Chapter 223 – Doug's Devotion to Jack

Finally, they were able to slow Jack's breathing and the lightheaded feeling passed.

"How are we going to do this?" Jack rasped.

"We can unwrap your torso here and check that." Jacobs said. "Then Doug can get you situated in the bedroom so Faith can administer the chloroform and we finish."

Jack nodded.

"We will give you another minute." Jacobs said. "Then we will unwrap your torso, check the bruising and then rewrap you."

Jack nodded again. Once Jack was ready, he stood with some help and Jacobs and Dee started unwrapping his torso with a practiced speed they had done several times. As Jack's chest and back became visible, Doug gasped out loud. He figured it was bad, but he wasn't prepared for what he saw. Jack looked down slightly.

"Don't worry." Jack said. "At least it is fading."

Jack was right. There were only a few purple spots, the rest had faded to various shades of yellow and showed evidence of healing. Still Doug was taken aback at Jack's injuries. Either Joe had tried to spare him or wasn't aware of the severity of the injuries. Doug knew that he was going to have a heart to heart with Jack about what exactly had happened and how bad it was. Doug also figured that Jack was keeping a lot to himself and needed to process it.

"Hold up." Faith said. "I want to check that spot near the bottom of Jack's right side."

She moved over and she was standing in front of Jack, just to his right side.

"Jack." Faith said. "I want you to take as deep a breath as you can, then hold it. Then I am going to palpate that spot. It might hurt, but I want to make sure as best we can that you don't have a broken rib. Do you understand?"

Jack nodded.

"Then whenever you are ready." Faith said.

Jack took a deep breath and was dreading Faith touching his ribs. He knew that they were sore. As Jack took his deep breath, Faith reached out and ran her fingers across the bruise, putting just the slightest pressure across the area. The action caused Jack to exhale and hiss in pain. Dee helped Jack sit down for a moment as he felt Jack's knees buckle in the slightest as he hissed in pain.

"Sorry Jack." Faith said. "I don't think that the ribs are broken, it might just be from laying on your right side. We will keep an eye on it."

"Do you think you could put a little more padding there when you wrap him back up?" Doug asked. "I know that helped me."

"We can try." Jacobs said. "Good thinking."

"Thank you." Jack rasped.

After a few minutes, they got Jack standing again. Dee and Jacobs set about rewrapping Jack's torso. As they got to the sore spot, Doug had folded up a dressing and held it in place as Jacobs pulled the wrapping across it.

"How does that feel?" Jacobs asked.

"Better." Jack said.

"Good." Jacobs said.

When they were done, Jack sat back in the chair. Everyone could tell that he was spent and in a good amount of pain.

"How is your pain?" Faith asked. "And please be honest."

"Bad." Jack said. "But not the worst it has been."

"Okay." Faith said.

"So what do you need now?" Jack asked.

"I want to check the bruising on your hip." Faith said. "We can do that when we change the dressing. So like before, undressed, but you can cover yourself with a towel. Once you are set, I will administer the chloroform. I will be watching your breathing while Jacobs changes the dressing. So the easiest way to do this is to get you propped up on your side, but slightly rolled onto your back. We can roll you back over to change the dressing."

"Okay." Jack said defeated.

"I got you buddy." Doug said. "I will be right there and won't leave you alone."

Jack nodded. As much as he knew that the chloroform would help, he hated not being in control. It was another reason that he hated the pain meds. It helped ease his mind that Doug was going to be there. He understood why Jack didn't like the meds. Doug helped him into the bedroom and helped him get situated. He helped Jack slip his pajama pants off, then cover himself with a towel. Doug then helped Jack lay down on the other towel. He then covered Jack with a sheet after getting him propped up like Faith had said.

As Doug stood up to open the door, Jack grabbed his arm. Doug looked back at him and saw the fear and questions in Jack's eyes.

"I promise." Doug said. "I will do everything to protect your modesty and I won't leave you until you are awake again. I promise. You know I have never broken a promise I made to you."

