Here we are ... I didn't torture you too long, did I? ;)

...

Dr. Bull burst out of the double doors to the unit with immediate demands. "Where's Cable McCrory? I need to see her. Is she okay? Is there brain damage?"

"Excuse me, sir, but who are you?" a stern-faced and concerned nurse asked, trying to bodily cut off his shouldering his way into the unit.

He stepped back, not wanting to hurt someone inadvertently in his rush to find the kid. "I'm Dr. Jason Bull. I'm here to see Cable McCrory. University student with a concussion, early twenties, brown hair, brown eyes, pretty smart mouth when she's talking. Is she conscious? Is she okay? I need answers."

The nurse squinted at him suspiciously. "Dr. Bull ... and which department is that? ID, please, or I'm calling security."

Bull briefly considered passing as a medical doctor ... but then remembered that someone in his line of work should avoid jail time.

"I'm her ..."

What, exactly? Their relationship was unusual to say the least.

"Oh, you are Miss McCrory's emergency contact," the nurse noted, looking at a chart in front of her. The interruption was greatly appreciated.

"Yes!" He was deeply grateful to hear someone else connect his name with hers.

"A doctor is with her at the moment but he will likely want to talk to you afterwards. She might not be able to remember everything that he tells her, depending on how hard the hit was, so having her emergency contact updated could be helpful," the nurse noted.

"Can I see her now? I'm a psychologist and if she has any brain damage I want to hear the doctor's assessment."

The nurse briefly considered, consulted, then waved him through with a room number and rough directions to guide his search. He fairly ran down the hallways, finally arriving at the room breathless. "Cable!" he gasped in relief, seeing that she had regained consciousness. A doctor was there, but ignored in his elation to find his charge-of-sorts in something other than a comatose state.

"Dr. Bull? What are you doing here?" she half-whispered, half-moaned, sinking back down from the position where she had propped herself. He could see a scratch across her face.

"How is she, doctor?" he asked anxiously, going over and patting Cable's shoulder so she would lie back down. No need for her to be exerting herself.

"She had quite a hard hit to her head and is exhibiting all the signs of a serious concussion. Due to how long she was unconscious I would like to keep her under observation for the night and then she will need to be with someone who can monitor..."

"I've got my doctorate in psychology. I know the symptoms and she can - she will - stay with me. How long would you recommend?" Bull said, rushing through the words in his eagerness to somehow make this situation a little better.

The doctor nodded approvingly. "I think it would be best for her to take at least a week off of school for bed rest, probably two would be better ..."

"What?!" Cable protested in a little squeak, trying to push herself up to sitting once again but only making it a few inches before she collapsed back into the pillow. School was not her main concern, but if school was outlawed, what else would be?!

"Relax, kid. It'll be okay," Bull said, gently patting her shoulder.

Cable started gagging.

"Side effect of a concussion," the doctor and Bull said in unison.

Cable was not so sure. She credited the idea of living with Bull for a week or two with the sudden nausea more than the bang to the head.

...

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