Right well here is chapter 5 and this time it is a little bit longer then the last one. The last chapter was a little too short I know. Well hope you enjoy it. Lots of conversations in this chapter. More action happening again in the next chapter.

Lots of Love!

Arien

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Chapter 5 – Men and Migraines

By the time Braz and Bec had reached the medical bay, Serge was already there waiting for them, he motioned Braz over to the medical table and together they gently placed Beth down. Bec began to check over her, and winced when she moved her hair to one side and saw the gash on her forehead.

"Well that's going to hurt in the morning" she muttered absently before quickly checking over the rest of Beth's body for injuries. "Ok she's all clear" she announced opening Beth's eyes and shining a torch in them.

"Oi!" protested Beth coming round and batting her hand at the annoyance.

"Beth keep still." reprimanded Bec.

Beth groaned. "God my head hurts"

"Well it would do" replied Bec, starting to clean up the wound, "you just smashed into a wall with the force of a couple of G's."

Beth grimaced as the antiseptic wipe Bec was using brushed back and forth over the gash in her head. "That bloody hurts you know" she said testily. Just at that moment, Josh and Zimsky entered the room. Josh immediately rushed up to Beth.

"How is she doing? Is she ok?"

"Who's she, cats mother?" said Beth opening one eye to look at Josh.

"You're ok?" questioned Josh.

"Yeah I'm fine, just a bit of a headache and a bump the size of the moon" replied Beth.

"She could have a concussion" Bec added. "It's quite a bump. She needs to be kept awake"

Beth jumped in. "Seriously, I'm fine!" Bec shot her a look that could have rivalled one of her Mother's so she shut up.

"Yes for now your fine, just you wait. Someone has to stay with her" concluded Bec. "Josh would you?"

"Sure"

Beth turned and looked around the room, her eyes settling on Serge and Zimsky in the corner. Serge was wrapping a bandage around Zimsky's wrist. She turned her attention back to Bec when she addressed her.

"We have to go back to the main compartment now. We left Iverson on his own."

"Ah ok no problem" said Beth. Braz and Bec walked over to the door. Braz turned back. "Hope you feel better soon Beth" he said kindly. Beth smiled. "Thanks Braz". He nodded and left the room, Bec in tow. Serge and Zimsky were next to head for the door. Serge patted Beth on the shoulder and gave her a smile, which she returned. Beth then turned to Zimsky as he grabbed her hand with his good one and gave it a squeeze. "Hope you feel better soon!" "Thanks Zimsky" she replied. He nodded let go of her hand and started to walk away. As he reached the door Beth called out.

"What happened to your hand?"

"I sprained it" he said looking at it and flexing it slightly.

"Oh, in the crash?" Beth queried.

"Yeah. In the crash." He smiled at her mildly before exiting the room, leaving Josh slightly puzzled. He said nothing but turned to Beth. "So what does a guy have to do to keep a lovely lady awake?" he asked with a grin. "Well for a start you can tell me what is going on with Bec and you." Beth replied "Oh and get me some of that painkiller stuff that Bec left out in case my headache got worse, because it just did". Josh raised an eyebrow before getting up to complete her request, as he did he started to talk.

"Bec is great. Smart, friendly, gorgeous, you know, just great."

Beth grinned at him. "I knew you liked her. You know she likes you back. You can tell.

"Really?" questioned Josh

"Yeah, you should make a move!"

Josh beamed, before administering Beth the painkiller. He then sat down on the end of the table. Suddenly he produced a pack of cards.

"Hey there Wizard, where'd you magic those in from?" Beth teased. Josh leaned in very close to her as if he was sharing a magnificent secret and whispered. "Erm… my pocket". Beth giggled, before wincing and grabbing her head.

"Oh Ow! I wish it would stop doing that!"

"No more giggling for you" said Josh, half in concern and half joking. "We don't have to play" he added.

"No I want to, believe me, I have the patience span of an eight year old so I'll need something to keep me occupied until nurse Bec allows me out of bed." Beth replied.

Josh smiled. "Nurse Bec, now there's a thought." Beth giggled again, "Oi you, mind out of the gutter, come on, let's play. What's the game?"

"Strip poker?" suggested Josh cheekily.

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An hour passed and Beth's head still wasn't feeling much better, the perky feeling she had received when coming to had long since disappeared. Her stomach reeled as she turned over on her side and she threw up into the bowl Josh had so kindly just placed under her head. Josh rubbed her back soothingly, telling her that she would be ok soon.

"Now the concussions kicking in" came Bec's voice from over in the doorway. She walked over and took Beth's hand in hers addressing her "There is really nothing we can do Beth apart from keeping you awake and pumping you full of painkillers"

Beth who was now a lovely shade of green nodded sickly before mumbling "I know"

"Josh I…." Bec corrected herself. "We need you in the main compartment now. Zimsky is going to come down here in a sec to keep an eye on Beth ok?"

"Sure ok, Beth I have to go now, Zimsky will be here in a minute, will you be ok?"

"Uh huh" replied Beth closing her eyes.

"Just don't sleep" added Josh helpfully before following Bec out the door.

Ill just rest my eyes for a minute, thought Beth. Thirty seconds later she was out cold. Another minute passed and Zimsky entered the medical bay.

"Beth are you sleeping?" he said when he saw her. Getting now answer he walked up to her and gently shook her shoulder.

"What!" Beth spat, irritated from being woken up.

"You are not supposed to fall asleep with a concussion" Zimsky replied.

"Bugger off Conrad" moaned Beth trying to emerge herself under the sheet covering her. Zimsky snatched the sheet off of her somewhat amused by the use of his first name. She had to be annoyed. Beth grumbled before sitting up.

"Drugs" she commanded.

"How much of this stuff have you had already?" asked Zimsky

"Not enough" she replied. Zimsky shrugged, picked up the bottle emptied it into the syringe and injected it into her arm. Beth sighed as the warm fuzzy feeling as if her brain was covered in cotton wool came back.

"So have fun with Josh" asked Zimsky

"Played cards" she replied absently

"Ah" he said.

"Tell me something I don't know about you" said Beth, in an effort to keep herself awake.

Zimsky sifted through his memories until a suitable one arose. "I was once in a motorbike accident"

Beth snorted. "You on a bike?"

"I was young" said Zimsky defensively. "Anyway, your turn."

"I love American breakfasts, you're allowed to eat steak….at nine in the morning, how cool is that?"

Zimsky grinned and shook his head. "I don't eat steak for breakfast".

"What do you eat?" asked Beth

"Coffee, Cigarettes and Women" replied Zimsky quite seriously.

"Hmm, remind me not to get near you first thing in the morning then" Beth said. Suddenly Beth leant over the side and was violently sick in the bowl again. "Charming" said Zimsky scrunching his face up slightly. "You know all you ever seem to do is throw up and break things, you're useless you are, totally…." He shut up at the sound of a sob. Beth curled herself up and buried her head in her arms. Zimsky stood awkwardly for a few seconds before reaching over and rubbing her back. Gradually she uncurled herself, sniffling slightly. Zimsky didn't apologise. She didn't expect him to. Instead he changed the subject and started asking about the calculations Beth was doing earlier. Beth, too weak to argue, because of the developing migraine this time caused by Zimsky's personality, went along with the topic change.