Author:Amberfly
Series: The Boy who Cried Wolf. (Part 2)
Warnings: None.
Feedback: Always appreciated.
Nurse Nightingale is alive and well and has that lamp all charged up.
Tired and cranky, Daniel had been told to take a nap… or else. Deciding he didn't want to know what Jack meant by, `or else!' he'd decided to obey. Just this once. Given that everyone was still annoyed about his accidental destruction of the nurses' quarters, he felt it for the best. He didn't even want to think about the stern lecture he'd received from the general. Nope, lying low was a tactic worth employing.
Two hours later, the pint sized stick of dynamite stirred. Opening his mouth to a jaw cracking yawn, Daniel knuckled his eyes. He looked adorable. Bed hair meant he resembled a hedgehog, and his round cheeks were blushed pink from sleep. Whether he'd admit it or not, the nap had made him feel better, and energized, wanted to know what he'd missed. Care Bear tucked under his arm, he surveyed the infirmary checking for anything different. "We will never get those two hours back again!"
Placing a clandestine kiss on the bear's face before laying it lovingly onto his pillow, he clambered to his knees to survey his domain once more. Something felt different. A hand rose to his eyes as his lips twitched.
What had happened while he slept? Anything he needed to know? He grabbed his note book and flipped it open. He looked at his watch and wrote down the time, irritated once more at having lost two hours to a nap. "Audaces fortuna iuvat!"
As his mind raced, a door slammed and the sound of a muffled apology caught his attention. "Oh?" Craning his neck, he saw two nurses, heads touching, in deep conversation, and he scribbled that they looked shifty. Daniel itched to know what was going on. If only he could see what was on their clip boards. If only….
But, his nursing ambitions weren't appreciated, and he was banned from touching any of the infirmary staff's clipboards, equipment, medication, or surgical wraps. Bandages and hypodermic needles were also off limits. "How was a nurse to nurse?" he'd demanded, but Janet only sighed while Jack had pulled the covers over his head. He took the hint.
Scratching at his bird's nest of a hair-do, he poked the pencil behind his ear while muttering softly to his Care Bear, "Julius Caesar? Best we find out and report what's going on here to General Hammond! He may not realize that his base is falling into chaos!" Hitching up his pajama bottoms and squinting to see some action, the little nosey parker hadn't been aware that he'd created a little drama of his own. Leaning forward, he was unaware those same pajama pants he pulled up instantly slid down, exposing his backside, mosquito bites included, to fresh air.
He shivered and complained to Julius Caesar Care Bear softly, "Does no one check the temperature of the aircon in this place? I mean, honestly! A man could freeze to death before an inexperienced nurse killed him!" Daniel shook his head crossly. "I shall have to report this as well! General Hammond is not on the ball at all these days!"
With another shiver, he decided the day shift also needed to go into his report."After all," he explained in a regretful tone, "we well trained and caring nurses have our patient's comfort to consider." Craning his neck further and risking an embarrassing tumble, he waited for the coast to clear. He needed to get into that nurses room, but Janet and Jack's words echoed in his mind.
After his last, well intentioned kafuffle, they had sat him down for a deep but oh-so meaningful chat. He hadn't been keen to participate -- being very busy with his nursing duties -- but the look on their faces swayed him to their way of thinking.
Janet smiled and took his hands in hers. He wasn't fooled.
"Daniel, please understand. Do not, under any circumstances, no matter how well intentioned are you to place one foot into the nurses station! Are we clear on that, honey?"
"Ah huh."
"Ah huh, what?" Jack swooped down to eyeball him, his lips twitching.
"Ah huh, Mein Fuhrer?"
"Excuse me?"
The quip hadn't gone down well, and Daniel sighed at the memory. Janet squawked her objections, while Jack's jaw dropped into speechlessness. Amusing as the quip was, he conceded Napoleonic power monger would have been funnier, and maybe have got Jack onside. Instead, all he heard was a growl followed by what he considered to be a suspiciously sounding parental threat.
"Get out of that bed and go near that damn nurse's station and you will be the sorriest Nurse Nightingale ever. Got it?"
"Ah huh."
For a moment it had looked as though Jack was going to comment but decided against it. His lips twitched into a furtive little smile, and he tapped his foot instead.
