"One Night"
Chapter 7
Disclaimer: I don't have ownership of any of these
characters. They belong to their respective creators, including Cameron/Eglee Productions
and 20th Century Fox Studios. The story is not for sale or resale it is written
solely for Dark Angel fans. No money is being made from the use of these
characters.
Summary: Logan goes to a Manticore doctor for help.
Spoilers/Timeframe: Occurs after "Designate This".
Rating: R
A/N: Urgghhhh. This
story is getting really frustrating. I've got the worst case of writer's
block…somebody please just put her out of her misery. I'm warning you now cause
the characters are going to suffer!
*****
It was winter; freezing cold outside and it just so happened that this particular morning, her car wouldn't start. Eva cursed and got out of the driver's seat. As her feet hit the ground, her boots went ankle deep into the snow. She didn't know what could have been worse, living in Vancouver, which was Zack's favorite destination, or living in Montana. The only reason she hadn't left by now was because she'd built a life for herself here. In the past eight months she'd established herself firmly in a top position at the cosmetics lab that Logan helped get for her. She'd convinced the board to allow her to do research into deep nerve and tissue repair for burn and accident victims. She had to start over in order not to blow her new identity. She was Dr. Sally Wright, a field doctor who transferred from Greenland to continue her research.
Eva moved to the front of the vehicle and popped the hood. She noticed two things straight off; one, her main radiator hose was cracked and two, the engine coolant had frozen. Just great, absolutely perfect! There was no way she was getting to work today. She'd just have to call the lab and tell them that she was stuck at home. Walking was out of the question, the Naturalist Laboratories was a good twelve miles north of where she lived and it was beginning to snow heavily.
"Naturalist Labs, how can I help you?" A woman with a cheery voice greeted her.
"Vivian, it's Sally. I won't be in today. My car's down and the weather's a no go for walking."
She spoke with the receptionist for a few minutes longer then disconnected the call and dropped into a nearby sofa. Looking out at the falling snow she sighed, it was going to be a long and boring day. Stuck inside yet again, just last week she had stayed home from work because the road had been all snowed in. It had taken the ploughs two days to clear and she'd been house bound for almost three whole days. Luckily she had the Internet to keep her occupied, with no television or radio, she had very little else to pass the time.
Walking through her small kitchen, she headed for the room and switched on the screen. The computer whirred away and soon she immersed herself in her special project, the one that she spent most of her time working on, a project that had become her mission to complete.
The hours passed and when Eva glanced at the old wooden wall clock it read 3.50 p.m. Looking back at the data report on the screen she read the final calculations. The computer was ticking madly; she was still waiting for the machine to catch up. She could input and process faster then the machine it seemed and her impatience was being to show. She tapped her fingers on the hard top desk, her nails making soft clicking noises. Beep, the computer humming slowed. Eva scanned the results. She smiled and stood up to stretch her legs. It was finally done, she had covered every procedure and test process now came the time to put all her work into practice. Sitting back down she logged on to the Internet and accessed her email. Her fingers flew over the keyboard as she wrote the e-mail. It contained an important message, the recipient had waited long enough to receive this from her. It was about time that she had completed all her tests. Now all she could do was pray that all her efforts would prove a success.
Logan,
It's been a long eight months. I'm sorry that this hasn't reached you sooner
but I am not in the business of giving false hope.
I've found a way to give you back your legs. That is if you haven't already
found another way yourself.
I'll be expecting you. I don't have to tell you where to reach me, you already
know.
Just one other thing, bring Bling. I'll need him and so will you.
Love,
Eva
As Logan read the screen, his eye rapidly captured every word. With each passing sentence, his heart seemed to pound a little harder. She'd found a way, he realised he was breaking out in a sweat. He took a deep breath and pushed his chair way from his desk. For a moment he just stared into space, it was all too hard to believe. Was this reality or was he dreaming, was this even possible? Instinctively he reached for his phone, he had a call to make.
Two hours later Logan and Bling were on their way to Anchorage, Alaska. From there, they would have to hire a vehicle to get to Montana, where Eva lived. Their flight went smoothly and they decided to waste no time and head straight for Naturalist Laboratories.
Bling had only asked one question when Logan had called him. "How long would they need to be there?" Three days at most, had been the answer. He had heard the excitement in Logan's voice and even though every nerve in his body scream to advise caution he held it all back. His friend deserved this chance at a miracle and it there was anyone in the world that could offer that, it would be Eva.
It so happened that it had been a clear morning that day and she had managed to get her truck fixed, her first day back at the lab and who was to turn up, Logan. As she had walked through the main office, Vivian had been all smiles, informing her that two gentlemen where waiting for her in lab 3. The receptionist had sent a cheeky wink her way before lowering her gaze and pretending to work, secretly watching Eva head in the direction of her lab.
