Bruce wandered into the hospital, and headed for the reception desk to check in. Rebecca had agreed with him that helping at the hospital would be a good opportunity and the kids had been ready to accommodate him. Quincy had offered to take charge of his younger sisters on the way to and from school, and help them with homework if they needed it.
The girls didn't usually need it. They were pretty bright, but Bruce was glad his son had taken up that responsibility. He really was growing into an excellent young man, and it made both Bruce and Rebecca smile with pride. There was a bit of loneliness too, as they grappled with the fact that he no longer needed them, but he'd still be at home for a few years yet.
Bruce had been here every day this week, helping Achilles recover. Alec and the other two nurses, Erik and Isla, had been a great help. Whenever Bruce wasn't there, the three nurses were keeping an eye on Achilles' condition. Dr. Meyers would also drop in once a day to check on things. He'd only spoken to the doctor once, but they seemed to appreciate Bruce's help.
Luckily, Dr. Meyers seemed to be rather laid back, so they mostly left Bruce alone. He'd been mildly concerned these hospital folks would want more information on him and his Miracle, but Meyers wasn't like that.
Achilles had started talking again on about the second day after Bruce started coming. The ordeal seemed to have left the guy pretty shaken, as he wasn't overly talkative. Maybe it was because his throat still hurt, but Bruce had asked Alec - who was the nurse in charge - to see if he could get a psychiatrist in.
Of course Achilles had insisted he didn't need that kind of thing. He was fine, he said. But Bruce wasn't entirely sure. The boisterous attitude he'd first been confronted with was nowhere to be found, and a near-death experience had to have been traumatic. If Jumper and Lightning hadn't moved when they did...
It was no good to think about that stuff. Achilles was alive, and he would be fine. In fact, thanks to Bruce, he was probably going to be released today or tomorrow. Dr. Meyers had been impressed with how fast the tissue had recovered when he used his Miracle.
He had done his best not to overdo it - the first day he'd realized that using the Miracle taxed both him and the person he used it on. Achilles had started going pale and Erik had done an excellent job in handling the situation, but since then Bruce had been very careful.
It only made sense really - the body needed to use resources to heal itself and accelerating that process would accelerate the process at which nutrients were depleted. Before this, though, the injuries had only been relatively minor, not enough to really tax anyone. Looking back though, Bruce felt a bit guilty and wondered if Jumper had struggled after getting his hands healed.
Overall, the hospital had been a good learning experience. He didn't like that it was at Achilles' expense, but Bruce was glad to know more about his Miracle's limits. It meant he'd be better able to help people in the future.
With his uniform on, Bruce pushed his spinning thoughts aside to focus on Achilles.
The hospital sucked. Achilles had disliked every moment of it, wondering how much longer it would be until Dr. Meyers decided he was free to go. Even after he felt mostly fine - just a slightly scratchy throat - the doctor had insisted he stay for observation.
He couldn't do this! Achilles had to be out protecting the people! Defeating villains! Getting revenge on Paris!
Oops, not a very heroic thought there.
But he did have a vendetta against Paris. The guy had completely incapacitated him - and most of his team - without breaking a sweat. Normally this would be where Achilles went through a training montage and got a power-up, but reality wasn't so kind. He was stuck in a hospital, listening to the incessant bleeping of the machines.
At least the one nurse, Isla, was cute. Unfortunately, that didn't make up for the cold food, confinement and endless boredom.
His only respites had been when Bruce - or Doc - came to help his throat. Achilles would have preferred for it to be all done at once, but one of the nurses - he couldn't be bothered to remember the guy's name - had stopped him the first day. Apparently Achilles had started going pale or something.
But he wanted to get out of here!
Today was another day of laying in that stupid bed, staring up at the blank ceiling and waiting for the next time a nurse would drop in. He really should have busted out of here days ago, but that would require him to get his uniform on and after one escape attempt, that tyrant Alec had taken his stuff away.
It was dumb bad luck really. The guy had come in just as Achilles was getting ready to leave. When Alec asked him what he was doing, Achilles had naturally responded that he was leaving. That evil overlord had then smiled coldly, put the clothes back in the box and taken it outside.
Would he ever see it again? Who knew.
At least Doc should be dropping by soon. And just as Achilles thought that, the man himself walked in.
"How are you doing today?" he asked, and Achilles groaned loudly.
"I wanna get out of here. Can't you just fix it in one fell swoop? This is like actual torture."
"At least you're getting back to your old self," Doc said with a slight smile.
"What's that mean?"
"Mouthing off. It's better than your silence."
"Have they told you when I'm getting out of here?"
"I haven't heard. Hopefully soon, and I've asked Alec to see about getting a psychiatrist in here."
"No way. I'm fine, Doc. I don't need mental help."
"I would in your shoes." Doc sat down next to him and looked at him intently. "Just one appointment, for an assessment at least?"
"I'm fine."
As Achilles cursed Doc for bringing up the psychiatrist thing again, Dr. Meyers the warden came in.
"I heard you were here, Bruce. Have you started yet?"
"Not quite. I was just asking him about a psychiatrist."
"Ah." Meyers pulled a chair next to Doc and looked over Achilles.
"I'm fine. Please just let me out of this hospital before Paris hurts someone else," Achilles said.
"A psychiatrist would be my recommendation actually. You've been through a traumatic experience. Even if you don't want to talk about it with anyone else, a psychiatrist would be helpful. Even if you are, indeed 'fine' now, that may change if you find yourself in a similarly stressful situation."
"Not that we're experts," Doc quickly added. Meyers nodded.
"You're looking mostly better today. I think today would be a good day to release you - on one condition. See that psychiatrist."
"Condition accepted," Achilles quickly replied.
"Great. Bruce, if you would." Doc nodded and placed two fingers on Achilles' neck. Achilles closed his eyes and focused on the weird sensation in his throat. It was like some weird warmth crawling over his insides, but not in an unpleasant way.
A few minutes passed, and Doc pulled his hand away. Achilles looked at Meyers as they pulled their stethoscope from around their shoulders.
"Breathe deep for me," they said. Achilles did so.
After what felt like another eternity, Meyers pulled back and nodded.
"I'll sign off on your release." They hit the button to call for a nurse. Before long the guy Achilles couldn't bother remembering the name of came in.
"What can I do for you, Dr. Meyers?" he asked.
"Erik, I'm going to discharge Achilles now. I think he's mostly recovered. Can you find the box Alec took for me?"
"On it. I'll grab the paperwork too." The guy was out of the room as quickly as he was in.
"Now, like I said, there are conditions," Meyers said firmly. "Alec has asked Dr. Webster to join the team as a psychiatrist. She has you booked in for an appointment next week. You will be there." They handed him an appointment reminder card.
"Understood," Achilles muttered.
"And there is one other condition. Keep an eye on how you feel, and if you feel anything is off come see me. This is an unknown, and while Bruce has helped us speed your recovery, we don't know anything about what we're dealing with. I don't see anything wrong now, but that might change. If it does, I want you back in here so we can deal with it."
"Got it." Achilles had to keep himself from rolling his eyes at these helicopter parent types.
The nurse came back in with a box and a clipboard. Doc excused himself, and in a few minutes Meyers had left with the nurse and Achilles was free.
Sweet freedom!
Now to find out what Paris would do next and stop him in his tracks.
