I Know What You Need

Let Me Help

Lucy heard Alex before she saw him. Standing from her desk, her feet followed the sounds of pain and discomfort through dimly lit corridors till she arrived at the double doors to the med bay. It was nearly 1am and the base was all but silent so when she'd heard him swearing in that gruff Northern accent it very much had the woman's attention.

She'd arrived on the base just over six months ago under undisclosed circumstances and immediately, her relationship with Alex was...complicated. Alex had barely said more than five words to her during those long, endless weeks. He was cold, distant and seemed annoyed when they had to even stand in the same room. Yet, during those moments, his eyes would be fixed on her. Intense and unwavering, enough to make her blood run cold. Lucy had theories about why he behaved this way but broadly assumed it was just a part of the job. They had to keep themselves sane somehow. Distance was a part of that.

None of this changed the fact Lucy was attracted to him. She hated herself for it. Convinced that he hadn't noticed her, Lucy had noticed everything about Alex. That half-smile he'd do when he was right about something. Smug and self-satisfied but entirely justified. Something about his calm, quiet confidence was addictive to her. His dark brown hair that he was always running his hand through and the way he'd never quite let his stubble grow into a beard. Lucy existed in a constant state of craving his attention and avoiding his presence. Maybe tonight would be different.

She watched Alex from the shadows of the doorway, eyes narrowed with curiosity, sensing an oppertunity.

Bloodied and bruised, Alex sat on a trolley, shirt sleeve held in his teeth as he twisted his neck to see. A four inch gash sliced through the width of his upper arm, the edges dark with clotting. His shirt was soaked with claret, his cheek swollen and right eyebrow split. A single drop of bright red blood ran down the side of his face and dripped from his jaw. Lucy tried to ignore her mouth going dry.

It wasn't a deep wound and he didn't look pale so Lucy allowed herself to observe for a moment longer. His broad shoulders rose and fell, only interrupted by strings of swearing and grunts of annoyance. Alex was trying to stitch the wound with one hand and failing miserably. The man squeezed his eyes shut with frustration, threw the thread and needle across the room and kicked the metal trolley so hard it made Lucy wince in the shadows.

Alex near-spat the shirt from between his teeth, the muscles in his arms flexing violently, fresh blood running down his skin from the gaping wound. "For fuck's sake!"

Finally she caved. Tentatively pushing open the doors so as not to startle him, she stepped into the medical bay and stared at Alex, head tilted and hands on her hips.

"You look like you need a hand, Sir."

Alex looked up and his expression turned cold almost instantly. Lucy tried not to let the hurt show on her face. She considered turning round and walking straight back out, but noticed Alex's arm was turning red and rushed to his side.

Before the man had time to protest, she was pressing thick gauze against his arm and he hissed in pain.

"Looks like I've got no choice."

She rolled her eyes. "Just hold still. What happened?" Lucy kept her voice low and calm.

Alex took a deep breath, squeezed his eyes shut and she felt the muscles in his shoulders tense.

"I need a drink."

The woman frowned, looking away from his arm to find his face.

"Your file says you're not allowed to drink."

Alex pulled his body away from Lucy's like he'd been shot. The gauze stuck to his skin, quickly turning scarlet. The man's expression shifted rapidly from confusion to frustration and finally, silent outrage. When he eventually managed to speak, his voice was deathly quiet. Lucy froze, the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end.