"So you're here?"
Eva entered the small laboratory and eased the door closed behind her. In the sterile room, there was an operating table set up with stirrups mounted at one-end and restraining straps laid across the body of the table. Fluorescent lamps hung over the table and scatted around where various monitors and medical equipment. Amongst the machines and lamps was a mobile bench covered with needles, chemicals and a few interesting looking gadgets. Standing awkwardly beside the chemical cabinet off to on side was Bling, looking apprehensive. Logan was nowhere to be seen.
Bling turned the moment her heard her voice. She had entered the room silently and he'd been startled by her presence. He looked at the Eva, she was dressed in a large white lab coat, with black slacks and a thick woollen jumper. Her leather boots reached her shins and were still shiny wet from walking in the snow. Her hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail and her cheeks were flushed. He hadn't seen her in over eight months but it seemed that she could still instantly draw you like a magnet the second she entered around. Bling cleared his throat.
"Logan, ah, he just went to the bathroom. He should be back any minute."
Eva could read his emotion from where she stood, he was radiating nervousness and she knew she had to change his mood. She would need his support to get though the procedure and she wouldn't get it with him sweating his wits away. She made her way over to him and put her hand gently on him forearm.
"Bling, I've been working towards this for a very long time, the last thing I want is to add to previous Logan's disappointments. I have absolute faith in this treatment but I will need one hundred percent commitment from you to ensure success. You'll need to hold Logan back, he'll need you're expert care and guidance." She searched his eyes and hesitantly took his hand in hers. "Can you promise me that?"
Bling squeezed her small hand a gripped it tightly in his. "I'll do everything you ask." He said those words with conviction and their eye contact never waived. Eva gave him a grateful smile. She knew what she was asking, Logan wouldn't be able to afford Bling's personal care and he wouldn't ask for it. With their eyes, they answered the unspoken questions and the promise was sealed. For Bling, Logan started out as his employer but he'd become much more than that. Logan was his friend, his mentor and now he would need his help. For someone he considered as close as family, he made a mental promise to do all he could to ensure Logan's full recovery.
The moment Bling and Eva ceased their conversation Logan entered the room. Eva turned to address her patient, an encouraging smile brightening her serious expression.
"Are you ready?"
"Let's do it."
Logan made his way over to the table and picked up the short robe that lay across it. He disrobed down to his cotton boxers and then lay face down on the table as Eva instructed. She went through directions as she strapped him in.
"The treatment will take effect immediately and you will regain feeling in your limbs within an hour of the procedure's completion. Logan, I have to warn you that there could be muscle spasms and cramping for a few weeks but with exercise and rest that will stop. Your body has to get accustomed to the changes. Be patient, it will take at least a month of the therapy I've prescribed before you can function to full capacity. I've given Bling all the details and you can go over them later. He's the professional, Logan, let him take care of your progress and don't question his direction. I need your agreement on that, it's important."
At that moment, Logan would promise the world. What she was asking sounded so simple, but he knew from experience that patience was never easy. He gave her a winning smile.
"Whatever you say, doc."
Eva returned his smile and moved toward the bench, even though she could see that he was extremely nervous, he'd still managed to crack a joke. "Just relax, Logan, trust me." One second he'd been about to speak again and the next everything slipped away into blackness.
Eva plugged up the laser as soon as she noted the anaesthetic kick in. All the while Bling watched silently at the end of the table. Eva charged the laser and connected the cables from her disbursement glove to the nose of the handheld laser. She picked up a big bottle of pink gel off the bench and proceeded to squirt it all over Logan's lower body.
"Bling, could put on those gloves and help spread the gel. It needs to cover his skin."
Bling did as she asked and after they both finished, Eva picked up the disbursement glove and slipped it on her left hand. With her right hand, she gripped the laser, it was the one that Max had mistaken for a gun, almost activating the laser by pulling the trigger. With her gloved had hovering at Logan's feet, Eva pulled back on the trigger. A blue haze pooled at her fingertips and spread across the palm of her gloved hand, soon it was a bright glow that cast it's healing light over Logan's feet.
Eva travelled slowly upward covering every muscle and each nerve in Logan's lower body. The procedure was a tedious process but Eva's concentration never wavered. As she reached the base of his spine, his muscles started convulsing. At first, it was a small tremor and in a few seconds, Logan's body was wracked with spasms and was straining against the holding straps. Eva immediately released the trigger and the laser shut down. She cast a worried glance at Bling.
"We need to bring him out, his body's going into shock. I need your help."
"Just tell me what to do."
