Puffed Up And Unsolicited Needles – Jason Hayes

Spring had well and truly sprung, and with the bloom of flowers came the explosion of pollen that had Jason's face puffed up, his eyes red and swollen as he kept rubbing at them as they itched and watered uncontrollably, his nose was so stuffed up that he literally could not breathe through it as it continuously dripped, and he had a headache that he was sure was trying to kill him slowly, and it all made him absolutely miserable. Jason would deny to anybody that asked that he was suffering from the unfortunate unpleasant that was hay-fever but he never missed the knowing looks or the snickers or the raised eyebrows of disbelief that came after his repeated denials.

Jason ambled his way into the barracks and headed straight for his bunk, toeing off his shoes and ridding himself of his shirt along the way, wanting nothing more than to rid himself of the torture that came from the pollen. With a heavy yet relieved sigh Jason dropped down face first onto the bed and buried his aching face into the pillow as he curled his hands around its edges hoping to get a few hours of uninterrupted sleep that he would wake up and feel better for. Of all of the places that they had to be spun-up to in the Spring time, this was officially the last place he wanted to be – hell not even the pollen at home had him in such a sorry state when spring began. Jason would have usually relented by now to swallowing down an antihistamine if he was at home but while on duty he would hold out for as long as he could although he knew that there would come a time when Blackburn would order him to take something to ease his suffering after all he needed to be able to see clearly.

SEAL TEAM

Ray looked around the fire pit as everyone had slowly gathered as night had set in and the air had begun to cool, everyone except Jason who was doing his best to stay in the relative safety of the barracks and out of the spring air. Jason had been miserable from the moment they landed and had disembarked from the plane onto the tarmac as the humid spring air hit them.

"Boss still hidin'?" Sonny asked as he tipped his beer bottle lazily in the vague direction of Jason and Ray's barracks for the duration of this spin up. They had all picked up on how miserable Jason was although it was mutually agreed that this was the worst that they had seen him suffering from seasonal allergies ever.

"I walked in earlier and all I got was some kind of indecipherable grunt followed by a groan and then he tried to bury his face further into the pillow without much success." Ray took no pleasure in seeing Jason suffer but he could not help the smirk that his lips curled into as he recalled the caveman like reception he had received when he informed Jason that they were going to be by the fire pit and asked if he needed anything.

"Why doesn't he just take an antihistamine considering how miserable he is?" Clay pondered aloud hoping that they would be flying home sooner rather than later because the unusually humid spring air was getting to them all.

Trent smirked at Clay's question as everyone turned to him knowing that he knew all too well the battle that was required to get Jason to take anything or have any medical treatment that he required. "Jase is a control freak, doesn't want anything to affect his ability to lead the team." Ray interjected before Trent had a chance to say anything; it was not said with malice but was merely stating a fact that Jason would rather suffer so that he could lead the team then risk being on the injury list.

"I'm going to go check on him shortly, see if I can't convince him to take something to help." Trent knew that if he was armed with an ice pack, a bottle of water, and something to eat that Jason would respond better and maybe, just maybe, take the antihistamine that he was going to offer him.

"Or you'll just go to Blackburn and have him order the boss to take it. Ease his suffering and ours." Sonny snickered knowing Trent's game, or rather how he got Jason to do as he wanted which was by using Blackburn as a pawn which he fell for every time – hook, line and sinker.

"Sometimes I have my moments where I need to involve Blackburn but usually you are all real quick to volunteer to pin whoever of us that is injured down so I can treat 'em. I seem to recall that you Sonny sat on Clay so I could stitch up his head wound that time. And Ray's helped me drag Jase into the car before to whatever infirmary he needed to go to so he could have a scan or whatever test was deemed necessary. Hell Clay's even pinned Brock down when he cut his leg open and refused to let me look at it despite how rapidly the infection set in. And you Sonny have had to be corralled by Davis on several occasions to get treated by me and any doctor that tries to come within a foot of you." Trent was quick to point out that Bravo stepped up and in when one of them was hurt or ill even if it meant physical restraining one of them.

