Migraines
-(Tag to 2x09, somewhat)-

TC groaned.

The throbbing and unrelenting pain that had taken refuge behind his eyes was highly frustrating, but what was most annoying was the bright light that hovered at the very tips of his sight, making it difficult to see far and only serving to make his headache worse.

The girl, despite being of a small build, had given him a good head butt. The 3 strips on his left eye were itchy, and the doctor was considering taking them off, if it didn't mean Topher running after his ass to take better care of his injuries.

The quinceanera had not served to do anything better. His stomach churned with nausea, and the ex-ranger had been forced to breathe through his nose in order to keep it under control. He had danced and put on a front, but really couldn't take it anymore. He said goodbye to everyone before kissing the young girl's hand and heading out to his bike.

He was putting on his helmet when Topher and Jordan materialized next to him.

"What's wrong?" Jordan started the interrogation.
"I'm fine Jordan, just tired." The slur in his words would definitely convince her.
"If you're so tired you're slurring, you shouldn't drive a bike home." Topher piped in.
"I'll be fine Toph, my house is not far from here." TC groaned at the over protectiveness.
"If you're fine why are you squinting?" Jordan was ever so observant.
"And don't you dare say it's the light or something flashy, because there's nothing bright enough to cause a headache like the one you have right now." Topher as usual, knew what was wrong with his friend.
"I have a killer headache and I just wish to sleep, okay?" TC was a patient man, but his patience was quickly reaching its end.
"Are you feeling nauseas? How hard did that girl hit you?" Jordan was immediately concerned.
"I don't have a concussion Jordan. And I'll see you tomorrow at the shift, don't worry. I just have to catch up on sleep a little." His reassurance fell on deaf ears, but TC didn't bother himself much. Instead, he drove away as quickly as he could without looking suspicious.

"He's in a lot of pain if he left in the middle of something like this." Jordan spoke once TC rounded the corner and disappeared from view.
"Let him be for tonight. Don't go at his house or anything. He'll probably be fine, but we'll see how he is tomorrow at shift." Topher assured the young lady before ushering her back inside.

TC crashed on the bed after removing his shoes and shirt. He didn't even bother about pain killers. The thought of swallowing something was, well, a hard thing to stomach. It took a lot of shifting about before he was able to bury himself in the duvet in a way that blocked all the lights from assaulting his sensitive eyes. He fell asleep after a short while.

He woke up at 1pm, sweat soaked and shivering in the aftershock of a horrific nightmare. He stayed on his bed for a while, attempting to breathe through the pain that encompassed his skull before slowly getting out of bed. After managing to brew a cup of coffee, he decided to start cleaning up his house a little. He definitely wasn't going to fall asleep again, and the odours of the socks and shirts were only making his headache worse, so he wanted to get rid of them. The morning traffic outside his window was a bitch. The honking horns were echoing in his skull, and TC pressed his hands against his ears to try and block out the sounds, but it was all in vain. With a sigh, he started his self-given chores.

By 6pm, he had dusted everywhere, put his clothes through the washer and dryer, washed the floors, wiped the windows and basically polished half of his apartment. He was folding his clothes when his mind supplied the source of his distress.

His headache was causing him dizziness and nausea.
He hadn't eaten because of his nausea.
He had barely touched a bottle of water during the shift or while he was cleaning.
His emotions were all over the place with the stress to get past his PTSD.
He had drunken a lot of coffee.
The bright lights were bothering him.
The horns honking outside were torture.
The strong odours were even worse.

He had a migraine, again.

Work was going to be golden. Note the sarcasm. He hoped that it would be a quiet night, then he could just crash in a corner.. Well, TC hoped he hadn't jinxed himself by saying the Q word.

The first few hours weren't so bad. Not even half an hour had passed before a huge group was wheeled in. Apparently a party had gone wrong and multiple fights broke out. Instead of fighting with food they fought with glass bottles. Thankfully, none of the injured needed surgery, but almost all needed stitches. TC sat in one of the exam rooms, stitching the arm of a blond girl who seemed to be used to stitches. She didn't complain once during the whole procedure. Well, either she was used to stitches or she could see the pain the doctor was experiencing. TC wished it was the former.

He stitched three other people before the whole group was satisfied and away from the hospital. TC was both thankful and dreadful for the pause in work. He didn't want to be fussed on, and work kept everyone busy on the patients. He didn't have much time to think before a few other people began streaming in the emergency room.

