"This should help with the aching, Jeff." Dr. Chakwas rubs Joker's exposed thigh with rubbing alcohol before sticking him with a long needle. Joker flinches slightly, a natural response to the pain.
"Just be careful next time." Dr. Chakwas chides him playfully. "No more running through the halls."
"Aye, aye, Ma'am." Joker plays along. "Not without scissors. Thanks for fixing me up so late in the evening."
His doctor rolls her eyes and smiles. "It's no problem at all. Always a pleasure."
Dr. Chakwas reaches down to help Joker up out of his chair, when the door to the med bay opens to reveal Commander Shepard. Her usually tight bun lays in a disheveled cascade of deep blonde hair on either side of her face. Her eyes look puffy and tired. Joker unintentionally stares. Shepard is always in her pristine uniform, every hair in place, military excellence to the core. Her appearance unsettles him. She enters the med bay with her eyes glued to the floor and looks startled when she lifts them and makes eye contact with the pair.
"Good evening, Commander." Dr. Chakwas offers a warm greeting.
"Dr. Chakwas," Shepard nods. "Flight lieutenant Moreau." She adds and lowers her gaze again.
"Commander." Joker acknowledges. His gaze moves between the two sets of eyes. "I... was just leaving." Crutches in place, he hobbles past a silent Shepard.
When the door slides shut, he can hear the murmur of a resumed conversation. His curiosity and concern get the best of him. He lingers to listen with a sigh.
"How are you, Shepard?" Dr. Chakwas asks.
"Fine." Shepard responds curtly. "I just cannot sleep without… aid."
"I see. Fortunately, I am at liberty to prescribe you more." Joker hears silence, presumably Chakwas grabbing something from a cabinet. "How are you really?" She asks after a minute. "This is the second time this month you've seen me. Your medicine should last longer than that."
"Fill the bottle fuller and it will." Shepard retorts. A scant moment passes before Shepard offers an apology. "I'm sorry, Dr. Chakwas. I didn't mean… I'm just…"
"Tired." The doctor's voice sounds very maternal. "Listen, dear. I will keep helping you in any way I can, however… Medicine can only do so much. How can I put this delicately? You may need more than a medical doctor's help. Perhaps… Someone to talk to?"
"I'm not seeing a fu… a shrink." Shepard flies to an angry response. "No shrinks. End of story. Thank you. Good night."
Foot steps quickly approach the door where Joker continues eavesdropping. Oh, shit.
Joker knows he has no time to escape, so he does his best to hide along the wall. The door opens and Shepard leaves in a flurry, fortunately seeming to miss him entirely. He watches her storm off. The door opens again to reveal the doctor. Joker looks at her briefly and then breaks eye contact with an innocent whistle.
"Jeff," Dr. Chakwas approaches him as he begins hobbling away. "Jeff!"
"Oh, Dr. Chakwas…" Joker feigns ignorance. "I didn't see you there."
"Before you run off and pretend you didn't hear anything, I need you to promise to keep this confidential. The Alliance will not allow her to reach a state which would jeopardize the mission and our safety. Don't worry about that. What I do worry about is rumors. Rumors destroy reputations. Destroyed reputations ruin crew loyalty and obedience. You understand the gravity of this?"
Joker gulps and nods.
"And you promise to keep this incident to yourself?"
Joker runs his forefinger and thumb along his lips to "seal" them and mimes the movements of throwing away the key.
"Then promise me one more thing, dear."
"Ma'am?" Joker asks.
"Please continue offering Shepard your friendship." The doctor says. "I think your company has become a more effective treatment than my pills."