The Infirmary buzzed throughout the morning. Greenshirts coming in and going out. And the entire medical staff resembled a swarm of angry bees ready to sting anyone with their needles! Why? Because some low life Joe had laced a high dosage of Paraxanthine in the Greenshirt's Mess Halls' coffee that sent most of the soldiers to the Infirmary with high blood pressure and palpitations! EKGs, Heart monitors, and dozens of blood pressure machines filled the exams rooms!
Dr. Caveman and his team of First Aid, Dr. Heart and even Judi raced back and forth in the Infirmary for medications, supplies and machines! Lifeline barked orders left and right, helping with the situation and wished Doc was there! Nurses and the medical Greenshirts assisted the doctors as best as they could, but even they too could feel the strain of the entire ordeal!
Duke and Flint had stormed into the Infirmary, asking for answers to which none of the medical staff could even supply! The general, infuriated with the practical jokester, to which the guilty party was still MIA! All minds came to the same instant conclusion that it had to be Shipwreck and Anchors but both sailors had been sent to the U.S.S. Flagg for a weeks worth of exercises in order to keep the base in one piece after their last practical joke that sent them both to the Infirmary due to Lady Jaye's wrath.
Duke had ordered Mutt and his team of dog handlers to search all of the Greenshirts barracks and mess hall for any other form of unauthorized medications or anything worse! However, Mutt, Sky Dancer, Kastor, Fang and Pawz came all empty handed! The barracks were clean! And that made the general's mood even more foul!
After hours of examinations and hospitalization of several Greenshirts to keep them over night for observations, the entire medical team breathed a sigh of relief, having handled the situation. Lifeline divided the medical team in two, allowing one team to rest, while the other remained in the Infirmary until the teams would switch places.
Cayden entered his office, sat in his chair and gave out a frustrated breath. He closed his eyes, allowing hm to control his temper as everyone knew that he had inherited that from none other than his mother! Taking a deep breath and releasing it, he opened his eyes and glanced to his computer. It would take hours to write down all the day's reports! He sighed, knowing he had to begin work, so he could try to return to his quarters and to his wife and children.
He glanced to the photo of his wife, smiling with those beautiful eyes, long strawberry-blonde hair and that lovely smile that melted him each time. He missed his Colleen and his two daughters tremendously! With his schedule and research work, his hours with them were short. He also missed the other clan members. The other day, Colleen had walked into his office holding her shoulder, informing him that she had a fight with Sky Dancer and got pushed. His temper rose and wanted to chase the pilot with the longest needle he ever had when he noticed his wife holding her giggles. After finding out it was mostly a "theatrical production fight" Cayden did indeed chase someone with the longest needle he had! Colleen! But it saddened him that he kept missing out on the special times with the family.
Then his thoughts trailed to his mother. Jaye had begun to rarely come to the Infirmary and mostly remained in her office or was at one of the clan quarters, but his intellectual mind knew that she was hiding from him! He did not need his high IQ to evaluate that his mother eluded everyone to hide her pain. He let out another sigh. His research this time was futile! He had read all the medical journals he could, he had researched everything he could on the internet, and he even reached out to other doctors in hopes of finding the medication that will help with her cancer! But he came up empty handed and he felt like a failure.
And then his thought traveled to Judi and a growl escaped his throat. His assistant kept a close encounter with him every day! Where ever he was in the Infirmary, she was close by, very close by! And that unnerved him! He had become extremely uncomfortable with his assistant and she would not take the hint that he was not interested in her! Not as friend, not as anything else! And he could not wait till the day her internship was completed and she could leave the base! But a thought was in the back of his mind. What if she was asked to remain as a permanent staff member? Lifeline was currently in charge of the Infirmary, he was second, though his thoughts could outweigh that decision.
Judi had continued to be his shadow, and even brought him homemade treats, to which the garbage bin was thankful! He shook his head and closed his eyes, a memory came to focus. Colleen had entered his office one day and had seen Judi standing very near to him and he felt numb! He did not want to see his wife experience this type of pain! But he was so grateful to have Colleen. She had become a trooper in all this, but he knew if his assistant overstepped her boundaries, his wife will show her what a second degree black belt really meant! And he did not want to experience that in his eyes!
