Title: Best Intentions

Prompt: July 26 – 4 of 5 words

Word count: 360

A/N: one of my best friends had surgery recently; this is based on part of her experience. (Yes, she's doing much better now but she's sworn to never ever ever accept a morphine drip again.)

The bolt hole was small and somewhat stuffy already so they only lit a single lantern. But one lantern provided enough light for Holmes to see the mottled red of imminent bruising on Watson's side. He found some muslin to bind the fractured ribs, and afterwards, as Watson sank into a chair with a muffled groan, Holmes brought out a little bottle and a syringe.

"No morphine," Watson said.

Holmes ignored him. "You needn't be so stoic. They'll never find this place; it's safe to ease the pain."

"Holmes, you don't under st– "

Years of wielding the needle meant Holmes had found a vein and performed the injection before Watson had finished his protest. Watson glared daggers at him but Holmes only shook his head. "You'll thank me before the night is over."

"I doubt it."

Within two minutes Holmes understood why. Watson paled to a fish-belly white, then turned ash grey. A fine sheen of sweat sprang up on his forehead and his hands shook slightly. Then he began swallowing convulsively. Contritely, Holmes fetched a spare bucket and stood back a respectful distance when Watson turned sick – which he knew could not help the broken ribs a bit.

Fifteen minutes later the morphine had finally taken effect. Watson slumped in the chair bonelessly, eyes at half mast, but the pain lines had eased. That was a small mercy; Holmes would not have dared given him any more morphine after the first reaction.

"Are you still in any pain?"

"Not really," Watson mumbled.

"I'm very sorry, my dear fellow. I had no idea you react so violently to morphine."

" 's a common side 'ffect."

"One I have never had the misfortune of experiencing. Has it always been this way for you?"

"Mmm hmmm." Watson's eyes finished closing and he seemed far more asleep than awake. Holmes draped a somewhat ratty blanket over his friend. Then he dimmed the lantern and settled in himself. Keeping watch would be no hardship; he was used to staying up nights.

"H'lmes?"

"Yes?" He leaned forward, listening intently.

"I still don't thank you."

Holmes merely smiled and let him have the final word.