Chapter Thirty

"Have you been stretching the shoulder?" Dr. Torlyn asked as he rotated Eliot's arm to check for range of movement.

"He does every morning." Nate answered for Eliot as he scrutinized his boyfriends expression. It had been so quick he wasn't sure but he thought he detected a hint of a wince.

"That's good. Depending on how this visit goes there's a good chance we'll be seeing PT in your future." Eliot grunted as fingers pressed harshly against the bruising on his bare torso.

"That's still tender?" The doctor sounded overly suspicious in Nate's opinion.

"Not too bad." Nate's accusing eyes had him rolling his as he furthered his explanation. "My ribs haven't been too much of a bother but the bruising on my side still makes itself nice and known."

"And his back." Nate ignored Eliot's glare as he crossed his arms and leaned against the wall.

"What about it?" Dr. Torlyn was already pressing curious fingers down his spine.

"If I lie on it wrong or put too much weight in a certain spot I'll end up with a piercing pain."

"Where?" Eliot willingly went as he was pushed forward and the man continued to poke and prod.

"There" It was nearly growled as the spot he had just been talking about received too much pressure and he bit his inner lip waiting for the pain to fade.

"That's right over the rib you cracked. We'll have to get a few pictures to see what's going on back here." Dr. Torlyn moved to stand in front of Eliot as he grabbed his hand to begin inspecting it. "What happened here?"

"Accident" Eliot quickly dismissed the fresh scab on his palm.

"Any swelling or cramping in the fingers?"

"None that I've noticed." He only fibbed a little as he watched the doctor search through his file for something before he started removing the splint from his ring finger.

"You tell me if any of this hurts." He then proceeded to apply pressure to different points of the finger eventually bending and even twisting it slightly. "Anything?" Eliot shook his head as he bent and stretched a digit that had stood still way too long. "It'll probably be stiff for the next few days but stretching it'll help. Just keep in mind that the bone's still fairly new and susceptible to damage quite easily."

"One down, two ta' go." Nate smirked. It was progress and he was happy.

"You change into this..." Dr. Torlyn placed a newly retrieved gown next to Eliot. "and I'll be back in a few minutes to continue."

"You want help with that?" Nate offered as he watched Eliot untie his boot.
The look he got was an obvious 'whatdya think' so he moved from the wall to help. The shoe to the side and he moved so Eliot could stand. "I don't see why you had to put jeans on." He had had the "fun" of helping put them on and it hadn't been a picnic.

"No man has an excuse good enough to justify coming out the house in pants that have an elastic band, it ain't right." Nate just shook his head with a slight smirk as he pulled the denim over Eliot's foot. If you asked him a little too much time with Hardison and Eliot was starting to sound like him but he'd keep the comment to himself.

"Of course it can't be simple." Eliot huffed at the gown he had been given.

"Snaps" Nate quickly saw why Eliot was looking frustrated so he did him the favor of taking up the task.

The gown wasn't a simple tie back but instead held a little over a dozen snaps in three different places. "How do they expect... How does this..."

"I thought you were a mastermind." Eliot watched as Nate became more flustered with every failed attempt with the gown.

"You just shush over there," Eliot was looking way too amused as he pulled the misdone snaps apart for what had to be the fourth or fifth time. "I'll get it."

It took a few more tries, some colorful language, and Eliot telling him to forget the damn thing before his determination payed off and he had it fixed. Not long after he tied the single tie on the side the doctor was back.

"Where were we?" The question was rhetorical as Eliot watched his doctor flip through his file tapping a pen against the chart. "Bruised kidneys. How's that going Spencer?"

"It's goin'." The same way he wished Nate would but no, he insisted on being there as if he was a child.

"Really?
No pain or discomfort?
No trouble urinating?
A burn while or blood in the urine?" Sure the doctor was only looking for signs of kidney damage but that didn't mean it wasn't an embarrassing question.

"There hasn't been any blood." Nate was looking far too interested for his liking and it took some willpower not to just yell at him to leave. "It can still be uncomfortable but it ain't bad."

"Define uncomfortable."

How you're gonna be was his immediate thought but instead he answered, "It ain't painful if that's what you're asking." Dr. Torlyn just nodded as he marked something down and Nate stared at him accusingly.

He wasn't a doctor but he knew enough to be nearly positive that his kidneys were fine and that it wasn't any of their business what he did or how he felt in the bathroom.

"Can you put your leg up?" Eliot did as he was told stretching his leg out on the exam table. He was the kind of guy that did that one a year visit unless he needed to get some sort of injections and this was starting to push his limits.

"Now these weren't ready to come out last time." Gloves were put on as his gown was pushed up to reveal a decently sized row of stitching. "Have you been icing this?"

"Yeah, my knee and foot too." It was a concern that was shared as the attention was removed from his stitches and directed to the bruising that had spread since his last visit. The bruising on his thigh was lightening and obviously healing but what was on his knee had spread and only looked to be getting darker.