He leaned over, resting his elbows on the desk and covered his face with his hands, shaking his head. He just wished he could go to his quarters and to his wife and children! But he was needed at the Infirmary and that visit had to wait. Again! How many times he had slept in his office due the amount of work that had consumed entire endless nights? Too many and the guilt in his heart over came it. He vowed to make it up to his wife! He promised himself that he would take Colleen and the twins to Faireborn Farms for a long week, then travel to Scotland for another. They needed this! They needed him! And he needed them!
"Muffin?", came close to his ear and he bolted straight up and found himself extremely close to his assistant.
"What do you need, Judi?" he asked, already annoyed she had entered his office without knocking and pushed his chair away from her extremely near distance.
Judi straighten up. "I just came to offer some of my famous chocolate muffins!" She sent him a smirk, while her hand held a plastic container filled with the chocolate treats. "I made them this morning! Lifeline loved them! He had three!"
"Uh.. maybe later? Okay? Can't you see I am busy?" Cayden sent her an even look, maybe she would take the hint and leave!
"Suit yourself." Judi shrugged and placed down the container on his desk. "Do you need me to file anything, Dr. Cay?"
He cringed when she called him that! Colleen only called him that and coming out of the mouth of another woman, did not suit him! He shook his head, declining her offer. "No, all the files are in order."
"I can restock the medicine closet. We may need to restock several medicines!" Judi suggested, taking a step closer to him.
"Why don't—" but his words were cut by another woman entering his office.
Dr. Heart knocked on the door and entered without permission. She cleared her throat, which immediately the other woman in the room moved backwards away from the young medical doctor and his desk. "Dr. Caveman, I have some medical forms for you to sign."
"Of course!" Cayden immediately responded, reverting his attention to the other doctor.
Dr. Heart strode into the room, her posture straight, her black hair in a professional bun and her white coat floating around her that came down to her knees. Her keen eyes glanced from the young doctor to his assistant and back. "Here you are," she said, handing Cayden the manila folders.
But before Cayden opened the folder to sign the paperwork, Dr. Heart cast another look toward her colleague's assistant.
"Judi, please take the remainder of the day off," Dr. Heart requested. "You worked extra hard today and you earned a well deserved rest!"
"But I—" Judi went to protest, her eyes wide.
Dr. Heart walked up to the woman. "I insist! We can't have the interns overworked and exhausted!"
The woman is a saint! Cayden thought to himself! He caught the doctor's hint. He was not the only one who had caught on to Judi's intentions!
"I agree with Dr. Heart!" Cayden agreed. "Take the rest of the day off, Judi!"
Judi frowned, her features indicating she did not wish to leave but they had given her no other choice. "Very well, I'll see you both tomorrow! Bright and early!" And with that, she left the office, her blonde locks bouncing and her heels echoing down the hall.
Dr. Heart looked toward the door and then shook her head. In her years as a doctor, she had encountered many types of interns! But in all of her ten years of professional work, this one in particular had her baffled! Something about this particular intern did not seem right. And she had noticed how Judi revolved around a certain young doctor! And that made her skin crawl!
"Let me get these papers signed," Cayden said as he took hold of the manila folders in his hands.
Dr. Heart cleared her throat once again. "Those are empty."
Cayden glanced up, surprised. "Empty?"
Dr. Heart nodded, her blue eyes shinning with victory. "I saw her come in here, so I had to act quickly and just grabbed some empty folders!"
"You mean.." Cayden gapped astonished and then laughed. "Thank you!"
Dr. Heart smiled. "Don't mentioned it, what are colleagues for!" She then glanced at the container on the desk and picked it. "From Judi?"
Cayden sighed and nodded. He raked a hand through his hair and let out a long breath of relief! Thank God for Dr. Heart!
"I'll throw these in the garbage bin where they belong!" Dr. Heart smiled, patting the young doctor on the shoulder. She then noticed the screen on Cayden's computer. "Is that Dr. Jenkins article on the new plant based treatment for cancers?"
Cayden turned toward his computer, surprised. He had forgotten that he had left the article on the screen. "Yes, it is," he answered in a sad tone. "I am hoping that his research could help my mother."
