"Crystal? Crystal, can you hear me?" A voice asked and I let out a groan, pain spiking through my stomach and chest area. "Can you open your eyes?"
"Ugh...can't...I sleep..in peace?" I groaned and someone laughed. Straight away I knew who and I cracked open an eye to find Jason standing on my left side, his face inches from mine. "Whoa...personal space...invasion." I muttered, closing my eye and he chuckled.
"It's good to hear your voice again." Jason commented and that got my attention, my eyes slowly opening to find him with a frown on his face. "Sorry...shouldn't have mentioned it."
"Mentioned...what?" I whispered and he shrugged, not looking at my face when he did. "Jason, what aren't...you telling me?" I growled, coughing and he blinked at me as I raised myself up on my elbows. "No excuses...Naught."
"Okay, okay. Just promise to take it easy." Jason said and I nodded, still staring at him. "Well, you've been in and out of consciousness for the past week."
"Week?" I tried to shout, only to start coughing and he quickly rubbed my back. Once my coughing fit subsided and Jason convinced Doctor Felix this time that I was fine, Jason went into a little more detail. "So my body started to react badly to the medication and that's why I'm feeling so awful?"
"Yes. Apparently you were in worse shape than we thought." Doctor Felix added, not noticing the glare Jason gave him. Or he chose to ignore it completely.
"I don't think you can get any worse than 'dying'. Am I going to be okay?" I asked, feeling woozy all of a sudden and he nodded. "That's a...relief."
"We'll keep monitioring you just in case and in the meantime you should get some rest. You've been through a lot these past weeks." Doctor Felix said and I sighed, leaning back. It felt like I'd just closed my eyes for a minute when I heard Jason's voice again.
"Crystal, I don't know if you're listening but I just wanted to say thank you." Jason whispered and that's right when I felt his lips brush against my forehead. I tried very hard to speak only to feel myself falling asleep to the sound of his retreating footsteps.
It was the sound of someone whistling that woke me and as my eyelids fluttered open I saw Jason standing beside my bed. "I...didn't know you could whistle." I whispered and he paused, grinning.
"There's a lot you don't know about me." Jason replied as I pushed myself up. "Here, need a hand?" He chuckled, using his palm to gently lift my arm. Now sitting upright I smiled, feeling better.
"I can't wait to find out more." I said, blushing a little when he cupped my chin. His lips had only just brushed my own when we heard footsteps and I sighed, glancing towards the doorway to see Kat and Jefferson. "Hey. Could have timed that a little better but...nice to see you both."
"Nice to see you're awake." Kitt said as she and Jefferson walked through the door.
"Apparently I haven't been very well lately. All because of Dredd..." I trailed off when Jason looked away and I frowned, curious. "Anyway, what did I miss?" I asked, putting a fake smile on as Kat and Jefferson updated me. So far apart from attacks by Mega Elementor and Toxzon, Dredd hadn't been heard from and I sighed. "Hopefully he's not planning on attacking Copper Canyon while I'm stuck here. I want to be on the front line."
"Crystal, you know you're not well enough to leave the Medical Bay. Even when you're well enough to leave this room I'm confining you to desk duties." Forge said as he appeared in the doorway. Which didn't do anything good for my mood or heartrate. "Sorry but I won't risk an agent winding up in Surgery again."
"That is so unfair." I complained and Jason turned back to me, his lips curled up in a grin. "Don't you dare laugh." I added and he chuckled as I pouted, one arm lying across my lap.
"Relax, Crystal. Do you really want to face Mega Elementor after having your ribs and eyes repaired?" Jason asked and I fiddled with the blanket, shaking my head after almost a minute. "I thought so. At least this way I won't be in any danger."
"So that's why you looked worried. Who said you're off the hook?" Forge said and the wide-eyed stare Jason gave him made me burst into a fit of giggles. Which soon gave me a sore stomach and Jason just laughed.
"You deserved that, Crystal." Jason said once everyone left to work on tracking Dredd and I snorted, rubbing my sore stomach with the palm of my hand. "Still I suppose I shouldn't pick on you after you got hurt."
