[CLOSED TO PETER] Some answers, finally

[chasemd]

There really wasn't anything pleasant about Chase post-surgery. He was hot, sweaty, tired and had sore feet. He had merely scrubbed out and accompanied Cameron and Foreman back to the ICU to make sure Rob was still as stable as he was when he came out of Recovery. He was just adjusting the ventilator tube around Rob's throat when he caught sight of

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[imgrounded]

Peter returned Chase's smile and rubbed at his eyes. He certainly didn't feel as bad as the last time he'd woken up. He cleared his throat, trying to take stock to work out if maybe anything was missing, or something was added. Everything seemed the same, just that his mind wasn't as fogged up as before.

"Actually, it's got nothing on the sex on this side. At least the sex with you," he smirked. Peter pushed his fingers through his dark hair and watched Chase with Rob. "I feel like I've missed a few things. What's been going on?"

[chasemd]

Chase pulled the blanket back up over Rob's legs and nodded as he came to sit beside Peter. "Yeah, you missed all the action. Wild parties, tequila body shots, sex on the exam tables. It was awesome," he joked.

He stretched the tired muscles in his back. "We had about four crashes simultaneously, but it led to House finding the diagnosis. Your diagnosis, at least. Rob, on the other hand, isn't getting any better and we just had to cut his brain open and biopsy a cerebral abscess we found on the MRI, then drain it. But he's doing my head in. He's in a coma, but I could have swore he was dreaming at one point there." He pointed up to the IV bag. "We've started you on some meds. You should be feeling a lil better."

[imgrounded]

"Just my luck. Hope you guys aren't in the habit of letting the Head Nurse miss out on all that fun often. I think it would be professionally remiss of me not to experience the wild side of the hospital," Peter replied, playing along.

"No wonder you still look like shit. And also kinda hot, but I'm not really in any position to jump you right now. Dreaming? I guess it's possible. Not like anyone really knows what goes on with a coma." Peter's eyebrows went up before he craned his neck to see the IV bag. "So what's the diagnosis, Doc?"

[chasemd]

"Well, it is the Doctor-in-charge's responsibility to make sure the Head Nurse lives up to his title, you know. Can't have inadequate staff members." Chase smirked and waved his hand a little. "But don't worry, I've been saving some work for you, in all seriousness. A couple of applications for nursing positions came in. When you're feeling better, I wanted to talk to you how you feel about taking a trainee nursing assistant under your wing, maybe with view to getting him qualified if he sticks around on the island long enough."

He laughed softly. "S'ok, I don't think I'm in any position to even get it up." He glanced back at Rob with a frustrated sigh. "Clinically, it's not really possible, but you're right, no one really knows. His heart started racing and his eyes were flickering. And he's also... info has come to light that he died back home." He looked at him wryly. "You've been letting more than me bite you lately, it seems. You have Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever, contracted by mosquito bites."

[imgrounded]

Peter chuckled, his voice cracking slightly. He reached for his water cup, and licked his lips after taking a sip. "Of course not. You know, any time you need me to stay behind and do some extra practice, I'm more than happy to. I take my job very seriously." Peter glanced at Chase before he looked down at his cup. "Well, it might take me a while to warm up to the task. Been a while since I've had to teach anyone anything... I guess I wouldn't mind. It's not like we couldn't use the help."

"Leave that part to me when we're both rested," Peter grinned. Then his eyebrows went up again, another soldier related bombshell surprising him. "He's dead? Like Fox? Shit... that makes it harder for you as well, right? No solution and he dies in both places... Definitely sounds like he was dreaming, though." Peter stared at Chase for a long moment, his mouth falling open slightly. "All this because of a damn mosquito bite?"

[chasemd]

Chase rested his hand on Peter's arm. "Take it easy on the water, okay, or you'll end up with a sore gut. It's still raw in there from the hemorrhage. I don't want you feeling bad all over again." He nodded in understanding. "That's cool, I mean, I don't think any of us here are natural teachers but this lad is fresh out of high school and came by to offer his help just randomly when he heard things were up shit creek. No experience, but he's single-handedly taken care of his grandma with Alzheimers Dementia for years when his father got posted to Iraq. I spoke to him in passing when he came in, told him he could come back and talk to you if he was interested

[imgrounded]

Peter nodded, setting the water back down. It was hard not to want to drink it, his throat and lips were dry, the water something that soothed them. Only Chase was right, and Peter wasn't looking to do any more damage to his stomach. "That's huge. Is the kid's grandma here? He can't be taking it easy if he's been looking after her for so long, and now he's here without her."

Peter just let out a snort of disbelief. "Man, that's just as crazy as some of the stuff I've been through, if not more so. It has to be good for her assuming you get his diagnosis right... It's a lot of pressure, though. Are you okay?" Peter frowned a little. "You don't really want to be dead, do you? My ass? I can't remember sticking it up in the air, must have been while I was sleeping naked in your bed. That makes it a little worth it," he said with a smirk. "And makes me a little hesitant to keep sleeping like that."

[chasemd]

Chase shook his head. "Nope. He has a couple of friends here, but that's all. I figured you would understand on some level being from a hospice background. I can't even imagine what-" He stopped and frowned. "Actually, yeah, I can. I know what it's like. But I think the kid would be a great potential nurse. What eighteen year old rocks up at a hospital and offers to help during an epidemic?"