"Thank you." Jack rasped.

Doug stepped away to open the door and Faith came in. Dee and Jacobs waited at the door.

"Jack." Faith said. "I am only going to give you a very small amount at a time. I am only going to give you enough to knock you out. If I have to give you a little more, then I will. We want you under, just enough that we can do what we need to and you are relaxed. Do you understand?"

"Yes." Jack said. "Doug can stay?"

"Of course." Faith said. "If that is what you want."

Jack nodded his head. Doug took a seat back by Jack's side.

"I am right here." Doug said. "I told you I wasn't leaving. I made a promise and I will keep it. Look at me."

Jack looked at Doug and saw the determination in his eyes. He knew that Doug wouldn't let him down. He wasn't sure how Doug had gotten to Hope Valley, but he was glad that he was there. Doug put his hand on Jack's shoulder to comfort him and Jack gave him a half hearted smile. Doug then looked at Faith and gave her a nod.

"Jack." Faith said. "I am going to put this over your nose and mouth. I just want you to take a couple of deep breaths. Close your eyes and relax."

Faith put a couple of drops of chloroform on the cone and then placed it over Jack's nose and mouth. He closed his eyes and took a couple of deep breaths. Doug talked to him in a soothing voice. He also stroked Jack's shoulder in a comforting manner. After a few minutes, he looked up at Faith.

"He is out." Doug said.

"Jack." Faith said.

With no response she agreed. She motioned for Dee and Jacobs to come in.

"Let's go." Jacobs said.

He immediately had Dee help him roll Jack up on his side. They pulled the sheet back. Doug took the extra towel and covered Jack like he said he would. Jacobs opened the binding holding the dressing in place. Once he removed the dressing, he took the hot water and washed the area. Faith was keeping an eye on Jack and his breathing. She was also watching to see if he had any reaction to what Jacobs was doing. Doug was almost solely focused on Jack, his body and reactions. Jacobs was able to get all the way to the first alcohol wash before there was any reaction from Jack. Faith put the cone back over Jack's nose and mouth to give him a little more chloroform.

Once Jacobs and Dee had cleaned and redressed the wound, Faith removed the cone and checked Jack's breathing. When she was done, she motioned for the guys to roll Jack back. She then got up and moved over by Jacobs. Doug carefully moved the sheet so they could check Jack's hip. Faith lifted the edge of the binding and saw the bruising was looking a little better. She then moved Jack's leg a bit and saw that it indeed hadn't spread. Once they were done, they left Jack propped up on the pillow, rolled more on his back. Doug made sure he was covered.

"Are you good?" Jacobs asked.

"Yes." Faith said. "I am satisfied that the bruising on the front is not worse. Now we just need to wait until he wakes up and see where his pain is. How did the wound look? I didn't get a good look."

"It is getting better." Jacobs said. "The redness has gone down and there were no signs of infection."

"Good." Faith said.

"Doug." Jacobs said.

"I am fine." Doug said. "I promised Jack I would be here until he woke up."

"Then we will clean up." Jacobs said.

The others set about removing the used items and cleaning everything. Doug sat there focused on Jack. He was once again talking to him soothingly. He brushed his hair off his forehead and kept his other hand on Jack's shoulder.

Dee was the first one out of the room and he looked at Elizabeth. He saw the fear in her eyes.

"He is still out." Dee said. "We got everything done and he is healing. Faith only had to give him a very small amount and he did fine. I know that it is hard to go from screaming to silence. At least before you knew that he was alive. I promise he is fine. Doug is going to sit with him until he is awake. Then they will check his pain level. Even if he doesn't get more morphine, he will probably take some aspirin and want to sleep."

"Thank you." Elizabeth said. "I just want him well and back to my Jack."

"And it will be." Dee said. "It is just going to take a little time."

Dee washed his hands and then went over and gave his cousin a hug.