An asthma attack. The flu. Fevers. Colds. Panic Attacks.

TC lost count of how many people he sent back home with the proper medicine. Eventually, a comfortable lull encompassed the calm emergency room. The doctors and nurses were all lounging near the main entrance, and Jordan decided that as usual, they would have a few games to pass the night. TC couldn't help but wince when everybody cheered at the prospect of games. Nobody noticed him shying away and down the corridor, hoping for some peace and quiet.

It didn't take long to set the start and finish line of the race. Kenny grabbed a couple of wheel chairs and Michael, Paul, Krista and Jordan prepared to play. It wasn't a big question on how the teams would be.

Boys VS Girls.

The personnel that were watching were all shouting and cheering for a particular group. Some even made bets. Topher and Drew were next to each other, shouting themselves hoarse to encourage Paul to push harder, to run faster. With this level of competitiveness, Topher was expecting a snarky comment from TC any second. In fact, when the expected comment never came, Topher turned to search for his friend. It was then that he noticed TC was nowhere to be found. He immediately stopped cheering, frowning in worry as he searched through the group. His worry intensified as he didn't find the brunette anywhere, and he slipped away and into a secluded corner before calling TC.

"What Toph?" The words were rough, barely decipherable.
"Where are you?" Topher didn't even bother to hide his concern and shock.
"Locker room." The whispered reply made Topher strain his ears to hear properly.
"Okay, stay there." Topher ordered the hurting ranger before hanging up and heading to the locker room.

He didn't need to ask TC how he was feeling. He knew that TC was in pain for some reason, the rough voice and short answers proved that.

But he also knew that he needed to get next to his friend as soon as possible.

What he saw tugged at his heart strings. TC was on his side on one of the benches, a cushion underneath his head and a hand covering his ear. His eyes were squeezed shut, and Topher could see the pained expression. His lips were tightly closed, and the other arm circled his stomach. The older doctor swore softly as he padded next to his brother, who made no sign whatsoever to acknowledge Topher's presence.

"Tee? What's wrong?" The concern that tinged Topher's tone was heart-warming, and the older doctor softly passed his fingers through the younger's man hair, massaging the aching scalp.
"Don't shout, please." The pleading tone definitely put the older doctor on edge. Besides the fact that he hadn't shouted, TC's voice was strained and rough, as if he hadn't had a refreshing drink in ages.
"Sit up Tee, come on." Topher hooked one arm underneath his friend's shoulders and hauled him up in a sitting position, prompting the ex-ranger to suddenly curl around his stomach, one arm going automatically to his mouth.
"Throw up in this, you'll feel better once you get it out of your system." Topher set a basin on TC's legs, and the younger doctor obeyed, retching until only bile hung from his lips.

Topher grimaced as he felt the shudder that ran through the boy's back. He had been rubbing TC's back, attempting to offer some sort of comfort while the other one threw up whatever was in his stomach. Once sure that that he was ready, Topher grabbed the basin and threw its contents away in the toilet of the bathroom that was connected to the locker room. While there, he wetted a facecloth that he always kept in his locker and that he had grabbed while the other was retching. TC was still pretty out of it, and allowed the older doctor to wipe down his sweat soaked face before he felt the edge of a water bottle against his lips. It was persistent, and TC took a couple of sips before opening his eyes and leaning back down.

"You sure you're not concussed?" Topher asked with a cocked eyebrow.
"Migraine." TC replied hoarsely, wincing as his head began throbbing anew.
"Since yesterday?" Topher inquired softly, sitting next to his friend's head and gently massaging his scalp again.
"It got worse." TC admitted, his cheeks colouring.
"Did you experience an aura?" Topher was all business, but his voice was still soft.
"Flashing lights, ringing ears, couldn't speak properly yesterday.." TC relaxed slightly, savouring the comforting hand that was soothing his scalp.
"What are your symptoms this time?" Topher was patient and allowed the younger man a few seconds to collect himself.
"Dizzy, was nauseous but my stomach calmed now, probably dehydrated, emotional wreck, too much caffeine, light, smell and sound sensitivity," TC rattled off, his eyes fluttering closed again.
"How much is the pain in your head right now?" Topher asked.
"8." The blunt statement worried the older doctor.
"Okay Tee, I need you to stay with me for now. Don't fall asleep, okay?" Topher gently shook the boy's shoulder, but gentle as he was, TC still groaned, his expression twisting in pain.
"But why?" Oh no. TC was downright whining.
"Because Tee, I'm going to get a gurney, so we can put you in a room with a steady IV of pain killers so that you can sleep and the migraine will run its course without ailing you so much." Topher tried to reason with the stubborn doctor.
"NO. I'll just stay away from their cheering and yelling and I'll be fine." TC argued softly.
"Dude, you're going to sleep it off on a wooden bench? Come on." Topher couldn't help his groan.
"No Toph. I'll be fine, it's not the first time a migraine hit me." TC continued to argue.