"Fair point." Brock said with a shrug as Cerb barked in agreement knowing that they would not hide an injury but getting themselves treated was another thing entirely especially if they could hold off for a bit to stay in the action.

"I have not been corralled by Davis' on several occasions!" Sonny adamantly denied at the same time which earnt him several pinned glares and amused snickers because he most certainly had been as he stuck a toothpick in between his teeth to gnaw on.

"Never seen him this miserable though." Ray said with a sigh knowing that Clay was right, and that it would take everything in Trent's repertoire for him to get Jason to take something to help him. Ray had a long history with Jason, both personally and professionally, and he had seen when he was laid up injured and recovering more times than he could count but these seasonal allergies had definitely knocked him down for the count.

"Why bother with the pills when you could just give him a shot? It would act faster." Clay asked figuring that he would much prefer a quick shot that would provide relief a lot faster than any pill he could take.

"That isn't a bad idea actually." Trent grinned almost manically as he was sure he could give Jason an injection easier than he could get him to swallow down a pill; it was almost like having a small child who refused to swallow any oral medication and you had to pinch their nose to get them to open their mouth then hold their mouth closed until they did swallow. "There is diphenhydramine – benadryl - in the med kit and he has had it once before with very few side effects, and he was nowhere near as bad as he is now." The more he thought about the idea the better it seemed as it would be a lot easier and quicker.

"Don't think you can just stab him with a needle Trent." Ray could see how receptive Trent was to Clay's suggestion and hoped to stop it flourishing although he was amendable to it if it came to it. The wince that came from Brock did not go unnoticed at the mere mention of a needle but no one made any comments about it although Cerb did instinctively shift closer to him offering comfort as Brock subconsciously patted his head.

"Less chance of being bitten by the boss." Sonny mused with a smirk as he plucked the toothpick out of his mouth and pointed it towards Ray with a raised eyebrow. "Cerb's easier to get to take a pill than Jason is." He added on as Cerb's ears pricked up and he cocked his head to the side before he barked out in what Sonny was going to gladly assume was agreement.

Ray knew he was facing a losing battle so with that acceptance he shook his head and took another mouthful from his bottle of beer knowing that Trent would do whatever he needed to do in order to ease Jason's suffering even if Jason did not agree yet he would not be reprimanded for it especially if Jason felt better which he would.

SEAL TEAM

Jason would have let out a growl that rivalled Cerb's if it was not for the bells that were going off loudly in his head at the loud and abrupt knock on the wooden door that was very much interrupting the misery session he was contently having alone with absolutely no room for any company whatsoever. Before he could even muster enough energy to raise his head up from the pillow so that he could tell whoever it was to go away or rather petulantly to leave him alone, the door opened and in Trent walked with a handful of things. Jason groaned once more and pressed his face back into the pillow – the soaked pillow that was a mess from his watery eyes and running nose that he would have been disgusted with if he had possessed the energy to care.

"Thanks for that greeting boss." Trent was un-phased by Jason's reactions to him walking in although he was concerned at how much more swollen Jason's face was and how red his eyes were which meant he had to be in a significant amount of pain given the irritation that was visible. Trent moved forward making sure to keep his footsteps light until he reached the side of the bunk that Jason had claimed for himself and knelt down then he sat his medical bag down on the floor along with the bottle of water and ice pack on the edge of the bed. Trent had decided from the quick look of Jason that he was getting the injection of diphenhydramine and there would be no choice in the matter, in this case Trent's status as medic trumped Jason's status as Master Chief. "I bought you an ice pack and a bottle of water. The ice pack is for your face, more specifically your eyes." He continued as he quickly readied a syringe with the diphenhydramine to administer.

