ways_infirmary | (no subject)

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[About eight hours after this.]

Simon enters the infirmary quietly, and moves between empty beds to the one where Red's still asleep -- still, or again. He stops beside the chair at the head of the bed, and looks down at Mal, who's still sitting there in exactly the same position he was when Simon left. Still, or again.

"Has he woken up at all?" Simon asks Mal, in an undertone.

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"Not totally. He'll shift a bit, look at me for a second or two, pass out again."

Mal's used to it, in his time. Going back to sleep because it's easier than staying awake, that is.

Mal shifts, a small wince indicating that between 'still' or 'again', Mal had been in the same position still, since the last time Simon had been around.

"He ain't said nothin', though."

A nod.

"...You might want to get some rest yourself. I could have a cot set up."

An overly curt, "No thanks, Doc."

A pause, then carefully: "He's going to be fine."

Mal shakes his head 'no'. "He's going to live."

Difference.

(which to my mind is unfortunate)

"Yes. He is."

Just a bit coldly.

Standing again, "Got somethin' to add, Doctor?"

Mal may be standing, but he hasn't moved from Red's side. Protective, not that he thinks Simon would do anything to him.

Red stirs, emitting a small moan of discomfort, but he doesn't wake.

Distracted, Simon steps around Mal to look a bit more closely at his patient.

"There doesn't seem to be any fever," he says very quietly, "and his pulse is normal. As far as the, ah, the battlefield trauma...."

Physical or mental?

Mal stands to one side, waiting.

Probably for the other shoe to drop.

"...well, the main thing he needs for that is rest."

Simon looks up at Mal.

"What can you tell me about the circumstances he's just come out of?"

Mal swallows hard, scanning his eyes down across Red's wounds and scrapes.

"Don't know where he was, or what stage o' the battle. He's probably from just before we---The Independents laid down arms. That means...gas, laser fire. Probably shrapnel, if he was near South Cliff at all."

"The rest...I, I just don't know."

"Did you ever see him again, after the war?"

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A little while after Mal and Simon's conversation, Red stirs and lets out a small whimper, his hands twitching.

He starts awake, screaming 'NO!'

"RED!" Mal almost falls out of his chair at Red's outcry, rushing to stand over him.

"Lieutenant," Mal tries to steady him, "do you remember where you are?"

He's gasping at first, but then his breathing is slowing, steadying, and he looks around and then at Mal; he nods slowly.

"Shiny. Rememberin' where y'are is of the good. Okay."

Mal reclaims his chair at Red's side. "How're you feelin'? You need me to get the Doc?"

Not that Mal really wants to see Simon again. Like, ever.

He shakes his head and hesitantly says, "No, I'm...I'm alright."

"Good."

Inhale. Exhale.

It's time for the questions.

"Lieutenant. Do you remember where you were, before we...picked you up?"

Damn. He's still got that one to explain.

"I..." he thinks about it. "I...I think I was by South Cliff. Maybe. I don't...really remember." He touches a hand to the sutures on his cheek. He winces slightly.

Mal has a better idea now about how Red received the gashes he's carrying.

Men with pincushions for limbs, screaming in pain because the pain is better than bleeding out by removing the shrapnel. Mal walking - running - fleeing - away from the dying, because he heard there was canned soup on the other side of the nearest barricade.

Not this time.

"'S okay. You don't have to remember. Not right now."

Not ever, if I had a word on it.

He nods gratefully. "Thanks."

Looking around, he asks, "Where's the doc?"

Mal scowls, but washes it away with a flat sort of expression after a moment. "Away. Doin' doctorlike things. You sure you don't need 'im for nothin'?"

"Naw," he says. "Honestly, I'm kinda glad he's gone."

"Yeah. Me too."

Gone only temporarily though. That notion doesn't sit with Mal too well, but he's got better things to worry about at the moment.

"You still feelin' tired? Wanna go back to sleep, or stay up for a spell?"