CHAPTER 8 B

The dim lights in the Sick Bay room show both Kacey and Patricia sill asleep. Some one had placed a blanket over Patricia. A nurse walked in, nodded to the family, checked the readout of Kacey's vitals then left the room.

The four entered the room. Liam brought a coffee for his wife. The Doctor walked in and started to appraise them of Kacey's condition. Kate held up a hand to stop him.

"Wait Doctor. My mother will want to hear this. As much as I want to let her sleep, I do not want to be on the receiving end of her temper if she does not hear this first hand." Kate knelt by Patricia's side and talked softly. "Mom the Doctor is here."

Patricia stirred and opened her eyes. "I must have dozed off. What has happened?"

Kate handed the coffee to her mother. "The Doctor is here."

Patricia took the coffee. "Thank you dear." She took the coffee and took a sip to get the cobwebs out of her sleep numbed mind.

"Good morning Mrs. O'Malley. Let me get right to the point. Colonel O'Malley had a decent night. We woke her several times and she was lucid. She did experience some nausea which is common for the type of injury she sustained. I was able to at least give her something to control that. She is still tolerating ice chips and I recommend she remains on that for the next few hours. Later we can try weak tea and clear broth."

"Is that coffee I smell?" Kacey woke and sniffed the air.

"Sorry not for you Colonel." The Doctor stated.

"Thought the first rule of a physician was do no harm, Doc."

"It is. That is why you can not have stimulants of any kind yet Colonel." The Doctor stated. "Aside from that, how are you feeling Colonel."

"Like total shit Doc." Kacey said.

"Well seeing how you made it through the night without any major problems, I can safely give you something to ease any discomfort you may be having."

"Discomfort? That is quite the understatement. Everything hurts like hell Doc. Feels like I went ten rounds with the champ and lost."

"The medication I will give you will help. I need to check you out." He shone a light in her eyes. Which intensified her headache. She tried to turn her head away from the light, but the Doctor held her head still. Pupil reaction closer to normal than yesterday." He checked the lacerations. "After the bandages come off we will be able to stimulate your hair growth to cover those cute little bald patches." He joked. "Now the shoulder. This will be painful."

"Then give me the damn medication before you touch it." Kacey stated angrily.

"You will need it more after I examine the shoulder." He undid the clasps and buckles that held the brace on. A large bruise covered her arm from shoulder to elbow. He gently grasped her wrist and tried to pull the arm straight which got a hiss of pain from Kacey "That is not too bad. Now the hard part." He touched her upper arm and shoulder which caused Kacey to jump.

"God damn it Doc." She yelled.

"Try to relax. If you tense up it will hurt more." He reached for her arm again but was stopped.

"Doctor wait a minute." Patricia took Kacey's good hand in hers. "Sweet heart try this. Close your eyes. Think about this. Go to that place you go when you play your violin. That happy place where no one and nothing can touch you. Your safe zone. Go to your safe zone." She nodded to the Doctor to continue. He slowly moved Kacey's arm.

Kacey started to open her eyes at the first touch. "No keep your eyes closed. You are in that very special place. Listen to the music. Lose yourself in the music." Patricia kept her voice even and low. She wanted to yell at the Doctor to stop hurting her daughter. He finally finished his exam and had the brace back in place and Kacey's arm back across her chest. He nodded that he was finished.

"All right sweetheart. The Doctor is finished. You can open your eyes and come back from that special place."

Kacey opened her eyes. The pain from her shoulder came back in full force and she gasped in pain.

"How did you do that? It was like hypnosis but something more." Doc stated.

"I noticed years ago that she gets lost in the music every time she plays. Nothing gets through to her when she is in that place. We have used this before."

"She still does that mom." Kate filled in.

"Is she that talented?" Natalia asked.

"Yes she is. She was offered a position with the World Symphony, but she turn them down to stay with the Marines."

"I would love to hear her play." Natalia said. "I noticed the violin in her quarters.

"You will have that opportunity your Majesty" The Doctor said. "Her shoulder will be fine She will be in a brace for several days at the least, but there should not be any lingering effects of the injury."

The Doctor pulled a hypo spray from his pocket, pressed it against Kacey's good arm and pushed the button which delivered the exact amount of medicine.

Almost immediately Kacey felt the effects of the injection. The pain in both her head and shoulder eased.

"Damn Doc that is good shit." Kacey said then noticed Natalia for the first time at the foot of her bed. "There she is mom. I think I found her. The girl of my dreams. She is beautiful and..." Kacey closed her eyes and slept. Natalia tried to hide the blush that covered her face.

"She will sleep for awhile." The Doctor advised them.

"Kate." Patricia warned. "Don't you even think about teasing her about what she said."

"Would not think of it mom." Kate stated. Patricia sniffed in disbelief.

"Have any of you eaten?"

"Just coffee, mom." Kate stated.

"Then come along. No one will skip any meals here."

"I would like to remain here if it is alright." Natalia stated.

"Normally yes, but unless you have had breakfast, no. Come along."

"Queen Natalia, we have found at times like these, it is better to just say yes ma'am and not try to argue with her. This is the same woman who wants to tear Kacey's commanding officer a new as... orifice because she got hurt." Kate stated.

"In that case, yes ma'am." Natalia said and followed the out the door.