They were so busy arguing that neither of them noticed Drew hovering in the doorway, glancing at the ranger who was now sitting up on the wooden bench, one leg on the floor and the other stretched out. His keen eyes picked up the tight jaw and the pale colour of TC's face, but he wisely didn't comment on the obvious signs of pain. Topher was near the door, his back turned towards Drew. However, the blond could see the tension in the tight shoulders, both beacon signs of the concern and anger he was feeling.

The tense atmosphere was broken by a loud cheer from outside, clearly issued by Kenny. The reaction was instantaneous. TC groaned loudly and curled on himself, pulling his long legs to his chest as he cradled his head.

"Damn it TC, come on, you can sleep it off till tomorrow, then I'll let you go home, okay?" Topher was adamant in his request.
"I'm fine Toph! It's just a headache!" TC suddenly stood up in anger, and Drew caught sight of TC's eyes widening a fraction, before he swayed and his legs gave out on him.
"TEE!" Topher's panicked shout alerted half the hospital, and Drew immediately jumped forward, gently lowering the ex-ranger into a laying position on the floor.
"Drew? When did you get here?" Topher asked confusedly as he rested two fingers against TC's throat.
"I've been next to the door for a while now." Drew offered just as TC moaned softly and his eyes fluttered open.
"What the hell jus' happened?" His words were slurred together, and Drew frowned worriedly as he rested a cool hand against TC's forehead.
"You just fainted." Topher bluntly stated just before Jordan entered the room.
"TC? What happened here? What's wrong with him?" She seemed to had forgotten that she was a doctor, as she didn't move forward.
"He has a migraine. Stood up too quickly and his blood pressure bottomed." Topher summarized as Jordan stepped closer and kneeled next to TC's head.
"Stop shouting." TC's features were twisted in a frown of pain, and Jordan winced in sympathy.
"Come on Tee, let's give you some Haldol and you can sleep it off tonight." Jordan offered soothingly as Topher gently helped his friend sit up, but TC wouldn't have any of it.
"I can't Toph. The room's spinnin'" TC's murmur was barely high enough to be heard.
"I'll carry him, just guide the way." Drew hooked an arm underneath TC's knees and shoulders and hefted the light doctor up in a bridal carry.
"Don't go all gay on me now." TC mumbled, turning his nose in Drew's neck.
"Shut up Tee. Just try and sleep." Jordan spoke softly as the four doctors escaped the locker room and skilfully entered a room all without being seen by anyone.

TC had completely passed out by then, head nuzzled in Drew's shoulder. The blond doctor didn't mind it one bit, and gently set the ranger in the bed before Topher undressed his best friend, leaving him in only his boxers so as to rest comfortably. Jordan was in the room a few seconds after, a bag of IV in her hand. Drew could only guess that it was the Haldol. She hooked it up while Topher gently inserted the needle in TC's elbow, prompting the passed out doctor to jerk into awareness.

"It's okay Tee, just sleep it off." Jordan hurriedly assured the brunette, soothing him back to sleep.
"He has it bad, doesn't he?" Drew couldn't help his comment as he gently folded TC's jeans.
"He hasn't had a migraine in years, I think he forgot how awful they were." Topher responded as he adjusted the IV line.
"Come on, let him rest, we'll check on him later." Jordan visibly forced herself to move away from the bed where TC was calmly sleeping, expression serene for once.

They all cast one last look before sliding the door shut behind them.

