Multiple contusions = bruising aka tissue damage without any tearing
lacerations = a deep cut or tear that is jagged and uneven
partially dislocated left shoulder: upper arm bone is part in and part out of the shoulder socket
dislocation at radiocarpal joint: complete separation of the joint that connects the carpus and the radius (aka were your arm bones meet your wrist bones)
nail avulsion= the nail is torn either partially or completely off the nail bed.

"When you sit there acting like you know me

Acting like you only brought me here to get below me"

Sleep Token - Granite

Leaving Marlene's had been more difficult than Skipper had anticipated; the weight of the ruined evening had hung over them even as they said their good-byes. He'd been distracted since they entered the block, his mind drifting to Hans and what the man could have possibly got himself into since they had last crossed paths months ago.

"Leaving so soon?" the all too familiar voice purred, "and without saying good-bye? I didn't think you were the type."

Skipper rolled his eyes but continued to pack his bag not wanting to give Hans more attention and focus than necessary. "I've already stayed longer than I should have and I shouldn't have had to come here in the first place."

"Yet, you came here, knowing they could have sent anyone. You didn't have to accept the mission." Hans crossed the room and sat down on the end of the bed next to Skipper's bag.

Skipper paused for a moment, calculating his answer carefully because he knew exactly why he had taken the mission, but he couldn't give Hans the satisfaction that he felt a sense of obligation toward him. That he believed that the man he had once fought side by side with, the man he had once trusted with his life, was still underneath the layers of deceit and artificial sleaze. He met Hans' eyes and replied, "Your entire career hinges on you being able to sweet-talk someone one minute then stab them in the back the next. I figured it would be best if someone who is well-aware of your reputation took the job."

Something flickered across Hans' face, but it was just a flicker, nothing lingered to give away what real reaction may have slipped through. Instead a teasing gleam appeared in his eyes as he leaned back onto his palms. "If that's what you have to tell yourself," Hans brushed aside the verbal jab, "but really what harm could it do to stay a few more days? I saw that New York is practically Antarctica at this point."

Skipper added the last of his clothes and ignored the heat buzzing under his skin from the unspoken implication of staying for a few more days. He'd made that mistake before and it had ended with him losing half of everything he owned. Regardless of that particular mistake there were a dozen other reasons he could give Hans. At least half were tied to the fact that Kowalski and Rico were the only ones at HQ and their knack for destruction while the other half were tied to Julien and his knack for getting into trouble. All things that meant little to Hans which meant he would once again just have to hold onto faith that the man he trusted was still there.

"I'm seeing someone."

"So?" Hans scoffed and sat up straight again. "That didn't stop you before."

"It wasn't right even if there were already a number of problems pointing to the end of that relationship." Skipper zipped his bag shut, "besides. This one is different. She saw the type of life I have before we ever started dating and still wanted to be a part of it. She knew and accepted that sometimes I have to put my mission first."

"This someone you're seeing must really be special," Hans remarked and turned his attention to the large glass doors leading to the balcony where he could see the first signs of the sunrise on the horizon.

"She is and I don't want to do anything to jeopardize what I have with her," Skipper moved his bag to the and sat down on the end of the bed next to Hans. He had known him long enough to recognize when he was trying to disengage from a situation. "I still stand by what I said, back in New York the night before you left, I don't play games and I won't play games. Not when it comes to wanting to find someone to share the rest of my life with."

Skipper let the memory carry him to HQ and wished for a brief moment that he hadn't ended his date with Marlene early. Nothing could ever be simple whenever Hans was involved and things had seemed to end on a messier note than usual the last time their paths crossed.

He silently hoped (and was confident) that Hans would still be unconscious, giving him more time to mentally prepare for whatever he was about to walk into. There was a soft whirl and click of the security disengaging as he approached the door and for a moment just let himself feel a rush of pride that his men had handled the situation without him.

"Would you fill out the supplies request?" Kowalski's question greeted Skipper as he walked through the door although it wasn't directed at him.

Instead he saw Kowalski was at the table with his laptop and had held up a form to Rico as the man joined him with two steaming mugs. Wordlessly Rico set a mug next to Kowalski, took the offending form before sitting next to the man and taking the pen that he was offered next.

If it wasn't for the circumstances, it would have been painfully domestic.

