Perseverance (The Resident FF) by Frances51163

CHAPTER SEVENTY-EIGHT

To Judes' relief the next morning brought more torrential rains, despite the clear weather forecast.    He had decided against waking his friend in the hope he would get a proper rest.    By ten however when there was no movement he began to get worried so padded down the hall on his bare feet hoping to find the other man still sleeping.   Opening the door of the darkened room his gut constricted when he saw the bed was empty.   Cursing himself for not checking earlier he went to head back out.   He should have expected the man to take off!  He was just at the door when something caught his eye in the open bathroom, a foot.   Slamming on the light switch he strode into the room to find his friend sitting on the floor leaning against the brown marble tiled wall.

"Damn Jude!  Turn the light off!" the very much aware man ordered, agony lacing his voice.
'Sorry," the older man quickly complied then made short work of opening one set of blinds in the bedroom so a small bit of light could seep in, "what happened?"
"Had to go," Conrad explained pressing palms up to his eyes, "couldn't make it back."
"Hell I thought the shot would take care of the pain."
"It did but sometimes an episode lasts a few ...... days," the fair haired man frowned, he couldn't remember if he had told his friend that before, maybe it was Mike.
"Well are you ready to get back to bed with some help now?" Jude checked as he quickly found a facecloth and soaked it before rinsing out the material and passing it over to the pained man.
"We're meant to be going home."
"You saying you can make the drive back?" the black haired man challenged as he carefully pulled the smaller man to his feet.
"Damn!" Conrad groaned as the shift in altitude caused his head to start throbbing, that had been why he couldn't get up but he knew he had to face it some time.
"Once we get you sorted I'm going back down to the clinic.   Bronson can give me another dose of morphine."
"He's going to love you!" Conrad chided as they finally made it to the bed and he eased down on the mattress slowly.
"You want a t-shirt or something?"
"Nah I usually sleep in my boxers."
"I'm going to change the dressings," Jude stated as he helped his reluctant patient to lie back and raised his legs onto the mattress, seeing the bloody knee coverings, "did you fall?   You've been bleeding."
"Sorry ...... I didn't fall.   I figured I'd sit down for a while but then I tried to get up and forgot about my knees."
"Nothing to be sorry for buddy," Jude assured as he headed out the door, "good thing I always travel with a First Aid kit."
"There's bound to be one here," Conrad said as he pressed the cold cloth to his eyes.

By the time Jude returned Conrad had pulled a sheet and blanket up over himself  but left his lower legs uncovered.   The Surgeon knew it was to ensure the bed clothes didn't get stained.    Even in excruciating pain he was thinking of others.  

"I've turned the heating up.   You must be cold."
"I'm okay," Conrad sighed as he felt the dressings being removed, "tell me no stitches came out."
"Well," Jude eyed the damaged repair work critically before standing up so his friend could see him, "we got lucky."
"What's this 'we'?"
"Hey I'm here with you," Jude argued with mock chagrin, glad his friend was still showing some spunk, before becoming  serious as he put on a pair of sterile gloves, "amazingly only three came out.   The bleeding has stopped so I think you can do without having new ones put in."
"What happened to 'we'?" the pale man chided, trying to ignore the pain engulfing his head.
"Just shut up and let me work."
"Hell of a bedside manner you have there."
"I know.   My patients love me," the Surgeon explained as he set about cleaning the uncovered wounds with sterile solution and alcohol wipes.
"Sure that's why they have to get knocked out to let you treat them."
"You're a funny guy," Jude noted as he placed fresh dressings over the wounds and then bandaged them up.
"Jude do you ever wonder if you're being punished for what you did in a past life?"
"Can't say as I do," Jude frowned at the sudden change in mood as he straightened up after he finished his work and placed the covers fully over the prone man, "why?"
"Nothing," Conrad replied quietly, slowly turning onto his side away from his friend making sure the face cloth didn't move from his eyes, "think I'm going to try to get some sleep okay?"
"Yeah sure," Jude looked at his friend worriedly but knew now was the wrong time to press the matter, "do you need anything  before I head out?"
"Where are you going?"
"Need to get some supplies," Jude replied knowing his friends' concentration was effected by the severe pain and refraining from mentioning the trip to the clinic again, "so do you need anything?"
"No, thanks man.    Sorry about .... this."
"Friends don't need to say sorry.   I won't be long." Jude placed a comforting hand on the free shoulder before heading out.

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All the way down the winding mountain road Conrads' words kept running through Judes' thoughts.   Did he think he was being punished?    The Surgeon knew his friend dealt with excruciating pain as a result of his eye problem but he himself had never experienced that measure of pain so he didn't really understand it.    Medical professionals dealt with pain on a daily basis but the untold and overlooked truth was that unless one experienced the pain in question one couldn't fully understand it.   Sure they knew about the effects of pain, cures and medications and even had a scale of 1 - 10 to measure it but the notion that medical professionals knew all about pain was a fallacy which patients tended to be blissfully unaware of simply because they did not stop to question the basic facts.   But then why question facts when you go to a Doctor and get treated successfully to fix whatever ails you?   Of course it was those who lived with chronic ongoing episodes of pain without a diagnosis, like Conrad, who had a reason to question things.   Pulling up outside the clinic Jude was surprised to find the two Police Officers from the day before walking out.

"We were just on our way to see you," Officer Holmes noted in greeting, "glad ye decided not to chance the roads last night.   We had several MVAs, there's always some idiots willing to take chances."
"I've treated a fair amount of those stupid people," the Surgeon sympathized with a smile before frowning as he remembered how the Policeman had started the conversation, "why did you need to see me?"
"We're advising people that we have an escaped fugitive on the loose," Holmes looked at his partner as he headed back to the patrol car before continuing, "John Wilson was being transported to another station when the van he was being transported in crashed."
"What was he arrested for?  Jude asked distractedly, he really wanted to talk to Bronson and get back up the mountain.
"You met him yesterday," Holmes stated succinctly.
"Damn!  Just how dangerous do you think he is?    Would he go after someone else?"
"He may," the Police Officer sighed before continuing, "this is his first arrest and I don't know enough about him to make a proper judgment call.   He went on a crime spree yesterday broke into a car, stabbed a kid then took the Nurse captive but seemed sympathetic towards your friend.   Not really sure what set him off."
"Hell I better get back to Conrad," Jude stated as he headed into the clinic, "thanks Officer."
"If you do come across Wilson please get in touch with the station," the middle aged man requested as he took out a business card, "or call me.  Don't try to approach him.   Your friend feeling any better today?"
"Not really.  Just came here to get some medication.   Looks like we might be staying on a couple of days."
"Well just stay safe," Holmes advised with a nod as he headed off.

tbc