Time for doctor Law. (¬‿¬)
~ x ~
Rose POV
Pain. That was all she felt when she came to. Her body was shrieking at her, her nerves were fizzling. Yet her brain felt numb to all the signals from the outside world and she had no awareness of her surroundings. She felt trapped, suffocated by the fuzziness in her brain and the throbbing pain that wouldn't cease. Her head was pounding, and a sticky wetness was trickling down the back of her neck.
Somebody help... she called out weakly to someone, anyone. But nobody heard her it seemed. Help...it hurts...
Feeling a cold chill on her legs, she realised with a sickening twist in her stomach that her shorts and underwear had been pulled down. Without the headspace to unpack what that could mean, she pulled them up shakily, gasping in pain at the searing pain on her hip.
An ear-splitting scream ripped through the air in the dungeon. Rose couldn't tell if it was one of pain or sadness - or something else - but it made her flinch away from the sound, her heart racing in terror. Stop screaming... Then all of a sudden, it was quiet.
Rose tried to wrench in a deep breath, but it the air wasn't quite coming into her lungs. Her neck felt swollen, and she coughed violently. With what felt like all her energy, she rolling onto her side with a groan, and then a fierce pain erupted from her ribs. She cried out, gasping. A rush of nausea hit her, and she dry heaved onto the floor. Her vision blurred with tears, and she let out a sob. What's happening?
Something furry touched her. She flinched away in fear, trembling uncontrollably.
Don't touch me... She whimpered, unable to turn her head towards whatever it was. When it touched her again, she thrashed her arms in panic, connecting with something hard. Leave me alone! She hissed in desperation, then collapsed back on the floor, another sob leaving her. Please...no more...
Then, she felt something else gently grasp her wrist. She froze. A warm hand. Then someone spoke to her. The sound didn't make sense - she didn't understand. What? The same words were repeated.
"Can you hear me?" The voice was low but urgent. Rose trembled - it sounded like a man. But it didn't have the same harsh, aggressive tone as she was expecting. Yes... she gasped, trying to turn to blink at the source of the voice. The pain in her body doubled at her movement, and she cried out again.
"Don't move." The voice spoke again. "Where does it hurt?"
Rose took a sobbing breath. Everywhere. Every trembling breath was like breathing fire. Her head was pounding, and she couldn't tell if the stickiness trickling down her face were tears or blood. Her vision was still swimming and blotchy, and she felt nauseous.
An arm slipped under her shoulders, then her knees, bringing her closer to a warm body. She jerked in panic, feeling her pulse race again. No, stop... she protested before she felt herself being lifted off the ground. "Stop!" She found the energy to yell then, trying to pull away from the arms.
"Stop struggling, you're making it worse." The low voice commanded, and she stilled, still hissing in pain. She felt the swaying as she was being carried and looked up to faintly notice that she was being carried out of the dungeon-like prison. The bright light of the hallway caught her off guard and she squeezed her eyes shut.
"No, please don't...hurt me..." She mumbled exhaustedly, nearly incoherent.
"I won't." The deep voice replied as the person carrying her began to walk quickly. She heard the sound of two pairs of feet smacking against the floor, and slightly hurried breathing from whoever was carrying her.
"She's nearly unconscious..." The voice spoke again, but not to her, it seemed. "Bepo, go ahead...prepare...heal..." The voice began to fade Rose's mind fell in and out of consciousness. Her breathing was loud in her ears, and the pain in her body was starting to dull...
"Hey!" The arms shook her slightly, and she gasped as she was jolted out of the numbing fog in her mind. "Stay awake. I need you conscious." A low voice told her. She whimpered as her body throbbed, yet it brought Rose closer to consciousness.
She stirred slightly, her eyes opening but not completely focusing. A blurred face came into view. She blinked, trying to get her eyes to focus on the person. The light was too bright for her to see clearly, but she saw dark hair framing a tanned face. The furry white cap reminded her of someone. Her brain struggled to recall something...
"You...!" Rose choked out, tensing up as she realised who he was. This man had locked her in that room with those men. He was a pirate, someone not to be trusted.
Her instincts struck her with terrifying force, telling her to run. She struggled feebly in his arms, grabbing the hand that was supporting her legs. "Let - cough - let me go..." Grey eyes met hers. He tightened his grip.
"You're safe - I'm a doctor."
"No, you're a pirate…!" She hissed weakly, gripping his wrist.
