Sicktember Day 29: Motion Sickness
Word Count: 565
Author: aquietwritingcorner/realitybreakgirl
Rating: G/K
Characters: Doc
Warning: Throwing up
Summary: Doc has motion sickness, but she's not going to let that stop her from saving a life.
Notes:

Motion Sickness

Doc brought the back of her wrist to her mouth and willed her stomach not to roll. Stars, she hated traveling. She could climb anything, swing herself around like a gymnast, jump up and down all she wanted, but as soon as she started riding in anything, her stomach rolled, and she felt like she was going to throw up.

Curse her motion sickness.

Trains were the worst. She didn't know if the motion was the worst, or if it was because of how long train rides were, but she loathed them. Boats weren't much better. That, she knew, was because of the motion. Waves and currents would shift the boats, and she definitely couldn't handle that. Cars, when she had to travel, were the best, because at least in them she could maybe drive herself, and she could stop pretty much whenever she needed too.

But there was no time for that now.

She was in the back of truck that she had turned into a mobile medical clinic. Under her hands was a life that needed her attention, and that needed more than she could give him at Briggs. They had loaded him up, and she had climbed into the back with no hesitation. They were now running as fast as they dared, heading towards North City and the hospital there. They were expecting them.

She had no time to be motion sick now.

Her hands went back to the man she was tending to, working quickly and feverishly to save his life, to keep him alive until they got to the hospital. She held back her gags as they made turns and bumped over the ground. She couldn't throw up. She couldn't take the time. Every second mattered. It didn't matter that her stomach was rolling more and more as they traveled, and she felt more and more nauseous. All that mattered was the young man who was depending on her.

They went around another curve and her stomach lurched. "Bucket!" she managed to get out, and someone shoved a bucket under her face. She threw up, not even trying to hold back, but let it come. The faster she did it, the sooner she could get back to her patient. "Done!" The bucket was whisked away, and she was back to work.

By the time they got to North City, the Briggsman was barely holding onto life, although he was alive, and Doc was nearly dizzy with motion sickness. Still, she pushed through, giving a run down of the patient's stats and condition, moving with the doctors and nurses who were taking over. It was only when he was whisked away from her, and no longer in her care, that Doc allowed herself to sink to the floor, craving being still.

"Doctor? Are you alright?"

Doc didn't even look up at the concerned nurse's words. "Motion sickness," she said. "Just… let me sit for a moment."

"Of course, Doctor. I'll go get you something for it."

"Thank you."

In her head, Doc cursed her motion sickness. She cursed that there was no good way to handle it. She cursed that she'd have to experience it again on the way back to the fort.

But at least she knew how to deal with it, and she didn't let it cost her the patient. That was one thing she wasn't going to curse.