Frontier Medicine - Part 24 - Hiccups

They're back and things are getting hairy again!

A/N: Writing is hard but I'm trying, I swear!

Kara smiled a little to herself as Alex grumbled under her breath.

"It's not your fault, Darling," she said as she plucked yet another splinter from her lover's skin. Alex's face was stormy. She was tired and hungry and her favorite hammer shattering in her hand was the final straw in a long list of straws that day. "You can't control everything, no matter how well you plan."

The building of their home had been held up for over a month now because the materials they'd ordered had been lost during a train derailment and had to be resent. The frustration was getting to Alex and Kara was doing her best to calm her prickly lover down.

"I know," Alex said, lowering her shoulders and trying to let some of the tension bleed out of her. This wasn't Kara's fault either. "I'm sorry, Kar. I'm just so pissed off."

"We need a day off," the doctor stated firmly. "You and me, with the horses. We can ride out, have a picnic and just relax for the day."

"While that sounds amazin'," Alex sighed. "I still need to mend those fences that are shaky since that last big bluster we had."

"Let me help you," Kara said with a grin. "We can do it in half the time, then spend the rest of the day relaxing."

"Tomorra?"

"Tomorrow." Kara chuckled as she spread some antiseptic salve over Alex's tender skin. "All done. Now get that cute butt of yours over to Winn's and get some chocolate. You've earned it."

"Yes, Ma'am!"

The rancher slapped her hat on top of her head and pecked her lover's lips before heading across the street, followed by blue, blue eyes.

"Alex!"

The rancher was sliding her supplies into her saddle bag when her name being hollered from across the street caught her attention. She turned and raised a hand in acknowledgement before tying her bag closed and making her way across to Jonn's smith. "Mornin'" she greeted with a smile.

"Mornin'," Jonn replied with a little salute. "Got some good news for ya."

"Please tell me the supplies are on their way," Alex replied in a slightly whiny tone.

Jonn chuckled and wiped at his neck and forehead with a handkerchief. "Actually, they're already here. I've got some boys helpin' to get it loaded into wagons to take over to your place."

In her delight, Alex grabbed his cheeks and planted a kiss on his forehead. "You are a gem among men!" she stated with a grin as he ducked his head shyly. "Kara is goin' to be so pleased! I have to go tell her!"

But Alex didn't get an opportunity to tell Kara the good news because, as she rounded the street corner, a shot rang out that whizzed past her head and sent her diving to the ground. "What the…!" She scrambled up, scuttled behind a barrel and waited a long moment before tentatively poking her head out.

There was no gunman visible but the other folks on the street, still crouched in terror, were looking around and trying to figure out from where the shot had originated. Then Alex almost cried out when she suddenly saw Kara running down the street, her medical bag in hand but her feet already had her up and running toward her lover as gunshot hailed around her.

"KARA!" Alex screamed as she watched the doctor stop dead in her tracks and then look down to see blood spreading across the shoulder of her white blouse. "NOOOOOOO!"

Blue eyes looked up and Kara shook her head in disbelief. "Fuck…" she dropped to her knees and pressed her hand against the wound as Alex skidded to a stop next to her. "Someone shot me," Kara said softly, the color draining from her face as she toppled over. Alex caught her in her arms and cradled her, pressing her hand down hard on the doctor's over the wound.

"It's ok," Alex replied. "It's goin' to be ok." She looked around frantically. "Someone help us… please…"

And then Winn appeared, frantically grabbing at Kara and helping Alex to pick her up. "Clinic," he hissed. "Now!"

There were no more gunshots but no one saw the man who dropped off the low roof at the rear of the bank and ducked away into the brush.

Alex and Winn lay Kara gently down on one of her examination tables. "Ok, Honey," the rancher said as Kara's blue eyes, alert with pain, blinked at her. "Tell me what to do."

"Cut my blouse open." Kara replied weakly. "See if the bullet went straight through. If it did, there should be an exit wound." Winn produced a scissors and Alex gently cut the ruined material away from her lover's shoulder. Kara winced in pain but blew out a couple of breaths. "Sit me up so you can see the back of my shoulder."

Once Kara was seated, Alex looked and nodded with relief. "I see an exit wound. Winn get a pad on it."