"That's still looking pretty swollen ...there should have been more improvement by now.
Are you putting excessive weight on the joint?
Stressing it more than necessary?"

"YES" Nate near blurted.

Dr. Torlyn shook his head in obvious disapproval. "Do you have an ice machine?"

"No" Eliot was not liking being reprimanded by a guy that only had a few years on him.

"Well then you'll get one." That order was directed to Nate. "I want you to ice this knee every hour on the hour and for the next three days at least you're not to use it. You act as if this leg doesn't even exist and we"ll see if we don't make some progress."

"And if it doesn't?" Nate wondered as he moved closer.

"Does this guy always go straight to the bad?" He ignored Nate as he moved back to Eliot's thigh.

"He plans for it." The doctor laughed and Eliot snorted at Nate's indignant look.

"I think we can pull these.
It closed up nicer than I was expecting, but that doesn't mean you're free to go crazy.
I'm sure the muscle's still healing and you don't want to tear it.
We'll get an x-ray of the femur too, make sure all's well there."

"What about his foot?"

"Well give him a chance to get there." Eliot knew that Nate didn't like this doctor but he didn't know why. Sure his bedside manner could stand an improvement but he hadn't noticed anything too bad with the man.

"Last time you said you had limited feeling if any in the last three toes."

"Yeah, like they were sleeping or numb to an extent."

"How about now?" Dr. Torlyn asked as he pulled a pen from his pocket and started poking at the mentioned toes. "You feel that?" He asked as he watched for a response.

"From the first one it was strong, right away I wanted to move my foot.
The second one wasn't as strong but I could still feel it, as if it was through fabric like I was wearing a sock."

"And this one?"

Another poke was made to his foot and for a second he absently wondered if the pen was on and if there'd be ink on the tips of his toes. "It's delayed. I'm watching you prick at it but it's not until seconds later that I'm actually feeling it. It's weak though, the touch is distant."

"Well we did expect some damage."

"What do you plan to do about it?" Nate wasn't happy with Mr. M.D.'s simple acceptance.

"There's nothing I can do. He's regained some feeling which is a great sign and it's possible that even more will return but I can't really say one way or the other."

"Nate," Eliot found himself subtly warning, the anger was barely there but still he recognized it. "it ain't that bad. As long as I'm still standing on two feet I'm good and what's really the worst case scenario? I wont feel it when I'm stupid and kick something."

"Hey now, none of that.
I'm serious about you staying off this leg for a few days and my services can't be matched.
You wont find anyone that'll patch up this foot as good as me."

"Trust you me once was enough."

"Good. Now any questions?" Dr. Torlyn turned to Nate, he was sure he'd have something to say.

"About how much longer do you think I'll be one handed?" He hadn't seen the x-ray of his hand so he didn't know how bad the breaks had been, the ring fingers' had obviously been minor.

"The middle finger was a clean crack, nothing too serious, I'd say another 8-10 days.
Your index finger was two separate breaks so that'll be longer.
I'd estimate another three weeks before it's healed fully so it'd be the beginning of June."

"And my foot?"

"Well that depends on you.
I'd say mid june but it could be July or even longer if you don't care for it properly.
Ignorance or abuse could see you to September with a bone that refuses to heal." Once again he was glancing over the file to make sure he hadn't overlooked anything.

"I get the picture, I'll stay off the foot." Eliot would hand it to him, subtle might not be his game but he knew how to get the point across.

"Anything else?
Any unmanageable pain or difficulty breathing?
Chest pains?
Abdominal cramps?
Fevers?
Anything new or unexplainable?
Complaints?"

Eliot just shook his head no but Nate didn't plan on letting him slide out of the fishing net so easily. "He's been having headaches that make him nauseous."

"Headaches?" And before Eliot knew it he had a light shining in his eyes. "Have you been having any trouble seeing? Blury spots or dizzy spells?"

"No"

"Sensitivity toward light or sound?
Have you lost any memories or had any trouble remembering?
Any black outs or time loss?"

The questions were spoke casually but Eliot could sense the worry behind them and the worry coming from Nate as he sensed the same. "No, nothing like that. Not that I've noticed."

"I think we'll do a scan."

"Why?" Nate was on him immediately, alert as ever.

"I figured I'd pull a page from you and go looking for things that probably aren't there." Dr. Torlyn pulled off his gloves and tossed them out as he moved to the door. "I'm going to go get all that fun stuff in order, I'll send someone to get those sutures removed."

"Are you okay?" Nate asked as soon as the door was closed.

"Are you?" Eliot sent back.

Nate nodded absently.

"Don't over think it Nate." The way he saw things a doctor was being cautious but knowing Nate he was probably envisioning some horrid disease that only gave him two months to live.

"I'm not." There was no room for him to sit on the exam table so he stood next to Eliot instead.

"Don't" He could see the gears turning, somewhere along the line Nate started believing that if he cared for it it had to go and he probably believed this was how it would happen this time. "Babe, just don't."