"Stop moving, damn it!" He said, voice clipped and impatient, but something in the way he was looking at her made her still. He seemed serious, earnest. "I am going to heal you, not hurt you."
Rose found herself calming down a little in his arms as she finally registered what he'd said. He's a doctor... Wincing, she looked down at her lower half where a stab of pain had occurred.
Blood. It was covering her torso. It seemed that everywhere she looked, she saw red. Her hand shook violently as she weakly lifted it towards her face. Blood coated it like a sickly paint.
"What...!" She began to panic again, her breathing becoming out sharp and shallow. All reason was shoved from her mind as the sickly smell hit her nose and her stomach lurched. "Why is there so much blood!?" She whispered, terrified.
"Hey. Look at me." His voice cut through the panic like a scalpel. She obeyed, wide eyes snapping to his steady grey ones. "Breathe. Slowly."
She sucked in a shaky breath, but it was too fast, too ragged. His grip on her tightened slightly—not harsh, but grounding.
"In through your nose. Out through your mouth." His voice remained steady, controlled.
It wasn't working. This was all too much for her. She couldn't stop the images of the men from flashing in front of her. The memory of the dark, musky prison cell sprung before her eyes, and she broke down. Letting out a wet sob, fresh tears gathered in her eyes; she dipped her head, her breathing became erratic. She couldn't struggle anymore. It hurt too much.
As they turned a corner, Rose realised they had approached a doorway. The room inside was darker than the corridor, and she trembled with anticipation as the doctor hurriedly entered.
The room was big and spacious. The lights above them were dim, but a bright white light was coming from two surgical lights that were set up on either side of a metal bench. A white bear in orange overalls was wiping the surface with a cloth. Rose stared at it in pure shock as it looked up when the doctor entered carrying her. She must be hallucinating from all the pain, right?
"All set up, Captain." It said worriedly, eyes flicking towards Rose then back up to the doctor. She shivered violently at the lack of heat in the room, curling further in on herself.
"Get a blanket. She's freezing." The doctor said as he strode towards the bench. Rose had her eyes fixed in shock on the disappearing bear - is it actually real? - but her thoughts was interrupted by the man placing her on the cold metal. She flinched, then turned her gaze apprehensively towards the man in front of her.
He'd turned his back to search for something. Rose's watched him tensely, gaze wandered up his figure. He was wearing different clothes to their last encounter. He wore light blue jeans with dark spots. A dark blue hoodie covered his top half - she saw her blood had soaked part of it, and she felt her stomach lurch.
Rose then felt extremely vulnerable lying down. Whilst he said he was going to help her, he was still a pirate - how could she trust him? As she moved to try to sit up, a searing pain raked through her stomach and ribs, and she gasped out in agony. She managed to push herself into a sitting position though, swinging her legs off the side of the metal table.
"Don't sit up," the doctor said, moving swiftly towards the sink and washing his hands. "Your blood will drain quicker." Turning around, he held a bowl and cloth in his hand. A sharp smell of disinfectant struck her nose as he approached.
He placed a hand on her shoulder, and she tensed up some more. He tried pushing her back down onto the metal table, but Rose grabbed the sleeve of his hoodie. "No!" She croaked. He paused, watching her closely. Rose shook her head, wiping her tears away with one of her hands. "Please, I...I don't want to lie down..." She hiccupped, looking down at the ground.
After a second, the doctor seemed to silently grant her wishes. He let her shoulder go to reach to the side and pull closer a trolley-like desk with medical supplies on it. Then he pulled a stool out from under the metal bench and sat down, bringing his height level with hers.
Rose still couldn't meet his gaze, intimidated by his cold, intense demeanour.
He fiddled with some latex gloves, snapping one over his lithe tattooed fingers. She shifted uncomfortably, but the action had caused her hip to throb. She clutched at her stomach with one of her hands, grimacing as she felt the sticky blood underneath her fingers. "Ow..." she breathed, squeezing her eyes shut, more tears escaping down her cheeks.
Rose was terrified. Whilst she didn't seem to be in immediate danger with this doctor, she didn't know who he was, and she didn't know where she was. She couldn't even begin to process what had happened to her in the dungeon. She was shaken down to the core, and she couldn't get the images of those disgusting men out of her mind. The scene was replaying again and again-
The hand that took hold of her wrist surprised her.