"Yeah maybe you shouldn't. Maybe Forge was right and I shouldn't leave this room." I muttered, lying back. "This sucks."
"Heh never heard you use that word before. Look just take it easy, okay?" Jason said once he saw my eyes fill with tears. "You're still hurt."
"I know that!" I snapped and he stared as I sat up, grimacing from the ache in my chest. "Why does everyone keep reminding me that I'm completely useless? Like I need the reminder." I muttered, my hand shaking a little. Not surprisingly I felt Jason grip my hand, giving it a squeeze and I looked over at him.
"You're not useless, Crystal. You just need some time to heal and then you can kick Dredd all over Copper Canyon for all I care." Jason answered and I cracked a smile.
"Heh never heard you talk like that before." I pointed out and he rubbed the bridge of his nose.
"Your personality's rubbing off on me. Maybe I should keep my distance for a while." Jason joked and I growled, digging my fingernails into his palm. Letting out a yelp, Jason narrowed his eyes.
"Serves you right. Next time think twice about teasing me." I grinned and he blinked, cracking a tiny smile after a moment. "Now could you do me a favour and bring me something to eat?"
"Only if you ask me nicely."Jason answered and my eyes went wide, lower lip trembling. "Hm not what I had in mind but...I'll take it. Be right back." He chuckled, gently releasing my hand. As he walked away I rolled my eyes, settling back to wait for my sandwich. I didn't have long to wait when he reappeared, one hand holding something wrapped and I smiled at him.
"How are the ribs?" Jason asked, moving to my side and I grinned giving him a thumbs up. "Good to hear. I didn't say it in front of your friends but...I was kind of worried." He added, handing me the sandwich.
"Yeah I thought you looked a little...out of sorts." I replied getting a blank stare for my trouble. "You looked like something was bothering you." I explained and he nodded, sitting in the seat he'd 'borrowed'.
"Okay if we're being honest, and I never thought that would happen, I worry about you. There, I said it." Jason answered and I grinned, reaching for his hand. Giving his hand a squeeze which he returned made me forget about being injured. For the rest of the day until he left to get some sleep later that night and I couldn't help letting out a sniffle once I knew he wouldn't hear me. Lying back I pulled the blanket over my body leaving just my head uncovered, silent tears running down my cheeks.
Several days passed as I lay in the Medical Bay. Then one morning I woke to the sound of someone humming and when I cracked open an eye I found Doctor Christopher checking a clipboard. Noticing me watching him he smiled.
"Good morning, Crystal. I have some good news for you." He said as I slowly sat up, rubbing at my eyes with a yawn. "You can leave the Medical Bay if you think you're..."
"I'm up to it." I answered cutting him off mid-sentence. Pulling back my blanket he chuckled giving me a head shake. "Huh but you just said I could leave."
"Not until I remove you IV drip. Or do you want to do that yourself?" Doctor Christopher joked and I cringed, quickly shaking my head. "I thought so. Just hold still." He chuckled as he gently took hold of the needle in my hand, slipping it out.
"Ouch." I yelped and Jason grinned, standing in the doorway as I felt a bandaid being pressed against my palm. "Don't you laugh." I grumbled as Doctor Christopher stepped back, giving me enough room to climb from the bed. Where I stumbled and Jason caught me, moving quicker than I thought possible. "Whoa...a little weak."
"Not surprising considering how long you've been resting. I'll give you some painkillers which will help with the pain. But you still need to take it easy, okay?" Doctor Christopher answered as he watched Jason wrap his arm around my shoulders, keeping me upright. With a hand pressed to my forehead I let Jason walk me towards my dorm room, not letting on how woozy I felt. Once we reached the door he kept one arm wrapped around my shoulders while he used my keycard to open the door, gently leading me aside.
Finding a black skirt and the only long sleeved white shirt laying on the bed I raised an eyebrow at Jason as he helped me onto the bed. "When did this get here?" I asked as I sat with a sigh, silently grateful to Jason for bringing me here.