Dr. Heart bit her lower lip, tilted her head and tapped her chin with her finger. "I don't want to overstep my boundaries, but may I speak freely?"
"Of course, Liz," Cayden said, giving her his full professional attention.
"Have you heard of Kampo?" Dr. Heart asked.
Cayden slowly nodded. "Yes."
Dr. Heart smiled. "My father's old colleague is a well known doctor in Japan. He is well known for his Kampo treatments for various cancers." She then leaned down and took a piece of memo pad from Cayden's desk. "Here, let me write down his contact number and address. He maybe able to provide some medical help for your mother's treatment and diagnosis."
"Do you think he maybe able to help with my mom's cancer?" Cayden asked hopefully.
"I don't know but you can give it a try!" Dr. Heart answered him genuinely.
Cayden took the contact information and thanked his colleague. Maybe this was his answer! Could this treatment help his mother's cancer? His stomach felt heavy and prayed with all his heart that maybe this was indeed the only way to save his mother!
"Dr. Heart! Dr. Caveman!" Sky Dancer's angelic voice echoed near by, her tone a little panicked.
Colleen! Could something had happened to his wife? Or his unborn child? Panic rose to his chest.
Sky Dancer appeared by the doorway, her eyes wide and her short bob haircut in a distortedly state as she had been running. While she held a large box in her arms. "I have a patient for you!"
Cayden groaned. "Who did what?" He did not need another irresponsible Joe patient now!
Dr. Heart turned to the pilot. "Where is the patient? In an exam room?"
Sky Dancer shook her head. "No. In here!" She patted the box with one of her hands.
"What did you do, Reena!?" Cayden queried seriously. "Did you have Apollo chew Shipwreck to pieces and you put them in that box?"
"You wish!" Sky Dancer's eyes glimmered and Dr. Heart laughed. The pilot placed the box on the desk. "He is really hurt!"
"Who's hurt?" Cayden rose from the chair, getting his stethoscope ready.
Sky Dancer slowly opened the top of the box revealing what was inside. "Him!"
Cayden glanced down at the bottom of the box and his eyes widened. There, lying to its side, breathing heavily, was a huge brown rabbit and blood trailed all over the animal. The animal looked severely in pain and he sent a quick glance to Dr. Heart, who also had the same conclusion that they may have to euthanize the rabbit.
"Apollo found him!" Sky Dancer explained to the doctors. "I was showing the new handlers the new training course when Apollo started to bark and ran inside the bushes! That is where I found him!"
Dr. Heart looked down at the injured rabbit. "Do you know what got to him?"
Sky Dancer shook her head, her hand reaching for her silver locket, touching it gently. "No, but maybe a coyote? None of the dogs would attack another animal! They are all too well trained!"
Cayden checked the vitals on the rabbit. "He really doesn't sound too good." He then looked to Dr. Heart. "Do you think you could take a good x-ray on that hind leg? I don't think he can move much."
Dr. Heart sprang into action. ""I'll try my best!" She took hold of the box and left the room, her white coat floating.
Cayden sat down back in his chair, both now waiting for Dr. Heart's return. "So," he said casually, eyeing the pilot with a serious face. "I heard you were in a fight and beat up my wife."
Sky Dancer's eyes widened to their fullest. "Hey, she pushed me too! Besides, she started it and it was all her idea!"
Cayden laughed. "I know, Reena! Colleen told me everything!" He watched her breathe a sigh of relief.
"The four of us have not done anything together for a while." Sky Dancer's remark caught him off guard. "I kinda miss our get togethers."
"Me too," Cayden agreed, "Maybe we could get together this weekend."
"Sounds good to me! I don't think Jeffrey has plans," Sky Dancer informed him.
"Then it's settled. We dump the grandkids at the grandparents and we all go out for a nice dinner!" Cayden said, with a grin.
Sky Dancer nodded. "Only one thing."
"What's that?"
"I have to get Duke's permission to leave the base, remember," Sky Dancer sighed.
Cayden laughed and was about to say something when Dr. Heart entered the room with the rabbit in the box.