She blinked, breath catching as the doctor carefully pulled her hand away from her hip wound. He shifted her blood-stained shorts down a little and placed the damp gauze against her hip. The sharp stinging snapped her out of her thoughts.
"Ah." She gasped. His hand paused for a second, letting the stinging subside slightly before pressing the gauze against it to stop the bleeding. He wasn't being overly tender about it. An ache sparked through her hip, and she winced in pain. The man leaned closer, inspecting her hip.
"Lidocaine." He muttered to himself as he turned, his eyes scanning the medical trolley for the necessary chemicals. Picking up a small spray bottle, he doused her hip in a misty liquid spray. Rose hissed as it stung, flinching away but the doctor gripped her thigh to keep her steady.
"That st-stings..." she protested weakly. The man ignored her, focused on cleaning the wound with the gauze. Rose averted her eyes from it, too scared to look closely at the damage under the bright lights of the lamps. But soon enough, she felt the area start to tingle and go numb.
"You'll need stitches." Rose's thigh was released as he picked up a small needle and surgical thread. His grey eyes flickered up to her face, just for a second as he brought the string to his mouth and bit a length of it off. Then he quickly looped it through the needle and returned his eyes to her hip. His serious face moulded into a mask of calm focus.
"Ah...!" Rose sucked in a breath as the needle pierced her skin, but no pain came. The spray must have numbed the area. She blinked in surprise, sneaking a peak at the gash in her hip. With all the blood gone, it looked a little less stomach-churning.
The doctor worked in silence, continuing to quickly - but skilfully - stitch up the skin. Despite the lack of pain, Rose gripped the edge of the table, biting her lip. After a minute, he untied the needle from the thread and placed it in a small dish on the trolley.
"They're done." He said, reaching back to pick up some gauze and placing it over the wound. Rose let out an unsteady breath.
As the doctor tended to her hip, she realised the initial adrenaline of being taken to this room was wearing off, and she felt exhausted, scared and very sick. Whilst the spray had numbed the skin of her hip, it still throbbed like crazy, her head was pounding and she still couldn't stop shaking. She was wearing the same clothes she had arrived in, which were now caked with her blood, and she felt disgusting... Her dark thoughts were interrupted by the door opening.
"Captain, I've got some blankets and other supplies." The talking bear came into the room carrying a big bundle in his arms. The doctor didn't turn to face him, but spoke.
"Put them on the table behind me." He said as he stood and moved closer to Rose, hand going straight to the back of her head. Rose froze at the sudden proximity of the man, her uneasiness heightening. His fingers played through her hair, searching for the source of all the blood.
"Anything else?"
"That's all, thanks." The bear nodded again before leaving. Rose warily watched him go out of the corner of her eyes. She was still amazed and intrigued about the talking animal. I wonder where he learned to- Her thoughts were interrupted by a searing pain in her head. She gasped and jerked away from the probing fingers that had located the injury.
The doctor's hand brushed Rose's chin and turned it slightly as he moved a damp towel towards the bleeding wound on her head. Wincing, Rose tried to distract herself from the pain, and she found her eyes wandering to the doctor's face.
He had a masculine face - defined cheekbones, a strong jaw, heavy brow - but his face had a thinness to it that was slightly haunting, yet oddly alluring. Thin lips settled under a slender nose. His eyes had shadows underneath them, making him look weary. Rose followed his dark sideburns to the well-kept beard on his chin. He wasn't doing much to comfort her - not that she was expecting him to - yet watching him now, she found herself drawn to this man, and she couldn't figure out why.
"What's your name?" Rose whispered without thinking, watching the doctor's face expectantly. She could have sworn she saw his eyes widen slightly, but it was only for a second. He turned to look at her, eyes calculating, then went back to tending to her head.
"You don't need to know my name."
Rose lowered her eyes, feeling a bit foolish then. He clearly still doesn't trust me.
Despite her suspicions, she couldn't help being intrigued by this mysterious man. He was a pirate, but he was also helping her… it didn't make sense to Rose. All she had heard her whole life was how pirates weren't to be trusted, that they were cruel and greedy. The Marines had told her that.
She felt her stomach squirm. But it had been Marines who had…
She was snapped our of her thoughts by the sound of the towel slapping into a bucket at the doctors feet. He then turned and reached for a roll of bandages, scissors and a white cloth. After pressing the cloth against the bleeding cut, he rolled out a strip of the dressing, letting it unwind as he wrapped it around her forehead. Rose kept her eyes focused on her knees whilst he worked, feeling too anxious to meet his eyes.
