In The End

Want you bad

"Hey." the door knocked and Axel peeped around the frame.

"Hey." I smiled, looking up from my book. Axel stepped further inside, closely followed by a striking blonde, around my mother's age.

"Liv, this is Dr Stone."

I shot him a glance letting him know he was in trouble, but avoiding a complete fall out in front of the stranger.

"I know you said you just needed to rest, but it's been three days now and it's not showing any signs of getting better, so I want her to check it out and see if you actually need some medical attention."

"Fine" I huffed, shooting him another disapproving glare as I shuffled further up the bed.

Axel stepped aside and ushered the Dr to step further in.

"Thank you Axel, I'll let you know when we're done." The doctor smiled and showed him the door before he could protest. "Hi, I'm Samatha." She turned to me and warmly smiled. "My practice is assigned to Sullivans team so I've worked with Axel for a long time and I appreciate he can be quite intense at times." She shrugged off her calf length, camel coat and draped it across the end of the bed. "Firstly, are you happy for me to take a look, I know Axel is worried but I won't do anything without your permission. You have full control over this situation."

"Yes, I'm happy for you to take a look, and thank you." I smiled gratefully as I shuffled again.

She returned the smile, knowing exactly what my gratitude was for. "Ok, let's take a look and you can tell me exactly what happened."

I pulled the heavy sheets back to expose my leg and talked her through the tightening, then the pull when I pushed it on the way back up the hill and then the fall. She took at look at both legs for comparison and felt around my tender calf and knee.

"Yeah, I think you're right, looks and sounds like a pulled muscle, there's no concerning swelling or lumps in the wrong places. Continue the rest. I'm going to prescribe some slightly stronger painkillers and a brace for your knee. I want you to wear it for the rest of the week. If there are any changes or no improvements in the next 7 days I want you to come back to me. We might look at some physio therapy, but really it's just time and patience."

"Thank you." I smiled with relief knowing Axel would have to back off now. "Erm, I know this is a little inappropriate, but... erm..." I paused, feeling my cheeks flush as I tried to find the right way to ask my question. "So I haven't registered with a Doctor since moving to LA, I was just wondering if you would be able to provide me with some oral contraceptives."

She offered another warm smile which instantly settled my anxiety. "You work at Sullitainment too, is that right?"

"Yes" I nodded.

"Ok. I'm going to add you to my list. It'll be deductible through your working policy so don't worry about the cost." She went to her large bag and pulled out a small electronic device. "Have you been having unprotected sex?"

"Yes, just the once a few days ago." I blushed with shame.

"Ok. When was the start date of your last period?" Handing me the device.

"Erm... around the 22nd?" I mumbled, accepting the device.

"Pop your details in there please." She instructed. "You really should track your cycles you know. Ok." She paused after asking several more personal questions. "Ok. I'll prescribe a morning after pill, you must take this today otherwise you'll have missed your window and will potentially need to consider the next steps if a pregnancy is confirmed." She handed me a card with her office number. "Call this tomorrow and make an appointment with my secretary. We'll do an MOT and then I'll give you the shot. It'll last three months then you'll have to have another, but it's far more effective in regard to pill taking and potential forgetting, as long as you keep up the appointments you'll be just as protected."