Laura had Steve lie on a gurney in the ER as she pulled the curtain closed around it. She took a pair of scissors and deftly cut his pants from his body. "Gwen, please get his shoes and socks off. We need to examine him closely, as well as x-ray him. Steve, can you tell me of any pain or injuries that I can't see?"
"My shoulder hurts and my leg aches, but you can see that," responded Steve. "Other than that, I just have some scratches and bruises. Can I ask how Jason's doing?"
"Thanks to you, he's doing great! I spoke to Lisa last night and she said she'd be bringing him home to Sparta this weekend," answered Gwen as she pulled Steve's socks off his feet. "I think we'll burn these socks, if they aren't declared a biohazard first. Haven't you been told to always wear clean socks and underwear in case you're in an accident?"
"I forgot to take a change of clothes with me. It looks like Laura just took care of my underwear," worried Steve as Laura cut his underwear from his body. "Now I'm totally without clothes!"
"And that's just the way I like you!" quipped Gwen as she moved closer to Steve's head. "You really do need a shower and a shave. I didn't realize how heavy your beard was since you've always been smooth shaven. Is Steve well enough to shower and shave, Laura?"
"I'm sending him for x-rays right away. It looks like he's still carrying a bullet in his leg, he's got a nasty gash on his shoulder, and his pretty face has been deeply scratched by what looks like pieces of rock," observed Laura as she held up a small chard she had pulled from one of Steve's cuts.
"Yeah, it's probably pieces of rock that hit my face when the bullet hit the boulder next to my head," responded Steve as he recalled the battle he had the previous day. "I was lucky the guy was in such a hurry to shoot me. He pulled his shot a little, and he missed. I didn't."
Laura glanced at Gwen with some surprise as Steve finished his statement, but she kept her professional demeanor. "Once we determine that you've got no internal injuries, I'll let you take a quick shower and shave in our staff facilities. Once you're bandaged, you'll be limited to sponge baths for a day or two. There's going to be a boat load of reporters outside and you need to look human. We don't normally do things like this, but it's my professional opinion that you deserve some special attention and consideration.
"I'm still trying to figure out how you wound up here in Sparta, and even more amazingly, how Gwen knew you were on that helicopter. That was scary."
"I'm here because Gwen and Jordan offered a million dollars to anyone helping me and the girls get back to Sparta safely. That saved my life. It looks like I owe you again, Babe. You're making it a habit of saving my bacon," grinned Steve as he took Gwen's hand in his. "I don't know who told her I was coming in on that helicopter."
"I really don't know how I knew, but I did. I was absolutely convinced Steve was coming home on that helicopter. I was feeling funny during breakfast, anxious and nervous. When you said that some injured people were being flown in, somehow I just knew it was Steve."
Steve's x-rays were negative, so Gwen was allowed to help him into the lady's locker room. She turned the water in the shower to the temperature Steve preferred and immediately undressed as Steve dropped the robe he was wearing and limped into the shower. Soon, Gwen was under the water with him, carefully washing his body as she stood under the spray with him.
"You've lost some weight and you've got several bruises on your chest. They look like the ones you had after that shootout at graduation. Were you wearing a bullet proof vest?" asked Gwen as she gently ran her fingers over some purple marks on his torso.
"Yeah, I had a flak jacket on. I guess it's a good thing. I didn't realize that I'd been hit, but now that you touch the areas, they do feel a little sore."
Gwen had promised Laura that she's get Steve cleaned up as fast as she could, so she wasted no time getting Steve scrubbed, other than being very careful around his obvious wounds. Once he was showered, Gwen had him sit down while she carefully shaved his face. She meticulously shaved around his cuts and abrasions. Luckily, most of them were higher on his face and forehead. When she was satisfied that she had gotten every stray hair, she rinsed his face and applied some lotion.
"Now you can put that robe on and let Laura work on your leg and shoulder. Since I've completed two years of medical school, I can watch and even assist her, if she'll allow me," added Gwen as she opened the door to the hall.
A smiling nurse was waiting for them when they emerged. "You look much better, Mr. Hammer. I bet Ms. Anderson didn't miss anything when she helped you get cleaned up. I know I wouldn't have," laughed the young nurse as she escorted Steve and Gwen back to the ER.
"Here's what I'm thinking," offered Laura when Steve was back on the gurney. "Steve needs stitches in his shoulder, but I can't do that until the swelling is down and any infection is cleared up. I have to remove the bullet from his leg and clean that up carefully. It won't be the first one I've dug one out of this guy. He looks a lot better this time than he did that awful day six years ago.
