Alex's (POV)
"Alex, how bad is it?" Mrs. Jones questions over the phone.
Like my insides decided to take a trip through a meat grinder, then decided to party in a blender.
"I'm fine." I mumble into the phone right before another wave of pain hits me, a groan unwillingly escaping my mouth.
"I don't believe you." She deadpans before pausing, and I hear her sigh on the other end. "Alex, I'm asking them to take you to the doctor."
My heart stops.
"No." I force out.
I don't want to go see a doctor, no mater how bratty that sounds. They have to examine you and I really don't want that right now, or ever actually. And besides, there's too many bad memories involving doctors...
And she knows it.
"I'm sorry Alex, but I'm not giving you a choice." Another pause. "This is serious, you need to see a doctor."
"I've already seen plenty." I retort back, my stubborn side showing through.
"Alex." She gives me a warning tone.
Now I sigh.
Guess I don't really have an option.
"Fine." I grumble.
"Alex, it'll be alright." Her voice switches to a gentle tone. "The doctor is the one you were supposed to see in another week anyways."
As in he or she has already been told as much about me that's within reason.
"Hope you feel better, Alex. Bye." Mrs. Jones finishes.
"Bye." I mumble out, feeling a stab of loneliness.
Lucy walks back in, as if she knew exactly when I'd be done talking on the phone. She takes the phone and I curl back up.
I don't want to go.
"Alright everyone, we're going to the doctors." Lucy announces after talking on the phone a bit longer.
I groan quietly as the hammering starts back up in the back of my head.
"Do you think you can stand?" I hear Lucy ask, which I'm assuming was directed towards me.
I work on getting up, each movement sending stabs of pain to my stomach and head.
When I'm standing, Don and Mack come over, supporting me on each side as we head out the door.
Going down the stairs and out the front door, we make it to the car in one piece....sorta. Mack opens it, and they attempt to help me in.
Once they shut the door, I lean against it while holding my aching stomach.
Lucy gets in beside me, and Don starts the car. Leaning my warm head against the cool window, I feel myself start to drift off as the drowsiness becomes too much.
The car stops.
Jerking my head up, I look around with half lidded eyes.
We're in a parking lot, and in front of us is a decent sized building with the sign
'Town Doctor' on it.
I really don't want to be here.
Getting out, I refrain from making any noises that would alert them to the fact that I'm in pain.
Maybe then they'll take me back....?
Great, now I'm just being hopeful.
Gritting my teeth, we make it to the waiting room, taking a seat.
Finding these seats very uncomfortable due to my stomach condition, I pull my legs up to my chest.
I sigh in relief as I feel some of the strain on my stomach fade away.
Much better.
But that relief doesn't last long.
What if the doctor wants me to take my shirt off? I can't do that.
I feel my heartbeat increase with each thought.
After sitting for what feels like hours, a nurse finally walks in, clipboard in hand. "Alex Rider." She calls.
Feeling my heart skip a beat, I watch as Lucy stands up, motioning over towards Don and Mack.
Slowly, I unfold myself and stand up. Wincing as what feels like knives slice through my stomach.
We follow the nurse back to a small room that has all the normal doctor stuff spread around it.
She gestures Don and Mack over towards the ugly little bed in the back.
After they help me up, I look over at the nurse. "The doctor will be here in a moment." She says.
She leaves the room, shutting the door with a quiet click.
After a moment, Lucy questions Don and Mack. "Why don't you two go get something to eat and pick us up in thirty minutes?"
I zone out as they begin to bicker.
Leaning against the back of the bed, I observe my surroundings in a attempt to get my mind off what's going to happen.
It doesn't work very well.
I hear my own breathing pick up, feel the sweat start dripping down into my eyes, heart thumping in my chest.
I notice both Mack and Don have left the room.
Good.
But Lucy's still here.
What if she sees something?
Lost in thought, I almost jump as I feel someone touch my arm. Looking over, I see it's Lucy, a comforting smile spread across her face.
Her touch gives me an odd calming affect and I'm suddenly glad she decided to stay.
"It'll be alright, Alex." She pauses. "The doctor here's real nice."
The door opens and being as wound up as I am, I can't contain the small jump I give at the noise.
A middle age woman walks in. She's wearing a white doctors coat, a stethoscope around her neck, and a clipboard in her right hand.
What is it with everyone around here needing a clipboard?
With a smile on her face she looks over at Lucy first. "Hey Lucy." Then she looks over at me, eyes examining. "If I remember correctly we weren't supposed to meet for another week, Alex." Her tone of voice implies that she's making a small joke.
Walking so she stands on the other side of me, she introduced herself. "Alex, I'm Doctor Quinn."
Looking down, I give a small nod.
How much does she know?
"Alright, let me get this straight." She says while walking over towards the swivel chair, taking a seat.
"You have Abdominal Trauma, and just so happened to get hit in the stomach with a soccer ball?"
I give another nod, hiding a wince as my head starts throbbing.
"So, I've already been told about you being sick." She says, now completely serious. "Have you been sick anymore since then?"
Slowly I shake my head, trying to not make it throb anymore than it already is.
"Okay, lets take your temperature." She says while walking over to one of the many cabinets.
Coming back over beside me, she places the thermometer in my mouth. After a few seconds she takes it out, writing something down on that clipboard.
"Now your pulse." She reaches for my right wrist.
My heart speeds up in fear and I automatically jerk my hand away.
No! I won't let her see that. I don't care if she already knows.
I keep my head down, chest tightening.
She tries again with my left wrist, only to get the same result as I jerk it away.
Trust me, that one is just as bad as the other.