The trio headed to the main entrance, not surprised to find everyone gathered there. After all, it was a pretty slow night. Not that Jordan wanted any cases. She really didn't want anything except to stay with TC, making sure that he was okay and not disturbed by anything. Upon hearing their approach, the assembled personnel turned to face them, curiosity etched on every face. Topher hung back upon seeing the crowd, and Drew headed behind the table to grab a bottle of water. Attention had always bothered him, no matter if it came from a whole city or from a couple of work-mates. Kenny, Krista, Paul and Michael, who were gathered in the front of the mob, were clearly worried out of their minds, and Paul voiced all of their thoughts.

"What happened to TC?" The concern was easily detected in his tone.
"Why do you think something happened to him?" Jordan asked, clearly on edge. TC wouldn't want everybody to thread on eggshells around him.

"You're paler than usual. TC wasn't cheering with us. Topher left first. Drew left a few minutes after. You left seconds later. About half an hour passes, and all of you come back at the same time, still without TC. However, you can't say you didn't find him because your jaw is tight, meaning that you're worried about someone and you're never that concerned unless it has something to do with TC. Now, you can be concerned because you don't know where he is, but my gut tells me you're worried about what you found. And that is not including Topher's panicked shout, that I'm quite sure people from radiology heard." Krista's reasoning hit the nail right on its head, and Jordan couldn't help but colour a little.

"He has a migraine. He hasn't had one in a while, so it stumped him. He was in the locker room to get away from the sound, but we got him to a room so he can sleep it off." Topher explained gently.
"So even though he's deeply asleep, it would be better if we lay off the loud sounds tonight. Let him recover in peace." Drew said with a small smile.
"What did you give him?" Michael's brow was furrowed, a sure sign of his concern.
"Haldol." Jordan responded, her voice tense. She was thankful it didn't waver.
"We'll keep an eye on him sweetie, don't worry about it." Mollie piped up from behind her desk.
"Yeah, besides, there isn't anything else to do except wait and see." Gwen also commented from her spot on the desk. Nobody questioned why the paramedic was sitting on the table.

"This night is going to be fun." Jordan muttered under her breath, shaking her head a little.

3 A.M.

It was all quiet. Jordan and Topher didn't budge from the room, unless they urgently needed a bathroom break. While Jordan sat rigidly on the plastic chair that was as close to the bed as possible, Topher leaned against the wall, resting his weight against the concrete. However, both were staring at TC, who hadn't even moved from his position. He lay on his back, and his hair was splayed all over the pillow, a stark contrast to the pristine white sheets that rested on his chest. The Haldol seemed to be doing its job, as his features were smooth, no sign of pain at all. Jordan rubbed circles on the back of TC's hand, as if attempting to sooth his unconscious self.

For Jordan, it was like when he had just arrived back from the war. He was calm when sleeping, if only for a few hours. If only for that little time, he wasn't frowning, and she wasn't looking at eyes haunted by what they had witnessed. He didn't jump or flinch at every noise around him, as if expecting enemies to just run out of his apartment's wall. He was just laying there, completely still, calmly sleeping. It was comforting and slightly off putting at the same time.

Topher couldn't tear his eyes from his best friend. His brother. He was so still. It was almost freaky. When they were in Afghanistan, TC always slept on his side, but even then, he always changed positions during the night. He would turn and twist and end up in a totally different position in just a few hours. It was a miracle how he never woke up with any sores. But now, he lay absolutely still. The only thing moving was his chest. His rhythmic breathing was soothing to the veteran. It was a sure sign that his friend wasn't dead. Hadn't given up on life. Seeing it, the simple movement of pulling in and pushing out air, made the older doctor thankful that he had managed to stop TC from taking his own life a short while after they had both come from the war.

They were both so lost in their thoughts that neither noticed when TC frowned, his head tossing a little on the pillow. They didn't notice the distressed expression on the ranger's face, or the sudden tension in his shoulders. However, Jordan noticed once TC unconsciously squeezed her hand. She immediately jolted back into reality, shooting up from the chair as one hand automatically went to his forehead. Topher also hunched over the bed, one hand on his friend's shoulder while the other rested on TC's chest, feeling the furiously beating heart. TC groaned, his head tossing from side to side as he found himself trapped in a nightmare of his own mind. Undecipherable mumbles fell from his lips constantly, and Jordan couldn't help her worry as she called his name repeatedly, but in vain. Topher motioned for the girl to get back as he grabbed TC's shoulders and shook him roughly, calling his name at the same time.