The man sat back down, replacing the medical equipment on the trolley. Without hesitation, he reached for the hem of Rose's shirt and lifted it a few inches.
She tensed up in surprise. The memory of the huge man lifting up her shirt flashed in front of her. No-! Reacting in fear, she gripped one of the doctor's wrists in a trembling hand.
He stilled. Then, his eyes flicked up to hers, frowning.
"Let go," he said in a low voice. Not harshly, but firmly. "I need to check for broken ribs."
Rose looked down to see red and purple blotches covering her torso. She trembled at the sight, her hands releasing the doctor's. He proceeded to trail his other hand over her side, feeling the bones. When he prodded a particularly tender bit, Rose yelped in pain. His hands became gentler as he felt around, continuing to prod slightly. When Rose recoiled sharply at another one of his pokes, he removed his hands.
"Two breaks." He reached for a silver pack of some sort. Rose sniffled, her hand going to gingerly hold her ribs. The doctor squeezed the silver packet between his palms until a crack came from it. Then he wrapped it in a clean dry towel and placed the bundle carefully against her side.
The freezing touch of the pack shocked Rose. She could feel what felt like crushed ice moving inside it. She shivered as the cold spread, her eyes going longingly to the blankets behind the doctor.
"Can...can I have a blanket?" She asked timidly. The doctor shifted the ice pack lower, pressing more against where the broken ribs were and she flinched.
"In a minute. Do you feel breathless?" He asked, his eyes flickering up to her face with sharp attentiveness. Rose shook her head, then flinched with a gasp when the doctor's knee bumped her injured ankle. He looked down. "Ankle?" Rose nodded, biting her lip.
"Yes...right one." The doctor pushed the ice pack into Rose's hand.
"Hold this against your side." Rose delicately held the cold bundle to her side, shivering again.
The man reached for her calf, lifting it and placing her foot on his thigh. His hands ran over her swollen ankle, fingers pressing methodically to assess the damage. Then, with deliberate slowness, he rotated her foot to the left.
White-hot pain shot up her leg, and she gasped.
The doctor didn't react beyond the slight narrowing of his eyes. He simply grabbed the bandage roll and began wrapping the injury tightly.
"Nnng..." Rose flinched again, but he didn't pause. Instead, he crushed another ice pack, placed it directly against the bandaged limb, then secured it in place with another loose layer of dressing.
He's really good at this...
Once the doctor was finished, he moved to set her foot down. But then he froze.
Rose froze as well in response to his tenseness, watching the doctor's face anxiously. What was wrong?
The brim of his cap hid his eyes, but Rose saw the muscles in his jaw clench as he stared at her lower half. Rose shifted uncomfortably, looking down and trying to see what had the doctor so uptight.
Her movement snapped him out of his thoughts. He looked up at her with furrowed brows, and widened eyes.
"Was I too late?" The question was quiet. Low.
Rose paused in confusion. The doctor's eyes flickered downward again - toward her inner thighs - before returning to her face, sharper this time.
"You're bleeding." There was something grim in his tone - he seemed appalled. Rose looked down at her dark shorts and realised there was blood, not just near her hip.
Suddenly, she felt her cheeks burn with shame as she suddenly realised what the doctor was asking. No. Her brain seemed to stall then as it finally hit her. No, that can't have happened.
But the memories of what happened to her in that dungeon suddenly seemed to return to her in full. Her shorts and underwear around her knees. The freezing damp of the dungeon on her thighs, the rough calloused hands pinning her down, the biting pain of-
"Oh god...!" She pressed her legs together, and turned away from him. Mortified and shocked, she suddenly felt like she was going to collapse again.
The doctor then stood up quickly, his gaze fixed on the floor, moving away to wash his hands in a sink. Rose shook her head, trying to steady her panicked breathing as she began to hyperventilate. This isn't happening. It's not true. This can't be happening. The doctor returned with a clean wet cloth.
"Clean yourself." He said distractedly, replacing the ice pack in her hand with the cloth. He didn't look at her. Instead, he strode towards the door. He muttered a single harsh word, not meant to be heard by her, but she did. "Bastards..."
"Wait, where are you going!?" Rose asked in a high-pitched trembling voice, and then coughed painfully. She couldn't be left alone in this place. Not after... The doctor hesitated at the door, hand gripping the frame. When he looked back, his eyes didn't meet hers.