"Before you woke up I set them out. No need to thank me." Jason replied as he sat beside me. "So what are you going to do with your free time?" He asked, giving me a grin as I reached for my shirt next, about to shrug off my dressing gown.
"Um, could you turn around? I would like to dress in peace if that's not too much trouble." I asked and he shrugged, actually turning around for once. "Thanks, Jason."
After I finished dressing, giving my bandaged stomach and chest barely a glance I told Jason he could turn back. Not that I didn't see him glance at me from time to time.
"You should be lying down." Jason commented an hour later as I picked up a stack of files he'd grabbed from my office. "Not working."
"If I don't do something I'll go crazy. Not as crazy as your ex-boss, creator, whatever." I replied and he cringed, moving to sit beside me as I sat crossed legged on the bed. "Anyway I'm technically still resting as long as I'm in my Dorm."
"Could you stop reminding me." He sighed and I turned my head, giving him a tiny grin before I started searching through the files. "What are you looking for anyway?"
"Any files on you." I joked and he blinked at me. "To know what I'm getting myself into." While I searched he looked over my shoulder until he saw a file with his name on it. Faster than I thought possible he made a grab for it, knocking me off balance. "Hey, that wasn't nice!" I complained, now lying on my back.
"Neither is keeping secret files on me." Jason replied, looking at the file he held in his hands. "Hmm...hey you lied! This is about Dredd and not me."
"It has your name on it, doesn't it?" I answered, content to lie where I had fallen. "Don't blame me if there's nothing else to write about. Dredd is the one Commander Forge wants behind bars."
"Excuse me? What about my genius, the fact I have to help build and rebuild the Dredd Naughts that I designed?" Jason shot back and I giggled at him. "Oh you think this is funny, do you?" He growled, chucking the file off the bed before he lunged for me. In seconds he had his hands on either side of my hips, making me laugh uncontrollably as he tickled me.
"St...stop! I can't...take this!" I laughed but he was merciless, not stopping until I had the hiccups. "No...not fair!"
"Heh that shut you up. At least a little anyway." Jason pointed out as he moved back enough for me to sit up. "Now where's that file that lied?"
"On...on the floor...hic." I answered, watching as he leant over. Suddenly I was gripped with the urge to shove him and so I did, giggling when he swan-dived off the edge of the bed. "Take...that!"
"Very funny!" Jason grumbled, now lying in a tangled heap at the foot of my bed. "Just for that..." He trailed off as he climbed to his feet and I watched, still hiccuping as he glared at me.
"Ohh I'm shaking." I teased as he climbed back onto the bed, still glaring at me. "Hic."
"How are you not scared of me?" Jason asked and I tilted my head, dangling my legs over the bed with a smile on my face.
"Maybe because I know you. You're a genius, yeah but you're also one of the kindest guys I've ever met. When you're not being a jerk about being smarter than me, which is debatable, or that you're good looking." I answered and he stared as I leant in close.
"That's good to know." Jason said and I yelped as he pressed an open palm against my chest, pushing me backwards. I didn't have time to react when he leant over me, nose to nose before he brushed a kiss against it. "This means I don't need to ask first."
"Oh...hic...you do have to...hic...ask permission." I muttered, not reacting when he kissed my neck. After a moment I rolled onto my side, taking away some of the pressure on my newly repaired ribcage. Now pretty comfortable I let Jason continue but I soon felt myself nodding off, the result of the medication that was still running through my body.
"Are you feeling okay?" Jason asked, pausing when he noticed my eyelids closing and I sighed. "Crystal, Copper Canyon to Crystal." He whispered, giving my left ear a flick but I just mumbled something he didn't understand and before his eyes I slipped into a light doze. "Oh that's just perfect. Thanks a lot, Crystal." He muttered, staring at his girlfriend who ignored him. After a moment he finally grinned, resting his head against mine.
At least I have an excuse to avoid working, Jason thought as he drapped on arm over Crystal's waist. Closing his eyes, he listened to her heartbeat and before long he was fast asleep too.