"Are you willing to spend a day or two in a hospital bed, just relaxing and healing?" asked Laura as she examined Steve's shoulder.
"Laura, you know the answer to that, or you wouldn't have asked. This is Memorial Day weekend and our concert is tonight. I'll be on stage with my friends, like I always am. I'd like you to do what you can for now and then let me go. I'll be sure to follow any directions you have and be back in a couple days for the stitches."
"That's pretty much what I expected," replied Laura. "I'll dig that bullet out of your leg and start you on some strong antibiotics. You understand that the hospital will give me holy hell for not admitting you while you recuperate. I may be coming to your company for a job."
"You'll always be welcome, but you can bet we'll back you to the max if the hospital gives you any trouble. Steve is not your average patient. I'm witness to him refusing to be admitted. He'll tell the nurses when we leave that you insisted that he be admitted, but that he's refusing. That is if you think he's going to heal okay this way," worried Gwen as she considered the situation.
"This guy will be fine. I'm going to prescribe some sleep and maybe some gentle loving to help his emotional needs. A few hours sleep and some personal attention should do wonders for him. I understand there are more than a few ladies willing to help with that part of my prescription," teased Laura as she gently cleaned Steve's shoulder before applying some sort of ointment and a bandage.
Gwen and a nurse assisted Laura as she removed the bullet from Steve's leg in a small operating room, using a local anesthetic. "He was pretty lucky, all things considered. The bullet missed bone and lodged in muscle. It'll hurt for a few days, but we've removed it soon enough to avoid any serious infection. It'll drain for a while, but if he takes his antibiotics like he's supposed to, he should be as good as new in a few days," predicted Laura as she bandaged Steve's leg. "I'll sew his leg and shoulder up when the infection is gone and the injuries stop draining."
"Thanks, Laura," offered Steve after they moved him to a small room near the ER. "Can I get down now? I'd like to see Jordan and Charlie and thank them, and Paula and Kate, and everyone else. Can I leave now?"
"My official response is that you can't leave. You need to remain under our care for a few more days, at least. However, I heard what happened to Flores and his drug gang when they tried to stop you. I'm not going to try to keep you if you insist on leaving, but it will be in a wheel chair. That's the least you can do for me to help me keep my job."
Before Steve could respond, Ashley entered the room. She clutched a large bag to her chest as she stopped and looked at Steve.
"Thank God you're back! I was so worried about you!" cried Ashley as tears ran down her cheeks. She dropped the bag and carefully hugged Steve as she sobbed against his chest. Laura arched a questioning eyebrow at Gwen. Gwen simply smiled as she watched Ashley regain control.
"I picked up some clothes for you. Gwen said your old ones were pretty much ruined. She gave me your sizes. I hope you like them," continued Ashley.
"I know your leg still hurts," added Gwen as she undid the belt to his robe and tugged it off his shoulders. Then she dropped to her knees, dug a pair of boxers from the bag and held them by Steve's feet. Ashley quickly dropped down next to Gwen and helped spread the underwear open for Steve to step into.
Gwen chuckled as Laura was unable to mask her surprise at Ashley's actions. Meanwhile Steve placed one foot into the underwear and then the other. Once his feet were in, Ashley and Gwen carefully slid them up his thighs. Gwen pulled the front out to go over the bandage on his leg without any contact. Then she and Ashley pulled socks out of the bag and worked them onto his feet. Finally, they pulled out a pair of cargo pants and carefully helped work them up to his waist.
Once he was dressed from the waist down, Ashley stood with a polo shirt and offered it to Steve. Suddenly, she pulled it back and hugged him again. Then she stepped back and held the shirt out for Steve.
"Thanks for letting me help him, Gwen. The last week has been awful, wondering if he was okay and if he'd make it back. Now that he's here, I just want to be close to him and watch his every move. I picked out a color that should go good with his tan and his eyes. Do you like it?" asked Ashley as she turned and looked at Gwen. That was when she noticed how shocked Laura appeared to be.
"I'm sorry if I acted like a school girl, Laura. Like I said, I've been really worried and sometimes I have a little trouble with stress. When I'm around Steve, it gets a lot better, especially today. Steve and Gwen are a devoted couple and I wouldn't ever try to change that, but I do get to help him when I can, and Gwen's fine with it."
"Laura was just a little surprised that you were so extremely helpful, especially in front of Gwen," responded Steve as he tucked his shirt into his pants. "I was more than a little surprised, too. But I know how worried you must have been. Gwen's smile is a mile wide, so I'd say that she's fine with everything. Thanks for finding some clothes for me. I feel a lot better dressed like this than I did wearing that robe."
