppose we'll be having lots of talks while I recover and regain my powers.
"So, how's my patient doing?" Dr. Hamilton asked as she walked into Kara's room and looked at her chart and the monitors she was still connected to.
"Not too bad, doc." Kara answered, kind of lying, "just laying here thinking about things, waiting to get the all clear to head home or at least to Cat's place."
"What's the pain level like at the moment?" Dr. Hamilton asked looking into Kara's face for any tells that she might be in pain but not willing to share it in hopes she'd get released soon.
"My headache is about a 2-3, and my side is still around a 5-6 but my arms don't hurt at all even though they're still a bit of bruising on them." Kara offered, hoping it would be what the doc needed to hear to let her go.
"Hmmm," Dr. Hamilton said as she looked into Kara's eyes with the penlight. "So what were you thinking about?" The doctor asked as she continued to examine Kara, hoping it would distract her from pretending that she was feeling better than she really was.
"Nothing really," Kara lied, "just want to get out of here and get my powers back."
Dr. Hamilton shut off the penlight and looked Kara squarely in the face, "Care to tell me the truth?"
Kara closed her eyes, trying to hide what she was thinking and feeling from the doctor. "Did you know about the tracking device that Alex had implanted inside of me?"
Dr. Hamilton drew a quick breath in and then slowly let it out, "Kara," she answered, "please open your eyes and look at me." When Kara opened her eyes the doctor continued, "I did know about it, in fact, I was the one who put it in you. I'm sorry if that hurt you in any way, but I agreed with Alex and Hank that we needed to be able to find you if you ever went missing again. And I'm also very sorry for not asking you if it was ok and then for not telling you about it." The doctor put her instrument away and sat down beside Kara's bed.
"You were unconscious, you were heading in for surgery to save your life after Superman found you; it was decided that it would be best for your health if it was implanted while you were still out. If we had waited to talk to you, we would have had to use kryptonite to weaken you to do it." The doctor looked up at Kara to try to gauge how she was taking it all. "It was the wrong decision with the right idea in mind, but I am glad it was there for this event or who knows what might have happened to you and Cat Grant. Alex told me that she gave you the option to have me remove it while you were in surgery for the shard removal, but you chose to let it stay in. I've been waiting for an opportunity to talk with you about it, so that I could apologize for my part in it."
Kara smiled at her doctor, "It's okay doc, I understand why you did it; and yes, this time I was glad that it was there. I've had some time lying here to think about it and it occurred to me that if I wasn't so headstrong, trying to prove to everyone that I can handle the superhero thing, I might not rush so quickly into danger and keep putting my life at risk. I know that you and Alex did it because you love me; don't worry about it, we're good I think, seeing as how you've saved my life recently."
Dr. Hamilton looked with wonder at Kara; so quick to forgive. "I promise I will never again breach your trust as my patient or my friend, Supergirl."
A huge grin came over Kara's face, "So does this mean I can leave tomorrow?"
The doctor laughed out loud, "Not until you've spent the night in the solar bed and I'm sure it's in your best interests to leave. I'm still your doctor and it's not that easy to sway me. I'm going to transfer you to the solar bed shortly and we'll see how you are in the morning. I am going to give you something for your pain that will also help you sleep."
With that, the doctor turned and left the room for a brief moment to get some help to transfer Kara to the solar bed. It took a bit for all the equipment and monitors to be moved next to the special bed, but once it was done and she was settled in Dr. Hamilton injected her IV with the pain medication; watching as Kara drifted off to sleep almost as soon as it reached her arm.
SGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSG
"Good morning," Dr. Hamilton greeted Kara as she slowly woke up, "how're you feeling today? Any pain?"
Kara opened her eyes and smiled at her doctor, "Some in my side, my head is still a bit sore, but much better than yesterday."
"What's the pain level in your side at?" Dr. Hamilton asked.
"Hmmm, about a 4-5, less if I don't try to move much and just lay still." Kara tried to answer as honestly as she could; knowing that the doctor would see right through any attempt to mask her pain from her.
"Not bad," Dr. Hamilton seemed pleased with the progress she'd made over night. "I think you can head to Cat Grant's place for a few days of rest and sunshine. I will be sending you home with some pain medication and if your condition gets worse, even in the slightest, I want you back here right away, okay?"
The shine from Kara's smile at the thought of getting out of the DEO and into a real bed, and sitting outside in real sunshine nearly blinded the doctor.
"I would like to speak with Alex and Cat before you leave," Dr. Hamilton asserted her authority, "I want them to be sure what to look for and how to care for your wound and when to give you pain medication. It is very important that you're as truthful as you can be about the pain, do you understand?"
"Yes, ma'am!" Kara made a little salute with her hand.
SGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSG
Cat and Alex stood beside Kara as they listened to Dr. Hamilton's instruction for her care.
"Due to the concussion she is on 'brain rest', that means no tv, no computer, no cell phones, no tablets, no reading, nothing of that nature, clear?"
Cat and Alex nodded; Kara frowned, she was hoping to get in some NetFlix marathons with her caregivers while she recovered, but she nodded that she understood when the doctor glared at her.
"Good," Dr. Hamilton continued, "Lots and lots of bedrest and by that I mean lying down on the sofa or outside in the sunshine. No, absolutely, no physical activity until she has healed and/or her powers have fully returned, understood?"
Cat and Alex smiled at each other; that was going to be like keeping a bull still in a china shop but they nodded that they got it. Kara merely rolled her eyes as she nodded her head; this wasn't going to be any fun at all she thought to herself.
"Food," the doctor turned to look at Kara, "I know how you like to eat, you can pretty much eat whatever you want, within reason. I expect you to drink lots of water and stay very hydrated, got it?"
Kara sighed, and nodded that she did.
"Lastly," the doctor looked at Alex and Cat, "pain management and medication. She needs to tell you on a scale of 1 -10, 1 being the least pain, 10 being the worst, what her pain level is at about every 2-4 hours or so. Please text it to me so I can keep track of what's happening in this area as she heals. I've given you a good supply of her pain meds, she can take them every 4 hours as needed. If her pain spikes, I want her back in here immediately, no questions, no arguments, no hesitation - right Kara?" She said the last part looking directly at Kara.
"Yes ma'am," Kara said with a bit of a smile, but the doctor knew she meant it.
"Good, so you're set to go once you're ready." Dr. Hamilton put the chart down.
"Doctor," Kara smiled at her, "thanks so much for everything, for saving my life, for being such an awesome doctor; you're the best.
"You're very welcome," Dr. Hamilton said with a smile, "now go home, rest and get better, Supergirl.