Jason said something but it was muffled by the pillow as he blindly searched for the ice pack with his closest hand which Trent pushed towards him so that he could grasp it then watched as he slid it in the minute space he had made between the pillow and his face then let himself fall face first onto it. A sigh of relief went through his entire body at the cool touch of the icepack against his stinging and itchy eyes.

Trent smiled and shook his head as he unpackaged an alcohol wipe and quickly swiped it over the exposed skin of Jason's upper arm making him jump and turn his head to the side as he opened his eyes blearily. "What you doing?" Jason asked with a frown that made his face ache even more as the scratch in his dry throat made itself apparent once more. Trent chose not to answer Jason's question instead he let the alcohol wipe drop down onto the edge of the bed and plunged the needle then pushed the plunger swiftly to inject Jason with the diphenhydramine making Jason flinch and whine pitifully more than he would ever admit to having done.

Trent pulled the needle from Jason's arm then was kind enough to stick a cotton ball with a piece of tape over the injection site. "Should kick in relatively kick." Trent informed Jason as he began cleaning up.

"What did you give me?" Jason asked wanting to curl up and bury his face back into the ice pack and the pillow, and be left alone to wallow in his own misery.

"Just a shot of diphenhydramine, it will help ease your allergies." Trent finally answered Jason who surely would have groaned in protest if the noise did not make his head hurt or make his throat revolt. "Get some sleep boss." He added as he rose to his feet knowing that he preferred to be left alone. Jason mumbled something unintelligent again as he buried his face back into the cold comfort of the ice pack. Trent chuckled softly as he grabbed his medical kit and left knowing that the medication would kick in quickly and by the time that they had to rise Jason would feel better or at least look better.

SEAL TEAM

Jason would begrudgingly admit that Trent had made the right call even though he would have preferred to have been consulted but he knew he would have protested and fought against any suggestion of being given a shot of diphenhydramine. The relief however was welcome, more than welcome, it was embraced. He finally felt human again as he made his way over to join the rest of his team for a meal before they headed out for the day.

"Feeling better boss?" Trent asked with a knowing smirk because Jason sure as hell looked a lot better as he joined them at the table with a tray of his own that indicated his appetite was back.

Jason looked at his team who all had knowing smirks. Ah hell, he thought. "You could have consulted me before you stabbed me with a needle Trent." Jason groused light-heartedly.

Sonny pointed to Clay, "You can thank the kid for that, it was his idea for Trent to give you an injection." The smirk did not go unnoticed.

"Hey!" Clay slapped Sonny's pointed finger away from him as he loudly protested, "I asked a question, not my fault Trent's mind went where it did!"

"Oh no blondie, you don't get out of it that easy. You bought up the idea of a shot and how it was fast acting." Sonny pointed out like a child trying to get a younger sibling in trouble as he slapped Clay's hand back.

"Come on Jase, you were miserable, could barely see." Ray ignored the hand slapping that was going on between Clay and Sonny at the end of the table like two children would, all that was needed to make it look like two children would be poking their tongues out at each other and there they were as Clay stuck his tongue out first to which Sonny reciprocated immediately. Ray knew Jason would hum and haw but that he felt better and was grateful for that even if he did not appreciate the means taken by Trent to get him back on his feet.

"Not letting a bit of pollen take me out of action." Jason retorted sharply hating how badly it had affected him this time.

"Don't worry boss, I always have diphenhydramine with me in my kit and you know I always have a fresh syringe just waiting to be needed." Trent took too much glee in teasing Jason.

"Stay away from me with your unsolicited needles Trent." Jason knew that Trent would take no notice of his words but he felt better for saying them however at the end of the day he knew Trent would do what was best for each and every one of them whether they wanted it or not.

"Sure boss… until next time." Trent answered with a smirk because he knew exactly what would happen when next time did come around and that an injection would be his first choice given just how much relief it had provided and how quickly it had done so.

Jason simply shook his head and looked around at his team knowing he was damn lucky to have the men that he did have.