"Recovery..."

Chapter 24 - "Hospital Christmas..."

Chapter 24 - "Hospital Christmas..."

'Where the hell did time go? I mean seriously it's Christmas 2015 already man' Rory said, blundering into the locker room for the Christmas Eve, morning shift.

'Listen I need some help man' John said turning to Rory.

'Go ahead'

'In fact don't worry. I ask Jack. He might be more useful here' John said debating who would be best... But he really didn't want to give Jack his debit card.

He doesn't exactly trust him.

'Alright Doc? Scrawny fella told me you was looking for me'

'I have a favour. It's just I sent most of the presents to the house the other side of London and I don't have time to go and get them. Could you just ask her what she really wants for Christmas and what she wants Santa to bring her and go and buy a few bits'

'It's going to cost ya'

'I'll pay for your lunch?'

'Keep talking Doc.'

'Please. I'm begging you. She's had such a shit few days and has to suffer it in here for Christmas. Please?' John begged, pleadingly.

'Fine' Jack sighed, taking the card from John's hand.

'No more than 200' John suddenly shouted.

'John I need you' Martha shouted.

'Go on.' John sighed having not even got in to check on Clara yet.

'Male. Fell through a window at a Christmas party apparently. Glass wedged into his foot' Martha said pointing down to his foot, as he tapped John on the cheek and John grimaced. 'Oh yeah. And he's pretty pissed'

'Of course he is' John scolded. 'Bed 7' he said pointing towards the bay, and followed to have an argument with a drunk man. 'Name?'

''Huh. I've always wondered what someone would look like with the name, name' the guy said taking his chance to feel up the nursing staff.

'You touch my nurses like that again and you'll have more to worry about than just a bit of glass in your foot' John threatened. 'Let's get an x ray. And a drip please. Drain him from alcohol and call me back when he's sober' John said, handing the file to a nurse and went back to the reception area.

'What's wrong?' Rory asked.

'Drink people. Can't stand em'

'I've seen you drink a time or two Doc?' Jack smirked.

'Yes. Before I turned 25. I'm now on the brink of thirty and couldn't think of anything worse than spending the festive season pissed. What else have we got?'

'I hate to tell you this but we have an office party waiting in the ED'

'You have got to be kidding me. It's only 5 o clock'

'You and I both know that Christmas parties start at 2. Early afternoon on Christmas Eve' Rory said, handing John another file and headed out to the ED, to be greeted by vomit on his shoe.

'Merry fricken Christmas' John grimaced.

- - -

'And how are we today?' John asked walking in the room and looking at Clara's chart.

'Much better thanks. Looking forward to my tasteless hospital Christmas dinner' Clara grimaced.

'Eh don't worry about it. There not that bad. I have them pretty much every year' John chuckled.

'You work Christmas Day every year?'

'Mostly. I didn't have a family until this year or anyone to spend it with so I typically volunteered. There's other people with families. It would be a shame for them to not get to spend it with then' John sighed.

'And this year?'

'I'll still be working. But my Daughter will be over there with me' he said, looking over into the other room opposite where Adie was peacefully sleeping.

She was in pain. That couldn't gone denied.

Broken bones all over and it's a lot harder for a 4 year old to control their pain threshold, so it made most sense to knock her out.

'I bet she's looking forward to Christmas. You said she's little?'

'4' John sighed. 'And I know nothing about her. She's kind of a bombshell been dropped on me in the last couple of days' John admitted. 'What about your little one?'

'She's 10 weeks old. I don't think she's quite looking that forward to Christmas' Clara pointed out.

'Shame she's not down in the crèche. I'm takin Adie down in a bit to see Santa. The Santa comes in every year for the kids that can't leave for Christmas. She was looking forward to it' John pointed out.

'Tell her to have fun. I'll see you tomorrow I guess?' Clara asked.

'Hmm. Will do' John smiled, putting her file back as she went off for a scan, and John went back to cubicle 7.

'He's a little more sober now' Martha said as John stepped forward to analyse the wound and listened to the man groan like a child. 'Okay. More hungover actually' Martha pointed out.

'John checked the x ray and took the tweezers. 'Your lucky. No arteries have been hit. So I can just do this' John said taking a quiet pleasure out of pulling the glass out of his leg, and leaving Martha to wrap it in the bandages. 'Because I'm a nice Doctor and don't hold a grudge... Let's get him some IV paracetamol. Oh and my names John. Not Name' John smiled, smugly, tapping his cheek and stepping out the room.

- - -

'Daddy yook it Santa' Adie said, in John's arms.

She was still pretty groggy in his arms but was so looking forward to seeing Santa that John made he effort.

'Yeah. Shall we go and say hi?' John suggested.

She nodded excitedly, as she jumped from John to Santa's lap, and stroked his beard.

'Tom?'

'Who's Tom sir? I'm Santa' Tom said, making John laugh so hard under his breath.

He knew that Tom was a little larger and carrying some extra pounds which he always blames on Christmas when asked about it, but to be playing Santa is kind of sinking to a whole new level.

'So what are you here for?'

'I got hitted by a car because my step dragon was being mean' Adie said, as John's eyes widened, noting that 4 year olds will say just about anything.

'I'll explain later' John said, making Tom shrug and jaded Adie a present.

'Can I open it now or do I have to wait for the real Santa to come?' Adie asked with pouty eyes.

'What? That is the real Santa' John said, wondering how the hell this kid could be so damn smart.

'No he's not. He can't be here and the North Pole at the same time. The real Santa comes tonight while I'm asleep' she said. 'But I don't think he's coming'

'What' John halted, stopping in his step and crouching down to her level. 'What do you mean? Of course Santa is coming'

'But Santa only comes to children that are good and Mummy told me I haven't been good even though I clean my bedroom all the time' she pouted.

John's as astonished and a gasped at the same time.

'Now you listen to me young lady. I promise that you've been a good girl and that Santa will definitely come to you tonight' John said as Jack stepped behind him.

'And you've even got a cool stocking to leave out for all your presents' Jack grinned.