on thin ice [karen/frank - marvel]

eighteen: ticking time bomb

Frank let the water soothe him for as long as possible before it turned cold and he was kicked out the shower. He wrapped a towel around his waist, rubbing his head to get rid of any excess water before heading out. He felt a distant throbbing in his lower back, rolling his eyes as he realised he hadn't put his pills in his bag this morning.

"You better not have used up all the hot water, Castle"

"It's a hard knock life, Alderson" Frank replied, not bothering to turn around. He headed down the corridor to the locker room where he packed his sweat pants and a jumper into his bag inside his locker. When he first started there, he was quite shocked at how open they all were with the showering situation. He laughed a little, thinking of Scott's reaction on his first day.

Scott was messing about in his locker when Frank entered the room, other members of his squad beginning to pack away and head off in groups, most likely to the bar down the street. Frank opened his locker, the newly placed photograph of Karen and himself falling to the bottom of the door. He sighed, picking it up and sticking it back in its original place. Luckily there was a slight curve under the door of his locker otherwise it would have been on the floor.

"Holy shit, Frank" Scott said as Frank turned his back toward him delving inside his locker. He began rooting through his clothing, getting agitated at the water droplets trickling down his leg and the back of his neck. He scratched at it quickly. "What is that on your back?"

Frank froze immediately. He slowed taking things out from his locker, throwing them over his shoulder to try and keep up the normalcy. He knew his jumper was getting wet but he had to try and ignore it. "What are you talking about?"

"It's like this red shit, spread at the bottom of your spine here" Scott headed toward him and prodded in the area. Frank had to resist the urge to yell as the pain was indescribable. He gripped onto the side of his locker waiting for the throbbing to begin and for the pain to recede slightly. "Jesus, Frank. Are you going to see a doctor about that? Has it got something to do with this scar along your spine?"

Frank turned around to face Scott as he took his jumper off his shoulder and began pulling over his head. He rubbed at his head once more, removing any excess water and wiping his hands on the towel around his waist. "Yeah I have an appointment after shift"

Scott folded his arms tightly as he stared at Frank. Frank nodded, mimicking Scott's stance and folding his arms. Scott scoffed, shaking his head. Frank was beginning to get annoyed, his surprisingly good mood fading quickly. "Do you think I believe you? That's a straight-up lie and you know it"

Frank sighed agitatedly before turning away from Scott and begin changing into his sweatpants. He was rapidly trying to avoid the conversation, trying to make up an excuse but Scott would be able to see through them all. Frank was a bad liar. "Look, Scott, keep your nose out and I'll handle it"

Scott shook his head, "Hmm, no you won't"

Frank shoved his boots on. "Yes I will"

"You better do it soon otherwise I'm telling Commissioner LePaul and you'll be on leave for however long it takes to clear up" Scott answered. Frank turned back toward him quickly, heading across the locker room instantly and staring directly at Scott. He'd obviously been practising; he didn't move a muscle.

"You wouldn't" Frank snapped, shaking his head, in disbelief almost. Scott knew exactly how many times Frank had skipped work: once. Scott had worked there for five years, Frank approaching nine. He wouldn't rat Frank out for something he could handle, easily. "You wouldn't dare"

"Try me, you chicken shit" Scott replied, almost laughing.

Frank hesitated for a long while as he stared Scott out before he sighed, shrinking back to normal size as ironically, he ached. He turned back toward his locker, grabbing his bag from inside and packing the rest of his stuff inside and shutting his locker. He then turned back toward Scott. "I'll go to the doctor's office. But you're coming with me"

--

"Frank! I didn't expect to see you this evening"

Frank took a seat opposite his desk, leaning backwards without agitating his lower back. He grimaced a little. He pictured Scott outside the office in the waiting room, sitting opposite the tiny child who was staring at him and pissing him off. Frank was just as happy to escape Scott's moaning. "I wish I was here on better terms, Dr Rafferty"

Dr Rafferty frowned as he saw Frank struggle before leaning forward in his chair and shoving his glasses on the top of his head. He clasped his hands together as Frank shoved his in his pockets. "What seems to be the problem, Frank?"

He just sighed, the dread and fear he had locked away over the past few weeks beginning to pour out quicker than he could stop it. It was like vomit, it wouldn't stop bubbling up in his throat until he let it out. His hands grew sweaty as Dr Rafferty's eyes were strictly trained on him. "I have spine issues. Again"

Rafferty sighed also, "Care to specify?"

"Something happened a couple of weeks ago, something that aggravated it because the next day I was in so much pain. I went to the pharmacist to get my pills even though I haven't been on them for years but they're not working. There's a huge red patch spreading where the fracture was and I don't know what to do so I came here. Can you give me therapy or a different prescription of pills or something?"

"Did you hear anything? Like a crack or?" Rafferty asked.

"Honestly I was too caught up in what I was doing to notice it but it may have happened, yes" Frank replied, slumping in his chair a little. He knew what he was doing was something he shouldn't have but he could not admit that to Dr Rafferty. "It was a bust-up at work, this guy was swinging on me and I had to put up a fight"

Frank figured by the look on Rafferty's face he believed the bullshit story to some extent. He then nodded, pushing back from the desk as his chair rolled. "The only way I'm gonna know what we're dealing with is if I see it"

The two stood from their chairs and headed over toward the bed in the corner of the room. Frank took off his shirt behind the curtain with Rafferty behind him. His heart was pounding and his fingers fumbling over the edges of his shirt. He stared at the wall and took a breath before placing his shirt on the bed in front of him.

"Wow," Rafferty said, silent for many minutes after that. Frank just stared at the wall harder, more anxious, counting the paint marks that had been sloppily missed. He clasped his sweaty hands together, flinching as Rafferty pressed his cold hands against Frank's back. It was similar to what Scott had done, the pain just as prominent. Frank squeezed his eyes shut. "That hurts a lot?"

He nodded, shoving his hands in his pockets so he could ball his fists without Rafferty seeing. Fra