Hospital Beds

[j]

"How was the week off?"

"Not long enough."

"After the fit you threw about being off for a week I can't believe that's coming out of your mouth," Maggie teased.

I shrugged. "It was just really nice not having to deal with this shit for a week. I've been back for four days and I'm already run down."

"It didn't hurt having Norman fucking Reedus at your beck and call for a week," Cara threw in.

"Hush!"

"What?!"

"So... Well I probably shouldn't talk about this here," I mumbled, cutting myself off. Lately I've been putting more and more thought into quitting.

Cara stood and poked her head out the door of the break room. She then locked the door and turned around with a wicked smile on her face and sat back down across from me. "Dish."

I rolled my eyes. "You always have been so impatient. I think I'm going to put in my two weeks."

"Seriously?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. Coming back after that week fucking sucks. I hate what I'm doing with my life, ya know?"

"What about income?" Maggie asked.

I shrugged. "I have a good amount saved up. I don't know obviously I would find another job but I don't really know what else I'm qualified for honestly. I don't know. It's just something I'm opening my mind to."

"Obviously I think it's a brilliant idea. I've been trying to get you to do this for months," Cara smiled. "You should take at least a month just to make some art."

"I'll miss our breaks all together! I need another sane person," Maggie teased. "If you think this is what you ought to do though, then I support you too."

We talked a little longer before our break was done and we all had to go back to work. I walked into my next patients room. I put on a few casts and went through my rounds. The longer I worked the more I was sure that I needed to put in my two weeks. I just wasn't invested anymore.

At the end of my shift I clocked out and walked to the parking deck. I sighed as I walked to the car. The parking deck often reminded me of my failed attempts to get them to make a few simple upgrades. The hospital would barely budget for light bulbs and often left the parking deck too dark for comfort.

I stood unlocking my car when I was shoved against the door. Immediately my elbow slammed back and into someone's stomach. I spun around and saw my brother to my surprise.

"Jordan?"

"I need some money June."

"Jordan what's going on? Why are you creeping in the parking deck and what do you need money for?"

"I was just waiting for you," he snapped angrily. His pupils tipped me off that he was using again. "I need some money sis, help me out. Where is your purse?"

"I didn't bring it with me," I snapped. "Are you using again? Jordan you need help, not more drug money."

"You don't fucking know what I need! You and Mom are such naggers! It's my life June." Jordan was shaking with fury now. "Give me your purse and stop being a bitch."

"I don't have my purse you stupid sonofabitch. Listen when I talk to you. If you weren't so fucking busy coming down right now you would hear what I was saying to you," I snapped.

"Then you'll take me inside and get me some drugs if you won't pay for them bitch."

I laughed. "Yeah, I'm going to help you ruin your life. Fuck off and I won't report you to the police." His blue eyes flashed with fury. Jordan kicked my feet from beneath me and I slammed into the hard concrete of the parking deck.

I opened my eyes and quickly shut them when a boot came towards my face. I had enough sense, despite my dizzy head, to cover my face with my arms. Jordan began kicking me all over. A particularly bad kick to my ribs made me shoot up and lash out. I drew blood and four long scratch marks were left on his neck. Unfortunately it only dded to my brother's rage. I'd seen him this way before and this isn't the first time we've gotten physical with each other over his drug habits.

I cried out in pain and fought to keep consciousness. "Stupid bitch, won't help your own blood!" I was vaguely aware of footsteps and then the sound of his running from my car. I groaned and rolled to my back. I ran my hands over my face and through my hair. I sat up, pain shooting through my body.

"Nurse Brown? Oh my God! Are you alright?"

I groaned and sat up with the help of Casey Carter. We get a long, she's a sweet girl but fresh out of college. I haven't had a chance to work with her much.

"I think so. I should get checked out but I think I might have a broken rib. Can you get security and an orderly out here with a wheelchair?"

"I'll be right back!" She took off running and I dug into my pocket for my cell phone. When I had it in my hand I scrolled down to Norman's name and pressed send.

[n]

"Well I think Norman's more loved."

I laughed, "No way, Glenn is blowing up. You've got the Asian fetish going for you too."

We all laughed. "What about a real apocalypse? Who has the best chances of survival?" We looked between one another, trying to decide.

"Andrew is actually pretty good with logic and keeping calm, he might do well."

"My bets are all on Lauren," I laughed. "She's small but she will take down anything in her path if it's a threat." We began discussing various aspects and the question spiraled out of control, like they usually do when all of us are in one interview. My phone began buzzing in my pocket. It's late and when I saw JC's name come up I figured she was just getting off of work. We hadn't been speaking every single day because we both had been incredibly busy and when we got to it was just a few texts.

"Go ahead," Scott Wilson said, pushing me to the side slightly. I smiled and stepped away.

"Hey Doll, I've missed hearing your voice."

"Norm-"

"Clinton what's wrong?" I was getting jittery waiting for her reply. She was crying and I was already trying to figure out where I had put my car keys. "Clint?"

"S- Someone attacked me in the parking deck."

Fury filled my body. "Is anyone with you? Are they still there? Are you hurt? What about safe?" Andrew was walking towards me and I realized I was shouting and shaking. Not knowing what she meant by 'attack' scared me. Every worst case scenario started shooting through my head.

"They're gone. Security is on their way and I might have a broken rib and aside from a few bruises I'm fine. I- I'm scared though."

"I'm on the way. I'll call you when I get there, alright?"

"Okay."

"Are you going to be alright?"