"I'll be back soon." His voice was measured. "I need more supplies." And with that, he was gone, shutting the door behind him. Rose stared hopelessly after him, then looked down at the wet cloth she clutched in her trembling hand.
She suddenly felt empty, but at the same time too full of emotion. She had tried so hard not to think about what those men had done to her in the dungeon, but at the doctor's question, it had all come rushing back. For a few minutes, she couldn't do anything but hysterically sob.
After what she assumed as a few minutes, but honestly she couldn't tell, she managed to get a grip of herself enough to look down at the blood on her inner thighs. A fresh wave of mortification rolled through her at the thought of having to clean the evidence of...it away.
"Oh my god," she whispered. Biting her lip, she began to clean herself, trying to remove all traces of blood. She kept flinching at how raw she felt, even if the cold rag soothed some of the pain. As soon as she was done, she threw the thing in disgust at the bucket the doctor had used earlier. Despite the fact that the blood was gone, she didn't feel any cleaner. She felt tainted.
Rose bit back another sob. She couldn't understand why. Why did those men do it, after she had helped them? Why, why, why? Why did it have to be me?
She wiped furiously at her wet face with an unsteady hand, not wanting the fear and anger to overcome her again – she had to be strong right now, it was only her against everyone else – but it was. She was exhausted and starving, blood, sweat and filth covered her body. Her head was throbbing; her ribs burned with every sob and her hip felt stiff; she felt used and terrified; but worst of all, she sorely missed home. Thoughts of her parents at that moment destroyed her resolve, and she felt tears spill from her eyes again. I never should have left.
Soon, she heard the door click open. She turned quickly to see who it was, heart rate quickening in paranoia. Even when she saw it was the doctor, carrying a bag of supplies, she trembled. Then she squeezed her eyes closed, covering her face with her hands, gulping back a sob.
She couldn't take this anymore – the fear, the pain, the panic. It was too much. She just wanted to disappear.
Something warm draped around her trembling shoulders then.
Rose froze in surprise. It was soothingly soft and thick, and blocked out the chill of the room. Rose lowered her hands, looking at the blanket that had been placed around her. Then, hesitantly, she raised her eyes to the doctor who had taken his seat again, blinking at him in slight shock.
He was watching her, waiting it seemed, a piece of cotton in his hand. His earlier tenseness was gone, replaced with an oddly calm, controlled focus. Somehow, it was almost comforting.
Rose swallowed, pulling the blanket around her. Then he reached out to her.
"Let me see that burn." She stiffened instinctively as he carefully straightened her arm, examining the raw skin where it had been burned with the lantern.
"This will sting." She barely had time to process the warning before he pressed the cotton against the burn. A sharp prick of pain flared up, making her gasp.
"Ah..." She winced, but the doctor's firm grip on her wrist keep her from moving away. But after a few moments, the gel seemed to calm the smarting. She blinked at her arm, marvelling at how quickly it had improved the pain of the burn.
The doctor was watching her. His expression remained unreadable, but his eyes lingered on her face longer than necessary. She realised he was studying her, no doubt noting the tear-streaked face, the swollen redness of her lips from biting back sobs. He didn't comment.
As the doctor began wrapped the burn, Rose felt her stomach clench. A rush of nausea hit her as her palms broke out in a hot sweat.
"Ugh..." She swallowed heavily, feeling her throat tighten.
The doctor took one look at her face, then bent down and grabbed the bin. He thrust it into Rose's hands just as she felt her stomach heaved and she retched into the bucket. Her throat burned as she gagged, only spit and a small amount of bile coming out. After retching a few more times, she coughed out a groan before spitting out the remains of the sick from her mouth.
A warm hand brushed her shoulder.
"Drink." The doctor said quietly. A glass of water was being held out to her. "Slowly."
Rose couldn't speak, her voice was gone. She nodded weakly, gladly taking the glass with a shaky hand and bringing it to her mouth. As she drank, he took the bin and walked toward the sink, emptying its contents into the chute.
"I've checked all your injuries. You should be fine." He told her, emptying its contents down a chute next to the taps. Rose drew the blanket around her, shivering. Despite his assessment, nothing about her felt fine.
The doctor returned with a clean bucket filled with water, fresh cloths draped over the rim. Rose watched him numbly as he wet the pieces of cloth and then rung them out.
Then he looked up at her, and despite herself, Rose's heart skipped a beat. His eyes were so striking, yet when he returned her gaze, they weren't as cold as before.