"TEE WAKE UP! IT'S JUST A NIGHTMARE!" Topher's order seemed to snap TC out of his mind, but not without a price.

TC jerked upwards and in a sitting position, his red-rimmed eyes wide but unseeing, tear tracks staining his cheeks. But his dishevelled appearance wasn't what shook Jordan. It was his scream.

The loud, ear-deafening scream that was filled with raw-emotion. It echoed briefly down the hallway, but it remained echoing for a long time in Jordan's memory, each repetition worse than the last. Each repetition making her shudder at the pain that clearly underlined the primal shout.

Both doctors were shocked to the core, staring blankly at the shaking doctor between them that had curled on himself, long fingers tearing at his own hair.

The shout that echoed in the hallway made everyone freeze. The paper stopped rustling. The computer stopped beeping. The chatter stopped. Some even stopped breathing. Everything stilled. Everyone locked their gaze on the hallway, half expecting TC to suddenly materialize.

Drew was the first one to shake off the shock. He immediately instructed everyone to stay stationery while he practically ran to the room that TC was in. He too was frozen solid at the sight in front of him. TC was still a quivering mess, and Drew could see the tears that still fell from his tightly closed eyes. The ex-ranger was tense, and fear radiate from his being, which stunned Drew, who had never seen TC scared of anything.

"How long has he been like this?" Drew tentatively asked.
"About five minutes." Topher responded, voice equally as soft.
"Hey Tee? You with us?" Jordan unconsciously lay a hand on his arm, which proved to be a mistake.

TC jerked harshly and scampered back, almost falling off the bed in his haste. His wide eyes shot across the room, taking in the three occupants before he pressed himself even more in the back rest of the bed. Topher worriedly noted the sudden increase in breathing, but it was Drew who noticed the paleness that had returned to his friend's face. Topher attempted to step closer, but TC flinched, and the older doctor stepped back again, giving him his space. The petrified look on his face was almost surreal. Wide eyes were flooded with fear, and his arms gripped the sheets underneath him in a knuckle white grip. Drew decided to not comment on the very evident tension in the ex-ranger's shoulders.

It was almost like TC was a cornered animal.

"Drew, grab a sedative and get Kenny and Michael in here. We're going to need their help. Be real quiet when coming back." Topher didn't even look at Drew, but the younger doctor could feel the urgency in the tone.

Drew didn't know another time in his life when he felt such a high level of urgency. He alerted the other two doctors quietly and Kenny quickly grabbed a sedative before the 3 of them hurried to the room.

What greeted them was a surprise on its own.

Topher was talking softly to TC, getting him to relax a little in their presence. While doing so, he was dropping TC's guard, and everyone could see the pain in his eyes as he hung on to every word that Topher uttered. Through the slow process Topher managed to get TC to lie down completely, and even pulled the blanket up on his chest. TC was calm now, breathing normally.

It was almost like the cornered animal had been tamed.

All hell broke loose when Jordan attempted to re-insert the IV that TC had pulled out with his struggles. Topher, who had both arms on TC's bare shoulders, felt the sudden tension and immediately snapped into action.

"HOLD HIM!" The order was carried out without hesitation. Kenny and Drew each grabbed a leg through the blanket, and Michael's small frame allowed him to hop on the bed and lean heavily on TC's upper body by putting a leg on either side of the ex-ranger. Topher forcefully pinned TC's left arm to the mattress, and Michael quickly twisted himself, using his arms to restrain TC's right arm. That made the job easier for Jordan, who quickly inserted the IV and pressed the sedative in as well.

It didn't take long for the drug to work itself in TC's system. The veteran's struggling became more feeble before he slumped back into the bed, half closed eyes seeking someone. Drew and Kenny released their grips and quickly pulled Michael off, supporting the shorter man without any effort. Topher kept both hands on TC's cheek, forcing the younger man to look at him.

"It's okay Tee, just let go. We'll be here when you wake up." His tone was soothing, and Jordan caught a small nod before TC's eyes fluttered shut and he fell asleep, as if nothing had happened just minutes before.

All of them stumbled out of the room after hooking the ranger to a heart monitor so it would alert them if he was having another nightmare. Jordan and Topher must have been pale, because chairs were rolled their way and bottles of water were pushed in their hands. Gwen kneeled next to Jordan, rubbing the doctor's knee as a sign of comfort. Jordan couldn't help but smile. Drew rubbed Topher's back, wincing at the tension that hardened the man's shoulders.