"Here we are!" Dr. Heart smiled, placing the box back on Cayden's desk. "I'm waiting for the film to develop but I managed to stop the bleeding with some gauze."
A few moments later, a nurse entered and handed Dr. Heart the x-rays, where she studied them on Cayden's x-ray wall light. "Hmm, seems that his hind leg is broken in a few places but you can see the clear break on the tibia."
"Ouch!" Cayden remarked.
Sky Dancer looked from one doctor to the other. "His leg can be treated, right? You won't have to put him down. Right?", she asked nervously.
Dr. Heart turned to the pilot. "I don't know, even if he mends, he may not be able to be placed back into the wild."
"Then what is going to happen to him?" Sky Dancer asked. "We could keep him in the kennels. The dogs may have a field day though."
Cayden looked down at the rabbit, who stared at him with fear in its eyes. "Let's make sure we can mend him first and then decide." He then slowly reached in the box. "Dr. Heart, can you assist me with him?"
Dr. Heart nodded and headed out of the room, getting medical supplies. All too soon, she returned and both doctors wrapped the rabbit's leg with a splint.
"There!" Dr. Heart said, gently petting the rabbit. "So, who wants a new pet?"
Sky Dancer shook her head. "Unfortunately, I can't take him, I have two kids and a pack of dogs who won't want Thumper as a roommate!"
"Two children?" Dr. Heart blinked at the pilot. "I believed you only had one son."
"No, two," Sky Dancer said seriously, "C.J. and Jeffrey."
Cayden let out a loud guffaw and held his stomach. "Re..reena, don't let him hear you say that!"
"And don't you tell him!" Sky Dancer smirked.
Dr. Heart shook her head. "I can't take Mr. Rabbit here either. I have two cats at home!"
"For now, let's heal this guy and we can find him a home later," Cayden informed them.
"Cayden, I have a small dog crate back at the kennels which can be made for him as temporary hutch for now and I can place some of the smaller bowls we have." But then her face changed. "But someone needs to go and get some pellets for him to eat!"
"Pellets?"
"Bunny food!" Sky Dancer explained. "I'll get him some carrots and lettuce from the Mess for now and then see if Mutt can run to the pet shop later!" She turned toward the door. "I'll be right back!"
They watched the pilot leave the room.
"And I need to check on the Greenshirt patients!" Dr. Heart said, "Before Lifetime makes us both be patients!" And with that, she turned and dashed out of the office, her coat once again floating.
Cayden shook his head and glanced down at the rabbit who was still breathing heavily but seemed to have relaxed. He hoped that the animal could be mended and not be euthanized. He closed the lid on the box, just in case the rabbit decided to hop out and left it on his desk.
He focused back on his computer and then his gaze went to Dr. Heart's memo with the Japanese doctor's information. Maybe the doctor could bring some light to his research. Maybe the Kampo method could be his answer to the cure for his mother's cancer! He had found the cure the first time with using the native plants back in Scotland, maybe now he could use both methods to create a new plant base medicine. He reached for the phone when someone entered his office.
"Hey Danny, you busy?" Flint entered the office, balancing on his cane and limped toward the chair, sitting down with a wince.
"Dad!?" Cayden sprung up from his chair. "Are you all right?"
Flint rose his hand to wave him off. "Sit down, I'm fine. I just over did it today."
"You need to be more careful, Dad!" Cayden warned him.
"I'll will, Dr, Caveman," Flint chucked. "I came to talk. Got time?"
"I always have time for you, Dad!" Cayden said, giving his father his most upmost attention!
Flint sighed. "It's about your mother."
"You noticed too, huh?" Cayden said.
Flint nodded. "She thinks she can hide it from me, but she can't! I'm just playing dumb!"
"It's way worse than I thought, Dad." Cayden lowered his head. "And whatever I give her, it won't work!"
"I know you, Danny," Flint said with great pride. "You are doing your best and that is all I ever have asked for."
"I feel like I failed you both!" Cayden heaved, the pressure on his shoulders was tremendously heavy.
"Failed us?" Flint said, with a wide grin. "Never!"
Cayden looked up at his father. "There maybe a small chance but I don't know…"
"Even a small chance can be something when you put your mind to it!" Flint said to his son.