He brought the dripping fabric to Rose's face.
She retreated from his hand a little, eyeing him tensely. What is he doing? Then it touched her cheek.
Rose blinked. It was pleasantly cool on her clammy skin.
She didn't flinch away further. His touch was surprisingly gentle as he cleaned the crusted blood and dirt from her skin.
Rose swallowed, watching the doctor's face. He still wore an impassive expression, but he seemed less...detached now. He seemed to be treating her with more care than before. His eyes met hers as she watched him.
The cloth swept over her temples, its soothing coolness sinking in, tracing the dried blood near her hairline. The rhythmic dabbing was hypnotic, grounding. She hugged the blanket closer, finally feeling the tension seep from her body as the doctor pressed the cloth against the skin on her forehead.
"Close your eyes."
The quiet murmur made her pause. But Rose obeyed, letting her eyelids fall closed. She felt the wet rag lightly sweep across her eyelids, removing the salty streaks of her earlier tears. The coolness felt nice on her sore eyes.
She could hear the slow, steady breathing of the doctor as he wet the cloth again and rung it out. His calmness was grounding.
She flinched when he pressed the rag against the tender skin of her throat. The image of the man in the dungeon strangling her hit her like a punch, and her eyes shot open, breath catching.
The doctor stopped immediately. For a moment, there was silence. His gaze met hers, sharp and assessing. Then, he moved back slightly, waiting.
After a moment, Rose exhaled shakily and gave a small nod, letting him continue. Then he swept the damp cloth across her upper arm, cleaning the scratches.
"What happened here?" He asked as he took hold of her hand, turning her palm upwards to clean the cuts.
"The cliff face..." She replied quietly, observing how small her hands looked in the doctor's, her pale skin contrasting with his tanned complexion. She noticed that the tattoos on his knuckles spelled 'DEATH', which would normally have alarmed her, but right now she was transfixed by his careful ministrations.
The doctor dropped the rag in the bucket and reached once more for the bandages. He wrapped up her palm, careful not to irritate the scratches. Rose watched as he picked up the wet cloth again and started cleaning the blood on her other hand.
She felt oddly calm. Only minutes ago, the idea of letting this man near her—touch her—had filled her with nothing but fear. Her distrust had sat at the forefront of her mind, tense and unshakable. And yet, now… she wasn't fighting him. She wasn't even second-guessing his actions.
She didn't understand it. But something about him - his quiet efficiency, his unwavering focus - was making her now feel...safe.
She didn't even react when he lifted her shirt slightly, just enough to clean away the blood that had dried along her ribs. She just let him clean the blood away. When he placed the cold rag against her broken ribs, she bit her lip when he pressed her side again.
"Ah," she yelped slightly. The doctor was already reaching for the ice pack he'd set aside earlier.
"Use this again. It'll help with the pain." He said, pressing it into Rose's non-bandaged hand. Then he reached for her non-injured leg and started cleaning the scrapes and dirt on her knees. Rose made a sound when the cold rag touched her foot. The doctor raised his eyes to her face, frowning.
"Does that hurt?" Rose shook her head quickly.
"N-no!" She reassured him. "It's just...ticklish..." She said quietly, looking away sheepishly. The doctor stared at her for a second, then ducked his head to finish cleaning her cuts. Rose thought she saw his mouth twitch upward slightly.
After a second, his eyes performed a once over of Rose again. She felt his eyes focus on her neck. He stood up and picked up a bottle from the trolley. After splashing some herbal-smelling oil onto his gloved hands, he rubbed them together, warming the substance between his palms.
Rose watched him as he placed his hands around her neck. She froze, eyes going wide.
"H-hey-!" She yelped, hand shooting out to grab his arm.
"Calm down," he murmured as his thumbs slid over her jaw. "It's for the swelling."
Rose's breath hitched. Her grip tightened involuntarily on his sleeve.
"Relax," he said simply, rubbing the oil into her bruised skin. His touch was deliberate, precise, the warmth of his palms easing the ache in her muscles.
Her grip loosened. Somehow, she did relax.
"Tilt your head back."
She did. His palms then lightly pressed her neck. Her body melted into the sensation, her limbs growing heavier.
She saw the doctor's eyes flicking back and forth between hers, watching her closely. Rose stared back, caught up in some kind of trance. This man was so intriguing to her. Her heavy eyelids began to droop close...