The small smile and chaste kiss he got was worth leaving his comfort zone.
Never did he ever call Nate anything other than his name, sometimes he'd get a rare babe or baby from the other man but that was seldom and it was never returned.
It was Nate and that was it.
Where he was from those weren't terms of endearment, they were nicknames used on nearly everyone.
Sweetie, sugar, cutie, doll, pumpkin, hun, baby, darlin', boo, they were all a dime a dozen and there was three dozen more but Nate, for him there was only one Nate.

"I wont"

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It was nearly three hours later and he was sitting in the car waiting for Nate to rent an ice machine.

He owned one but it was about eight hours away and despite what people thought his houses were a hobby not mini hospitals.

There wasn't one in every state and they weren't all stocked like an operating room, he only had two like that and he'd never visited them.
In his line of work if an injury was that serious it probably wouldn't be getting attention.
You'd be dead before the thought ever crossed your mind.

"These things are expensive." Nate placed the machine in the backseat from the front, closing his door as he buckled his seatbelt.

"Well what did ya expect?" The humidity was hell on his hair and he once again pushed it back. His curls were unruly and as soon as he found something to do so he was going to pull it back.

"Not for the..." Nate was cut short by the ringing coming from the cup holder in the middle counsel.

"Who is it?" Eliot asked as Nate placed the phone back down and merged into the right hand lane.

"I don't recognize the number, if it's anything important they'll call back." Nate shrugged it off but Eliot lifted the phone to inspect for himself.

"That's Aa... You gave Aaron your number?" He'd recognize it anywhere, he'd dialed the same one for the past four years. "How long have you been talking to him?"

"He found out your phone was disconnected and he wanted a way to be able to make contact." Nate explained as he glanced over to Eliot who was looking accusing.

"So you just gave him your number? Just like that?" He wanted his brother distanced from the life he led and there Nate was making connections.

"He asked me for it in the courthouse.
What was I supposed to say?...No?
Me blowing off your brother wont help our situation." What was Eliot expecting?

"It isn't our situation!"

"How isn't it when I'm stuck in the middle!" Nate was disbelieving in Eliot's words as his grip tightened on the steering wheel.

"You put yourse-...no," Eliot stopped himself from finishing that thought as he blew out a breath and ran his hand across his face. "No... just," He shook his head as he turned his gaze out the window. "We ain't having this conversation."

"Eliot"

"No Nate"

"Eliot" Nate heard more than saw Eliot toss his head back as he decided against pulling over. "Call him."

"I already know what he wants." He sighed as he looked back over to Nate. He knew Nate thought it was his responsibility to make everything between him and his siblings good again but it would be better to let things lie.

"Aaron's on your side right now but if you keep pushing him away you'll lose his understanding."

"He doesn't understand Nate.
He's just accepting what you told him as fact cause he thinks I'll abandon them if he don't.
He wants me to make contact with Sarah so he isn't left to choose between us, but it wont matter.
I could say all the right things, I know what Sarah wants to hear.
If I apologize to her, if I promise to let her in like she wants she'll be good but that wont matter either.
They're gonna get curious and that's gonna bring questions, questions that I wont answer.
I refuse to open that door, not to them and if I don't we'll just end up right back where we are so I need time to think, to figure this out." The turn they had just taken put them 12 blocks away from the house though Eliot recognized it as the long way around.

"Well you think hard then.
You have a family that deserves you, two kids that deserve to have an Uncle around and you deserve that too.
You figure out the best solution for you but don't you dare go pulling away from them, not when you've still got a chance." Nate turned into the driveway putting the car into park soon after.

"I..." He rubbed at his eye as he let Nate's words sink in. "I hear you."

"Good, now le-" For the second time he was interrupted by his phone and a glance at Eliot who was staring at the screen told him who was calling.

Eliot looked to him obviously waiting for his suggestion but he just patted his leg to let him know the decision was completely his.

"Hello... No, no it's me..." A glance toward the house had him thinking that was where he should be as Eliot continued, "Yeah, no. I was just comin' out from seein' the doc, I must've missed ya'." Nodding his head in approval Nate opened his door and climbed out closing it to the beginnings of a light hearted laugh.

Eliot had asked for time and he'd give him privacy to match for what would hopefully turn into a productive conversation.

E/N: These things keep on getting longer (and more complicated)

This one picked up the serious hue that the last few had rid themselves of but I think it ended well.
It even looks like Eliot's working on his anger, he stopped himself from starting an argument and he even dared to listen instead of yell.

Yay for no fighting!

Like I said this one was a little more serious but we'll actually have a little more nice to come before I drop the other shoe.

And now to drop the other shoe, (kidding)... but school is starting back up in a few days and I'm not sure how hectic my schedule will be so it's quite possible you'll be seeing less of me.

Personally I would rather write Neliot than try to earn a degree but apparently you need one of those to get anywhere in the world now a days so unfortunately updates might be slower.

Hopefully not but I thought I'd give you the heads up just in case.