Head held high, Daniel goose stepped to his bed.
OoO
"Well, Julius, Jack sure forgot who he was dealing with!" The flush started at his chin, traveled all the way to the tip of his ears, and he fanned himself with the copied notes he'd forgotten to return to the Charge Sister. SG-13's tropical rash fascinated him, and he'd considered asking if he could look in on Colonel Dixon's exam. Another time, he thought, when eyeballed by the cranky, itchy marine. Itchy butts and scrotums were something he could sympathize with.
Another nurse joined the hushed discussion, and she looked just as upset. Daniel leaned in to eavesdrop but could only hear her muffled words. He sighed and was beside himself with curiosity. "Something isn't right here, and it's my responsibility to make sure my fellow nurses are okay! Not to mention my patients! Who knows how Colonel Dixon's butt and other bits are faring?"
Mind made up, he jumped to the floor and squeaked as his pajama pants instantly pooled at his ankles. "Oh!" Whirling around with horror, Daniel sighed with relief. He couldn't hear any laughter and that meant the staff hadn't noticed his Faux Paus. With a nervous little giggle, he yanked them up before tying the knot extra tight. "Can't have that happen again! I'll be de-registered! " Daniel struggled tying his shoe laces and his pajama pants since his down sizing, and cursed his clumsy little fingers regularly.
Crouching low, he crept closer and closer to the forbidden room. He could almost smell the antiseptic and touch the deliciously neat, rolled bandages, and his fingers wiggled in anticipation. Daniel figured he'd be in and out before anyone knew he was awake to squeal on him. As he waited, hidden behind a screen, he held his breath at the soft whispers of the nurses. Something had gone missing the previous shift, but he couldn't hear what. One of the lieutenants was crying, and he wanted to run out and tell her that Jack would find whatever had been lost, but that would mean giving away his position. Tactically very foolish.
It took him awhile, but hand reaching out to open the nurse station's door, Daniel heard a "ahem!" Jumping with fright, his tricky knot sprung apart, and to his horror, his pajama pants hit the deck. The "ahem" sounded far too close, and he winced as he whirled around, hand clutching his pants. His worst fears were confirmed.
"Oh no! Newman!" Daniel had divided the infirmary staff into three categories. Friendlies, unfriendlies, and Jack. Newman was a definitely in the unfriendly category.
"Going someone?" A meaty hand reached out and grabbed his shoulder before spinning him around. Daniel couldn't help trembling. Not only had he been caught near the nurse's station, but he'd been caught by his deadliest enemy: Airman Norris Newman!
His face burned with embarrassment. "Newman! Have you no respect for your patient's heart? I could have died of fright!" Brave words spoken like a true archeologist come nurse.
Newman sneered and laughed out loud. "Patient? You? That would be a no. Now, either you get back into that bed or I will tell O'Neill you've been running around the ward naked as a jay bird! Oh, kid? That snippet of information would be conveyed to the colonel via the PA system."
"You wouldn't!" Daniel's face burned. His butt had been seen after all!
"Bet your mosquito bitten ass I would."
Daniel knew when he was defeated. With a sigh, he saw that he was choice less. Hitching his pajama pants up even higher and stalking back to his bed, he turned before saying with all the dignity he could muster, "I won't forget this, Newman."
"Who cares?" The orderly gave Daniel a shove making him stumble, before reaching out and pulling him close.
"Just you remember, while you are on my shift, your ass is mine. Make any extra work for me and I'll make your life a misery!" Grabbing Julius Caesar care Bear and holding him high in the air, Newman hissed between his teeth. "He will be the first to go!" Making a cut throat sign, the chubby orderly threw the bear onto the bed and waddled away, giggling spitefully. "Think bear soup!"
Daniel was shocked. It was a bear- bare faced threat! "Oh? Is that so? Well, Newman, we'll see about that!"
Flopping back into his pillow, scratching at his inappropriate places vigorously, Daniel's eyes burned brightly with tears.
"Julius Caesar Care Bear, we have work to do! Whatever has gone missing is down to Newman! We need to get into his locker!"
Julius Caesar care Bear fell face down into the covers. He wisely stayed there.