"Don't close your eyes," his deep voice cut through the haze. "You could still pass out." Rose blinked her eyes open, fixing her eyes on the man in front of her again. She was truly mesmerized at that moment - maybe it was the pain, or her high anxiety levels. Rose didn't know, or want to think about it. Her mind went blank, and drifted...
The trance was broken when the ice pack slipped out of her fingers and landed on the ground with a smack.
Rose snapped out of it, immediately averted her eyes from the doctor. He quickly withdrew his hands, then bent down to retrieve the ice pack. Then he walked over to the sink and began washing his hands.
Rose shyly followed him with her eyes, unable to help herself. Something, Rose didn't know what, was drawing her to him. When he looked over his shoulder at her, she looked down at her hands, fiddling.
Once the doctor was done washing up, he didn't go to sit back down in front of her again. Instead, he moved to the table with all the extra supplies he had brought. Rose saw him pick up what looked like black trousers and a grey T-shirt.
"Here. Change into these." The doctor said. Rose hesitated, before gratefully taking them, running her hands over the soft fabric.
"Thanks."
The doctor turned around, pulling the now messy medical trolley with him.
"Throw the dirty ones in the bucket when you're done." He said, already busying himself with clearing up his tools. His back remained turned to her as he worked.
Rose watched his back uncertainly.
He wasn't looking. He wasn't leaving either.
She didn't want him to turn and see her. But she knew she would only panic if he left the room, so deep down she was glad he'd stayed.
Carefully lifting one arm so as not to agitate her ribs, she took hold of the hem of her bloody shirt and stripped it off, shivering at the cold. She winced as her side protested, but bit her lip to keep the painful sounds in. She gingerly pulled the grey top on, sighing as the soft clean material caressed her skin.
The trousers were thick and soft to touch. They looked like they would be too long for her - but right now, that didn't matter. Shifting slightly, she managed to strip her bloody shorts and underwear off. Pulling on the fresh bottoms, she bit back a gasp as her hip twinged.
"I'm done." She said, dropping the bloodied clothes in the bucket on the floor, barely able to look at them as she did.
The doctor turned around, having finished clearing the trolley and walked over to Rose, carrying the blankets and pillows. He spread the thickest blanket and a pillow over the metal table surface behind her, creating a sort of futon.
"There aren't any spare rooms." He said, spotting the confused look on Rose's face. "You'll have to sleep here."
Rose looked behind her uncertainly, stomach twisting. Sleep...? She couldn't do that – not with the haunting images that plagued her mind. She hesitated before shifting back onto the makeshift bed. Her body protested the movement—aching, bruised—but she swallowed down the discomfort.
Turning back to the other table, the doctor picked up a cup filled with a cloudy liquid.
"Drink this."
Rose eyed it warily before taking a hesitant sip. She failed to hide her disgust as the taste flooded her mouth.
"Ugh-" She coughed.
"All of it." He ordered flatly. Grimacing slightly, Rose gulped down the foul drink. Coughing, she handed the cup back to the doctor, frowning at the strange after-taste.
Then she began to feel very calm, and she relaxed as if her muscles were turning to goo. Strange... Rose thought, a little dazedly as she felt her mind start to numb. Her pain started to ebb away, and everything seemed to slow down.
She barely registered the arm that went around her shoulders just as she began to fall back, gently leaning her down onto the pillow. He was pleasantly warm, she noted faintly.
"What was that?" She murmured confusedly, blinking up at the doctor as he straightened up.
"Pain medication. It'll help you sleep easier."
She let out a small sigh as a blanket draped over her, blocking out the chill of the room. It was so soft…
The bright light overhead blurred at the edges as she felt herself nodding off. Her vision was darkening, her body completely relaxing. She tried to stay awake, but the medicine he had given her was starting to take full effect.
As the last of her strength ebbed away, she vaguely registered movement. A shadow shifting. The faint sound of a stool scraping against the floor.
The doctor came into view once more, resting a hand on her make-shift bed. The last thing Rose saw was him, meeting her eyes as her eyelids fluttered.
Then her mind collapsed into slumber.
~ x ~
Law POV
For the fifth time that evening, Law lowered himself with a weary sigh onto the uncomfortable stool in that bitingly cold operating room. The girl didn't stir as the metal creaked under his weight. Law wasn't surprised - he'd given her a heavy dose of that sleeping draught to knock her out for a while.