I suddenly notice my hands are now shaking, quickly tucking them under my thighs before anyone catches them.
She finally gives up. "Alright, I'll just use my stethoscope." She takes it off from around her neck.
"Can you sit up, Alex?" She questions.
Slowly I sit up, wincing as my stomach completely disagrees with the idea.
She places the diaphragm on my back in a few places, then hangs it back around her neck. Writing on her clipboard once again.
Darn clipboards.
"So Alex, do you have any other pain besides your stomach?" She kindly asks, looking me over while tapping her pen on the board.
Should I say anything?
As if answering the question, my head gives a mighty throb that brings black spots to my eyes.
Still looking down, I slowly nod my head.
"Can you tell me where?" She asks with the same tone.
I take a moment to form my words. "My head." I mumble out.
"Was it before or after you got hit in the stomach?" She questions like she already knows the answer.
I wince. Definitely was expecting that question.
"Before." I mumbles out, remembering what my other doctor said about 'not over doing things.'
"Hmm, I'd say the headache is mostly from overdoing it playing soccer." Quinn says, walking over to sit down again. "And from the expression on your face I'm guessing you already knew that."
Ashamed, I feel my face heat up.
I hear her get up, tensing as she walks back over to me. "This might sound weird, but I need to feel your stomach." She apologetically says.
I feel my heart painfully lurch in my chest.
No.
Frowning, I scoot further back on the bed, wrapping my arms tightly around my stomach.
"Alex, please let her." I look over at Lucy, shaking my head.
Instantly regretting it as the pounding starts back up with renewed strength.
Doctor Quinn places her hand on my arm. "It'll be fine." She assures, giving me a look that only I can read.
She knows.
Too tired to put up anymore resistance, I slowly place my arms back down at my sides.
My breathing picks up, and I suddenly can't catch my breath as my chest tightens unbearably.
"Alex, take some deep breaths." I look up at Doctor Quinn with wide eyes, her voice commanding yet gentle.
I start doing what she says.
She lifts my shirt up, and I immediately flinch like I've just been shocked, looking away.
I don't need to see it, I know it's ugly and I hate it....
I hate the memories that assault me every time I look at it.
Now I just feel even worse for not telling Lucy anything. What does she think of me now?
I quickly look up at her.
She's staring wide eyed over at me, confusion swirling in her eyes.
Maybe one day.
Thankfully Doctor Quinn only lifts my shirt up to where my ribs start. Which unbeknownst to them, is right where the others begin.
They won't see the rest.
She starts to gently probe around my stomach. When she hits an extra sensitive spot, I can't help but flinch, a gasp escaping my mouth.
It all hurts.
"Feels like it's flared up" Quinn says.
You don't say.
With my fists clenched tightly from the pain, I go back to taking deep breaths, trying to control the tears I feel building up as each one of her gentle probes feels like a hot poker to my insides.
Finally she finishes, and I quickly tug my shirt back down over my stomach as I let a breath of relief out. The tightness in my chest loosening.
Doctor Quinn walks over to a computer. "Alright, I'm going to prescribe a pill to help the inflammation go down." She says while typing.
"Should take about a week before it's better." She looks over at me. "And no more doing too much physical stuff, mister. Your obviously not ready for that yet."
I nod my head.
Yeah, definitely not doing that again.
Looking over at Lucy, I see she's on her phone.
Probably texting Don.
"So you heard me Lucy, make sure he gets plenty of rest and he should be feeling better by tomorrow." Quinn says, looking over at Lucy.
"Yes, thank you Quinn." Lucy says.
"Anytime." Quinn replies with a smile.
She looks back at me. "And I'll see you around a week for your original checkup."
My heart stops, just the thought of it bringing me anxiety.
She hands Lucy a piece of paper, then walks towards the door. "Bye guys!"
"Bye." Lucy simply replies with, still seeming a bit stunned about...me.
After Quinn shuts the door, Lucy looks over at me.
Feeling like I owe her an explanation that I don't want to give, I avoid any eye contact.
Suddenly I feel like I've got bricks on top of my eyes, a drowsiness washing over me like I just jumped into a pool of water.
The day must be catching up to me.
Three hours of sleep does nothing for you.
"Do you think you'll be able to eat any dinner?" Lucy questions.
I feel my stomach twist very unpleasantly at the thought of food.
"No." I barely get out, my eyes blinking rapidly.
I can feel a yawn wanting to break out, but I contain it.
The door opens, Don and Mack walking through.
"Time to go?" Mack hopefully asks.
"Yeah, let's go." Lucy drifts off, her mind looking like it's on something else completely.
I think I can guess at what that would be.
With Don and Mack sadly helping me like I'm some weak little toddler, we make it back to the car.
Sitting in the same seat as on the way here, Lucy slides in a tad closer to me than earlier.
Don starts the car.
I feel my eyes start to drift shut, the comfortable warmth of the car enveloping me like a warm blanket.
Blinking rapidly a couple times, I lightly shake my head in a vain attempt to stay awake.
But after we've picked up the prescription, I can tell I'm not going to be able to stay awake much longer.
Surrounded in a comfortable hazy fog, I feel myself tilt over as we go around a turn.
My head gently lands on something.
And before I know it, I'm in the deepest sleep I've had in over two months.
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A/N
Hi again!!
Sorry for the longish wait, what was it 3-4 days since I last updated.🤗
Just wanted to say thanks to GGstace123, and Samantha2611 for Voting/commenting!!
Keep it up guys!! 👍🏻😁
Also everyone please COMMENT!!!! I love reading them.😀
And VOTE!!!
Thanks again everyone!! Love y'all 😍😆😀
Maggy
Edited: 5/31/17