Everybody was shaken to their core. No one except Topher and Jordan has ever seen TC so bad off. The doctor was always laughing and bouncing around, as if he had never ending energy. He never complained about anything unless he had a valid reason to argument against, and his main concern was always that everybody was all right. Everybody couldn't help but love him. It was a true misfortune that he didn't seem to realize that.

Now, hearing his screams of pain, hearing the agony that he had buried deep inside of himself, showed them a brand new perspective of their veteran. It didn't mean they would treat him any differently. They knew him enough to know that it would bother him greatly if he was suddenly treated in any manner different from usual, but they had discovered something that he usually left hidden behind a mask of happiness. They had discovered his pain.

Nobody noticed the time pass. They were too lost in their own thoughts. Too lost mulling on their friend that was currently laying in a different room, completely unconscious. They all wanted to see him, it was no secret, but they also knew that having too many visitors seeing him helpless in a hospital bed, immobile because of a headache, would make him feel ashamed and he would just pretend he was fine. His character was weird like that, but they all knew and respected him as he was.

The deadly quiet could be broken with a needle.

Jordan was the first to snap out of her thoughts when several birds chirped from outside. An alarm clock signalled 7:30am. A person from the day shift came from outside. The morning breeze caused a paper to fly off the table, rustling loudly as it landed on the floor. Several personnel of the night shift stretched their arms high above their heads, causing several spines to crack as yawns broke quite a few jaws. A car honked from outside. Morning traffic was always a bitch.

The nurses and doctors shared a look that spoke volumes before Jordan and Topher headed to TC's room, just in time to see him shift ever so slightly. Jordan hurried to his side, quickly sliding her hands in his. Topher found himself on the other side, one hand resting on TC's shoulder as he gazed at his best friend's face.

As for TC, he was officially confused. There was a somewhat soft surface beneath him, clearly a hospital bed. He had hopped on too many to not know how they felt. At least his pillow was comfortable. There was a thin blanket on his chest, and if he was to throw a shot in the dark, he would say that the prickly sensation in his arm would be an IV needle. He didn't have time to mull on that as he felt the needle being retracted from his skin, a scratchy bandage replacing its place. The beeping sound behind him was highly annoying, and TC was thankful when someone shut it off. The strange pressure on his index finger was removed then as well.

TC felt oddly lethargic. His limbs were heavy, as if weighed down to the bed, and his thoughts were swimming in his mind, aimless points not making sense. Someone was calling him, but even the voice was outlandishly distorted, as if the person speaking was in a total different world. Most would explain the sensation as being beneath the ocean. He just had to break the surface. Sounds easy. It wasn't easy.

He just needed something to ground him, to keep him from floating aimlessly in the inky blackness that was his mind. Someone was holding his hand. Good. He focused his strength to squeeze the small hand, which prompted another burst of chatter somewhere on top of him. It took quite a few strokes to break the surface, and a lot of effort, but finally TC managed to roll his head sideways on the pillow and open his eyes, blinking repeatedly to clear his vision.

Jordan smiled at Topher when TC's eyes fluttered open, a look of confusion morphing his features before he woke up a bit more, shaking off the sedative's effects. It took him a few seconds to notice that he was practically naked underneath the blanket, if you didn't count his boxers. Jordan couldn't help but laugh when she noticed the tint of red that coloured TC's cheeks.

"Toph?" What he was about to say was lost in a barrage of coughs.
"Easy Tee, just drink a little, few sips at a time." Topher promptly pulled his friend in a sitting position, rubbing TC's back until the coughing fit stopped and the ex-ranger was able to drink a little.
"Why am I in my boxers?" TC's voice was both exasperated and a little curious.
"Because I doubt jeans or scrubs are comfortable to sleep in, and you definitely wouldn't want a gown." Topher countered, swiftly checking his best friend's blood pressure, heart rate and breathing.
"And why the hell am I in a hospital bed?" TC was clearly confused.
"What do you remember last Tee?" Jordan was patient, and she unconsciously played with TC's hair while waiting for an answer.
"Hiding in the locker room. Topher being there. Drew was there too I think. We were arguing? Nothing after that. It's a big black blank." TC admitted with a shrug just before Topher jammed a thermometer in his mouth to keep him quiet.