"I- Just get here Reedus."

We hung up and I wanted to throw something across the room. "Has anyone seen my goddamn car keys? I need to fucking go now!"

"Norman why don't you let someone-"

"I need to get to the hospital! June got fucking beat up in the parking lot. Where are my fucking keys?" I exploded, throwing a glass of water across the room. It shattered when it met the wall and that still wasn't much of a release for me. Steven got up and clapped my back.

"Come on, I'll drive. You want to make it there in one piece, right?"

"Let us know how she is Norm," Lauren said with worry. I hugged her quickly and followed Steven to his car. I got in the passenger seat, wishing I was driving even though I knew it was best that I wasn't. Even if I managed to make it to the hospital without killing myself I would have outstanding speeding tickets. To busy my hands I pulled my phone from my pocket and began scrolling through our text messages.

"How crazy? Right? She's such a sweet girl. I can't imagine why anyone would do something like that to her."

I shrugged. "Probably some fucker after drugs. If she's not alright he better be over the state line because I swear to God I'll beat his fucking ass if I find him." We arrived after what felt like hours but was mere minutes in actuality. Steven had exceeded the speed limit by quite a bit, cutting our drive time.

"Go ahead," he said letting me out at the front doors. "I'll go into the waiting area and just come let me know what's going on later." I nodded and ran in, not stopping until I found the front desk.

"I need to see Cara or Maggie. JC got attacked in the parking deck and-"

"Norman Reedus?"

I nodded. "They said you were on the way. Just go through those doors there and Maggie is in the waiting area. JC is being examined right now."

"Maggie? Have you heard anything?" I nodded at Steven and joined him beside Maggie.

"She's being examined Norm, Cara is with her."

"Did she seem okay? What kind of attacked are we talking here?"

"Someone beat her up to get her purse but she forgot it at home today. Then they wanted her to get some drugs from the hospital but she wouldn't. He bruised her face up something awful and she has a couple of bruised rib bones. She's pretty shaken up. I don't know what you've got going on tonight, but Cara and I think that at least one of us should stay with her tonight."

"She'll come home with me."

The longer we waited the angrier I got. I paced around the room unable to sit down. I can't believe this happened in the first place. One of the head doctors came in and explained that JC was bruised, but shaken up more than anything. She would be sore for a few days but over all she would be fine. She was changing and then she would be out here with us.

"Any other questions?"

Right as he asked JC and Cara walked into the waiting room. Her eyes met mine and I was angry all over again. "Why the fuck is there not better security in the fucking parking lot?"

"We do the best-"

"You obviously don't do the best you can if someone, someone on staff even, got attacked in the parking lot."

"Norman?"

I turned my attention to JC and opened my arms. She fell into them and sighed. "This is my two week notice Mark. I'm done."

"June why don't you take some time off? Think things over? I know this has been-"

"This is my two weeks Mark. I'll have Cara make sure it gets put in writing." The finality in her voice dared any of us to debate about it.

*******

"Clint?"

"Hmm?"

"You're seriously quitting?"

"Not just because of that," she replied, rolling over on the bed so we faced each other. We came home and after a quick shower for her we crawled into my bed and put on a TV show for background noise. "I've been thinking about it awhile and I'm just... There aren't enough good things about it anymore. I have no interest in what I'm doing and the good outweighs the bad. It's not something that is a result of this, but this... incident pushed me over the edge. I've tried and tried to get them to make that parking deck safer just because of things exactly like this. He wanted drugs."

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry this happened to you and I'm sorry and I can't beat the motherfucker that did this." I pushed some strands of hair from Clint's face and left my hand on her head. I kissed her forehead and her nose then her lips. This time there wasn't any thunder and I got to really notice her lips. They were soft and plump and her lips moved perfectly against my own.

"If you wanna beat his ass I know who he is."

"What? You reported him then, right?" One look in her eyes told me that wasn't the case. "June Clinton have you lost your mind?" She didn't say anything and we laid looked at one another for a long time. Finally I sighed and moved closer to her. "Are you at least going to tell me?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Well you're going to. Even if you don't care enough to make sure this never happens again, I do."

"Excuse me?"

"Just want to make sure you're safe Clinton."

"Shut the fuck up Norm. I'll do whatever I fucking please."

I groaned, regretting my choice of words. "I didn't mean it like that."

"How did you mean it then? Because it sounded like you are going to make me tell you and just let me tell you now Reedus, I will speak about or not speak about whatever the fuck I want to and you need to understand that. This isn't any of your business."

"None of my business? You made it my business the second you called me crying! How can you say this isn't my business?"

"I shouldn't have called you."

I don't know why that hurt me as much as it did, but June's words were like a slap in my face. We told each other everything basically. We definitely classify as each others business.

"I'm going to go out for a little bit." I was working to contain the anger I felt and I just couldn't stand to be around JC right now.

"What? Fuck you, I don't want to talk about it so you're leaving?"

"I'm leaving because you're being a bitch and I'm not going to be a dick to you Clint." I tuned out her words as I got out of the bed and put on my shoes. I walked out the door after making sure it was securely locked and walked a few blocks down to a bar the cast and I liked to hangout at. I felt better just breathing in the fresh air.

I sat in a dark corner with my drink, trying to understand JC's point of view. I just couldn't shake her words though and the whole night kept playing in my head. I wonder if we'll ever have a kiss that isn't ruined by something else so maybe we will actually acknowledge it. Because no matter how furious she made me my thought wandered to the feel of her lips.