It was dark and quiet in the room, filled only with the deep breaths of his patient and the occasional howl of the wind outside. Law waited for his eyes to adjust to the dim light. As he got used to the light level, her form gradually came into focus. The bruises blooming more vividly against her skin. The dried blood he had missed crusting at her blonde hairline. The slight trace of dried salt from tears on her lashes.
Ever since leaving her to sleep in that room, Law hadn't been able to shake this heaviness in the pit of his stomach. Logically, he knew he wasn't responsible for what had happened - no, that was the fault of the depraved motherfuckers he'd sliced up in that dungeon. It frustrated him, but he did feel an undeniable sense of guilt. And that was…unusual for him.
That's not helpful. Trying to push it down, Law stood up and bent over her. He carefully manoeuvred her head to check the bandage on the back of her head. Once he'd verified that was all in order, he lifted the blanket to check the stiches on her hip. His fingertips brushed the skin above the trousers as he pulled them down slightly to inspect his work. They were fine, as they had been an hour ago when he last checked.
She shivered then, and Law withdrew his hands quickly, watching her face for a sign of her waking up. She shivered again, so Law pulled the blanket back over her. She settled back down. Law stood back, satisfied with the condition of the wounds he'd treated. But there was still something he wanted to check.
"Room." He whispered, feeling the energy of the blue sphere crackle to life underneath his fingertips. His body hummed with the sensation. He lifted one hand to hover over his patient. "Scan." Slowly moving his hand over her, his powers seeping like a powerful Xray into her body. He hovered his hand over her lower half, examining her abdomen.
No signs of what he was checking for. Pregnancy and STDs.
The Room he'd created flickered away as he pulled his hands away. The satisfaction he felt was bittersweet, tainted as he remembered the blood between her legs, and her tearful reaction to him pointing it out. He knew Marines weren't the symbol of peace they presented themselves to be, but still - seeing such depravity from those who claimed to protect citizens? The farce of it all pissed him off.
She'd said her name was Rose. Despite himself, she fascinated Law. It was obvious now that she wasn't some secret Marine agent, or of any threat to the crew. The Marines probably wouldn't have done that to their own, and she could have fought them off if she was. So, who was she? And how had she ended up here, of all places?
A soft knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. "Come in." He said quietly. Bepo poked his head through, watching Law uncertainly before entering.
"Hello, Captain." Bepo whispered, approaching the makeshift bed quietly. "Is she still asleep?"
Law nodded. "She'll be out for a while. That stuff I gave her is strong."
Bepo watched the girl for a moment as she slept. His ears were drooped slightly. Law raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"
"Will she be alright?" The bear asked, not meeting Law's gaze.
Law paused. "Physically, sure." He said with a tinge of venom which was not directed at the bear.
"How bad was it, Captain?" Bepo pressed anxiously. "I mean, I saw a lot of blood, but..."
"Nothing life-threatening." He went quiet for a moment, looking down at her sleeping face. There it was again - that twinge of guilt. "I thought we'd got there in time, Bepo-ya."
"The poor girl." Bepo said softly. "And the men…?"
"Taken care of." Law replied shortly. There was no need to elaborate - Bepo knew what that meant.
Silence descended on the pair, the room filled with just the sound of their breathing. Law reached for a fresh ice pack, preparing to replace the melted one which lay against Rose's broken ribs.
"What next, then?"
Law let out a long breath through his nose. What next, indeed.
"Treat her. For now, she's my responsibility. After that...we'll see." It was only fair of him to help her, given what had happened to her. "But whatever happens, she cannot find out who I am."
That much was certain. Whatever they chose to do next, protecting himself and his crew from any potential trouble was his priority.
He glanced at Bepo. "Understood?" His furry companion nodded.
"Want me to take over for a bit?" Bepo offered. "You've been in here a lot tonight."
Law shook his head, pressing the fresh ice pack against her side. Even in sleep, she twitched at the cold, brow furrowing slightly.
"It's better if I handle this," he murmured, watching her closely. "You need to keep your energy up to help the others fix the sub." Whilst that wasn't untrue, Law doubted he'd be getting any sleep either way. He felt far too wired given the circumstances the crew was in, and his new responsibility of keeping the girl alive. It's just until she's stable.
Bepo nodded, before turning to leave. "Let me know if you need anything, Captain." Law barely heard him, looking down at the girl before him, lost in thought.
Who are you? And how the hell did you end up here?
~ x ~ x ~ x ~