"You collapsed last night because of your migraine. You had a bad one, stood up too quickly, and your blood pressure bottomed. Drew carried you here. You fell asleep, had a nightmare, woke up, and we had to sedate you because you were freaked out of your mind. That was at 3. Now it's 7:30." Topher summed up everything while checking the younger doctor's pupils and taking note of his temperature.

"That's about it. How's the headache?" Jordan agreed with a small shrug.
"It's gone." TC admitted as he swung his legs over the side of the bed, letting them dangle there.
"TC Callahan. Your jaw is tight. You still have a headache. Just tell us." Jordan coaxed him with a stern, yet soft tone. Nobody noticed her pulling his hair ever so subtly.
"It's just a small ache. Always happen after migraines. It's like a residual head-ache." TC explained softly.
"Should I offer to admit you in?" Topher asked with a half grin.
"Where are my clothes Toph?" TC responded with a grin of his own.
"Get dressed, Janet is expecting you. She planned to cook a big lunch and told me to invite you and Jordan over." Topher handed him his clothes from the cupboard beside the bed.
"But I have to wash first." Jordan was the first to object the kind offer.
"You think Janet didn't think of that? Grab your bag from the locker, we have two bathrooms, you can bathe in one of them." Topher responded. "Besides, Lynn misses you, and you can see the twins again."
"Well, I wouldn't miss Janet's cooking, and it's been a long time since I saw her." TC had already slipped on his clothes, and was now tying his shoes. "What do you think Jordan?"
"Fine, I'll come, but for now, let's go sign off so we can leave." Jordan responded as she hopped off from the bed.

TC followed suite, wavering a little as he got adjusted to being vertical again before following them into the main entrance, where everybody was still waiting. A round of cheers went up as they saw TC walking beside Topher and hand in hand with Jordan. TC stared at the group with a raised eyebrow, hiding the shock at seeing all of his work-mates waiting for him. Drew moved forward and hugged him close, burying his nose in TC's hair. Basically Tee was dwarfed underneath the man.

"Don't go all gay on me now." He said with a grin when Drew pulled away.
"He's already taken, Drew!" Krista's teasing was light hearted, and TC threw her a grin, which she returned.
"Let the man go people, he needs his rest." Michael and Kenny spoke at the same time, which prompted quite a funny reaction.
"You two closer than you make us believe Kenny?" Gwen piped up from beside Molly.
"I wouldn't be surprised, many know how to keep a good secret around here." Molly spoke up as well.
"No, just no. That was just a coincidence." Michael replied.
"A very weird coincidence." Kenny enforced his point as he moved a couple steps away.

"We're leaving!" Topher announced as he pulled TC to the exit.
"You're riding with Topher, I'm driving the bike." Jordan nimbly stole the keys from TC's pocket.
"I'm fine Jordan! I can drive my own bike." TC argued.
"Driving with a headache is just as wrong as driving while drunk TC! I am driving the bike." She wasn't backing down.
"But why?" TC downright whined.
"Because TC, it's safer." Jordan's tone left no room for argument, and TC climbed in Topher's car, resting his head against the cool window as Topher drove to his home.

It wasn't a long ride, but morning traffic was hell. 9:30am struck before TC was toeing off his shoes near the door. Jordan followed suit, removing her boots in a more dignified manner before following Topher to the living room, where Janet was drinking a cup of coffee. Lynn was already at school, and the twins were still sleeping, which provided a moment of rest for the busy mother.

"Hey sweetie, how was work?" She kissed her husband before gesturing to the 3 other mugs that were still steaming.
"Nothing out of the ordinary." Topher responded.
"How are you TC?" She turned her look on the other doctor, who had been trying in vain to disappear in the sofa cushions.
"I'm fine Janet." He took a small sip of his coffee.
"Good, because you're not coming up with any excuses to not eat." She scolded the man, who nodded sheepishly. Jordan almost choked on her coffee. TC was never this obedient.
"Take your time to wash, I'm going to start preparing the food." Janet ordered as she stood up, her empty mug in her hand.

