For Joan

[theodorelasso]

Continued from here.

(warnings: sexytimes. also, panic attacks, brutal violence, attempted murder, discussion of suicide and actual murder... )

Comments

[theodorelasso]

"Thanks, I appreciate that," Ted answers with a smile, and he does. Hey, he added the 'well done'! And it didn't sound too sarcastic.

He falls silent as they all focus on the eating for a while, and he realizes some of the tiredness was just from being hungry, and he's perking up a bit now. (Didn't help the back/leg pain, but the carefully sitting in a comfortable position did.)

"Shaun's coming by tomorrow morning, if that's okay," he says, suddenly remembering.

[formersurgeon]

"Of course," Joan says. "Hopefully he can help with the pain."

She looks over at Sherlock, who has a questioning look on his face. "Physical therapist," she says.

"Ah."

[theodorelasso]

"He's making sure I recover alright," he elaborates, though that much is probably obvious. "Which... I probably could be doing better at, I guess," he adds with a sheepish smile at Joan. "You'll like him though, he's a sweetie."

[formersurgeon]

"I bet," Joan says with a smile. She's not going to lean into the fact that he needs to be more careful in his current condition. He's plenty aware of it himself, and she wants to support him, not make him feel bad.

[theodorelasso]

What with the somewhat questionable amounts of sleep, the stress and panic, the being shoved by Turner, the walking around more than he should, it's overall not ideal to healing properly. Especially given he had a lot of different injuries at the same time, so his body's doing a lot of work just trying to repair everything.

"He was supposed to come by a bit more often, but obviously we've been a little busy lately," he says.

[formersurgeon]

"We can restart your therapy," she promises. "We have nowhere to be but here, and nothing to do but get better."

They've been through so much, and both of them are in desperate need of some R and R.

"Sherlock can get us whatever we need," she says, smiling at her partner.

"Within reason," the detective says.

[theodorelasso]

He doesn't argue that he does in fact have somewhere to be. He tries not to feel guilty for abandoning the team, but he feels it anyway. Even knowing he'll be much more use to them if he takes the time to heal.

"A spaceship?" Ted all but yells excitedly, before Sherlock has even finished saying 'within reason'. Get used to it, Sherlock.

[formersurgeon]

Joan would argue back ... gently ... that the team would want him to take the time to get better. They definitely miss him, but they care about him, too.

Sherlock responds to the outburst with a scowl equal parts confusion and disdain. Joan chortles. She's used to this.

[theodorelasso]

"...Bouncy castle?" he suggests, hopefully, undeterred by the scowl. It's a slightly more reasonably request. Not that they would get much use of it currently, maybe besides just laying in it.

[formersurgeon]

Joan laughs and glances up at Sherlock, her eyes sparkling, loving Ted's playfulness and knowing that Sherlock won't know what to make of it.

"He's joking," she assures him. "Especially since neither of us should be bouncing in a bouncy castle right now."

[theodorelasso]

Ted would think his joking was obvious, but then he is occasionally ridiculous in entirely genuine ways, so, maybe not. He just hopes he'll get some reluctant amusement out of Sherlock at some point.

"Yeah, besides, I got that Playstation, so I'm probably all set," he agrees with Joan, giving a big shrug.

[formersurgeon]

Sherlock's sense of humor is dry as a bone and cynical as hell, so it's likely to take a while before he even recognizes Ted's humor, much less understands it...and finding it funny seems right out.

"Then what do you want me to get?" he asks. "Or order? You can have almost everything delivered these days."

[theodorelasso]

"Well, the TV was a good suggestion," Ted answers, not joking this time. "I brought a suitcase over with most of my stuff. Besides that, I think we're pretty set?" he says, looking at Joan with raised eyebrows in case she can think of anything. There's gonna be little things, kitchenware for example, but they'll figure that out as they go along.

[formersurgeon]

"We'll need food," she says to Ted before turning back to Sherlock. "Probably delivery." She looks back to Ted. "This is delicious, but it might be better if you're able to stay of your feet for a while."

[theodorelasso]

Ted wasn't really counting food, in his head that's already been accounted for.

"Yeah, but I figure we can just figure that out based on what we're in the mood for, right?" he answers. "And the smoothies are easy, that's mostly just popping stuff in a blender," he adds. He can instruct Sherlock on that stuff.

[formersurgeon]

"Absolutely," she says with a nod. "We don't need to plan out our meals or anything." Sherlock can easily manage the smoothies.

Joan takes a couple more spoonfuls of the chicken rice, then holds her bowl out to Sherlock.

"I think I've had enough. It's really good, but my stomach isn't up for much."

[theodorelasso]

"It's probably decent reheated," Ted comments. "I think it's easier to eat lots of smaller meals, keep your digestion going? -- I don't know why I'm telling you, you're the doctor," he says, interrupting himself halfway through with a chuckle.

[formersurgeon]

"Used to be," she says with a smile. "But you're right, especially when starting to have solid foods after a while without."

Sherlock takes her bowl, and Joan shifts closer to Ted, putting her head on his shoulder again and leaving it there this time. They had told Sherlock they wouldn't be cutesy, but this isn't her being cute, just her taking solace and strength from the man she loves.

[theodorelasso]

Ted leans his head against her turban too, just enjoying sitting close to her while he finishes eating.

"Isn't it like when you have a doctorate, you get to call yourself a doctor even if you're not working with medicine?" he asks curiously.

[formersurgeon]

It feels good just to be close like this.

"A medical degree isn't usually a PhD," she explains. "I'm not licensed, so I'm not allowed to practice medicine. It's unethical to call myself a doctor under those circumstances."

[theodorelasso]

"Huh," Ted answers, always interested to learn something new. "So I guess if I want to say something like that, I'll say... 'studied medicine'," he suggests instead.

[formersurgeon]

"That's allowed," she says with a smile.

"Your lack of license hasn't affected your medical skills, Watson," Sherlock points out. "A fact both Ted and I can attest to. Why should a piece of paper determine whether or not you are worthy of the title 'doctor?'"

[theodorelasso]

"I guess it depends on context," Ted muses. "If you're using at as some sort of leverage, that's probably not great, but if someone had a heart attack on a plane, and the flight attendant was doing the 'Is there a doctor here?!?'," he continues, dramatically proclaiming the cheesy line of course. "You wouldn't say no."

[formersurgeon]

Joan laughs softly. "You both have good points," she says with a smile. "Technically I can't legally present myself as a doctor. But you're right, if there was an emergency and I didn't have time to explain why I'm not really a doctor, I don't think the law will mind. And as we're not in a formal setting, if you guys want to call me a doctor I won't object."

[theodorelasso]

"We can save it for-- No, sorry, I'm not gonna say that," he stops, smiling to himself. He finishes off his food, setting the empty bowl on the nightstand, then reaches over to take Joan's hand. He's full of good food, and he's cuddling with his girlfriend (as much as is appropriate while Sherlock is in the room), and it's a nice break from all the stress.