Mistletoe Mishap
zeilfanaat
Disclaimer: "Doc" is not mine. It is produced by Dave Alan Johnson & Gary R. Johnson. No infringement intended.
A/N: And here's the next chapter. When this story was originally posted, it was posted in smaller parts, but for here, I decided to put some parts together to form one chapter. Hope you'll enjoy!
* * * Part 3 * * *
"Ah, Clint, could I get your opinion on something?" Derek Hebert asked, as he passed the exam room Clint was just exiting.
"Yeah, sure. Let me get this chart updated, and I'll come to your office in a moment," the country doctor said.
"Thanks. But eh, I'll be in the doctor's lounge."
Clint half-turned back. "What are you in there for? Don't tell me, you got another mouse in your office?" he teased good-naturedly. Derek glared at him, although the corners of his mouth curled up slightly. Grinning, Clint clapped him on the shoulder. "I'll be there in a minute."
Derek went ahead to the doctor's lounge, and waited. Suddenly Donna hurried inside. "I can't get Nancy over here right now, she just got a phone call she had to answer."
"Oh, but Clint's already on his way!"
"They have to arrive at the same time," Donna said, "or it won't work!"
"I know, but…"
"Ok, doctor D, what did you need my opinion on?" Clint asked, walking into the room.
"Oh, I, I, I was just wondering if you thought 'pleather' (1) lab-coats wouldn't be more hygienic than the ones we're using… ehm, ehm, now," Derek stammered, quickly thinking of an excuse.
"But I was about to explain to doctor Hebert that it wouldn't be cost-efficient," Donna interjected quickly, at Clint's disbelieving look. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to work on the budget review." With a quick, look at doctor Hebert, she left the room.
Clint regarded the older doctor, then said with a straight face, "You know, I think you could make a strong case for those 'pleather' lab coats being quite cost-efficient… I'm just not sure how many doctors you'd get to wear them…"
Derek sighed, then straightened. "Oh, actually, I wasn't particularly eager to get any kind of 'pleather' near me again, but I was just hit with a bout of inspiration… or insanity." Clint chuckled, and Derek joined in, inwardly relieved that the younger man did not seem to have noticed the small 'decoration' in the room.
* * *
"Here's the chart for Mrs. Veltoni," Nancy said, handing the chart over to the country doctor.
"Just a regular check-up, right?" Clint asked, quickly reading through the chart again.
"Yeah. Oh, but she's running a few minutes late, so she's not here yet," Nancy informed him.
"In that case, can I talk to you for a little bit?"
"Sure. What's up?"
"Well, doctor Hebert asked me for my opinion on something earlier this afternoon…"
* * *
"Why do we need to move it?" Tippy asked, as she once again was balancing on the ladder.
"Because we can't try and drag them to the doctor's lounge again without raising suspicion," Donna urged them on quietly while explaining. "And the end of week staff meeting tomorrow morning is the perfect excuse. We just need to make sure they arrive at the same time."
"But, how will we do that?" Tippy asked.
"Oh, they usually arrive together anyway. We just need to make sure they stop at the same point." Derek waved off her concern.
"Well, can we just block the way?" Tippy asked, frowning.
"No! That would be too obvious," Donna said.
"Unless…" Derek said, holding up a finger, "we do it in a not so obvious way."
Tippy and Donna exchanged a look, then looked at the doctor, waiting for an explanation.
TBC
(1) In a Season 1 episode, Doctor Hebert came into the clinic wearing 'pleather' pants - looked like leather, but they were made of plastic. It did not end up as a success... ;)