"I don't see why you complain about doing paperwork, if you get Rico to do half of it for you," Skipper commented, drawing their attention.

"I complain about doing your paperwork, sir," Kowalski snarked back then added "and Rico just handles the signatures."

"Yep," Rico confirmed as he signed the paper and then looked up at Skipper with an apologetic expression. "Sorry, about your date."

"I was hoping that Private hadn't made it sound so urgent," now the usual attitude was gone from Kowalski's voice. "You could have stayed out longer. I know you and Marlene had been planning tonight for weeks."

Skipper sighed the guilt heavy in his chest. "I know, but Marlene knew that I wouldn't be able to not come check-in. Besides, it's…." he trailed off, unsure of how to explain that he seemed incapable of staying away from Hans. That he had been drawn to the man since day one and no matter how many times Hans seemed to fuck him over he kept coming back.

A look passed between Kowalski and Rico, before the taller man nodded at Skipper and filled the empty space with the simple, "It's Hans."

"It's Hans," Skipper agreed, grateful that it was all he had to say on the matter and also grateful that Private wasn't around to try to pull more out of him in light of the situation. The last thing he wanted was to get feelings involved with a discussion about Hans. He felt a knot in his stomach, and he knew it wasn't fear or anxiety - it was something else. Already he couldn't help but feel a touch of sadness, a longing for what could have been whenever he allowed his brain to linger on the other man for too long. He took a deep breath, trying to shake it off, and tried to focus on the task ahead. "Speaking of, what's the damage?"

"Multiple contusions primarily around his abdomen," as Kowalski began to list injuries Skipper approached the couch to where Hans was resting, "lacerations on his arms and legs, partially dislocated left shoulder, dislocation at radiocarpal joint and nail avulsion on the right."

Skipper's gaze lingered on Hans' face since he hadn't been able to see it in the picture that Rico had sent him. A deep purple almost black bruise eclipsed the left side of the man's face, blanketing his cheek and curving just under his eye. Which seemed to be swollen shut although Skipper could quite tell in comparison to the swelling from the bruise. Han's lip was also split, and blood had trickled from it to the corner of his mouth. Skipper felt anger burn through his veins and he wanted nothing more than to find whoever had laid their hands on Hans and rip out far more than their fingernails.

"That's not everything is it?" He asked, his gaze once again falling to the bruise.

"That's all we can confirm without actual medical equipment. I can't rule out any facial or rib fractures based on what I'm seeing." Kowalski fought the urge to remind Skipper that he was technically an engineer and not a doctor.

"And taking him in for medical isn't an option until we know what happened other than that he was," Skipper paused as the anger flared up again as he tried to bring himself to say what they all recognized.

"Tortured." Rico broke the brief silence, his voice unusually soft as he closed Skipper's sentence, a perfect counter to the rage that had seeped into his commanding officer's voice.

Skipper nodded in agreement even as he spoke, "We can't wait for him to come around if he was targeted specifically and if so, for what." He turned to address the other two and found that they were standing and ready for orders. "Kowalski, contact Alice directly and see if you can get any intel on what Hans was doing or supposed to be doing. Rico, tell Private to call it a night. We need someone on watch but I'd rather it be you."

"On it sir," Kowalski recognized the mess of metaphorical eggshells that were currently surrounding Skipper and didn't dare ask what he was planning on doing. He met Rico's eye for a moment, confirmation of the unspoken knowledge that Skipper would end up spending the night by Hans' side passing between them, before they left the room to fulfill their orders.

Skipper sank to his knees in front of the couch once he knew that he was alone or as alone as he could be with a sleeping Hans. He reached over to the open med kit, tore open a sterile wipe, and wiped away the blood that had found its way to Hans chin from his split lip, careful to not reopen the wound even though it would most likely open again. As he leaned back to throw the wipe onto the table he noticed the fresh blood stains on the couch and felt his stomach twist. They had long since dried but he knew that they hadn't been there before he had left for his date.

Without thinking, Skipper rested a hand over the one Hans had draped over his abdomen, mindful of the bandages and Kowalski's use of the word avulsion, a pretty word for a gruesome act. Then he asked, knowing that there would be no answer, at least not yet, "Hans, what did you get yourself into this time?"