Cayden nodded. "Dr. Heart's father has a colleague that maybe able to help with mom's cancer." But his features were grim. "However, I don't know if his research and mine can be fused together and work."
"It's a try!" Flint encouraged his son.
Cayden nodded. "I'll contact the doctor in Japan and see if we can put our researches and findings together to find a new treatment for mom's cancer."
"Danny, know this, whatever you do and whatever happens, I am so deeply proud of you and the man, husband and father you have become!"
"Oh, Dad!" Cayden sniffled, standing up, walking over to his father and hugging him. "I love you guys so much!"
Flint patted his son on the back. "I love you too, Danny!"
"Cayden, I'm bac—" Sky Dancer's voice entered the room and both men looked up to find the pilot frozen in mid-step, while holding a beige dog crate in her hand. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to intrude!"
"Sky Dancer, I am going to take this cane and whack you on the head!" Flint threatened at the pilot.
Cayden tried not to laugh, and bit his lower lip.
"What .. what did I do?" Sky Dancer paled and took a step backwards.
Flint turned toward the pilot and waved the cane at her. "You know what you did, young lady!", he grunted, "You gave that hat from hell to Eryn and it's driving us insane! She won't stop wearing it and all you hear all day and all night is Cluck, Cluck, Cluck!"
Sky Dancer gulped and Cayden burst out laughing, holding his stomach once again.
"Dad, just take out the batteries!" Cayden managed to say.
Flint blinked and stared at his son slacked jawed, then turned again to the pilot. "It better have batteries for your sake, Sky Dancer!"
The box suddenly moved and the warrant officer jumped.
"What the hell!" Flint gasped, staring at the box. "What's in there."
Cayden chuckled and patted the box with his hand. "You mean who!" He sent a wink to Sky Dancer before adding, "Didn't you hear, Dad? Apollo chewed up Shipwreck in pieces and Reena put him in this box and brought him over so I can patch him up!"
Flint's jaw hit the floor and looked from his son to the pilot and then back to his son with his mouth wide open.
"Cayden, can you please help me put him in the crate. He is going to suffocate in there!" Sky Dancer fully entered the room, holding the crate in her hands. "I added some soft bedding for him."
"Okay, let me pick him up and place him in there," Cayden said, reaching in the box. "Don't bite me!"
Flint blinked and watched as his son pulled out a huge rabbit from the box and place it in the crate, closing the door. "A bunny!?"
"Apollo found him in the bushes," Sky Dancer explained to the warrant officer. "Want a free rabbit?"
Flint rose his hand in the air. "No, thank you! I already have two crazy dogs and two crazy Scots at home and a psycho chicken hat! That is more than I can handle!"
Sky Dancer and Cayden laughed.
Suddenly, the Intercom sounded in a loud dissonance sound that made them all cringe.
"SKY DANCER! GET YOUR SEXY BUTT IN MY OFFICE! NOW!"
Sky Dancer looked at the other two men in horror but before she can utter a word, another voice echoed.
"JEFFREY HAUSER! That was not funny four years ago and it's not funny now!" Duke's voice echoed through the intercom. "You have KP Duty for a month!"
Sky Dancer shook her head, started talking in Greek and left the room in a huff.
Flint stared at the pilot as he watch her disappear from his view. "What did she just say?", he asked his son who was holding on to his stomach from the laughter.
"You.. you don't want to know, Dad!" Cayden laughed. "But I maybe patching up a body part later on Jeffrey!"
Flint blinked in shock and shook his head. "Retirement. I may need retirement!" He then looked at the crate on the desk. "She forgot the rabbit."
Cayden looked inside the crate, watching the rabbit start to eat some carrot that the pilot had placed inside. "He needs to heal first."
Flint slowly stood up and walked to the crate, looking inside. "So what are you going to do with Bugs Bunny over here?"
Cayden's eyes lit up with an idea. "I am going to finish up my shift and then take this guy home with me tonight!"
Flint shook his head. "Well, have fun with Bugs. Me, I need to go back to my suite, rest this leg and kill a chicken hat."
Cayden laughed as he watched his father leave his office and he sat back down in his chair and picked up the contact information and started dialing. Hope. That was all that was left!