Posted by Lieutenant Commander Roman Alden (First Officer & Chief Science Officer) in side sim - Status Quo

Posted by Ensign Rand Farquharson (Yeoman First Class) in side sim - Status Quo

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Roman Alden (First Officer & Chief Science Officer) in side sim - Status Quo

(snip)

Roman set her carefully in the chair, making sure not to bonk the injured foot into anything, including the floor. And then he sat in the chair next to her. “It was no problem at all,” he said. After all, he did it because it was his job, right? She was part of the crew. But he still didn’t want to just leave her there… Even waiting in Sickbay for someone else made him nervous, he hated this place.

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

It took Rand several moments to get herself under some semblance of calm. She adjusted in the seat stiffly trying not to move her foot too much, and that’s when she realized he was still sitting there. She glanced over at him, and maybe no one else would notice but there was a tightness around the corner of his eyes that told her he was nervous or stressed. It was the same look he’d had when he asked her to talk to Randy for him. He didn’t want to be in sickbay, and she couldn’t blame him. He’d probably spent enough time in sickbay when he got hurt. “Ummm…you…you don’t have to stay. I’m sure I’ll be fine with the nurses.”

“I don’t want to make you wait alone. Unless you don’t want me to stay,” Roman replied. He was trying to hide his distaste for the place, not knowing it was virtually impossible to hide his emotions from Rand. She’d gotten very good at reading his tells.

Not want him to stay? Far from it, but he was uncomfortable. “N…no it’s not that. I..um…I just know you really hate being in sickbay.” Her voice was quiet and didn’t carry to anyone else, maybe because she was trying not to tell his business, maybe she was trying to stop from voicing her thoughts on her foot, or maybe she didn’t want him to get mad at her for saying something. Or maybe it was something else entirely.

Roman glanced at her, brow furrowed. He never remembered telling her that. It was a stupid thing to not like, and he always said he was ‘too busy’ or it was ‘a waste of time’ to go. “How did you know..?” He asked, his voice lowered, not wanting anyone else to know.

Rand leaned back on the chair and rested her head on the wall breathing for a minute, almost hissing quietly with the pain. Then she looked at him, her voice as quiet as his, “Oh umm, well…you had the same look on your face when you asked me about my brother,” she leaned toward him just a little and if possible whispered even quieter, “you didn’t want to do that either.” She looked down at her foot and carefully crossed her other leg under it and let her injured one rest over the top of the other. “It’s okay, I understand if you can’t stay.” Apparently pain made Rand talk without worrying about being nervous.

That was the last thing Roman wanted to think about just then. The thought of it made the uncomfortable rock in his belly return, that feeling of anxiety he wasn’t familiar with. “No, I didn’t,” he said quietly. He wanted to stay, it was the only reason he was still there. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have set foot in this place. “I can stay. I want to.”

Rand’s eyes widened, he wanted to stay? “Oh, okay. Thank you.” She wasn’t sure why he would want to stay when it was obvious to them both he didn’t want to be there. Did he think he owed her for the coffee and conversations? Repay a debt? Make sure she’d still help with the animals, an extra pair of hands? He didn’t have to, Rand wasn’t helping him because she wanted anything.

NE Shrine peaked in, “I thought I heard someone. Oh Cmdr Alden, En Rand. What can I do for you?”

Rand looked really sheepish, “I hurt my foot on my run this morning.”

Yeoman Rand

Roman looked up when the nurse came out. “It was a little accident, but it looks like it might be broken,” he said, adding, “I’m just here to help her out.”

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

Shrine nodded and knelt down to get a closer look at the foot and let out a low whistle, “Good thing the Cmdr was around, Rand. That’s not going to feel so good when the doctor sets it. Let me get a doctor and a bed set up. And then we’ll get you moved.”

Yeoman Rand

Roman was glad he had been there, so he could help her. So she didn’t have to limp herself to Sickbay. Sure, he’d help any crewmate who was hurt, heck, he’d have even carried them if he needed to, but he’d come to care deeply for Rand, and he wondered if it was because he considered her a friend… He couldn’t even entertain the idea of something ever happening to her. The idea terrified him.

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

Shrine came back, “Alright, ensign, let’s get you up and over to a bed. The doctor will be with you in a few minutes. As soon as he’s finished with another patient.” Rand looked at her and nodded. She pulled her good foot in and scooted to the edge of the chair, and braced both hands on the edge of the seat, and carefully tried to stand without putting weight on the foot.

Yeoman Rand

Roman stood quickly, helping her up as she tried to stand, supporting her injured side so the foot didn’t touch the ground. Because he was taller than her, he had to be a little careful not to lift too high.

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

They made it to the biobed mostly without incident. Rand hoisted herself up onto it and sat there, still, until gravity decided to make her ankle throb more and she carefully lifted her leg and rested it on the table. Then Shrine decided it was time for her shoe to come off. “Ow…” the sound escaped before she could stop it. The shoe was going to have to be a whole lot looser before it would slide off, and then the sock…would probably have to be cut off, by the looks of how tight it seemed against the swelling. Rand turned a little pale at the thought of the bone being set…

Yeoman Rand