The intercom crackled to life. "Um, I'Lee, the PT session is out and Beach demands to see you, ASAP."
The nurse could hear the fear in the other's voice. Whether it was from the Ranger's intimidating presence or from her earlier reaming, she couldn't tell but a healthy dose of respect would go a long way to tempering the newbie. She eased her hand out of Hector's clasp and rose to answer Brinn.
"Tell him I'll be there in two."
"He said 'Now'," replied Beach.
"Back off, Ranger." I'Lee was in no mood for the pushy instructor. "I'll be there in two." She switched off and rang the main control. "Main, page SE for me… No, just tell him it's I'Lee… He'll know what to do… Thanks."
Turning to observe the dozing sailor, she noted his relaxed features and smiled grimly. "Ya got a ways to go, don't'cha." She eased out the door, closing it behind her. Halfway down the hall, she met up with Beach.
"I-"
The nurse cut him off. "Talk to the hand, bub. I'll not have you disturbing patients with your loud yelling." She pointed to the station and continued walking.
The Ranger made a growling noise about insubordination but followed. Once there, he started in on her.
"I expect to have people ready to tend to the injured when they come in, not playing games in the exam rooms…"
I'Lee whirled on the other nurse. "You, tend to whomever needs it and write up the reports. Now." She watched as the dark headed nurse literally ran to the triage area. Taking a deep breath and uttering a prayer for strength, the small nurse squared her shoulders and slowly turned to face the instructor. She also noted two more people had joined the little party. Calm, she told herself. Outwardly, she greeted the pair, saying "Dash, Jaye. May I help you with something?"
The brunette woman answered. "We came to check on Wreck, to see how he was doing. We haven't seen him much except for mess and even then, not for long."
"You'll have to talk to Doc about that or ask Wreck yourself. I'm not at liberty to tell you." I'Lee could tell the other woman was genuinely concerned.
The Ranger was tapping his foot impatiently, standing with his arms crossed. He mumbled something about liberties as the pair began to walk away. Seconds later, he was jerked down eye level.
"If you have something to say to me, Beach, say it to my face. Because right now, you are on my turf and you'd better behave yourself." She let him go. "Now, what seems to be your problem?"
Dash and Jaye stopped down the hall and watched the exchange.
"Doc is out. Why weren't you at the front desk?"
"I was tending to a patient."
"Hmpf."
"Would you like to repeat that?" The icy glare stopped him cold. "I didn't think so." She looked past the Ranger to see the silent man approaching.
He greeted the man and woman and walked right by Beach and I'Lee as she flashed 'Two' at him. Looking in the little window, he saw Wreck sitting on the floor, sleeping, his torn overshirt lying next to him. He made his way back to the little nurse.
'What happened?' He used abbreviated field sign.
Beach translated.
I'Lee cut a look at him and faced the silent man. "I can't tell you here."
SE shifted his stance to defensive but the Ranger didn't back down. "You can talk. I…I'm not the bad guy here."
"No, a jerk maybe, but this is privileged information. Besides, I don't need you to translate what I'm going to say." She looked at the silent man. "I can read you if you go slow enough. And from what I've seen, you seem to get your point across better than most people."
Beach stood there as the other two moved out of earshot and began to speak quietly. Jaye and Dash came up to the Ranger and watched the animated conversation between the nurse and the silent man.
"Why were you giving her a hard time, Wayne?"
"Because, when I came in with a couple of greenshirts, only one nurse was at the station and she was crying her eyes out." He rolled his eyes at the thought. "The most I could get out of her was that I'Lee was in one of the rooms with Wreck but he didn't have a standing appointment and that I'Lee had yelled at her for no reason and sent her out, staying in the room with him."
"So you jumped to conclusions?" Dash spoke. He looked at the other man. "No wonder she called you a jerk. You basically accused her of fraternization." Winking at Jaye, he went on. "Be glad none of the probies were watching as she cut you down, buddy, because if ever got out… Oh wait, I'll bet there's security footage."
The brunette grabbed the station phone and began punching in the security office. Beach swallowed hard and raised his hands in surrender.
"All right, all right! Dang, I stepped in it this time." He saw the silent man and the nurse enter the room and decided to see for himself. The other two were close on his heels.
A quick peek through the little window revealed their teammate in a corner, asleep on the floor. The nurse and the silent man were discussing something. The trio backed away.
"Whoa, I knew he'd been under some heavy stress but he's never been like this," Dash whispered.
"Yeah, well, he's been outta sorts since he got back." Beach rubbed the back of his neck. "I saw him working out and goaded him into sparring with me one day last week. He tried to tell me about Doc's orders for him to take it easy but I just brushed it off as his normal banter. We… I got carried away and clocked him a good one. Top nearly ate me for lunch. Doc got a piece of me too."
Jaye hugged herself. "If only I had stayed longer. He would've made it out, too. We would be okay."
"No," Dash turned her to face him. "It was because he gave you the time you needed that you made it out with the professor. If you stayed, all of you would've been captured. Or worse." He pulled her into a hug. "I wish they would tell us what is going on with him, though."
They stood silently, just far enough back to see in the window but not be obvious.
In the exam room, the silent man was well aware of the trio outside. He motioned to I'Lee not to draw the curtain so they could get a glimpse of what their teammate was recovering from.
Wreck was now awake, facing the outside window, and didn't know anyone was watching. He took a breath and removed his white tee shirt rolling his fists inside.
"Oh my God, Dash…" Jaye turned her head away, into her boyfriend's shoulder. She couldn't hold back the tears.
The blood drained from the warrant officer's face as he realized what Wreck had endured to get Jaye and their cargo to safety.
Beach swore under his breath.
The mass of cuts and burns was quite obvious. Several places were still discolored from bruising. They observed as I'Lee stood in front of their friend talking to him. He finally nodded and visibly tried to relax.
The silent man drew the curtain at that point, making sure each observer knew he knew they were there.
A voice behind the little group startled them from their vigil.
"Seen enough?" Doc Greer stood there with his arms folded across his chest. Neither Beach nor Dash could meet the medic's gaze. Jaye looked plain miserable.
"How come no one told us?" She whispered. "We're his team, his family, why are we being kept in the dark?"
The compassion in the dark man's eyes and voice caused them to pay close attention. "He's just not ready, Alison. You only saw the visible scarring." He pushed past them and entered the exam room, leaving the three to think about the medic's words.