"It gets better. Divorce papers were in his car. It got finalised the day he died. Blood freaky. I say Fate, but only if we get our fingers out of our arses and save him. His body won't take much more. And god no. Why would I want to be dead? I just want him not to be too. I'm okay, just... I'm really going to need a holiday after all this." He had to laugh at Peter's last comment. "How about I just get some of those mozzie zappers?"

[imgrounded]

"Yeah, good point," Peter acknowledged. He looked at Chase, remembering what the doctor had told him about his mother. "I'm sorry you knew what it was like, but I can definitely understand on some level. I'll be happy to talk to the kid, see what we can work out. Hopefully he won't mind if I'm just stumbling my way through the teaching."

"I feel like I'm watching a soap opera, or something. Midday movie," Peter laughed. "Only the twists are way better. So he's free and easy, nothing standing in his way... I really hope he wakes up. Is it wrong I want a happy ending for them? I doubt Fox is really into happy endings. Just the lottery comment, I thought maybe you meant you wished you were dead." Peter smiled. "Sure, if you want me to stay naked. I'm not having my ass bitten again by something that's going to wind me up in hospital."

[chasemd]

"It's okay. I just felt for him, you know? He said he got accepted to art college right before he came here, but he didn't accept so he could stay and look after his grandma. Probably why he needs a bit of an escape. I don't think he'll mind. He seems the shy sort. You know, nothing like me," Chase added with a laugh.

He pressed his lips together and nodded. "Yeah, he's home free. Only dead. The Dengue Fever threw us off course and as a result, Rob suffered for it. His disease got worse while we thought he had the same, only more advanced. It happens, I just wish it didn't have to happen like this. It's not wrong at all. I just want them to have a chance. I don't think they even got much of that. No doubt about it, though, all this... they're going to have a lot to talk about it if we can make him better. I just meant a lottery on his life, not mine. And I'm going to need a lot of naked after this. Loads, even."

[imgrounded]

"So more like me, then?" Peter asked with a smirk. "It's okay, I feel for him now too, even without meeting him. It can't be easy. I know what it is to feel like you're shouldering your whole family."

"Hey, I believe in you. You'll find it. If only because you want to keep Fox from killing you and all your staff. And I also want to keep Fox from killing you, so I'm on your side. You're very not a girl cheerleader. Then they can have their chance and be able to just enjoy whatever it is they've got." Peter nodded. "Yeah, sorry. Misunderstood. Loads of naked, huh? I'm sure we can work something out."

[chasemd]

"Maybe even worse than you. You've got city life and life experiences under your belt. This lad is from a small town in Texas, well known on the sports front, but small. He'll probably be shitting himself having you as his teacher than you will needing to teach him," Chase laughed. "Take him out for a beer or something, let him know it's not all terrifying."

He raised his eyebrows. "Uh, cheerleader? Shoulder I even ask. I did dress up as one once, but I was very drunk and not accountable for my own actions. The scary part is, even if he wakes up, it might be nothing like he was before. He might have amnesia, he might have personality changes, he might not even be able to wipe his own arse. I guess that's why he wanted the plug pulled after a week. A week without brain function, and things do get risky."

[imgrounded]

"Take him for a beer? Does the island actually have a drinking age?" Peter asked with a quiet chuckle.

"No, nothing like that. Just an attempt at a joke. In my defence, I've been feeling like I was going to die for a while there, so my humour's a little off. I did once have to save the cheerleader to save the world, though. Then found out she was Nathan's daughter." Peter let out a sigh as he glanced over at Rob. His gaze went back to Chase, and he wet his lips. "You really think he might have personality changes?"

[chasemd]

Chase shrugged. "Probably, but there are definitely places lax about it. Plus, I get the feeling he would exactly be foreign to a beer or two. He's a State football champion. And I know it sounds like I have his life story in one conversation, but I was kind of firing questions at the poor kid and he just answered them all without a problem. I don't have a very conventional interview style."

"That sounds like a cheesy action film," he had to laugh and held his hand up. "Sorry, I didn't mean that to sound offensive. Please don't tell me she was blon- what? Your niece?" he asked, his eyebrows shooting up. He had to shrug helplessly. "He might. He might wake up the arsehole of century. He might start using 'fuck' for every second word of his vocabulary, if he can even talk. But then, he might come out with 100% complete health."

[imgrounded]

"You really don't, do you?" Peter smiled, and leaned back into the pillows. At least there was no pain this time to make him uncomfortable. "It's cool, I'll figure it out. I'd like to talk to the kid myself to get an idea of how I'll handle this."

Peter laughed, and shook his head. "No offence taken. I get it. But Hiro's exact words to me were, 'save the cheerleader, save the world'. I guess it was just one of those things that stuck. Plus it was when things really started to get weird. Trust me... I got stories. And she was indeed blonde, and my niece. I didn't even know she existed until then. Took a while until I knew she was Nathan's, too. Nathan actually thought the mother and baby had died in a fire... he was wrong. Claire's who I got the healing from. She's pretty much invincible." Peter frowned. "You mean like Billy? Hey, ah... do me a favour?"

[chasemd]

"He probably thinks I'm a total bastard, but he agreed to talk to you, at least. Probably just relieved he wasn't getting me again," Chase said with a smirk.

He listened, forehead creasing as he absorbed it all. "I feel so boring right now. There wasn't anyone telling me to save the cheerleader to save the world. I feel like you should have your own spandex superhero suit," he laughed and then nodded. "Yeah, I guess like Billy. Billy's is like post-traumatic type thing, though. It's psychological. If Rob had anything like that, it would be from lesions in the brain. I just can't imagine the polite soldier from the South being an arsehole, though. And sure, anything."