The three friends enjoyed their coffee in silence, appreciating each other's presence. Despite the long rest, TC was tired, and if he was to be totally honest, he wanted nothing more than to drop down and sleep. Maybe then he would get rid of the weak, yet throbbing pain, behind his eyes. It had been a while since his migraines hit, and TC was honestly surprised at the intensity with which they returned. He hadn't been floored like that since before his first tour.

"I'm going to wash, Jordan you can use the other bathroom. Either TC or Janet can show you the way." Topher's voice brought him out of his reverie, and TC held back a flinch of surprise as his brain comprehended what Topher had said.
"Thank you Topher." Jordan, ever so politely, jabbed TC's side, prompting him to get up and show her where the bathroom was before he sat back down on the coach, unconsciously pulling out his phone and scrolling through Facebook to pass the time.

It didn't take Jordan much time to wash, and she was down before Topher. He was probably checking on the twins though. TC couldn't help his chuckle as she plopped down next to him, sinking in the soft cushions. TC left his cell phone on the coffee table before trudging upstairs to wash himself, gladly removing the antiseptic smell that clung to him after spending a night in a hospital bed. No wonder people wanted to get out of hospitals as soon as possible. The smell was truly horrible. TC let the hot water travel down his body, the tendrils of heat soothing sore muscles before he stepped out of the bath and dried himself off quickly.

By the time he got downstairs Topher had finished as well, and was now conversing with Jordan and Janet. While the married couple sat on a love seat, Jordan was on the long couch, all alone. Well, she wasn't alone for long. Years of crashing there had made TC quite comfortable with the family, and he didn't feel the slightest bit awkward as he lay down on his side on the couch, using Jordan's thigh as a personal pillow. As for Jordan, her only reaction was resting her hand against his scalp and gently ruffling his hair, letting the strands pass through her fingers. It was a motion he was used to from her, but it never ceased to relax him.

The conversation that was going on was but a dull lull in the background for the ex-ranger, and between the hand gently massaging his scalp and the comfortable cushions he was on, it didn't take long for him to fall asleep.

"When did TC fall asleep?" Topher whispered, staring at his best friend.

"It's been a while." Janet responded with a shrug. "Let him be, he's obviously exhausted."
"Never saw him this peaceful without being drugged." Jordan murmured, one finger tracing her boyfriend's cheek.
"That's what exhaustion does to him." Topher replied, voice low so it wouldn't disturb his friend.
"Hey Toph, come help me get everything in the cooker will you? It's about time I put the lasagne and the baked rice in." Janet requested from her husband.
"Coming sweetheart." Topher, ever the gentleman, crouched down and kissed his friend's forehead before quickly going to the kitchen.

Jordan let her eyes run all over TC. He was completely relaxed. There was no tension in his shoulders, no frown marring his beautiful features. There wasn't lines of distress near his eyes, and not for the first time, Jordan found herself admiring how sharp his cheekbones were when compared to his other features. Her spare hand grabbed one of his, unconsciously rubbing the back of his hand before intertwining her fingers with his. She couldn't help the smile as he squeezed her hand. Even asleep he was a perfect gentleman to her.

Between her idle musings and the sleepless night that exhausted her both physically and emotionally, Jordan didn't stay awake much more. She angled her head backwards, resting it on the back of the couch before her eyes fluttered close. She was in the land of dreams quicker than expected.

When Topher and Janet returned to the living room, they weren't very surprised. Topher grabbed a blanket and threw it on TC, but couldn't do much for Jordan except slipping a travel neck pillow on her to avoid future neck pain. Seeing the peacefulness that reigned in the sleeping couple, Topher and Janet couldn't help but smile.

Hours passed, and the food was ready, but neither had the heart to wake them. Besides, they needed all the rest for their next shift. Who knew what cases that night would bring?

HI GUYS!

Okay, so no more Night Shift for now. Those two one-shots were just something I needed to get out of my head.

Okay, I am going to write a one piece fic next, 'cause I've been lacking on those ever since I started writing again. I might also be slow on writing simply because I have a lot of shit going on right now, and I have big exams to study for. They're in May 2016, but I have to study 3 years worth of knowledge, so yeah.

ANYWAY.

I'm sorry if the information wasn't accurate, I couldn't find any other stuff on the internet, and I spend hours searching for reliable sites! So, if any Big mistakes, feel free to point out in PMs or reviews?

So yeah, that's another Author note wrapped. Thank you for reading, feel free to drop a review telling me what you think! c=