"I promise." Dee said. I will be here until Jack is well on the road to recovery. I know that McGinty is staying for the foreseeable future as well. I will do what I can to get it so Doug can stay as well. There are plenty of people here for you. And you know that we all want to see Jack recover and build that house for you and this little one (Dee put his hand over Elizabeth's baby bump)."

Faith washed her hands and went over to Elizabeth as well.

"I promise." Faith said. "Jack did really well. If we can get through the next couple of days with as much ease, he will be well on his way to recovery. Remember this is a marathon and not a sprint. Like pregnancy, it is a lot of waiting to see. Jack will be back on his feet in no time. I know that waiting is hard, but in reality it is only time that is going to make things better. The only thing that is going to heal Jack is his own body. All we can do is to make sure he has the things he needs."

Elizabeth nodded. She knew what they were telling her, no matter how much her heart was screaming for them to 'just fix him'.

"Why don't you sit with him for a bit." Faith said. "Doug promised he would be right there until Jack woke up, but I am sure he wouldn't mind you sitting there as well."

Elizabeth looked between them and then looked at the room. She did want to sit with Jack. She wanted more than that, but she would take holding his hand for now.

After the others left, Doug bowed his head and let a couple of tears slip down his cheek. After a moment, Doug put his hand on Jack's head and quietly said a prayer. He then gently put his hand on Jack's hip and said another prayer. After a moment, Doug pulled out a Rosary and started praying in Latin. Doug continued to pray for his friend. He knew how hard it was for him. Not only did Doug have an intimate knowledge of the pain that Jack was going through, but he understood the emotional and mental pain that Jack was also dealing with. He might not have said much, but Doug could read Jack.

For as close as Jack and Joe were, because they had been together for almost a year longer, it was Jack and Doug that intimately bonded together, just like Jack and Elizabeth were intimately bonded together in a different way as husband and wife. Joe saw the bond that Jack and Doug had. He might not have fully understood it, but he respected it well enough and wasn't jealous. Just like Joe knew that Jack had a different intimate bond with Elizabeth as her husband, Joe wasn't jealous of that either. He was just glad that he was able to help Jack in whatever way that he could. Joe also knew for Doug that it was much stronger than that and would not hesitate to lay down his life if it meant that Jack had one more day on this earth with his wife and child.

Doug finished the Rosary, but kept his head bowed in prayer. His hand was on Jack's shoulder/neck so he could feel every breath that Jack took. He felt Jack's breathing quicken and fearing a nightmare coming on raised his head. He rolled Jack as far over on his back as he felt comfortable. He quickly adjusted the sheet so he was covered. Doug then put his left hand on Jack's chest and leaned down as close to his ear as he could get.

"I am right here, buddy." Doug whispered. "Calm your mind and relax. I won't allow anything to happen to you. You are safe and I will stand watch. You relax."

It took a moment of him repeating himself before Doug felt Jack relax again and his breathing even back out. Doug put his head down and kept his hand on Jack's chest. He was almost willing to give his own strength to Jack so he would heal. Sensing someone was close, Doug looked up. He saw Elizabeth. If she noticed the tear stains on his cheeks, she didn't say anything.

"I was wondering if I could sit with Jack too?" Elizabeth asked.

Doug used his right hand to motion to the chair that Faith had used at the head of the cot. Elizabeth moved over and took a seat in the chair. She looked at Doug.

"I didn't mean to interrupt." Elizabeth said.

"You are not." Doug said. "I was just praying for Jack."

Even as Doug looked up and spoke to Elizabeth, he kept his hand over Jack's heart.

"How is he doing?" Elizabeth asked.

"He is doing good." Doug said. "I don't think that he will be out much longer. I know that he will be tired, but it shouldn't be long and he will open his eyes if we ask. A certain amount of chloroform needs to wear off before that happens. I saw and Nurse Carter honestly didn't give him that much. Just enough to put him under and relax his body."

"Thank you." Elizabeth said.

"What for?" Doug asked.

"For being here for Jack." Elizabeth said. "For being his friend and watching over him. I can see that you are closer than most friends."

Doug went to interrupt, but Elizabeth held up her hand.