The man nodded and grabbed a folded-up piece of linen. He pressed it hard against the wound as Alex did the same with the entry wound. "That's good," Kara said. "Now, once the bleeding stops, I need you to sew the wounds."

"S-sew?" Alex replied, her eyes frightened.

"You can do it, Love," the doctor said with the weak smile. "My kit is in the drawer of the hutch. You'll need water, more linen and antiseptic salve." She nodded encouragingly as she watched Alex collect the supplies while Winn held her bandages in place.

"Kara?" Winn said after a few more moments. "The bleedin' ain't stoppin'."

The doctor sighed softly. "I noticed." She looked down and then winced as a stab of pain moved through her. "Alex, Love. Add forceps to your list."

"Forceps?"

"Like scissors only for holding things."

"This?" Alex held up the implement and Kara nodded.

"Light a candle and bring it too."

Winn swallowed as he realized what was coming. "Kara..."

Their eyes met in understanding. "If she can't do it, I need you to," the doctor said and Winn nodded, his face worried.

"Can't do what?" Alex asked as she returned and set the items on the table next to the bed.

"Sweetheart, the bleeding isn't stopping on its own. We're going to have to cauterize the wounds."

"Cauterize?" Alex repeated. "I don't..."

"You know when you brand cattle? You get the brand really hot and then..." She trailed off and winced as the pain jumped up a notch.

Alex took a step back and shook her head. "You want me to..."

"Alex, it's the only way. She'll bleed to death," Winn urged. "Look, I can do it. I've done it before." Kara nodded at Alex, who agreed reluctantly. "Inside the wounds?"

"Heat the forceps up well," the doctor instructed. "Insert them into the wound, open them a little and move them around very gently to cauterize inside. I'll probably be unconscious from the pain by then so cauterize it well. Then reheat the forceps and do the same to the exit wound."

Winn nodded and went to prepare, while Alex took Kara's hand and squeezed it. "Kara..."

The doctor smiled and squeezed back. "I know. Just be ready to catch Winn when he passes out."

"Huh?" Alex frowned in confusion.

"Trust me," Kara chuckled then she closed her eyes and breathed deeply. "Do it, Winn."

Alex would never forget her lover's scream, nor diving forward to catch Winn's body as he fainted clean away after his job was done.

It hurt. Fuck, it hurt. Kara came to with a deep, bone jarring ache that made her wish she could stay unconscious a bit longer. She felt that slightly disjointed, not quite there, effect of drugs and realized that Winn must have given her something but not enough to keep her out.

"Hey," she croaked as she turned her head and found her lover dozing in a chair next to the bed.

"Hey," Alex replied with a smile, leaning close and kissing the doctor gently on the lips. "How are you feelin'?"

"Ok... thirsty..."

"Here you go." Winn helped her to drink from a tall glass of water and then set it on the table next to her. They had already cleaned up the implements they'd used earlier and Kara's shoulder was wrapped in soft linens.

"Good job," she said. "Couldn't have done it better myself." But Alex was suddenly overwhelmed and she leaned forward, burying her face in Kara's stomach as the tears came. The doctor smiled gently and ran her fingers through her lover's hair. "It's ok, Alex. I'm here. I'm ok."

Winn set his hand on the rancher's shoulder and squeezed in silent support. "Can I get you an'thin'?"

"There's a small bottle of whiskey in the cabinet on the right. Would you mind pouring for yourself and Alex? You deserve it." Kara's face sobered then. "Do we have any idea who did this?"

"I spoke to sheriff Lane. He came to check on you a little earlier. He said that no one saw anything and the gunman got clean away but he thinks the shots came from the roof of the bank, judging by the angle from..." Winn swallowed. "Well anyway, Lane is investigating. He doesn't believe that anyone from town would do this to you 'cos everyone kinda loves you, Doctor Zee, so he's starting with any new faces that may have arrived over the last couple of days." He found the bottle and poured two shots, handing one to the still sniffling rancher and toasting Kara. "Glad you're ok, Kara."

"Thanks," the doctor replied. She nodded then. "Ok, guess we'll just wait to hear what Sheriff Lane finds out. Alex, Honey? Can you help me into one of the beds upstairs please? I'm so tired. I need to get some sleep."

"Of course," the rancher replied, eyes red-rimmed and aching. "Anything you need."